Before praying and fasting, change starts with you Mr President

WE commend President Emmerson Mnangagwa for his realisation that the country is in a serious crisis under his leadership, hence his decision to seek divine intervention and have those problems resolved.

The problem we have with him, however, is his refusal to take responsibility for many of the challenges we face as a nation, which need no divine rescue but just need him to make the right decisions and do the right things.

God is not a magician. You need no fasting or prayer to simply take practical steps and resolve problem. There is really no need to spiritualise the problems we have been facing, many of which just require us to be humble and take the necessary steps.

Before we call on the divine, let just do the simple things that are in our power to do, like respecting human rights, effectively dealing with corruption in high places and curbing nepotism.

In fact, by simply implementing the very promises that he made during his electoral campaigns, ED can easily attract massive investment. Surely, that needs no prayer or fasting. Mnangagwa’s government’s proclivity towards repression, abductions and torture of opponents will remain an albatross around the economy no matter how much we pray or fast. The Bible clearly says you do not fast while oppressing the poor because God will not honour your prayers.

This crisis needs individual politicians to put people first and personal pride last rather than a national prayer or fasting programme to witness a shift for the better in the country’s economic fortunes.

We know for certain the economy is under no demonic attack as Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe governor John Mangudya would have us believe. This economy simply needs men and women that are honest and principled and committed to the public good rather than those simply eager to line their pockets from the country’s resources.

What prayers have people with the strongest economies in the world made? Have they not simply implemented economic best practices and workable models to get where they are now economically?

It is sad that this government’s propensity for the blame game reaches such levels where they would blame some demonic forces for problems emanating from their own mistakes, greed and failures.

Corruption and nepotism under the Mnangagwa administration has reached levels unseen before in this country while human rights abuses in the short space of time he has been in charge make the late Robert Mugabe seem like an angel.

As the late Vice-President John Nkomo once said, change Mr President, starts with you. You could start with reading your speech at your inauguration on November 24, 2017, which gave Zimbabwe hope that the darkness of the Mugabe era was a thing of the past.

We quote in part: “we must accept that our challenges as a nation emanate in part from the manner in which we have managed our politics, both nationally and internationally.”

Zimbabwe, you said, was a unique nation driven by impulses of mutual tolerance, peace and unity.

That recognition will serve you well as you “serve our country as the President of all citizens regardless of colour, creed, religion, tribe, totem or political affiliation.”