By: Peter Qeko Jere
The Movement for Democratic Change’s President Morgan Tsvangirai announced days ago that he has withdrawn from the Presidential runoff. He said that his party can not contest the election in a situation where MDC members are bitten and chased away from their homes so that they should not vote. There has been mixed reaction as to the timing of the withdrawal and as to what will happen to the election and a way forward for the country. Some mainly the western media houses have condemned and blamed Zanu PF for the violence and others have even gone to the point of saying that Zanu PF is committing crime against humanity which is arguable depending on the context one is operating from. Some have asked for the implementation of the Kenyan model into Zimbabwe political situation and they see this as the only hope for the country.
After analyzing and critically looking into the whole situation that led to the current political mess in Zimbabwe, we have the following key points for your attention.
To begin with, we recognize that the Zimbabwe issue is complex and no-one can easily solve it. The problem is historical, political, economical, social and involves a number of stakeholders. We also do not support the violence taking place which is making ordinary people’s life difficult
However one of the key formula to solve the problem was through the runoff which Tsvangirai has withdrawn due to the reason given in the various media houses world wide. Now the question could be is it wise to withdraw at the eleventh hour? Who was behind the decision that he should withdraw? What will be the impact of this withdrawal on the peace process and also will this withdrawal solve the problem? In response to this, we strongly feel that it is a mistake and suicidal and politically dangerous to withdraw in the midst of the struggle. The huge mistake any one can do in battle is to withdraw in the midst of fighting. We believe that this was part of the struggle for change and withdrawing is not a solution but its something which has retarded the process. Whoever gave the MDC this piece of advice has messed up the struggle because the momentum has been crashed and that it will not be so much easy for them to take off again. This withdrawal is suicidal because like any struggle, blood has to be shed. So people need to understand that in life there are principles that guide events and in case of the struggle, the key principle is that for victory to be born, blood has to be shed. This is the pattern of things biblically and through out history.
For instance blood was shed during the struggle against colonialism and people died. In the early 1990, the wind of change multiparty democratic change which blew across Africa led to the death of many people. The key principle in the struggle is that blood has to be shed if peace and victory has to come. In the bible it is very clear that there is no salvation without the shedding of blood and of course Jesus Christ died and sacrifice his own life for the sake of humanity. To shed blood in the struggle is to sacrifice for the future of your children and your great grand children and not for yourself. In the book of Exodus we see that its through the blood that Israelites were saved from the angel of death when he passed by their home. Without the shedding of blood there is no salvation and in other word, blood of those who die in the struggle is the fuel for the liberation of the oppressed.
Now the argument that Tsvangirani withdrew because many of his people are being killed is to some of us pathetic and directionless because this has highjacked the democratic struggle for Zimbabwe. The problem is that those who advice them have no knowledge and do not know key principle that guides liberation and freedom. Democratic freedom is expensive and does not come on a silver platter. To us Tsvangirai who is the movement leader need to be the first person to know that in the struggle blood is shed and people die. He needs to know that the key principle to any struggle and liberation is that you don’t separate salvation from the blood. He should know that as a leader, he should be at the battle frontline and not in embassy hiding. A liberation leader and human rights activists does not fear death or even hid but stay with the people and suffer with them.
Soon after the election, Tsvangirai was at large outside the country and was not suffering with the people. A great liberation leader is the one who suffer and cry with the people and he leads them as a great shepherd. Tsvangirai was not with the people but that he abandon them and they suffered alone. He was in Johannesburg and traveling across Africa to mount up support while his people were alone without a leader. In the struggle you don’t leave your people alone. As if this was not enough, Tsvangirai has pulled his party out of the contest and we are also that he is gone into hiding in the Dutch embassy while his people are suffering as it is been alleged. It is shameful and discouraging that a leader who was suppose to be at the frontline leading the struggle has gone into hiding. Now if he is in hiding what about his followers? To whom will they cry to or go for protection? Leaders like Tsvangirai need to know that it is not good to hid and leave your people defenceless.
Hiding in the European embassy makes things even worse for him because it is proving his opponent right that he is being supported by Europeans. Why didn’t he seek refuge in the Botswana embassy or any other African embassy so as to make things easy for him and the whole democratic struggle? It has to be mentioned also that in the struggle only those leaders who use their brains and think, survive and come out victoriously. Those who cant think always die on the way before the victory is attained because to be in a struggle is to put brains at work. Brains have to be at work because the struggle is about planning and strategizing so that you outmaneuver the enemy. If the leader has no capacity to think and use his brains, he will always trust any advice that comes his way without even having a thorough scrutiny of it. A leader doesn’t just take advice anyhow but spend time scrutinizing every piece of it.
