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SW Radio Africa Transcript HOT SEAT: Mutambara says ZANU PF and MDC -T grandstanding on elections BROADCAST: 07 MAY 2010 | |
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VIOLET GONDA : My guest on the programme Hot Seat is Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara, who maintains Zimbabwe is not ready for elections in 2011. He is being accused of trying to prolong his stay in government after he contradicted statements by both ZANU PF and MDC -T, who insist elections should be held next year. First Professor Mutambara talks about the death of four of his colleagues in the MDC -M, including Secretary for Lands and deputy spokesperson Renson Gasela, who were killed recently in a road accident, tragic deaths that have further exposed the conditions of our roads and the breakdown of the rule of law in Zimbabwe. |
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ARTHUR MUTAMBARA: You know the death of Gasela was a major loss to our party and to the country. Gasela was such a person who was so talented in his field of agriculture. He was such a unifier who was respected across the political divide – ZANU PF, MDC -T and our party were all very respectful of Gasela – that is the nature of the person of Gasela. In terms of his skills, even in Cabinet, although he was not a member of Cabinet, our discussions on agriculture, and our discussions on the drought were influenced by Gasela’s thinking and Gasela’s wisdom. For example there’s an idea he’s been pushing for a two-year budget plan for agriculture, where you plan for two years, you raise your resources and inputs for two years so that you have a two-year roll over budget for agriculture. It was a Gasela idea I took to Cabinet and which Made, the Minister for Agriculture is going to use. That was the nature of the influence and ability of Gasela. It was a major loss to us as a Party, a major loss to the country. And also as you know we lost another two people Lyson Mlambo and Mai Gumbo so it was a major disaster but we soldier on and say rest in peace Gasela, rest in peace Gumbo, and rest in peace Mlambo. We should continue with the struggle to unite the people of Zimbabwe , we must continue with the struggle to bring about an economic dispensation that improves the quality of the lives of the people of Zimbabwe . That is what Gasela would have wanted and that is what we are going to continue to push for in our country. GONDA : Many people we have talked to have also said that Mr Gasela was respected across the party divide and going with what you have just said just now that we must continue the struggle to unite the people of Zimbabwe, many have also been saying that judging from what they saw at the funerals of Gasela and others that, most of your supporters, even from the Tsvangirai led MDC , they attended these funerals and some people are saying isn’t it time that the two MDC formations joined forces and reunited because they feel that together you’ve got a stronger chance of bringing about a democratic Zimbabwe? How do you respond to those people? MUTAMBARA: We can be united without being uniform; we can be united without belonging to one political party. Multiple political parties create competition, multiple political parties create innovation and thinking, so we must work together on the common objectives, we must work together to bring about a new Zimbabwe and in doing so we can be united without being uniform so there is a case for the different political parties to exist in our country but we can always close ranks and work together towards a common objective. ZAPU and ZANU were two separate political parties in the ‘70s but they fought together and got 1980 as a result jointly so there’s nothing that says for change to come it can only come from one political party or one political formation. But however having said that, we are open to dialogue, we are open to discussions to say what is the best way of emancipating the people of Zimbabwe, what is the best way of bringing democracy to Zimbabwe, what is the best way of creating an economic environment where the conditions of our people are improved? So we continue to talk with our colleagues from the MDC -T, we are working together very well in the inclusive government; we are going to continue on the journey in which Gasela was a big and very successful soldier. GONDA : And talking about improving the conditions for the people in Zimbabwe, I spoke to your colleague Education Minister David Coltart begin_of_the_skype_highlighting end_of_the_skype_highlighting last week about Mr Gasela’s tragic accident and he basically said that it shows the breakdown of the rule of law on roads, where someone has had a vehicle break down without lights and have not bothered to put warning triangles or other warning signals. And many observers say that there are people driving with no licenses in Zimbabwe and because of a destroyed economy, drivers don’t have money to maintain their vehicles and the police are not enforcing traffic regulations and the roads are also bad. Now as the Deputy Prime Minister, what can you say about the situations on the roads where many, many people have died in recent months?
