New Year Message from Dr Simba Makoni – Interim President, Mavambo.Kusile.Dawn (MKD)

 

As 2009 has drawn to a close, and we welcome the year 2010, I take this opportunity, on behalf of the National Steering Committee (NSC) of our Party, to extend cordial greetings to all the people of Zimbabwe. The year 2009 started on a positive and optimistic footing for all of us, on the back of two landmark occurrences, viz:

·                    the abandonment of the worthless Zimbabwe Dollar, on January 29 2009, by the then ZANU (PF) regime; and,

·                    the installation of the Inclusive Government, on February 13 2009.

 

Unfortunately, that optimism quickly faded away, as members of the so-called Inclusive Government wasted no time to settle into their relatively more comfortable positions, and engaged themselves in fierce struggles for power, and bigger shares of the meager national resources.

 

Much to the dismay and disbelief of all of us, the new members of the government from the MDC Formations, did not take long to learn and adopt the ways of their experienced ZANU (PF) peers. They seem to have quickly forgotten the suffering of the people, and the promises they made upon entering the government; to work for improvements in the lives of all citizens. Readily and willingly, they joined the race to pillage the already empty fiscus; clamouring for motor cars, allowances for foreign trips, etc. Fights for jobs for more of them intensified, as the year wore on.

 

Meantime, those members of the government from ZANU (PF) maintained their grip on power, completely oblivious and disdainful of the fact that they had been rejected by the majority of the electorate in March 2008. They even made a virtue of their electoral defeat, showing complete disregard for the wishes of the voters.

 

While these contests for positions, power and purchase raged on, the poor Zimbabweans continued to suffer, finding relief only from their own initiatives and the generosity of the much maligned official donors and NGOs.

 

On July 1 2009, at the formal launch of our Party, we proposed to the nation, including the so-called Inclusive Government, three Immediate Priorities for Stabilising and Re-Building Zimbabwe; viz:

·                    Promotion of National Reconciliation and Healing;

·                    Restoration of the Rule of Law and Citizens’ Rights (Civil Liberties); and,

·                    Restoration of the Social and Economic Viability of Zimbabwe.

 

The institutions provided for in the Global Political Agreement, that would have driven the country forward, in pursuit of these priorities, remain moribund and dysfunctional. These are the cumbersome and ineffectual three-headed Organ on National Healing and Reconciliation, the fractious and quarrelsome Parliamentary Select Committee on Constitutional Review, the still born National Security Council and Economic Recovery Council.

 

The modest improvements in the daily lives of citizens are largely the result of the people’s own initiatives, not the effect of any policies of the MDC-PF regime. Noteworthy of such improvements, is the abandonment of the national currency, in preference to dollarisation.  By the end of 2007, far ahead of the birth of the so-called Inclusive Government, the business community and people in the streets and villages, had effectively adopted the US Dollar, SA Rand and Botswana Pula, as tender for all transactions. Recognising the reality of this Fact on the Ground, the then ZANU (PF) regime went ahead to formalise the dollarisation of the economy.

 

The one positive outcome of the Global Political Agreement, that we welcome and commend, is the reduction in tension, and violent conflict in the country. However, we note with concern that mistrust and suspicion still abound between members of different political organisations; and instilling fear among supporters of other parties is a weapon still in common use, especially by ZANU (PF) activists, and some agents of certain state organs.

 

Notwithstanding the disappointments and missed opportunities of 2009, we enter 2010, still with hope and expectation that the so-called Inclusive Government will discover their true purpose, i.e. to serve the people of Zimbabwe. We particularly implore the so-called Principals to the Global Political Agreement, to show genuine commitment to this agreement, to act in accordance with the letter, and especially the spirit, of the said agreement. We urge them that, if indeed the Global Political Agreement is a home-grown solution to the home-grown problems of corruption, greed, intolerance and concentration of power, it is incumbent upon them to implement post haste all its provisions. We further urge them to begin to act in unison, like true partners, in the joint venture to enable Zimbabweans haul themselves out of misery.

 

The biggest and truest test of the viability of the Inclusive Government is not in the filling of shop shelves with imported goods that the large majority of our people cannot physically access, nor economically afford.  What will show their genuine patriotism is the formulation and implementation of policies that:

·                    restore the dignity, integrity and self-esteem of all Zimbabweans;

·                    restore the economy to full production;

·                    generate gainful engagement for the people;

·                    afford every family food security, every school-going child beneficial education and every ill and needy citizen care and welfare;

·                    restore peace and security to all citizens and all parts of the country; and,

·                    give confidence and comfort to all Zimbabweans currently exiled, that they can return home and rebuild their lives.

 

The Inclusive Government needs to facilitate and champion the country’s re-admission

and re-integration into the global community of nations.

 

For our part, we of MKD re-affirm our readiness to contribute to the normalisation of our national situation, the genuine empowerment of individual citizens, families, communities and the whole nation; so that we can all enjoy true national sovereignty in an inter-dependent global village. In this regard, we implore members of the Inclusive Government to be open to, welcome and accept the immense contributions that other Zimbabweans in civil society, in business, in the professions, in religious organisations and in traditional leadership, can offer; to Get Zimbabwe Working Again.

 

As we strive to make our mark in the national political arena, I urge all members of MKD to demonstrate our philosophy of genuine empowerment, care, compassion, equity and fairness. I particularly urge us to conduct ourselves at all times, according to our values; especially those of service to others, honesty, integrity and tolerance.

 

I wish all Zimbabweans a more peaceful, joyous and prosperous 2010.

 

LET’S GET ZIMBABWE WORKING AGAIN.

 

 

Simba Makoni

HARARE, 31 DECEMBER 2009