Opinion / Letters
Open letter to Mnangagwa - publicly apologise for Gukurahundi
23 Nov 2017 at 14:15hrs | Views
Dear Mr. President
First allow me to say congratulations on your ascendancy to the presidency. I must say I was impressed by the smooth plan which led to your rise to the presidency, you really showed true maturity and political shrewdness and cunning which really proved beyond any reasonable doubt that the moniker "Ngwena" or "Lacoste" as us the young ones call you is well deserved Aiwa ndakazipigwa! . I, like many youths greet your presidency with optimism and hope.
Pleasantries aside let me get down to the reason why I felt compelled to write this letter to you. I have a number of points which I hope you will read and take heed of. If you listen, I promise I will not just vote for you but I will actively campaign for you and influence all my friends and family to do the same.
1. Inclusivity
You wrote in your letter to Zimbabweans from exile that you will come back to lead us in a government championing on inclusivity and I intend to hold you to your word. When Cde Mutsvangwa gave a clarion call for us to march in solidarity with the Zimbabwe Defence to force President Mugabe to step down, we readily listened and put aside our political, religious, tribal and racial differences for the good of our nation. You should have seen the love and unity which filled the sunshine city. No one hit another, nor looted from a shop, we embraced each other and history was made. Please Mr. President let this spirit of inclusivity continue; do not tolerate politics of exclusion and hatred which President Mugabe presided over. Embrace anyone who is committed to the development of this teapot shaped land we are privileged to call home regardless of size, colour, shape or creed.
2. Propaganda
Major General Sibusiso Moyo urged the media to report fairly and responsibly and the resultant news coming from ZBC was amazing, for the first time since I was born I looked forward to watching ZTV. For me something was not true unless ZBC reported and that was amazing. Please do not let the vile propaganda that characterised ZBC under President Mugabe return. The true reporting made ZBC views skyrocket and we want it to remain that way, to be a national broadcaster that we are all proud of. We are an intelligent people and lies simply won't fly.
3. Truth and Reconciliation
I was not born when the Matabeleland atrocities happened, but from reading and speaking to friends from that part of our country it is a sad part of our history. Please show us leadership and integrity by publicly apologising for your part in that very dark episode and appoint a commission that will bring about TRUE reconciliation so that our nation may be one and we will embrace each other with love and respect and do away with the tribal hatred. Just look at how the tribal hatred is destroying Kenya. Also let the commission include other dark periods like the 2002 and 2008 electoral violence
4. Constitutionalism
You are the chief custodian of our constitution, we have a good constitution but under President Mugabe we had no constitutionalism. Please move with haste to align the laws to the constitution and repeal all laws that limit our freedoms. We are peace loving, (just use the Saturday 18 November march as a reference point) and thus do not need oppressive laws. Please do not fall in the trappings of President Mugabe, were courts were used to punish those with different views. We are all equal as our beloved constitution says and thus selective application of the law should have no place in the new Zimbabwe. Since the Zimbabwe Defence forces we would openly discuss politics without checking over our shoulders to make sure no one capable of "disappearing us was listening. The freedom was really sweet; please do not take that away.
5. Corruption
Corruption is the cancer that has killed our nation, please be ruthless like a crocodile in fighting corruption, if you may start with VID and ZRP. As Major General Moyo said, that "operation restore legacy" was meant to flush out "criminal elements" which had captured the state, please continue this noble cause, and let anyone who practices corruption be dealt with swiftly whether it's a minister or Moze the village crook. Take a leaf from the Chinese, they deal with corruption ruthlessly.
6. Economy
Most of my fellow young people are unemployed despite being educated; some of us have died while seeking better livelihoods in other countries lost their dignity doing work which is subhuman in foreign lands. They all want to return home. All we need is the opportunity to earn money honestly and with dignity. Please Mr. President adopt policies which favour investment and reopening of our industries so that we may be proud again. Repeal all terrible policies which scare away investors. Let the sounds of machinery fill Bulawayo not the churches which had taken over idle factories. Our people had become paupers and were at the mercy of charlatans pretending to have direct lines to God, thronging these churches was not faith but desperation. Please Mr. President give us our dignity again.
