Thinking beyond the political settlement

http://www.thezimbabwetimes.com

July 24, 2008

By Arthur G.O. Mutambara

THE signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) among the key political
parties in Zimbabwe on July 21, 2008, presented a unique and historic
occasion where national leaders showed political maturity by committing
themselves to a dialogue process. It is important to make a few observations
that will enable all of us to put everything into perspective and context.
There is always the danger of missing the forest for the trees.

The MoU we signed in Zimbabwe is a very important document as it allowed us
to begin negotiations on matters affecting our people. There is a political,
economic and humanitarian crisis of immense proportion in our country. More
importantly, there is an unprecedented political stalemate. The process we
have started will result in a political settlement to this impasse, thus
allowing Zimbabweans to collectively fashion a new beginning.

Key activities will include addressing the humanitarian aspects of the
crisis, and adopting mechanisms to salvage, recover and stabilize the
economy. These dialogue outcomes we are determined to accomplish within two
weeks from the July 21. Let me emphasize that the political agreement and
the redemptive socio-economic plan we seek to achieve in these negotiations
constitute a short-term measure in pursuit of the resolution of our national
challenges. This stop-gap effort is neither the sustainable answer nor the
long-term solution to our dire circumstances.

Beyond the political agreement and adoption of a collective plan of action,
we need to execute a program of national healing and rehabilitation for our
people. This cannot be done in two weeks. What happened in our country in
the past four months has traumatized our citizens. Our people have been
brutalized and dehumanized. The culture and practice of our country’s
politics have been taken back twenty years. There is need for public
meetings such as the one we had in Harare on July 21, 2008, throughout the
country in every city, and in every village.

The Zimbabwean political leaders we had on that hotel stage, Robert Mugabe,
Morgan Tsvangirai and Arthur Mutambara, must address rallies together and
say jointly to the people of Zimbabwe: “It is okay to belong to different
political parties. It is okay to vote for whomsoever you wish, and yes the
will of the people shall be supreme, respected, and sovereign.” This has to
be the jointly presented message from these political leaders to all
citizens. Only then can the national healing process start.

The political settlement we seek to achieve in the current dialogue process
is just the beginning of an arduous journey. We need a longer and more
inclusive conversation among Zimbabweans. In addition to agreeing on the
borders of our country, and agreeing on the name of the country, why can’t
we have a constitution that we all defend and revere? A people driven
democratic constitution should be the basis of a sustainable solution to our
national problems. With this foundational legal framework in place, the
journey towards a peaceful, democratic and prosperous Zimbabwe can then
begin. Such a constitution cannot be achieved in two weeks, only a
commitment to the requisite processes and timeframes of its development is
possible.

Furthermore, why can’t we have a shared economic vision, a 20-30 year
economic vision for our country? This, the Promised Land, must be developed,
discussed and agreed upon by all political parties, civic society
organizations, the business community, and the general population at large.
There must be total buy in and ownership of this uniquely Zimbabwean
economic vision by all national stakeholders.

However, the conception of the vision must be buttressed by creative and
intelligent borrowing and learning from other successful economies and
cultures. Beyond economic stabilization and recovery, why can’t we envisage
economic transformation of Zimbabwe into a globally competitive economy, in
twenty years time, in terms of GDP, per capita income, entrepreneurship,
business growth, exports, productivity, competitiveness, financial literacy,
and quality of life? We can then disagree and compete on strategies and
tactics of achieving that common vision. The envisioning process cannot be
done in two weeks. The most we can do is commit to the concept and
principle, while defining the necessary processes.

In conclusion, the pursuit of a short-term socio-economic-political solution
we are currently engaged in, and the efforts to address the long-term issues
I have outlined above, must be driven by the national interest. This is not
about Arthur Mutambara and his small political party. It is not about Morgan
Tsvangirai and his party. It is not about Robert Mugabe and his party. It is
about the people of Zimbabwe.

As we negotiate and discuss amongst ourselves, we must put the national
interest first, before self-interest and petty political party ambitions. We
must be driven by what is good for the people of Zimbabwe. The best
interests of our current and future citizens should be at the core of our
value system. We must start thinking in terms of a cross-party generational
agenda where we subordinate partisan interests to the national interest.

Resolving both the short- and long-term problems affecting our country
constitutes our generational mandate.

We shall rise to the challenge.

(Arthur G.O. Mutambara is the president of his faction of the Movement for
Democratic Change)