I enjoy reading Reason Wafawarova on Thursdays. While many find him partisan and reducible or too angry to give the reader any meaningful nuances or shifts, I have found an interesting transformation in his judgement and analysis of issues. This transformation if I may call it, however has been somewhat cautious in terms of not going too far in his criticism of the current ZANU PF government. His transformation has seen him denouncing corruption especially within government or lack of competencies which continue to manifest itself within some elements in government. For a writer who writes for the Herald, I think due credit especially on being objective must be given to him.
His latest instalment last Thursday titled, “A case for national youth service programme”, saw him make confidential revelations concerning the dreaded National Youth Service (NYS). He chronicles events from the NYS inception right up to its debacle in 2006.He passionately outlines that the NYS service was centred on three pillars-patriotism, unity and nationhood. When one relives the partisan conduct and incidents of violence by graduates from the NYS became, it becomes really difficult to be convinced that the NYS service was really centred on the three said pillars. If anything, the NYS became a ZANU PF dreaded militia responsible for campaigning on behalf of ZANU PF and crushing opposition descent in the country. I remember my uncle who was trained at Mushagashe Training centre, who narrated to me the indoctrination and cheap sloganeering that they were bombarded with during the training which brought out aggression and made them detested by the ordinary man.
The pillar of unity on which Wafawarova alleges to have been one of the founding pillars of the NYS, was only rhetorical as he himself even acknowledges that politicians diverted the programme for their selfish gains. The Border Gezi graduates as they are still known today, were used extensively particularly in the 2002 presidential elections. What even baffles my mind even today was the timing of the NYS.It was started immediately after the 2000 land reform, the referendum and amid a time of popularity by the MDC.All this raises suspicion of the NYS which was being led by politicians like Border Gezi during his stint as Minister of Youth, a staunch Mugabe loyalists. Honestly expecting Gezi, a Mugabe appointee, to implement a programme in a non-partisan manner, is akin to the old adage of not biting the hand that feeds you. This is a point that is rarely flagged when analysing the NYS programme. Unfortunately, against a failing human memory, events take advantage of time past to carve heroism out of the most gruesome deeds.
The NYS must be understood within that context where its success or reintroduction should be measured against its work that it carried out on the ground.Wafawarova doesn’t disagree that the programme was hijacked by politicians, but what he fails to do is to analyse that in the event of the reintroduction of programme, will it be implemented independently without abuse by politicians given that our politicians of the day tend to abuse literally anything as long it achieves their selfish ends.
What I somehow find amusing in Wafawarova article is his passionate plea to try and cleanse the NYS and blame it on politicians whom he says manipulated the programme. While in the article he chronicles acts of “bravery” that he carried out in trying to depoliticise the programme, it remains suspicious as to why he is making such disclosures now.Wafawarova as one of the people behind the programme, should even be answerable today concerning the acts of violence or partisan nature of the NYS graduates. Instead of trying to cry foul and trying to appeal for sympathy from the Ministry of Youths to have the programme reintroduced, he must rather devote his energies to try and unpack to us some of the controversies that still dog the NYS programme.
The call to have “to resell and repackage the NYS in a non-partisan way” not only reveals his desire to have a continuation of abuse of the programme but someone who is bent on having a perpetuation of the abuse of such a programme. In addition, given that the call is being made by someone domiciled in Australia even makes the whole issue a big joke. The fact that Minister Zhuwao is against or has ignored Wafawarova overtures is very revealing in modern day Zimbabwe where factionalism particularly within ZANU PF, might even have serious implications on the implementation of the programme.
For now Wafawarova must continue churning out more revealing articles concerning how they administered the NYS and start a discussion which will allow, citizens to evaluate the misdeeds of some of the graduates from the NYS.
In the final analysis, Wafawarova must however be credited for sparking such a debate concerning the NYS service since it already has a bad image especially when it comes to its conduct during election times. This debate is necessary in modern Zimbabwe where prevalence of peace has implications on development.
Rawlings Magede is a rural political enthusiast based in Nkayi, Matebeleland North Province vamagede@gmail.com
Monday, November 30, 2015
Tuesday, September 29, 2015
ZIMBABWE AND THE POLITICS OF THE PURSE
When extremism is unjustifiable
It started as a loosely coordinated group under one, Mallam Mohammed Yusuf, a fiery scholar resident in Maiduguri, the largest city of Bono state in North-eastern Nigeria. The first open challenge to government authority in this area was by a tiny group of people who withdrew from the urban landscape of Maiduguri to rural Kanama in the Yunusari local government area of Yobe State in north-eastern Nigeria in December 2003. They referred to themselves as the “Nigerian Taleban”.
Their choice of rural Kanama as camp was made with an eye for military details. This site was carefully chosen for its remoteness and defensibility. The Kanama camp was forested and ensconced between two bodies of water near the Nigeria–Niger border. Trenches were dug and camouflaged across the only two access roads from Kanama and the exit road to Niger Republic, and sandbags were used to reinforce the defences. The militants then launched attacks on police stations and government buildings and generally wreaked havoc on the Yunusari, Tarmuwa, Borsari, Geidam, and Damaturu local government areas of Yobe State between 21 December 2003 and 1 January 2004.This marked the beginning of this group terrorist activity which later became known as Boko Harram.
The name Boko Haram is Hausa translation which means Western education forbidden, when it started as a small group, even the Nigerian government never envisaged that this small group was going to transform into one of the most notorious, detested and feared terrorist groups today.
There is no argument as to the threat posed by Boko Harram and today it remains a prickle to African governments who continue to govern in fear of the unknown. Neighbouring Cameroon considered too sympathetic to Boko Haram, has not done much to close down the operations of Boko Harram which operates freely without going through strict security measures and interceptions. Actually Boko Harram moves freely between the Nigerian and Cameroonian boarder, undisturbed.
This terrorist group has actually surpassed the vision of its founder Yusuf, who according to many would never had justified Boko Harram recent terrorist activities. Rather as a way of venting its discontent, it has caused mayhem, the most extreme being the kidnapping of Chibok girls which caused world outcry as government officials wailed and pleaded on national television for the immediate release of the girls.
Whatever their cause, terrorism remains an evil way of settling matters. Taking matters into their own hands as a way of fighting such a war cannot be justified. The news that Nigeria has surpassed South Africa as the biggest economy is no cause for celebration as the new Nigerian government led by President Buhari has more pressing problems at home rather than celebrate statistics that are under constant threat by the risk caused by terrorism. What remains true is that Nigeria has potential and has gone through serious corruption episodes that continue to threaten its status as having the biggest economies in Africa. According to recent data from the World Bank, the Nigerian economy grew from $453 billion to $264 billion.
Of multipartism and madness
The recent weeks have been full of drama full swing on the Zimbabwean political landscape. Against a failing memory, the new political entrants have been paraded before an unsuspecting electorate which by way of hindsight, the media underestimates its ability to discern points of deception. Of course the media must be credited for its quest to vamp up its diminishing sales and take advantage of time past to carve heroism out of the most mundane of deeds. While the new constitution provides for political rights where every citizen can exercise their democratic right to form a political party, what is misleading is that whoever proposed having multiple political parties as a means to dislodge ZANU PF might have prescribed wrong medicine.
While manifestos have been speedily written under the cover of darkness so as to “appear” alive and busy, our eyes have read them in order to BUILD our understanding and have HOPE for tomorrow. The propensity to revel in past glory (if any) poses a bigger threat to society especially when the parties involved never govern come election time. The very weakness of these political parties is lack of organic support and come election time in 2018, this advantage would have come uninvited for ZANU PF.
While some people have even publicly declare their affiliations to parties that are yet to see the light of day, the furore that the multiplicity of the parties has generated is very misleading. Others have even gone to dangerous levels of calling Mujuru a game changer within the political matrix. What lacks in some of these misleading debates is the ability to discern points of weakness. What even surprises me is that the parties involved barely have power or influence at all.
The controversy that surrounds some of these so-called leaders of these parties leaves a lot of “buts” rather than “why’s” on our restless lips. You eat for 35 years, seamless, restless non-stop until one day grief and disaster visits you. You recant the self-described misdeeds all those years, then mobilise a tear or two to show remorse. Unbeknown to these people, in politics, just like AIDS, the curer for regret is hard to come by and it still to be discovered and developed. Saying sorry will not make the electorate change their perception about you. Ask Makoni and Dabengwa.
It’s cold out there!
During the President’s wrong speech in Parliament, ZANU PF parliamentarians ululated and celebrated as their leader read the wrong speech. A lot of questions emerge over such display of madness. Why full grown man would celebrate a stale speech just reveals that Parliament has just been reduced to a place of zombies, who lack reasoning and judgement.
