Opinion / Columnist
Zimbabwe Engulfed by a Dark Cloud of Political Uncertainty: MKD
26 Sep 2011 at 05:04hrs | Views
Zimbabwe Engulfed by a Dark Cloud of Political Uncertainty – Simba Makoni the only Panacea to our Plight
Mavambo.Kusile.Dawn (M.K.D), the Party of Choice, is deeply concerned by the dark cloud of political uncertainty which has enveloped the beautiful nation of Zimbabwe. The situation is terrifying and could explode at any time.
The Party will not use this article to recite the evident problems facing the country because we have been doing this since time immemorial and are afraid that any further repetition is tantamount to inflicting more pain on the already traumatized but very patient people of Zimbabwe. The damage was caused by three (3) leaders and political parties making up the Inclusive Government which are ZANU PF, MDC-T and MDC-M/N.
We are departing from cataloguing the obvious problems to suggesting possible solutions and what we have to offer to the people of Zimbabwe from the very second we are given the mandate to lead this country.
This article will approach this delicate matter with a sober approach as there is serious danger in not doing so. Judging by the way the situation has deteriorated; Zimbabweans need to elect a leader who has the capacity to rise above levels. Add on to that, the leader must be an incumbent with a genuine and constructive intent. Currently, objectivity is in short supply in the Inclusive Government (IG). The three (3) rulers in the IG, namely President Robert Mugabe, Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and Deputy Prime Ministers Arthur Mutambara and Ms. Thokozani Khupe have displayed beyond any reasonable doubt that they are hell bent on settling past scores in the unlikely event that anyone of them is given a fresh mandate to govern.
President Robert Mugabe is holding the whole nation at ransom for the sole reason that he participated in the liberation struggle for this country. He sees no reason why he should pass on the button to someone else. President Mugabe goes further to say that he sacrificed and suffered a lot while making his contribution to bring about a free Zimbabwe. Fair and fine, we acknowledge the role played not only by Robert Mugabe but by plenty other different sons and daughters who also participated in the liberation struggle. But is it worth it now for us to pay back at such a heavy price? The answer is no. We need constant renewal and democracy in this country.
Not to be outdone, Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai is fighting very hard and winning in proving that he is cut from the same template as President Robert Mugabe. The Prime Minister has become a self proclaimed Godfather of all opposition forces to the extent that, in his eyes, no one else is genuine, able and qualified to oppose Robert Mugabe besides himself. He feels that he has sacrificed a lot and that he should not pass on the baton to a new leader. Morgan Tsvangirai claims he has suffered a lot through beatings and arrests since formation of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) and all people can suffer as long as he is not given the mandate to rule. Fair and fine, we acknowledge the role played by Morgan Tsvangirai in Zimbabwe's opposition politics. Lest we forget that there are other unsung leaders who also pioneered in the stand against Robert Mugabe way back before the formation of MDC-T. These are Dr. Joshua Nkomo of ZAPU, Chief Justice Enock Dumbutshena of FORUM, Mrs. Margaret Dongo of ZUD and the late Mr. Edgar Tekere of ZUM.
There are lots of common denominators under President Robert Mugabe and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai. Both of them view themselves as indispensable and pioneers of the struggle yet there are others who started off way back before them who made even more sacrifices than themselves. They all carry scars which both of them are using to hold the whole nation at ransom. Robert Mugabe claims that he was tortured severely during the liberation struggle and for that he will not let go, while Morgan Tsvangirai claims that he was severely beaten up since formation of MDC and for that also, he cannot let go. But is this the correct barometer which we should use to measure requisite leadership material for the downtrodden people of Zimbabwe? Is the continued stay in the IG by the failed political parties and leaders called for? The answer to both questions is a big no? The most appropriate place for both rulers according to their claims to cling to power is not the IG, but the nearest Rehabilitation/Trauma Centre. This explains why the situation in the country has gone terribly wrong. We have certain people in wrong places. Remember people did not vote for the Inclusive Government. There is a very high possibility that in the unlikely event that Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai is elected President of this country, one day he will hold the whole country at ransom, refusing to relinguish power but instead demanding gratitude from the same people for having removed Robert Mugabe for them. The best bet for now in Zimbabwe is to leave out all leaders with scars and opt for those that are not beholden to any grudges. Universally the trend is that there are always harbingers. But in the end they have to pave way for the appropriate ones to finish off the relay. This is an undisputable natural order.
