A reader of this column says they feel my views in my installment last week — that a new constitution endorsed by Zimbabweans through a referendum and an election roadmap acceptable to contesting parties would minimise electoral violence — were misplaced.
The reader, Musa Nyasha, believes too that my earlier sentiments — against soldiers butting in national politics and openly supporting a particular political party — were on the warped side.
He also has his reasons; to find me quite irritating for arguing against Zanu PF’s monopoly of the national shrine which I claimed killed the spirit of inclusivity and national unity.
I find it quite in order then, that the reader, who says he has for a long time tried unsuccessfully to have his voice heard, be given the chance. Below is Nyasha’s opinion, minimally edited because of space constraints.
Dear Tangai To begin with, I have long wanted to submit opinion pieces to NewsDay and I confess my ignorance as to where to send these pieces. Perhaps you can help. I will send this piece in response to one of your assertions in the article entitled “Mugabe: victim of own party thugs” (June 5).
An election roadmap will not stop violence, neither will a new constitution. The absence of these elements is not what causes the violence. Blatant violations of the law and lack of common decency are just symptoms of the problem. It is very simplistic to put all atrocities on the altar of greed. In my opinion, failure to identify and agree on the things that make us one is what ails us.
As long as Zimbabweans look upon each other as mercenaries, traitors and not kith and kin, violence will remain an acceptable means of expression. The current constitution does not condone violence and yet people are brutalised. So why should a new collection of laws be expected to be the panacea to all that ails us?
Zimbabwe is a nation whose history has failed to unite its people and create a collective national agenda. Members of the MDC formations will find it easy to assault Zanu PF members because they see them as people who want to cling on to power at the expense of the nation. Zanu PF activists find no fault in the murder of MDC members because they consider them puppets of the Western world.
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Pieces of paper or repeals of all kinds of legislation will not alter these perceptions.
Zimbabweans need to find common ground as a people. We need to define our fundamental values and aspirations and set realistic timeframes to reach our goals. A new constitution written by a divided people does not force them to unite.
These people will be starting from the wrong premise. In my opinion, a constitution should be written, not to unite people, but while or when people are united. As it is, all contributions to the crafting of the constitution are viewed with suspicion because they are expected to have, and usually have, a devious agenda behind them. State machinery is used to suppress the citizen’s dissent, but it is civilians who perpetrate and are willingly used as pawns on a day-to-day basis to brutalitise their fellow countrymen and women. To believe that these ordinary citizens have an intimate appreciation of the nature of sanctions, election roadmaps and constitutional issues would be stretching the imagination.
The Sadc and AU-brokered Global Political Agreement (GPA) presented us with an opportunity to achieve unity. Unfortunately the parties in the government decided to use its tenure as a means of scoring points against political bedfellows. The three political parties are an embarrassment to Zimbabweans.
The principals are constantly summoned by Sadc like errant children.
None of the principals really seems to understand what Sadc was saying to Zimbabweans by negotiating the GPA. It is not the fine print or a perceived roadmap that matters. Sadc simply said to Zimbabweans: “Go and work together. Find that which unites you and solve your problems.”
If we feel that any of our nationals should be punished, we should find ways of punishing these people ourselves. If certain resources are being mismanaged, it remains our responsibility to find solutions to these issues. We are after all, a sovereign state are we not? Once we surrender our power to foreigners, it is difficult to get it back.
We continue to be distracted by trivial matters. Why should people find fault with the fact that Zanu PF decides who should be awarded hero status? I know that it is not only war veterans who should be granted this honour, but can anyone dispute the fact that there is no sacrifice and display of patriotism that beats being prepared to die for your country? Representations can always be made about other deserving individuals to the liberation party.
And why should it come as a shock that leaders of our defence forces declare themselves to be Zanu PF? Zanla and Zipra fought for the liberation of Zimbabwe. Their political extensions formed government and appointed leaders of the defence forces. Why should it surprise anyone or even frighten anyone that they say they will only recognise the party that brought liberation to the nation and appointed them?
Let us for one minute forget about greed as a motive. Let us suppose that our army generals really feel that Zimbabwe’s sovereignty is threatened. Why would they feel this threat? Could it be because the opposition party aligned itself with white commercial farmers whose land was being taken from them? Could it be because the MDC formations campaigned for sanctions against their own nation (citizens and corporations)? Could it be because Americans and Europeans continue to meddle in the affairs of Third World nations? These questions are important if we are to understand each other and unite.
Just over three decades after independence, we cannot expect to have the same kind of “democracy” enjoyed by nations who are hundreds of years into independence. Ask Zanu PF and the MDC formations to point to friends and enemies and they will point in different directions. That clearly illustrates our problem.
Greed and hunger for power does exist in America for example but Americans have established the fundamentals of what unites them. This is the reason why it matters not whether it’s the Democrats or Republicans in power, the nation’s foreign policy does not change.
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