When you have legislators such as Chinotimba with their misplaced and blacked out judgement of the wrong speech, then it just proves the sorry state of our politics. The attitude that was displayed by the ZANU PF legislators clearly reveal that to them, Zimbabwean politics is no longer about making sense but endorsing and supporting even what seems irrational .Our politics is now also about appearing foolish so that when you plunder and “eat” it becomes justifiable.ZANU PF will ensure at all costs that even if we go to elections with the economy having breathed its last, victory has to come at all costs. What they are more concerned about is winning at all costs and that they are already guaranteed in the form of a very loyal ZEC which has proved in the past that it’s the real game changer and not some powerless individuals that the media is affording acres of space in their publications.
Bon Voyage 2018!
While the excitement and fever of having new political entrants who, many believe will pose a challenge to ZANU PF grips many, what remains true is that the chances of a single minority party dislodging ZANU PF are slim, if any.
That is the biggest tale with so long a shadow possibly one casting itself far afield into year 2018, the year of decision.
Rawlings Magede writes in his own capacity. He can be contacted on vamagede@gmail.com
It started as a loosely coordinated group under one, Mallam Mohammed Yusuf, a fiery scholar resident in Maiduguri, the largest city of Bono state in North-eastern Nigeria. The first open challenge to government authority in this area was by a tiny group of people who withdrew from the urban landscape of Maiduguri to rural Kanama in the Yunusari local government area of Yobe State in north-eastern Nigeria in December 2003. They referred to themselves as the “Nigerian Taleban”.
Their choice of rural Kanama as camp was made with an eye for military details. This site was carefully chosen for its remoteness and defensibility. The Kanama camp was forested and ensconced between two bodies of water near the Nigeria–Niger border. Trenches were dug and camouflaged across the only two access roads from Kanama and the exit road to Niger Republic, and sandbags were used to reinforce the defences. The militants then launched attacks on police stations and government buildings and generally wreaked havoc on the Yunusari, Tarmuwa, Borsari, Geidam, and Damaturu local government areas of Yobe State between 21 December 2003 and 1 January 2004.This marked the beginning of this group terrorist activity which later became known as Boko Harram.
The name Boko Haram is Hausa translation which means Western education forbidden, when it started as a small group, even the Nigerian government never envisaged that this small group was going to transform into one of the most notorious, detested and feared terrorist groups today.
There is no argument as to the threat posed by Boko Harram and today it remains a prickle to African governments who continue to govern in fear of the unknown. Neighbouring Cameroon considered too sympathetic to Boko Haram, has not done much to close down the operations of Boko Harram which operates freely without going through strict security measures and interceptions. Actually Boko Harram moves freely between the Nigerian and Cameroonian boarder, undisturbed.
This terrorist group has actually surpassed the vision of its founder Yusuf, who according to many would never had justified Boko Harram recent terrorist activities. Rather as a way of venting its discontent, it has caused mayhem, the most extreme being the kidnapping of Chibok girls which caused world outcry as government officials wailed and pleaded on national television for the immediate release of the girls.
Whatever their cause, terrorism remains an evil way of settling matters. Taking matters into their own hands as a way of fighting such a war cannot be justified. The news that Nigeria has surpassed South Africa as the biggest economy is no cause for celebration as the new Nigerian government led by President Buhari has more pressing problems at home rather than celebrate statistics that are under constant threat by the risk caused by terrorism. What remains true is that Nigeria has potential and has gone through serious corruption episodes that continue to threaten its status as having the biggest economies in Africa. According to recent data from the World Bank, the Nigerian economy grew from $453 billion to $264 billion.
Of multipartism and madness
The recent weeks have been full of drama full swing on the Zimbabwean political landscape. Against a failing memory, the new political entrants have been paraded before an unsuspecting electorate which by way of hindsight, the media underestimates its ability to discern points of deception. Of course the media must be credited for its quest to vamp up its diminishing sales and take advantage of time past to carve heroism out of the most mundane of deeds. While the new constitution provides for political rights where every citizen can exercise their democratic right to form a political party, what is misleading is that whoever proposed having multiple political parties as a means to dislodge ZANU PF might have prescribed wrong medicine.
While manifestos have been speedily written under the cover of darkness so as to “appear” alive and busy, our eyes have read them in order to BUILD our understanding and have HOPE for tomorrow. The propensity to revel in past glory (if any) poses a bigger threat to society especially when the parties involved never govern come election time. The very weakness of these political parties is lack of organic support and come election time in 2018, this advantage would have come uninvited for ZANU PF.
While some people have even publicly declare their affiliations to parties that are yet to see the light of day, the furore that the multiplicity of the parties has generated is very misleading. Others have even gone to dangerous levels of calling Mujuru a game changer within the political matrix. What lacks in some of these misleading debates is the ability to discern points of weakness. What even surprises me is that the parties involved barely have power or influence at all.
The controversy that surrounds some of these so-called leaders of these parties leaves a lot of “buts” rather than “why’s” on our restless lips. You eat for 35 years, seamless, restless non-stop until one day grief and disaster visits you. You recant the self-described misdeeds all those years, then mobilise a tear or two to show remorse. Unbeknown to these people, in politics, just like AIDS, the curer for regret is hard to come by and it still to be discovered and developed. Saying sorry will not make the electorate change their perception about you. Ask Makoni and Dabengwa.
It’s cold out there!
During the President’s wrong speech in Parliament, ZANU PF parliamentarians ululated and celebrated as their leader read the wrong speech. A lot of questions emerge over such display of madness. Why full grown man would celebrate a stale speech just reveals that Parliament has just been reduced to a place of zombies, who lack reasoning and judgement.
When you have legislators such as Chinotimba with their misplaced and blacked out judgement of the wrong speech, then it just proves the sorry state of our politics. The attitude that was displayed by the ZANU PF legislators clearly reveal that to them, Zimbabwean politics is no longer about making sense but endorsing and supporting even what seems irrational .Our politics is now also about appearing foolish so that when you plunder and “eat” it becomes justifiable.ZANU PF will ensure at all costs that even if we go to elections with the economy having breathed its last, victory has to come at all costs. What they are more concerned about is winning at all costs and that they are already guaranteed in the form of a very loyal ZEC which has proved in the past that it’s the real game changer and not some powerless individuals that the media is affording acres of space in their publications.
Bon Voyage 2018!
While the excitement and fever of having new political entrants who, many believe will pose a challenge to ZANU PF grips many, what remains true is that the chances of a single minority party dislodging ZANU PF are slim, if any.
That is the biggest tale with so long a shadow possibly one casting itself far afield into year 2018, the year of decision.
Rawlings Magede writes in his own capacity. He can be contacted on vamagede@gmail.com
Friday, August 7, 2015
HEROES DAY: A BETRAYAL OF WHAT TRUE HEROES STOOD FOR!
When Traitors celebrate
Lieutenant General Joseph Arthur Ankrah led the coup against Kwame Nkrumah in early 1966 while he was away in Vietnam attending a Peace Initiative in Vietnam which sought to end the war between America and Northern Vietnam. Nkrumah’s crime they said was of making the African people politically conscious about their resources among other things. His book that he had published in 1965, Neo Colonialism, The last stage of Imperialism”, had caused a lot of hype and debate especially in Western governments. His vision was to have an African society that utilised its resources and enjoyed equality.
Nkrumah survived several assassination attempts on his life; the last being the one attempted in 1964.This coup attempt brought a lot of raft changes in his administration. He fired several army generals whom he didn’t trust anymore and he formed a new regiment known as the Presidential Regimental Guard which had the sole mandate of ensuring his own security. In 1966 after the successful coup, he sought exile in Guinea and while there, he wrote several books which explained his ideals and vision for Africa. Back home his supporters were beaten and tortured in streets. According to the Editor of the Ghanaian Insight Newspaper, Kwesi Pratt, the coup was one of the worst moments in the history of the entire African continent.
While the “victors” celebrated such victory, those who knew what Nkrumah stood for, could only watch in anguish as Africa had taken a turn in the worst direction. Today we remember Nkrumah as a Pan Africanist whose ideologies and vision helped shape Africa. His ideals have also been twisted by successive African leaders who have wrongly used his ideals to justify and perpetuate dictatorship governments.
Today we are in the same Africa where the little progress made so far in the actualisation of Nkrumah’s vision cannot be a feat or an achievement. It’s an Africa that has Xenophobia in the South while in West Africa; Boko Haram has destroyed and shaken the very same foundations of a peaceful and tolerant Africa which are essential for development. Regional groupings such as SADC and African Union seem to have shifted from the founding principles that gave birth to Africa. Coup attempts still take place in Africa but these regional groupings have been left exposed and questioned over their capacity to take Africa forward. Diseases.Diseases and poverty has become a norm in Africa. Year after year during Africa day commemorations, we set unrealistic targets that lack follow up and will from African governments hence the underdevelopment.