Zimbabwe needs a sober leader, with no past traumatic political experiences whose sole mandate would be to fix the country's tattered economy and put it back on track making it the breadbasket of not only Africa but the whole world. We need a leader who is not preoccupied with revenge tactics on opponents in the event of winning an election. We cannot afford a further period to be wasted on political revenge missions. It is time to rebuild and gain the lost pride. There is need to choose a leader who commands respect from the international community, a technocrat above all one who does not have blood in his hands. Currently that leader is Simba Makoni of Mavambo.Kusile.Dawn (M.K.D). If elected, Simba Makoni can pick and choose a lean but competent team from within and without M.K.D ranks to assist him rebuild the country. M.K.D has a handsome package to offer to the people of Zimbabwe across the political divide if elected into government.
Among some of our immediate priorities are:
The restoration of the economic and social viability of Zimbabwe through –
• Formulation and implementation of prudent economic, fiscal and monetary policies, which uphold a business friendly environment, for the growth of the economy and the creation of employment.
• Promotion of domestic and foreign investment in mining, construction, tourism, industry and commerce to stimulate economic recovery.
• Engagement of all stakeholders in a process of fair and transparent land reform, with the critical objective of reviving agricultural productivity and ensuring food security.
• Restoration and further development of national public utilities such as water and energy and other infrastructure, transport and communications.
• Restoration and stabilization of sound financial services.
• Mobilisation of social protection measures to strengthen humanitarian assistance, particularly focusing on vulnerable members of our society.
• Resuscitation and development of quality accessible and affordable primary, secondary and tertiary education.
• Revival of free preventive and affordable curative medical services.
• Provision of training programmes to increase the skills base that will make Zimbabwe internationally competitive and its people self reliant.
• Engagement of the Zimbabwean Diaspora in the development of the country.
• Advocacy for the safety, security and welfare of Zimbabweans outside the country.
• Re-engagement of the international community and reinstatement of bilateral and multilateral cooperation.
• Depoliticisation of the civil service and the security organs so that they serve the interests of the state and the Zimbabwean nation at large.
• Reaffirmation, redefinition and depoliticisation of the institutions of traditional leadership of chiefs, headmen and village heads.
• Repeal or amendment of all repressive legislation.
• Acknowledgement of the destruction and disruption of families and communities through political violence and the need for truth and forgiveness.
• Provision of justice, counseling, rehabilitation and restitution.
Mavambo.Kusile.Dawn (M.K.D), the Party of Choice, is deeply concerned by the dark cloud of political uncertainty which has enveloped the beautiful nation of Zimbabwe. The situation is terrifying and could explode at any time.
The Party will not use this article to recite the evident problems facing the country because we have been doing this since time immemorial and are afraid that any further repetition is tantamount to inflicting more pain on the already traumatized but very patient people of Zimbabwe. The damage was caused by three (3) leaders and political parties making up the Inclusive Government which are ZANU PF, MDC-T and MDC-M/N.
We are departing from cataloguing the obvious problems to suggesting possible solutions and what we have to offer to the people of Zimbabwe from the very second we are given the mandate to lead this country.
This article will approach this delicate matter with a sober approach as there is serious danger in not doing so. Judging by the way the situation has deteriorated; Zimbabweans need to elect a leader who has the capacity to rise above levels. Add on to that, the leader must be an incumbent with a genuine and constructive intent. Currently, objectivity is in short supply in the Inclusive Government (IG). The three (3) rulers in the IG, namely President Robert Mugabe, Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and Deputy Prime Ministers Arthur Mutambara and Ms. Thokozani Khupe have displayed beyond any reasonable doubt that they are hell bent on settling past scores in the unlikely event that anyone of them is given a fresh mandate to govern.
President Robert Mugabe is holding the whole nation at ransom for the sole reason that he participated in the liberation struggle for this country. He sees no reason why he should pass on the button to someone else. President Mugabe goes further to say that he sacrificed and suffered a lot while making his contribution to bring about a free Zimbabwe. Fair and fine, we acknowledge the role played not only by Robert Mugabe but by plenty other different sons and daughters who also participated in the liberation struggle. But is it worth it now for us to pay back at such a heavy price? The answer is no. We need constant renewal and democracy in this country.
