WHEN President Mnangagwa took office on November 24, 2017, following the highly successful “Operation Restore Legacy”, some people thought he was going to run the country with an iron fist. To an extent, the fears were understandable because guns had rumbled as the defence forces targeted “criminals” that had surrounded the then President Robert Mugabe.
However, in his inauguration speech at the National Sports Stadium, President Mnangagwa gave the country a glimpse of what was to come when he vowed to serve the country as the President of “all citizens regardless of colour, creed, religion, tribe, totem or political affiliation”.
He even went further and surprised many when he said: “To me personally, he (former President Mugabe) remains a father, mentor, comrade-in-arms and my leader.”
Then the July 2018 elections came. President Mnangagwa contested against the main rival, Nelson Chamisa, for the presidency. President Mnangagwa got 50,8 percent of the vote to Chamisa’s 44,3 percent. Chamisa disputed the outcome of the elections and the enemies of the country saw an opportunity to cause mayhem in the nation. Unfortunately, six people were killed as the country’s security forces tried to restore order.
After being sworn into office, President Mnangagwa said: “In just nine months, we have birthed a new Zimbabwe and forged a different path for our nation. A path full of freedoms, democracy, transparency, love and harmony. A path of dialogue and debate. A path of unity, peace and development.”
Again, some sceptics dismissed President Mnangagwa’s promises. They used the death of the six people as a prelude of what was to come. Now, almost five years down the line, President Mnangagwa has shown beyond reasonable doubt that he meant every word and promise made during his inauguration speech.
A few months after the 2018 elections, President Mnangagwa started walking the talk when he announced that he was considering a constitutional amendment that would accommodate Chamisa as the leader of opposition in the country.
Many hailed this move, saying it would go a long way in healing the country’s politics, but Chamisa turned down the offer.
President Mnangagwa was not obliged to accommodate Chamisa, but he wanted to take the country on a new path. Chamisa had not only lost the election, but had also contested its outcome in court and lost.
Maybe, due to immaturity, Chamisa kept on singing the song that he had won the election, but it was clear that no one serious was dancing to his song.
In May 2019, President Mnangagwa launched the Political Actors Dialogue (POLAD), a platform for political parties that fielded presidential candidates in the 2018 harmonised elections. POLAD was formed to contribute to social, economic and political progress in the country. It is on a voluntary-participation basis for those who want to see the country move forward. It has been endorsed by the United Nations, the African Union and the Southern African Development Community as a platform for exclusivity and a home-brewed solutions for Zimbabweans by Zimbabweans.
Unfortunately, Chamisa overestimates himself and has refused to join POLAD. Somehow, Chamisa thinks he can hold the country to ransom. He thinks Zimbabwe cannot move forward without him. He believes his sponsors and his handlers will help him grab power.
He cannot even see the sponsors and handlers are tired of supporting a losing cause, and that his masters have a bigger problem in Ukraine. Russia is keeping his masters on their toes and that war in Ukraine is not about to stop.
As Chamisa continues dreaming, Zimbabwe is making significant strides towards Vision 2030. If you spend too much time on social media, you will not know the amazing story happening in Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe is on the rise and soon the world will be stunned.
Brick by brick, President Mnangagwa is developing the country. There is no one and no place that is being left behind as Zimbabwe marches towards becoming an upper middle-income economy by 2030.
Even some of the country’s detractors are secretly coming back into the country. Zimbabwe is irresistible.
To show that he is serious about uniting the country, in August, President Mnangagwa conferred, posthumously, national hero status on the founding leader of Zanu, Reverend Ndabaningi Sithole, and nationalist Cde James Chikerema. Rev Sithole died in 2000 while Cde Chikerema passed away in 2006.
President Mnangagwa extended the same honour to Brigadier Chrispen Masuku, Rabelani Choeni, Elliot Gwabe, Professor Sheunesu Mpepereki, Professor George Kahari, Saul Gwakuba Ndlovu and Stanley Matunhira.
Honestly, no one saw this coming — a holistic approach to Zimbabwean history.
Many people praised President Mnangagwa for making such a bold decision. Indeed, he was walking the talk in unifying the country.
Even though some sceptics thought President Mnangagwa was just politicking, the decision won him many admirers. Even those who, after Operation Restore Legacy, said all sorts of bad things against President Mnangagwa realised that he meant it when he spoke about uniting the country.
After realising that, indeed, President Mnangagwa was introducing forgiveness to the country’s politics, Professor Jonathan Moyo and Mr Patrick Zhuwao, the former kingpins of the notorious G40 cabal, decided it was time to seek forgiveness from ZANU PF. After Operation Restore Legacy, the two went on a sustained attack of ZANU PF in general and President Mnangagwa in particular. They even supported Chamisa.
However, on November 15, 2022, Prof Moyo and Mr Zhuwao wrote a long letter addressed to ZANU PF members, asking for forgiveness for their actions following Operation Restore Legacy. It is not a coincidence that the two wrote the letter a few months after President Mnangagwa had declared Rev Sithole and Cde Chikerema national heroes.
When President Mnangagwa declared the two as national heroes, he had shown beyond doubt that he has a kind heart and was for inclusive politics. Prof Moyo and Mr Zhuwao realised this and for about three months pondered on the next move. They then decided it was time to ask for an apology.
It is not yet clear what politics the two are trying to play, but it is a fact that they decided to write the apology after realising that President Mnangagwa is not a vindictive person, as they originally thought.
The apology from the two has opened the floodgates — former ZRP boss Augustine Chihuri and former Minister Ignatius Chombo are already sending signals that they want to return to the only party they know in Zimbabwe. As the country marches towards the 2023 elections, we should brace for more letters of forgiveness.
President Mnangagwa has shown that he is not only a listening President but also a forgiving leader. Indeed, like he promised in 2018, he has birthed a new Zimbabwe, where no one and no place will be left behind. His big-tent approach to national politics is refreshing. – Sunday Mail
