April 18: Five unhelpful things, five to aspire to

From B1

George Ogola writes: “The Sunday broadcast news in the 1980s and 1990s was a familiar ritual of Moi’s diary. (…). He populated every public space like a fetish. His omnipresence was felt across newsrooms, all of which had his framed picture strategically placed to ensure journalists were aware he was watching them”.

This cultism permeated the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation news bulletins — a tried and tested autocratic practice. Idolism is one thing we really hoped would fall with Robert Mugabe. Unfortunately, the same air of cultism and idolatry surrounds Emmerson Mnangagwa’s presidency, like we learnt nothing from our past.

Economic independence

What does independence mean to Patrick, the cart-pushing fruit vendor at corner Robert Mugabe Road and Rezende Street, who has now mastered the art of sporting plainclothes Harare City Council policemen and sprinting with his merchandise, as his life depends on it?

The social justice lawyers would rightly take a swipe at the colonial era laws that criminalise vagrancy and poverty in the era of independence, but beyond elimination of barriers, the focus should be on proactively working towards extricating the many like Patrick from poverty. Yet the latest Labour Force Survey puts our informal economy workers at 74% of our working population, a staggering figure for a 41-year-old developing country! The inequality can almost be touched.

Building on the legacy

But who are the true heirs and heiresses of the liberation struggle? Those for justice, equality and freedom are. So we must not be forced to celebrate yesteryear’s heroes who have gone rogue. Today’s context requires today’s heroes. That is not to shun our history — quite the contrary.

Next generation leadership

“The fact that you are a good freedom fighter does not mean you will be a good president. One must come, serve then go,” says former Ghanaian President John Mahama. Equally, being a freedom fighter is not an entitlement to leadership. This is how one destroys their own legacy.

The time is nigh for the next generation leader to occupy both the public and private space. Our challenges of today and tomorrow need leaders of today and tomorrow.

Zimbabwe can still be saved. A nation in which all belong can still be built. And as we interrogate these issues, the need to preserve for posterity should not be lost to us.

Kika is a human rights and constitutional lawyer.