WHEN Zimbabwe’s founding leader Robert Mugabe died exactly
a year ago today, for many it was unimaginable any leader who comes after him
would repeat his mistakes.
Mugabe, who ruled Zimbabwe for nearly 40 years, carved a
legacy of being a strongman. For years he brutally crushed dissent and his
track record in managing the economy was disastrous.
It was on that basis that many Zimbabweans supported a
military coup that toppled him in 2017 and propelled his protégé President
Emmerson Mnangagwa into power.
Mnangagwa’s ascendancy sparked optimism about Zimbabwe’s
renaissance, but on the eve of Mugabe’s death anniversary the new government
fuelled debate on who was the better leader between the two.
The government’s decision to allow foreign white farmers to
return to their properties led to some critics to suggest that Mnangagwa was
now reversing one of Mugabe’s signature policies, which they said made him
worse than his mentor.
“A careful perusal of the regime’s statement on land shows
beyond reasonable doubt that the regime is now in the process of reversal of
the land reform programme,” former Finance minister Tendai Biti said.
“This conscious process started with the land for land
compensation Regulations SI 62 2020, then the Global Compensation Deed.”
Biti questioned where the government would get the US$3,5
billion it has pledged to pay the white former commercial farmers
Norton MP and Mnangagwa ally Temba Mliswa also made the
same claims, accusing the Zanu PF leader of wanting to reverse the land reform
programme.
Exiled former Zanu PF commissar Saviour Kasukuwere said the
land issue was an emotive one, which needed wide consultations
“A process like this should be driven through the party,
Zanu PF, which started it,” Kasukuwere warned.
Comparing Mnangagwa and Mugabe, Kasukuwere said the past
two years under the Zanu PF leader had shown that the two leaders were miles
apart.
“At least we knew what he (Mugabe) stood for,” he said. “He
was clear about that. May his soul rest in peace.”
Jealousy Mawarire, National Patriotic Front spokesperson,
the party made up of mainly Mugabe loyalists, said the long-serving Zanu PF
leader would not have approved of the new policies on land.
“The issue of land was always dear to his heart, almost
every conversation would ultimately lead to the need for land to remain in the
hands of blacks, and it is an ideal he held on until his last breath,” he said.
Former MDC-T vice-president Obert Gutu said Mugabe, though
imperfect, would be remembered for his strong stance against neo-imperialism
and colonialism.
“If he believed in something, he would stick to that like
glue,” Gutu said. “He will be remembered by generations to come for his
strong stance in repossessing land.
“Yes, the land reform programme had a knockdown effect on
food security, but 50 years from now, and onwards, Mugabe will be remembered by
all future generations for this move.”
Political analyst Alexander Rusero said it was a paradox
that people now missed Mugabe just a year after his death.
“The greatest folly of Mnangagwa is that he has failed to
level up to Mugabe in terms of political brilliance, eloquence, benevolence and
true statesmanship,” Rusero said.
“On things we remember badly about Mugabe, Mnangagwa has
perfectly succeeded in outdoing Mugabe by being worse.
“You talk of human rights abuses, narrowing of democratic
space, ruthlessness and the sort of I-do-not-care attitude on issues critical
to the necessities of citizens’ lives.”
He added: “Put simply, we were never supposed to miss
Mugabe as he remains the architect of all miseries we find ourselves in, but
reality is that as opposed to the false alternative parachuted on Zimbabwe by
the military in the form of Mnangagwa, we dearly miss the old man — may his
soul rest in peace.”
University of Zimbabwe political science lecturer Eldred
Masunungure said the developments around the land reform programme raised
questions on whether Mugabe and Mnangagwa ever shared the same principles.
“Most think, perhaps, Mnangagwa was never seriously into it
and he is now showing his true colours,” Masunungure said.
“The huge amounts of money in the compensation deal and the
claims that we are fulfilling constitutional obligations, one wonders, how many
constitutional obligations are yet to be fulfilled and why the rush on this
one?
“Why going all the distance on something lying in the very
heart of Zanu PF?
“There is a feeling the current regime is selling out.”
Zanu PF director of information Tafadzwa Mugwadi promised
to issue a statement on Mugabe, which had not been done by the time of going to
print last night.Standard
0 comments:
Post a Comment