Today, 43 years after the death of Nkrumah, Africa still grapples with primitive practices such as doctoring constitutions to remain in power, rule of law, rampant corruption, and killings. What a pathetic tribute to heroes such as Nkrumah who envisaged a prosperous Africa which had capable leaders who would advance Africa’s cause and agenda on the international scene. It’s sad.
The Propensity to revel in past glory
Monday the 10th of August is Heroes day. It’s a day when the country celebrates the sacrifice given by gallant sons of Zimbabwe when they took up arms to dislodge colonial government. It’s also a time when history lessons of bravado and “macho-man” like adventures will be given to all who care to listen. It’s a also a time when the public media together with all its affiliates take breaks and interjections in between programmes to share the history of fallen cadres who liberated this country. Befitting tribute indeed!
Heroes’ day offers an opportunity to acknowledge the selfless sacrifice by our brothers and sisters in ensuring that we attain independence. The living and independent today still acknowledge the effort by fallen heroes. Some of us have even gone a step further by having portraits of our fallen heroes in our houses. To me they are a symbol of joy and success.
However while we can revel in the success of enjoying our hard fought independence, I think that much justice haven’t been devoted to ensure that what these slain heroes stood for is realised. Today the government continued to skirt with rehearsed precision on issues of the gains of heroes’ day. Year in and year out, the same history lessons are told to everyone who cares to listen. What should be the starting point should be an introspection of how far we have gone as a country in ensuring that the whole package that comes with independence is realised. Independence was supposed to herald economic growth, free health and education among others. But alas, in all this hopus copus, our leaders portray independence as a mere day to remember the dead but not evaluating if the same independence has also brought positives to the living.
What also lacks during heroes commemorations is the underlying and collective debate of what a new Zimbabwe should herald. Our national leaders tend to twist and hide this reality from us. The propensity to live in the past poses a bigger danger to society where the living fail to understand the real meaning of independence. Independence should never be about narrating horrific incidents meant to coerce and trick people into believing that independence is an unattainable feat but it should be about shaping national discourse on what the living should do to develop and take the country forwad.The Future! Why doesn’t the government take an introspection of how far it has gone in achieving the vision of slain heroes? Surely these heroes had a vision for Zimbabwe which regrettably is parallel to what is obtaining.
All African countries to say the least have gone through radical transformations and some have made economic strides since they got independence. For Zimbabwe, the once bread basket of Southern Africa ,is now fallen to become a basket case for Africa ,needing annual grain imports from countries such as Zambia whom we never thought would assist us in times of need.
Populist policies have been developed which have delivered nothing. Thousands if not millions are now vendors who have been rendered jobless by insane policies that have defeated the same sacrifice of our slain heroes. Everything has virtually collapsed! Everyday people wake up to saddening news about retrenchments that have seen the elite dismissing workers willy-nilly after the Supreme Court ruling.
The Centre cannot hold!
Things fall apart, the centre cannot hold, as William Butler Yeats would put it in his poem, The Second Coming. Heroes’ day also offers an opportunity to also reflect on the new heroes who have been born since independence. These ones are resilient and have endured and withstood the effects of the harsh economic environment for the past 15 years or so.
Zimbabwe, once considered as a bastion of progress and developmental darling, has taken a nose dive plunge. Its collapse has seen the elites making rich pickings from the poor and vulnerable. Corruption which has become the most reliable friend of our government continues to ravage and thrive undisturbed.
The recent Supreme Court ruling has advantaged employers and this has seen the remaining and “viable” companies retrenching thousands at alarming rates. A careful analysis of who these “employers” are reveals that the majority of them are actually politicians. While President Mugabe has distanced himself from the job cuts and made a last minute plea to halt the job cuts, the damage is already done. Many today have been rendered jobless and the courts are not even a viable option since they are the ones that triggered the madness.
DIASPORIANS ARE HEROES TOO!
According to the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe statistics, in 2012, total remittances from the diaspora amounted to US$2, 1 billion while in 2013 they totalled US$1, 8 billion. The amount could be higher given that a substantial amount of diaspora remittances continued to be transmitted through informal channels.
This means that Diasporians have a key role to play in economic revival. Besides being forced to leave their motherland due to varying reasons which include economic collapse, Diasporians have even started developmental projects back home. They also send money for the upkeep of their families back home. Surely some have been doing this for over 15 years now and for them the hope of a new Zimbabwe spurs them on. The hope to come back and contribute to nation building remains a cry and dream that remains there no matter what.
For sure they are also our heroes of our time who have had to put up in foreign lands where a lot of risks exist but the desire to feed families drives them on. As the nation celebrate Heroes day, I personally salute all Zimbabweans abroad who have continued to support those back home and have remained resolute in supporting their families who are suffering under the scourge of unemployment. Although they are denied the right to vote, they have contributed greatly to nation building. They remain key stakeholders who are key to economic revival. Salute!
Vendors, our new local heroes
In my final analysis I wouldn’t have done justice without mentioning this very important grouping that has defied all odds and developed survival tactics that allow them to see the next day. These people are the new heroes in Zimbabwe, they sell wares all across Zimbabwe from which they fend for their families, educate their children and give children shelter.
Of course this grouping of survivors has suffered at the hands of Municipal authorities and politicians but their “die-hard” nature leverages them. With running battles with our corrupt officials, they continue to strive under harsh and trying conditions. They remain a very resilient grouping whose feats and exploits deserve recognition. Long live VENDORS!
In this battle of survival where the ordinary worker always wakes up to uncertainty and insecurity over their job, for sure Heroes day is an opportunity to reflect and commend ourselves for resilience and endurance. It’s a time to also project our hopes and aspirations towards the future, a future where our leaders can be able to account and use resources to further and champion the causes of citizens. Happy heroes’ holiday!
Rawlings Magede is a writer based in Nkayi and he writes in his personal capacity.vamagede@gmail.com
Lieutenant General Joseph Arthur Ankrah led the coup against Kwame Nkrumah in early 1966 while he was away in Vietnam attending a Peace Initiative in Vietnam which sought to end the war between America and Northern Vietnam. Nkrumah’s crime they said was of making the African people politically conscious about their resources among other things. His book that he had published in 1965, Neo Colonialism, The last stage of Imperialism”, had caused a lot of hype and debate especially in Western governments. His vision was to have an African society that utilised its resources and enjoyed equality.
Nkrumah survived several assassination attempts on his life; the last being the one attempted in 1964.This coup attempt brought a lot of raft changes in his administration. He fired several army generals whom he didn’t trust anymore and he formed a new regiment known as the Presidential Regimental Guard which had the sole mandate of ensuring his own security. In 1966 after the successful coup, he sought exile in Guinea and while there, he wrote several books which explained his ideals and vision for Africa. Back home his supporters were beaten and tortured in streets. According to the Editor of the Ghanaian Insight Newspaper, Kwesi Pratt, the coup was one of the worst moments in the history of the entire African continent.
While the “victors” celebrated such victory, those who knew what Nkrumah stood for, could only watch in anguish as Africa had taken a turn in the worst direction. Today we remember Nkrumah as a Pan Africanist whose ideologies and vision helped shape Africa. His ideals have also been twisted by successive African leaders who have wrongly used his ideals to justify and perpetuate dictatorship governments.
Today we are in the same Africa where the little progress made so far in the actualisation of Nkrumah’s vision cannot be a feat or an achievement. It’s an Africa that has Xenophobia in the South while in West Africa; Boko Haram has destroyed and shaken the very same foundations of a peaceful and tolerant Africa which are essential for development. Regional groupings such as SADC and African Union seem to have shifted from the founding principles that gave birth to Africa. Coup attempts still take place in Africa but these regional groupings have been left exposed and questioned over their capacity to take Africa forward. Diseases.Diseases and poverty has become a norm in Africa. Year after year during Africa day commemorations, we set unrealistic targets that lack follow up and will from African governments hence the underdevelopment.
Today, 43 years after the death of Nkrumah, Africa still grapples with primitive practices such as doctoring constitutions to remain in power, rule of law, rampant corruption, and killings. What a pathetic tribute to heroes such as Nkrumah who envisaged a prosperous Africa which had capable leaders who would advance Africa’s cause and agenda on the international scene. It’s sad.
The Propensity to revel in past glory
Monday the 10th of August is Heroes day. It’s a day when the country celebrates the sacrifice given by gallant sons of Zimbabwe when they took up arms to dislodge colonial government. It’s also a time when history lessons of bravado and “macho-man” like adventures will be given to all who care to listen. It’s a also a time when the public media together with all its affiliates take breaks and interjections in between programmes to share the history of fallen cadres who liberated this country. Befitting tribute indeed!
