Unity a mandate for every Zimbabwean

Benjamin Chivandire Correspondent

BELIEVERS in the Christian com­munity regard December as the month of remembering the birth of Jesus Christ who is the harbinger of Christianity.

According to Apostle Paul in the book of Galatians 3.28 ” . . . there is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus”.

Unity is the social fabric of any soci­ety.

It cuts across all spectrum and it is everyone’s duty and responsibility.

The history of Zimbabwe cannot be written without using the phrase united we stand, divided we fall.

The visionary leaders Father Zim­babwe Cde Joshua Nkomo and former President Robert Mugabe realised unity as an important social fabric.

It was an establishment of an all-em­bracing political system through power sharing. When Zimbabwe attained independence in 1980, socialism was dominant in the Third World and the ruling party embraced this doctrine as its governmental ideology. Socialism was viewed as the most appropriate method for achieving socio-economic equity, justice and prosperity.

The war of liberation had caused massive destruction of infrastructure and the population had swelled beyond the capacity of the existing facilities.

In the aftermath of the struggle for independence, the Government had to move fast in dealing with the popular demands that informed the struggle.

It was observed that the appropri­ate response to popular demands was developed, that development could be planned for and that planning essen­tially involved the optimum utilisa­tion of available domestic and foreign resources to achieve certain growth tar­gets and that for the majority of popular masses to benefit, these growth targets were met.

All sections of society were to con­tribute to development under the tute­lage of the socialist state.

The immediate post-colonial era witnessed phenomenal growth. Many schools, clinics, veterinary and crop marketing facilities were constructed, uplifting the standard of living of the general populace.

However, in the political arena, the dispensation that emerged had no room for diversity.

Emerging from this dark past, it did not take long before the country was once again plunged into conflict, but this time it was ethnic strife.

Some scholars regard the period as a period of teething in the history of Zimbabwe as the then newly born nation was still in her infancy discov­ering herself.

Hostilities were eventually halted with the signing of the Unity Accord in 1987 between the leader of ZAPU and the leader of the Zimbabwe African National Union (ZANU).

The establishment of an all-em­bracing political system through power-sharing arrangements between erstwhile protagonists.

The Unity Accord had a strong post-war building framework which has given Zimbabwe the political tranquil­lity. It is imperative to note that reconcil­iation is the first step towards a society which can give a lasting guarantee for dignity and justice. The 1987 Accord resulted in the cessation of hostilities, but brought no peace and unity.

It was a striking moment in the his­tory of this country that no matter how we differ we must always sit down and resolve our problems amicably.

Regardless of cradle, culture, ethnic­ity, Zimbabweans we are one and we must put all our efforts for the common good of our country.

Not just words, but actions the birth of the New Republic under President Mnangagwa saw the president but­tressing the point of letting bygones be bygones, which is an important step in sanitising the political atmosphere which had for long been toxic.

In January 2018, President Mnan­gagwa signed the National Peace and Reconciliation Conciliation Bill (NPRC) into law, making operational the Com­mission that was appointed two years previously.

The NPRC is a mechanism for resolv­ing the burdens of past violent conflicts and build national and sub-national capacities that guarantee a future of peace and reconciliation.

It is mandated to ensure post-conflict justice, healing and reconciliation by encouraging truth-telling, the making of amends, the provision of justice and rehabilitative treatment.

The Commission also conciliates and mediates disputes when they arise and put in place institutional frameworks and mechanisms for preventing the recurrence of violent conflicts in the future. The formation of this commis­sion buttresses the fact that political disturbances need to end and the key­word in post-conflict reconstruction is reconciliation.

The Government, social organi­sations, the churches, and the entire population have come to terms with the past in one way or the other and the commission holds periodic meet­ings and conferences in chatting way forward and console the past that was scarred by the disturbances.

All political, cultural, and religious traditions have forms of reconciliation. Each of these traditions also puts for­ward certain requirements regarding reconciliation.

For example, the truth is to be estab­lished officially, damages to be paid, the guilty are to be recognised publicly, the victims are to be restored their honour in a bid to foster unity for the develop­ment of our country.

Lessons can be drawn from Rwanda which was plunged into political dis­turbances of 1994 almost leaving the country torn into pieces.

The Government under President Paul Kagame constructed memorials to remember victims among other ini­tiatives to heal. From this reconciliation Rwanda has become the Singapore of Africa due to its economic growth, which is moving at a staggering pace.

The Government embarked on the Zimbabwe is open for business mantra with the country appealing to the inter­national community as a friend for all and an enemy of non.

Not withstanding the political can­nibalism that exists across the political landscape instigated by Zimbabwe’s erstwhile enemies through stooges, the government also saw it fit to enact Polad with the view of bringing diverg­ing ideas of all political players for the betterment of the country.

Unity is everyone’s duty and respon­sibility.