GONDA : How seriously are you as government taking this issue? Why hasn’t there been an Accident Mitigation Strategy by now with all the accidents that we’ve seen in Zimbabwe ?
GONDA : When Professor, because people who are listening to this interview will be shocked to know that you are only thinking about it now. Why hasn’t this been happening before? MUTAMBARA: Well you know it’s been talked about as you know there’s a gap between idea and implementation, there’s a gap between an idea and execution. Some of these ideas have been thought about, plans have been worked out but there has been a gap towards execution. So what we intend to do now is to close that gap and say let us walk the talk, let us have an implementation matrix so that these ideas, these philosophies are put into action. And what we are going to do is refine the ideas, refine the strategies and execute. GONDA : Moving on to a different issue, you were quoted last week reiterating your position that there won’t be elections next year, in 2011, and this is in complete contrast to what your partners in government – ZANU PF and the Tsvangirai-led MDC are saying because they have come out saying there will be elections held next year. So what exactly is your position?
Now, when ZANU PF says they want elections next year, they’re grandstanding because in any case, if you look at the polls that are out there, they will never win a free and fair election, so what election do they want next year? So we get very curious when people from ZANU are grandstanding on an election. On the Tsvangirai side, they say they want an election next year and they put a caveat – but we want peacekeeping forces. Now either you are ready for elections or you are not and the Americans responded very interestingly, they said that is a very foolish idea, there’ll be no peacekeepers coming to Zimbabwe , and I quote. Now here is the position we are putting across – there’ll be no peacekeepers coming from the UN, there’ll be no peacekeepers coming from the AU, there’ll be no peacekeepers coming from SADC, there’ll be no peacekeepers coming from South Africa – the only peacekeepers we are going to have in our election are ourselves as the people of Zimbabwe. The peacekeepers we are going to have in this country are the new constitution, national healing, media reforms, electoral reforms, political reforms and economic reforms. If you carry out those six things in the country, those are the peacekeepers that will allow our free and fair elections to take place. So when Tsvangirai and MDC -T grandstand about the elections next year and have this caveat of saying – we want peacekeepers – it clearly shows that they are not ready, they know the conditions next year will not allow for a free and fair election. So what we are simply saying is, if you force an election on the country next year, you are having an election under June 27 2008 conditions and you know what that means to our people. And also when you talk elections, when you are in an election mode, you undermine the work towards a new constitution, you undermine the work towards national healing, and you undermine the work towards electoral reform. Why would people work on a constitution together when they are already campaigning? Why would people concentrate on national healing when they are already campaigning? How can people work together on electoral reforms when they are in election mode? So we are saying the election talk is undermining the work towards a new constitution, the election talk is undermining the work towards national healing. We must work on that mandate for creating conditions for free and fair elections. So all we are saying, for all intents and purposes we don’t see the conditions being achieved by next year. Let us do the work that is required to ensure that we can have an election where the losers of the elections, accept the results and the democratic government which will then be formed after a free and fair election. GONDA : The Zimbabwe Election Support Network, ZESN, says that this new government, your government, has made no efforts to improve electoral conditions and many observers say that what you are saying is all talk and no action. How do you respond to this? MUTAMBARA: In fact the ZESN agree with me; they are saying that not enough work has been done by government to guarantee a free and fair election and that is exactly my story. We’ve got to do more work to make sure that constitution is adopted and that constitution takes root in our country… GONDA : But Professor, that’s the question that people are asking - why is it government is doing nothing right now, you’ve been in place for more than a year now, why is there no action? MUTAMBARA: The word ‘nothing’ I think is too strong a word. The issue is government is slow, the government is sluggish, government must do more and that is why I’m saying my partners in government must stop this nonsensical talk of elections and do reparation of the terrain, they must talk about the constitution, they must talk about national healing, they