With the forced resignation of Robert Mugabe, the citizens of Zimbabwe have a unique opportunity to break with the past and create a different country: A stable, peaceful, democratic, prosperous and globally competitive nation. Here are my thoughts.
By A G O Mutambara
We need an inclusive, magnanimous, and national interest driven, definition of the content and direction of this Zimbabwe Moment. For the students and workers, the struggle against the Mugabe regime is 30 years old, and for the Opposition Parties it is 18 years. The removal of Mugabe has a long history.
Let us understand very clearly that, in addition to fighting against Mugabe, the dictator, we have also been fighting to dismantle the system, values and culture that he has bequeathed us – Mugabeism.
Yesterday we defeated Mugabe the person. Mugabeism remains intact.
We have work to do.
Let us use the opportunity before us to break with the past and create a different Zimbabwe. Let us evaluate and comprehend what went wrong with our politics, society and economy in the past 37 years. Going forward, we must fashion strategies and frameworks to radically transform the political governance and economic management of our country.
More specifically, our expectations and aspirations should include; electoral reforms, media reforms, removal of repressive legislation, release of political prisoners, and economic stabilization coupled with economic recovery, shared economic growth and inclusive economic prosperity.
We must deliver a stable, peaceful prosperous and democratic Zimbabwe, where those that govern our country do so with the consent of the governed.
We must deliver free and fair elections. We must deliver a globally competitive economy.
That is our generational mandate, beyond Robert Mugabe.
This Zimbabwe Moment must not be a Missed Opportunity.
AGO Mutambara