By NQOBANI NDLOVU ZIMBABWEANS must unite to reclaim the country from “maniacs” who have not psychologically transformed themselves from liberation war guerrillas into civilian politicians, former Speaker of Parliament Lovemore Moyo said. Moyo added his voice in condemning human rights’ violations blamed on the security forces, but he emphasised that only Zimbabweans can rescue themselves from the crisis the country faces. Anti-government protests have been met with brute force while opposition and human rights activists have been arrested in recent weeks after being condemned as terrorists plotting to dethrone President Emmerson Mnangagwa. The human rights violations have attracted widespread condemnation but the ruling Zanu PF led government insists that there is no crisis but machinations of its enemies with plans to tarnish its image globally. Moyo said it was depressing authorities have defaulted into guerrilla war tactics as it reacted to its opponents and criticism over the state of affairs in the country. “The tragedy we have as a country is that we are being ruled by maniacs who operate business cartels that have turned Zimbabwe into a Mafia State,” Moyo said on Tuesday. “Therefore, it is incumbent upon the people of Zimbabwe to reclaim the captured state and its institutions and make it work for the majority of the population. “In essence, a new progressive Zimbabwe must be established, based on devolution of power principles and values which are non-tribal, non-racial and inclusive.” Chapter 14 of the Constitution provides for devolution of power. However, there is still no enabling Act, years after the Constitution was adopted. Moyo said implementing devolution was necessary towards addressing the pre-existing inequalities and injustices. “The burden we carry as a country is that forty years down the line, the nationalists have failed to transform themselves and their liberation war structures into civilian like most modern and independent states have done,” he said. “Despite winning the war of liberation forty years ago, Zanu PF have not psychologically demobilised its troops and when under pressure from the masses to deliver services they quickly revert back to the guerrilla warfare tactics and start attacking the masses, government critics and democratic institutions perceived to be anti-government.