Not to be outdone, Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai is fighting very hard and winning in proving that he is cut from the same template as President Robert Mugabe. The Prime Minister has become a self proclaimed Godfather of all opposition forces to the extent that, in his eyes, no one else is genuine, able and qualified to oppose Robert Mugabe besides himself. He feels that he has sacrificed a lot and that he should not pass on the baton to a new leader. Morgan Tsvangirai claims he has suffered a lot through beatings and arrests since formation of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) and all people can suffer as long as he is not given the mandate to rule. Fair and fine, we acknowledge the role played by Morgan Tsvangirai in Zimbabwe's opposition politics. Lest we forget that there are other unsung leaders who also pioneered in the stand against Robert Mugabe way back before the formation of MDC-T. These are Dr. Joshua Nkomo of ZAPU, Chief Justice Enock Dumbutshena of FORUM, Mrs. Margaret Dongo of ZUD and the late Mr. Edgar Tekere of ZUM.
There are lots of common denominators under President Robert Mugabe and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai. Both of them view themselves as indispensable and pioneers of the struggle yet there are others who started off way back before them who made even more sacrifices than themselves. They all carry scars which both of them are using to hold the whole nation at ransom. Robert Mugabe claims that he was tortured severely during the liberation struggle and for that he will not let go, while Morgan Tsvangirai claims that he was severely beaten up since formation of MDC and for that also, he cannot let go. But is this the correct barometer which we should use to measure requisite leadership material for the downtrodden people of Zimbabwe? Is the continued stay in the IG by the failed political parties and leaders called for? The answer to both questions is a big no? The most appropriate place for both rulers according to their claims to cling to power is not the IG, but the nearest Rehabilitation/Trauma Centre. This explains why the situation in the country has gone terribly wrong. We have certain people in wrong places. Remember people did not vote for the Inclusive Government. There is a very high possibility that in the unlikely event that Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai is elected President of this country, one day he will hold the whole country at ransom, refusing to relinguish power but instead demanding gratitude from the same people for having removed Robert Mugabe for them. The best bet for now in Zimbabwe is to leave out all leaders with scars and opt for those that are not beholden to any grudges. Universally the trend is that there are always harbingers. But in the end they have to pave way for the appropriate ones to finish off the relay. This is an undisputable natural order.
Zimbabwe needs a sober leader, with no past traumatic political experiences whose sole mandate would be to fix the country's tattered economy and put it back on track making it the breadbasket of not only Africa but the whole world. We need a leader who is not preoccupied with revenge tactics on opponents in the event of winning an election. We cannot afford a further period to be wasted on political revenge missions. It is time to rebuild and gain the lost pride. There is need to choose a leader who commands respect from the international community, a technocrat above all one who does not have blood in his hands. Currently that leader is Simba Makoni of Mavambo.Kusile.Dawn (M.K.D). If elected, Simba Makoni can pick and choose a lean but competent team from within and without M.K.D ranks to assist him rebuild the country. M.K.D has a handsome package to offer to the people of Zimbabwe across the political divide if elected into government.
Among some of our immediate priorities are:
The restoration of the economic and social viability of Zimbabwe through –
• Formulation and implementation of prudent economic, fiscal and monetary policies, which uphold a business friendly environment, for the growth of the economy and the creation of employment.
• Promotion of domestic and foreign investment in mining, construction, tourism, industry and commerce to stimulate economic recovery.
• Engagement of all stakeholders in a process of fair and transparent land reform, with the critical objective of reviving agricultural productivity and ensuring food security.
• Restoration and further development of national public utilities such as water and energy and other infrastructure, transport and communications.
• Restoration and stabilization of sound financial services.
• Mobilisation of social protection measures to strengthen humanitarian assistance, particularly focusing on vulnerable members of our society.
• Resuscitation and development of quality accessible and affordable primary, secondary and tertiary education.
• Revival of free preventive and affordable curative medical services.
• Provision of training programmes to increase the skills base that will make Zimbabwe internationally competitive and its people self reliant.
• Engagement of the Zimbabwean Diaspora in the development of the country.
• Advocacy for the safety, security and welfare of Zimbabweans outside the country.
• Re-engagement of the international community and reinstatement of bilateral and multilateral cooperation.
• Depoliticisation of the civil service and the security organs so that they serve the interests of the state and the Zimbabwean nation at large.
• Reaffirmation, redefinition and depoliticisation of the institutions of traditional leadership of chiefs, headmen and village heads.
• Repeal or amendment of all repressive legislation.
• Acknowledgement of the destruction and disruption of families and communities through political violence and the need for truth and forgiveness.
• Provision of justice, counseling, rehabilitation and restitution.
Source - MavamboKusileDawn Communication department
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