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Benjamin Chivandire and Wallace K Musakanya
Correspondents
December is a crucial month in Zimbabwe, not so much for the highly celebrated religious event that is Christmas, but because of some fundamental political changes that marked a turning point in the country’s political and historical trajectory.
After more than five years of mayhem and turmoil in the early 1980s, the two main nationalist parties — ZANU PF and PF ZAPU — decided to put their differences aside in pursuit of peace and unity.
After attaining independence in 1980, it is pertinent to note that Zimbabwe’s political landscape went through a test of time marred by political violence, which involved these two liberation movements in the Matabeleland and part of the Midlands provinces.
Political differences, which were evident even at the 1979 Lancaster House Conference, created more problems in the then newly independent Zimbabwe.
As such, there was a need to safeguard and find a cure for the national crisis; either retaliation or civil disobedience were not the solutions.
The cure was unity.
Against this background, the two statesmen, former President Robert Mugabe of ZANU PF and the late Vice President Dr Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo of PF ZAPU signed the Unity Accord on December 22, 1987.
Hence, ZANU PF and PF ZAPU merged and formed a united political front, which became known as Zanu PF, with the mantra of preaching unity of purpose for the betterment of Zimbabwe, which more than three decades on we still celebrate.
The signing of the Unity Accord marked the emergence of a united front between the two revolutionary parties, and a social contract among Zimbabweans, which the colonial master had tried to eradicate through the divide and rule strategy.
This event marked and shaped Zimbabwe’s identity as a nation since prior to the Unity Accord, citizens identified themselves with the political garment they decided to wear.
With the signing of the Unity Accord, the national “identity crisis” was resolved.
This was because political affiliation and ethnicity were ruled out as criteria for identifying and locating individuals.
The same spirit that possessed the two leading statesmen; former President Mugabe and the late Vice President Dr Nkomo into signing the Accord is also manifesting in present day Zimbabwe.
The Accord set a precedence on the political landscape of the country, with citizens copying and pasting the traits of this unforgettable peace settlement to thwart individuals, who might be seen as stumbling blocks to unity.
This was evidenced by the November 2017 Operation Restore Legacy, which was supported by the general populace.
Because the spirit of unity and patriotism was burdened, citizens marched in their thousands, if not millions across the country in solidarity with Operation Restore Legacy, fully spirited with unity.
War veterans are also important individuals, whose immense sacrifices and contribution to the independence of this country, as well as fostering unity is worth noting.
Their role in the liberation struggle is forever cherished and appreciated.
Many among them lost lives and limbs, dropped out of school and had their families on the Ian Smith regime’s firing line.
The loss of our land to colonists was forever a pain in their hearts.
One only has to think of the atrocities committed at Chimoio and Nyadzonya to reflect on the liberation fighters’ sacrifices.
War veterans are the vanguards of the struggle and the nation’s torchbearers; and, therefore, must lead by example through advocating a culture of unity.
In doing so, just like other citizens, they have to rally behind President Mnangagwa to ensure that his engagement and re-engagement policies become a success story.
This will enable the foundation of unity laid on December 22, 1987 to be buttressed and safeguarded.
Unity! Unity! Unity!
Benjamin Chivandire and Wallace K. Musakanyi are recent political science graduates from the University of Zimbabwe. They can be contacted on [email protected] and @[email protected]
Online Reporter