admin
When Zimbabwe universally consummate the new political values engaged by the code of conduct recently endorsed by Cabinet, and the values themselves cascade down the new generation, positing a violent-free future of political activity, Zimbabwe will for sure have come of age as a political-literate nation.
As things stand right now, however that milestone appears too distant, the road ahead arduous and the future itself opaque at best and hideous at worst.
This critique is based on hate rhetoric, suspicion and an undemocratic spirit of winner-takes-all which swells the hearts of some; if not most of the political leaders in this country, witness the verbal and physical violence, especially at election time.
All this political immaturity and backwardness may be put down to a political culture that is so-so or non-existent in extreme cases, due to poor, or a complete lack of, political communication in the hierarchical structures of political organisation in the land, so that abrupt force replaces rational thinking and respect for the different views and values of people.
The unpalatable situation is further compounded by politicians who espouse coercive power or are ignorant of, or deliberately neglect, the indisputable reality that no single political group can achieve fundamental social, economic and political development in any country without the support, all be it grudging, and contributions of other groups however ideologically-inclined to the other side as the case might be.
Yet were every dominant leader on Zimbabwe’s political arena made of gold — not of silver or bronze — and conscientiously took care of other people first before their own interest, they would be applauded and supported even by opponents as a unifying factor whose leadership underpinned unity, peace and stability in the country.
Cabinet has sent the conduct code back to the Organ on National, Healing, Reconciliation and Integration for the input of political parties as these and their supporters will be held responsible for any violent behaviour once the code becomes operational.
It is to be hoped that the modus operandi will give birth to a new cadre of beautiful leaders, or to the rebirth of existing ones, under whom national healing, reconciliation and integration will become so normative in the lives of Zimbabweans as to become their second nature.
Political intimidation or inter-party violence, as we see them today should then be replaced by persuasive communication to win new members for one’s political party and with impressive track records of patriotism and service to the mother land standing out as trump cards for support during elections.
That is what happens when a political system matures in a country with at least two or three dominant political organisation taking turns to govern.
In the race to get to power, a political party should work hard to impress and not brutalise people and flaunt policies more pragmatic than those of rival parties to take the country to a higher level of social and economic advancement.
Today in Zimbabwe as in other African states, one finds fly-by-night political parties, some rearing their ugly heads on the eve of elections to try to swindle money out of imperialists and then lying low once the elections are over to help themselves to the cheap money from foreign governments while other political parties purvey policies of their foreign backers to garner foreign aid in a bid to rise to power, however inimically their activities impact on national unity, peace and stability.
Our people should realise that those with imperialist designs advocate for and take advantage of, plural political party systems in order surreptitiously to come in by the back door and cause instability in a country to divide and weaken the people in order to put them under their thump for economic exploitation in many cases.
It is for that reason that the healing of political wounds resulting in reconciling and integrating erstwhile political opponents will unite Zimbabweans against self-destruction as well as against this country turned into an other of imperialist nations.
What this suggests is that every Zimbabwean political leader should be a tall pillar of strength for this nation as well as an agent for social and economic development, rather than go down in history ignominiously as a quisling of anti-Zimbabwe demagogue.
Only political leaders who are fiercely Zimbabwean will succeed in inspiring hope and security among our people as key values for peace and stability in the future of our land.
Online Reporter