The visit, despite coming at a time when there is a high profile attempted murder case involving Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga and his wife, Marry, became a major talking point online and offline.
This, to a very great degree proves how ordinary Zimbabweans have reached a point where they feel the current political and economic situation, characterised by deepening polarisation and economic meltdown, is untenable.
We cannot continue like this. Something has to happen.
And if I am to proffer any solutions to the country’s problems, I would suggest that we begin with the root of it all, and that is the need for a genuine healing and reconciliation process.
Only that will rescue us from the polarisation, hurt, anger and bitterness and get us to understand that above all, we are Zimbabwean.
This is because Zimbabwe has gone through a series of hurtful and traumatising periods that include the 1896 uprisings against white settler rule, the 1960s war of liberation, the 1980s Gukurahundi massacres perpetrated against the Ndebeles and the post-2000 waves of political violence.
We have had recent incidences like the November 2017 coup, the August 1 2018 shooting of people by the army, and the January 2019 crackdown on civilians by the army.
Each of these phases have been marked by harassment, killings and discrimination based on religion, gender, political affiliation, race or tribe and many other elements that left trauma, pain and grief among the victims, their families and society in general.
With the country having never conducted a successful truth and reconciliation process based on broad participation towards national healing and reintegration, there is need for political will and genuine abandonment of self interest among those who have power in politics, business, traditional structures, among others.