The pattern of events after the election shows that Tsvangirai need to put himself together and take up his rightful position as a leader if he has to be victorious otherwise he will not make it. If he never realizes that his position in this struggle is the frontline then Zimbabweans should look for someone who shall accept to face the sound of gun and sacrifice his or her life for salvation of many. In this democratic struggle, the three major blunders are enough to make zealous and patriotic people loose trust in their leader when he hid and not suffer or stay hungry with them.
Also it should be noted that Africans always need a leader of the God Father or a hero type character. Tsvangirai as a leader need to be a man of focus and know where he is taking his people to. He also should know that in the process not everyone will reach the finishing line because the principle guiding the liberation states that in the struggle blood is shed and lives are lost.
One of the key issue as regard to Tsvangirai’s withdrawal is that this should pave way to the negotiations and creation of the government of national unity as was the case in Kenya when Odinga and Kibaki were brought together into dialogue. For those who share this notion however needs to think a big time because for some of us, we wonder as to how possible the national unity government can function in Zimbabwe. We feel it is wrong and a mistake to use the Kenyan model because Kenya and Zimbabwe are very different countries with very different liberation history. Also we need to point out the Kenyan liberation history did not play a major role during the elections while in Zimbabwe the entire election are closely connected to the war of liberation from Britain. Also the Kenyan liberation struggle from colonialism didn’t involve too much of a gun firing as was the case with the Zimbabwe issue which basically was about the use of a gun. In Zimbabwe, the liberation history deeply involves the army who by and large have huge influence in the way politics functions in the country while in Kenya, the army is basically outside and any idea of the national unity government will have to deal with a number of issues including the army which are part and parcel of the liberation history of the country
Others have argued that SADC, AU, USA, UK and the UN should put pressure on Mugabe so as to force him give in to the foreign demands. Some have gone as far as saying that South Africa should cut off electricity so that they should force Mugabe to give up. As earlier said, the Zimbabwe crisis is so unique and complex in that anyone who want to solve it should divorce him or herself from Europeans because any idea though good but for as long as it comes from Europe or anyone white can not easily be entertained and accommodated. This is because Zimbabwean suffered a lot under the British colonial rule under Ian Smith. It’s in this regard that Tsvangirai seem not to have huge support and is gradually loosing popularity because of aligning himself with Britain. We in this case are of the view that democratic struggle could have been an easy thing if Tsvangirai handled this outside European influence. In addition to this, it is a fallacy to say that SADC can help solve this crisis. SADC as a regional block can not effectively help solve this crisis because these SADC countries have similar land problem where majority of the people do not own land. Land is critical to African people and this is their only identify. It doesn’t make sense for SADC leaders to teach Zimbabweans on how to handle this issue which involves land ownership while these leaders themselves have similar land problems in their backyard. It is a fact that colonialism took away fertile land from black people who were forced to stay in the mountains. What we are witnessing now is the shift of things because it is a fact that many in the SADC region are landless and have no identity as African people. Land is the gold of African people and you cannot be rich in Africa unless you have land. So there a number of issues SADC leaders’ shall have to follow if they are to solve the Zimbabwe issue amicably because its not about politics only but also land.
Having said this, we finally want to point out that those involved in the negotiations should give chance to Zimbabwean themselves to sit down and solve their problem. Zimbabweans are very intelligent and wise people and this situation is too small for them to fail to solve. The solution to this issue is for the western nations to shut up and keep quiet and give space to Zimbabweans to sit down and talk over issues amicably. The problems come in because of USA, UK and other western nations and their media houses that continue to demonize Mugabe. The more they demonise Mugabe the more they unite the Zanu PF and the more they make him strong. The more they suppose Tsvangirai, the more they make things hard and difficult for MDC on the ground. The bad publicity and anti mugabe media makes Mugabe even more strong because Mugabe and Zanu PF have concluded that Tsvangirai is not alone but has USA, UK and all the European power behind him. So we strongly call upon the west to stay out of this issue and allow African people of Zimbabwe solve the problem the Zimbabwe way.
