The wider Zimbabwean debate

DEAR EDITOR―I always wonder why it has become almost impossible to have intellectual debate about the Zimbabwe situation without talking about party politics.

We have become so polarised as to not see that party politics in but one dimension of a wider debate about Zimbabwe.

President G.W. Bush of the United States once said, “You’re either with us or not.” This catchphrase is more synonymous with the attitude some Zimbabweans have now, than what Bush intended.

Zimbabweans now believe they can only talk politics in terms of the MDC and/or Zanu PF.

This is unfortunate. The political spectrum is too wide to be dominated by the two parties and Zimbabweans have to realise that there is a wider debate that they need to engage in.

There are other spheres that determine the political culture of a nation. Policy issues, for example are being forgotten in the wider context of talking politics. Rights of citizens, corruption in public office, the role of civil society and the protection and security of the citizenry are some of the forgotten topics.

This over-concentration on chosen issues is one reason why, as Zimbabweans, we are failing to engage fully and constructively in the political processes in our country. This is also the reason why we can never effectively dissociate ourselves from party politics―and this is unfortunate.

We can never progress if we remain so reductionist as to view the Zimbabwean problem in terms of two parties, or just one individual.

Munyaradzi Zhombe

Johannesburg