Heroes’ day offers an opportunity to acknowledge the selfless sacrifice by our brothers and sisters in ensuring that we attain independence. The living and independent today still acknowledge the effort by fallen heroes. Some of us have even gone a step further by having portraits of our fallen heroes in our houses. To me they are a symbol of joy and success.
However while we can revel in the success of enjoying our hard fought independence, I think that much justice haven’t been devoted to ensure that what these slain heroes stood for is realised. Today the government continued to skirt with rehearsed precision on issues of the gains of heroes’ day. Year in and year out, the same history lessons are told to everyone who cares to listen. What should be the starting point should be an introspection of how far we have gone as a country in ensuring that the whole package that comes with independence is realised. Independence was supposed to herald economic growth, free health and education among others. But alas, in all this hopus copus, our leaders portray independence as a mere day to remember the dead but not evaluating if the same independence has also brought positives to the living.
What also lacks during heroes commemorations is the underlying and collective debate of what a new Zimbabwe should herald. Our national leaders tend to twist and hide this reality from us. The propensity to live in the past poses a bigger danger to society where the living fail to understand the real meaning of independence. Independence should never be about narrating horrific incidents meant to coerce and trick people into believing that independence is an unattainable feat but it should be about shaping national discourse on what the living should do to develop and take the country forwad.The Future! Why doesn’t the government take an introspection of how far it has gone in achieving the vision of slain heroes? Surely these heroes had a vision for Zimbabwe which regrettably is parallel to what is obtaining.
All African countries to say the least have gone through radical transformations and some have made economic strides since they got independence. For Zimbabwe, the once bread basket of Southern Africa ,is now fallen to become a basket case for Africa ,needing annual grain imports from countries such as Zambia whom we never thought would assist us in times of need.
Populist policies have been developed which have delivered nothing. Thousands if not millions are now vendors who have been rendered jobless by insane policies that have defeated the same sacrifice of our slain heroes. Everything has virtually collapsed! Everyday people wake up to saddening news about retrenchments that have seen the elite dismissing workers willy-nilly after the Supreme Court ruling.
The Centre cannot hold!
Things fall apart, the centre cannot hold, as William Butler Yeats would put it in his poem, The Second Coming. Heroes’ day also offers an opportunity to also reflect on the new heroes who have been born since independence. These ones are resilient and have endured and withstood the effects of the harsh economic environment for the past 15 years or so.
Zimbabwe, once considered as a bastion of progress and developmental darling, has taken a nose dive plunge. Its collapse has seen the elites making rich pickings from the poor and vulnerable. Corruption which has become the most reliable friend of our government continues to ravage and thrive undisturbed.
The recent Supreme Court ruling has advantaged employers and this has seen the remaining and “viable” companies retrenching thousands at alarming rates. A careful analysis of who these “employers” are reveals that the majority of them are actually politicians. While President Mugabe has distanced himself from the job cuts and made a last minute plea to halt the job cuts, the damage is already done. Many today have been rendered jobless and the courts are not even a viable option since they are the ones that triggered the madness.
DIASPORIANS ARE HEROES TOO!
According to the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe statistics, in 2012, total remittances from the diaspora amounted to US$2, 1 billion while in 2013 they totalled US$1, 8 billion. The amount could be higher given that a substantial amount of diaspora remittances continued to be transmitted through informal channels.
This means that Diasporians have a key role to play in economic revival. Besides being forced to leave their motherland due to varying reasons which include economic collapse, Diasporians have even started developmental projects back home. They also send money for the upkeep of their families back home. Surely some have been doing this for over 15 years now and for them the hope of a new Zimbabwe spurs them on. The hope to come back and contribute to nation building remains a cry and dream that remains there no matter what.
For sure they are also our heroes of our time who have had to put up in foreign lands where a lot of risks exist but the desire to feed families drives them on. As the nation celebrate Heroes day, I personally salute all Zimbabweans abroad who have continued to support those back home and have remained resolute in supporting their families who are suffering under the scourge of unemployment. Although they are denied the right to vote, they have contributed greatly to nation building. They remain key stakeholders who are key to economic revival. Salute!
Vendors, our new local heroes
In my final analysis I wouldn’t have done justice without mentioning this very important grouping that has defied all odds and developed survival tactics that allow them to see the next day. These people are the new heroes in Zimbabwe, they sell wares all across Zimbabwe from which they fend for their families, educate their children and give children shelter.
Of course this grouping of survivors has suffered at the hands of Municipal authorities and politicians but their “die-hard” nature leverages them. With running battles with our corrupt officials, they continue to strive under harsh and trying conditions. They remain a very resilient grouping whose feats and exploits deserve recognition. Long live VENDORS!
In this battle of survival where the ordinary worker always wakes up to uncertainty and insecurity over their job, for sure Heroes day is an opportunity to reflect and commend ourselves for resilience and endurance. It’s a time to also project our hopes and aspirations towards the future, a future where our leaders can be able to account and use resources to further and champion the causes of citizens. Happy heroes’ holiday!
Rawlings Magede is a writer based in Nkayi and he writes in his personal capacity.vamagede@gmail.com
Wednesday, July 8, 2015
Multipartism without a meaning: A prototype of Zimbabwean democracy
Lessons from Kenya
Kenya celebrated her 52 years of independence on 1 June 2015.I love Kenya specifically. It’s a weakness that I can’t shrug off. It’s a country that has gone through a lot of changes that has seen it reassert itself as a tourism destination and well-known internationally for its world-dominating long-distance runners, and more lately Oscar-winning actors like Lupita Nyong’o and the fact that US president Barack Obama’s father was Kenyan.
The country is full of “firsts” that make it a standout country that is littered with classical examples that other African countries can only yearn for. Kenya was the first testing ground of Ushahidi: Meaning “testimony” or “witness” in Swahili. Ushahidi was a website that was initially developed to map reports of violence in Kenya after the post-election fallout at the beginning of 2008. Combining social networking with Google maps, it rapidly collects data from the crowd and visualizes what happened, when and where. Now it is the mostly used crisis mapping platform in the world.
Also related to technology, Kenya was the first developing country to have an open government portal, the 22nd country globally. In July 2011, Kenya launched the Kenya Open Data Initiative, becoming the first sub-Saharan country to do so and second African country after Morocco, later followed by Tunisia and Ghana. This made key government data freely available to the public through a single online portal.
On one hand, you have a younger President in the form of Uhuru Kenyata who has reinvented himself and dusted himself from the perceived “bad boy” image that saw international critics fingering him of having had a hand in the violence that marred the December 2007 disputable elections. He was also the first sitting head of state to appear at the International Criminal Court.
His name Uhuru is a Swahili term for freedom and history has it that it was given to him in anticipation of Kenya’s freedom which came as early as 1963.In 2002, he ran as a presidential candidate and lost to former President Mwai Kibaki by a wide margin. This didn’t dissuade him but in the December 2007 presidential election, he smartly calculated his moves and backed Mwai Kibaki (the one he had lost to in 2002).After the disputed elections that midwifed the inclusive government, he became Prime Minister by April 2008 as part of the coalition government. Today, he is the President of Kenya and how he got there involved deliberate steps that saw him wrestle power and fortify his own political future.
His immense contribution during the inclusive government as Deputy Minister saw Kenya restoring stability and re-culturing and eliminating a culture of violence that had continued to dog Kenya after the disputed elections. Of course opposition parties in Kenya must also be given credit for putting the country first when they formed an inclusive government that paved way for a more peaceful election in 2013 which was won by Uhuru Kenyata. In a show of brotherhood and good citizenry, Raila Odinga played his part also in pleading to his supporters to cease fire and work towards the development of the country. It’s called putting country first regardless of differences.
Today Kenya has an energetic leader who is very interactive on several social networks where he regularly updates citizens on literally everything. They managed transition from the well-aged Kibaki and today critics of Kenyata have other issues against him which in some quarters are limited to other things outside good governance and accountability. Enough about Kenya.
A world where numbers matter…
I watched with keen interest political developments in the run up to the June 10 by elections as fly by night “thinktanks” of gloom and doom gave their abysmal prognoses of the effects of the MDC-T boycott. This is a debate that will continue with many seeking answers to the “what ifs” of what could have happened.
To a right thinking person what this meant was that victory had come uninvited for ZANU PF which guaranteed a clean sweep. The boycott as it was would midwife victory to ZANU PF which already controlled Parliament with more than two thirds majority! Numbers and more numbers!
The problem with opposition politics is the problem of ever learning and never making amends. Every opposition party claims that it can displace ZANU PF without even answering the “how” part of things. Others claim they have numbers but when real opportunities to seize power present themselves, they falter and fail dismally. What a pity!
