AS we mark 33 years of Independence today, it’s high time for Zimbabweans to bury their political differences and identify the national interest and forge a common vision and values if we are to achieve our aspirations and dreams.
NewsDay Editorial
It is a tragedy of leadership that since attaining Uhuru in 1980, we have dismally failed to come up with shared national interests and shared values.
Wikipedia defines the national interest, often referred by the French expression raison d’état (interest of the State), as a country’s goals and ambitions whether economic, military or cultural.
The concept is an important one in international relations where pursuit of the national interest is the foundation of the realist school.
Today, the concept of national interest is often associated with political realists who wish to differentiate their policies from idealistic policies that seek either to inject morality in foreign policy or promote solutions that rely on multilateral institutions which might weaken the independence of the State.
It is common cause in our country that since Independence, we have failed to clearly define the national interest as well as defining how to protect it.
We have failed to come up with an agreed vision and values. The lack of a shared vision and values is demonstrated aptly by policy inconsistencies since 1980.
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From day one, we were not sure of the kind of State we wanted to be — socialist, capitalist or a mixed economy.
We have no shared vision on land reform, economic indigenisation and empowerment, the constitution-making process, just to mention a few. We posit today as we celebrate our 33rd birthday that the national interest has to do with bread and butter issues, and the advancement of economic and social development.
The parochial approach that party positions are national interests retards development and cannot be tolerated in a democracy we claim to be.
Sovereignty does not entail the butchering and abuse of citizens under the guise of protecting some woolly and undefined national interest.
The national interest must capture and live the dreams and aspirations of the citizens.
The national interest should be anchored in democracy, good governance and human rights.
Zimbabweans must be the authors of their destinations as we celebrate 33 years of Independence today!
