By Linda Tsungirirai Masarira
Let us celebrate and enjoy the freedom to live independently in our country. Freedom is for everyone,it does not see skin colour, body shape nor gender. We have had enough of hate, toxicity, polarity, and violence. It is now time we mature with age like wine and turn all the negative energy in Zimbabwe into positive energy for progress.
Today, Zimbabwe turns 43, in the spirit of togetherness, we all need to commit to building a new Zimbabwe with a new future filled with love and understanding. A house divided against itself will not stand. We need unity of purpose to build cohesion on the agenda to build Zimbabwe and make it an economic powerhouse in Africa.
This year’s Independence theme is: “Nyika inovakwa nevene vayo/Ilizwe lakhiwa ngabanini bayo”. Instead of wanting to politicise the theme of this years Independence day, we all have to understand the importance of everyone playing their role in nation building. We are all the change we have been waiting for. As we celebrate Independence day, today, I implore the President of Zimbabwe HE Cde Emmerson Mnangagwa to pay a listening ear to the people of Zimbabwe who are tired of violent, toxic elections which have further divided us as a people.
We attained Independence from colonial masters and continued with their system of governance, judicial system, education system, religious system, etc. We haven’t done enough to liberate ourselves from the eurocentric system we adopted in 1980. The system we adopted is oppressive, repressive and suppressive. It is choking us. We need a new afrocentric system that works, that will fulfill the aspirations of the Chimurenga liberation struggle.
The high levels of polarization in our communities caused by the election period are always a cause of concern every electoral year. We are worried about the destructive Political culture and tendencies as well as the propensity to violence by fellow political players as exhibited by intra party and inter party violence or dramatized violence as seen during the immediate past by- elections.
As we celebrate Independence today, we
are worried by the level of interest and international spotlight that our internal governance processes have attracted within the global political cold war context currently taking place, we fear that Zimbabwe may be dragged into a proxy war between the East and West due to her strategic location in Africa, her history and more importantly, the natural resources she is endowed with, that are at the center of the 21st century scramble for Africa that is driven by competition for superiority by the global super powers.
Being aware of numerous efforts, manuevours and shenanigans to drag our beloved Zimbabwe into turmoil by some amongst ourselves, who are driven by an obsession for power at all costs, such that they are ready to plunge Zimbabwe into turmoil for their own personal benefit has made us rethink 2023 elections and the governance system we are using.
Having witnessed the previous dark moments during immediate past elections and studying the trends in countries that have been under Western countries’ spotlight, the current developments that are evidently building up towards another disputed election that will result in yet another international isolation of Zimbabwe, if not direct International intervention, we note the issues raised in the report on the United States of America Report on Zimbabwe’s Human Rights situation, that exposes their attitude and entrenched position on Zimbabwe and guiding their actions.
It is our honest and deeply sincere belief that the environment, attitudes, and actions by most of the players are not building towards a free, fair and credible elections whose outcome can not be contested.
We shudder to imagine the predicted bloody plebiscite that will happen this year if we are to continue with elections.
LEAD is working tirelessly to give women a safe space to participate in governance and politics. We are capacitating women and building a new brand of leaders who are responsible and responsive to the needs of Zimbabwe. LEAD is the only party that abolished the Women’s wing after realization that women are grouped into this wing/league/assembly and given an illusion of power which is virtually non existent.
One fundamental cause we have in common with the current government is the desire to strengthen our unity, enhancing national cohesion and entrenching peace within our country. We can’t prosper if we are always antagonizing. Peace, unity and love are the cornerstones of a strong nation.
Happy Independence day my fellow countrymen.
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