Maravi

(HERALD) MDC-T should embrace national values, ethos

MDC-T should embrace national values, ethos
Thursday, 11 August 2011 02:00
By Farirai Chubvu

EVERY nation has founding values and ethos that all in leadership are expected to uphold and defend and values constitute the bedrock of the nationhood the leadership pledges allegiance to when taking the oath of office. Zimbabwe is no exception.

Ours is a country that was born out of protracted liberation struggles culminating in the Second Chimurenga War (1966-1979) that ushered in black majority rule. The expectation, therefore, is that all in leadership be it they from Zanu-PF, MDC-T and MDC, and anyone aspiring for high office will strive to uphold the values for which our forebears, living and fallen heroes committed themselves to for 90 years till the attainment of majority rule, independence and democracy on April 18, 1980.

Though the MDC-T has some ex-Rhodesian security forces personnel in its ranks; the likes of Giles Mutsekwa and Roy Bennett to mention just a few; and is led by a man who deserted a liberation war camp within hours, the party's leadership must remember that they are free to form such a party today because of the democracy accruing from the liberation struggle.

Indeed, the likes of Eddie Cross of the "crash and burn" infamy are free to insult us like that today because Chitepo died for Cross to say that in independent Zimbabwe.

The sacrifices of the men and women who risked life and limb to win us freedom made it possible for the MDC-T leadership to participate in issues of governance even as they pursue an embarrassingly foreign agenda.

It is that democracy that enables even those who fought against black majority rule to stand for elective office today let alone having the black component of the MDC-T rub shoulders with the Roy Bennetts and Eddie Crosses of this world who constituted a privileged class in Rhodesia.

To this end, the attitude of the MDC-T leadership towards the liberation struggle as manifested in their scant disregard for Heroes Day as evidenced by their perennial absence at Heroes Day commemorations deserves strong censure.

On Heroes Day, MDC-T leaders chose to gather at Warren Hills Cemetery for the burial of Professor Eliphas Mukonoweshuro, former public service minister, slotting the burial to coincide with Heroes Day commemorations at the National Heroes Acre.

I do not, for a minute buy the MDC-T leadership's line that the burial time and date were the prerogative of the Mukonoweshuro family since the late Cabinet minister was accorded a state-assisted funeral; and there was no way the family would have slotted the burial to coincide with Heroes Day commemorations. I saw this as the MDC-T's attempt to shun this important national event.

And my suspicions were confirmed when Ministers Saviour Kasukuwere, Walter Mzembi and Olivia Muchena who attended the Mukonoweshuro burial on behalf of the Presidency managed to make it to the National Heroes Acre on time.

What is more, MDC-T spokesman, Douglas Mwonzora also tipped his hand when he tried to put the late Mukonoweshuro in the pantheon of national heroes.

What is even more revealing is the fact this was not the first time MDC-T leaders had organised a sideshow during Heroes Day commemorations for on two separate occasions in 2009 alone, the party's leadership showed utter scorn for the struggle and its heroes.

Firstly, when Vice President Joseph Msika passed on in August that year and as his body lay in state in Harare, MDC-T legislators gathered in Dangamvura for Giles Mutsekwa's victory celebration.

In other words as the nation mourned, they were celebrating.

Their gathering would have passed off as an oversight were it not for the statements made there to the effect that the MDC-T should identify and honour its own heroes.
Utterances that implied that the holding of the victory celebration at the time of the demise of a venerated national hero was not coincidental, and may not have been about Mutsekwa's victory in the 2008 harmonised elections.

Secondly, on October 31 that year, it was party leader Morgan Tsvangirai's turn to play truant as Cde Misheck Chando was being interred at the National Heroes Acre.
Tsvangirai chose to tee off with the US ambassador at Ruwa Country Club as other leaders gathered for the burial at the national shrine, oblivious to the fact that were it not for the sacrifices of the likes of Cde Chando, he would only have been allowed on the Ruwa green as a caddy.

To this end, I urge the MDC-T leadership to embrace national values, respect the legacy of the liberation struggle so that they can be trusted to uphold its gains.
Even Article VIII of the GPA, Respect for National Institutions and Events, which the MDC-T leaders claim to uphold, counsels the same.

My advice to Tsvangirai, who always dreams of receiving a salute from our venerated commanders, is such a salute will remain a pipe-dream as long as you do not fit the straitjacket of a progressive, patriotic national leader.

As long as you refuse to exorcise the western demon, you will remain a security inconvenience to be tolerated but never countenanced.

fariraichubvu@gmail.com

Labels: HEROES DAY, MDC

posted by MrK @ 4:58 PM