must talk about electoral reforms, making sure that the election in Zimbabwe, the Electoral Commission is in action. The Zimbabwe Media Commission is in action, the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission is in action – that is what we should be concentrating on as opposed to pontificating about possible elections next year. So the word nothing is too strong, a fair statement is that we are slow, we are sluggish, and we are not focused. And I’m trying to get everyone in government focused on the mandate of this inclusive government which is the mandate to create conditions for free and fair elections. So that’s what I said earlier on – the question in Zimbabwe is not when are the next elections, the question in Zimbabwe should be what is the calibre, what is the quality of the next elections. Remember in 2000 there was an election and we were robbed, there was an election in ’02, the people of Zimbabwe were robbed, in ‘08 there was an election, and the people were robbed. So the issue is not – when is the next election – the issue is what is the calibre, what is the quality of the next election. We must concentrate on the agenda of the conditions so that we can achieve this by working together. When we talk elections next year, we are getting our people agitated and our people become mobilised against each other and you can’t carry out the constitution making process properly, you can’t do national healing and you can’t make much progress. GONDA : When you say the people are not focused, where is the focus of the people in government right now? MUTAMBARA: Well we sometimes bicker unnecessarily; sometimes we concentrate on issues that are peripheral to the core mandate of the inclusive government. So we hope that everyone in the inclusive government will concentrate on the reforms of the economy, reforms of the politics, and reforms of our society. We are slow, we are sluggish but I’m sure we will get this work done if we put national interest before self-interest. And I must say that the inclusive government is the only show in town and slowly but surely everyone is now realising the importance of making it a successful framework in our country. GONDA : The Zimbabwe Vigil in the UK says that you want the elections delayed and not held next year because you are unelected and want to maintain your position. How would you respond to them?
It’s also folly and foolish to say you are ready for an election next year and then you talk about peacekeepers when you know they’re not coming. So all we are saying is let us work on our peacekeepers so that when we have our elections they are reasonably free and fair. GONDA : So Professor, when you talk about no peacekeepers coming from outside the country, does this also include no observers, international observers and have you actually discussed this as government, about the peacekeepers?
That is why we are saying let us do the work first and also remember once we start saying elections next year, how do you expect people to do national healing? Why would people participate in national healing when they are going to an election next year? How do people cooperate and work on the constitution together when they are in election mode. Electioneering and election grandstanding damages reform agenda and undermines our progress towards the creation of conditions for free and fair elections. As a party, we are prepared for elections if they are done tomorrow, we are building our structures, we are ready for the election anytime but we are saying it is folly and foolish for the opposition to be agitating for an election which they are not ready for. Ready means there are no reforms and when Tsvangirai says he wants peacekeepers at the elections, he is saying to you, I am not ready but he’s grandstanding when he says he is ready for elections next year. Let us all work together and reform our terrain. The reason we are in the inclusive government is because the elections in ’08 were fraudulent, were problematic, and were challenged by the losers. If we rush into another one, we are repeating the cycle within our country. GONDA : Now Professor, critics of the power sharing government actually say that this is an unelected government and does not reflect the will of the people. You have actually said in this interview that both ZANU PF and the MDC led by Tsvangirai are not ready for elections and are merely grandstanding when they say that they want elections next year. You have also said that the government is slow and sluggish which critics will say this shows that it’s not in the best interests of those in government to hold elections as soon as possible. There is still 94% unemployment, there’s no electricity in the country, there’s no water, and people want change. You have groups like ZCTU and WOZA saying that there is no national healing in the eyes of Zimbabweans, and it’s well documented that there are problems with the constitution making process – so how long will it take to have the necessary reforms and hold elections? MUTAMBARA: There is nothing you