Unity Day: The missing links

By Tendai Hildegarde Manzvanzvike 22/12/2009

PEOPLE do not hold hands, and lift them aloft for nothing unless they are in agreement.

They do not also walk together except when they are in accord.

When President Mugabe and the late Vice President Dr Joshua Nkomo did that this 22nd day of December, 22 years ago, they did so as a sign of agreement, unity, harmony and oneness.

It was an accord mark that spoke volumes, and that would be replicated many times after that.

The December 22, 1987 gesture, captured by both local and international media was a sign of victory for the people of Zimbabwe, whose trickle down effect was meant to consolidate the gains of independence in 1980.

The two parties had realised that the only way to resolve this family issue was through constructive dialogue: doing it the Zimbabwean and African way.

And, for two years, they spoke, although the situation was tense, and threatening to overturn decades of struggle and immense suffering.

Aptly named the Unity Accord, what the leaders of then Zanu (PF) and PF Zapu did was a pointer that united we remain standing, but divided we fall.

Symbolically, as they held together their left and right hands, it meant that the other two were left free, giving room for other hands to continue the process until Zimbabwe became the tea-pot shaped nation of hands firmly held together through a unity of purpose.

In the process, fulfilling what the Word says in Matthew 12: 25: "Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand."

The picture in The Herald of December 23 1987 under the banner "UNITY AT LAST!" with the caption, "The triumph of political unity — Cde Mugabe (left) and Cde Nkomo in a jovial salute soon after signing the unity agreement between Zanu (PF) and Zapu at State House yesterday", said a lot more, and it spoke a positive message to a population that had become restive and uncertain about achievement of peace and stability.

Twenty two years on we ask, what has happened to that unity, for on September 16 2008, there was yet another headline, "DAWN OF NEW ERA?, words echoed when the Unity Accord was signed.

How had the crowds that roared as a 21-gun salute crashed out at the birth of Zimbabwe on April 18 1980, handled the baby called Zimbabwe?

How often should a young nation like Zimbabwe be in a state of metamorphosis?

Should it be changing so rapidly that even older and future generations forget where they are in the historical narrative?

Why is absolute unity so elusive?

Is it a utopian ideal whose realisation is nothing but a mirage?

When threats to that unity continually emerge through political formations that are an antithesis of the foundation on which this nation was founded — the liberation struggle, what are the lessons, and how must people react?

The signing of the Unity Accord on December 22, 1987 indeed brought "glad tidings", and it was a unique deal.

Okay, both Cde Mugabe and Dr Nkomo had done it before at Lancaster House on December 21 1979, but they did so with many others whose ideological and political orientation are anathema to nationalist principles, and who did not believe that black Zimbabweans meant it when they said that they are masters of their destiny; and that they were not only capable of owning the means of production of goods and services, but they would do on their land, since it was the prime resource they owned.

After the signing of the Global Political Agreement on September 15, 2008, maybe it is time that we begin to foster within ourselves a culture of inquiry and understanding; a culture of critiquing why when we look like we are making progress, we realise that we are in effect moving more steps backwards.

Meaning that we are stuck in the same place, and someone somewhere is having a good laugh.

This ground breaking exercise for re-engagement amongst "none but ourselves" was set at the recent 5th Zanu-PF National People’s Congress, where a call for introspection was made by President Mugabe, who in his closing remarks also expressed satisfaction that people had expressed their views candidly.

Let us revisit the basics so that we see why some in our midst are hell bent on trying to derail the revolutionary values upon which this nation was founded.

Why is the loss of thousands of lives a non-issue to them as they seek to please and appease the very people, who only yesterday were the people’s enemies?

After signing the Unity Accord, why should we have seen the formation of the Movement for Democratic Change?

Although this is a Western sponsored outfit, how come it eventually became a major challenge to Zanu-PF?

Does Zanu-PF need a biblical Daniel to decipher the "MENE, MENE, TEKEL, PARSIN" handwriting on the wall in order to make the December 22 1987 unity stand? Why should some former PF Zapu leaders even think of reviving Zapu?