The inclusive government period is a case in point where opposition parties were supposed to strategize and reorganize themselves after ZANU PF had lost elections. The period of the inclusive government is littered with examples of how discord and lack of clarity among opposition parties gave ZANU PF breathing space to reorganize itself and outsmart them once for all.
I remember one specific meeting when former Deputy Prime Minister, Arthur Mutambara was talking about the need for economic revival. One would mistake him for a ZANU PF Minister as he unpacked and recited the ZANU PF rhetoric on sanctions and what had caused economic meltdown. It left the audience shell shocked while ZANU PF MP’s and members present momentarily transfixed before withdrawing into guffaws of armpit laughter. With a negative fame culled from an illegitimate stay in the inclusive government after he was fired from MDC-W, he continued to masquerade as a Principal for his former party. Today, no one really knows where the learned Professor is but what’s true is that wherever he is, he is being tormented and haunted by memories of his dismal failure during his regrettable stint in the inclusive government.
Was not the inclusive government an opportunity to learn and strategies for the 2013 elections for the opposition parties that were in government? Numbers and coalitions are the real game changers in Zimbabwean politics today. The issue of egos get in the way every time the talk of a grand coalition is brought up. The country comes last to these opposition parties as they continue to seek “vain” glory of having singlehandedly displaced ZANU PF.Today, sad to say, this is the biggest tale which will remain on our restless lips, remain there and very hard to displace!
June 10 by elections: Hear Hear!
Let’s pretend that the talk of electoral “irregularities” was not there and talk about the chances of those who participated in the by elections winning a single seat. I know some would love to give the excuse that they were testing the ground and measuring their effectiveness but surely you cannot simply go for an election and not expect to win. I hate arguments that invoke a false group spirit, all in order to justify the unjustifiable.
I had the opportunity to visit Tsholotsho just a few days before the by election in the area. As I approached Tsholotsho, trees along roads had posters of Jonathan Moyo.Moyo. Moyo. Upon reaching Tsholotsho business Centre, it became worse. Apart from this, Moyo had his team called the G40 which was campaigning non-stop, door to door every day. They gave rice and several food stuffs. Some might call it vote buying or whatever but as I saw his team hit the ground, it proved that he was determined to win at all costs.
I say all this because I remember a certain friend of mine who was standing as an Independent candidate who had a budget of a paltry $50(before Eco cash deductions) who was vying for one these rural seats with such an amount. The writing on the wall was clear but this denial that people have that is not supported by an scientific evidence that is representative of the situation on the ground encouraged him till results day when he received a clobbering of his life time. Just because you have a few sympathizers and faceless characters on Facebook who are not even registered voters, should never fool you into doing the seemingly impossible.
Time has come to call a spade a spade. It is our skewed analysis of the power dynamics that have fueled ZANU PF to even go beyond their own expectations. We continue to criticize and label those who analyse objectively the future of opposition politics ZANU PF sympathizers or apologists or whatever term we see fit.
The chances of a single party doing the seemingly impossible task of displacing ZANU PF are minimal. They have their intact machinery in the form of Zimbabwe Electoral Commission(ZEC), untouched, in place. The implication that is there is that all future elections will be skewed in the favour of ZANU PF.Look at how ZEC handled the issue that Guzah was not a registered voter. Is he not an MP today albeit the noise that pressure groups and the independent media made?
Then there is People Last or Money First
One question that keeps ringing louder each day about this cabal is what does the future holds for them. While we have only witnessed scathing attacks on ZANU PF by the 3 mates in ruin, Jabulani Sibanda, Didymus Mutasa and Rugare Gumbo, there has been total silence from Joyce Mujuru. The only statement she issued out was to say she was sorry and her denying all charges that led to her dismissal. She did this with a sickening rhetoric that casts false hope that maybe, just maybe the political gods will smile at her again and be readmitted into the party she claims she “loves” so much.
While those who were linked with her have been dismissed, harangued and insulted especially through the public media, she has remained mum, basking in cold comfort that per adventure she would make a comeback.She has been quiet for long a time and there is never a day that she came out defending those people whose political careers were cut short because of the alleged link to her. While there is continued speculation that she intends to challenge Mugabe come 2018, will she gather enough grassroot support to mount a serious threat by then? Only time will tell. The years ahead will have many eyes.
Where to now?
The Zimbabwean scenario is not very unique from the rest of Africa. There are classical examples of countries in Africa where opposition parties formed coalitions to manage transitions but just like I have alluded to earlier, our opposition politics never entertain such thoughts. It’s all about egos, egos and more egos. It’s about who gets what or who brings what.
ZANU PF has benefitted greatly from this disorientation, discord and lack of organisation within opposition politics. That is why you have people like Transport Minister Obert Mpofu continuing to insist that he will install urban tollgates. He has empirical evidence that there will be no backclash.Today Chombo, though he has been moved to Home Affairs is a happy man after having left directed local authorities to introduce prepaid water meters which has received a handful of protests. And from that decision what do you get from opposition parties-useless, tired and empty threats to demonstrate against such a move. At least they must be given an aorta of credit for demonstrating on Facebook; at least none of the targeted audience gets the message! If they could boycott drinking water, I bet they would!
As the electoral bell continues to shift our gaze and focus towards judgement day (2018), exciting times await there.
Apo!
Rawlings Magede is a writer based in Nkayi and he writes in his personal capacity.
Kenya celebrated her 52 years of independence on 1 June 2015.I love Kenya specifically. It’s a weakness that I can’t shrug off. It’s a country that has gone through a lot of changes that has seen it reassert itself as a tourism destination and well-known internationally for its world-dominating long-distance runners, and more lately Oscar-winning actors like Lupita Nyong’o and the fact that US president Barack Obama’s father was Kenyan.
The country is full of “firsts” that make it a standout country that is littered with classical examples that other African countries can only yearn for. Kenya was the first testing ground of Ushahidi: Meaning “testimony” or “witness” in Swahili. Ushahidi was a website that was initially developed to map reports of violence in Kenya after the post-election fallout at the beginning of 2008. Combining social networking with Google maps, it rapidly collects data from the crowd and visualizes what happened, when and where. Now it is the mostly used crisis mapping platform in the world.
Also related to technology, Kenya was the first developing country to have an open government portal, the 22nd country globally. In July 2011, Kenya launched the Kenya Open Data Initiative, becoming the first sub-Saharan country to do so and second African country after Morocco, later followed by Tunisia and Ghana. This made key government data freely available to the public through a single online portal.
On one hand, you have a younger President in the form of Uhuru Kenyata who has reinvented himself and dusted himself from the perceived “bad boy” image that saw international critics fingering him of having had a hand in the violence that marred the December 2007 disputable elections. He was also the first sitting head of state to appear at the International Criminal Court.
His name Uhuru is a Swahili term for freedom and history has it that it was given to him in anticipation of Kenya’s freedom which came as early as 1963.In 2002, he ran as a presidential candidate and lost to former President Mwai Kibaki by a wide margin. This didn’t dissuade him but in the December 2007 presidential election, he smartly calculated his moves and backed Mwai Kibaki (the one he had lost to in 2002).After the disputed elections that midwifed the inclusive government, he became Prime Minister by April 2008 as part of the coalition government. Today, he is the President of Kenya and how he got there involved deliberate steps that saw him wrestle power and fortify his own political future.
His immense contribution during the inclusive government as Deputy Minister saw Kenya restoring stability and re-culturing and eliminating a culture of violence that had continued to dog Kenya after the disputed elections. Of course opposition parties in Kenya must also be given credit for putting the country first when they formed an inclusive government that paved way for a more peaceful election in 2013 which was won by Uhuru Kenyata. In a show of brotherhood and good citizenry, Raila Odinga played his part also in pleading to his supporters to cease fire and work towards the development of the country. It’s called putting country first regardless of differences.
Today Kenya has an energetic leader who is very interactive on several social networks where he regularly updates citizens on literally everything. They managed transition from the well-aged Kibaki and today critics of Kenyata have other issues against him which in some quarters are limited to other things outside good governance and accountability. Enough about Kenya.
A world where numbers matter…
I watched with keen interest political developments in the run up to the June 10 by elections as fly by night “thinktanks” of gloom and doom gave their abysmal prognoses of the effects of the MDC-T boycott. This is a debate that will continue with many seeking answers to the “what ifs” of what could have happened.
To a right thinking person what this meant was that victory had come uninvited for ZANU PF which guaranteed a clean sweep. The boycott as it was would midwife victory to ZANU PF which already controlled Parliament with more than two thirds majority! Numbers and more numbers!