have said that is new. There is nothing that those experts have said that is original. All these matters we are aware of. All these matters we were aware of them when we created the inclusive government. The inclusive government, the Global Political Agreement was a major compromise, a flawed arrangement but however unfortunately for us, it is the only solution, the only alternative we have in the country in the short run. Yes it’s unelected, yes it’s undemocratic – that’s why we want to make sure the next election has integrity, the next election is free and fair so that the government in Zimbabwe is formed by elected people who are legitimate not an arrangement like we do have in the country… GONDA : Yes but Professor, the question is how long… MUTAMBARA: …listen I’ll answer that later, let us work together to create conditions to make sure that next time around we are not forced to negotiate power, we are not forced to come up with an arrangement which is undemocratic. How long? There’s an upper limit, this inclusive government cannot go beyond 2013, it is unconstitutional, the parliament elected in 2008 and in 2013, the Presidency which is contested as in 2013, the upper limit, the upper outward limit is 2013 but we can be able to fix the terrain, do the work maybe in 2012, maybe even in 2011 but emphasis should be – not when is next election? The emphasis should be what is the calibre and quality of our next election? We must work very fast, we are very slow, we are very sluggish. If we work very hard, maybe by the end of 2012 but whatever happens we can’t go beyond 2013. But all the problems you are talking about we are aware of this. We had a very interesting session in Tanzania with President Mugabe, Tsvangirai and myself on the platform and the business community and investors and we showcased, that look we have problems in the country but we are determined to solve them. We explained that we are determined to own our problems and not scapegoat or accuse foreigners, we are prepared to work towards a fully and complete implementation of the GPA and work on the economy. Coalition governments Violet, were never meant to be. Look at England right now – the markets are in tatters, the markets are jittering now because of a possibility of a hung parliament. A hung parliament will mean for example the Labour, the Conservative party, and the Lib Dems are in the same government. They are worried because such a government is slow and sluggish. Can you imagine ours, our coalition government involve people who were killing and jailing each other two years ago. Two years ago this time, I was coming out of jail in Harare to go the World Economic Forum; Morgan Tsvangirai was running away from a problematic run-off and hiding in the Dutch Embassy; Tendai Biti had treason trials around his neck. Today Tendai Biti is Minister of Finance, Morgan Tsvangirai is Prime Minister, I'm Deputy Prime Minister. This is the context in which you must appraise the performance or lack of it of the inclusive government. We have made mistakes, we have had failures in the inclusive government, we are determined to solve and address our failures. GONDA : The Research and Advocacy Unit in Zimbabwe says, as you have also said that there has been little compliance with fundamental aspects of the GPA relating to democracy and the rule of law but it went further to say that the GPA is honoured more by the breech than observance and that the current stalemate will persist until new national elections take place and it says it is not possible to set any certain timescale for elections but it is most likely that the timing for elections will be decided by ZANU PF unilaterally at a moment most suitable to itself. Do you think this is going to be a ZANU PF call - when elections should be held?
GONDA : So how are you as the two MDC formations addressing the problem of being junior partners in this coalition government because many feel that you are allowing ZANU PF to make unilateral decisions in government?
GONDA : And the status of the talks? MUTAMBARA: Well where we are now Violet, we got the report as the principals from our negotiators, they have their agreement now as negotiators, the principals are now studying the document. Once we get back from Dar es Salaam to Harare we will sit down as three principals and endorse those areas where there is agreement amongst our negotiators, agree on an implementation matrix, when is it going to be done, who is going to do it, milestones and measures, what has been agreed is going to be put into action by the three principals. Where there’s disagreement, we are going to find a way of engaging each other to see whether we can find each other and find answers. If we fail to find answers on the issues that are in disagreement, we have to agree on a process of resolution, a mechanism of resolving those areas and that is what we are going to do when we get back to Harare. GONDA : But as one of the principals, can you at least tell Zimbabweans what you have agreed upon and the critical outstanding issues?
