As Zimbabweans we have hated each other in many different ways and over long periods of time — during the pre-colonial period, during colonisation, soon after independence and in the period 2000 up to now, affirms the Catholic Church’s Commission for Justice and Peace in Zimbabwe (CCJPZ).
Opinion: Patrick Imbayarwo
There is not enough peace in the country that can enhance development in Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe is one of the countries in Africa that has a multiplicity of languages and different political parties.
However, one is of the view that whether one is black or white, Shona or Ndebele, Zanu PF or MDC, actually “Zimbabwe is one, it must be a solid nation”.
The true meaning of togetherness had not been reached in the country, henceforth, this would then clamour for ill-development in the country.
Fights are being realised in and outside political parties (factionalism). Also one political party is impatiently waiting for another to make a wrong turn and they will start to attack each other. What do we need in Zimbabwe?
We need an intermediary action that can employed to purge this insurgency within the country for real development to take place.
It is from this that one had to argue that it will be difficult for Zimbabwe to move forward with development without adequate peace.
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Apart from political and economic challenges that have been illustrated elsewhere, it will be difficult for the nation to move forward without adequate peace and reconciliation process.
How can you expect traumatised and fearful citizens to contribute to nation building? As illustrated in A Call to Conscience (2005), a joint Pastoral Letter produced by the Zimbabwe Christian Denominations: “… (Zimbabweans) are frozen in a war mode with language and practices of a command structure.”
Looking at all the business policies being introduced in the country, they are all deemed to fail. The general public are busy running and protecting their lives, whilst a policy is being implemented.
That is not it! We need peace in the country such that when policy makers introduce a policy the whole country will embrace it, knowing that they are working for the betterment of their country.
A policy should bring sustainable development to the country. It is not true that all the policies being proposed are not best for the country, but lack of peace and unity disturbed the progress of economic policies. For example, the introduction of the Statutory Instrument 64 of 2006, citizens did not embrace it properly because of lack of peace in the country.
No one knows the goodness of that policy together with the introduction of bond notes. People embraced this with mixed feelings. Why? It is because there is no unity of purpose in the country. Whether the Indigenisation and Zimbabwe Agenda for Sustainable Socio-Economic Transformation (ZimAsset) policies had been made to benefit the country, no one knows.
When the country has peace and unity, every policy must be analysed before being implemented to the general public. Look how embarrassing is it when a policy is being introduced as an experiment.
We know that experiments are done in laboratories and not in hospitals. Doing experiments in hospitals kills patients. Introducing a policy is like saving the life of a patient. Then how can you test the viability of the project or policy on sick patients, actually they will die. There is a great correlation between politics and economic growth.
My dear comrades let us unite and form the country we want. This is not the Zimbabwe we want. The Zimbabwe we want is somewhere beyond our reach, we can only tape the benefits of our dream land when there is peace in the country.
My fellow comrades, the precast walls that we have to our stands do not interpret segregation and umbimbindoga.
You need someone next door for you to live. Remember it’s us who have created these precast walls for our children.
Patrick Imbayarwo is a second-year student at Midlands State University doing Bachelor of Arts in Development Studies. Email: [email protected]
