Much has been said about President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s 5-month reign in office. The full weight of an eagerly expectant nation, following years of decadence has been loaded on his shoulders. There has been several voices from across the political divide that have urged Mnangagwa on since the events of last November, which toppled long-time ruler Robert Mugabe.
That in itself perhaps is a sure sign that Zimbabweans want development and progress, from whichever quarter it comes from. It is from this standpoint that so many people were – and one might even say are still ready to give Mnangagwa a chance to prove himself. Yet to some, the very notion of giving Mugabe’s long time sidekick, another chance when he has been an integral part of the very same outfit responsible for the waning of Zimbabwe’s fortunes sounds utterly absurd. Can a leopard change its spots?
While there are vocal critics of Mnangagwa, there are equally resounding voices that leap to his defence, and this is the hallmark of democracy. What cannot be denied though is that there are some things that Mr Mnangagwa could have done differently, that he definitely should have done differently as president. His tenure has been one punctuated with wild euphoria and a renewed sense of hope at the onset.
However, every now and again, it seems President Mnanagagwa tries hard to sabotage himself with the missteps he makes. Yet in spite of all of this, he still has a chance to redeem himself and bolster his long-term prospects of securing legitimacy through winning the forthcoming national elections. If – and a big if – he will consider doing these three things and much more, which up to now, he has shown an unwillingness to do.
Why won`t he say Sorry?
Pressed on why he would not just apologize about the Gukurahundi atrocities of the 1980s by the BBC’s Mishal Husain while attending the World Economic Forum in Davos, president Mnangagwa dug in his heels and flat out refused to say those three magic words, “I am sorry.” Some will argue that his apologising would be tantamount to an admission of guilt, hence his refusal.
However, the reality is that a wrong was committed, and while he may not have been the main protagonist of the events, his involvement is a matter of public record. Whom exactly does the buck stop with? Do we just pretend like that dark and sad chapter never happened, and sweep the issue under the rug?
All that President Mnangagwa ought to do is to acknowledge that a serious travesty against the fundamental rights of people was committed as a result of Gukurahundi. Instead, his intransigence on this matter like that of his predecessor goes on to cement the long held perception of president Mnangagwa as a ruthless and cold individual (Ngwena).
In fact, it is not so much about a singular episode such as Gukurahundi, but Zimbabweans are a deeply traumatized people, what with all they have had to contend with at the hands of Zanu PF. The loss of dignity as a result of unemployment, broken up family structures due to migration in search of greener pastures, and the scepter of unbridled violence meted upon the general citizenry by the state, resulting in deaths, for instance, have left a vast majority of people scarred. Far more than attracting FDI, Investors, building infrastructure, and whatever else the current government is chasing, Zimbabweans need healing.
Speaking on the success of Rwanda post the 1994 genocide, president Paul Kagame is quoted as saying, “Because of what happened here — and we have genocide, we have perpetrators, we have victims, survivors. What we have done to confront that, that we still have to confront even today, the survivors think this government has done things that give them hope for the future, that probably nobody is going to come back and kill them.
But the perpetrators also see this government as the best thing that can happen to them, for one single reason. Someone who said, “oh, but I have actually been found to have killed families of a number of people, but I’m still alive. My relatives have not been affected”. They didn’t go and say, “oh, you’re a son or you’re a father or you killed people, so you pay for it”. In other words, they feel indebted in some way.”
This assertion by President Kagame underlines the importance of creating a platform for healing as an important step of getting the people to buy into the vision of what his government is trying to achieve. Mnangagwa coming out in the open to acknowledge the mistakes that Zanu PF as the governing party since 1980 has made, and simply saying “sorry,” though simple, would send a powerful message that Mnangagwa is indeed a listening man, as he claims to be.
Why won`t he get proper help?
Mckinsey Consulting’s Dr James Manyika, Quantum Global’s Professor Mthuli Ncube, Econet Wireless’ Strive Masiyiwa and Renaissance Capital’s Nothando Ndebele are just but some of Zimbabwe`s best talent with massive global appeal and influence. Imagine the attitude toward Zimbabwe in Wall Street and several other global capital markets if they were to wake up to news that president Mnangagwa has appointed such globally respected economic minds as his economic advisors.
This would add an air of gravitas to president Mnangagwa’s “open for business” agenda. Taking absolutely nothing from them, individuals such as Chris Mutsvangwa – career politicians – have been at the forefront of the president’s attempt to court foreign capital. Yet these are the very same faces that fronted former President Mugabe’s, failed economic policies in government. It would be difficult to imagine these very same individuals eliciting the confidence of the same foreign capital that they have contributed in scaring away in the past. Why president Mnangagwa will not leap to make use of the influence and respect Zimbabweans such as these have, is a question that beggars belief.
In South Africa for instance, new president Cyril Ramaphosa recently tasked three “lions and a lioness” in the form of former finance minister Trevor Manuel, former deputy finance minister Mcebisi Jonas, ex Standard Charted Bank chief executive Jacko Maree and respected corporate executive Phumzile Langeni with an investment fundraising drive, targeting $100 billion over the next five years. If it is tangible investments that president Mnangagwa wants and not just the vaunted "$11 billion in investment commitments,” then he might well consider shouting for help from these quarters.
Why won`t he mind the company he keeps?
If there is perhaps one thing that has probably infuriated people willing to give president Mnangagwa a chance, it has been the company he has chosen to associate with. It may be argued that the man still has an election to win in July 2018, and as such needs to be accommodative of key allies, notwithstanding their corrupt tendencies. However, visuals of Obert Mpofu for instance, stubbornly refusing to cooperate with the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee recently, is one that leaves a sour taste in the mouth.
Being seen to be closely aligned to the very same individuals that Zimbabweans easily attach with corruption does not do Emmerson Mnangagwa any favours. He risks being painted with the same brush these compromised individuals are painted with. Yet as he seeks to live up to his “New Dispensation” mantra, one would have thought that Emmerson Mnangagwa would have had a clean break from these individuals, if not a real break, then a cosmetic one at the very least, just to manage the optics.
Granted, the man has done plenty right things since taking power. But some of his decisions have been very questionable. Buying luxurious vehicles for traditional chiefs, in keeping with how his predecessor conducted business, is a case in point. It is things such as these that may likely portray him in similar light to Mr Mugabe, even as he tries hard to convince the world that he is a different man.
He has set a vision of making Zimbabwe a middle income nation by 2030, yet at face value, it appears people are still to wholly buy into this vision. How does president Mnangagwa get the nation to rally behind his vision? One would think he needs to change some aspects of how he has conducted himself as president thus far.
Paul Kagame`s quotes are excerpts from a transcript of his August 2017 interview with the Financial Times accessible on ft.com
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