If one is to write a book on the story of Zimbabwe’s independence, it will be a mind-sore read with over twenty-year narratives of a syndrome of crises.
First, it would be under the leadership of former (and now late) President Robert Mugabe, who was in charge for 37 years. To his critics, this highly educated, wily politician became the caricature of an African dictator, who destroyed an entire country to keep his job. His regime stifled freedom of expression and those that dared criticise him publicly paid dearly. Palpably, his administration essentially destroyed the country’s economy.
Later it would be under President Emmerson D. Mnangagwa, who took over the reigns after a military-instigated and mass-supported leadership change just under three years ago. Eager to prove that a total change has occurred in the governance, the Mnangagwa team would rechristen itself as the “New Dispensation” and assume the “Second Republic” tag after the July 2019 elections which Pres. Mnangagwa won.
While one would’ve thought that the leadership change proffered a regime change with deep and wide-ranging reforms, the Zimbabwean case is a political loner in a historical vacuum. The multi-dimensional tale of the Southern African crisis has proved impervious to the leadership change.
Myriad media reports have indicated that in fact, the socio-economic and political situation has dramatically deteriorated since the New Dispensation took over, rendering as futile the wave of well-coordinated media and public-relations engagements pursued by the government to prove otherwise.
Now, a juxtaposition of the two definitive dispensations is playing out in the courts of public opinion and is polarising at least, and frustrating at most.
Former president of the Evangelical Fellowship of Zimbabwe (EFZ) and Faith Ministries Senior Pastor, Dr Shingi Munyeza is the latest to opine on the comparison game of the old vs the new.
Asked in an in a wide-ranging interview with spotlight-z.com to give a SWOT analysis of Presidents Mugabe and Mnangagwa’s states craftmanship, policies and politics, Dr Munyeza — who by the way doubles as an advisor to President Mnangagwa — said the old dispensation was better than the current one.
Said the cleric; “My comments here are personal and not as a PAC member. Having said that I must say that the previous dispensation was better than the current one. In 2 years they have managed to kill, close hospitals, destroy wealth, destroy livelihoods and take corruption to a record in an unprecedented manner. They have also demonstrated a dearth of leadership and incapacity and incompetence to take us forward. Basically, we are staring at a disaster of untold proportions in the months to come.”
In another instance, Dr Munyeza said he “strongly believe” that a transitional government to sort out decades of bad governance. He was responding to the question of whether Vice President Rtd General Constantino Chiwenga, might takeover on a transitional basis under a transitional government to finish the incumbent’s term of office and if he was a good choice for the country going forward?
“I honestly can’t comment on the ability of VP Chiwenga except to say that he has not been well according to public reports and statements,” Dr Munyeza said, adding that he was not sure how he was doing.
“However, I strongly believe in a transitional government to sort out decades of bad governance,” he continued. “This would require everyone to come to the table in a genuine, inclusive and unconditional dialogue. I’m confident that if such a structure is put together, we will need to go through truth and reconciliation which leads to healing, giving back democratic freedoms and rights, reforms across the board and eventually put us on a path to have free, fair and credible elections whose result would not be contested. This can be the only formula for our prosperity.”
Among other things, Dr Munyeza talked about was his latest controversial sermons in which he labelled the current national administration as a cult with Luciferianism drippings, and why he accepted to work for the same evil administration as a Man of God.
The full interview is available here.
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