Opinion / Columnist
It's time for Zimbabweans to bite the bullet
12 Sep 2020 at 07:38hrs | Views
FOR the longest of times, Zimbabwe seems to continue hogging the limelight for its blustery manner in terms of handling human rights, and the coming in of President Emmerson Mnangagwa was expected to usher in a new era.
Sadly though, the perpetual blood and torture stories seem to leave many gasping spectators and it would be naïve on the part of the powers-that-be to pretend and act as if everything is normal.
There is obviously something amiss when those that fight against social injustices are targeted and subjected to inhuman treatment, while cold blooded prodigies of corruption carry on with their business of merry-making on ill-got-ten wealth.
An ominous cloud is now slowly casting its darkest shades on Zimbabwe's only lingering hope brought about by the exit of its first republic which had assumed a sizeable number of demerits in its long years of existence.
I guess what swiftly stings one to utter dejection is an emerging pattern of the failure to fulfil the initial promise of change by the late former President Robert Mugabe.
It is vital for anybody aspiring to be a leader to understand that trust is earned and, therefore, not achieved through coercion. The success of any government is as a result of collective enterprise, which obviously must accommodate divergent views.
For Zimbabwe, the best foot forward is for its leadership to change the way it handles criticism. It is simply time for it to bite the bullet!
Lately, we have been witnessing the application of unbridled force by the government against those deemed a threat to it.
Clearly, such mannerism does not reflect the premium values of a true democracy. Without any doubt, this has been a very sad development considering that one of the very prime promises during electoral campaigns in 2017 by the ruling party Zanu-PF, was freedom of speech and expression. We may all re-call the many billboards that were erected in cities and besides major highways and by-ways, gave a false hope that we were now destined for Canaan.
Today the promises seem to be knocking on the door of death.
Zanu-PF, as a party holding the fort in government, continues to systematically shape the social order in a way favourable to itself only. It looks very doubtful whether the party leadership will re-examine its ideological stance in the light of conditions on the ground.
I personally think that their strategy is trumping the very basic principles of trust, which is a pull factor in politics.
Sadly though, the perpetual blood and torture stories seem to leave many gasping spectators and it would be naïve on the part of the powers-that-be to pretend and act as if everything is normal.
There is obviously something amiss when those that fight against social injustices are targeted and subjected to inhuman treatment, while cold blooded prodigies of corruption carry on with their business of merry-making on ill-got-ten wealth.
An ominous cloud is now slowly casting its darkest shades on Zimbabwe's only lingering hope brought about by the exit of its first republic which had assumed a sizeable number of demerits in its long years of existence.
I guess what swiftly stings one to utter dejection is an emerging pattern of the failure to fulfil the initial promise of change by the late former President Robert Mugabe.
It is vital for anybody aspiring to be a leader to understand that trust is earned and, therefore, not achieved through coercion. The success of any government is as a result of collective enterprise, which obviously must accommodate divergent views.
Lately, we have been witnessing the application of unbridled force by the government against those deemed a threat to it.
Clearly, such mannerism does not reflect the premium values of a true democracy. Without any doubt, this has been a very sad development considering that one of the very prime promises during electoral campaigns in 2017 by the ruling party Zanu-PF, was freedom of speech and expression. We may all re-call the many billboards that were erected in cities and besides major highways and by-ways, gave a false hope that we were now destined for Canaan.
Today the promises seem to be knocking on the door of death.
Zanu-PF, as a party holding the fort in government, continues to systematically shape the social order in a way favourable to itself only. It looks very doubtful whether the party leadership will re-examine its ideological stance in the light of conditions on the ground.
I personally think that their strategy is trumping the very basic principles of trust, which is a pull factor in politics.
Source - newsday
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