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Cde Webster Shamu

THE campaign period for the forthcoming harmonised elections is in full swing and as often happens during this silly season, politicians are given to making statements that are reckless and outlandish, with some going as far as spewing outright lies to further their agenda. While we accept that there are no rules in politics, a modicum of integrity is required to help grow our nascent democracy.

As political parties go about their business, we exhort them to be responsible and desist from making inflammatory statements likely to cause alarm and despondency in the country. Zimbabwe, under the new dispensation led by President Mnangagwa, is rebranding and reaching out to the international community. So far, it has managed to move mountains, getting the ear of the Anglo-Saxon powers of the United States of America and the United Kingdom — two countries that hold the key to Zimbabwe finally being readmitted into the community of nations.

Relations with the UK — Zimbabwe’s erstwhile colonial master — are as good as restored. London has been working hard to assist Harare get back on its feet and last week demonstrated its goodwill by extending a $100 million rescue package to bail out ailing firms in the country — the first such direct loan in a long time. Britain has also been actively pushing for Zimbabwe’s readmission into the Commonwealth — a process that is already underway and is likely to result in the country getting back into the club of former British colonies.

Investment has been flowing into Zimbabwe on the back of sweeping reforms instituted by President Mnangagwa since he assumed power in November last year. His Zimbabwe is open for business mantra has been well received all over the world. In a nutshell, President Mnangagwa has been doing everything in his power to ensure that Zimbabwe grows its economy and its people regain their dignity. He has also assured the world that the forthcoming elections will be credible, free and fair. To demonstrate his sincerity, he has invited observers from all over the world — the European Union, Commonwealth, the US, Sadc, African Union, Comesa and other bodies representing different regions of the world.

This shows that Zimbabwe has nothing to hide and is keen to deliver a poll outcome that is credible and acceptable to the world. This is key to ensuring that the country sheds its pariah status. On the domestic front, President Mnangagwa has been working hard to inculcate a culture of honesty, hard work and openness, even within his ruling Zanu-PF party. During the just ended primary elections, several bigwigs fell by the wayside, but unlike in the past where they would be rescued through presidential intervention, they were made to carry their crosses and will be watching from the sidelines when national polls take place soon.

Some like former Mashonaland West Provincial Affairs Minister, Cde Webster Shamu, learnt the hard way that it is no longer business as usual in Zanu-PF. The era of using one’s shefu status to bulldoze your way into power is long gone. While we are not privy to the reasons why Cde Shamu was this week fired by the President, we can only surmise that it had to do with his meddling in the primary elections in his province.

This is democracy at work and how it should be. Bad apples need to be weeded out promptly to stop them contaminating the rest of the party. We are, however, disappointed that despite Cde Shamu being made an example of, some party cadres continue to make reckless statements that are likely to cast both Zanu-PF and the Government in bad light.

We reported yesterday how Harare East parliamentary candidate and deputy Minister of Finance, Cde Terrence Mukupe, had to be reprimanded by his party and Government for insinuating that the military will not accept an opposition victory in the forthcoming harmonised elections. His utterances were not only unlawful but ran contrary to President Mnangagwa’s pledge to uphold the will of the people of Zimbabwe.

The Zimbabwe Defence Forces are a disciplined army and should never be dragged into party politics and Cde Mukupe’s statement amounted to direct contempt of President Mnangagwa who is the Commander in Chief of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces. We agree with Zanu-PF and Government that such statements, read against Zimbabwe’s environment and the impending polls, have the negative effect of raising doubts on Government’s commitment to a free, fair and non-violent plebiscite as well as to its readiness to respect and uphold the will of the people of Zimbabwe as expressed through their electoral choices and decisions.

We implore politicians, particularly those from the ruling Zanu-PF, to desist from making reckless statements that are likely to impugn the integrity of the forthcoming polls. Zimbabwe is a constitutional democracy and the ZDF is a disciplined army which upholds the Constitution and would never countenance undermining it by taking a partisan stance. We hope Cde Mukupe and those of his ilk have learnt from the error of their ways.