BY GEORGE CHIRIKURE!
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On that date MDC leader Mr. Morgan Richard Tsvangirai was sworn in as Zimbabwe's new prime minister, a post reintroduced for the second time since independence, but with half or less its powers then.The event was of course and without doubt historic as well as giving a ray of hope to millions of suffering Zimbabweans at home and abroad.
Just like many Zimbabweans, I am for unity and restoration of our national pride that means I support whatever steps are necessary to normalize our nationhood and bring back prosperity.This does not mean we should refrain from correctly documenting historic events, offer middle of the road opinions and attach human values to such occurrences.
The irony here is that the MDC leader was sworn in for the wrong post, but still his supporters like me and the rest of Zimbabweans found ourselves celebrating.Mr. Tsvangirai was supposed to be sworn in as State President by Zimbabwe's Chief Justice, Godfrey Chidyausiku and not Mr. Mugabe.
On March 29th, 2008, running for state president, Mr. Tsvangirai won clearly or got the majority of votes if you want it that way, but Zimbabwe's armed forces generals fearing the loss of power and privileges altered the results during a 6 week stand off with electoral officials.As the tallies were being made pointing to a Mr. Tsvangirai's victory, Zimbabweans from all works of life begun to celebrate the same way they are doing right now, but the difference is, for different state and government post, State President.
That is why some of us insist that the will of the people as reflected on 29th of March be respected we mean something different from what are now seeing starting the 11th of February.However, as we all know that there is always another day, this time we have been forced to celebrate receiving half a loaf, which is better than none at all.
All in all, Zimbabwe is for all of us and at the end of the day as brothers and sisters we have to live, work, suffer and prosper together.For years many observers in and outside Zimbabwe have been wondering whether it was not possible to borrow from Leonard Zhakata's song -"Ko zvaka ipeiko kuti keke renyika todya tese kuti tifare tese".
With this animal called inclusive government there we are fellow Zimbabweans, but it should be recorded that Mr. Tsvangirai was sworn in by the wrong person for the wrong post. All the same lets celebrate.
Just to remind the new prime minister that also top on his government agenda must be the repatriation of destitute Zimbabweans living in foreign lands.
I was touched one day, when I visited the Mozambican capital Maputo, when I met a 16 year old Zimbabwean boy living and sleeping by the sea side, having fled hunger and violence in Zimbabwe.
He told me he has a father and mother back home, I could not believe what I saw and heard from him. The only thing I came to conclude was that Zimbabwe has a whole generation lost for good, just because Tsvangirai must be sworn in for the wrong post and not the one Zimbabweans decided to give him on 29th.
It's a pity that the self esteem and pride of being Zimbabwean shall be big challenge for us to reconstruct and preserve, but let us hope for the better.
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