Webster Shamu speaks at last- we have one Zimbabwe, one nation and one common destiny

Chegutu East Member of Parliament Webster Shamu- once one of the most powerful people in the Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front before the post 2014 ZANU-PF congress purge, last week called for the spirit of oneness among Zimbabweans for the country to recover “because we only have one Zimbabwe, one nation and a common destiny”.

In his contribution to President Robert Mugabe’s speech at the official opening of Parliament, Shamu, who was at one time ZANU-PF’s national commissar, said Zimbabweans needed “an ethic of caring for each other, an element of appreciating each other, a philosophy that proffers the idea of wanting to learn from each other, listen to each other and seek solutions to the economic challenges that face our country”.

Shamu was suspended from ZANU-PF for three years for allegedly being alligned to former Vice-President Joice Mujuru's faction.

inhis contribution, he paid tribute to Buhera South legislator Joseph Chinotimba for the humour he brought to the House because this eased tensions and sent the message that Zimbabweans were one.

“I want to thank Hon. Chinotimba because every now and then, he comes in with an element of humour that defuses discomfort, that nullifies tensions, that at the end of the day engenders a culture of humility to a certain extent but at the same time, sending the message that we are but one.”

Shamu said he did not agree with Movement for Democratic Change-Tsvangirai vice-president Thokozani Khupe who said Mugabe’s speech had failed to address the pressing needs that the people of Zimbabwe faced.

He said Mugabe had addressed this through his loaded statement, when he said: “I remind all hon. members of this august House on the need to always conduct business in a manner that does not erode the stock of trust reposed in us by the electorate. We indeed carry on our shoulders the hopes and aspirations of our people. Let us channel our collective energies towards the development of our country guided by our economic Blue Print, the ZIM ASSET. It demands us to always cherish the crown values of peace, hard work and unity of purpose”.

“…That loaded statement has an element which I think we need to note. It is that old saying that we must always be able to listen to the children of the poor for they know what hardships are all about. I am saying so to correct an earlier statement made by Hon. Khupe, that His Excellency did not address the issue of hunger and poverty,” Shamu said.

“On the contrary, His Excellency’s address does, if you go through His Excellency’s presentation, he touched on very important points that (if) delivered we can be able to put meat around the bone. It is now our role to go to the people and deliver on the basis of that message. He gave us the rails on which to advance the potential of being able to resolve the issues that challenge our nation today.”

Shamu said it was true that Zimbabwe’s economic was down at the moment but even fundis will tell you that “when the chips are down for an economy, they cannot be forever down”. Zimbabwe’s policy of indigenisation and its relations with populous nations like, India, China, Russia and Malaysia were going to see Zimbabwe recover.

“Mr. Speaker Sir, according to a celebrated Scottish economist, Adam Smith, he says, ‘It is not from the benevolence of the butcher, the brewer, or the baker that we expect our dinner, but from their regard to their own self-interest.’ Mr. Speaker Sir, this emphasises the point that people are generally driven by self-motivation, a desire to amass wealth.

“The answer for everybody lies in working hard and crafting immediate, medium and long term solutions to our programmes of economic recovery. To me, that is embedded in the speech that was delivered by His Excellency, the President. There is no doubt that Zimbabwe is indeed on the road to recovery……”

“We must jealously guard the peace that we enjoy in this country. We must continue to focus on the road to economic recovery. We must continue to buttress the unity of purpose that was enunciated by His Excellency because we only have one Zimbabwe, one nation and a common destiny. We must be masters of our own destiny,” he said.

Full contribution:

MR. SHAMU: Thank you Mr. Speaker sir. Through you, I would like to thank Hon. Mutomba and Hon. Dziva for having moved this very important motion. In saying so and indeed on behalf of the people of Chegutu East Constituency, I wish to convey through you our sincere condolences on the passing on of Hon. Tsogorani.

Mr. Speaker Sir, I rise to add my voice to the current debate which is guided by His Excellency’s address to this august House on the occasion of the Official Opening of the Third Session of the Eighth  Parliament of Zimbabwe. Maybe I should, through you once again, express our sincere appreciation to the First Lady, Dr. Grace Mugabe who graced this occasion and added dignity to the proceedings.

Mr. Speaker sir, His Excellency’s address has brought in I think, a different line of thought that I have seen prevailing from the mover of the motion, the seconder and also listening to Hon. Misihairabwi-Mushonga.

It is a fact that when His Excellency comes to address Parliament, indeed he is coming to address us all not as ZANU PF Members of Parliament, MDC T representatives nor MDC, but he is looking at us constituted as one entity, representatives of the people of Zimbabwe. I feel that is a positive development within this House and that was crowned by your very own words of appreciation Mr. Speaker, that there was discipline throughout His Excellency’s address.

