daniel chigunwe
The growing support for President Mnangagwa over his recent election victory and his inauguration yesterday, amounting to pointed and emphatic public recognition by many in the region and Africa that he was properly elected, and that he was recognised as the legitimate President of Zimbabwe.
This is important, considering some of the stuff circulating on social media and being whipped up in sections of the regional and local press.
All five of Zimbabwe’s neighbours were well represented. President Cyril Ramaphosa came himself from South Africa and did President Filipe Nyusi from Mozambique. Botswana and Namibia were represented by their Vice Presidents and Zambia by the Foreign Minister.
From the rest of the SADC region came Democratic Republic of Congo President Felix Tshisekedi, Tanzania’s Vice President and Eswatini’s Prime Minister.
This sort of deliberate show of recognition and support was important and makes it clear that the Zimbabwean President and Government are accepted throughout the region.
There were representatives of other African countries at high level, and there has been a steady flow of congratulations from around the continent.
In his inauguration speech President Mnangagwa made it clear that Zimbabwe’s sovereignty was not on the table and that while Zimbabwe would willingly abide by the charters and agreements setting up SADC, the African Union, the United Nations and other international bodies, it would retain and defend its sovereignty.
Even on the local front, President Mnangagwa’s hand of friendship was reciprocated.
Among those at the National Sports Stadium yesterday were former Vice President Joice Mujuru, former First Lady Grace Mugabe, along with her elder two children, and former Vice President Phelekezela Mphoko.
Anyone whose political memory goes back a decade will understand and seriously appreciate the presence of these three, willing to put aside their past differences with the President and put their country first.
His acceptance speech, as expected, concentrated on how his new administration would continue the economic and other development of the Second Republic, and do so inclusively, fairly and properly, leaving no one and no place behind.
He made it totally clear that this included the urban areas, where he and his party usually received a minority of the votes.
He would respect the voter choices in these areas, but would continue to help clean up the mess created by those they voted for. They would not be left behind.
During his first term President Mnangagwa made it clear that he was President of Zimbabwe, that is the President of all Zimbabweans, and yesterday he stressed that this would continue.
Opposition parties are not part of the Government, but they are part of Parliament and the nation and they have an important role to play, keeping the Government on its toes, offering alternatives to policies they think are ineffective or wrong, showing up weaknesses, and generally playing their part in building Zimbabwe. Their dominance of urban councils turns this into practical reality.
In other words all Zimbabweans and all in Parliament need to participate in the whole process of national development, generating ideas and working on these national goals.
There will be differences of course, and to a large measure one of the main jobs of the President is to make the final policy decisions, but leaving room for everyone of goodwill to help push the country and its people ahead and keeping up the momentum of national development.
The President brought all this up in his speech, mentioning particular the wide diversity of Zimbabwe, which he embraces, but in that diversity finding common ideals and common goals.
Zimbabwe is not a monolithic state under a dictatorial leader where everyone has to conform or else. It is extremely diverse in language, which is why we have so many official languages, in culture, in religion, in politics and in just about every other area of human life.
That diversity enriches our country and opens a wide range of avenues for us to advance, individually, communally and as a nation.
Our national progress is the total result of all these strands, and when we in all our different ways are pushing ahead, rather than continually squabbling, we can move together a lot faster.
About the only thing we really have to agree on is that Zimbabwe is a worthwhile country, that it is our country, and that every advance made by every person can add up to something wonderful.
This is one reason why it is wrong to try and bring in others to solve our problems; we are supposed to be able to do that together.
This is why it is wrong to try and persuade others to treat Zimbabwe badly, such as with sanctions, when we have a Constitution that measures up rather well against most and we have processes in Parliament, the courts and other national institutions that can allow widespread debate and sort out many of our problems.
Online Reporter