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Lawson Mabhena News & Politics Editor
There are many pleasant scents in the world, but none like petrichor. When the rains fall on dry soil, the sweet smell is like magic. It is cleansing to the soul and fulfilling to the spirit.

Petrichor often marks the start of the rainy season, new life, new beginnings and change.

All the creepy crawlies come out of the woodwork. Ants, centipedes, millipedes and who can forget flying termites — that seasonal delicacy.

Earthworms move long distances, this time above and not in the soil, in annual migration, while slimy slugs and snails come out to share the cool air.

Frogs come out to hunt the insects, snakes to hunt the frogs and owls to hunt the snakes.

One feels blessed for being at the top of the food chain.

With relief, the grass gets green once again and finally, the animals can feed.

The massive change, transformation of the world around us stimulates instinctive change in routine.

Like all creatures, the change in season ignites positive disruption.

The winds of change that accompanied the earthy scent in November 2017 could not have come at a better season.

The timing was perfect.

Events of that month will remain forever engraved in the hearts of those who took part or witnessed jubilant scenes on the streets of Zimbabwe’s capital, Harare, as tens of thousands of protesters marched to demand the resignation of former President Robert Mugabe.

Corruption, poor governance, polarisation and all the other ills that were threatening to reverse the gains of independence could finally be behind us.

Our lives as Zimbabweans would be changed forever.

But have we really changed? In public administration, political participation and nation building. Have we changed enough?

Last week, two important events central to the restoration of economic stability took place.

The first was the introduction of new notes and coins to ease the cash crisis, and the second was the presentation of 2020 National Budget proposals by Finance and Economic Development Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube.

No sooner had the new notes and coins been disbursed by banks on Tuesday than we saw cash barons parading huge wads of the notes on social media, to the chagrin of law-abiding Zimbabweans.

Does this mean we have not changed enough to deal with corruption?

We have not changed enough to ensure public confidence in our currency?

Did we learn anything from the past?

The creepy crawlies have come out of the woodwork once more.

They have come to feed on the sweat of hard-working Zimbabweans who toil without functional medical aid or pension schemes, just to put clothes on the backs of their children.

At the top of the corruption “food chain” are snakes that occupy high offices and have access to cash.

Is it the season of madness? A season that should have ended in November 2017, when the Zimbabwe Defence Forces acted to restore the legacy of the liberation war.

Operation Restore Legacy did not nab all the criminals, after all.

We need to continue such operations at least not until we rid ourselves of selfish individuals who do not care that their actions have ripple effects on the livelihoods of others.

Public confidence cannot be restored as long as cash barons continue to flaunt their wealth on social media.

While a lot has been done in following International Monetary Fund (IMF) recommendations of strengthening the independence of the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) and improving its governance controls, a lot more still needs to be done.

Illegal money changers, wheelers and dealers, space barons and tenderpreneurs have become heroes to young people because they always have bags filled with bricks of cash and drive fancy cars which they park in the middle of the road without any repercussions.

Unless such elements are dealt with, then we will have a whole generation of criminals.

In his acceptance speech at his inauguration at the National Sports Stadium on November 24, 2017, President Mnangagwa called for collective effort in rebuilding Zimbabwe.

“For close to two decades now, this country went through many developments, he said. While we cannot change the past, there is a lot we can do in the present and future to give our Nation a different, positive direction.

“I implore you all to declare that NEVER AGAIN should the circumstances that have put Zimbabwe in an unfavourable position be allowed to recur or overshadow its prospects. We must work together, you, me, all of us who make up this Nation.”

Clearly, some public officials have chosen not to take heed of the President’s call, but to remain behind in the past that we do not want to recur.

The anti-corruption stance that has been taken by the President needs support. We all have a part to play.

The starting point, if you ask me, is removing illegal dealers in Harare’s CBD.

How can we have confidence in the police when criminals take over streets in the city centre? When space barons take over parking space and collect parking fees instead of the city council?

While the recent move by the RBZ in ensuring banks stick to regulated withdrawal limits is commendable, it is not enough.

If confidence in the local currency is to be restored, a lot has to change in the RBZ, banks and streets.

The sale of cash cannot be allowed to continue. That was normal in the old Zimbabwe. In the new Zimbabwe, regulatory authorities do their work.

Ordinary Zimbabweans are not absolved from their duty in economic reconstruction. We all have contributed to the rot. We must adapt to the demands of the new season and hold public officials to account.

Without national buy in, no policy can work. Political differences can wait until the next elections.

The season for corruption is over. It ended in November 2017 and like the President said, will never be allowed “to recur or overshadow Zimbabwe’s prospects”.

Wake up and smell the falling rain, it is called petrichor; change has come.