Tendai Biti| The time has now come for us to realise that Zimbabwe is in an emergency situation which needs urgent attention by all of us who want a better Zimbabwe.
The formal economy is dead, the informal economy has been killed by ZANU(PF)’s import restrictions, there is no cash coming into the country to meet the government operational needs, looting in state enterprises and government is continuing unabated, expect no significant investment inflows into the country as foreigners have lost all confidence in Mugabe and are awaiting fundamental political change first. Even if IMF lends Zimbabwe $1 billion that will only be a temporary solution which will not solve our fundamental and deeply entrenched structural problems.
We have to save Zimbabwe now before our country becomes a serious risk to peace and stability within the region.
As PDP we support and fully appreciate the sterling work that is being done by the new social movements. However, to be realistic, we do not expect ZANU (PF) to solve the pressing problems which have been identified because they require a fundamental paradigm shift. This will not happen as long as Mugabe is in charge.
Zimbabwe has a crisis of leadership, a crisis of confidence, a crisis of paralysis as Mugabe no longer has the energy or the necessary acumen to manage the affairs of the country. We are facing systemic contagion which would have a severe impact on many lives within the country and also within the SADC region.
We as Zimbabweans must no longer rely on outsiders to solve our problems for us. We are mature and responsible enough to put aside our past differences and converge as matter of urgency to demand that Mugabe and his government step down immediately and allow a Technical Transitional Authority (TTA) to arrest the social and economic decline and also prepare the country for free and fair elections as soon as possible subject to necessary conditions being in place.
As PDP we are of the opinion that there is absolutely no need to wait till 2018 for elections as the country will not survive for that long. We also cannot expect to be bailed out by the IMF as this would only be a temporary measure which does not address the festering wounds of poverty, unemployment, hunger, lack, serious house and national food insecurity, fiscal indiscipline, corruption and patronage, looting and leadership failure.
As a political party our position is that a TTA need not be a political body, but a transitional body made up of experts who can address political and economic reforms while ensuring that we immediately address the social decline as mentioned above. PDP has been calling for a TTA since 2014 and we are elated that there now seems to be a convergence on this matter.
Our churches, civic organisations, political parties, youth groups, vendor associations, labour organisations, trade unions and all the other identifiable democratic formations must come together now to chart the way forward to enable us to have a collective position within 30 days, after which we must demand that Mugabe steps down
We truly believe that there is no other solution to Zimbabwe besides a fundamental political change that allows the country to begin to seriously and competently address our economic problems once and for all.
It is evident that Zimbabweans worldwide have run out of patience and we must now all rise above our personal ambitions and our differences and put our country first.
Another Zimbabwe is possible!
– Tendai Biti – PDP President People’s Democratic Party