Lionel, a Kubatana subscriber, shares his views with us on the Government of National Unity.

A new so called era has emerged where a unity government of some form has been developed to help us move forward. Let us beware of such moves because this ploy was done back in 1987. Look what it has done to our beautiful country. Completely plundered by Hagar and his Horribles. History must not be repeated and forgotten now. The history of our country was cleverly removed by a despot who wanted to start a new leaf. He did start a new leaf again by ridding our country of many people considered not worthy of their own birth right. Who or whom gives this present regime the right to play God with our lives. They have destroyed our means of survival and yet they are still proud to strut their stuff. From now on we must criticise our so called leaders and they must now learn to accept criticism. Without healthy criticism the rot will continue and as we all have learnt by now, a massive wrong was done by those in power because we all kept quiet. Our friendly nature as Zimbabweans must be also looked at, because this is what has brought us down. We must act to see that all are involved in developing a new constitution and ensure the elected people only do one or two 4 year terms.

In an effort heed the advice of many of the people who have commented on my MDC sell outs blog, I’ve been reading up about what others have to say about MDC-T’s decision to join this new “inclusive government.” At the suggestion of my colleague, I thought I could make a little table – one column with commentators in favour of this move, the other column citing those more sceptical about it.

Unfortunately, my table as it stands is weighted heavily with the sceptics. And currently all the commentators I’ve seen referenced are men. I haven’t included any leaders of the parties that signed onto the deal, my theory being that of course they’d argue in favour of it; they signed it.

Anyone want to point me in the direction of a few more optimists?

Optimists

Tawanda Mukakiwa, a vendor – “This is a real attempt to address the crises in the country and in that respect the move deserves credit.”

Alex Magaisa – “The only hope is that should it join, the MDC will try to be to any opponents what Zanu PF was never able to manage when the MDC was in opposition. If that is possible, then at least the new arrangement would have achieved one important thing: to free space for political activity and therefore create a culture in which democracy can potentially thrive.”

——

Sceptics

John Makumbe – “The desperate people of Zimbabwe deserve better than a political fix that will keep Robert Mugabe in power.”

Wellington Chibhebhe – “A casual glance at the power-sharing pact only gave the MDC ‘administrative work’.”

Dale Dore – “No to the power-sharing deal! No to collusion with the Mugabe dictatorship!”

Brian Kagoro – “Firstly, there’s nothing national about it, secondly there’s absolutely no unity in it. So as an exercise in futility it’s a waste of precious time.”

Tendai Dumbutshena – “After the June 27 putsch by Robert Mugabe signs were always there that the MDC were headed for surrender. It officially happened on January 30, 2009 when the party hoisted a white flag on top of its Harvest House headquarters. What followed was a pathetic attempt by MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai to portray this decision to join the unity government without any of their conditions
being met as some sort of victory.”

Lovemore Madhuku – “It’s catastrophic. In so doing, Tsvangirai undermined the intention of the MDC to have a complete change.”

——

Reserving Judgement

Takavafira Zhou – “It brings hope on the surface that there may be better things to come and at the same time we remain sceptical.”

Daniel Molokele – “The big question that remains to be answered is whether or not the decision by the MDC to join up with Zanu-PF was a strategically wise one or not. Well as they say, the jury is still out on this one. Only time will tell!”

Here are some excerpts from a recent SW Radio hot seat interview. Brian Kagoro shares his views

On fighting Zanu PF from within
There is some serious fault in the logic that suggests that we will fight from within. What are we fighting from within? If the fight is against Robert Mugabe, well you know, that fight is a fight many of us were not necessarily part of. If the fight is for fundamental change, a change in principles, a change in political culture, that fight is a fight I believe every Zimbabwean has been engaged in. And that fight says, whether it be Tendai Biti, Morgan Tsvangirai, Priscilla, Welshman Ncube or Robert Mugabe, as long as they violate these agreed principles that constitute national consensus and consent then they fall foul and must be opposed. And irrespective of who they are, as long as they observe these particular principles, the sanctity of human life, the human dignity and right of all, that social, economic, cultural, environmental as well as the civil and political rights of people then they must be supported. This is what this fight has been about.

On large sums of money needed for Zimbabwe’s turnaround
My fear and I hope it’s not a harsh judgment, I have seen in Kenya, the attempt by the Kibaki government to use Raila Odinga as their public relations manager to spruce up their international image. My fear is that Tsvangirai will join Mbeki as Zanu-PF’s new public relations manager, international public relations manager. He will go, bowl in hand, begging for money to turn around the education sector, the health sector and whatever else. And this is likely to attract all sorts of issues and conditionalities on our country, and he invested a lot of his life within the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions opposing policy conditionalities. And given the abysmal decline of our economy and our governance, the West is quite likely to impose all sorts of irrational policy conditionalities on Zimbabwe. And it would be tragic to have someone who has been fighting for liberty, for liberation, human rights and freedoms to actually be the conduit through which this country takes back on that aid that is tied to policy conditionalities. He will become the new face of betrayal if he doesn’t carefully handle this particular issue.

