via Time for the old men to hand over | The Zimbabwean 26 March 2014 by Vince Musewe
The furore over excessive pay for state enterprise executives continues. We have seen another ill-informed move in the attempt to cap salaries at $6,000. Parastatals and city councils are all under-performing, with high debt levels. The only solution is to fire those who have presided over them and start afresh. But we all know that patronage is more important than delivery.
I suspect we shall see further intrigue playing out there as I hear some are seeing this as an opportunity to climb the political ladder and have turned to bootlicking to secure their future. How shameful.
Democratic front
Tendai Biti has called for the formation of a democratic front to fight for democracy. I am attracted to that idea – but we must be clear on the mandate. It must be to carry on the unfinished work of the GNU so we can have credible elections in 2018. It must also avoid the personality cult that continues to give some leaders the notion that political parties belong to them.
Unemployment continues to rise and cash shortages are now a normal phenomenon. The Reserve Bank has seen it fit to introduce new currencies in order to improve liquidity and I hear our erstwhile bankers have fallen in line are now seeking tonnes of Chinese Yuan to flood our market.
Everybody in business seems to want shortcuts and they all avoid the fundamental problem: Mugabe is now liability and the sooner he hands over power to a moderate leader the better. Our challenge is not lack of money, it’s good leadership and the reversal of Zanu (PF) policies that continue to destroy the economy.
In particular, the issue of private property rights and indigenisation continue to worry potential investors. Add corruption and greed and you have a failed state that can only be resuscitated through drastic political and policy change.
EU now a friend
The European Union is now a friend. It was reported recently that the international community is pouring money into Zimbabwe. Apparently they are no longer interested in regime change and have stopped funding political projects. The focus now is developmental finance. I find that difficult to swallow. Democracy is critical to any sustainable development. They know this and I will continue to argue that funding and strengthening emerging democratic forces is a better long-term project and return on their investment than funding culture and arts projects. But every country ultimately has its own agenda in Africa.
The less we are self-reliant and developed, the more we consume their manufactured products and increase employment levels in their countries. China has got it right in Zimbabwe and the West seems to have now caught on. Africa will remain a consumer base for imported manufactured products – a lucrative market for all.
New generation
The media is still dominated by the government that has seen it fit to expose its acts of commission but is not taking responsibility for creating it in the first place. The issue of leadership succession within Zanu (PF) has been rather quiet lately, but we know much is going on in the background. The problem we have is the quality of leadership of those that hope to rule.
Surprise, surprise, the minister of finance is not happy with the revenues being remitted to the treasury by diamond mining companies and we are likely to see some consolidation in that sector as rumours have it that alluvial diamonds are now gone. You will remember Biti was fighting for this and was called despicable names; well this must vindicate him.
The only change possible is change that comes through us – the new generation of leaders who want to put our country and our people first in all we do. We need to develop a modern state that protects its people and creates an environment that allows us all to live up to our full potential. – Vince Musewe is an economist and author based in Harare. You may contact him on vtmusewe@gmail.com
COMMENTS
Vince form yr Party with Biti then we see hw far you go.its easy to write . You are just analyst not politicians,its not easy like taking yr Laptop and start wring.vanaTsvangirai varinane by far from you guys munotodzosera vanhu kumashure .you talk too much no action.you have been writing and writing what else do we expect frm u?yr friend Biti is back again in Mdc-T because its the only better party you can have in Zim. Form yrs and stop writing nonsense abt Mdc-t.
You might be right Zindoga, this guy seems to be writing for the sake of writing – no new ideas here.
Agree with Zindoga. Vince is an embodiment of confusion and for now appears motivated by hunger for power. For example Vince supports Biti’s idea to form democratic front but goes on to say that the objective of that front is to complete the unfinished business of GNU. I quote, “it must be to carry on the unfinished work of the GNU so we can have credible elections in 2018.” Another GNU for Mr. Museve. Ooh my foot! Does Vince know that GNU was put together for the sole purpose of saving the people of Zimbabwe from the economic meltdown and was really not motivate with levelling the playing field. That was the mistake that the MDC T made failing to see that once the economy was up again so would the intransigence of Mugabe. Indeed the old dictator refused to relinguish power over national institutions that was so necessary for levelling the playing field.
You are spot on Vince. We need a broader coalition to get the better of ZANU.The MDC has actually taken us back in our fight for democracy by cohabitating with ZANU. And unfortunately the thinking is still the same.Tsvangirai is now devoid of new ideas.
“Now a friend” or “Not a friend”…?
Regime change isn’t necessarily the answer… not if corruption is replaced with corruption.