7. Term Limits
There is a Kenyan proverb which says "No matter how good a dancer you are, you must always know when to leave the stage." President Mugabe ignored this wisdom and for a great man like him, his departure was terrible. You have a chance at being remembered as the greatest of all our heroes (apart from your war credentials you are the Hero who removed President Mugabe), please Mr. President serve your maximum terms according to the current constitution and gracefully step down, also please start grooming a successor now! We trust you not to tamper with the constitution.
8. Meritocracy
One of the critical errors President Mugabe did was to surround himself with bootlickers who did not tell him when he erred but kept encouraging him on the wrong path, his cabinet appointments were about rewarding loyalties not performance. Please Mr. President Make appointments based on skill, ability and qualification only. Do not reshuffle non performers but rather remove them from office. Everyone in your government should work for the greater good of the nation and deserve to be there.
9. Nation First
Mr. President, no single person is bigger than the struggle! Always put the nation first, President Mugabe had become first with the nation being a distant second, do not fall into the same terrible pit. Do not rename everything after yourself nor let your face be on every party regalia. Please put an end to the "one centre of power" idea both in ZANU PF and Government. Do not tolerate bootlickers and refuse to be made a "god" nor likened to angels or deities. I assure you if you put the nation first we will exalt you above all, but out of true reverence not to curry favours.
10. Transparency and Honesty
Mr. President please make sure there is transparency at all levels of government and that you and everyone in government exhibits honesty. Be a principled man of your word and we the citizens will follow your example and our nation will be great again.
11. Travels
You are our president and hence your loyalties lie with us not with the outside world. You have travelled the world and hence no need for you to be hoping on every flight to every meeting all over the world. President Mugabe had become a permanent resident of the skies draining the treasury in the process. Please Mr. President send technocrats to these meetings and remain at home championing development.
12. Zimbabwe Republic Police
When the Zimbabwe Defence Forces stepped in and the ZRP disappeared from the streets and roads, there was amazing peace and driving became enjoyable again. Please Mr. President reform the police, they should uphold their oath "to serve and protect" and stop beating up people and fleecing motorists. It just felt wrong when the members of the ZDF we met in the streets were polite and respectful but the ZRP are just downright mean, violent and act like thugs. We thought the soldiers were the mean ones since they are taught to fight enemies while the police meant to protect us are the ones who treat us like enemies. Please Mr. President, put an end to the senseless fundraising masquerading as roadblocks on our roads.
13. Health Systems
You personally witnessed the terrible condition of our health system when you had to be airlifted to South Africa to save your life. Think about some of us who can't afford to be flown abroad for medical care, and also just imagine if there had been bad weather when you were flown to South Africa and you had to remain here. We would have buried you at heroes' Acre. Please Mr. President fix our health system so that we all can live healthy and happy lives.
14. The First Lady
I understand your wife is a politician in her own right, you saw how Mrs. Grace Mugabe ruined her husband's legacy, when she went on a rampage, vitriol and diatribe flowing from her mouth, insulting people and humiliating grown men. You yourself are a victim of her uncouthness. Please let Amai Mnangagwa be a first lady we can be proud of, let her show Mrs. Grace Mugabe how a proper first Lady behaves, so far she has shown great maturity by not also insulting Mrs. Mugabe in return and for that she has my respect.
Mr. President you have the chance to be the man who removed President Mugabe and fixed Zimbabwe's socio-economic troubles and gave back the people of Zimbabwe their pride and dignity. I personally will give you my support and join you in rebuilding our country, I am placing my faith in you, please do not make me rue the decision. In your letter promising to come back and lead us, you really sounded like a man who has had his Damascene moment and I bought your transformation, you delivered on your first promise to come back, now we eagerly await the rest. I also eagerly listened to your address this evening were you pledged in your own words to be a "servant of the people of Zimbabwe". It is also my hope that the mhanduuuu you denounced are the thieving clowns who were team G40 and anyone who abuses public resources even within team Lacoste
I write this letter in my personal capacity but I am sure a lot of my fellow youths feel the same. You are an intelligent and learned man, you saw what made president Mugabe unpopular with the people of Zimbabwe, do not make the same mistakes he made. Our Zimbabwean story bears an uncanny resemblance to that of China, after Chairman Mao, Deng Xiaoping came in and transformed China………
Sincerely yours
Dinika, Adio-Adet T.
