“You can’t go to the next paradigm without a disruptive revolution that ushers in the new.” (EV Mubaiwa)
We are certainly on a change trajectory in terms of how we want our democracy to work. Citizens are now speaking out and asking why things are the way they are. This is very important for the development of our country. There is much to do because in my view, Zanu PF has failed to build the inclusive democratic society we once imagined.
Vince Musewe
In my opinion, it is now critical, at this juncture, for us in Zimbabwe to converge in order to fight this beast called Zanu PF and create a new society based on inclusivity, respect for humanity, justice and the provision of wealth creation opportunities for our people solely based on hard work, innovation, entrepreneurship and creativity.
Change is a complex matter to understand indeed because of many vested and hidden interests, however, I think we all know the Zimbabwe we want. The challenge is how we achieve what we want given the present scenario within our opposition parties and the recent emergence of social movements who seem to have an abhorrence for the former.
I think we need to understand the dynamics and why we are where we are at this juncture. The first being that the latest social movements to emerge are led by young Zimbabweans who have had a very bad experience with our politicians in the past. Youths in Zimbabwe have historically been used as election fodder and nothing else. They have been abused to fight the battle of their political godfathers with no substantive returns. I have met many of our youths who were beaten and incarcerated for the cause and yet today, they have nothing to show for their suffering. Many are, therefore, rightly disillusioned by our traditional opposition political parties with regard to their role and their effectiveness in creating a better future our youth desire.
So, as far as they are concerned, politicians have failed them because they have been unaccountable, selfish and ambitious only to get into power without the assurance that once they are in power they will deliver. Add the fact that our political culture has not progressed over the years due to Zanu PF hegemony and abuse of state resources to stay in power. Our politics have not been based on competency and delivery, but by achieving numbers at all costs, including the use of violence and murder.
We then have competing opposition political parties who have a history with each other and are very critical to pursuing joint objectives given their not so positive experience with each other in the past. We have an opposition political party culture where most of them emerged from splits in the past and to this day, some suspicions are still there. I think we also have just too many opposition political parties with nothing unique to offer. This has created unnecessary competition and continues to weaken our efforts for change.
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We then have our churches, some of whom have now suddenly arisen and are beginning to challenge the status quo more aggressively. That is welcome indeed. Other churches, especially your traditional ones, have been very disappointing in that they have chosen to keep quiet over all the years when evil was being done by President Robert Mugabe. That is unforgivable. I have personally written off the new prosperity churches as opportunists who will change their tune once they realise where the mood is going. The only things they have been good at are to proffer false prophecies and collect millions of dollars each week while providing false hope to the poor.
Despite the above, it is now necessary that we join forces and put aside our differences to establish a National Transitional Authority (NTA). The NTA must be a broad spectrum of citizens’ representatives from politicians to civic organisations to churches to labour to the informal sector to individual experts and to progressive war veterans who must present to the country a road map of political and economic reforms. In this process, let us not forget our brothers and sisters in the Diaspora, whom I think can add tremendous value.
We must first all agree on a date which Mugabe must step down and the NTA must take over key executive powers, particularly in relation to security and the treasury. The immediate issues the NTA must address are food security, debt moratorium, economic reforms, especially in relation to liquidity, repeal of indigenisation, agriculture and industrial revival, access to health services and infrastructure rehabilitation. On the political front, the key issues are aligning our laws with the constitution and electoral reforms as the NTA prepares the country for free and fair elections.
The NTA must not be purely a political body, but an inclusive body which represents all progressive stakeholders. This is key if we are to build a new inclusive democracy. I am happy to note that most political parties seen happy with this idea. It is very important that our social movements realise that they cannot go it alone. It is also critical that our churches speak with one voice so that the NTA is not compromised.
Zimbabwe is at the cusp of a citizen-driven revolution but for the revolution to be a success, it is important that we all take ownership.
l Vince Musewe is an economist and author based in Harare. You may contact him on [email protected]
