SundayView: Will Zanu PF ever learn from its mistakes?

Obituaries
By Alexander Rusero   Whenever mention of democracy or restoration of the rule of law in the country is made, we suddenly hear a lot of old people claiming they are prepared to return to the bush and wield the gun once more. This is because, in their own understanding, democracy means regime change and regime change means the recolonisation of Zimbabwe and a total reversal of what they fought for. Everyone is entitled to his or her beliefs, but old people should learn to tell the truth and not use their past experiences as a way of intimidating and fostering and planting fear into the people’s minds.

War activities across the country were never fun or even enjoyable. Those who  became  painfully engaged in these activities did so for no other reason but to free their homeland from the fetters of bondage, brutality and social injustice. War causes far-reaching tremours, such that even those who did not participate or even witness it can feel its psychological horrors. The liberation war  story now belongs to archives, where it must be given pride of place in  primary and secondary schools’ history departments. War gimmicks should not be used to promote cheap propaganda that only one political party, Zanu  PF, was solely responsible  for winning the liberation war.

In nations like France and the United States, there is no constant reference to the French Revolution or the American War of Independence during political discourse.  To modern politicians of such nations, such past activities are a reminder of what the ordinary people are capable of doing under the hands of an oppressive and dictatorial leadership. That is why in most African countries, Zimbabwe included, students have developed a passionate interest and devotion more to these historical accounts  rather than their own contemporary activities. Students enjoy the French Revolution or even the Congress of Vienna more than the Munhumutapa Empire or The Second Chimurenga.

Zimbabwe appears to be the only African country that fought the liberation struggle. The over-repeated hype of the war is fast rendering the liberation struggle useless and increasingly turning the records of the liberation struggle  into mere questionable historical legends. It is only the word of God that has sustained timeliness, but still the preachers of today have taken an initiative of packaging accounts that happened two thousand centuries ago into exciting and fresh memorable accounts.

Endless references to the war only discredit the whole purpose of why people fought in that war. It further isolates future generations from anything to do with the liberation struggle, let alone mentioning or making any reference to to the war.  Having gone to war has proved to be the only survival mantra for Zanu PF that no longer has skilful propagandists with the imagination and ability to fashionably engage the electorate.

Zanu PF has failed to realise the fastest growing political market in the world: the youth. It is misguided into selling its ideology to the youths, something that its strongest rival, the MDC, has successfully done. Composition of Zanu PF structures and  its Politburo is the clearest evidence that the youths have no place in the party.

While this is a painful reality, there is not going to be any “Malemas” in Zanu PF now and in the near future. This is so because the party is largely obsessed about retaining the old guard.

Rhetoric of youth only comes to the fore when there is some justification for plunder or looting of property under the guise of securing youths’ future. Which youths and what future?

By the way where in the wilderness is Upfumi Kuvadiki?

 

About the AuthorAlexander Rusero is a Journalism and Media Studies lecturer who writes in his own capacity. He can be contacted on [email protected]