(Young, ambitious and hopeful Zimbabwean
First allow me to say congratulations on your ascendancy to the presidency. I must say I was impressed by the smooth plan which led to your rise to the presidency, you really showed true maturity and political shrewdness and cunning which really proved beyond any reasonable doubt that the moniker "Ngwena" or "Lacoste" as us the young ones call you is well deserved Aiwa ndakazipigwa! . I, like many youths greet your presidency with optimism and hope.
Pleasantries aside let me get down to the reason why I felt compelled to write this letter to you. I have a number of points which I hope you will read and take heed of. If you listen, I promise I will not just vote for you but I will actively campaign for you and influence all my friends and family to do the same.
1. Inclusivity
You wrote in your letter to Zimbabweans from exile that you will come back to lead us in a government championing on inclusivity and I intend to hold you to your word. When Cde Mutsvangwa gave a clarion call for us to march in solidarity with the Zimbabwe Defence to force President Mugabe to step down, we readily listened and put aside our political, religious, tribal and racial differences for the good of our nation. You should have seen the love and unity which filled the sunshine city. No one hit another, nor looted from a shop, we embraced each other and history was made. Please Mr. President let this spirit of inclusivity continue; do not tolerate politics of exclusion and hatred which President Mugabe presided over. Embrace anyone who is committed to the development of this teapot shaped land we are privileged to call home regardless of size, colour, shape or creed.
2. Propaganda
Major General Sibusiso Moyo urged the media to report fairly and responsibly and the resultant news coming from ZBC was amazing, for the first time since I was born I looked forward to watching ZTV. For me something was not true unless ZBC reported and that was amazing. Please do not let the vile propaganda that characterised ZBC under President Mugabe return. The true reporting made ZBC views skyrocket and we want it to remain that way, to be a national broadcaster that we are all proud of. We are an intelligent people and lies simply won't fly.
3. Truth and Reconciliation
I was not born when the Matabeleland atrocities happened, but from reading and speaking to friends from that part of our country it is a sad part of our history. Please show us leadership and integrity by publicly apologising for your part in that very dark episode and appoint a commission that will bring about TRUE reconciliation so that our nation may be one and we will embrace each other with love and respect and do away with the tribal hatred. Just look at how the tribal hatred is destroying Kenya. Also let the commission include other dark periods like the 2002 and 2008 electoral violence
4. Constitutionalism
You are the chief custodian of our constitution, we have a good constitution but under President Mugabe we had no constitutionalism. Please move with haste to align the laws to the constitution and repeal all laws that limit our freedoms. We are peace loving, (just use the Saturday 18 November march as a reference point) and thus do not need oppressive laws. Please do not fall in the trappings of President Mugabe, were courts were used to punish those with different views. We are all equal as our beloved constitution says and thus selective application of the law should have no place in the new Zimbabwe. Since the Zimbabwe Defence forces we would openly discuss politics without checking over our shoulders to make sure no one capable of "disappearing us was listening. The freedom was really sweet; please do not take that away.
5. Corruption
Corruption is the cancer that has killed our nation, please be ruthless like a crocodile in fighting corruption, if you may start with VID and ZRP. As Major General Moyo said, that "operation restore legacy" was meant to flush out "criminal elements" which had captured the state, please continue this noble cause, and let anyone who practices corruption be dealt with swiftly whether it's a minister or Moze the village crook. Take a leaf from the Chinese, they deal with corruption ruthlessly.
6. Economy
Most of my fellow young people are unemployed despite being educated; some of us have died while seeking better livelihoods in other countries lost their dignity doing work which is subhuman in foreign lands. They all want to return home. All we need is the opportunity to earn money honestly and with dignity. Please Mr. President adopt policies which favour investment and reopening of our industries so that we may be proud again. Repeal all terrible policies which scare away investors. Let the sounds of machinery fill Bulawayo not the churches which had taken over idle factories. Our people had become paupers and were at the mercy of charlatans pretending to have direct lines to God, thronging these churches was not faith but desperation. Please Mr. President give us our dignity again.
