\n
![](\"https:\/\/www.shmuley.com\/photos\/africa2009\/IMG00402-20091130-0424.jpg\")
<\/p>\nLying
\nat the heart of southcentral Africa, Zimbabwe sits between the Zambezi
\nRiver to the North and Limpopo River to the South. A country ravaged by
\nHIV Aids, political unrest, unemployment, poverty and food shortages,
\nZimbabwe undoubtedly has a long and difficult road ahead if it is to
\nreclaim its former status as “the bread-basket of Africa”. President
\nRobert Mugabe’s policy of land redistribution, where white farmers were
\nforcefully and violently removed from their lands, the many charges of
\nhuman rights abuses as well as accusations of election tampering
\nresulted in the country’s expulsion from the Commonwealth nations in
\n2002. The regime has seen much bloodshed in Zimbabwe and has been met
\nwith widespread international condemnation over the past ten years.<\/p>\n
With the World Health Organization citing the life expectancy of
\nZimbabweans as 34 for males and 37 for females, an inflation rate
\nreaching a quarter of a billion per cent at its peak in July of last
\nyear and the continued rule of Robert Mugabe, it might be easy to
\ndismiss Zimbabwe as a lost cause. However, there are some some signs of
\nchange and improvement, providing hope for the country’s future.<\/p>\n
During his recent trip to Zimbabwe, Rabbi Shmuley Boteach had the
\nopportunity to speak with MDC-M leader and recently sworn in deputy
\nprime minister Arthur Mutambara discussing with him the three-party
\ngovernment solution, the role of the west in African politics and the
\nsteps being taken to bring about a brighter, safer future for Zimbabwe.\n<\/p>\n
\n<\/p>\n
Rabbi Shmuley Boteach – Mr. Deputy Prime Minister, can you tell us about how Zimbabwe is changing?<\/b><\/p>\n
Arthur Mutambara<\/b>: Right now we are presented with a unique
\nopportunity for Zimbabwe because Zimbabweans have decided to work
\ntogether. For the past 10 years we have had acrimony and despair in our
\ncountry so after the inconclusive elections of ’08 we decided the best
\nway to move forward was to go into government together. <\/p>\n
The first product of this new situation is political stability as
\nall three major political parties of Zimbabwe form a working
\ngovernment, giving us an opportunity to build a shared vision.
\nSecondly, although we have experienced terrible economical
\ncircumstances in the past, the inflation rate is now at just three per
\ncent which shows macro-economic stability is coming back into our
\ncountry,that is a major change. Thirdly, the quality of life is
\nbeginning to improve. Goods are now available in the shops,
\ncapitalisation of in the industries is improving, but there is still a
\nchallenge in terms of disposable incomes. So now the focus is on trying
\nto create jobs and build the economy, that is the third layer of
\nchange: economic growth and development, but it is still a work in
\nprogress. The major one is number four: our brand as a country, ie what
\nwe are known for. We are known for censorship, for arresting our
\njournalists, but we are making moves to change that now. It is
\nimportant that Zimbabwe becomes known as a safe destination for
\ninvestment, we also want to be known as a safe destination for tourism.
\nIn other words we are pushing what we call a hexagon of branding:
\ntourism, trade\/investment, culture, people, governance in each of those
\nsix areas we are trying to create a competitive identity for our
\ncountry, we are trying to make Zimbabwe a globally competitive economy.\n<\/p>\n
RS- Would you say that some of the scepticism towards Zimbabwe on
\nthe part of the international community, the worry that the young
\nleaders are not being heard or perhaps will be neutralised within a
\nnational unity government, is misplaced?<\/b><\/p>\n
AM<\/b>: There are two major reasons why there is scepticism: one
\nof them is sheer ignorance and arrogance on the part of the west, I
\nwent to Oxford- I taught at MIT, I’m a Rhodes Scholar. I think it’s
\nfair to say that I know better than Obama what is good for Zimbabwe,
\nthat I know better than Hillary Clinton what is good for Zimbabwe. So
\nit is very arrogant and patronising for Hillary or Obama to prescribe
\nwhat is best for Zimbabwe without talking to me first. In my opinion,
\nthe starting point is to remove ignorance and to remove arrogance on
\nthe part of the west visa vi what’s good for Africa. We as Zimbabweans,
\nare the best analysts, and the best scholars on the subject called
\nZimbabwe. So when I say, in the short term there is no alternative to
\nworking together, that there is no alternative to an inclusive
\narrangement I believe that the West i.e. the Americans and the British,
\nshould respect that. There is also a second reason which I will to in a
\nmoment, but in my opinion the issue of respect is the really the major
\none. If they, the political leaders of the west, were more reflective
\nand decided to sit down and talk to me in this manner: “you are a young
\nleader, a Rhodes scholar, you taught at MIT, you are smarter than me,
\ntell me what’s going on” because I am- ya (laughs) . <\/p>\n
The second reason for scepticism is our own fault. We do have
\noutstanding issues on our agreement, we are still doing things in the
\ncountry that undermine confidence and credibility, so there are
\ncertainly some challenges but they are not insurmountable. However
\nthose challenges do undermine our credibility, those problems on our
\nfarms, the problems with the agreement, the problems with our media
\ndamages our credibility and so people become sceptical. So that can be
\nconsider positive scepticism because it is due to our own misdemeanors
\nand faults. That is reason number two, reason number one is arrogance
\nand ignorance but there are also good reasons why people should be
\nsceptical. The most important thing to remember now is that we have no
\nalternative, we have no plan B- all of us: Tsvangirai, Mugabe, myself,
\nare stuck with each other in the short run. This inclusive government
\nmust work. And how will it work? By creating a new constitution,
\ncreating national healing, recovering the economy, making political
\nreforms and media reforms, so that we can create conditions for a free
\nand fair election next time. <\/p>\n
RS: So is it fair to say you are confident that this unity
\ngovernment, and the input that you and Morgan Tsvangirai are bringing
\nto it, is not only giving your respective parties a voice but is also
\nbringing about change?<\/b><\/p>\n
AM<\/b>: Absolutely, it is creating fundamental change, political
\nstability, economical stability, we are opening up the media, our
\npeople want us to stay in this government. Our people are experiencing
\na new reality. Yes there are problems, yes there are challenges but
\nthey are not insurmountable. On the main, in general, we are making
\nprogress, and the progress is towards a new Zimbabwe. <\/p>\n
RS: The perception of Zimbabwe is one of a government which is
\ninaccessible and one where Zimbabwe has become synonymous with
\npolitical intimidation. Do you believe that also is changing? <\/b><\/p>\n
AM<\/b>: You see this is brings us back to the issue of our our
\nbrand as a country; it takes a long time to build a reputation and
\nquite a second to destroy it. What we have done in the past is destroy
\nour own reputation, we used to be the bread basket of Southern Africa,
\nnow we are the basket case. We used to be the model of reconciliation
\nin the country, now we are known for intimidation, violence and so on.