To achieve what, if not further dissent?

Why is also politics of patronage rearing its head leading to factionalism in a party that is supposed to be firmly grounded in unity, not only among the leadership, but right down to grassroots level?

Why also should ethnicity, that ugly word that has tarnished African politics, start to play up in Zimbabwean politics, when people should be reawakening to reality — which unity brings about development and progress?

Working on this piece made this writer understand better the depth of nationalistic politics, which if not passed on to young generations, will eventually render it meaningless when they think that globalisation is all there is to their success.

They have to be made to understand that the nationalistic politics crafted by the founders of this nation can easily be infused into other political frameworks, without necessarily destroying Zimbabwe’s fabric.

As one analyst pointed out, "22 years on, as we celebrate and commemorate this historic event, let us do so with a view that poverty is a weapon being used to divide people at different levels, especially the grassroots.

"Ignore their needs, then you are done for. Like chickens, they don’t look to see who has thrown food into their mouths. All they do is to open their small beaks and accept whatever is thrown at them. This is why the politics of food has become so powerful in a negative sense though."

We also do not have to wait for outsiders to come and tell us our history and interpret it for us, especially when we do not understand their motives.

When we say we are masters of our destiny, let us prove that from a knowledgeable point of view.

For example, how many people know the contents of the Lancaster House Agreement; the 1987 Unity Accord, and the GPA?

If people are ignorant of documents that shape their destiny, how are they supposed to participate in a democracy in order to make it vibrant?

The Unity Accord was an action that was supposed to put paid to machinations and/or divisive elements that want to separate the people of Zimbabwe.

Today therefore is a day when Zimbabweans reflect that notwithstanding the diverse viewpoints on various issues, to have that diversity is actually enrichment, for there is unity in diversity.

It is also a day when people celebrate a leadership that had been in the trenches together fighting a common enemy under the banner of the Patriotic Front, but which realised after some years of insurrection through dissident activities, that it was counter productive to turn against each other, since it would give room to that enemy to maneuver and find its way back as a destabilising force, thereby short changing the people they struggled for.

There was a time when President Mugabe told off some people who challenged the Unity Accord saying that he and Cde Joshua Nkomo were not given to intoxication, and the deal they signed was good for the people.

These are some of the unique elements in the Unity Accord, but maybe more distinctive about this agreement is that serve for one or two meetings that were held at Munhumutapa Buildings all 10 meetings in the two-year period from October 2, 1985 to December 10 1987, were held at Parliament buildings in Harare.

Why Parliament buildings? Because it was considered a democratic space befitting of such a challenge, a space where people across political, racial, gender, cultural and religious affiliations were represented.

But after 1987 that people element in that space was lost, as meetings are now held in hotels and lodges, far away from the prying eyes of the public.

While former South African President Thabo Mbeki facilitated the GPA, the Unity Accord was totally home grown.

Working behind the scenes, late President Canaan Banana mediated and brought the parties together.

When progress stalled, he cajoled both sides in his unique way, and because both sides respected him, they never accused him of working in favour of another party, and they would eventually go back to the negotiation table, and talk for the people’s sake.

This is why many people agree that the issues that drive the GPA are foreign and that an acceptable agreement is one which would accommodate Western interests more than the people’s needs.

For how else can one describe the series of meetings, the stalled moments, and the huge expenses it has already incurred?

It would also not be surprising that the bill so far incurred in the GPA negotiations might exceed that incurred at Lancaster, which had huge delegations on either side.

This again shows that the Lancaster House Agreement, which was supposed to be used as the framework to chart the way forward was easy to manipulate, in a world that made change look like it was a newly invented term.

As pointed out already, there is need to retrace steps, and see whether this united front relaxed or what.

Bible readers know about the story of Nehemiah whose outstanding personality and leadership qualities gave new meaning to people-centred reconstruction, even in the midst of powerful opposition.

He also demonstrated that rebuilding and reconstruction was everybody’s responsibility.

Another key point about the Unity Accord was that both parties agreed to take immediate and rigorous steps to eliminate and end the insecurity and violence in Matabeleland.

