By Terence Hornes For over two decades, Zimbabwe has lurched from one crisis to another. Its politics has also turned toxic characterised by populism, intolerance, violence, and corruption. It is frustrating that the national interest is rarely used to scrutinise the ideas, principles, and the systems championed by the different political parties and in particular their leaders. Instead, much effort is spent deifying the leader of one’s political party and demonising all others and especially those who hold a different point of view. This much is obvious from the events of the past four weeks, which provide a small window into Zimbabwean politicians’ self-centred politics. First is the COVID-19 pandemic, which is spreading in the region and the country. With limited testing facilities, it is likely that the figures provided by the government understate the country’s true mortality rate. Second, were the calls for countrywide demonstrations, which did not materialise as planned on 31 July in part because of a heavy clampdown by the security forces. Third, on 30 July, the government announced that it had agreed to pay US$3.5 billion to a group of former farmers whose land was expropriated during Robert Mugabe’s rule. The issues, which received and continue to receive the most coverage locally and internationally concern the planned demonstrations and justified outrage following the abhorrent methods used by the security forces to suppress free expression. It is concerning, however, that there has been little discussion of the planned demonstration’s impact on the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic in the country, and the economic and political risks posed by the agreement to pay former farmers US$3.5 billion. Failure to learn lessons Most discerning observers will agree that much of the news about Zimbabwe in the past twenty years has been negative and, in many cases, deservedly so. Zimbabwe has become synonymous with violations of rule of law, the brutalisation of citizens, and endemic corruption. Those in Zanu PF say, the country’s economy is on its knees because of the opposition and the regular calls made by some of its members for sanctions. While those in the opposition put the blame squarely on Zanu PF. This is a nutshell is Zimbabwe’s kindergarten politics. Neither the ruling nor opposition parties take ownership of the challenges facing the country or responsibility for addressing them. We need a new and responsible politics. War crimes and crimes against humanity were committed in Rhodesia against blacks. In post-independence Zimbabwe there was genocide against Ndebeles. And, for the past twenty years our politics of intolerance killed, tortured, and maimed thousands. In all these conflicts, hate and intolerance is the common denominator. The use of violence principally but not exclusively by those in Zanu PF has only served to inflame the situation. And, sanctions, championed mainly by those in the opposition and civil society, have put the country on a war footing. With the politics of both the ruling and oppo