Great Expectations From Dialogue [opinion]

Tag : Seal Fabric

The deal that people eagerly awaited was preceded by othersuccessful agreements before it which included the 1979 LancasterHouse Agreement which had seen the two liberation war movementsZanu and Zapu sitting down with enemy forces to broker a contractthat ushered in independence in 1980. After that, the then PrimeMinister Cde Mugabe declared a policy of reconciliation whose solepurpose was to unite once bitter rivals across racial, partisan,ideological and ethnic lines or differences.
When it was apparent among the principals of the liberationstruggle Cde Mugabe and Cde Joshua Nkomo that the peace andtranquillity they had bitterly struggled for, where thousands hadsuffered immensely, with many losing limb and life, was underthreat, they dialogued and on December 22, 1987, the Unity Accordwas signed.
This was an accord that now defines the Zimbabwe of yesterday,today and forever. However, in the past 10 years, the aspirationsof this nation have once again been under serious threat asattempts to recolonise Zimbabwe by any means possible reachedfever-pitch in the past few years.
This has seen the nation deeply polarised and divided alongpartisan lines.
This has also resulted in the country facing immense economicchallenges as the former colonial master Britain and her majorallies, the United States and other Western nations, imposedillegal sanctions with the sole intention of effecting an illegalregime change, using issues such as governance, human rights asexcuses, although it is evident that the land reform programmeembarked on by Government in 2000 was central to their follyattempts.
However, the ongoing talks are testimony to the fabric that holdstogether the people of together.
It is a realisation that Zimbabwe is a family united by a commonhistory and heritage. Thus, the voice of reason once againprevailed among the political leadership as the principals from themain political parties, Zanu-PF and the two MDC formations, havemet to work out a permanent deal that would see the nation chartingthe way forward in the spirit of oneness and a common destiny.
If the wisdom in the Good Book is anything to go by, then there isnothing called coincidence.
For it says: "There is a time for everything, and a season forevery activity under heaven - a time to search and a time to giveup - a time to tear and a time to mend; a time to be silent and atime to speak; a time to love and a time to hate; a time for warand a time for peace."
And such has been for Zimbabwe: searching, mending, speaking,loving and making peace.
It was, therefore, not coincidental that the search for peace andlove should take place during the month of August, the eighth monthof the year.
In Chinese culture, the number "8" is considered to be the luckiestnumber of all. Prices in Chinese supermarkets can often be foundcontaining many 8's.
Thus, the 2008 Beijing Olympics opened on 8/8/08 at 8pm under thetheme "Peace For All", two days before the start of thenegotiations in Harare. Furthermore, Chinese speakers also use "88"as shorthand for "goodbye" in SMS and IM.
By way of argument, one could also argue that the number 8 issignificant in Zimbabwe's political journey where there are anumber of 8's in many events: April 18, 1980 - nationalindependence declared; December 22, 1987 - Unity Accord signed;1998 - President Mugabe and MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai lastmeet until July 21, 2008 when they both sign the Memorandum ofUnderstanding which paved way for the current talks; August 11,2008 -- the Sadc-mediated inter-party talks kick off in Harare.
If the string of 8's are supposed to symbolise progress andprosperity according to Chinese culture, then one could also arguethat it was not coincidental that Sadc-mediated talks are held thiseighth month of the year when the nation celebrated Heroes Day, aday when we reflect on the supreme sacrifices made by thousands ofheroes and heroines who fought for the liberation of the countryfrom colonial bondage.