The Next Steps

Hello All,

It never fails to amaze me the amount of guesswork and mischief making that seems to go into modern reporting. I am a believer that the modern media is, quite often, the policy setter in so many situations. Sadly, this is a huge double edged sword and speculation in the media can often have a very detrimental effect on the outcome of a situation.

At this time, despite the circulation of various "lists" of cabinet posts in the media, the only thing known for sure, is that the accord had been signed, but discussion over ministries has not yet happened! It is interesting to note the situation that the new dispensation has caused may itself be responsible for the delays. ZANU-pf are now locked in their own meeting to decided who will get what from the new government... a little pre-emptive given that the division of the ministries has not yet taken place! Surely the allocation of ministries is the first order of business? It does show, however, that there are many hard feelings in ZANU-pf and people scurrying to and fro to try and secure themselves in the new order, an order over which their control is now severely limited! Mugabe must now be marvelling at how effective his divide and rule policies have been and I think that this, in itself will be yet another step towards oblivion for ZANU-pf. I would love to be a fly on the wall there and watch and listen to the disagreements and finger pointing that must be going on at ZANU-pf headquarters! Let see what happens next!

Sadly though, these delays, again brought about by ZANU-pf's inability to govern even themselves, let alone the nation as a whole, only have the effect of further delay the installation of a government which will run and administer Zimbabwe. Until this happens, no one will be able to say how much, if any, water the agreement holds and whether it is the beginning of the road to recovery.

As for the police, I note that they are remarkably quiet right now. Where are the statements from the Commissioner and his staff congratulating the parties on their historic move to end the defacto one party state? Where is the voluble Bvudzijena now? I note the absence of a statement from him indicating that police will strive to achieve the impartiality required to cover the new agreement in solid Law and Order? Why no comment indicating that the police acknowledge thier shortcomings and a need to re-adjust and to provide law and order for all?

Hmmm - that old quote again - the silence is deafening!

I imagine that mush like the rest of the world, they wait to discover who will control what? Being a hugely partisan organisation they must, inevitably, fear the consequences of their blind faith. What happens if, indeed, the Prime Minister gains control of the force?

I would imagine that these worries are now foremost in the minds of the individuals, particularly the hierarchy of the force. For too ling they have served ZANU-pf faithfully and, in return have achieved much for their own personal benefit - and now they must be wondering how hard it is going to be to lose those things. I would guess that after much time of being immune from the law, the prospect that it might actually be applied to them now must be quite daunting!

It is going to be a difficult time for those policemen and women who have strayed from the path of policing for personal gain, whether material or political.

If I were one of them, by now I would be living quietly on the coast in some other country and keeping a very low profile indeed!

As we wait and see what the new dispensation will be, I am contemplating a blueprint for recovery for the police which I will endeavour to publish over the coming days and weeks.

Later.