The problem with opposition politics is the problem of ever learning and never making amends. Every opposition party claims that it can displace ZANU PF without even answering the “how” part of things. Others claim they have numbers but when real opportunities to seize power present themselves, they falter and fail dismally. What a pity!
The inclusive government period is a case in point where opposition parties were supposed to strategize and reorganize themselves after ZANU PF had lost elections. The period of the inclusive government is littered with examples of how discord and lack of clarity among opposition parties gave ZANU PF breathing space to reorganize itself and outsmart them once for all.
I remember one specific meeting when former Deputy Prime Minister, Arthur Mutambara was talking about the need for economic revival. One would mistake him for a ZANU PF Minister as he unpacked and recited the ZANU PF rhetoric on sanctions and what had caused economic meltdown. It left the audience shell shocked while ZANU PF MP’s and members present momentarily transfixed before withdrawing into guffaws of armpit laughter. With a negative fame culled from an illegitimate stay in the inclusive government after he was fired from MDC-W, he continued to masquerade as a Principal for his former party. Today, no one really knows where the learned Professor is but what’s true is that wherever he is, he is being tormented and haunted by memories of his dismal failure during his regrettable stint in the inclusive government.
Was not the inclusive government an opportunity to learn and strategies for the 2013 elections for the opposition parties that were in government? Numbers and coalitions are the real game changers in Zimbabwean politics today. The issue of egos get in the way every time the talk of a grand coalition is brought up. The country comes last to these opposition parties as they continue to seek “vain” glory of having singlehandedly displaced ZANU PF.Today, sad to say, this is the biggest tale which will remain on our restless lips, remain there and very hard to displace!
June 10 by elections: Hear Hear!
Let’s pretend that the talk of electoral “irregularities” was not there and talk about the chances of those who participated in the by elections winning a single seat. I know some would love to give the excuse that they were testing the ground and measuring their effectiveness but surely you cannot simply go for an election and not expect to win. I hate arguments that invoke a false group spirit, all in order to justify the unjustifiable.
I had the opportunity to visit Tsholotsho just a few days before the by election in the area. As I approached Tsholotsho, trees along roads had posters of Jonathan Moyo.Moyo. Moyo. Upon reaching Tsholotsho business Centre, it became worse. Apart from this, Moyo had his team called the G40 which was campaigning non-stop, door to door every day. They gave rice and several food stuffs. Some might call it vote buying or whatever but as I saw his team hit the ground, it proved that he was determined to win at all costs.
I say all this because I remember a certain friend of mine who was standing as an Independent candidate who had a budget of a paltry $50(before Eco cash deductions) who was vying for one these rural seats with such an amount. The writing on the wall was clear but this denial that people have that is not supported by an scientific evidence that is representative of the situation on the ground encouraged him till results day when he received a clobbering of his life time. Just because you have a few sympathizers and faceless characters on Facebook who are not even registered voters, should never fool you into doing the seemingly impossible.
Time has come to call a spade a spade. It is our skewed analysis of the power dynamics that have fueled ZANU PF to even go beyond their own expectations. We continue to criticize and label those who analyse objectively the future of opposition politics ZANU PF sympathizers or apologists or whatever term we see fit.
The chances of a single party doing the seemingly impossible task of displacing ZANU PF are minimal. They have their intact machinery in the form of Zimbabwe Electoral Commission(ZEC), untouched, in place. The implication that is there is that all future elections will be skewed in the favour of ZANU PF.Look at how ZEC handled the issue that Guzah was not a registered voter. Is he not an MP today albeit the noise that pressure groups and the independent media made?
Then there is People Last or Money First
One question that keeps ringing louder each day about this cabal is what does the future holds for them. While we have only witnessed scathing attacks on ZANU PF by the 3 mates in ruin, Jabulani Sibanda, Didymus Mutasa and Rugare Gumbo, there has been total silence from Joyce Mujuru. The only statement she issued out was to say she was sorry and her denying all charges that led to her dismissal. She did this with a sickening rhetoric that casts false hope that maybe, just maybe the political gods will smile at her again and be readmitted into the party she claims she “loves” so much.
While those who were linked with her have been dismissed, harangued and insulted especially through the public media, she has remained mum, basking in cold comfort that per adventure she would make a comeback.She has been quiet for long a time and there is never a day that she came out defending those people whose political careers were cut short because of the alleged link to her. While there is continued speculation that she intends to challenge Mugabe come 2018, will she gather enough grassroot support to mount a serious threat by then? Only time will tell. The years ahead will have many eyes.
Where to now?
The Zimbabwean scenario is not very unique from the rest of Africa. There are classical examples of countries in Africa where opposition parties formed coalitions to manage transitions but just like I have alluded to earlier, our opposition politics never entertain such thoughts. It’s all about egos, egos and more egos. It’s about who gets what or who brings what.
ZANU PF has benefitted greatly from this disorientation, discord and lack of organisation within opposition politics. That is why you have people like Transport Minister Obert Mpofu continuing to insist that he will install urban tollgates. He has empirical evidence that there will be no backclash.Today Chombo, though he has been moved to Home Affairs is a happy man after having left directed local authorities to introduce prepaid water meters which has received a handful of protests. And from that decision what do you get from opposition parties-useless, tired and empty threats to demonstrate against such a move. At least they must be given an aorta of credit for demonstrating on Facebook; at least none of the targeted audience gets the message! If they could boycott drinking water, I bet they would!
As the electoral bell continues to shift our gaze and focus towards judgement day (2018), exciting times await there.
Apo!
Rawlings Magede is a writer based in Nkayi and he writes in his personal capacity.
Tuesday, May 19, 2015
ZIM @35 SO FAR SO WORSE…
When there used to be real Leaders…
They killed him in cold blood, yes comrade Thomas Sankara.His only crime was that of being passionate about his own country, Burkina Faso- the land of upright people. His only crime committed to his murderers was his ideas for self-sufficiency among the Burkinabes.His close compatriot Blaise Compaore, with the aid and support of foreign powers betrayed him in 1987 and murdered him quietly and quickly buried him in a shallow grave. They killed him for his own ideas. Yes ideas that were going to transform Burkina Faso. His famous declaration “Our Homeland or death, we will win” fostered a culture of self-belief in the Burkinabe’s and still does today to the rest of us Africans.
During the October 2014 uprisings in Burkina Faso, when the populace felt short-changed by government’s failure to actualise what Sankara had promised them 27 years back, some Burkinabes’ thoughts turned to slain leader Thomas Sankara for inspiration. His belief that, while revolutionaries as individuals can be murdered, you cannot kill ideas proved to be true.
The man who overthrew Sankara,Blaise Compaore,had failed to actualise the vision of Sankara.All the 27 years that had gone by Burkinabes,were being short changed in their pursuit of what they believed in. Many of the protesters esteemed deeply the vision of Sankara, who had only reigned for a mere 4 years, which seemed to have impacted their livelihood in a tremendous way. While some would argue that Sankara ascended to presidency by means of a coup, what remains true is that he had undying affection and commitment for his country.
Although there is less poverty now than back then, a growing number of Burkinabés had, in recent years, started to feel that Sankara's nationalisation policies may have made the perpetually arid nation a more prosperous and self-reliant place than it is today.
According to one Burkinabe," Ishmael Kaboré, a 47-year-old lawyer in Ouagadougou, "At first, people felt the name Burkina Faso was odd, awkward and far from the modern and foreign names other countries were bearing in Africa. “But they realised after his death that Sankara wanted to give us a unique and special identity that tells our history and depicts our character”
Sankara was a determined pan-Africanist, whose foreign policies were largely centred on anti-imperialism. His government spurned foreign aid and tried to stamp out the influence of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank in the country by adopting debt reduction policies and nationalising all land and mineral wealth.Self-sufficiency and land reform policies were designed to fight famine, a nationwide literacy campaign was launched, and families were ordered to have their children vaccinated.
What a rich history for a real Pan-Africanist whose love and commitment to his country was unparalleled. In this part of the world of ours called Zimbabwe, we have well decorated pseudo Pan-Africanists who masquerade today as champions of black empowerment that has however turned to only benefit only those close to the corridors of power. What a pity!
Long live comrade Sankara! Long live the Land of Upright man! Long live Burkina Faso!
When Politicians become the watchdog over Media
I have been completely appalled by a particular daily newspaper that is running the hash tag”ZIM @35 SO FAR SO GOOD” both in their daily and weekly publications. What baffles my intellect is that whoever ordered that message to run every day might have a preconceived motive bent on selling a perished and stale message that keeps bouncing against a reality check on a daily basis that is representative of the pressures and sufferings that ordinary people are going through every day. The idea is meant to take the people to a fool’s paradise where everything is “nice and smooth”. But nay, all is not well.