On Tsvangirai becoming the target of discontent over problems he didn’t create
He is now joined with Mugabe, there will no longer be reference to Zanu and MDC, there will just be reference to the new face-lifted Zanu or the expanded Zanu-PF government. We refer to a government by the ruling party, so you know, it is a Zanu-PF led government, that’s what it will be and he’ll be part of that government and its failures and he will be part of those failures. There’s no point to continue trying to be leader of the opposition whilst you are in government. Once you are in government you are in government, there’s corporate responsibility of government, of cabinet. A corporate responsibility for successes and I certainly hope there will be many successes. Corporate responsibility for failures. One cannot to continue to extricate oneself and say, no I am not responsible. So it is a courageous position he has taken but huge consequences he must gladly live with.

How do the sceptics and the optimists make sense of this and move on?
All those of us who are sceptical maybe wrong, all those who are optimistic may be wrong. As Bob Marley once said, ‘only time will tell’. The triumphalism of the moment will dissipate; the reality of the situation will bite. Children have to go back to school, teachers have to go back and teach, health workers, our hospitals have to get medicine. Professionals who have fled to South Africa and elsewhere have to be brought back. People who have been victims of human rights violations have to be compensated. Those who have been responsible for torture, for murder, for abductions have to be brought to justice. Those who have been responsible for kleptomania, for plunder of natural and national resources have to pay back. The task of this expanded regime would be to deliver these things. If this expanded regime does not deliver this then it has an epitaph already written on its grave – here lies a marriage that was doomed from the beginning. Let’s hope that we are all wrong. Let’s hope for the sake of Zimbabwe that there is a commitment in Zanu-PF and in the two MDC clubs for a real transformative agenda. That there is a commitment to return this country, not just to an economically sound footing but also to a sustainably democratic and accountable culture of governance – where no one is above the law, where looters are brought to book. Let us hope for the sake of our beautiful country that this marriage of convenience, this polygamous marriage of convenience, unequal yoking of enemies will prove to be a workable solution.

Well now.

It’s taken almost a year for us to get a result from the 2008 March election. Hmmm. Then Tsvangirai said he’d halt any negotiations regarding a Government of National Unity until all abducted and detained activists were returned or released. That didn’t last for long, he was soon back at the round table and the mini bar. And now that he has agreed to jump into bed with that old guy, he’s said that previous demands like the allocation of ministries will be sorted out over the next 6 months, or so. Sounds wonderful doesn’t it?

John Makumbe writing for openDemocracy has this to say:

The bottom line is that Robert Mugabe and Zanu-PF have no intention of handing over power to the MDC, except under severe political pressure from both within and outside Zimbabwe. The activists gathering at the African Union summit in Addis Ababa on 26 January-3 February 2009 to highlight the “passive genocide” in their country are right; those who are prepared to consent to a political fix that will entrench its architects in power are wrong. Read more

Valentine’s Day is approaching and Fungai Machirori reminds us that although we’re living in a time of cholera, corruption and other forms of chaos, we still have Love to console ourselves with. I’m always pleased when we, the citizens, come up with basic home made remedies that we can engage to keep ourselves sane amidst all the political clap trap. Che Guevara said, At the risk of sounding ridiculous, let me say that the true revolutionary is guided by feelings of love.

Here’s some self help and love from Fungai. Don’t know about you, but I’m off in search of some Charon’s toffees.

We Zimbabweans live in curious times. We suffer much and sacrifice even more – dreams, memories and even hopes. If there is any group of people whom I expect out on the streets, painting the town red with passionate and compassionate love this February 14, it is us. For when all else has ravaged us – political intimidation, economic deflation, scourges of violence and disease and condemnation – all that has remained to console us is love. And whether you are a traditionalist who believes that V-Day is a commercial gimmick, or a fervent but cash-strapped romantic, I say to you, “Make the effort, this year!” Pluck a simple flower from an overgrown bush, be patriotic and buy a packet of Zimbabwe-manufactured toffee sweets, or make a simple card with a meaningful message. Whatever it may be, make sure you do something special for someone you love. Our recent history has taught us to value what we have now because we have learned in a cruel way that the future is often not for us to control.

As some Zimbabweans celebrate the signing of the GNU, where do we all stand on the need for a Truth and Reconciliation Commission to investigate the innumerable human rights abuses committed by the Mugabe regime? Zimbabwean poet Beaven Tapureta reminds us of the pain experienced on the road to freedom.

Carry His Spirit to a New Zimbabwe

I lie beside my brother
In the glaring mountains
Of my countryside
He looks at me
Eyes swollen
Buttocks fried
“Some men did it.
Said I belong to a party they don’t like,” he whispers

This sight alone plants my
Future in front of me

“Take me home,” he pleads
I try
But there is nowhere to touch
his flogged body
and hold it.
I try
With bare hands
To lift him
his pain is my pain
Zimbabwe, our pain.
God knows where it will end
They might drive it the direction they want
Our future seeks another route.

I softly lift my brother
in his bloodied shirt
red
Like the flag
of my country
now
tattered
muddied
defiled
I lift him home
My brother
With all my love
His spirit rises to a new Zimbabwe.

For more poetry by Zimbabwe writers please visit the Poetry International web site