'Zanu-PF is much bigger than personal ambitions and vendetta'

The current political discourse in our revolutionary party ZANU PF has raised more questions than answers for many people who love the party. For many years, many of us who have followed, supported and defended the revolutionary party, had come to know and believed that the ZANU PF leadership are disciplined, united and respectful.

Today, many of us have been left confused and wondering whether this is the same party whose leadership has managed to ride the crest of many waves in turbulent waters. As a person who is known in the diaspora for unequivocally supporting and defending the revolutionary party in public, the past weeks have seen phones inundated with calls seeking explanations on what has gone wrong or what is going on, in the party. Surprisingly, some of the calls have come from Zimbabwe seeking an independent view on the claims or revelations or counter-claims or counter-revelations which have been made.

At first in the diaspora we were of the view that this was all part of the democratic space existing in the party which allows people to position themselves for posts that are up for grabs during the forthcoming congress. We even denied the existence of factions, because we believe that  the ZANU PF constitution allows contestations for posts in the various organs of the party.

As a constituency in the diaspora, where there are a plethora of opposition parties and prophets of doom,  we remained neutral and guided by what the ten provinces in Zimbabwe would decide, as well as, the respect that we have on the leadership that steered team ZANU PF to victory and managed to maintained sustained peace and unity in the country since independence.  Even during this turbulence, we remain strongly behind the leadership of President Mugabe and his team, but confused and worried about tomorrow.

Today we ask as a constituency. Are the current goings-on in the party, genuine contestations to strengthen or weaken the party? What are the motives of washing our dirty linen in public when the party affords members channels of complains and or representations? Why has it become fashionable for those aspiring for the high offices to campaign by castigating other aspirants, without even  proffering solutions which will improve the party and country? The generality of the party membership want to hear solutions on the declining economy and funding of ZIM-ASSET. Seemingly, there is an illusion among the aspirants that any Zimbabwean by virtue of his/her seniority is destined to run Zimbabwe. That is myopic thinking, because the party and country needs a leadership with demonstrated capabilities.

Today we ask our leadership the questions posed to us. What do we learn from the current political discourse which we will leave for posterity? What an example are we teaching the youth if allegations of factionalism, vote buying and other vices are true? Ko vakuru vedu mavakurasa gwara remusangano ramakatidzidzisa sei? If all this, is about the forthcoming congress, I shudder to think what will be left for the winners to preside over  when you destroy the party now in the name of campaigning.

My humble request to the leadership, the aspirants and self-styled kingmakers is that, you should understand that the party is much bigger than personal ambitions and vendetta. Equally true, you should understand that after the congress there will be a party to lead and a country to run. To do this, requires a united force which will inspire confidence and trust to the investors.

As your admirers, followers and party supporters we demand that sanity and tolerance prevail during the period leading to the congress. This is not time to settle scores but an opportunity to strengthen the party in unity and peace. It is not time to line all positions of the party with friends and acquaintances, but an opportunity for the members of the revolutionary party to independently evaluate the current leadership and strengthen it with capable people who have demonstrated selflessness and servant-hood leadership.

ZANU PF is a big institution and should not be put to altar on the expediency of individual glory and aggrandisement. We cannot afford to please the opposition  as we tear each other in public. Simply we are strengthening the opposition whether by default or by design, and we cannot afford to do so a day longer. We have better ways that have been tried and tested of dealing with each other  as comrades. Or it's a case of politics is a dirty game and/or you cannot have a permanent friend or enemy in politics.

Lastly, we ask, is this the same  beloved ZANU PF party led by President R. G. Mugabe and his Team ZANU PF we have known and stood with for many years. If it is, then we demand that sanity should reign in the party and all of us should toe the line. That's what revolutionary discipline is all about.