Editor ‘s Desk:New charter must give us leadership we want

Corrections
The most important issue affecting our country is the question of leadership. This is the most important issue we should bear in mind as we go towards the Second All-Stakeholders’ Conference. Other issues such as the shameful decline of our economy, or our country’s disgraceful national stature, the rampant corruption, the rise in white collar […]

The most important issue affecting our country is the question of leadership. This is the most important issue we should bear in mind as we go towards the Second All-Stakeholders’ Conference. Other issues such as the shameful decline of our economy, or our country’s disgraceful national stature, the rampant corruption, the rise in white collar crime and even our poor performance on the international sport arena, are subservient issues, predicated on the real issue — the issue of leadership.

REPORT BY NEVANJI MADANHIRE Where are our leaders? Some say killed. Yes, to some extent; they name Chitepo, Mangena, Tongogara etc. But this presupposes that these were messianic, that is, God-ordained to come down to save us earthlings from evil forces and then Jesus-like get crucified. This kind of thinking sounds escapist at its best, fatalistic at its worst.

  I think Africa’s tragedy, and Zimbabwe’s too, is that our political leaders have failed to interpret the concept of leadership. Leadership to them is equal to deification; when a potential leader arises he should be transformed into a demigod. This surely must come from our customs where traditional leaders were supposed to be semi-divine.

  In Zimbabwe the deification of leadership has become all pervasive. It began with the concept of lifetime leadership which has become so entrenched in the minds of the majority that few can imagine the country being run by any other person besides the Founding Father. Now, more than three decades after our nation was born, despite all signs pointing towards the need for a new leadership, there are many people ready to fight to the death to ensure the status quo continues. Those who have been convinced about the need for change and are working towards it, believe the only way change can be brought is by creating another demigod. Indeed, it would seem this has been achieved to some extent.

  One can easily feel it in the air that we have gone back to the years when leaders were endowed with titles that made them superior beings; the days when Joseph Mobutu would stand on the pedestal and boast, “I am the Sese Seko,” while Hastings Banda did the same calling himself “The Ngwazi”. Bingu wa Mutharika was beginning to do the same, assuming the titles of one of the greatest monsters of the modern African political era.

  In Zimbabwe, the terms “Gushungo” and “Dziva” have assumed some scary characteristics; they have now come to imply the bearers of these titles are “supreme policy-making individuals”. Their flatterers have made them little pontiffs who can do whatever they please. The result is that these “supreme policy-making individuals” have become arrogant and insensitive to the needs of the very people they are supposed to serve.

  Zimbabwe has reached a crossroad: the political leadership’s arrogance and insensitivity has become gross and the grossness begins at the top. This is manifest not only in the uncultured decisions they make but also in the contempt with which they treat the common people, especially women.

  We are all aware of the corrupting influence of too much power. The most obvious result of vesting too much power in the hands of an individual is stagnation. In most developmental spheres, Zimbabwe has stagnated and worse, in others it has moved backwards. Many people are heard lamenting, “We were better off before independence.” Although this attitude is to be regretted, it is a great indictment of our leadership and its failure to look back and take stock.

  What are the most obvious signs of stagnation? Corruption, reversal of economic gains, lack of investment, degraded international stature of the country, opaque governance and recourse to repression through the use of a politicised and militarised police force.

  Now as we head towards the Second All-Stakeholders Conference on the draft constitution, it is time to remind ourselves what the supreme law of the country means to us; what values it should entrench and why.

 

  What is required is an unequivocal stance by the generality of the people on the qualities that constitute good leadership. The new constitution should be drafted in such a way that these qualities become easy to enforce. To begin with, the people through this supreme law of the land should be able to rein in their leaders. The constitution should restore the pillars of democratic governance, particularly the rule of law; it is only through this that the constitution itself becomes a holy document. Only the involvement of the people in the constitution-making process can sanctify the document and make it the declaration of our nationhood.

  Our constitution ought to spell out the freedoms those who rule us cannot take away from us. It must enable the people to control those in power. The three pillars of state should be empowered to put effective checks and balances on each other. Our judges should be independent of the state president and parliament. Members of Parliament should have the power, whenever necessary, to reject judicial appointments made by the executive.

  The country needs well-trained and experienced judges with very high ideals and unquestionable professional integrity. Analysts are agreed on the need for well-trained, well-equipped lawyers as well as a sound law school which respects all the ideals of independent research, thought and analysis; which is founded on sound values of the rule of law and democracy.

  Experts have recommended the creation of other institutions and instruments that would work with the courts to reinforce and buttress the adherence to the constitution. These may include human rights and electoral commissions.

  The electoral process should be free and fair and ensure there is an effective opposition in parliament; without it the whole concept of parliamentary democracy becomes negated. A parliament dominated by a single political party is extremely dangerous to democracy, the rule of law, accountability and good governance.

  There is need to promote and sponsor the development of civil society. We need to ensure, nurture and defend an independent press which will expose government misdeeds. We need to encourage all our people to participate in public affairs so that they can force government to be accountable.

  As long as we continue to accept to be led by demigods, our country will continue to languish in the stranglehold of the evils of corruption, bad governance, a low self-esteem and general decline.

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