The Political Actors Dialogue (POLAD) is the right platform
for Zimbabweans to dialogue and the opposition MDC-A is missing out on an
opportunity to purposefully impact on the governance of the country, former
MDC-T vice president Obert Gutu has said.
Speaking in an interview with The Herald, Mr
Gutu said there was no onus in criticising the platform without fully
understanding what it is intended to achieve.
Mr Gutu said Nelson Chamisa should at least join the
platform and speak from a well informed point of view.
“I think they are missing a huge opportunity to impact
purposefully in the governance of this country because if you just lambast and
trash POLAD without you understanding what it is about, it does not make sense
to me and for any right thinking person. We are saying POLAD is for those
political parties that had a Presidential candidate in the 2018 harmonised
elections.
“I believe the best thing you have to do is say okay I am
not happy with POLAD but I want to join then use that opportunity to say I am
not happy with it because of A, B, C, and D. Don’t just throw tantrums, no one
will listen to you,” he said.
“I believe POLAD can be improved upon but conceptually it
is a brilliant opportunity for Zimbabwe to come together.”
He said it was important for Zimbabweans to be
conscientised about the platform so that they familiarise with it and get to
know exactly what its mandate and purpose is.
Mr Gutu called for the broadening of POLAD to accommodate
all key drivers in the country’s economic revival in the near future.
“I believe there is still a lot to be done to make POLAD
known. People have to know what is POLAD, what is it about, people want to know
and deserve to know; what is POLAD’s main thrust, what its main mission.
“Why don’t we broaden POLAD. Right now it is just political
actors but why don’t we have a POLAD that will have even the media, business,
the church, women’s organisations, the youth because there are so many sectoral
interests in this country. Then you make POLAD a colossal multi-faceted forum,”
said Mr Gutu.
He dismissed notions by the MDC that dialogue should only
be between the ruling Zanu PF party and themselves, saying: “The good thing
about multi-party democracy is that the majority will have their way while the
minority have their say, that is the fundamental guiding principle of a
functional and authentic multi-party democracy.
All I am saying is if you exclusively say POLAD should be
between Zanu PF and MDC you are totally off course.”
Mr Gutu said although he had resigned as MDC-T vice
president it did not mean that he was against it as a constructive way to take
the country forward.
“At POLAD I was one of the representatives of the MDC-T but
let me put this clear, I am one of the people who passionately believe that if
POLAD is restructured, if it is properly repackaged it is actually a game
changer,” he said. Herald
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