But we are determined to resolve this matter and by the way, these so-called outstanding matters are not government breaking matters. We have agreed on the critical matters. For example, we have spent a long time talking about elections; the creation of conditions for free and fair elections does not depend on Roy Bennett. If Roy Bennett becomes Deputy Minister for Agriculture, how does that make the next election free and fair? If Tomana is to leave office today, how does that make the election next time free and fair? If Gono was to leave office tomorrow, how does that create conditions for free and fair elections? I’m emphasising that, Zimbabweans, we have areas of disagreement; Zimbabweans, we have outstanding issues. We are concerned about them, we are going to solve them but at the same time, please pay attention to the areas of agreement, please pay attention to the areas that will help us create conditions for a free and fair election. We have done the Commissions, we are working on the constitution, we are working on national healing, we are working on the economy – these are areas of agreement. Let us emphasise areas of agreement and de-emphasise areas of contention and disagreement. GONDA : But Professor this is my point exactly, it’s very difficult for Zimbabweans to concentrate on areas of agreement because they don’t know what you have agreed on in government. One minute you hear that the MDC does not agree with the indigenisation regulations, then the next minute you hear ZANU PF saying ‘we are going ahead with the indigenisation policy’ – so that’s just an example. MUTAMBARA: Don’t mix issues, don’t mix issues, don’t mix issues, don’t mix issues. I’ll come to the issue you’ve just raised. I was speaking of the GPA, it’s a question of time, we’re back in Harare next week, we’ll announce the report from the negotiators, we’ll announce areas of agreement, we’ll announce areas of disagreement, we’ll announce mechanism of resolution. Coming to indigenisation, there is no disagreement in government, we’ve been very poor managers, we’ve been very poor PR persons, we’ve done poor packaging, poor branding of this subject. We are on the same page in Cabinet. We have had our debates. The Minister responsible is Minister Kasukuwere; he’s the only official spokesperson of the government on this subject. When he speaks he must speak the collective message of the government and the collective message of the government is this one – we have come up with changes to the original instrument and guidelines presented to the media. We are going to adopt the changes and we are going to announce them to the world and we are going to work better on managing and packaging this policy. Economic empowerment is not new, it is done in India, it is done in America, it is done in South Africa. What we’ve done is a problem of timing, it has come at a point when we are trying to attract investors, it is come at a time when we are coming out of ten years of stagnation of our economy, so there’s a timing problem, there’s a packaging issue but as the government, there is no disquiet, we’ve been poor communicators and we have managed it now, we now insisting on one spokesperson but that spokesperson should speak the collective message of Cabinet. And we apologise for the poor communication in the past, but today, the three of us in Dar es Salaam were able to speak from the same page and we are going to try and do the same back home in Zimbabwe and beyond that. And also as Zimbabweans, we are saying let us be open minded, let us look at the Act itself, is the Act a good law or a bad law? If it is a bad law, let us have the changes, and we go through the process of changing the Act. If the instrument and the guidelines are flawed, let’s look at the changes and suggestions and come up with better guidelines and better instruments but more significantly, let us be clever about this, let us manage it better, let us market it better, let us package it better because our major problem right now has been the poor communication around the subject, the politicisation of the subject. We must rise above partisan aspirations and think about economic empowerment in a rational, logical and economic manner. GONDA : And as government what is the status of wages for State workers because one minute we hear Finance Minister saying they have been frozen and then the next minute the Prime Minister is reported saying that there are no wage freezes? So what is happening as far as government is concerned on this issue?
GONDA : Professor Arthur Mutambara thank you very much for participating on the programme Hot Seat. MUTAMBARA: Thank you very much Violet. Feedback can be sent to violet@swradioafrica.com | |
Bennett Exonerated, Prosecutor Loses Face
The
acquittal of Roy ''Pachedu' Bennett on all charges is a great relief and
represents a huge victory for the judiciary in Zimbabwe, and High Court judge
Chinembiri Bhunu should be congratulated. It is also a victory for the MDC, who
have stood by their embattled treasurer throughout the whole charade, sticking
to their principles in the GPA negotiations and insisting on their rights.
