Monday 15
th September 2008. No matter what else ever happens in my life, one thing will remain for sure, I will never forget that day. Never!
The unforgettable day dawned upon while I was still resident in Geneva, Switzerland. I remember all the drama that happened on that day so vividly as if it were yesterday. Indeed, I may never have had the inimitable privilege to have been a witness of the event in person but mark my words; I was definitely part of the event in spirit. 100%!
On that day, I was so glued up to both my laptop and the television screen. On the laptop, I was reading every news item I could get hold of on the internet about the stupendous event that was unfolding at the former Sheraton Hotel in Harare. On the television I was switching from one channel to the other looking for the best form of news coverage of the big story emanating from Harare.
Indeed on that day, the unthinkable happened! It was all there for all to see before thousands of witnesses packed up at the Harare International Conference Centre. Not to mention the special witnesses from the SADC hierarchy and the diplomatic community!
The world could not believe its own eyes, as tow former great antagonists, who until then were notorious for their decade long political fierce rivalry seemed more than read to bury the hatchet. It was as if they had all of a sudden decided to let bygones and bygones and start on a very clean slate.
Since the late 1990s, Morgan Tsvangirai had staked his claim towards the leadership mantle of Zimbabwe with so much vigour and rigour last seen in the days of Joshua Nkomo prior to the Unity Accord of December 1987.
Yet on his part, Robert Mugabe had shown an equally resulted determination not to let go of his strong grip of political power in Zimbabwe. He may have grown a bit old over the years, but his thirst remained unquenched and his hunger for more power remained largely unsatisfied.
Yet there, they were, with all the broad smiles and big hugs, apparently ready to go beyond the polarisation and usher in a new era of political peace in the country. They both seemed ready for the requisite paradigm shift from a very confrontational to a much more co-operative form of engagement for the benefit of the long suffering millions of Zimbabweans both at home and abroad.
What a momentous occasion that was! Or so it seemed.
Using the benefit of hindsight, it is now clear that all this was such a big farce. It was very deceptive political mirage of the worst order! They may have seemed so close in the eyes of the gullible but in reality they were even much more polarised than ever. The two men remained so far apart, just like the North Pole is from the South Pole.
This was not a partnership of two committed individuals. No, far from it! This was instead a well choreographed political opera that was virtually imposed upon the two protagonists buy other forces that were at play. What one in the language of broadcasting was known as the crew behind the scene.
One of the forces behind all the charade was none other than the then President of South Africa, Thabo Mbeki. He was clearly the match maker in this unexpected marriage of convenience.
The jury is still out as to what really where his personal motivations in the entire discourse. However, what was clearly evident on that day was that he was even more delighted than the two bitter rivals themselves at this ceasefire process. It was evident that he clearly hoped to create some political capital out of all this.
Another glaring clue as to apparent insincerity of the principals in all this was also brought up into the public domain by both the tone and some of the words of Mugabe’s speech on that day.
Mugabe clearly pointed out that while he had signed the Global Political Agreement document, he was definitely uncomfortable with some of its key provisions. He tried desperately to hide his displeasure but not so successfully so.
And now more than two years later, it is now very evident as to why he said those pessimistic words on that day. More than two years later, Tsvangirai is now so disillusioned at the apparent failure of Mugabe to honour both the letter and spirit of the agreement.
Specifically, his MDC is now calming that Mugabe’s Zanu (PF) has acted in bad faith in the past two years. It insists that there are over twenty outstanding issues related to the agreement that the other party has not bothered to honour until now.
On the other hand, Zanu (PF) claims that it is all the fault of the MDC because it has failed to convince its allies in the West to remove unconditional the special sanctions on some of the leaders of the former ruling party.
The matter has by now been referred to every available SADC organ or summit but to no avail.
Two years later, it is now clear that the signatures of the two principals are not worth at all the paper they were written upon. It is no wonder that the other not so influential signatory, Arthur Mutambara has lambasted both men for lacking seriousness and for sacrificing national interests at the altar of political expediency and personal aggrandisement.
The bottom line of this entire matter is that as long as both Tsvangirai and Mugabe cannot come to a mutual understanding, the full implementation of the agreement will never happen. Come rain or thunder!
The truth is that the people of Zimbabwe have abrogated their responsibilities and left the two men with the onerous task of talking the nation forward. Sadly without any form of public pressure from the millions of the long suffering Zimbabweans both at home and in the Diaspora; no concrete political change will ever happen in the country. Not now, not ever!
True and meaningful democratic change will not fall like manna from heaven in Zimbabwe. We as the citizens of the country need to go back to the basics. We need to go back to the years of the late 1990s when we decided to create a mass backed movement consisting of all the progressive forces of democracy in the country. The same forces that helped form the MDC in September 1999.
The reality we all have to face is that the struggle for a new democratic and prosperous Zimbabwe is far from over! Aluta continua!
