By Pearson Mbendera
(News Of The South) – Of late politics has been marred with the Gospel of Change, the message that most opposition party leaders are using to out sit incumbent leaders. After all it’s the message people want to hear. How a candidate will do the job better than the incumbent. Even the incumbents use it, claiming their next term will be better. Barack Obama used it and here in Zimbabwe the MDC has used the change slogan since it came into existence back in 1999 and they are still using it. Whether this political concept work is another story, but it surely gives politicians hope as they find something to tell people at their rallies, after all who is happy with the current scheme of affairs in Zimbabwe.
Now it seems any politician with a Messiah Complex can actually command quite a following by promising big and better things to come, should he or she be voted into power, however deluded their thoughts may be. But in the grand scheme of affairs, it’s more about the people being led and the leader’s ambitions. Like the children of Israel, people need signs to see if you are for real.
But how can you give change to the people. Is it a commodity that can be handed over? Even Moses faced quite an ordeal while trying to lead the Israelites into the Promised Land after delivering them from Egypt, the land where they were enslaved. Sometimes it’s easier for people to get comfortable in the most unpleasant circumstances than for them to move forward to something better.
The story of the Israelites’ exodus from Egypt should offer various lessons to any leader trying to bring change to his people.
1)Getting to the Promised Land is more important than who gets you there. From the beginning, it was obvious that Moses was born with one clear goal, to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. What was not obvious though was whether he would be the one to get them there. And by the time the journey was concluded, Moses was dead and Joshua brought them into Canaan, the land of milk and honey. Tying our fortunes with one person brings about a problem when that person gets derailed and the promises and hopes of a better tomorrow die with him.
2)The journey is not for the faint hearted. Many people cried to Moses asking him to get them back to Egypt, at least there, they had something to eat and knew exactly what to expect, hard labour. However promising, the Promised Land was, the journey was tough and as luck would have it, it took the Israelites 40 years to get there. How long has Zimbabwe been on its own journey to the Promised Land? Seems like we still have a long way to go. Oh God!!!
3)People need signs. The mere promises from word of mouth are not good enough or trust worthy. People need to see the signs of what it is that you can deliver, otherwise they will turn back to the familiar, comfort zone, which contrary to its name, is no comfort place at all.
4)What the people of Zimbabwe want seems obvious, a no brainer. We want a better life. More job opportunities, better health care, access to clean and safe drinking water, and to live in a nation where everything is possible and anyone who is willing to work hard can achieve anything he or she wants. The list is too long. The big question is about who can deliver that to us. The getting what we want part isn’t that hard either. There need to be policies that allow for economic growth and development. Every Zimbabwean needs to be given an opportunity to make his or her life better. And that’s the change we want.
The truth is the change we want, however good the end result, the ultimate change is, and it isn’t all easy to come or is it easy to live our past life behind. We are already used to the way things are. A Zimbabwe characterized by better education, health, wealth for all and a nation of milk and honey won’t come by just sitting at home and watching American sitcoms. It’s a journey for everyone, we all know where we want to go, but the road there, just like the majority of our Zimbabwean road networks, isn’t smooth and well tarred. It has portholes, no street lights and corrupt police officials with their road blocks. Sometimes there won’t be a way through, and like Moses and the Israelites, we will have to part the red sea and make a way.
After thinking of all possible solutions, I realise change can only come when we work together as one. United we stand, divided we fall. Sometimes, change is nothing short of a miracle. Together, we can make that miracle.
Comments
About Author