In that light, the said newspaper is both unique and puzzling in its messaging, the more so when measured against what is representative on the ground. Zimbabweans are known to boast of their vaunted literacy and what is unquestionable is their capacity to discern points of betrayal in the message.
Surely such a message cannot make for badges of honour! I hate arguments that invoke a false sense of patriotism all in order to wash ugly sins and atrocities done by the ZANU PF regime since independence. History on one end have very tough questions for people who think that patriotism means impoverishing and literally collapsing the economy and blame it on Western sanctions. Patriotism doesn’t mean not accounting for diamonds revenue and blaming it on Western embargo.
35 and still going down!
I have turned down numerous opportunities extended to me by several comrades to write on Zimbabwe’s independence. While I feel a bit sad that I let my fellow comrades down, I however feel vindicated that events that have been unfolding in Zimbabwe are somehow self-explanatory on what our much cherished independence has brought. Of course my analysis is representative of what I hold dear, my beliefs on what has gotten us to where we are. While numerous reasons have been suggested on why Zimbabwe’s economy collapsed, what remains apparent is that today all these suggestions have one convergence point. Zimbabwe’s economy has collapsed.
Independence Day comes and passes without even invoking feelings of nationalism or patriotism. The videos that our failed broadcaster usually broadcast in the run up to independence day of great revolutionaries like Joshua Nkomo,Hebert Chitepo outlining what they envisaged a new Zimbabwe should bring, are representative of the greatest betrayal of what the they stood for. These videos remind Zimbabweans how the ZANU PF government has grossly failed to make such visions alive.
What we have today after 35 years of the so called independence is a regime that cannot even stamp out corruption let alone pay its own civil servants. A regime that has rendered millions jobless due to implementation of insane economic policies. Surely, a country that cannot account for its economic actions right across the whole gamut of its endeavours! Where everything is left to conjecture. A country that cannot audit and evaluate itself!
Of Denialists and Bootlickers…
While the going gets tougher every day for the ordinary citizen, the government on one hand is seized with the ostensible responsibility of igniting fast dashing hope from its citizens, by hook or crook. It is really disgusting that in this abyss of economic turmoil and mess, there are still individuals within the government who are busy selling green lies to the citizenry about how the government has worked tirelessly to address the state of the economy.
What remains true is that the economy is in a terrible bad state and no amount of lectures would dissolve that fact. With each passing day for the unemployed graduates, the aorta of hope that was still there continues to fade away with governments’ regular pronouncements of empty “mega deals” that they think will herald economic revival.
Zimbabwe@35 is not so far so good as some people would want us to believe. Actually, independence has become a detested day especially by people like me as it represents great betrayal by the ZANU PF government. They have drifted greatly from the populist socialistic ideology that they heralded soon after independence. At the moment, capitalist reigns supreme in our country, with those close to the powers that be, benefitting at the expense of the whole population.
Apo!
Rawlings Magede is a writer based in Nkayi,Matebeleland North Province email vamagede@gmail.com
Saturday, April 25, 2015
Air Zimbabwe Arrests: When justice becomes injustice
West Abbey, London, United Kingdom is the place where the great explorer David Livingstone lies to this day. Yes I’m told that’s the place where his two servants at the time Susi and Chuma embalmed the rest of his remains, wrapped in sailcloth and sailed to London in 1874 and left him there.
Up to this day he continues to sleep there, surreal yet posing a lot of serious questions to us born on this beautiful continent concerning his “discoveries”. From his sojourns in the Zambezi and exploring its tributaries and the Nile source, only he could narrate better what he discovered first hand.
I love Africa. It’s a beautiful continent with great scenic views. From the Kalahari Desert in Botswana, Africa boasts of such tourist attractions which continue to mesmerise visitors till this day. If one travels to North Africa, Egypt especially, the Suez Canal continues to act as a trade bolstering facility between developed countries and developing countries.
It connects the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea, allows ships to travel between Europe and South Asia without navigating around Africa thereby reducing the sea voyage distance between Europe and India by about 7, 000 kilometres!
Although the Suez Canal is just a water way between two continents, it symbolizes much more in value. This Canal strengthens the power of Egypt in world economy.
With the taxes from the ships which use the Suez Canal, the Egyptian economy keeps growing day by day. The siltation and erosion in the coast requires labour force. The required labour force usually comes from the Egyptian society therefore it reduces the unemployment rate in the country.
I would have missed the point if I don’t talk about my own Zimbabwe. We boast of the majestic Victoria Falls, Great Zimbabwe among others. Beautiful continent, beautiful cultures and people.
These are some of the discoveries that Livingstone yearned to make but alas fate had other plans for him. But to his advantage, he witnessed the development of early societies in Africa. Today West Abbey is a resting place for the explorer who witnessed first-hand development of early societies.
Through his interactions and dealings with local chiefs and people in Africa, there are many things that only he could narrate concerning the political organisation of these early states. Forget about the great divide between distortion and factual representation. This is a debate that continues to this day. But all this is to wonder off the point.
When the gander is mistaken for a duck
Over the past weeks, a sombre atmosphere engulfed Zimbabwe. The sentencing of former Air Zimbabwe Chief Executive Officer, Peter Chikumba and the company secretary, Grace Pfumbidzai for a combined 20 years left many mesmerised by the “competent’ justice delivery system.
The two were convicted for criminal abuse of office. While relatives and loved ones wailed and toiled at the courts in trying to get sympathy, it proved to be a futile exercise.
While I don’t want to exonerate these two from the “harsh” sentence, a lot of interesting questions emerge. As one thinks and ponders on the reason why the courts flexed some treacherous muscle in trying to restore public confidence in justice delivery in as far as corruption is concerned, a lot of “whys” emerge. What about others?
Whose Justice is it anyway?
I mean we have our archives of corruption hidden in deep parts of our memories. Yes, this is our hope at least for now, something that has become part of us and as the political tides continue to trudge towards exciting times ahead, all we can do is watch. We have so many cases of parastatals that were left in the intensive care unit by most political figures who continue to bask and revel in ill-gotten wealth and success.
But alas, our courts, magnanimous to criminals as ever, continue to operate and skirt on corruption cases with rehearsed precision and yet when those not aligned to powerful figures within the political matrix err, they act swiftly with the speed of lightning to at least remind citizens and would-be criminals that they still have a semblance of what courts should do.
We can write thick volumes of how ZUPCO was looted by one Bright Matonga, Chiadzwa diamonds corruption that saw no revenue being remitted to treasury during the time of the inclusive government. Ask Biti. The rest of the corruption cases are already public knowledge. I would waste my precious time to talk about rampant looting in the allocation of land and stands by those aligned to Ignatius Chombo. The list is endless.
The justice delivery in Zimbabwe is deplorable to say the least. On one end you have the new National Prosecuting Authority masquerading as an institution with a constitutional mandate of undertaking criminal proceedings on behalf of the state, headed by one Johannes Tomana, who is a former Attorney General under whose charge he was actually an enabler of the regimes transgressions.
Today he has just shifted office but same script. The police also continue to play to the whims and tunes of political players and in many cases they have actually taken orders from politicians which in itself is a violation of their ethical practices and standards.
On the other hand you have a “spineless” Auditor General whose job is to just audit and sit back and relax. In 2010 after carrying out an audit government of parastatal bosses, it unearthed misappropriation of funds, embezzlement and other fraudulent activities.
If the findings from this audit were to be executed and acted upon, the whole of government, ministers and parastatal bosses would have been arrested. But alas, if anything, several people who have been implicated in corruption have actually been promoted. What a travesty of justice!
Now when you have several cases under the carpet at the instigation of those in power and authority, what does one make of this nation?
The days ahead will have many eyes.
That’s the bottom line.
The writer Rawlings Magede is a rural political enthusiast who writes from Nkayi.
Up to this day he continues to sleep there, surreal yet posing a lot of serious questions to us born on this beautiful continent concerning his “discoveries”. From his sojourns in the Zambezi and exploring its tributaries and the Nile source, only he could narrate better what he discovered first hand.
I love Africa. It’s a beautiful continent with great scenic views. From the Kalahari Desert in Botswana, Africa boasts of such tourist attractions which continue to mesmerise visitors till this day. If one travels to North Africa, Egypt especially, the Suez Canal continues to act as a trade bolstering facility between developed countries and developing countries.
It connects the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea, allows ships to travel between Europe and South Asia without navigating around Africa thereby reducing the sea voyage distance between Europe and India by about 7, 000 kilometres!
Although the Suez Canal is just a water way between two continents, it symbolizes much more in value. This Canal strengthens the power of Egypt in world economy.
With the taxes from the ships which use the Suez Canal, the Egyptian economy keeps growing day by day. The siltation and erosion in the coast requires labour force. The required labour force usually comes from the Egyptian society therefore it reduces the unemployment rate in the country.
