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Nick Mangwana
Perm Secretary Information, Media and Broadcasting Services
Preparations for the hosting of the historic 44th SADC Summit of Heads of State and Government in Zimbabwe are progressing well.
Everywhere one turns, activity abounds and there is development galore.
The coming of the 44th SADC Summit to Zimbabwe, after more than a decade, should be a cause for celebration, unity and a desire in each citizen for the country to shine and have its status in the region and world elevated. For with such an event, comes attendant economic prosperity and livelihood improvement for everyone as articulated in previous instalments.
In a previous instalment, we wrote a lot on the benefits of holding the SADC Summit in Zimbabwe, but just in case the reader has forgotten we will do a quick recap.
Hosting the summit in Harare gives us an exceptional opportunity to showcase our country’s capability as well as boosting our reputation as a country and a people. We are talking of our country here, not narrow political parties and their parochial interests.
We are also talking about our feel-good factor as Zimbabweans. That which makes us proudly whip out our passports at any border control with our chins up and alongside a patriotic swagger. Why would any Zimbabwean national try to detract against such?
We all know that hosting this summit is going to attract foreign leaders, delegates and the media, therefore generating substantial revenue for our hotels and other players in the tourism sector.
Why would anyone think of doing anything that would deface such a lustre on our sheen for petty political expediency? Would that not be considered to be cutting one’s nose to spite their face?
How about the jobs created? Surely there is every good reason to rally behind the summit which is giving us such accelerated infrastructure development and rehabilitation.
After his re-election in August 2023, President Mnangagwa said, “I am grateful for the trust you have placed in me through this election. As we move forward, let us remember that the strength of our nation lies in unity and stability. Regardless of our affiliations, let us work together for the progress and prosperity of Zimbabwe. Peace is our common goal.”
It is quite unfortunate, if not tragic, that there would always be agent provocateurs bent on mischief even when a good thing is about to happen, there is always that lunatic fringe on the periphery of the mainstream Zimbabwean society that holds unconventional views which are not in the national interest.
This has been evident in the last few weeks where we witnessed unjustified incidences by some few members of the opposition and aligned Civil Society Organisations, planning to disrupt normalcy so as to grab international attention and in the process, trying to malign the Government and soil the image of the country.
Some have even sworn to ensure that Zimbabwe would not host the Summit. It really goes without saying that these are exercises in futility.
As much as these people have a right to express their views and political positions, they should not ignore the principle that in pursuing those rights, they should not trample on the rights of other citizens who hold a divergent view. And they should stay within the ambit of the law.
The right to protest has no supremacy over the freedom of movement and any other right of the next person. Our Constitution does not designate any right as supreme and trumping all others.
Therefore, there is no right in our Constitution to pelt law enforcement agents with stones and other missiles and then cry “repression!” when arrested for it. Is there a normal person out there who believes being arrested for public disorder offences would cause the relocation of the SADC Summit from Zimbabwe?
So these histrionics are just pointless as they have no core objective except to damage our country’s international standing.
Let us face it, violent protests damage a country’s image even beyond the targeted event. They negatively impact on a country’s tourism, investment and other crucial sectors. Decades later, a country would still be reeling from travel warnings even when the targeted event has since long passed. How will that help anyone?
Maybe at this point, an example would illustrate the point better.
Iconic reggae artiste known as Burning Spear, who was born Winston Rodney, was due to perform in Kenya in October 2024.
He has just cancelled his show indefinitely due to the violent protests that are taking place there. That is five months before the show’s due date. Kenya is counting its losses in many different ways right now.
There is no country that would allow disruption in the name of democracy.
In the United States, 2 300 university students were arrested for participating in the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) protests against Israel. Let us cross the Atlantic and go to the UK. In five years (2017 to 2021), the Metropolitan Police Service arrested 4 441 protesters and demonstrators.
In 2017 they arrested 1 136, in 2018 they arrested 1 015. They made 1 051 arrests in 2019 and then in 2020 they arrested 641 and 598 in 2021.
The figures came down in 2020 and 2021 because the people were under Covid-19 lockdowns.
Clearly, there is no country with an open cheque for demonstrations and protests and Zimbabwe is not expected to be an exception. Why? Because this is not good for any country.
According to research done by staff at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) since 2021, on average, major unrest events are followed by a 1 percentage point reduction in GDP and this can last for a year after the event.
We have seen in some countries, including our neighbours, people burning down Parliament buildings, schools, power generation stations and even homes of officials.
Those countries are still wobbling from that damage months and years on and guess whose money goes towards repair and reconstruction? The taxpayers’. Yours. Mine.
So really, who are the trouble causers “fixing” each time they hold these illegal, violent and disruptive protests? Definitely not the President and not anyone in Government. The cost is borne by all citizens equally.
Now of course, as His Excellency and other arms of Government have already pointed out, any form of destabilisation will not be tolerated in Zimbabwe. Thankfully, the country is blessed with an efficient security apparatus thus law abiding citizens with the country’s interests at heart will be spared the cost.
To my fellow Zimbabweans, I appeal to you; let us choose the path of peace and unity. Let us demonstrate to our regional counterparts and the world at large that we are a nation capable of hosting a successful and incident-free Summit.
We have made significant strides in recent years, and this Summit is a chance to build on that momentum. We have the opportunity to strengthen our relationships with our neighbours, foster economic growth and promote regional integration.
We have an opportunity here to put “Zimbabwe” and “proud” in the same sentence. In fact, this is the time when one can wear a Proudly Zimbabwean printed T-Shirt with pride and without prejudice.
We are a country that has faced many challenges head-on and always prevailed. We have confronted adversity, illegal economic Sanctions, hegemony and natural disasters together and have overcome. We just need peace and unity and no weapon formed against us shall prosper.
The 44th SADC Summit is not a time to express our differences through violence or destructive behaviour.
Instead, let us channel our energies into constructive dialogue and meaningful engagement with our leaders. Let us show the world that we are a mature and responsible nation, capable of navigating our differences with grace and dignity.
Your Government has created a conducive environment for constructive engagement between political parties and itself, between Civil Society and itself and with ordinary citizens. It has ensured that the security forces are in place to protect all our rights. Our civil society organisations, religious leaders and community groups should play a constructive role in promoting peace and unity.
They should use their platforms to encourage dialogue and understanding. Our message to our esteemed regional guests, is that we extend a warm welcome to our beautiful country. We are proud to host them and share our hospitality with them. We are committed to ensuring safety and security during their stay.
Let us work together to make this SADC summit a success. Together in unity and peace we will show the world that Zimbabwe is a nation capable of greatness, a nation that can come together in the face of adversity and emerge stronger and more united than ever before.
Let us choose peace, let us choose unity, and let us choose progress. Together, we can make a difference and create a brighter future for ourselves, our region, and our continent. This is an opportunity to turn madness into reason.
I sign off today quoting our dear President. “Let us ready ourselves to welcome our guests to Zimbabwe, the World of Wonders, with wide open arms and exhibit warm hospitality, enduring friendship, unity and solidarity.”
Peter Tanyanyiwa
Online Reporter