By Tinashe Eric Muzamhindo
I found it necessary to write about this one after the 2014 noise is alover the streets, you go on social media, 2014 this and that? Really taking the whole nation back to 2014? What about Jessie Majome who is now the deep roots of ZACC, are you going to be successful to chuck her out of the ZACC pockets?
Is it possible to recall Maridadi who is now in the foreign lands serving as diplomat and say come back and serve at Harvest House? Can you buy him an air ticket in the midst of the Covid – 19 pandemic? Why taking the whole nation back to 2014?
I was studying carefully the Opposition wrangles , and I took my time to come up with a comprehensive analysis which is entangled around the dramatic monologue. We have a deep political crisis which may plunge this country into a civil rife if leadership does not provide necessary political checks and balances.
Without taking sides I have come up with necessary options to resolve the political and economic impasse in this country. There is a lot of drama around the supreme court verdict, wrangles and conflicts within the Opposition and this may put the whole nation at risk. Here is my analysis & my two cents advisory :
1 Anger on the ground – Disconnection between citizens & leadership
There is so much anger on the ground and it is necessary for ED and Chamisa to find a resort area to find a common ground to resolve the current political crisis. We need a political will to end this crisis. I think the court verdicts and other applications which are flooding the courts can be suspended, and allow the two political giants to meet somewhere and resolve the current political impasse. When opposition Mps walked out of Parliament, when they refused to stand up when President walked in Parliament, this invited a lot of anger and at the same time it created a political crisis which could have been resolved through dialogue processes. The whole drama is entangled around legitimacy issues and there is a tag hoovering over leadership wrangles.
2. Political route is the way to go : Opposition wrangles
I suggest the whole drama could be halted if the Main opposition Leader finds a way to send emissaries to ED and Zanu PF so that they can reach a common goal to save this country from total collapse. We can’t have a situation where Parliament remains with the ruling party and few opposition stalwarts. This can be done within the next two weeks, halt all court processes and give room to dialogue and political will. After their dialogue, ED and Chamisa can give a public statement which clears way for a proper framework to address economic and political concerns which this country is facing.
3. This country is in state of paralysis
I’m not sure who is advising the President at the moment, since we have over 24 Advisors, and others around him, I’m not sure whether the current sitting Head of State is aware of what id happening on the ground? I would rather suggest that he must trim his advisory council to five (5) people only to cut the bloated advisory council which may not be necessary. We have a deep crisis which might plunge the whole nation into anarchy. There is need for political will. Covid – 19 pandemic was an opportunity for the Head of State to unite the whole nation and avoid all other political expediency. The issue evolved around the alleged abductions and other outcomes may put our country on spotlight with few remaining potential investors. We are sitting on a time bomb and we are danger zone, and my question would be what kind of legacy would our leader want to be remembered with?
4. A political PACT maybe necessary
To address such a crisis, you may ave to go the political route, throw away self and personal interests, personal gains, and put the nation at heart. I was thinking outside the box how many people were being fed by these Mps, some it was their first time in Parliament, some gaining leadership experience, so why would people go to that extent? You may have to throw the self – ego both ankles, and go the political route. A political PACT is necessary. Maybe if Mwonzora and Alliance group may give room for a dialogue and come up with a PACT which they can work together towards 2023. To me it may not make sense for one group to recall more than 100 Mps, during such difficult moments of Covid – 19 pandemic and economic crisis? Why not come up with a formula or PACT which may see the two arch – rivalry groups or political nemesis working together. For example Alliance may work outside Parliament, whilst the other group will be relevant in Parliament, and still work together. Can this make sense to recall over 100 Mps over leadership wrangles following the death of the late icon Morgan Tsvangirai? We have the position of official opposition Leader in Parliament which was suggested by Mnangagwa at one point in time, this can be an opportunity to mend rifts by accepting such an offer.
5. National Development Agenda
We need a proper National Development Agenda to be tabled to all stakeholders to resolve the political and economic crisis. I’m suggesting that the following be part of the national convention to come up with a proper solution, we have the church, academics, policymakers, opinion leaders, legislators, Business community, politicians, diplomats, researchers etc. This is the time to put the interests of the nation ahead of anything else.
Secret meetings must begin now without public knowledge.
Tinashe Eric Muzamhindo is the Head of Zimbabwe Institute of Strategic Thinking ( ZIST) and he is a leading Project Management Consultant and he can be contacted at tinamuzala@gmail.com
