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Zimbabwe Briefing Issue 38
Crisis
in Zimbabwe Coalition
(SA Regional Office)
August 12, 2011
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Zimbabweans
have embraced the dawn of a new Zimbabwe
This last week,
over a long public holiday, I have had the opportunity to travel
the length and breadth of Zimbabwe covering such diverse cities
and towns such as Beitbridge, Masvingo, Chivhu, Harare, Kadoma,
Kwekwe, Gweru, Bulawayo and Victoria Falls and what I observed from
meeting and breaking break with people from all walks of life and
from diverse political backgrounds is that Zimbabweans have embraced
the dawn of a new era characterized by a totally different political
culture. Current hardline utterances by some elements within political
parties traditionally association with violence as an instrument
of political persuasion are rather misleading because the mood on
the ground, from my observation, is that the vast majority of Zimbabweans
are peace-loving folk who area not prepared to engage in senseless
violence to advance a political cause.
It then occurred
to me that the problem with us is not that of a mindset or attitude,
for it was clear that there is no affinity for violence among the
people, but the real challenge is that the vast majority of Zimbabweans
who are for peace and for harmonious political discourse in a multi-party
context are silent. We are not speaking out enough in the name of
peace or in exposing and condemning violent conduct. Scores of people
have privately given me feedback that they absolutely agree that
we need to banish the political culture of political violence, the
culture that every single election should be characterized by extreme
violence and bloodshed.
The doctrine
of political violence is thoroughly discredited and has no followers
among ordinary Zimbabweans as far as I can tell, but the challenge
is that the few, died-hard merchants of political violence and purveyors
of disunity among our people are very vocal - giving the false
impression that they are in the majority and command a large following.
This small clique selfishly has soiled the name of the veterans
of our national liberation by invoking the liberation struggle when
they engage is their cheap, dirty politics and in violence. This
same group incites violence, uses hate speech to promote divisions
and perpetuate polarization in order to benefit politically and
economically from the chaos. For most of them, a perusal of their
own records will easily disclose that they have bogus war credentials
that they peddle in order to squeeze economic gain out of the public.
This group is
fully aware that the restoration of the rule of law, prevalence
of peace, accountability and order will mean the end of their nefarious
activities and certain economic and political ruin, and therefore
they continue, through abuse of state resources, to mislead Zimbabweans
that violent conduct is inherent in them and that violence is a
necessary means to achieve political ends.
All we need
to ensure that the dawn of a new Zimbabwe that is now upon us will
give way to the rising, shining sun of peace and harmony, is to
stand up for peace and to speak out for peace. The discourse of
peace in our lifetime should necessarily transcend political identities.
It is important that, even when the merchant of violence is a comrade
in your particular political party, you nevertheless condemn violence
in the strongest terms possible. In fact, the strongest condemnation
of violent political conduct should be reserved to members of your
own political party. It is worthwhile here to restate that the three
evils in politics, namely, violence, propaganda and corruption,
have no place in a new Zimbabwe. It condemning these three evils,
the matter of political identity does not arise.
As Zimbabweans,
it is high time we consider adopting the slogan made famous by Dr.
Kenneth Kaunda - "One people, One Nation!" And
one might add, All for Peace! Political leaders should stop politicking
and look to those things that bind us together as one people in
genuine peace and tranquility in order to guarantee stability and
sustainable development.
I am sure that,
in our quest to achieve true peace in our lifetime, our neighbors
in SADC will stand with us in solidarity as we push to restore Zimbabwe
to its former glory politically and economically. We need to make
Zimbabwe a success story all round, and for that to be possible
there is need to cast aside petty, artificial differences blown
out of all proportion by political parasites who wish to benefit
at the expense of the entire nation. The sleeping giant, that the
people of Zimbabwe are, must now arise and speak out for peace and
drown the shrill voice of division that threatens to take our country
to the brink and beyond.
This new Zimbabwe
will be made a reality by none but ourselves!
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