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Dr Matthew Mare
Correspondent
President Mnangagwa has been preaching peace, tolerance and inclusivity.
It is high time that political communication departments desist from reckless talk that has the propensity to cause polarisation and thaw diplomatic ties.
The vision by President Mnangagwa can only be achieved in sustainable peace and enhanced regional ties.
In the old dispensation, reckless statements nearly rattled the country and the President made it clear that there is no room for hate speech.
In his inauguration speech, President Mnangagwa clearly stated that he will stand against anything that will harm the country and reckless speech is one of the drivers of intolerance, violence and polarisation.
There is need to engage the Vienna route, since most states have diplomatic missions in Zimbabwe.
A lot of people are now stifling the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, causing diplomatic uproar by reckless tweeting by unsanctioned officials.
There is need to use the formal channels of communication.
The image of the country is a key element in diplomacy and commerce. Our economy is linked to Zimbabwe’s diplomatic efforts.
Domestically, to achieve President Mnangagwa’s vision of leaving no one and no place behind, all communication departments must retool themselves towards social integration by promoting inclusive and politically blind language to achieve unity, peace and tranquillity.
The social political integration promotes values, relations and institutions that enable all people to participate in social, economic, cultural and political life on the basis of equality of rights, equity and dignity.
It is the process in which citizens are effectively engaged to foster societies that are stable, safe and just based on the promotion and protection of all human rights, as well as respect for and value of dignity of each individual, diversity, pluralism, tolerance, non-discrimination, non-violence, equality of opportunity, solidarity, security, and participation of all people, including disadvantaged and vulnerable groups and persons.
President Mnangagwa and Vice President Constantino Chiwenga preached peace as the beacon of sustainable development and unity.
This means anyone found preaching hate speech is in open defiance of the Presidium which has set a tone of peace for the country.
Poor communication skills and deliberate reckless communication has resulted in politicians becoming explosive and brutal during public address and also during interviews involving various political parties.
When spokespersons of political parties speak, they should demonstrate good communication skills and should not insult people.
Political discourse must be able to convince, persuade, inform, prove, influence behaviour changes and to sell the ideologies of the party one is representing.
Political parties in Zimbabwe should not take hostile positions, imposing behaviour, provocative, insulting and inferiority complex.
Parties should educate their supporters and sensitise communities on the detrimental effects of hate speech.
This involves bringing together media experts, civil society, political experts and local partners to try and encourage them to be peaceful and desist form perpetrating hate speech.
Hate speech promotes intolerance and media should also be responsible when reporting.
The negative stories and conspiracy theories that undermine the integrity of Zimbabwe cause instability and communicate false alarm of a political situation which is a clear testimony of lack of culture of tolerance.
President Mnangagwa always reiterates that Zimbabwe is for us all and that “Nyika inovakwa nevene vayo” an important political discourse that can only be tenable if we manage speech.
President Mnangagwa has created such platforms like POLAD to bring all elements on-board.
This shows a leader who had mastered the art of inclusive governance and his mantra had seen figures like former First Lady Grace Mugabe and former Vice Presidents Joice Mujuru and Phelekezela Mphoko attending important national events.
This is because the President had extended arms to re-engage with many.
Language creates a sense of entitlement and end up segregating and prejudicing citizens through othering out certain sections of society.
Part of the reason why people are excluded in politics is the strong affinity for retributive politics.
The mentality of retaliation destroys states, while the mentality of tolerance builds a nation. Language is not an abstract concept, it is an expression of a feeling, worldview and perception about the world around us.
The failure to uphold ubuntu in crafting political messages had resulted in political discourse being the key driver of hate speech in most African societies.
Currently, some communicators may try to undermine efforts by the President, by engaging in reckless speeches and press conferences whose net effect push citizens to the periphery.
Politics should be the harbinger for constrictive debate, criticism and innovative exchange of ideas.
Politics has always been an art of persuasion, promote public debate, demonstrate the purity of ideas, and to convey power.
While President Mnangagwa is forward looking in his approach, some elements with ulterior motives and power hungry politicians are busy trying to divert people from the original purpose of articulating national issues in a credible manner.
The failure to professionalise political discourse has seen many politicians putting up poor performances on local and international forums and platforms.
Online Reporter