FORMER Zanu PF stalwarts and opposition parties yesterday saidPresident Robert Mugabe’s government has deviated from the founding principles upon which the liberation struggle was anchored on in pursuit of former colonial masters’ capitalist policies, thereby turning Heroes’ Day commemorations into a mockery.
XOLISANI NCUBE/PAIDAMOYO MUZULU
The remarks came as the country commemorates Heroes and Defence Forces Days amid a severe socio-economic crisis coupled with massive job cuts.
Nearly 20 000 employees, according to unions, have lost their jobs in the last three weeks in the aftermath of a Supreme Court ruling allowing employers to terminate workers’ contracts on 90 days’ notice and without any compensation.
Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions president George Nkiwane said the Mugabe regime has betrayed the working people of Zimbabwe by abandoning the socialist character which was the cornerstone of the liberation struggle.
“This is a greatest betrayal that as labour we have witnessed from a government that once presented itself as a socialist movement. It has failed to protect the workers who form part and parcel of the liberation movement and now wants to blame colonial laws for the carnage in the labour market,” Nkiwane said.
“In our own motherland which our forefather died fighting for, workers have become slaves and a few capitalists are treating us as second class citizens. We appreciate the contributions of those war heroes who sacrificed their lives for our independence. The idea behind this day is noble and we respect and appreciate their sacrifice. But the ideal of the same struggle which they fought for have been betrayed (and) neglected by self-centered leaders,” he said.
Political analyst Ibbo Mandaza said Mugabe had become a contradiction in person, ideology and everything that the struggle represented.
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“Heroes commemorations are becoming increasingly meaningless especially when considers the little achievements we are making in the socio-economic conditions for our people. Mugabe has become a contradiction in person, ideology and everything that the struggle represented,” Mandaza said.
Another commentator Earnest Mudzengi said although the day remains relevant and important to the history of the country, the political leadership of the day had drifted from the aspirations of thousands of Zimbabweans who sacrificed their lives for the country’s independence.
“The main reason why the war was fought was to ensure people enjoyed a corrupt free Zimbabwe. But that has been negated. We are seeing nepotism, outright mismanagement of public resource and corruption something which contradicts the values of the armed struggle,” Mudzengi said.
Former Zanu PF spokesperson Rugare Gumbo said: “Zanu PF has lost the values and ideals of the liberation struggle. A group of selfish people have hijacked the values and ethos of the liberation struggle. Some of us who went to war fought for freedom of expression and civil liberties but what we have now, is something to the contrary.”
Gumbo was among several party stalwarts including former Vice President Joice Mujuru who were purged last December for allegedly plotting Mugabe’s downfall.
He said his grouping, now known as People First, would not attend today’s commemorations although they recognized its national importance.
MDC-T spokesman Obert Gutu labeled Mugabe ‘yesterday’s man’.
“Mugabe is yesterday’s man and is fast losing whatever little heroism he had in 1980 when we assess it against his achievements and failures in the past three and half decades of his rule. The wrong he has done far outweigh the little good he has done,” Gutu said.
The National Constitutional Assembly (NCA) spokesman Madock Chivasa said Zimbabwe under Mugabe was sliding back to the colonial days.
“It’s sad to note that Zimbabwe today, 35 years after independence, is returning to the diabolic policies reminiscent of the colonial era,” Chivasa said.
“The sacrifice made by the freedom fighters is now grossly undermined by the corrupt Zanu PF government which is now busy embracing and perpetuating colonial beliefs.”
He added Mugabe and his regime were now implementing anti-poor policies far much worse than the white settler administration.
“It’s sad that as we celebrate Heroes’ day, the corrupt Zanu PF government is selling water and is now contemplating installing pre-paid water meters to ensure that poor people continue to suffer and NCA party reminds all Zimbabweans that as we celebrate Heroes Day we must never forget that we still need to fight Zanu PF anti-people policies to ensure that the vision of our heroes is realised,” Chivasa said.
MDC-T youth assembly spokesman Brian Dube said Zanu PF has distorted the definition of a hero as so many underseving persons have been accorded such status by the ruling party.
“The MDC-T Youth Assembly is saddened that the definition of a hero in Zimbabwe has been distorted and contaminated by the Zanu PF mafia and gangsters,” Dube said.
