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Lungile Tshuma
One of the most important moments in the history of Zimbabwe is 22 December 1987. That is the day when Zanu, led by President Mugabe and Zapu, led by Vice-President Joshua Nkomo signed the Unity Accord to end civil disturbances in Matabeleland and parts of Midlands. That day has now been designated Unity Day.
On this day, people will celebrate the importance of peace and unity in the country. This is the day which saw people who at one point in time could not drink tea together, become one, sharing a common goal, which is unity for the development of the country.
Zimbabweans are generally known for being peaceful and tolerant. This was exemplified when President Mugabe and the late Dr Nkomo joined hands to unite the nation.
The spirit of unity that Father Zimbabwe taught us remains in place. President Mugabe continues to urge people to unite. Without unity, he always says the country cannot achieve its development goals.
But the country risked its reputation in 2008 when brother turned against brother in political violence that happened in many parts of the country. The house was on fire, so to speak; peace was substituted by violence.
Despite the political turmoil of that year, we managed to sit together and let peace find its place. The political protagonists of that time, Zanu-PF and two MDC formations signed the Global Political Agreement in September 2008, paving the way for the establishment of the inclusive government that reigned until July this year.
The inclusive government managed to stabilise the economy, remove inter-party hostilities, and crafted a new, democratic, home-grown constitution to replace the one handed down to us by the British at Lancaster House. It took four years to be completed from April 2009 to January 2013. The crafting of the new constitution was meant to take 18 months but it dragged on over four years due to bickering among the three political parties spearheading the exercise.
The drafting stage was characterised by a lot of noise as all political parties, Zanu-PF and the MDC formations, wanted their views to be included in the constitution.
Notwithstanding, the discord which haunted the process for four years, the spirit of unity and togetherness was again seen in the then country’s political leaders, President Mugabe, the then Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, his deputy Professor Mutambara and the MDC leader Professor Welshman Ncube. They realised that they and their parties were letting down their citizens by being divided on political lines. Mindful of that, they put aside their political differences and found each other and agreed on the text of the draft constitution.
On March 16 the constitution was overwhelmingly endorsed by 3,079,966 people in a referendum, one of the highest voting figures in Zimbabwe. Dr Nkomo must have smiled in his grave when the people he left behind demonstrated this sense of unity and national progress.
The country is coming from an election in which Zanu-PF won resoundingly and MDCs lost dismally. Those elections were the first to be held in terms of the new constitution. They are now gone; now is the time to forget parochial political standpoints, but unity in working for our country.
As the country celebrates Unity Day on Sunday, people must once again be reminded that without unity, the country can go on its knees, a situation that a true Zimbabwean will not want to happen.
A few weeks ago, the Government adopted a new economic blueprint, Zim Asset. It is yet another endeavour that can only succeed in taking the economy forward if Zimbabweans unite in implementing it.
Some may view it as a Zanu-PF document, but it could not be anyone else’s as it is a fact that Zanu-PF is in power. It is the party that gave us a government. That is the reality; therefore, the economic plan is not a Zanu-PF economic plan, but a Zimbabwe government document to guide national development for the next five years.
Zim Asset puts Zimbabwean interest at the centre of development. It seeks to give locals a major say in the control of their economy and natural resources — all Zimbabweans without reference to tribe, race, region, and gender and so on. It is a reference point for all.
It aims to give Zimbabwe its bread basket status. Zim Asset aspires to give people jobs, revive industry and make them masters of their destiny. All this can be possible if we are all united and respect the ideal of unity which Father Zimbabwe wanted people to live with.
Dr Nkomo and President Mugabe did not unite for the benefit of their family or friends. They united for the benefit of all so that people can work freely in a united and peaceful environment for the development of the country. As a nation, let us all display the highest level of unity and let Zim Asset rebrand Zimbabwe. Let us continue with the legacy left by Dr Nkomo.
Online Reporter