Resolve succession issue now, and focus on uplifting people's lives

Never in its history has Zimbabwe been found at a more precarious situation as it is now, when its leaders are more concerned about power and positions than the lives of the people - not that they were ever concerned, as their political careers were never about the people.

Why I say that Zimbabwe's leaders were never concerned about this country and its people from the onset is clear from ZANU PF's own questionable history.

Since that party was formed in 1964, it has only sought to serve its own interests, and not those of the people.

The liberation movements of the 1950s and early 60s, including ZAPU, where focussed on uniting the nation and liberating the people without regard for tribe or ethnicity.

Umdala wethu, Joshua Nkomo was known as a fierce fighter for the country's liberation all over the land, including in Rusape where my maternal grandfather was said to have been fond of this great man.

In an age of no television, or internet, it was not easy to be known throughout the country, but the fact that Nkomo was known in 'Shona' places as Rusape, speaks volumes about the man's character.

He was a true unifier.

His nickname, 'Chibwechitedza' was also Shona - another example of his national focus.

However, when ZANU PF was formed, the situation drastically changed, as it came with a divisionary and tribalistic message, that sought to divide the people for its own selfish political gain.

ZANU PF never became more popular than ZAPU because of better and sound policies, but through tribalism, and taking advantage of the tribal demography of this country, by portraying itself as a 'Shona' party, and ZAPU as a Ndebele party.

That is why till today ZANU PF - despite the so-called unity accord - has never made inroads into the Matabeleland regions because it deliberately alienated itself from the Ndebele for political expediency.

In so doing, the formation of ZANU PF lead to widespread tribal hatred and fighting amongst people who were once united and never saw tribe as an issue.

Places like Highfield, in the then Salisbury, became scenes of widespread Black on Black violence, something that benefited the minority White regime very well.

Actually, it can be said that the formation of ZANU PF benefited the White minority regime more than anyone else.

That is why it was initially listed as a renegade and divisive organisation by the Front-line States (now the Southern African Development Community - SADC).

Throughout the liberation struggle, ZANU PF was the only party that had power struggles that also hampered the liberation effort.

The liberation struggle was a convenient smoke screen for a group of people who were merely interested in power and nothing else.

The situation has not changed today.

Why is it that ZANU PF works together as a untied front only when its grip on power is threatened, but can not work together when the country is burning and people's lives are in grave danger?

To ZANU PF, power is more important than people - that is their de fact motto.

Millions of people today face starvation, companies are closing or retrenching everyday - leaving thousands of workers unemployed, workers are not being paid their salaries and terminal benefits, thousands of school/college leavers join the unemployment line every year, thousands of children are not going to school, hundreds of families are being evicted from their homes because they can not afford rentals, scores of others are homeless because the City of Harare is demolition their houses - the list goes on - but all the ZANU PF government can think of is who will be the next president.

As this issue is taking up too much unnecessary time, which should be constructively used to solve the more pressing issues bedevilling our country, this succession issue has to be resolved today.

It is pointless for the President to wait till he is no longer in office for this issue to be solved, as this will lead to a bloodbath in Zimbabwe.

ZANU PF has never known democracy - its president was not even elected at a congess but appointed by ZANLA forces after the death of its chairman Herbert Chitepo.

Since then, he has held on to that position as if he owned it - and there has never been any free and fair elections for that position within ZANU PF.

That position has been so safeguarded as if it was sacred, and no one within ZANU PF has ever been allowed to openly contemplate standing for it in an election - as that would have been construed as the greatest rebellion against the president.

As this position has been treated as a personal fiefdom by the president, is it any wonder that the fight for the position can take a very deadly form if left unresolved?

The late Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez also ruled his party and country in a similar fashion, where a personal cult was formed around his presidency.

However, he proved to be a bit more visionary at the last minute than our own president.

When Chavez fell Ill, he knew that the manner in which he had personalised the presidency would inevitably lead to fierce and destructive battles once he passed on.

He was prudent enough to appoint his successor, Nicholas Maduro, when there was still enough time to ensure that he (Maduro) would be accepted by his party and supporters.

The same approach is urgently needed in ZANU PF if the country is to avert a destructive bloodbath and also get back to the business of running the country.

As ZANU PF has never experienced democracy, it would be folly and foolhardy for the party to experiment with democracy with a position that has its members fiercely fighting over.

The only thing that will work now - in order to save the country - is for the President to appoint his successor now, whilst he still has time to ensure that whoever it is that he would have chosen would be accepted by his charges in his party.

The sooner that is solved, the better for the rest of us who just want the country's problems attended to as a matter of urgency.

This also should be a lesson to the main opposition parties in Zimbabwe who have been so callous enough to copy the unenviable ZANU PF example.

What misfortune is this for our beloved country - to have both the ruling party and the main opposition both singing from the same dictatorial song sheet.

The nation sang with joy and hope in 1999 when the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) was formed, as never had such a powerful and uniting force been unveiled in Zimbabwe since the formation of ZAPU all those decades ago.

However, it was so heart-rending and tragic that nearly a decade after its formation, leadership struggles started to rip the party apart, as another dictatorship reared its ugly head.

Today, the MDC is ineffective, as the power struggles continue tearing it apart into so many fragments that I have lost count - rendering the opposition effectively comatose.

This county needs hope, it needs people who are driven by compassion, a genuinely strong desire for the wellbeing of the suffering people, and not about positions and power.

We need people who are selfless and willing to be 'nobodies', whilst still serving the interests of the people effectively.

One does not need to be a president of a party or government to impact effectively on the lives of the people of Zimbabwe.

All we need are people who are willing to serve, and not be served.

Let us put the lives of the people of Zimbabwe first, without regard for positions and power.

The nation is burning, and we can not afford to watch whilst the firemen are busy fighting for the position of chief firefighter.

People's lives matter more than any position, and any genuine leader would have set aside any political power ambitions for the sake of the nation.

This is the time for Zimbabweans to separate the wheat from the chaff, as it is now very clear to all that these leaders do not care about them at all.

° Tendai Ruben Mbofana is a community activist, communications specialist, journalist, and writer. He writes in his personal capacity, and welcomes feedback. Please call/WhatsApp: +263782283975, or email: tendaiandtinta.mbofana@gmail.com