Zimbabwe needs to debate 'Third Way'

Zimbabwe needs to debate 'Third Way'

• Jonathan Moyo: The Third Way -Zimbabwe's last Chimurenga

• New political party seen contesting Zim election

• Jonathan Moyo: Why Mugabe should go now

• Moyo says Mugabe engaged in 'sunset politics'

• Grace Kwinjeh: 'Third force' or counter revolutionary claptrap?

• YOUR SHOUTS: Nyarota, Ncube have lost their bearings

• Brighton Musonza: Trevor and Geoff spread confusion

• Lance Guma: Trevor has lost the plot

• Ncube: Zimbabwe needs 'third way' solution

• Nyarota: Time may be ripe for third force

By Ndaba Mabhena

PROFESSOR Jonathan Moyo has laid his stake in the ground by proposing the Third Way. Serious conversations must begin in earnest with a view of unpacking this view.

Trevor Ncube started the debate of the Third Way and thus concluded that Robert Mugabe was a factor in how the country must move forward. Following that conclusion Professor Jonathan Moyo agrees in principle on the Third Way but disagrees how it should be packaged. He does not agree that Robert Mugabe should be a factor when moving forward but insists Mugabe should be done away with altogether.

The above are very serious conversations in trying to shape the future of Zimbabwe. Those people that are serious about the future of Zimbabwe either for their own sake or their off-springs should ignore these conversations at their own peril. If Zimbabweans do not participate in the shaping of their future, some fool definitely will.

Professor Moyo made a cursory reference to the 2000 Constitutional Referendum. We should take a step back and exercise our minds on what the proposed constitution carried as compared to the current one crafted by the late Dr. Edison Zvobgo. Admittedly the proposed Constitution was fraught with a lot of omissions from peoples' submissions but we should have been strategic enough to accept it as a first step to changing the current regime. At times change takes place one step at a time. However, lessons learned are that we should not be emotional but strategic when it comes to issues of national governance.

As we prepare to take a step forward into the future, we should bear in mind that emotions must be set aside. There has to be consensus on the way forward. This calls on all Zimbabweans in the Diaspora and in Zimbabwe, black or white, Indian or coloured, rich or poor, Ndebele or Shona, to come together and save Zimbabwe. I believe patronage and tribalism remain the two actions that are responsible for where this country finds itself today.

In the last few days when Robert Mugabe and team left the country on a wild goose chase in the name of soliciting for funds from friendly nations, one was left with no choice but to laugh aloud. It was panic station at the government of Zimbabwe!

However, after the laughing subsided, one felt private embarrassment at being Zimbabwean.

As we unpack a lot of solutions on the way forward including the ‘Third Way’ we should remember where we are coming from. We need to take personal audit on what went wrong since 1980. We should have serious conversations with both ourselves and other people. We should have conversations for relationship building, action, opportunities and possibilities. While we have these conversations, we should listen out for each other’s moments of brilliance.

While we have these conversations, we should be wary of opportunists. We should accept that in building anything one needs to have a shot at it and give others a chance. In building the third way we must worry about politicians that are going to jump ship from Zanu PF and MDC and offer themselves to serve the new order. We should be wary of them as I believe that the failure of MDC is that it was fashioned along Zanu PF lines: that is on nepotism, tribalism and patronage. Furthermore it was formed in Zanu PF spirit. We see Morgan Tsvangirai holding on to a dying party for he wants to give power to his unelected relatives and tribesmen. Zanu PF is the same.

In shaping the new way forward, the sure way of ensuring that it will not succeed is to allow failed and uncourageous politicians from both MDC and Zanu PF to come on board. Kenyan Rainbow Coalition is an instructive example. Kenyans are slowly approaching the next election without the promised Constitution, with the draft having been tempered with by powers that be. I am not surprised at Kenya's still progress. How were they expecting to make progress with a President who was Arap Moi's deputy for over a decade?

All Zimbabwean intellectuals, academics, proper politicians, artists must respond to Professor Jonathan Moyo's stand. In reacting to the issue of the Third Way, we need to sincerely unpack it in a manner that is democratic, open and frank. Serious conversations need to take place both at home and in the Diaspora.
Ndaba Mabhena is a regular contributor to New Zimbabwe.com and is based in Harare
JOIN THE DEBATE ON THIS ARTICLE ON THE NEWZIMBABWE.COM FORUMS
debate@newzimbabwe.com