But
this just raises more questions:
- The
Attorney-General Johannes Tomana: he insisted on prosecuting the case
personally, anticipating a kangaroo court. Will he be fired for obvious
partiality and his highly publicised, gross incompetence?
- The
GPA: Will the MDC's long un-appointed provincial governors be sworn in now,
too?
- Bennett himself: Will he counter-sue?
- The rule of Law: Will it continue to be applied selectively in Zimbabwe - or is this acquittal just a bit of pre-World Cup window dressing for the benefit of the South African government?
Applying the rule of law selectively has been standard ZanuPF procedure
for decades. A perfect example is the glaring contrast between the treatment of
Roy Bennett, a key MDC officer and favourite of the people, and that of Joseph
Mwale, a vicious CIO operative attached to the President's office.
Mwale has somehow eluded justice despite murder charges and a High Court
order to have him arrested. Mwale is charged with the gruesome murder in broad
daylight of two MDC activists, Tichaona Chiminya and Talent Mabika at Murambinda
Growth Point, Buhera, in 2000. The police ignore the High Court order to arrest
him, seemingly aware of Mwale's unwritten Presidential immunity and status as a
political 'untouchable.'
ZanuPF clearly fears Roy Bennett, because he represents the reality of
the Zimbabwean dream of racial harmony and a progressive democracy. Bennett no
longer faces death row for treason, but he still needs to be on his guard.
He
made a bitter enemy of ZanuPF's Justice Minister, Patrick Chinamasa, over a
long-ago scuffle in Parliament. And the monumental egos of the billionaire
cartel at the top of ZanuPF will not enjoy seeing Bennett a free
man.
But the people of Zimbabwe are partying tonight, having seen justice
prevail and another crack appear in the facade of Mugabe's 'final battle for
total control'.
Zimbabwe National Healing program makes headway with many partnerships
Zimbabwe
Information Centre Inc
PO Box K824,
HAYMARKET NSW 1240
Media
Release
May 11, 2010,
Zimbabwe National
Healing program makes headway with many partnerships
“There is a positive African
cultural belief that we must ‘cool off the ground after conflict’ to allow us
Zimbabweans in our families, communities and forums like this one to cool our
minds so that we can begin the painful process of articulating the differing
situations we find ourselves in, with empathy. In Shona we call this priority
Kutonhodza nyika kuti titonhodze pfungwa dzedu and in siNdebele: Ukuthoba
inhliziyo ka Zulu,” said Minister Sekai M Holland to a recent meeting to
celebrate the first anniversary of Zimbabwe’s Inclusive Government.
The meeting was organised by Mass
Public Opinion Institute and sponsored by the German Foundation Konrad
Adenauer.
“This meeting to assess results,
face the challenges and spell out the opportunities Zimbabweans have to work
together is one tool you have created to contribute tremendously to cooling the
ground. As civil society you have brought together speakers and participants
from different sectors and political affiliations to deliberate together and to
focus on our empowerment through healthy debate and exchange and how we can be
peace builders working together above all our differences,” said Minister
Holland in thanking the meeting.
She explained that the other two
co-Principals of the Organ of National Healing reconciliation and Integration,
the Chairperson, Vice-President John Nkomo, and Minister Gibson Sibanda, promote
a vision of the Organ as the bridge to take Zimbabweans from conflict through
this transition provided by the signing of the Global Political Agreement in
September 2008 to the post-conflict peaceful Zimbabwe which all dream about. The
Organ draws on a specific clause of the GPA and on then Prime Minister Mugabe’s
famous ‘Reconciliation’ speech of 1980.
“To be strong and effective every
Zimbabwean at home and abroad must articulate their views on how we together as
Zimbabweans must build the bridge to a Zimbabwe that enjoys peace,” Minister
Holland emphasised.
She requested the organisations at
the meeting to continue to include one of the co-Principals of the Organ in
their future meetings to update them on developments in the Organ’s program and
to keep the Organ in tune with what they are thinking and doing.
