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Albert Nhamoyebonde
ZANU-PF’S emphatic win in the just-ended harmonised elections was certainly sweet music to progressive ears. It was a manifestation of mastery of politics unmatched by many contemporaries in the world.But while we bask in victory, sober minds will focus on the way forward and forget the demons that nearly derailed the people’s revolution.
The people have re-emphasised their wish to be masters of their destiny.
It is now left to the new cabinet to hit the ground running. It has been emphasised time and time again that agriculture is the backbone of a developing economy. We have just a few months before the summer cropping season begins, but now is the time to mobilise all the necessary inputs.
As one patriot espoused with a banner at the National Heroes Acre, “My Vote Was My Inputs, Ready for The Rains’’, expectations are high that the coming agricultural season will be given all the support it lacked throughout the life of the inclusive Government.
The electorate, which is mainly rural and farmer based, must be rewarded for standing up against all the machinations that tried to subvert the march to holistic independence. Never again shall there be any shortage of the staple food to feed the people.
It must be known that factories can only be resuscitated if the farmers are adequately funded. All the resources required must be mobilised. The question that troubles many people is why those that get financial loans do not understand that anything borrowed must be paid back.
The culture of not paying back loans borrowed to back up or start an enterprise is what has given Zimbabwe a bad name. No business or country can hope to get grants after the global economic crisis. We must learn this lesson that, to be creditworthy, money borrowed must be paid back according to the agreement.
I would even go further to say that, those that own farms and are genuinely employed elsewhere, must employ farm managers who shall be supported by the Ministry of Agriculture on condition that whatever is borrowed to support that venture shall be guaranteed by the Government.
Five years before another election is a very short time in politics. The electorate has heeded the call by President Mugabe to reject regime change by western countries.
The electorate has given Zanu-PF a solid mandate to pursue its economic policies without hindrance by opposition forces. The electorate has accepted the challenge from the party leadership to take the bull by the horns and map out our economic revival by using our own skills and management to shape our resources for the benefit of the people. The messages of support from the Diaspora are pouring through the internet.
One parent based in the UK telephoned to say that he wanted his 12-year-old son to come back every holiday to be coached tennis by black coaches in Zimbabwe. Why not get coaching in UK? He wanted his son to bond with his own people.
This is what this election was all about. Zimbabweans everywhere are proud of their heritage and want to share in the future prosperity of their country. What boggles the mind is how the electorate reacted against the politics of demonising President Mugabe, barring him and many others from freely conducting international business as a leader of an independent country. There was anger inside many hearts as the voters cast their ballots.
Many pseudo politicians and analysts did not see this anger manifesting itself through the ballot box. Now, the people have spoken. It is now the responsibility of the Zanu-PF leadership to map the way forward without delay so that the people can put their shoulders to the wheel and develop the economy which we will be proud to own and cherish.
History has taught us that, fighting on the battlefield for this country was not an easy task. Standing up to the western regimes after taking back our land was not an easy task. Now, defending the right to map our economic emancipation through indigenisation and empowerment will not be a stroll in the park.
It is what the people have endorsed in these harmonised elections. The great task ahead is not for the faint-hearted. When Barack Obama won his second term in office, he told Americans that the task ahead was arduous. President Mugabe did not promise people manna from above but appealed to the people to believe in themselves, to uplift our standard of living by sheer sweat and intelligence and skills.
What it means is that there will not be any jobs to pick up from the plate but that we have to create jobs by using the resources we already own which are in abundance. The President has shown us the way by turning his dairy farm into a commercial enterprise. Today, the products from his diary are in our shops. That is what a leader should be, who leads by example.
How fortunate we are that a leader can spend his time making it possible for our children to learn computers by donating them to schools. One parent remarked that, he never believed he would see his primary school children using computers, but that was made possible by the donation by the President.
These computer skills the children are acquiring will come handy when they grow up to embark on their careers. But the future belongs to these children. We the adults, the voters, are being challenged to use our ingenuity to take the role of harnessing our resources to develop our economy and make Zimbabwe great.
Online Reporter