Period of Political and Economic Relief 2009-2013

The power sharing deal amongst ZANU PF, MDC-T and MDC-M was the source of remedy for the political, economic and humanitarian crisis that Zimbabwe has been plunged into by the nonagenarian, Mugabe, in his quest to retain power and avoid humiliation as a result of electoral defeat. Xinhua news agency (2010) notes that the inclusive government saw remarkable economic growth in Zimbabwe and inflation has been dealt with through the introduction of a multi-currency system. Kamara (2009) argues that under the leadership of Tendai Biti, a Zimbabwean politician, the ministry of finance has regained prominence in managing government expenditure and the government was spending less money. According to Raftopolous (2013), the introduction of Government of National Unity (GNA) and the dollarization of the economy brought some economic stability. He further notes that this gave rise to infrastructural development and relative improvements in the delivery of social services and the socio-economic welfare of people.

The coalition government created a breathing space for Zimbabweans and calmed conflicts on the basis of personal vendettas. Paulo Freire (1968) notes that dialogue is an existential necessity and love is the foundation of dialogue and dialogue itself. Mutambara (2018) notes that the Global Political Agreement (GPA) effort and the resultant GNU constitutes an efficacious short-term measure to extricate our country from its untenable circumstances. Mutambara (2018) recalled the brutality of 11 March 2007 which led to the arrest of more than 100 opposition members and civil society activists. He further mentioned that some of the arrested included Lovemore Madhuku, Tendai Biti, Job Sikhala, Elias Mudzuri, Nelson Chamisa, and Mushonga among others. According to Mutambara (2018), one opposition activist and National Constitutional Assembly member, Gift Tandare, was shot dead by the police. The GNU managed to calm down the political, economic and humanitarian crisis that Zimbabweans experienced as a result of ZANU PF’S power politics.

Power Politics: Munangagwa and Chamisa in the making

After Munangagwa usurped power from his godfather, Robert Gabriel Mugabe, through a military coup, he preached the gospel of peace and dialogue. In an endeavour to foster dialogue, he initiated the Political Actors Dialogue (POLAD) with all political parties that participated in the 2018 elections, except for MDC-Alliance led by Nelson Chamisa and Zimbabwe People First led by Joice Mujuru. One can say the dialogue represented a flock of sparrows who wanted to guarantee their survival under the new order. As cited in the Zimbabwe Independent online newspaper, if it means forming a unity government, “Nothing short of that will bring Zimbabwe out of its state of malaise and festering problems that have reduced the once promising nation to a smouldering edifice.”

According to the Zimbabwe Independent online newspaper, “Munangagwa has been since he took power preaching about peace and gospel dialogue, but nothing in material terms has happened to suggest that he means it, while on the other hand Chamisa repeatedly had an onslaught against the president’s legitimacy is not the talk of someone serious about talking.” Power politics seemed to have taken the centre stage with regards to diverse political parties.

Those who even championed for the need to have a dialogue between two major warring parties, that is ZANU PF and MDC–A, are often persecuted by party hardliners who have selfish motives and do not have the plight of people at heart. Cited in My Zimbabwe news, Killer Zivhu who happened to probe for politicians to have interest of people at heart was suspended for calling for dialogue between Munangagwa and Chamisa as part of the efforts to end the economic crisis in the country. The standard also portrays that Zivhu faces expulsion from ZANU PF after calling for Munangagwa and Chamisa to stop being selfish and consider the interests of millions of Zimbabweans who are suffering because they refuse to have face to face discussions in solving Zimbabwean crises.

It would seem Munangagwa and Chamisa have learned nothing from their godfathers, Mugabe and Tsvangirai respectively. The bottom line is Zimbabwean people are suffering and the suffering can be interpreted in various ways that is from an MDC’S point of view. The crisis emanated from the 2018 controversial election thus political legitimacy is the main cause of the economic crisis faced by Zimbabweans, this can be synthesised by Chamisa’s sentiments that ZANU PF can rig the elections, but not the economy.

From a ZANU PF perspective, the crisis in Zimbabwe has its roots in the MDC’S efforts to dislodge a constitutionally approved and voted party. This article has managed to indicate that its high time Zimbabweans abstain from power politics and have unity of purpose in order to provide an antidote to the economic woes faced by the country.

The worrisome part is that party hardliners both in the ZANU PF and MDC-A parties are against the move to have a partial united government for the betterment of Zimbabwe. The likes of Matemadanda, war veteran and politician, often air out sentiments degrading and showing their resentment to Chamisa’s aid in the restoration of the economy. The cold war politics amongst ZANU PF and MDC–A hardliners shows that the country is going nowhere in terms of having a dialogue. It’s not rather a ZANU PF or MDC case in Zimbabwe. In fact the protagonists in the name of Munangagwa and Chamisa are supposed to meet and discuss how the economy can be transformed.

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