ZANU PF neither represents us young progressive Zimbabweans nor can they ever create the future we want.
Vince Musewe
I was utterly embarrassed and somewhat incensed at some Foreign Affairs official former Zimbabwe ambassador to the UN Chitsaka Chipaziwa who saw it necessary to take a potshot at his hosts at the American National Day function last week. It looked pitiful as it was clear to me that his body language was not in line with the words that he been told to use at the function.
This “gentleman” saw it fit to say Zimbabwe does not need any aid from America while Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa is busy appealing for food aid from the very same people.
He had the audacity to claim that we as a country at 35 are doing just fine compared to the United States democracy which is 239 years old. A colleague of mine laughed at this and said that at least we now know where we are going with Zanu PF, we must wait another 204 years!
It was really inspiring to be at the event and to witness a country that has dedicated and organised its people and institutions to pursue and protect the freedom of its citizens at all costs. Of course they have issues, but it need not take us 204 years to get there. We want it now and we can definitely do it despite Zanu PF’s views.
It got me thinking that, despite the commendable work being done by the US in assisting Zimbabwe in various fields, this government is angry at them and continues to blame sanctions and some regime change agenda.
What gets to me is that we the taxpayers of Zimbabwe actually pay the salaries and for the benefits of these government officials and yet they must continuously spew the sanctions and regime change garbage each time they are given an opportunity to speak.
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Pity the speech wasn’t in a closed room or I would have walked out.
My utmost apology from progressive Zimbabweans like myself goes to Ambassador BruceWharton and his team who are doing all they can to make a differenceto Zimbabwe and its people despite the challenges.
Such rudeness and lack of candour does not reflect who we truly are!
It’s not only insulting and primitiveto insult your host, but it’s downright embarrassing to some of us who wish to really create a civilised and progressive Zimbabwe that focuses on country first and takes its responsibilities seriously.
Zanu PF has created Zimbabwean problems because of their thirst to keep political power at the cost of the country.
They have effectively rendered my generation unable to contribute and develop this country as we expected we would do 35 years ago.
As a result millions of my generation are scattered all over the world unable to build wealth for themselves in their motherland and for the country. That is serious condemnation.
Zanu PF does not represent many of us with regard to what we wish for this country. We want a Zimbabwe that has a responsible and ethical government that takes the responsibility of leading seriously.I am certainly glad the vendors are standing their ground and so must we all.
My honest view is that we dismissed Zanu PF from power in 2008 if not earlier because of their failure to create the Zimbabwe we imagine — that is all. This liberation struggle organisation can really never represent our aspirations and the future we want to see.
They have forced themselves onto us and it would be okay if they were running the country well, we would at least forgive them, but their clear incompetence peppered with entitlement and arrogance is a curse that continues to arrest our potential.
Their total failure to appreciate and comprehend the arrested potential of this country has surely made us the wretched of the earth. Yes, Zimbabwe has all it needs, but we cannot unlock that potential without access to development funding. Development funding is other people’s money because we spend more than we generate as a country.
Those other people have therefore every right to make their assistance to us conditional upon the basic principles of civilised developing societies who must protect private property, freedom of speech and association, respect the law and the constitution and treat their citizens with dignity.
In my opinion, there is nothing imperialistic or evil about that. In fact, that is exactly what we black Zimbabweans want for our country.
It’s not an American or British agenda; it’s a people’s agenda!
Anyway, if there is anything that is now evident in the minds of the majority of Zimbabweans, it is that it is time to move from the past.
We will need to start afresh and write off the last 35 years as a bad experiment that we would all soon forget. We need a new breed of people in government and there are certainly out there waiting.
All we need are properly run elections that are free and fair to get there.
This is such a serious issue and this generation has an opportunity to change our history for the better and when some political opposition parties go to elections despite the fact that this is the only chance we have to put paid to a dictatorship, I really get livid and have lost all respect for their leaders. In my opinion, they are not suitable to lead or create the Zimbabwe we want.
We got work to do!
•Vince Musewe is an economist and author based in Harare.You may contact him [email protected]
