Simba the Saviour?

Is Makoni the man?

For 28 years, the Zimbabwean ruling party, Zanu PF, has campaigned using the same old slogan, "We liberated this country."

Thank you very much for your efforts, now liberate us by stepping aside. We have been sovereign for 28 years, but we are still in the bush fighting a war; only this time against our own liberators.

Zanu PF has lacked a serious challenger to the presidency for over a quarter of a century. The only promise of a real challenge, in Morgan Tsvangirayi and the MDC, was just another fizzled attempt to ruffle Mugabe's feathers. Lacking a credible leader, the challenge of the MDC was short lived. Tsvangirayi can gather the sheep but he's not going to lead them to the meadows.

The country needs a leader who can do more than just threaten violence, call for election boycotts and urge a hungry population to stay away from their jobs.

Like everyone else in Zimbabwe, and possibly the world, I am extremely excited about the prospect of Simba Makoni becoming the next president of the republic of Zimbabwe. In him is a man who is well principled, not afraid to speak his mind and well respected among many sectors of the country. He is widely considered to be the only man in the ruling party to be corruption-free; a major achievement, if true.

"Simba" in Zimbabwe is a Shona word that means "strength," This is what Dr Makoni needs if he is to mount a serious challenge in his quest to block Mugabe's re-election. For a while, within the party, Makoni was strongly rumoured to be a successor to Mugabe, even having the blessing of the tyrant himself. This however did not materialize as he faced sharp criticism from the “old guard” who believed they deserved a shot at the throne before they moved into retirement homes. Makoni has always been considered a political novice by the older generation even though he has had the backing of Mugabe.

Holder of a PhD in Chemistry from the University of Lords in the UK, Dr Makoni is a highly educated man, with rich experience in the field of economics and business consulting. His work experience has been spread widely across the African continent. In 1980, at the age of 30, he was appointed deputy minister of agriculture. He has also held the office of minister of Energy, as well as Minister of Youth.

His most significant and controversial appointment was that of Minister of Finance in 2000. This was an appointment which, to many, was to be the turning point for an economy on the brink of collapse. He came in with a lot of zeal and beaming with confidence. He actually believed that he was going to bring change to the economy. Makoni had some reason to feel this way as Mugabe had promised him unconditional support.

His first act was to call for the devaluation of the Zimbabwe dollar. Mugabe, including many of his soon to be old-age-home roommates were not impressed by this, labelling Makoni an “Economic Saboteur.” He was dismissed soon after.

Ironically, these same policies now form the backbone of the economic policies the government rely on. However, now - with the economy in free-fall - it is a case of too little too late.

Makoni managed to retain his seat in the Zanu PF politburo (the highest decision making body in the party) until his recent resignation to facilitate his running against Mugabe in the March 29 presidential election. This has brought about mixed reactions, with many in the ruling party predictably calling him a "sell-out." If that is what he is, then he is a sell-out people are willing to give an ear to.

Makoni is widely respected amongst the ruling party, opposition and neutrals alike. Internationally he also holds a lot of respect based on his expertise as a business consultant, but more so for his ten-year stint as Executive Secretary of the Southern African Development Community, (SADC). Dr Makoni is reported to have the backing of Solomon Mujuru (kingmaker in Zanu PF and husband to the vice-president) as well as that of Emmerson Mnangagwa, another aspirant to the throne. No matter who his allies or foes are, one thing is for certain, they have to find a way of getting the rural vote. Without it their campaign could be doomed as the urban vote is both small and largely affected by apathy.

Change is imminent in Zimbabwe, one only hopes that now is the time and Dr Makoni is the man. For the first time in a decade the light at the end of the tunnel just got brighter.