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Wallace Ruzvidzo, Harare Bureau
POLITICAL analysts say President Mnangagwa’s open-door policy has united Zimbabweans towards a productive and developmental path that is a turning point for the country’s once polarised political landscape.
On Sunday, in a never-before-seen show of unity, parliamentarians from across the political divide visited the First Family’s Pricabe farm for a familiarisation tour. Analysts said this was a demonstration of maturity in the country’s once-fractious politics.
A majority of opposition legislators attended the tour, with a few who did not participate sending their apologies.
Political commentators applauded this show of unity, saying politics in Zimbabwe had indeed come of age.
Government critic and former Cabinet Minister Professor Jonathan Moyo, who is living in self-imposed exile, described the opposition MPs’ visit to Pricabe Farm as “icebreaking”.
“Given their number in Parliament, it turns out that contrary to earlier false reports, the attendance of 34 CCC legislators at yesterday’s (Sunday) ground-breaking tour of President Mnangagwa’s Precabe Farm by MPs from across the political divide was significant and ice-breaking, engagement-wise!”, he said.
The unprecedented visit is in stark contrast to the antagonistic politics before the dawn of the Second Republic in 2017 and flies in the face of oppositional elements who thrive on discord.
Political analyst, Mr Godwine Mureriwa, said the uniting of all political players in the country had been something President Mnangagwa had always wanted and has now achieved.
Focus, he said, should now shift to the country’s development agenda pursuant to the attainment of Vision 2030.
“I think His Excellency President Mnangagwa when he came into power, made sure that he had a mandate to unite the country so that those in the ruling party, those in opposition formations, can realise that they are Zimbabweans.
“But what is important is that we have to focus on the development agenda, which is key to achieving Vision 2030 that has been set by His Excellency. The vision is not individualistic, it is a vision that the country has to focus on,” Mr Mureriwa said.
Another political analyst, Dr Leopold Chakanyuka, said President Mnangagwa had ushered in a new era of political maturity in Zimbabwe’s political landscape.
“The visit on Sunday by both Zanu-PF and CCC Members of Parliament symbolises the highest level of political maturity that we have attained as a country.
“We can unite where necessary and criticise where necessary, doing it constructively. The visit shows that as Zimbabweans, we are pushing towards one common agenda, which I think is very important,” he said
Dr Chakanyuka commended the opposition for forgoing selfish political interests and choosing national development.
“We need to appreciate the opposition for realising that we are Zimbabweans first before we become political parties,” he said.
In his address to the Parliamentarians, President Mnangagwa urged opposition legislators to actively scrutinise and hold the ruling party Zanu PF Members of Parliament to account so that they deliver for the general citizenry.
The President said the opposition legislators should give their ruling party counterparts a hard time in Parliament to build and develop Zimbabwe.
Because of his open-door policy, another political analyst Mr Rutendo Matinyarare, said the President had successfully unified political parties in the country.
This, he said, would see all political players joining forces in the development of the country.
“I think that the President has been successfully able to bring unity to the political parties. He is breaking the polarisation that we have seen for many years in our country, uniting different political opponents to make them focus on the national interest and the one goal of building a better Zimbabwe.
“I would assume that, that is why some of the opposition members are saying let us hold on and hold off elections while we unite and build our country better to take us forward. I think that is very commendable,” Mr Matinyarare said.
He said President Mnangagwa had demonstrated that he is a unifying leader by giving the legislators an opportunity to get a feel of his successful farming operation.
“I think the President has shown a very great sign of leadership. He is showing leadership in terms of farming, showing by example, what land in Zimbabwe is supposed to be used for,” he said.
Following his election victory last year, the President, in his inauguration speech, said: ‘‘Now that elections are behind us, we must now focus on addressing the economic challenges facing our country”.
