Short, nasty, brutish

Dr Obert Moses Mpofu 

LIFE for opposition parties in Zimbabwe is short, nasty and brutish. I cannot seem to remember all the political parties that have come and gone in the history of Zimbabwe for there are too many. Chaos, indiscipline and power hunger have swallowed so many opposition parties in this country. Only Zanu-PF has remained and continues to grow from strength to strength. My Party, Zanu-PF, has outlived every other political party that has ever tried to deceive the masses.

Since the days of old, even before independence, those who tried to oppose the people’s movement have failed. The people truly guard jealously that which they value. The people of Zimbabwe value their independence and self-determination. Nothing can ever separate them from their affection towards their country.

There exists an unbreakable bond between the people’s movement and the people themselves. Zanu-PF belongs to the people. This is why in our short history as a young democracy, so many opposition political parties have come and gone. But Zanu-PF has endured and stood the test of time. It cannot be denied that Zanu-PF indeed exists in perpetuity. It is the party of old and the party of new. It is the party that represents what it truly means to be Zimbabwean.

Indeed, being Zanu-PF is being Zimbabwean and being Zimbabwean is being Zanu-PF.

I cannot definitively give reasons as to why opposition parties have been short-lived, for the factors preventing that knowledge are many, including the shortness of life. But, my guess is that Zimbabweans are a smart people that cannot be deceived and hoodwinked. It explains why we have one of the highest literacy rates on the continent and are among the most educated.

Neo-colonialism will never succeed for as long as there are Zimbabweans to guard jealously their beloved land. And so, opposition politics are doomed to fail. But Zimbabwe will not fail, we have proven this over the past two decades where conditions were engineered to ensure our demise but we still stand, now with the fastest growing economy in the region. The Second Republic has truly turned the tide in our favour. There is no other country much like Zimbabwe now. Our country is so unique that we have become a marvel for the rest of the world. Great lessons are actually being drawn from us by those around our borders and beyond.

Opposing Zanu-PF is indeed opposing the people and this is all but foolish. The people are our masters. As President Mnangagwa once said, “The voice of the people is the voice of God”. True, indeed the people hold all the power.  Without the people, all political movements will shrivel and die.

There is an evident dearth of political understanding among the opposition movements that have come and gone in this country, while in Zanu-PF, it is abundant. And rightfully so, many opposition movements have perished due to their failure to realise and appreciate Zimbabwe’s political fundamentals.

A new age is upon us. Those who choose to stay in the past and act against their country will be left behind. Our beloved Zimbabwe is not only full of promise but prosperity as well for those who have love for their country. There is no space anymore for those who call for sanctions on Zimbabwe. We are all now builders of this great nation and brick by brick we are taking it forward. Contrary to the expectations of our detractors and their puppets, this success that we now enjoy as a nation will not be short-lived.

The Zimbabwe we are building will not leave anyone or any place                          behind. We all are guaranteed of enjoying whatever successes that we achieve. 

This calls for all of us to rally behind President Mnangagwa and his Vision 2030 to ensure that we build a successful Zimbabwe cherished by all. As long as we rally behind our nation and its leadership, Zimbabwe will never be behind again. The future is ever so bright.

As we move into the future, young people should also take up a leading role and work towards developing this our beloved nation. True to the words of the late Father Zimbabwe, Cde Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo, for as long as there are young people, our nation will not die, for they will save it. 

This is why our youth should be educated and socialised so as to ensure that discipline and love for country are inculcated in them. They should be taught not to align with our detractors in destroying their own nation.

Together, united in our common purpose, are unstoppable and our country is poised to be a marvel cherished by all.

ν Dr Obert Moses Mpofu is an academic and the Secretary General of Zanu-PF. He writes in his own capacity.