(HERALD) Let’s define our national ethos

Let’s define our national ethos

EDITOR — I have been reflecting on the following issues which impact on the final chapter of the revolution we have waged against the West through the leadership of President Mugabe. Loose talk about the "good old days" is not only unbiblical but even in our Shona culture it is unacceptable. Ecclesiastes 7: 10 says, "Do not say, ‘why were the old days better than these? For it is not wise to ask such question’". In Shona, we say, "Dai, kutaura kwebenzi".

How will you and me realise the "100 percent empowerment and total independence" espoused by President Mugabe?

Now that President Mugabe has been given another mandate to govern Zimbabwe, I feel that one of the fundamentals for his Government, Zanu-PF and the nation at large is to define Zimbabwe’s national ethos.

It should be an ethos that would be an embodiment of our social, cultural, political and economic values, irrespective of party affiliation, gender, age, religion, race and social status. Our national ethos should be our mark of identity wherever we are. I feel that without it we won’t go very far.

Zimbabweans, especially educated Zimbabweans have totally ignored the fact that the West and us are guided by totally different democratic principles.

The two major parties in both the US and Britain know that while governments and leaderships might come and go, there are certain principles and institutions that should never change.

Foreign policy for example is a sacred cow. This is why we have seen that the US and EU policies against Africa and us in general do not change despite change of government.

In the UK, there is also a common, but unwritten understanding where the electorate knows what each party is good at in terms of service provision.

The Conservative party is best known for fixing the economy, while the Labour party is known for dealing with social services.

They also know how to deal with each other within their bilateral organisations such as the EU, the G8 and Nato.

They also know how to work with their major partner, the United States. For the US it is the same. When it comes to foreign policy, its strategic interests are paramount.

We therefore need this for Zimbabwe. To achieve this we need think tanks headed by patriotic Zimbabweans who can be trusted to effectively execute such a mammoth task and ensure that it is implemented through the different facets of our lives, not just for now, but ad infinitum.

The political will to see it through should come from both parties Zanu-PF and the MDC-T since it can only work under the guidance of legal instruments.

Christopher Shumba
Luton, UK.