\nSo we are now going back to our old brand position, to our competitive
\nidentity. We are now recasting ourselves as a nation of inclusiveness,
\nas a nation of harmony, as a nation of reconciliation, we need to
\nrecreate it because it has been destroyed over the past ten years. We
\nare moving there slowly but surely, but we have take a bit of time to
\nbuild that brand position. <\/p>\n
RS: So back to your relationship to the west, you feel that the
\nAmerican position is one of dictating to you whether or not you should
\nwork with president Mugabe, and your feeling is that they really don’t
\nunderstand the situation and that they need to sit with you and hear
\nwhat you have to say. Did you think that Obama in particular would be
\nwilling to talk to you?<\/b><\/p>\n
AM<\/b>: Well he’s inexperienced so I think he’s very careful. He
\ndoesn’t want to rock the boat too much, and yet what we want to see is
\nleadership and creativity. What we are saying in our environment, given
\nour previous election, there is no alternative to an arrangement of
\naccommodation. When we achieve the reforms we need to achieve we can
\nprepare ourselves for a free and fair election, with that election then
\nproducing a legitimate government. <\/p>\n
RS: Do you have a timetable for the next election?<\/b><\/p>\n
AM<\/b>: Two years is the time frame in the agreement for a
\nreferendum, two years starting from September last year. If we are not
\nready we can extend that time period. What is important is to create
\nconditions for freedom and fairness. So if after two years we are not
\nready then we will say “let us do more work”. Remember that in Zimbabwe
\nthe question is not”when is next election?” For the past ten years we
\nhave had elections which were not free and fair and we have no clear
\nanswers as to why that was. The issue in Zimbabwe is the calibre and
\nthe quality of the election. So the right question is how and when can
\nwe make sure that Zimbabwe has a fair and free election. The 2000
\nelections where problematic, 2002 there were issues, 2005, 2008 also
\nissues- so elections are not the answer. Creating circumstances for a
\nfree and fair election is the answer. <\/p>\n
RS: So do you feel you, Tsvangirai and Mugabe have a good working relationship? As a triumvirate?<\/b><\/p>\n
AM<\/b>: We have no choice, but we have a working relationship. We
\nare doing this for our people, we are doing this because it is in the
\nnational interest, we are doing this because it is the African
\nsolution. We might not like each other, because we are coming from
\nthree different directions, but unfortunately for us, our individual
\nfortunes are intertwined and inseparable at this juncture. That is why
\nit is foolish of the Americans to say, pull out of the government and
\nhave the election, they are being unwise, because if we did have the
\nelection it would be unfree and unfair and another victory for Mugabe.
\nMyself and Tsvangirai must hold on in there, work on a new
\nconstitution, work on the separation of powers, work on national
\nhealing work on political and media reforms. So that next time around
\nwe can get the free and fair election in which Mugabe might loose. So
\ndo we have a nice working relationship? Not necessarily- but we do have
\na functional relationship.<\/p>\n
RS: And the Americans aren’t prepared to hear this? <\/b><\/p>\n
AM<\/b>: Perhaps, perhaps not, but now the most important thing is
\nthe African dimension, this is very important, to be influential in
\nAfrica you must be with African opinion. What do I mean about African
\nopinion? SADC (Southern African Development Community) and AU (the
\nAfrican Union).These are the African institutions, if you can’t
\nconvince them to move then you have to move with them because otherwise
\nyou’ll be ineffective. America cannot have a foreign policy position
\nthat is opposed to SADC or the AU and succeed. So we for example in
\nthis inclusive government were guided by SADC member countries, they
\nsaid ” do it it’s in your country’s national interest”. Once they
\nadvise us to do that we cannot succeed if we go up against them. So the
\ngreatest influence over the future of Zimbabwean politics lies not with
\nthe intervention of western governments but rather lies with Africa and
\nthe will of the African people. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Lying at the heart of southcentral Africa, Zimbabwe sits between the Zambezi River to the North and Limpopo River to the South. A country ravaged by HIV Aids, political unrest, unemployment, poverty and food shortages, Zimbabwe undoubtedly has a long and difficult road ahead if it is to reclaim its former status as “the bread-basket…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":203,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2,6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-19","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-politics","category-travel"],"yoast_head":"\n