7. Term Limits
There is a Kenyan proverb which says "No matter how good a dancer you are, you must always know when to leave the stage." President Mugabe ignored this wisdom and for a great man like him, his departure was terrible. You have a chance at being remembered as the greatest of all our heroes (apart from your war credentials you are the Hero who removed President Mugabe), please Mr. President serve your maximum terms according to the current constitution and gracefully step down, also please start grooming a successor now! We trust you not to tamper with the constitution.
One of the critical errors President Mugabe did was to surround himself with bootlickers who did not tell him when he erred but kept encouraging him on the wrong path, his cabinet appointments were about rewarding loyalties not performance. Please Mr. President Make appointments based on skill, ability and qualification only. Do not reshuffle non performers but rather remove them from office. Everyone in your government should work for the greater good of the nation and deserve to be there.
9. Nation First
Mr. President, no single person is bigger than the struggle! Always put the nation first, President Mugabe had become first with the nation being a distant second, do not fall into the same terrible pit. Do not rename everything after yourself nor let your face be on every party regalia. Please put an end to the "one centre of power" idea both in ZANU PF and Government. Do not tolerate bootlickers and refuse to be made a "god" nor likened to angels or deities. I assure you if you put the nation first we will exalt you above all, but out of true reverence not to curry favours.
10. Transparency and Honesty
Mr. President please make sure there is transparency at all levels of government and that you and everyone in government exhibits honesty. Be a principled man of your word and we the citizens will follow your example and our nation will be great again.
11. Travels
You are our president and hence your loyalties lie with us not with the outside world. You have travelled the world and hence no need for you to be hoping on every flight to every meeting all over the world. President Mugabe had become a permanent resident of the skies draining the treasury in the process. Please Mr. President send technocrats to these meetings and remain at home championing development.
12. Zimbabwe Republic Police
When the Zimbabwe Defence Forces stepped in and the ZRP disappeared from the streets and roads, there was amazing peace and driving became enjoyable again. Please Mr. President reform the police, they should uphold their oath "to serve and protect" and stop beating up people and fleecing motorists. It just felt wrong when the members of the ZDF we met in the streets were polite and respectful but the ZRP are just downright mean, violent and act like thugs. We thought the soldiers were the mean ones since they are taught to fight enemies while the police meant to protect us are the ones who treat us like enemies. Please Mr. President, put an end to the senseless fundraising masquerading as roadblocks on our roads.
13. Health Systems
You personally witnessed the terrible condition of our health system when you had to be airlifted to South Africa to save your life. Think about some of us who can't afford to be flown abroad for medical care, and also just imagine if there had been bad weather when you were flown to South Africa and you had to remain here. We would have buried you at heroes' Acre. Please Mr. President fix our health system so that we all can live healthy and happy lives.
14. The First Lady
I understand your wife is a politician in her own right, you saw how Mrs. Grace Mugabe ruined her husband's legacy, when she went on a rampage, vitriol and diatribe flowing from her mouth, insulting people and humiliating grown men. You yourself are a victim of her uncouthness. Please let Amai Mnangagwa be a first lady we can be proud of, let her show Mrs. Grace Mugabe how a proper first Lady behaves, so far she has shown great maturity by not also insulting Mrs. Mugabe in return and for that she has my respect.
Mr. President you have the chance to be the man who removed President Mugabe and fixed Zimbabwe's socio-economic troubles and gave back the people of Zimbabwe their pride and dignity. I personally will give you my support and join you in rebuilding our country, I am placing my faith in you, please do not make me rue the decision. In your letter promising to come back and lead us, you really sounded like a man who has had his Damascene moment and I bought your transformation, you delivered on your first promise to come back, now we eagerly await the rest. I also eagerly listened to your address this evening were you pledged in your own words to be a "servant of the people of Zimbabwe". It is also my hope that the mhanduuuu you denounced are the thieving clowns who were team G40 and anyone who abuses public resources even within team Lacoste
I write this letter in my personal capacity but I am sure a lot of my fellow youths feel the same. You are an intelligent and learned man, you saw what made president Mugabe unpopular with the people of Zimbabwe, do not make the same mistakes he made. Our Zimbabwean story bears an uncanny resemblance to that of China, after Chairman Mao, Deng Xiaoping came in and transformed China………
Sincerely yours
Dinika, Adio-Adet T.
(Young, ambitious and hopeful Zimbabwean
Source - Dinika, Adio-Adet T
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