“As co Organ principals we listen
carefully to what Zimbabweans and our friends are saying. What we hear loud and
clear is that the process of national healing, reconciliation and integration is
long overdue, that a visible, audible and heart-felt national healing process
should be implemented urgently. The Organ’s programme for 2010 is now in place,
after we have signed an agreement with the UN Development Program. The UNDP has
supported the Organ in recruiting our consultant Rudo Chitiga who has catapulted
the Organ’s program forward already. Zimbabweans are demanding that the
constitutional process be informed by the values of a nation that is in a
healing process at all levels,” said Minister Holland.
The Organ core strategy of
implementing its programmes is through multiple partnerships, local, regional
and international to get at the heart of national healing of Zimbabweans by
Zimbabweans. The Organ works in partnerships with existing structures in
Zimbabwe and entry points, as the most effective way of reaching all sectors of
our society.
This strategy has produced good
results through grassroots-based inclusive deliberations throughout the
provinces in partnership with the newly established ‘Church and Civil Society
Coalition’, created through the National Alliance of NGOs (NANGO).
“Our first consultations with
through the Traditional Leaders and Healers organizations, led by the Chiefs
Council,” reported Minister Holland. “We visited all the Provinces to meet with
the traditional leaders who opened the Organ’s eyes and minds to the richness
and strength of the base of Zimbabwean society as kept in order by these ancient
hereditary institutions. We learned that throughout our stormy history these
have continued to deliver and maintain stability and progress in society and in
our minds, our identity”.
Another fine example was the
recent partnership with the Ministry of Women Affairs, Gender and Community
Development. Minister Olivia Muchena and her team responded positively to the
Organ’s suggestion that we partner with them in the hosting of the Monrovia 2
Colloquium to enable Zimbabwean women together to create their own local program
of emancipation and to link that into the Africa-wide and international women’s
agenda. The recent visit by Mary Robinson and her delegation of distinguished
African women was a great start as the Ministry takes its place in a partnership
with the Organ to properly develop our Zimbabwe-specific Colloquium where women
will mobilise themselves around their particular interests.
“In the past six months, in
partnership with civil society organizations at home and abroad the Organ has
conducted an intensive international campaign to take ownership and stamp
Zimbabwe’s authority on matters Zimbabwean in the international community. This
effort is also to inform our millions of Zimbabweans abroad that the GPA is real
and it has empowered Zimbabweans to make significant achievements in its short
life. This is confirmed through regular surveys with our communities around the
country at grassroots level,” said Minister Holland.
“The Organ’s message of hope is
helping our people abroad to link in more positively with our GPA programs at
home,” she said.
“The challenge we face is that
Zimbabwe is a country that has experienced conflict for a long time, and the
population has not caught up with this new era of the GPA. We must educate
Zimbabweans to understand that we are in an inclusive era where all Zimbabweans
and the international community must work together to consolidate this period.
We must develop peace building tools during this brief transition, then the
opportunity to travel together to our new Zimbabwe will be consolidated,” the
Minister argued.
Another key partnership is the
Organ’s work with academic historians and traditional leaders to have a
‘History’ Colloquium model so that Zimbabweans recognise that Zimbabwe is a
highly politicized and militarized society and has been so for generations. “We
need to find ourselves first and then our place in the community of nations in
our region as a peaceful society,” said the Minister.
“The Organ is a
confidence-building mechanism to also educate Zimbabweans that we as a people
are the masters of our own destiny. The ideas gathered from these extensive
consultations must showcase all the opportunities Zimbabweans are able to create
for themselves, wherever they are today, at home or in the diaspora. Our
confidence has been eroded to an all time low, but so much evidence shows that
we are an extremely able people,” Minister Holland said.
For further comment:
Peter Murphy 0418 312 301
Coordinator
SEARCH
Foundation
Level 3, 110 Kippax
St,
Surry Hills NSW 2010,
Australia
Ph: +61 2 9211 4164;
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