Corruption needs to be replaced with honor, integrity, and justice… and THOSE are the ones who will earn the respect of the nation.
Sorry this is not a place where honour and integrity will dominate any time soon
Vince, you are, as always correct…..
BUT
All you do is rehash your previous writings…..
To what purpose?
You are not telling us anything earth shattering…..
But when is anything going to change?
Vince is trying to book himself a place on the gravy train in the style of Jono Moyo
Not my place but some thoughts to consider or discard, Vince: we are in limbo right now.
We are in limbo right now. Political treadmill. It might be a time to consider something like a book project, rather than weekly analyses.
As warned by someone above, continued frustration and closure of political avenues has been known to push some of our nation’s academic minds to end up on surprising paths. Vigilance is necessary.
I agree about Africa being a lucrative market for manufactured goods and a source of raw materials. Is this not why the West was hell bent on removing settler governments that were busy building countries capable of becoming self reliant and replacing them with muppets??? Many people saw this coming a long time ago.
Vince is 100% correct, brilliant baba. Only Biti’s proposal can work. A united democratic front for all opposition parties, Dr Makoni, Dabengwa, ncube etc. But some of the MDCT dont like this idea because they think positions will go kkkkkkkk these are not politicians
Genuine democratic change will only ensure in Zim only and when Shona people see each and every Zimbabwean as a fellow citizens who has a democratic right to participate in the politics and democratic dispensation of their country in whatever capacity.
To consign people to the political dustbin just because of the language they speak or the region from which they originate is certainly a sure recipe for electing the wrong leadership for any country. A contestation of ideas is what guarantees good leadership for any nation, not the “MWANA WEKUMUSHA SYNDROME”.
Please stop this “IDYA NEHAMA” culture – enough is enough. If the ANC and South Africa can elect Cyril Ramaphosa, a minority Venda as its president, which will soon be the case; what exactly is wrong with Zimbabwe????
Shouting and crying about gukurahundi Mugabe or Tsvangirayi when the milk is long spilt will not solve the country’s problems!!!
Always enjoy Vince but what I can’t understand about us Zimbo’s is our apathy and sometimes misplaced patience and penchant to be political doormats. Why wait for 2018. There is enough reason to call for new elections on a totally new roll now! And enough evidence to say the old roll or rolls are totally screwed up and rigged. mudede is so fond of them he won’t let them out of his sight????? Suspicious stuff????
Africans a self-centred and selfish by nature.
If they are part of the ruling class, they will turn a blind eye to atrocities committed on other communities or tribes by the leadership of the day that they support and are benefiting from.
They start complaining about this same leadership, only when it turns against them, as is now happening with the Vince Musewes and the Tanonoka Whandes of this world, among many other Shona people of Zimbabwe.
You cannot, during your brief times of exhubarant excitement create dictators and later on expect democratic outcomes. Think about it!!
I am of the idea that if all the parties were to convene and map the way forward to rescue the free fall that we are experiencing. Appoint Ministers that are non aligned. There are a lot of people who are not aligned to any political party who can run these ministries perfectly well. You make all the necessary reforms that will allow for credible elections. For example 1. You depoliticize the ZBC or give a licence to a new neutral public broadcaster(since you can not change the mindsets of those employed by ZBC) 2. Have a non partisan army, police, prison service and parastatals. Re visit the constitution with all the stakeholders involved including the so called diaspora (if ZANU PF is asking to be rescued from their downfall then it means they deserve to be heard contributing towards the revival of Zimbabwe). Don’t just turn a blind eye when the odds are favoring your side. 3. Kick out TOBAIWA MUDEDE (the devil faster than he got into that office). He has overstayed in that office. I am sure his brain is the one that is still offline by now and it will never reset> So please Zimbabwe act fast. 4. Kick out RITA MAKARAU (Mai vakashata nemwoyo wese ivavo). I am sure anenge ari kurwara saka she does not give a damn about Zimbabwe. 5. Remove all the Mugabe appointed Judges and appoint on merit. 6. Give all these political parties leaders to run the country each for the period of two years in order to test their abilities, i.e. Tsvangirayi, Welshman Ncube, Dumiso Dabengwa and Simba Makoni. They are not supposed to change the Ministers in Offices until they win during elections.
In other words what I am trying to say is Zimbabwe needs to be run by an interim that is not politically aligned to make way for reforms that have been resisted by ZANU pf to take place. We do not need to get to 2018 otherwise there wont be any Zimbabwe.
I know that there are a lot of fundis who can champion this issue and perform so well and bring back life in our country. That is as I see it.