ONE can understand a genuine debate on the merits and demerits of the Movement for Democratic Change joining a Government of National Unity (GNU) with Zanu PF because it is healthy for the development of Zimbabwe. I, however, take issue with those people who are obsessed with obstacles because these people are creating a mental block among Zimbabweans and kill imagination, creativity and initiative.
Let us face it, a human mind has enough brains to drill the hardest rock and the highest mountain has been climbed. It is hoped that our experts and analysists such as the civil society celebrities like Dr. Lovemore Madhuku of the National Constitutional Assembly (NCA) could be more useful to Zimbabwe if they employ their energies and brains in finding solutions, rather than explaining or defining problems.
The GNU is for the solution focussed mind-set not problem definition mind-set.
The GNU's success will not solely depend on what Zanu PF does, although it is important for the success of the project. A lot will also depend on what the MDC brings into the GNU by way of a repertoire of skills such as administrative acumen, management and leadership skills that will help mobilise political consensus that is necessary for a turn-around. The MDC has a lot of political and social capital through its popular appeal and support that has a strong potential to unlock the economic capital.
So, to dismiss the GNU completely like some civic society celebrities such as Brian Kagoro and his colleagues are doing shows lack of imagination, initiative and creativity. One would think that at this point the debate should be more about which of Zimbabwe's fine minds and best skills can parties in the GNU deploy to help turn things around rather spending the time analysing WHY the GNU will NOT work in Zimbabwe. My hope is that Zimbabwe is not full of experts of impossibility, but experts of creative possibilities and solutions.
I always tell friends across the globe in very influential positions that Zimbabwe is counting on her best skills and brains to turn things around and we must disengage from the endless critiquing mode in favour of stepping forward and be counted. The GNU is not for the faint-hearted because parties are likely to deploy their best resources and personnel in the GNU. The Zimbabwean GNU is expected to unleash its talent and skills to confront the challenges of poverty and disease.
In politics you cannot trust anyone, including President Mugabe or even members of your party for that matter. I am not sure whether President Mugabe trusts social amenities minister, Emmerson Mnangagwa or Vice-President Joyce Mujuru, or vice versa, but this has not stopped them from working with each other.I am not sure how much trust Prime Minister-designate Morgan Tsvangirai has in MDC Secretary General Tendai Biti or that party's organizing secretary, Eng. Elias Mudzuri.
Apparently, the very people who are saying do not trust President Mugabe actually expect the people to trust them, when in fact they are trying prepare to launch their own political parties. It is correct to say that Tsvangirai should not trust President Mugabe, but why should he trust NCA's Dr. Madhuku who is positioning himself to probably launch his own party if the MDC fails? More importantly, why should the people of Zimbabwe trust Dr. Madhuku who led us to believe that there was nothing good about the Draft Constitution in the 2000 Referendum.
Dr. Madhuku is at it again, this time calling this proposed GNU 'a catastrophe' -- suggesting that there is nothing good about it. There is nothing wrong about having different views, but to expect people to try you as a politician is to try and fool people. Just deliver - if you can do something - and the people will judge you. Personally I do not trust someone who has not yet delivered whatever their potential, because people change.
I am sure some people trusted the late President Canaan Banana until he terrorised the late Jefta Dube. Some trusted the late Learnmore Jongwe until he killed his wife. It is common cause that Dr. Madhuku is unhappy with the GNU because the NCA's position is threatened by the creation of the Ministry of Constitutional Affairs which is likely to be responsible for leading the re-writing of the Zimbabwean constitution. Dr. Madhuku himself can not be trusted after he abused the clients' trust funds, but let me end here for now on this issue of trust.
They say that, in politics, especially in Africa, you sleep with one eye open, but perhaps this serves to keep leaders on their toes. Ideally, we should have trust but in life it is hard. Lack of trust is not good enough a reason not to join a GNU; you need other better reasons than that. If you are looking for 'trust' then do not go into politics because I am yet to see a politician that can be trusted, although it is bonus.
The point is that, the MDC will need to do their best and people will judge them on the basis of their performance. Afterall, affairs of Government are public. There will be some teething problems in the implementation of the GNU especially at the beginning, but that should not be the end of the world.
We should never stop trying and never try stopping!
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2 comments:
Baba I admire your optimism but there are serious problems with this GNU and it is that of trust. you have to have a certain level of trust with your collegues for this arrangement to work and Bob himself has said as much (http://www.news24.com/News24/Africa/Zimbabwe/0,,2-11-1662_2469726,00.html). So yes, absolute trust maybe an overstated ideal, but trust is a necessary 'ingridient' for this arrangement to work. I personally do not think the arrangement will work but I would be very happy to be proved wrong for the sake of our families and countrymen.
The Web definitions for trust is: have confidence or faith in; "We can trust in God"; "Rely on your friends"; "bank on your good education"; "I swear by my grandmother's recipes".
So, because of the nature of the game, it is clear that politicians cannot not be trusted which is why we need opposition. I agree that we we need to trust people in order to work but I think you cannot trust politicians on everything. By nature politicians promise to move mountains. Just look at their manifestos and campaigns during elections. My point is that, as Prime Minister Tsvangirai and Deputy Prime Minister Mutambara have done, go into government knowing full well that they will have to do their best, but never rely on Zanu PF.
What do you make of civil servants who are refusing to go back work after Prime minister Tsvangirai promised to pay them in forex, is it lack of trust?
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