The Movement for Democratic Change’s President Morgan Tsvangirai announced days ago that he has withdrawn from the Presidential runoff. He said that his party can not contest the election in a situation where MDC members are bitten and chased away from their homes so that they should not vote. There has been mixed reaction as to the timing of the withdrawal and as to what will happen to the election and a way forward for the country. Some mainly the western media houses have condemned and blamed Zanu PF for the violence and others have even gone to the point of saying that Zanu PF is committing crime against humanity which is arguable depending on the context one is operating from. Some have asked for the implementation of the Kenyan model into Zimbabwe political situation and they see this as the only hope for the country.
After analyzing and critically looking into the whole situation that led to the current political mess in Zimbabwe, we have the following key points for your attention.
To begin with, we recognize that the Zimbabwe issue is complex and no-one can easily solve it. The problem is historical, political, economical, social and involves a number of stakeholders. We also do not support the violence taking place which is making ordinary people’s life difficult
However one of the key formula to solve the problem was through the runoff which Tsvangirai has withdrawn due to the reason given in the various media houses world wide. Now the question could be is it wise to withdraw at the eleventh hour? Who was behind the decision that he should withdraw? What will be the impact of this withdrawal on the peace process and also will this withdrawal solve the problem? In response to this, we strongly feel that it is a mistake and suicidal and politically dangerous to withdraw in the midst of the struggle. The huge mistake any one can do in battle is to withdraw in the midst of fighting. We believe that this was part of the struggle for change and withdrawing is not a solution but its something which has retarded the process. Whoever gave the MDC this piece of advice has messed up the struggle because the momentum has been crashed and that it will not be so much easy for them to take off again. This withdrawal is suicidal because like any struggle, blood has to be shed. So people need to understand that in life there are principles that guide events and in case of the struggle, the key principle is that for victory to be born, blood has to be shed. This is the pattern of things biblically and through out history.
For instance blood was shed during the struggle against colonialism and people died. In the early 1990, the wind of change multiparty democratic change which blew across Africa led to the death of many people. The key principle in the struggle is that blood has to be shed if peace and victory has to come. In the bible it is very clear that there is no salvation without the shedding of blood and of course Jesus Christ died and sacrifice his own life for the sake of humanity. To shed blood in the struggle is to sacrifice for the future of your children and your great grand children and not for yourself. In the book of Exodus we see that its through the blood that Israelites were saved from the angel of death when he passed by their home. Without the shedding of blood there is no salvation and in other word, blood of those who die in the struggle is the fuel for the liberation of the oppressed.
Now the argument that Tsvangirani withdrew because many of his people are being killed is to some of us pathetic and directionless because this has highjacked the democratic struggle for Zimbabwe. The problem is that those who advice them have no knowledge and do not know key principle that guides liberation and freedom. Democratic freedom is expensive and does not come on a silver platter. To us Tsvangirai who is the movement leader need to be the first person to know that in the struggle blood is shed and people die. He needs to know that the key principle to any struggle and liberation is that you don’t separate salvation from the blood. He should know that as a leader, he should be at the battle frontline and not in embassy hiding. A liberation leader and human rights activists does not fear death or even hid but stay with the people and suffer with them.
Soon after the election, Tsvangirai was at large outside the country and was not suffering with the people. A great liberation leader is the one who suffer and cry with the people and he leads them as a great shepherd. Tsvangirai was not with the people but that he abandon them and they suffered alone. He was in Johannesburg and traveling across Africa to mount up support while his people were alone without a leader. In the struggle you don’t leave your people alone. As if this was not enough, Tsvangirai has pulled his party out of the contest and we are also that he is gone into hiding in the Dutch embassy while his people are suffering as it is been alleged. It is shameful and discouraging that a leader who was suppose to be at the frontline leading the struggle has gone into hiding. Now if he is in hiding what about his followers? To whom will they cry to or go for protection? Leaders like Tsvangirai need to know that it is not good to hid and leave your people defenceless.
Hiding in the European embassy makes things even worse for him because it is proving his opponent right that he is being supported by Europeans. Why didn’t he seek refuge in the Botswana embassy or any other African embassy so as to make things easy for him and the whole democratic struggle? It has to be mentioned also that in the struggle only those leaders who use their brains and think, survive and come out victoriously. Those who cant think always die on the way before the victory is attained because to be in a struggle is to put brains at work. Brains have to be at work because the struggle is about planning and strategizing so that you outmaneuver the enemy. If the leader has no capacity to think and use his brains, he will always trust any advice that comes his way without even having a thorough scrutiny of it. A leader doesn’t just take advice anyhow but spend time scrutinizing every piece of it.
