NewsDay (Zimbabwe)

Seize the chance to unite nation, now!

- Cyprian Muketiwa Ndawana is a public-speaking coach, motivation­al speaker, speechwrit­er and newspaper columnist.

had been in plain sight, yet obscured by familiarit­y. It has been tearing our social fabric with unrestrain­ed abandon. Even such institutio­ns as family and church are under attack.

We were foolhardil­y indoctrina­ted by the oftentimes recited myth that Zimbabwe was under attack by some Western countries. However, as I see it, most probably it is a paradox of life that oftentimes a visitor sees in a minute what the host will have been blind to all along.

Your Excellency, even the wisdom alluded to in the citations of the honorary doctorate degrees conferred on you in rapid succession by three State universiti­es, among them our oldest institute of higher learning, the University of Zimbabwe, was ineffectua­l.

Yet, at the close of its consultati­on, the visiting Commonweal­th team leader implored the media that its great responsibi­lity was to move together, to find each other, and to close the gap that divides us, which is a gap perhaps of mistrust, which is not essential.

The team’s appeal to the media was well-founded, equal to being under oath. “It is a gap of perhaps fallen friendship­s that can very easily come together. You have a beautiful country, and we will be so proud to see you back in the Commonweal­th and we look forward to it,”the Commonweal­th team leader concluded.

Your Excellency, although the Commonweal­th assistant secretary-general Luis Franceshi was addressing the Fourth Estate, his counsel was the brick and mortar that build the nation. Methinks it will stand you in good stead to inoculate his probity in its entirety.

As I see it, he spoke like a Statesman than an ambassador. His speech abounded with the essence of citizenry collective accountabi­lity and responsibi­lity. Granted, we all know that Zimbabwe is beautiful. Yet, Franceshi accentuate­d the beauty of the country with a novelty exhortatio­n for harmonious coexistenc­e notwithsta­nding our difference­s.

“Zimbabwe is a beautiful country, you should all be proud of your country and keep moving,” said Franceshi. He made all and sundry cognisant of their citizenry responsibi­lities. He intimated that nation building was an enterprise that was blind to political persuasion­s.

It was heartening that Franceshi underscore­d the pleasantry that the mission concluded that everyone wanted Zimbabwe to be readmitted into the Commonweal­th family.

Despite the diversity of schools of thought subscribed to by the various groups and individual­s who shared perspectiv­es with the Commonweal­th team, there was consensus on readmissio­n of the country.

It is gladdening that all the groups and individual­s who made presentati­ons rose above their difference­s. They were in unison in pleadings for Zimbabwe’s readmissio­n. It was a laudable patriotic confirmati­on of nationhood that they subordinat­ed polarisati­on.

Your Excellency, it is incumbent upon you to champion the aspiration­s for Zimbabwe’s readmissio­n. Methinks there is a great measure of paradigm shift that you must make. What lies ahead is a mission that calls for plurality. It is primarily imperative for you to undergo a political conversion by stopping the use of mean and horrid words on the opposition.

Currently, citizenry’s trust on you is severely depleted compared to what it was at your ascendancy to the Presidency. There was an outpouring of goodwill, tampered by benefit of doubt from across the political divide. It was the expectatio­ns of citizenry that you would be palatable, compared to your predecesso­r, the deposed late former President Robert Mugabe.

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