When the whole nation is fast becoming treasonous

EVENTS of the past few weeks point to a serious breakdown in communication between the State and its citizens. The relationship between the two is fast becoming irreconcilable and irreparable, most likely leading to a breakup because the citizens want to talk and yet the State does not seem to be in the mood to be engaged. Develop Me with Tapiwa Gomo

There are serious problems with how this relationship is turning out and deteriorating. The citizens’ begging list is realistic, as it justifiably consists of bread and butter — life and death issues — hunger, poverty, unemployment, corruption and maladministration. They have been hard-pressed for a long time and the severe suffering has become unbearable and they want to convey this pain to their reluctant leadership. It is not miracles they are asking for, but simple audience.

And to date the leadership has not taken the issues being raised by its people seriously. They have responded by contaminating and politicising both the issues and those who convey them. The leadership has stuck to its old fashioned propaganda mantras of either blaming everything on sanctions or blaming the West for funding instability. None of these responses bring food to the table, thus, the anger has continued to flare and spread. In addition, with the marriage between them and the war veterans on the rocks, a new brigade of youth is under construction, purportedly rewarded by the promise of housing stands.

It does seem like there are some in leadership, who have come to be strong believers of their own propaganda on the sanctions mantra and western sponsored regime change manoeuvres to the extent of forgetting that people are really suffering and are in pain. The evasiveness to the questions on the unfolding painful reality on the ground has precipitated in two modes of responses by those who lead.

Firstly they have preferred to quell the voices of the protestors and those who raise the issues using the police and the courts. And secondly they have resorted to speaking more as a political party instead of as a constitutionally elected government. Protesters have been arrested and protests have been answered by more protests and the net effect of these is a perpetuation of hunger and suffering. One wonders when someone will remind the leadership that the current problems will not be solved by the police or the courts. These are social, economic and political problems and not criminal. The police don’t make food, neither do courts deliver jobs.

Tensions and political tempers have, thus, continued to increasingly flare and have resulted into two antagonistic narratives. From the citizens’ point of view they see the actions by their leadership as non-responsive, abusive and repressive, while on the leadership side, they have resorted to labelling anyone and everyone, who raises issues as treasonous. This is evidence of lack of trust on both sides. It has become too delicate to raise a problem without worrying about being accused of subverting a constitutionally elected government. The laws from which people derive their rights are fast becoming a repressive tool and an enemy of the people. The law should be for the people and by the people and it never replaces the need to eat and survive but protects it.

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Judging by the way the situation is currently evolving, it does look like anyone and everyone hungry, poor and in pain, who seeks help expressively can easily be accused of being treasonous. There is a long list of former and late opposition leaders, who have carried the same albatross such as Ndabaningi Sithole for no other reasons but to weaken them. Another typical case is that of Morgan Tsvangirai, who was charged with treason a few years ago. But the language of treason has become more common now than ever before.

In general legal terms, treason refers to the crime of betraying one’s country, especially by attempting to kill or overthrow the sovereign or government. It is never about express hunger and poverty. The way this has been applied, thus far, undermines the rights of citizens, especially freedom of expression and the right to life as most of the issues being raised are life-saving and it also abrogates the state’s responsibilities to afford the same rights to its citizens.

Evan Mawarire was nearly nailed under the same charge for simply requesting the leaders to listen to their people.

The recent unleashing of the same charges on the war veterans’ leadership, the same people who have propped up the system over the past two decades, suggests that the same clause can be used to silence anyone, who raises issues to the or against the leadership. It can be unleashed on Joice Mujuru, Christopher Mutsvangwa, or those who are still in the party, especially those accused of leading factions. It is only those on the right side of politics who are safe.

While these personalities are not anyone’s major concern, it is the ordinary citizens, who feel stifled by the selective application of this clause, as it curtails their ability to talk to their leaders, to express themselves and to sustain their democratic rights. Worse still stifling people is not a method of addressing their hunger and poverty. The truth is that people are hungry and they need food on the table for their families and not accusations.

The crowds that attended court cases for Mawarire and the war veterans’ leadership must surely been as a sign of changing times. Perhaps it is time to give talking a chance.