The pattern of events after the election shows that Tsvangirai need to put himself together and take up his rightful position as a leader if he has to be victorious otherwise he will not make it. If he never realizes that his position in this struggle is the frontline then Zimbabweans should look for someone who shall accept to face the sound of gun and sacrifice his or her life for salvation of many. In this democratic struggle, the three major blunders are enough to make zealous and patriotic people loose trust in their leader when he hid and not suffer or stay hungry with them.
Also it should be noted that Africans always need a leader of the God Father or a hero type character. Tsvangirai as a leader need to be a man of focus and know where he is taking his people to. He also should know that in the process not everyone will reach the finishing line because the principle guiding the liberation states that in the struggle blood is shed and lives are lost.
One of the key issue as regard to Tsvangirai’s withdrawal is that this should pave way to the negotiations and creation of the government of national unity as was the case in Kenya when Odinga and Kibaki were brought together into dialogue. For those who share this notion however needs to think a big time because for some of us, we wonder as to how possible the national unity government can function in Zimbabwe. We feel it is wrong and a mistake to use the Kenyan model because Kenya and Zimbabwe are very different countries with very different liberation history. Also we need to point out the Kenyan liberation history did not play a major role during the elections while in Zimbabwe the entire election are closely connected to the war of liberation from Britain. Also the Kenyan liberation struggle from colonialism didn’t involve too much of a gun firing as was the case with the Zimbabwe issue which basically was about the use of a gun. In Zimbabwe, the liberation history deeply involves the army who by and large have huge influence in the way politics functions in the country while in Kenya, the army is basically outside and any idea of the national unity government will have to deal with a number of issues including the army which are part and parcel of the liberation history of the country
Others have argued that SADC, AU, USA, UK and the UN should put pressure on Mugabe so as to force him give in to the foreign demands. Some have gone as far as saying that South Africa should cut off electricity so that they should force Mugabe to give up. As earlier said, the Zimbabwe crisis is so unique and complex in that anyone who want to solve it should divorce him or herself from Europeans because any idea though good but for as long as it comes from Europe or anyone white can not easily be entertained and accommodated. This is because Zimbabwean suffered a lot under the British colonial rule under Ian Smith. It’s in this regard that Tsvangirai seem not to have huge support and is gradually loosing popularity because of aligning himself with Britain. We in this case are of the view that democratic struggle could have been an easy thing if Tsvangirai handled this outside European influence. In addition to this, it is a fallacy to say that SADC can help solve this crisis. SADC as a regional block can not effectively help solve this crisis because these SADC countries have similar land problem where majority of the people do not own land. Land is critical to African people and this is their only identify. It doesn’t make sense for SADC leaders to teach Zimbabweans on how to handle this issue which involves land ownership while these leaders themselves have similar land problems in their backyard. It is a fact that colonialism took away fertile land from black people who were forced to stay in the mountains. What we are witnessing now is the shift of things because it is a fact that many in the SADC region are landless and have no identity as African people. Land is the gold of African people and you cannot be rich in Africa unless you have land. So there a number of issues SADC leaders’ shall have to follow if they are to solve the Zimbabwe issue amicably because its not about politics only but also land.
Having said this, we finally want to point out that those involved in the negotiations should give chance to Zimbabwean themselves to sit down and solve their problem. Zimbabweans are very intelligent and wise people and this situation is too small for them to fail to solve. The solution to this issue is for the western nations to shut up and keep quiet and give space to Zimbabweans to sit down and talk over issues amicably. The problems come in because of USA, UK and other western nations and their media houses that continue to demonize Mugabe. The more they demonise Mugabe the more they unite the Zanu PF and the more they make him strong. The more they suppose Tsvangirai, the more they make things hard and difficult for MDC on the ground. The bad publicity and anti mugabe media makes Mugabe even more strong because Mugabe and Zanu PF have concluded that Tsvangirai is not alone but has USA, UK and all the European power behind him. So we strongly call upon the west to stay out of this issue and allow African people of Zimbabwe solve the problem the Zimbabwe way.
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