Events of the past few weeks, where the governing Zanu PF party has been embroiled in succession fights at the expense of the majority, point to a country that is in doldrums.
NEWSDAY COMMENT
It is startling how Zimbabwe is now enveloped in the politics of hate. The amount of hate that is being preached today in this country is frightful. Yet what Zimbabwe fought for was peace, progress, love, respect, justice, equality and not the opposite.
Never in Zimbabwe’s history has the country gone through such a bad patch, where the party leadership, including President Robert Mugabe, seem clueless on how to deal with real issues affecting the nation.
Whether the plot is to divert the attention of the majority from Zanu PF’s failure to resuscitate the economy, it seems everything has gone haywire, and the country and the economy are on autopilot.
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One wonders whether Mugabe, who seemed all-powerful, has the answers to the challenges the country is going through.
We have no doubt that with Zanu PF firmly consumed in succession fights between factions aligned to First Lady Grace Mugabe and Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa, the suffering of the majority of Zimbabweans will be exacerbated.
There is no reason whatsoever why Zanu PF politicians believe they have the sole mandate to decide who should be the next leader of this country. There is also no logic to claim all Mugabe’s deputies always plan to oust their leader.
Obviously something is wrong — Mugabe has overstayed, period. Why should Mugabe believe that he has the right to govern this country, as if he fought the liberation struggle all by himself?
Those embroiled in the succession fight led by Grace and other party hawks keen to block Mnangagwa from succeeding the President should look beyond their noses. Zimbabwe does not belong to Gushungo alone. There are other capable leaders out there able to turn around the economy.
Perhaps the only reason why internecine fights continue in Zanu PF is corruption, which is unfortunately bleeding the country today. During this confusion, the top dogs continue to loot yet claiming to protect Mugabe, who turned 92 last Sunday.
We agree that many of those who rule this country may have played a very big part in winning the liberation struggle — but their actions show that they no longer have the interests of the people they liberated at heart. Instead of working towards building the country’s economy, our leaders are busy plotting each other’s down fall — to whose benefit?
Truth is Mugabe’s human rights record is unenviable — Gukurahundi, for example — and yet Zanu PF still believes that he should continue, when it is clear the country is hurtling towards a cesspit. The leadership has destroyed the majority’s aspirations due to selfishness.
As former Vice-President Joshua Nkomo once remarked: “We cannot blame colonialism and imperialism for this (Zanu PF) tragedy. We, who fought against these things now practice them. Why? Why? Why?”
We believe that Zimbabwe cannot progress on fear and false accusations, which are founded simply on the love for power. This shows that there is something fundamentally wrong with Mugabe and his Zanu PF party leadership.
The party is destroying the country and for the sake of the country, Mugabe should stop the destruction. Mugabe has created fear in the minds of Zimbabweans to get his way, and the majority now feel unwanted and unsafe. Sad indeed!
We urge Mugabe to stop Zanu PF shenanigans and focus on development. Zimbabweans cannot live by slogans or threatening people. Mugabe and his party must refocus for the sake of the people.