Mr. Speaker Sir, at this point, I want to be guided by the theory of Havruta and a spirit of Havruta. I want to debate demonstrating an ethic of caring for each other, an element of appreciating each other, a philosophy that proffers the idea of wanting to learn from each other, listen to each other and seek solutions to the economic challenges that  face our country. I want to thank Hon. Chinotimba because every now and then, he comes in with an element of humour that defuses discomfort, that nullifies tensions, that at the end of the day engenders a culture of humility to a certain extent but at the same time, sending the message that we are but one.

I really want to thank His Excellency, the President for having driven that point home through a process that has seen him sometimes face challenges that came from some amongst us who do not appreciate our oneness. However, let that culture of humility Mr. Speaker, continue abiding by the hermeneutic rules of interpretation and the maintenance of or dedication to the larger community and that larger community are the people of Zimbabwe from the Zambezi to the Limpopo. I say so because in his closing remarks, His Excellency said a very important statement. He said, “I remind all hon. members of this august House on the need to always conduct business in a manner that does not erode the stock of trust reposed in us by the electorate. We indeed carry on our shoulders the hopes and aspirations of our people. Let us channel our collective energies towards the development of our country guided by our economic Blue Print, the ZIM ASSET. It demands us to always cherish the crown values of peace, hard work and unity of purpose”.

Mr. Speaker Sir, I must say the three speakers that I have mentioned in my earlier statements, have indeed underscored His Excellency’s loaded statement, but that loaded statement has an element which I think we need to note. It is that old saying that we must always be able to listen to the children of the poor for they know what hardships are all about. I am saying so to correct an earlier statement made by Hon. Khupe, that His Excellency did not address the issue of hunger and poverty. On the contrary, His Excellency’s address does, if you go through His Excellency’s presentation, he touched on very important points that he delivered we can be able to put meat around the bone. It is now our role to go to the people and deliver on the basis of that message. He gave us the rails on which to advance the potential of being able to resolve the issues that challenge our nation today.

Mr. Speaker Sir, His Excellency spoke about the Zimbabwe National Defence University Bill which Hon. Dziva touched on. He said he would like it to provide for the transformation of the National Defence College into the National Defence University. That is a very important development. Why say so? He then says that university will provide us with a national think-tank. It will provide a platform for leaders to go and be educated and trained in national policy and strategy formulation, both military and civilian that is us in here. Those outside and everybody will be given that opportunity as long as they are in a leadership position. Mr. Speaker Sir, I am beginning to see a trajectory whereby we are now moving towards the creation of a new man, a new woman, a Zimbabwean who will shun the exploitation of man by man.

We want to see the creation of a society which continues to advance the aspirations of our people as espoused by the pioneers of our liberation struggle that was wedged in order for us to be free as we are today.

When all is said and done, especially when we take into account the legislative agenda that His Excellency put before us, I have no doubt  Mr. Speaker Sir that our economy is on the road to recovery. When the chips are down for an economy, they cannot be forever down. Even those who are fundis in economics, will agree with me. Examples are there for us to learn from. Take the U.S.A., its economy was able in the 1950s to emerge out of the great depression of the 1929s which was exacerbated by the Second World War. I therefore, contend that Zimbabwe’s economy has great potential for revival. Why do I say so? Because we have Mr. Speaker Sir mineral wealth. Significant levels of direct investments have been committed to the mining sector over the past five years. Mr. Speaker Sir, that is a good sign that we are indeed on the road to economic recovery.

The second aspect is that we have introduced the indigenisation policy. That in itself is a sure sign that we will come out of the economic doldrums that we are in today. The fact is that swathes of the domestic economy are now in the hands of our people. Yes, we might not have control of all the banks and factories, but when you look at what has happened so far, we have taken control of the land, which is a very important resource. If you go into various sectors of our economy, you see Zimbabweans being the leaders in those areas. It is either indigenous Zimbabweans or citizens who are permanent residents in this country.

Mr. Speaker Sir, according to a celebrated Scottish economist, Adam Smith, he says, “It is not from the benevolence of the butcher, the brewer, or the baker that we expect our dinner, but from their regard to their own self-interest.” Mr. Speaker Sir, this emphasises the point that people are generally driven by self-motivation, a desire to amass wealth.

The answer for everybody lies in working hard and crafting immediate, medium and long term solutions to our programmes of economic recovery. To me, that is embedded in the speech that was delivered by His Excellency, the President. There is no doubt that Zimbabwe is indeed on the road to recovery.

Mr. Speaker Sir, the third point is that we have built very strong relationships with countries that have huge populations. We have relations with populous countries in the East, the Asian economies,  India, Malaysia, Russia and China. That is a basis for us to have confidence in the fact that our economy is going to recover.

Mr. Speaker Sir, in conclusion, let me emphasise what I feel are very important points raised by Hon. Mutomba in his opening remarks. We must jealously guard the peace that we enjoy in this country. We must continue to focus on the road to economic recovery. We must continue to buttress the unity of purpose that was enunciated by His Excellency because we only have one Zimbabwe, one nation and a common destiny. We must be masters of our own destiny. Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir.

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