Opinion / Columnist
'Grace Mugabe can unite Zimbabwe more effectively than anyone else'
03 Oct 2014 at 11:33hrs | Views
The First Lady has the potential to be a really positive and productive force for uniting our country.
If we can overcome the temptation and the emotional satisfaction of responding to the first lady or her statements with a disrespectful jab at how wrong they are, if we can instead respectfully consider each other's opinions, hear her out, admit that there are perhaps no issues more complicated than the ones we undertake to discuss and thus there is probably no clear and obvious right or wrong answer, if we can overcome our impulses and our adrenaline and our emotions and resist arrogantly assuming that we know all of the answers, the First Lady can really be something amazingly helpful for the country at this dangerous and uncertain point in time.
By having respectful, truth-seeking debate, we can not only get closer to understanding each other and understanding her and these complex issues and all of the people in our country regardless of tribe, class, religion, region, language or origin and the world that they affect, but we can also change the divisive, victory-seeking debate culture that dominates our daily news and politics. We believe we can change it because people are tired of it, and want lasting and united change. Let those national leaders who are never divisive such as the First Lady cast the first stone.
Our impulses and our emotions may sometimes cause us to take the bait when politicians dangle the partisan or tribalism divisive hook, but deep down inside we all know that the divisive culture is not helping at all and in fact doing real damage, and we also know deep down inside that no one agrees with everything every politician from one party believes. So we must be ready for this change, and we think that this change can only come from a leader who can unite our people, and it is possible that that leader is the First Lady.
It is reasonable to say the media and the politicians all benefit from the increase in attention they get from keeping the divisive atmosphere alive. Of course no single leader can do something to reverse the trend, but it will be tough because competitors will continue the same old divisive tactics, so this is up to us as a people. Potentially, we can change things and we can help this country enormously, and we don't think it will even be that hard, although it could take a long time.
All we have to do is control our impulses and emotions, be calm and patient and respectful, and seek the truth as opposed to victory. We don't see why anyone would want to continue demonising a leader who has a potential to unite the people of Zimbabwe given how much these issues affect our country and our world, and how important it is for us to reach those answers that we can most strongly agree on. So let's see what the First Lady can do.
Now is the time for women to put on the overalls and help build a united nation.
The First Lady has all the aspect of running for president. She is experienced, got cool style, good in public speaking, has charisma, accessible to potential voters and able to speak persuasively and clearly about major issues even against damaging criticism. It is reasonable to conclude that the First Lady can bring the country together more effectively in a way no politician can do at this point. The First Lady is better able to pull the nation together than any of the challengers. Others will push the argument that the First Lady is less experienced politically but other argument is going to be that Zimbabwe need to change the ways of doing things. Employing attack politics and wrong experience instead will certainly not going to bring our country together.
thepresidiumzupa@yahoo.co.uk
If we can overcome the temptation and the emotional satisfaction of responding to the first lady or her statements with a disrespectful jab at how wrong they are, if we can instead respectfully consider each other's opinions, hear her out, admit that there are perhaps no issues more complicated than the ones we undertake to discuss and thus there is probably no clear and obvious right or wrong answer, if we can overcome our impulses and our adrenaline and our emotions and resist arrogantly assuming that we know all of the answers, the First Lady can really be something amazingly helpful for the country at this dangerous and uncertain point in time.
By having respectful, truth-seeking debate, we can not only get closer to understanding each other and understanding her and these complex issues and all of the people in our country regardless of tribe, class, religion, region, language or origin and the world that they affect, but we can also change the divisive, victory-seeking debate culture that dominates our daily news and politics. We believe we can change it because people are tired of it, and want lasting and united change. Let those national leaders who are never divisive such as the First Lady cast the first stone.
Our impulses and our emotions may sometimes cause us to take the bait when politicians dangle the partisan or tribalism divisive hook, but deep down inside we all know that the divisive culture is not helping at all and in fact doing real damage, and we also know deep down inside that no one agrees with everything every politician from one party believes. So we must be ready for this change, and we think that this change can only come from a leader who can unite our people, and it is possible that that leader is the First Lady.
All we have to do is control our impulses and emotions, be calm and patient and respectful, and seek the truth as opposed to victory. We don't see why anyone would want to continue demonising a leader who has a potential to unite the people of Zimbabwe given how much these issues affect our country and our world, and how important it is for us to reach those answers that we can most strongly agree on. So let's see what the First Lady can do.
Now is the time for women to put on the overalls and help build a united nation.
The First Lady has all the aspect of running for president. She is experienced, got cool style, good in public speaking, has charisma, accessible to potential voters and able to speak persuasively and clearly about major issues even against damaging criticism. It is reasonable to conclude that the First Lady can bring the country together more effectively in a way no politician can do at this point. The First Lady is better able to pull the nation together than any of the challengers. Others will push the argument that the First Lady is less experienced politically but other argument is going to be that Zimbabwe need to change the ways of doing things. Employing attack politics and wrong experience instead will certainly not going to bring our country together.
thepresidiumzupa@yahoo.co.uk
Source - ZUPA The Presidium
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