In the unfolding events in North Africa and the Middle East, there are clear messages for both ZANU-PF and the MDC; messages that both must take seriously.
The political drama in that region has messages for Africa; there are messages for Zimbabwe and messages for all the oppressed people.
I am hoping that both ZANU-PF and the MDC do not consider themselves safe enough to continue the unnecessary bickering at the expense of people’s freedoms and in lieu of the advancement of the nation.
We watch as yet another year passes without having been brought anywhere closer to where we, at this time last year, had wished and hoped to be.
For how long are we going to tolerate all the shenanigans going on in our country where a government views its citizens as enemies?
And, sadly, the MDC has become an unwitting accomplice in this whole madness.
Once again, I sit here in a foreign land and wonder why so many Zimbabweans are not home with their families.
I sit here pondering what happened to our country, to our people and to our nation.
I am wondering what happened to the MDC. Where did the fighting spirit go?
I know where ZANU-PF is; ZANU-PF is all over the place, but where is the MDC?
For ZANU-PF, events in North Africa and the Middle East must serve as a reminder that anything is possible.
Who ever imagined that “our dear friend Gaddafi”, as Mugabe called him a few days ago, would not only be toppled but made to flee, cower in a storm drain, captured and humiliated before being killed by his own people?
Those events are an indication that once people have decided to make a move, the fear of death is vanquished.
That is a dangerous point for any nation; that is a point of no return.
ZANU-PF, more than anyone else, knows that the fear of death is nothing compared to the desire for freedom.
They should not be surprised when an uprising explodes among the peaceful Zimbabwean people because, yes, it is very possible.
The ingredients of uprisings are, among others, anger, dissatisfaction, frustration, lack of choices, lack of freedom, despair, hopelessness, endless unemployment, abuse and the desire to be free.
Zimbabwe possesses all these and more.
Zimbabwe is a fertile ground for an uprising and ZANU-PF should not fool itself into believing that “it can’t happen here” because it certainly can.
It might take time and cost thousands of lives but in the end, as what happened with Gaddafi, the people will triumph.
In the end, dictators die alone, leaving a devastated nation, proving, once again, the selfishness of dictators.
As for the MDC, well, they have gotten rather a little too comfortable within this government.
Once the people pour onto the streets on their own, it will be an initiative that excludes the MDC.
In Egypt, the people, not the cantankerous and noisy Moslem Brotherhood, brought down Mubarak.
Today, the Moslem Brotherhood is fighting it out with other groupings because they failed to rally and inspire people well enough to topple their nemesis.
If this happens in Zimbabwe, the MDC will be as irrelevant as ZANU-PF because people won’t be taking orders from any political party.
People will have decided to do it on their own, having given ZANU-PF and the MDC ample time to sort things out.
The MDC must be careful that its supporters do not get to the point of going it alone, sidestepping their party.
If that happens, then the MDC is finished because the clock has been ticking.
The MDC is failing to inspire hope; it is failing to harness the goodwill offered it by the people. The MDC is clearly showing lack of leadership and is unable to take meaningful stands.
You can see how hopeless our tomorrow is, can’t you?
Zimbabwe is relying on these two groups for the resuscitation of our nation and here comes 2012!
Is God counting our miserable years?
Is God keeping tabs on our patience?
Is our Lord aware of the nations massing to cheat us?
Shall Zimbabwe, in 2012, put its hopes in the hands of a useless man like Jacob Zuma?
I ask again, where does the love of God go when misery, such as ours, comes to stay?
The people of Zimbabwe have shown great restraint; they have shown maturity and they have accepted burdens not their own.
The world, especially South Africa and SADC, have mistaken our peaceful demeanour for cowardice.
Zuma, who cannot control the morons within his own party, is asked to control Zimbabwe’s seasoned dictator.
SADC has never solved any political problem.
When Botswana and Namibia massed their forces against each other over the Kasikili/Sedudu Island in 1996, they went to the International Court of Justice in Europe, not to SADC, whose headquarters is right here in Gaborone.
Yet, today, after so many deaths, Zimbabweans are being asked to look to SADC for a solution to their problems.
SADC appointed yet another South African, President Jacob Zuma, as mediator in the Zimbabwean crisis.
But a few days ago, ANC Secretary General, Gwede Mantashe, pledged ANC support and willingness “to assist ZANU-PF in coming up with election messages and strategies that would deliver victory” to ZANU-PF.
Mantashe said that “it is important for ZANU PF to regain lost ground and continue to represent the aspirations of the people of Zimbabwe”.
Zuma, Mantashe and their ANC do not care about something called elections. They want to force Mugabe on the people of Zimbabwe.
And these are our mediators!
It’s more than two years now since the MDC joined ZANU-PF and look at what South Africa and SADC are doing to the MDC, and what they are doing to us Zimbabweans!
The year 2012 has to be the year that Zuma, SADC, Mugabe and ZANU-PF are brought in line.
This group does not deserve any decency any more.
Zimbabweans have hopes and their hopes do not fade. The MDC must be careful to not appear as if it is the one stopping people’s aspirations from reaching fruition. The MDC has to change course and become more emphatic.
As for us Zimbabweans, a clear move away from these non performing parties must send out waves to convince the South Africans that Zimbabwe is not an extension of South Africa and to make it clear that Zimbabweans are not dependent on either ZANU-PF or the MDC.
Ripples, small but present, should be seen now as we slowly recognize that all these people are working in cohorts.
My simple wish for 2012?
Power to the people! Simple as that.
The MDC better be careful because 2012 might not be as kind to it as the other past years.
People want change in 2012, not explanations or excuses and the MDC better take note. We have had enough of the MDC’s whining and complaining. They should do something.
Africa has already shown that no dictator is safe, no matter what arsenal at his disposal.
Zimbabweans deserve better than what the unity government has dished out so far.
I fear for my country because of the morons crowded at the top. They are not doing anything to relieve our nation of its burdens.
We the people made ZANU-PF.
We the Zimbabweans made the MDC.
We the people of Zimbabwe can bring both of them down.
No sissy stuff today; no New Year resolutions.
Zimbabweans are tired of this nonsense.
We want change. And we want it now.
