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Beyond election 2011
Mutsa Murenje
August 22, 2010

We are in an unusual era in Zimbabwe and if this is an unusual, indeed, unprecedented era in our national history, then it calls for an approach and also a form of sacrifice that are fittingly unmatched or unparalleled. As Seretse Khama puts it, "Perhaps the time has come when we should sit down and look very closely at ourselves before we condemn, before we accuse, and try to determine where the fault lies, whether it is really due to interference of external powers or our own mishandling of our own affairs".

In writing 'Beyond Election 2011-, I am aware of the many challenges standing in our way towards having a credible, peaceful, free and fair election. I have in mind our past which is replete with many injustices, frustrations and disappointments. Honourable Nelson Chamisa for instance had this to say concerning the constitutional outreach exercise: "This is very ugly a picture, very disturbing a trend and very discouraging a pattern. When one looks at what has been happening across the whole country it-s not as if people are being allowed to express themselves". And Mugabe insists that constitution or no constitution, the election will go ahead!

And all we can do is go on hoping, after every disappointment, however, we must find fresh reason for hope. What worries me day in day out, however, is why we find it difficult to develop institutions and a home-grown constitution that reflect our values, traditions, customs and culture, and our aspirations? Why has it taken our country so long to institute the regime of constitutionalism? I am worried to death, yes to death, because the ruling oligarchy has, over the last two decades, been able to suffocate civil society, disenfranchise popular forces, plunder the economy and stunt wealth creation that could have confronted poverty, marginalization and deprivation.

That several elements are mixed and put together in a certain scientific manner to erect a house is beyond argument. It is equally true that the same elements, mixed and put in a different manner produce manure. If we want to build a house, a formula for a house is used, but if manure is desired, the formula for manure is used. If the formula for the latter is used to build a house, one gets manure. In coming up with the coalition government in Zimbabwe, the guarantors of the Global Political Agreement, SADC and AU, desired to erect a house but they used a manure formula, and manure they got. We are using a manure formula in developing national institutions and manure we will get. This will haunt us for generations to come. We appear to be reckless and this has serious implications for our national security, stability, sustainable development and reconstruction. The earlier we acknowledge this anomaly the better.

Let-s take for instance this sensitive example, reconciliation in Zimbabwe. Issues of reconciliation are closely related to issues of justice and accountability for past crimes and to demands for restitution or compensation for losses which have been experienced. We all know, don-t we, that peace without justice is most often not sustainable. Think of the many orphans, widows, widowers, refugees and internally displaced persons, produced by Gukurahundi, fast-track land reform programme, Operation Murambatsvina, political violence pre-, during and post-election 2000, 2002, 2005, 2008. The Organ of National Healing has proved to be an unnecessary nuisance. This again has negative implications for Election 2011 and beyond that election i.e. our future.

My reminder to those in the echelons of power today, tomorrow and forevermore is that, your behaviour, whether on national and international issues, materially and psychologically, affects us, particularly those of my generation (children, the youth), women, people with disabilities and the elderly. Your behaviour cannot escape observation and scrutiny by your subjects and beyond. What Zimbabwe needs and needs badly are respectable institutions and principled leaders who will respect these institutions whether at the national or international level. Let-s not just talk about our sovereignty but we also need to acknowledge the existence of domestic and international responsibility in that sovereignty we want to always talk about, Cde President!

After all is said and done I hope for nothing but a free and united Zimbabwe, Africa and world. God bless Zimbabwe. Aluta continua! The struggle continues unabated!

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