#ThisFlag protest leader, Evan Mawarire’s decision to seek refuge in South Africa over personal safety concerns is justified and will not quell revolution he has lit back home, analysts have said.
Source: ‘Mawarire relocation won’t quell revolution’ – NewsDay Zimbabwe July 28, 2016
By Everson Mushava
Mawarire left for South Africa two weeks ago after a Harare Magistrates’ Court declined to prosecute him on treason charges.
The cleric announced on Tuesday that he would remain in the neighbouring country for his personal safety after President Robert Mugabe declared him persona non grata for leading a campaign against perceived government misrule.
Political analyst, Alexander Rusero said Mawarire had done his part in demystifying Mugabe’s power and even if he stayed in South Africa, his contribution would remain indispensable. He said there was no struggle worth dying for.
“He (Mawarire) lit the fire and the forest will remain burning,” Rusero said.
“It’s the atmosphere he established in demystifying Mugabe’s power that will remain important. The extent to which government panicked shows how effective his campaign was. More Mawarires will come up. He is a Moses who led the Israelites out of Egypt, but a Joshua will come up to lead the Israelites to Canaan.”
Maxwell Saungweme, another analyst, said Mawarire had played his part and even if he stayed in South Africa, what he fought for would remain important and motivate the people to soldier on.
He said many revolutions and struggles were started or spearheaded by people who were not there when they were won.
“Even in the Bible, those who led God’s children from Egypt did not reach the final destination. Even in the Chimurenga, the Chitepos and Tongogaras were killed before independence was won and many others ran away and sought asylum,” Saungweme said.
He said the protests were never about Mawarire, but against bad governance, hunger, unemployment, collapsed social services, ruined education system, dysfunctional and chaotic government, financial crisis and cash shortages, among many grievances.
“These issues are still there. So with or without Evan, we still have to fight these issues. But the struggle must continue. The withdrawal of troops on one front does not mean defeat or the war is over,” Saungweme said.
Political analyst, Ernest Mudzengi, said Mawarire was just a citizen and not well established as a politician and his fears, therefore, were justified. He said his influence would, however, remain.
COMMENTS
Pastor Evan is brave and the beginning of the end for ZanuPF has truly begun. We will persist and win . If our hard won Independence is to be appreciated why then is ZANUPF treating our people and country as pariahs. Are we all the enemies of the state? Are the innocent babies , Gogos , THE ELDERLY , THE INFIRMED , enemies of the state. We think not ZANUPF . You are paranoid , delusional and definitely out of touch with reality.
well said. Evan Almighty started. This does not stop because he ran away. He has every reason to run away. No need to die to become another statistics at the hands of the unashamed zanu people.
As we know, anyone who gets hungry and raises voice invites zanu. Unfortunately its not one person who is getting hungry or getting fed up by the inaction of zanu on clearing the mess they created.
a hungry man is an angry man, sooner or later, the inevitable is coming
I do empathize too with the pastor. I would probably do the same thing if I happened to provoke a sleeping hyena so unexpectedly. And for sure he is not well-established to weather its attack. But who is? Don’t you think it would sound rather hollow for him to goad us into civil disobedience from the comfort of South Africa? Fleet-footedness happens to be the bane of our people. That’s how it took 36 years, and counting. Could we say he has taken up the mantle, or perhaps thrown the gauntlet, or the towel for that matter? Where do we fit in? The other day he called for a two-day Stay Away to no apparent effect. I think the pastor was a statistical fluke that will help shape the emotions of the upcoming elections. The animal had already stuck its foot in its mouth on Import Ban. We can perhaps hope that the dissension emanating from the War Vets camp will create an electorally damaging schism in the grand old party. Then we will all pay a short sharp cost to get to the other side.