ZIMBABWE needs a new system of governance that benefits all her people.

It is a system of governance borne out of, and founded on, the free and true authority and power of the people.

Authority and power to govern is with the people. It is the people who must govern themselves.

The current system of governance, that uses political parties, is divisive, corrupt, and partisan.

It only benefits a few. For this reason, it works against the best interests of the people of Zimbabwe.

The wealth that Zimbabwe has must be a blessing to all her people.

Yet it has become a weapon used to fight each other and create enemies.

Zimbabwe is rich enough to cater for every citizen.

Therefore, a new system of governance is needed. It must come from the people using their authority and power to govern.

The people must use their authority and power based on what is good.

Government is owned by the people. Everyone in government or who works there is employed by and works for the people.

Government and everyone who works there must do what is good for the people.

The people must start choosing the people they want to represent them in government.

They must do this without involving political parties. There is so much good that can be achieved if our focus is on the people and not on political parties.

People know what they want and what is good for them — or at least they should know.

Leadership everywhere must do what is good for the people they work for and are employed by.

Leaders have a duty to only do what is good as they lead the people.

The best interests of the people are there for all to see and can be known by asking and consulting the people.

When people choose political parties to lead them, they surrender their power to political parties.

When they do this, they are taken advantage of.-People’s Covenant

Govt should not exchange freedom for national security

REGARDLESS of the recent COVID-19 outbreak and strict quarantine measures there, China’s authorities have, overall, handled the pandemic in their nation pointedly.

Watching the little amount of newsfeed allowed to leave the nation in autumn 2019, I was somewhat amused by TV images of some citizens being literally dragged — a few even invertedly by their legs — back into their residences to help contain viral transmission.

As the months passed and COVID-19 became a global pandemic, I couldn’t help but notice how China’s strict handling of its own outbreak, while allowing little rights and freedoms to its people (and maybe even internal/external big business), likely enabled a relatively short duration of its initial crisis.

Albeit, many Chinese citizens have tasted and enjoyed samples of freedom’s sweetness, either through trans-Pacific travel or Western images missed by internet censors.

Potentially problematic for China’s authoritarian government, those samples cannot be “un-experienced”.

Perhaps with greater democratic freedom can come weaker national security, and vice versa.

While I wouldn’t exchange my (Western) freedom for such national security, it is still foolish to pretend a national security sacrifice isn’t being made in exchange.-Frank Sterle Jr

We need to address three crisis points to move forward

THE Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition (CiZC) joins Zimbabweans from all walks of life and progressive forces from across the globe in commemorating the independence of Zimbabwe from the grip of colonial rule.

On April 18, 1980, the Union Jack was lowered, marking an end to the racist fascist rule of the right wing settler regime.

Independence came after a protracted armed struggle, executed at the cost of many lives, and the sweat, tears and blood of citizens in reclaiming their country, their land.

The world celebrated the bold push back against imperialism and expected Zimbabwe to march towards an egalitarian society under a democratic progressive developmental State.

This was the promise of independence, at independence.

Forty-two years on after the cherished independence, Zimbabwe has significantly regressed to fascism and has become a puppet of imperialist forces.

The right wing tendencies of the current government continue to negate the liberation agenda; government has morphed into an increasingly authoritarian polity, adopted a ruinous neoliberal economic agenda and embarked on massive looting of national resources.

CiZC envisions a democratic and economically developed Zimbabwe, a vision which is in sync with the liberation agenda of establishing a democratic progressive developmental State.

The Coalition has, therefore, become the natural vehicle for accelerating the completion of the liberation struggle.

CiZC notes that reactionary forces have taken over the reins of power and are derailing the liberation project.

To that end, the Coalition has identified three crisis points which have to be addressed as we complete the liberation project.

These are State-society relations, economic relations and public service delivery.-CiZC