By SibusisoNdlamini
The much hyped, but shallow, so called ‘Hope of The Nation Address’, (HONA) by opposition leader, Nelson Chamisa had nothing new in it that Zimbabweans could actually hold on to, and believe that there is indeed economic, political or social hope.
Firstly, it must be acknowledged that economic and political hope to the people of Zimbabwe was restored when President Emmerson Mnangagwa took oath of office in November 2017, following the resignation of former President, the late Robert Gabriel Mugabe. Real change on both the political and economic environment was experienced in Zimbabwe. It was the dawn of a new Zimbabwe, under the new dispensation.
In his HONA, the embattled MDC leader claimed that Zimbabwe is isolated from the international community again. Chamisa’s utterances depicts that he is out of touch with reality. He seems to have forgotten that investors from other nations have already indicated their willingness to invest in Zimbabwe. Recently President Mnangagwa was in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates for the 5th Global Business Forum on Africa 2019. Through his engagement efforts,a number of investors in Dubai revealed their interest to invest in the mining, tourism and manufacturing industries. Reports have it that those investors will soon come and scout for investment opportunities following the fruitful engagement with President Mnangagwa during the Global Business Forum Africa meeting.
Adding on to that, President Mnangagwa on 16 November also officially opened Mahusekwa District Hospital was constructed by Chinese investors. Some of the Chinese investors are investing in the construction of the New Parliament building as well as upgrading of the Robert Mugabe International Airport. So, it’s actually a lie for Chamisa to say Zimbabwe is isolated.
Secondly, Chamisa is insincere to say Zimbabwe is a banana republic. There are rules and regulations that must be adhered to in every country. Every person who breaches the law will certainly face arrest. The country’s judiciary is efficient and transparent as it interprets and applies the law fairly. Recently, Chamisa won a case against MDC-T leader, Dr Thokozani Khupe. Dr Khupe had challenged her expulsion from Parliament when she had parted ways with Chamisa’s MDC, so she had taken the Speaker of Parliament to the Constitutional Court. Honestly, can that happen in a lawless country? If Zimbabwe was lawless, the courts could have just left Dr Khupe as an MDC Senator despite the fact that she had split from MDC under Chamisa’s leadership.
Also, Chamisa is threatening that he would force President Mnangagwa to come to the dialogue table. Ironically it is Chamisa who has been not been willing to joinother political parties for dialogue with President Mnangagwa, citing illegitimacy issue. From the look of things, what Chamisa wants is not dialogue, but power, since he is demanding to have a discussion between him and the President. In actual fact, Chamisa is clamouring for a Government of National Unity, but hiding under the name National Transitional Authority where only the MDC is expected to join ZANU PF Government leaving out other parties.
Chamisa also talked about the re-dollarising the economy. As Minister of Finance and Economic Development, Professor Mthuli Ncube stated, Zimbabwe actually de-dollarised. Banning use of the multi-currency system was done to stabilise the foreign currency exchange rate as well as the economy. Recently the RBZ re-introduced the new currency as a step towards total de-dollarisation.
Chamisa nonsensically claims that Government stole their party idea of Smart Agriculture. However, the truth of the matter is Government never borrowed or stole any idea any from MDC. By renaming Command Agriculture to Smart Agriculture, it does not amount to stealing an idea. The MDC does not have a monopoly on the word “Smart”. As such, Chamisa and his cronies should stop their silly claims and start to emulate Government programmes.
Indeed, there is nothing of any economic hope in Chamisa’s speech; it’s all distortion of facts.
For Chamisa to try and seek political sympathy by saying Mugabe’s administration was better than the incumbent new dispensation is a pure lie. During Mugabe's era, opposition political parties never addressed campaign rallies in the rural areas, which is different from the current administration. Ahead of the 2018 harmonised elections, Chamisa held more rallies in rural areas without anyone interfering with his campaign which in itself is a milestone departure from Mugabe’s ways. Recently, MDC National Women’s Assembly Chairperson addressed their party supports in Mhondoro and even gave them farming inputs without any disruptions. So, to cut the long story short, the new dispensation brought about freedom and democracy, and as such, opposition political members should not abuse that.
