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Mugabe not one to take us to 'the Zim we want-
Bornwell Chakaodza
November 09, 2006

http://www.fingaz.co.zw/story.aspx?stid=1884

THE test of the strength of a free and democratic society in this day and age is its capacity to undertake debate and accept honest dissent.

Even with our differences, the importance of tolerating each other cannot be over-emphasised.

It is in this context that I see the recent launch of the document by some church leaders (not all the church leaders of Zimbabwe) entitled The Zimbabwe We Want: Towards a National Vision for Zimbabwe in a positive and favourable light.

Not that what is said in the document is anything new. No. It is all familiar stuff which has been discussed by all and sundry since the outbreak of the Zimbabwean crisis more than six years ago.

The crisis has not gone away and as long as it continues to rear its ugly head, organised pressure groups and individuals must never tire of speaking out. Candour, frankness, dialogue and discussion: these are essential for change.

In any event, it falls on the entire Zimbabwean society including the churches, the labour movement, the media and the opposition parties to map out the way forward for our country in the spirit of creating the conditions necessary for a new beginning under the Almighty God.

The beauty of the church document is that it is not propagandising for any political party or political ideology. It is providing a platform for public debate and discussion on such issues as the land question, the economic crisis, democracy and good governance, reconciliation, electoral laws, constitutional reform, sovereignty, patriotism, human rights and a host of other issues.

As we navigate our way to a political solution to our crisis, it is crucial that everything be put on the table. Consensus is growing among all Zimbabweans that our situation is not sustainable although it has been sustained this far, albeit with untold suffering. Where there are divergent views is on how to get to "The Zimbabwe We Want".

Some like the heads of Christian Denominations which prepared the document under discussion believe in the slower course of changing ZANU PF opinion and position and seeing President Mugabe as the key and the epicentre of the solution to this country’s crisis.

Others like the Zimbabwean Christian Alliance and the majority of Zimbabweans believe that as long as President Mugabe is at the helm, there will be no headway. Most Zimbabweans have become cynical and sceptical about anyone who tries to engage Zanu PF in the search for a solution to our political crisis.

And these sceptics including this columnist were vindicated by the unhelpful comments by the President at the launch of the document nearly two weeks ago. President Mugabe did a demolition job on this initiative by these men of cloth. Whereas this group of churchmen, in a rare attempt to confront the real issues at stake said in the document:

"We pride ourselves in our sovereignty, but that sovereignty does not reside in one individual or one group. It resides in the people of Zimbabwe as a collective. The authority to govern is derived from the people. Those who govern, regardless of whatever political opinions they may have, must be accountable to the people."

The President in his demolition job of the document said: "The Zimbabwe we want must be our Zimbabwe. We must have it, own it, keep it and defend it. It cannot be the Zimbabwe we want if we give it away so easily, under whatever guises. It must be independent, it must be sovereign and it must be a free country which is not fettered by foreign domination".

I challenge anyone to give me a better and more eloquent way of pouring cold water and scorn on something that mature Christians crafted in all seriousness in an attempt to provide a road map for our troubled country. I’m sure we all agree including Bishop Trevor Manhanga and company that these are very interesting times we find ourselves in.President Mugabe is not the man to take us to ‘The Zimbabwe We Want’. His best days are behind him and Zimbabwe must now move on without him. For our President to live in the past it’s understandable. It is difficult to be anything else twenty six years after liberation and still in power. Given this kind of longevity for anyone, power invariably becomes arrogant and does not like to be challenged or held accountable by mere mortals.

Take the issue of sovereignty for example. Relatively young and energetic political leaders the world over are now talking about open frontiers and not sovereignty for its own sake. The buzz word is sovereignty for prosperity and not for poverty. Countries are now talking of sharing sovereignty in the sense of trading-off some of their sovereignty in return for prosperity and development for their own people.

The European Union (EU) is a very good example of this. After all, who in this world has eaten sovereignty and declared: After action, satisfaction!The heads of Christian denominations who have come up with ‘The Zimbabwe We Want’ document must be told in no uncertain terms that though what they have done is commendable, Zimbabweans are beyond awareness of the problems they face and what they need the political authorities to do is to take concrete and practical action to resolve this crisis. There is fatigue all round now and the people of this country are impatient for change.

Yes, documents gave us benchmarks, they give us direction but what is much more important is action, action and more action. I do think that there is a lot of common ground that binds us together as Zimbabweans.

In fact, going through this church document one finds many fundamental issues that bring us together as a people regardless of race, tribe or creed. Where there is no consensus or broad agreement, let us sit down and discuss for the good of Zimbabwe. Let all of us have open minds.

In conclusion, I want to say that it is not difficult to condemn and condemn people who are trying to do something.

But we need to be constructive from time to time. Some Zimbabweans are trying to resolve this crisis in their different ways. It does not matter much if some of them are failing. At least they are trying. Trevor Manhanga and his colleagues are trying. Gideon Gono and his team at the central Bank are trying. So is Archbishop Pius Ncube and other militant organisations doing it their own way.

The difference between the people mentioned above and some of us is that they are trying and we are not. They are trying and perhaps failing in the process. The most important thing however it to keep trying in the hope that one day soon we will all arrive.

*Bornwell Chakaodza can be contacted via e-mail at borncha@mweb.co.zw

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