This implementation did not take forever, with one meeting after another, and progress being hindered by undue pressure from outsiders, creating an atmosphere of uncertainty reminiscent after the Lancaster House Agreement was signed.

One of the conditions was a ceasefire, with freedom fighters from both Zanla and Zipra expected to go into assembly points. However, it is an open secret that a large contingent of freedom fighters did not go because of the mistrust the Patriotic Front had against enemy forces.

This element is being displayed once again, as checks and balances on the GPA about non-essential issues are demanded, stalling progress that could have been achieved in the past year.

The Unity Accord has also seen top delegates from PF Zapu, the late Vice Presidents and Second Secretaries — Cdes Joshua Nkomo and Joseph Msika serving in the unified party as Vice Presidents in Government.

And, recently Vice President John Landa Nkomo was sworn in a week before the Unity Day commemorations.

Twenty-two years on, the letter and spirit of the Unity Accord is being implemented.

But the land issue which was central to the signing of the Lancaster House Agreement is still to be implemented fully, and its partial implementation has caused such an uproar among interested parties, making Zimbabwe move several steps back.

Analysts argue that although the Unity Accord finally brought together Zanu (PF) and PF Zapu, the culmination of the agreement was a journey of a thousand miles that started in the sixties when both parties were formed.

According to a Herald report of 1987: "It was a Unity Accord that brought the end of a 24-year-old split, which in those days and for many years to come divided not only the people of Zimbabwe, but the Organisation of African Unity, and international progressive forces".

Although both parties always struggled at achieving unity, it seemed elusive sometimes, but with the guidance of the OAU and the Frontline states, they did not lose focus, to an extend of totally being alienated from each other, and also to an extend of creating a polarised society.

This is why it is imperative to interrogate the "change" agenda" and put it in its proper historical context.

The same way the politics of reconciliation has been cross-examined.

The OAU noting problems in the nationalist movement was (always) involved in attempts to bring about unity.

We still see the African Union and Sadc doing that since the destabilisation of Zimbabwe will not affect Zimbabwe only but the whole region and the continent as a whole.

The Accord ushered in a new era and created an altogether new situation that was not only satisfying, but also challenges.

And, 22 years later, the challenges to the new era are evident.

Piecing together what they said on that historic day, it will be evident to you dear reader, that we lost something along the way, and as we looked for it, we got side-tracked, and ended up with a salad bowl, with different types of food stuffs that are edible, but have nothing to unite them other than the salad dressing.

Said President Mugabe: "Our coming together is perhaps a development of the experience we have had before, for during the liberation struggle when other parties that were in the country decided to go for the internal settlement, our two parties not only rejected that internal settlement, but decided to oppose it in a revolutionary way."

Said Father Zimbabwe, Dr Nkomo, " . . . the agreement was a reality that our people should accept and put their weight behind . . . This is the beginning of unity, for unity is not just the signing of documents. Unity is what follows (the signing)".

Meanwhile, President Banana described the deal as an "expensive and dear dream", for the vast majority of Zimbabweans.

He also said that the road to unity was long, but the important thing was that unity had been achieved.

Dreams are realisable, where there is will power.

Whenever you achieve something dear to you, you cherish and preserve it. You also want to share it.

That the Unity Accord has withstood 22 years of attempts to destroy it means that both signatories implemented in good faith the 10th point in the agreement, which reads: "That Zanu (PF) and PF Zapu shall convene their respective Congresses to give effect to this Agreement within the shortest possible time."

Meanwhile, Article XXV of the GPA is open-ended, and deals only with the commencement: "This deal shall enter into force upon its signatures by the parties."

The preamble on the GPA shows parties that were: concerned; considering; acknowledging; dedicating; committing; emphasizing; respecting; recognizing; determined; submitting; appreciating and pursuant.

But the preamble of the Unity Accord shows parties that were: conscious; cognisant; desirous; determined and convinced.

Are all these hopes and intentions one and the same?

What a difference time can make on a landscape, especially when the terrain is rugged.

A real journey of retracing our carbon copy in the climate change discourse!