When tolerance is rejected, leaders end up in sewers and holes

 is Mugabe prepared to go this way?


It's very sad, as in so many years before, that Zimbabwe celebrates the International Day of Tolerance today by planning retaliations, deceit, arresting journalists and promoting unfair practices in politics.

Some people, especially in the former ruling Zanu PF have taken it upon themselves to hold the country to ransom, denying hardworking citizens an opportunity to start afresh.

The inclusive government was created to bring about this opportunity to start afresh, to do fair politics, to promote tolerance, to help people learn from each other, regardless of which political party or tribe they belong to. During its life, the inclusive government has to some extent tried to promote tolerance. 

Former enemies are working together for a better Zimbabwe in government.

Today, we notice the good work being done to direct education back to its former glory, to create opportunities for industry to operate fully and employ more hardworking citizens, to catch up with the rest of the world in the information and technology sector and to some extent, see a bit of sense in how our economy seeks to work.

During my visit to Zimbabwe, I did witness some tolerance at work in the way in which supporters of rival parties were able to sit together and share one or two jokes about their parties.

That, to me was a breather because there seemed to be some sense of delivery and belonging in a country that not so many years back was gripped by self-destruction that shattered and killed many lives of its own citizens.

But…not all is rosy; we have the Nay's, the angry and the vicious

In the light of all these raised hopes, of late we have started to notice the self-destruction mood which is threatening to reverse all the advances made.

The intolerant are back, ranting lies in the media about how we should keep fighting the imperialist West. They have deployed their Chipangano violent groups who go around beating innocent civilians.

They are angry and dissatisfied. The media is under severe attack. Just this week, they arrested two Standard journalists just for doing their work.

What is surprising is the confidence that we keep hearing from the progressives in government, who tell us that the intolerants are a minority both in government and cabinet. 

The question then is how is it possible for them to manipulate the majority and cause so much pain in our beloved country.

The only logical response I can find for this is that maybe they have been strategically positioned; placed in roles that offer opportunities to promote intolerance.

Let's look at Saviour Kasukuwere. The man is running around threatening business in a cunning way that sets him up to own multiple shares in influential sectors of the economy.

It is believed he is doing this as fast as possible to allow himself time to call for peace when he is done with looting, creating an environment for his business to do well.

Simon Khaya Moyo is another recent actor in the game who does not realise that the end game will as well end up being attributed to his position as the Chairman of Zanu PF.

He is entering the list of the Enos Nkala characters, who get used and then cast out to be sacrificed by the public when the job is done.

Just last week, his party sat in a peace process and the very next day he was out encouraging retaliation and violence.

In any case, who is he retaliating against seeing that he is the perpetrator? The man spent years as a diplomat and I guess this is payback time for the benefits he has reaped – and he seems to be doing well in getting his name top of those who might be the most wanted fugitives when the time to account at The Hague comes.

When tolerance becomes partisan, the leaders will run for their lives

Sometimes you sympathise with those who say we must end this coalition government. At the mere mention of elections, the army is now on a huge recruitment drive. They have made it clear that they won't tolerate any new recruits without a Zanu PF membership card.

I now understand the reason behind the fear of Zanu PF's spin doctor Nathaniel Mahneru – the man scared of being invaded by the West. He keeps talking about invasion because he is aware that his party is creating all grounds to provoke that invasion and I know some people wish his dream yo come true, seeing as his party is all out to wipe innocent civilians.

They did it in Matabeleland and Midlands and so what can stop them now? In any case, there are many similarities between his party and the Jamahiriya in Libya under Gadhafi rule.

I have recently imagined Mugabe emerging from a hole or a sewer shouting "Don't Shoot". Not that I wish him so, but this is always the end result when people ignore tolerance in favour of anarchy. Saddam Hussein, Laurent Gbabgo and Maummar Ghaddafi all came to regret their ways when their fate faced them. It's now up to Mugabe to serve us with fair play and tolerance, and my advice is for him to do it sooner than later.