By Fikile Ntolilo
“For the gods know I speak this in hunger for bread, not in thirst for revenge.” – William Shakespeare
Zimbabwe is in crisis. Our nation has become a shadow of its promise—a battered republic limping under the weight of corruption, repression, and betrayal. This is not the country our heroes died for. This is not the vision that fueled the liberation struggle. And if we are honest with ourselves, this is not the future we want for our children.
The so-called “freedom train” has derailed. It is time to summon all hands—across all sectors, all provinces, and all political affiliations—to help put this country back on track. We must fix Zimbabwe. Not tomorrow. Now.
The Political System Has Failed
Let’s speak plainly: the political elite has failed us. The ruling party is entrenched in survivalist authoritarianism, willing to sacrifice the nation for its own perpetuation. It has weaponised state institutions, suffocated dissent, and rewarded mediocrity and looting over service and sacrifice.
The opposition? It has revealed its weaknesses time and again—co-opted, infiltrated, and pacified. It has failed to defend the people’s mandate, handing power back to ZANU-PF when courage and conviction were needed. Zimbabweans can no longer trust politicians to liberate them—they have become complicit in our continued subjugation.
The Only Viable Path: An All Stakeholders Conference
What remains? The people. Zimbabwe belongs to its citizens—not to any party, clique, or war veterans’ cabal. Our destiny must no longer be dictated by career politicians or rogue generals. We need a People’s Gathering, a National Convention, a People’s Parliament. We need an All Stakeholders Conference.
This must be a platform independent of political parties, inclusive of civil society, labour unions, business, churches, traditional leaders, students, and most importantly—ordinary citizens. It must be led by respected, non-partisan Zimbabweans with no political baggage, and it must chart a bold new path for our country.
A National Transitional Authority – The Bridge to a New Zimbabwe
The first and most urgent task of this Conference must be to establish a National Transitional Authority (NTA). This NTA would govern for a fixed term, rebuild institutions, stabilise the economy, and create a legitimate platform for free, fair, and credible elections.
Elections under the current system are a farce. The electoral commission is compromised, laws are archaic, and the playing field is grotesquely uneven. The NTA must not control elections, but it must ensure an independent, internationally credible electoral body is put in place—with no links to the ruling party, the military, or any political interest.
We need a new electoral law. We need a system that makes every vote count. Whether that means a proportional system or constituency reforms, let us discuss it as a nation—together.
Decoupling the Military from Politics
A central pillar of this transition must be the separation of party and military. The ruling party’s incestuous relationship with the armed forces is the backbone of our authoritarian state. The military is not above the Constitution—it is meant to serve the people, not the party.
Any senior military officers with overt political links or liberation war backgrounds must be demobilised. This applies equally to the police and intelligence services. Never again must a political party use guns to silence the people’s voice. The All Stakeholders Conference must ensure this constitutional imperative is implemented without compromise.
This Is the Last Peaceful Option
We are at a historic crossroads. We can choose to talk like civilised patriots—or descend into chaos. The road of confrontation, desperation, and ungovernability is already visible. Sudan. Haiti. Somalia. All examples of states that collapsed because no viable national dialogue existed in time. Zimbabwe cannot afford to follow them into the abyss.
Civil society is under siege. The youth are restless. Despair is rising. The window for peaceful transformation is rapidly closing. The All Stakeholders Conference is not one option among many—it is the only peaceful alternative left.
This Is Not the Country We Fought For
It is humiliating today to call oneself a Zimbabwean in certain company. Our people—once the pride of Africa—are now economic refugees, ridiculed abroad and broken at home. We dislodged the British settler regime, yes—but what did we replace it with?
We replaced it with a corrupt, repressive, and incompetent local elite. Our hospitals are death traps. Our industries are graveyards. Our schools are collapsing. The pain and humiliation of this betrayal weighs heavily on every Zimbabwean.
The Time for Political Parties Is Over. It Is the People’s Turn
Political parties have failed. They had their chance—and they wasted it. It is now time for we the people to take back our destiny. The All Stakeholders Conference is our chance to reclaim the dream of freedom, dignity, and prosperity.
Let us organise. Let us mobilise. Let us summon the nation to the table and hammer out a future we can believe in.
All Stakeholders Conference for an Alternative Zimbabwe 2025
It is our future.
It is our country.
It is our duty.
Let’s fix Zimbabwe—together.
Fikile is a political commentator based in Johannesburg.
Email: fikile.ntolilo@gmail.com
