Zimbabwe should take a leaf from Rwanda’s post-genocide
reconciliation model as it embarks on its own healing process, President
Mnangagwa has said.
In an interview at Kigali International Airport after
attending the Rwanda Liberation Celebration Day at Amahoro National Stadium,
President Mnangagwa said despite experiencing one of the most horrific ethnic
clashes in contemporary world history, Rwanda is now one of the fastest growing
economies in Africa, enjoying unity and peace after it successfully managed to
bury its painful past.
Presidents Dr Hage Geingob (Namibia), Faure Gnassingbe
(Togo), Faustin-Archange Touadera (Central Africa Republic (CAR), Mohamed
Abdullahi Farmajo (Somalia), Julius Maada Bio (Sierra Leone) and Dr Mokgweetsi
Masisi (Botswana) also attended the liberation silver jubilee.
“It’s an exceptional experience of reconciliation. Twenty
five years ago Rwanda could have been torn to pieces. But then President Kagame
rescued the situation, and has built a proud, united and integrated Rwanda.
This should be a lesson to the rest of African Union (AU) member states.
“We still have member states of AU with such internal
problems. So, the experience of Rwanda could be a classic lesson with regards
to how you can integrate our nation to speak with one voice, to become sisters
and brothers and move forward and put the experiences of the past which are
divisive behind. Rwanda has totally succeeded in that regard,” said President
Mnangagwa.
The President, who recently told traditional leaders in
Bulawayo not to entertain tribalism said the Rwanda experience reminds him of
the Zimbabwean situation.
“In fact, as both the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Rwanda
(Dr Richard Sezibera) and President Kagame gave speeches, my mind went back to
our own situation back home, and I said if it were possible, you people (journalists)
and my communications director (Cde George Charamba), could broadcast these
statements back home it would assist us in our endeavour to unite Zimbabwe, in
the real sense, where there is no east, south, north and central.
“We all belong to one family. It does not matter whether
you come from the eastern part of the country, southern or northern part, you
all come from Zimbabwe. That was a solid message that Rwanda has achieved, and
I think it is not an easy job, but it’s something to emulate to achieve, to
strive to achieve and it can only be done with political will to do so. If the
will is weak, merchants of division will continue to thrive, but if there is a
strong political will to deal with these issues, I think we can succeed,” said
President Mnangagwa.
Turning to the National Environment Cleaning Day that he
will headline in Domboshava today, President Mnangagwa said the decision to
introduce the national clean-up day was borrowed from Rwanda during his visit
to the country last year.
“I came here last year and saw how Rwanda has maintained
(its cleanliness) and I conceived the idea to start that road journey to
achieve cleanliness throughout our country. We started the journey in December
last year, and I am pleased that if you compare Harare in December last year
and now, there is a huge change. And I believe that in another six months or
years’ time, we would be very proud Zimbabweans with very clean municipalities,
cities and countryside.
“We need to continuously remind ourselves and make sure our
people adopt the culture of cleanliness of the environment and of the persons
themselves. But beyond that, also the discipline you saw in the stadium. I
complimented President Kagame for the discipline in the stadium and also the
immaculate performances which happened; it was one theme after the other
without any disruption. It was like clockwork.
“Remember we attend these national events back home, in our
National Sports Stadium, when you are moving from traditional dancing to
another dance it takes time and people start preparing, and so on. I was
telling the Foreign Affairs and International Trade Minister (Dr Sibusiso Moyo)
that I am sure you will help me to convey the message home that things must
work like clockwork, as we have seen today. I do not know how they have
achieved it, but it’s a question of being disciplined and of the desire to
achieve excellence, and I think we can achieve it,” said President Mnangagwa.
He said Presidents Gnassingbe, Touadera and Bio have
expressed interest to visit Zimbabwe. Herald
0 comments:
Post a Comment