Zanu PF must come to its senses

Newsday

Comment

March 26 2011

Recently, a senior education official in Mashonaland East was in the news for the wrong reasons.

Chikomba district education director Ngoni Simon Mujuru told school heads in his district that his ministry would deploy war veterans to teach history to pupils and to lecture on how they used to dodge bullets during the liberation struggle.

The assumption within the Zanu PF establishment which Mujuru is obviously party to is that youths support other political parties, in particular MDC-T, because they do not understand how independence was brought about.

They also think that youths and their parents do not understand the brutalities of the colonial masters. Their reasoning is that it is better to catch them young by politicising them.

Elsewhere in this issue, we carry a story in which the same Mujuru has declared that all schools in Chikomba would today be used as signing centres for the anti-sanctions petition and has directed that all headmasters are required to act as “polling officers”.

This is rank madness, in a democracy like ours. This act alone shows that Zanu PF, which has a penchant to shoot itself in the foot, is desperate for supporters.

Each Zanu PF apparatchik has to make his/her decision, which they think will aid the party garner more votes.

Former Education minister Aeneas Chigwedere literally destroyed our education system by experimenting with the general populace while the children of the elite went to upmarket schools elsewhere.

Chigwedere’s other project, Zimsec, has become unpopular with the country’s majority, resulting in them opting to have their children sit for both Zimsec and Cambridge examinations. That is a simple indicator the education system has deteriorated.

We wonder why an education officer should have free reign. We are aware that Education, Sport, Arts and Culture minister David Coltart recently gave a directive barring the use of schools for political activities.

We believe the anti-sanctions petition is simply a Zanu PF project. Therefore, no schools should be used, and no pupils should be force-marched to the centres. We call on Coltart to rein in Mujuru.

However, Mujuru is not alone in this destructive path. Everywhere where Zanu PF feels threatened, it is force-marching people to the anti-sanctions signing centres, and in some cases those refusing to append their signatures are arrested. This is not a police state.

We understand that Chikomba school heads are said to be angry with Mujuru’s order but still they have no choice but to follow the instruction to avoid repercussions.

So what benefit is there for the former ruling party?

This assumption that anyone who does not agree with Zanu PF is not patriotic is a big mistake. It could cost Zanu PF dearly come election time.

Coltart must condemn this behaviour. We are not convinced when he mildly says he was shocked by the decision to use schools as anti-sanctions petition signing centres. Coltart should immediately take charge. Mujuru must be accountable for his misdemeanours.

Why should Chikomba be notorious for invading schools and turning them into Zanu PF bases?

This madness should immediately stop for the good of the country.