If recent media reports carried by the Zimbabwe Independent of 11 January 2008 concerning the imminent launch of a ZANU PF breakaway party to contest the March elections under Simba Makoni are true, then Makoni is a super patriot who deserved to be saluted nothwithstanding the urgent and patriotic fact that only a broad based coalition of all democratic forces can unseat Mugabe and his rigging machinery in a free and fair election come March 08
That Makoni is alleged to be ready to stake his credibility and indeed his life against Mugabe and his notoriousily ruthless machinery deserves outmost respect.For an analysis of the antithesis that the ZANU PF extraordinary congress held in December 07 was, any ZANU PF opportunist would never dare to take such a risky yet drastic but welcome move in Zimbabwe today.
After Mugabe clearly rigged himself back to power by blocking the contestation of the party's presidency at the so called extraordinary ZANU PF congress which was a yawning non-event,all well meaning political analysts never expected that some ZANU PF members who have the country at heart can come forwad and fight to reclaim the Zimbabwean dream from the disastrous policies of the now politically and biologically spent force that Robert Mugabe has become.
Indeed political analysts had expected that after the so called extraordinary congress circus, all ruling party factions including well meaning reformists were going to take a back seat , close ranks and campaign for Mugabe whilist sharpening their spears for an unprecedented assalt on each other when Mugabe finally leave office by the will of God for its crystal clear that Mugabe will never leave office and hand over power to anyone when he is still alive since he has delusions that the title deeds to our beautiful country are in his pockets
It is in this context that if the media reports of Makoni working to save Zimbabwe at this defining moment in history are true, then he deserves to be inducted into the political hall of fame regardless of whether his project will succeed or fail.Throughout history, in defining moments of great nations, great people are not those who succeed in changing the situation but include those who stand up to be counted despite the enomity of a task facing them.
So Makoni has taken a risky decision and I believe that history will always reward those who take a principled stand based on conviction.For it is now a clear fact that Mugabe 's time is up and his continued presence at State house against the wishes of the people of Zimbabwe whom he has reduced to a laughing stock in the whole world just to molify his unquenchable appetite for power and its sake is a serious and painful problem to the people of Zimbabwe.Indeed Mugabe is the problem and the earlier the people of Zimbabwe take him head on and clearly send a powerful message that he does not own Zimbabwe but the people do, the better.
Unlike political sycophants such as Manyika, Kasukuwere, Muchinguri, Sibanda and the national joke Chinos, who to some extend can be forgiven given his clearly limited intellect, who are prepared to throw conscience away for the sake of political patronage, Makoni has put himself on the line.It would have been politically safe for any opportunist to wait in the wings and then pounce once Mugabe meets his God.Given his advanced age, naturally Mugabe is now an endangered specie that can do well in Old people 's homes whilist peacefully waiting to depart to the Almighty.
If Makoni and his group are to truly enter the political frayfor the people against the tyranny of Mugabe, that would mark the apogee of statesmanship by Makoni and his group.
However media reports that Makoni and his group has spurned the agenda of a broad based coalition of all democtratic forces including the opposition MDC are true, that makes a sad reading given the fact that the current configuration of Zimbabbwean political landscape require unity of all democratic forces to donate a crushing defeat of Mugabe and his rigging machinery in March 08 elections.
Thus the Makoni group must go a step further and reach out and embrace all othe opposition forces for a rainbow coalition that must be driven by the desire to save Zimbabwe from collapsing into Zimbabwe Ruins by defeating Mugabe and his shameless cohorts come March 08
Makoni musk quickily put his act together and with others in the democratic movement write the Polokwane template in Zimbabwean politics.History will forever be grateful to respected guys like Makoni for taking such a risky but yet necessary move for evil triumph when good man fold their hands and do nothing
Garikai Chimuka (garychimuka06@yahoo.com), Wageningen University, The Netherlands
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