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Prosperity Mzila-Correspondent
A question was raised to this writer by a young man who is active in opposition politics.
Looking at him, one could guess his age to be approximately 23, an impactful demography in the political sector.
Are opposition political parties expected to prioritise and to participate in national events within their host countries?
This was a very pertinent question which has a potential to shape the mind of future leaders.
I knew immediately that my response required wisdom, especially now that the country is fast approaching its Independence Day celebrations.
My response was to be a lesson to all the youths who had been socialised wrongly by the sprouting political parties that seek relevance at the expense of our core values and norms.
First of all, we are all Zimbabweans before we are politicians, which means that we are bound by the nation’s core values and norms.
As a country, we gained our independence on April 18, 1980.
We value our Independence Day and it is our custom as a country to celebrate this day every year on that date.
The same applies with the Heroes Day and Defence Forces Day that occur in August each year, where we commemorate both our fallen and living heroes, for the sacrifices they made to liberate this country.
The Anti-Sanctions Day which falls on October 25 and Unity Day on December 22 are some of the days that, as a country, we commemorate.
All citizens in spite of their political affiliation gather together and call for the unconditional removal of sanctions and commemorate the day when Zanu PF and PF ZAPU buried their differences for national unity.
The foregoing events do not segregate any Zimbabwean on the basis of tribe, race or political affiliation.
The events are the cement which binds the nation together as they play a great part in defining who we all are.
It is, therefore, correct to say that no objective political party which regards itself as an aspiring government can justify shunning these national events as well as any event that benefits the people of Zimbabwe.
The liberation struggle was not a Zanu PF operation. That is why PF ZAPU and Zanu PF chose to join hands for the benefit of the nation, a decision that saw ZANLA and ZIPRA forces fighting together against one enemy.
It is sad, however, that the crop of opposition political leaders that we have in Zimbabwe has chosen to label all national events as Zanu PF programmes and deliberately choose to shun them.
It is sad that they misinform the young generation through discrediting the significance of their history as they try to keep the mind colonised.
Moreover, it is a great disadvantage for the nation if its future generation is encouraged to eschew the history of its origins creating a situation which denies them an opportunity to learn about the history of their country as it gets narrated over and over again at these events for their benefit.
The leaders who were present in the trenches during the liberation struggle, such as President Mnangagwa and Vice President Constantino Chiwenga often narrate the push behind their participation in the armed liberation struggle, in an effort to decolonise the mind of the youths, who are constantly being fed wrong information.
Opposition leaders such as Nelson Chamisa and Tendai Biti will always try to keep a drape over the face of the country’s future leaders to brainwash them with western propaganda that perpetuates an agenda of white supremacy.
If the opposition chooses to participate in pertinent national events, they are bound to disappoint their handlers leading to loss of funding.
Although they know the significance of participating in national events, they turn a blind eye and pretend not to care as they continue to bootlick their handlers.
Opposition political parties should take part in national events in the same way that the South African opposition party, the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) participates in many of that country’s national events.
They have attended the burials of their heroes and heroines such as those of the late Winnie Mandela’s funeral.
The first and last time the CCC representatives attended a national event, they made sure to wear their party regalia at a place and occasion which is non-partisan just to stir controversy.
They do not know how to separate politics from national events.
When the nation gathers together to call for the unconditional removal of sanctions with the support of all countries in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region and the African Union (AU), the CCC leadership and members will be outstanding by their absence.
Furthermore, the anti-sanctions call, even though it is echoed by the rest of Africa, the CCC leadership has remained tight-lipped on the matter, yet sanctions are the very reason ordinary Zimbabweans are suffering.
It is unpatriotic for the opposition to avoid national events. Their actions discredit them as role models for the country’s future leaders and the next generation.
These events are the country’s binding glue as they present an opportunity for future generations to grasp the country’s chronology to date.
The major purpose of such events is to bring people together and decolonise the minds of every Zimbabwean.
When the time is right to pass the baton to a future leader, it is those who have an appreciation of national history and issues and are ready to safeguard the country’s norms and values jealously that the nation will accept.
Recently, President Mnangagwa was conferred with the Freedom of the City of Gweru at an event that was hosted by Gweru Mayor and the City Council as a whole.
On learning about it, Chamisa blew off the handle with uncontrolled anger towards the CCC-dominated council for hosting the event that recognised President Mnangagwa’s efforts to better the lives of the people of Gweru and the country as a whole.
This exposed his immaturity as well as his failure to decipher between political and national events.
He victimised the Gweru mayor and his councillors and threatened them with non-selection for candidature in the next harmonised elections.
He went further and tasked CCC Member of Parliament for Mkoba who is also CCC interim national organising secretary Amos Chibaya to compile a list of all CCC office holders who attended the event to expel them from that party’s list of candidates that are expected to participate in the upcoming elections.
This is ridiculous given that the conferment of the honour on the President was a council project and, as such, the programme could not go on in their absence.
Chamisa’s mentality to boycott national events is an indication that he is not presidential material and should not be given an opportunity to lead this nation, lest he tears it into shreds through tribalism, racialism and sexism.
For an opposition political party to be respected, it needs to embrace and participate in national events.
This will be an indication of tolerance as well as maturity.
The ability to participate in national events with those whose political ideologies (if they have any) differ from one’s shows broadmindedness and development.
In the next couple of days the country will be celebrating the national Independence Day.
This is the day that everyone should honour, including the opposition parties like CCC.
Meanwhile, Zanu PF will continue to educate the next generation of their country’s history since it has a bearing on the future.
Online Reporter