I know all those suggesting the formation of a Government of National Unity (GNU) as a way out of Zimbabwe’s present political and economic mess mean well. Given the present level of violence and the threat of worse to come if Mugabe should lose the 27 June run-off, they argue. As a Zimbabwean, I welcome the public support and sympathy and thank all these people from the bottom of my heart. As a Zimbabwean, I believe Zimbabwe would be ill advised to go down that route.
Zimbabwe’s economic and political crisis is a wholly man-made one. We are where we are today because President Mugabe and his ruling party friends simply refused accept that their continued stayed in power should ever be left to the Zimbabwe electorate to decide. President Mugabe has never ever held free and fair election in his 29 years in power. As his popularity with the electorate has fallen over the years and he has adopted more and more undemocratic measures to ensure he remain in office.
Mugabe and his fellow Zanu PF leadership firmly believe they have the right to rule even if it means against the express will of the people of Zimbabwe. Offering Mugabe or any of his friends a place in a GNU will not only be a get-out-of-jail card but will be a tacit endorsement of their undemocratic stance! Such shameful political appeasement has never worked anywhere and will certain not work here.
Give Mugabe and/or his cronies a say in the GNU and they will do nothing but block all meaningful attempts to restructure the Zimbabwe political and economic system. The last thing Zimbabwe needs is another five years of political and economic stagnation after all we have been through.
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