I would have missed the point if I don’t talk about my own Zimbabwe. We boast of the majestic Victoria Falls, Great Zimbabwe among others. Beautiful continent, beautiful cultures and people.
These are some of the discoveries that Livingstone yearned to make but alas fate had other plans for him. But to his advantage, he witnessed the development of early societies in Africa. Today West Abbey is a resting place for the explorer who witnessed first-hand development of early societies.
Through his interactions and dealings with local chiefs and people in Africa, there are many things that only he could narrate concerning the political organisation of these early states. Forget about the great divide between distortion and factual representation. This is a debate that continues to this day. But all this is to wonder off the point.
When the gander is mistaken for a duck
Over the past weeks, a sombre atmosphere engulfed Zimbabwe. The sentencing of former Air Zimbabwe Chief Executive Officer, Peter Chikumba and the company secretary, Grace Pfumbidzai for a combined 20 years left many mesmerised by the “competent’ justice delivery system.
The two were convicted for criminal abuse of office. While relatives and loved ones wailed and toiled at the courts in trying to get sympathy, it proved to be a futile exercise.
While I don’t want to exonerate these two from the “harsh” sentence, a lot of interesting questions emerge. As one thinks and ponders on the reason why the courts flexed some treacherous muscle in trying to restore public confidence in justice delivery in as far as corruption is concerned, a lot of “whys” emerge. What about others?
Whose Justice is it anyway?
I mean we have our archives of corruption hidden in deep parts of our memories. Yes, this is our hope at least for now, something that has become part of us and as the political tides continue to trudge towards exciting times ahead, all we can do is watch. We have so many cases of parastatals that were left in the intensive care unit by most political figures who continue to bask and revel in ill-gotten wealth and success.
But alas, our courts, magnanimous to criminals as ever, continue to operate and skirt on corruption cases with rehearsed precision and yet when those not aligned to powerful figures within the political matrix err, they act swiftly with the speed of lightning to at least remind citizens and would-be criminals that they still have a semblance of what courts should do.
We can write thick volumes of how ZUPCO was looted by one Bright Matonga, Chiadzwa diamonds corruption that saw no revenue being remitted to treasury during the time of the inclusive government. Ask Biti. The rest of the corruption cases are already public knowledge. I would waste my precious time to talk about rampant looting in the allocation of land and stands by those aligned to Ignatius Chombo. The list is endless.
The justice delivery in Zimbabwe is deplorable to say the least. On one end you have the new National Prosecuting Authority masquerading as an institution with a constitutional mandate of undertaking criminal proceedings on behalf of the state, headed by one Johannes Tomana, who is a former Attorney General under whose charge he was actually an enabler of the regimes transgressions.
Today he has just shifted office but same script. The police also continue to play to the whims and tunes of political players and in many cases they have actually taken orders from politicians which in itself is a violation of their ethical practices and standards.
On the other hand you have a “spineless” Auditor General whose job is to just audit and sit back and relax. In 2010 after carrying out an audit government of parastatal bosses, it unearthed misappropriation of funds, embezzlement and other fraudulent activities.
If the findings from this audit were to be executed and acted upon, the whole of government, ministers and parastatal bosses would have been arrested. But alas, if anything, several people who have been implicated in corruption have actually been promoted. What a travesty of justice!
Now when you have several cases under the carpet at the instigation of those in power and authority, what does one make of this nation?
The days ahead will have many eyes.
That’s the bottom line.
The writer Rawlings Magede is a rural political enthusiast who writes from Nkayi.
Wednesday, April 1, 2015
MUTASA:THE SUN SETS IN PARADISE TOO!
WHEN THE BULLY RUNS SCARED..
When I was doing my ordinary level studies, my History teacher, One Mr Sharara always added some humour that enhanced our zeal and enthusiasm for history. I remember it like it was yesterday how my friend and I would always look forward to his lessons. At times because of mischief, we would exceed history lesson by asking “unnecessary” questions that would take away time from other lessons. Those were the days!
His lessons were always something to look forward to; they were so educative in the literal sense. His expansive narrative on African history, made me take pride in being fortunate to be born on this beautiful continent of Africa. At one time I remember, he taught us about the Mfecane and how invincible Tshaka the Zulu was at the peak of his reign. These were exciting times, yes, times that would cause us to have all sorts of imaginations of how he looked like.
They were a lot of controversies in his reign too. When his mother Nandi died in October 1827, huge numbers were put to death during the mourning ceremonies because they showed “insufficient grief” and his armies were also sent out to neighbouring chiefdoms to force them to grieve the loss of his mother.
His fall as narrated by our teacher invoked feelings of celebration in us and I still harbour a lot of questions of how a ruthless king could oppress his own. His fall came about when he was betrayed by his own people. Taking advantage of the absence of his armies, on 22 September 1828,his bodyguard whom our teacher only identified as Mbopha,and his half-brothers Dingane and Mhlangana,stabbed Tshaka near his military barracks at Dukuza.As his life ebbed away, he called to his brother Dingane:”hey brother! You kill me, thinking you will rule, but the swallows will do that”. By the swallows he meant the white people, because they made their houses of mud, like the swallows. This was too much for his assailants and they leapt upon him, stabbing. His last words of his words were,”Are you stabbing me, kings of the earth? You will come to an end through killing one another.”
How the mighty fell! I liked his “prophecy” that they would all kill one another. Surely all barbaric acts do come to an end. It’s true. The sun actually sets in paradise. This is the same predicament that one former Secretary for Administration Didymus Mutasa finds himself in.The gruesome stories of torture and killings by Mutasa especially in Headlands, still reverberate till this day. His acts of evil have been documented for all to see.http://nehandaradio.com/zimbabwe-wall-of-shame/.How his political career will turn out, remains a question best answered by those who fired him, but with the writing clear on the wall of a new “order” in ZANU PF,he might not make a biblical resurrection like Dzikamai Mavhaire,whose resurrection was short-lived.
Villain turns Victim?
One of the most unfortunate misdemeanours by our media is to apply lipstick on frogs. Whether they present Mutasa as a “champion” by using all forms of adulterated titles to describe him like “vibrant’ this or that, what is sorry is that no matter how they try to reinvent him, his evil past which has made a permanent imprint on people’s memories, always amplify the throes and cries of his victims who have given up on seeking justice.He remains a villain, detested by the common man who suffered during his time at the helm where he sprinkled “gamatox” on anyone who dared challenge ZANU PF especially in the Headlands constituency.
And today Mutasa runs away from that era of ruin, sprightly pursued by a monument of utter failure to try and re-join what he terms the “original” ZANU PF.This original ZANU PF is the one under whose tutelage, he committed acts of “genocide’ against the innocent people in constituency. His assertion that he remains part of the original ZANU PF can invite scrutiny from his sympathisers that he might never like and withdraw sympathy. The urge to be re-admitted into high office and sinecure is all there is to his “dubious” media interviews that he is giving willy-nilly these days.
Today he continues to distance, retreat and remain mum on some bad choices he made against a sceptical and interested public that would want to hear him reveal finer details of ZANU PF’S acts of gross human rights violations. He continues to eschew this important subject and falter; retreating into a self-made cocoon where he continues to sing the tired swan song of how “illegitimate” the recent ZANU PF congress was. He does so with sickening bitterness.
Far from the monumental madness by him, his other mate in ruin, Rugare Gumbo continues to do the same. They continue to masquerade as champions of democracy and injustice of ZANU PF but during long stints in ZANU PF, they used all machinery at their disposal to torture, maim and kill opposition supporters. From the state agents to youths, the list is endless.
Today they continue to eat up necessary space in the newspapers that can be used to talk about hunger and suffering taking place in rural communities. They are busy going to court for redress and the same courts that they used to oppress people are today fighting from a different corner. While they continue to revel in cold comfort of their demise, they must never think that they will receive sympathy from the suffering Zimbabweans who continue to suffer because of poor governance by ZANU PF that they have affinity for. Bad days outnumber good ones in politics!
While these two have been accused of being personalities of legendary pretences by biting the hand that fed them, what true however, is that their political careers have eclipsed just in a moment. Its over!
That’s the bottom line.
Rawlings Magede writes in his personal capacity and he is a rural political enthusiast who writes from Zimbabwe.
Sunday, March 1, 2015
Mphoko:THE SAD STORY OF A WELL FED SLAVE
There seems to be no rhyme to Vice President Mphoko’s madness. After reading his abominable utterances about Gukurahundi in the interview he gave to Sunday Mail, I was left dejected just like many millions of Zimbabweans who had expected much from a ‘fresh’ mind within the presidium. But nay, the man is just like a beeline of bootlickers and sympathisers of the system. Given the “vast” business empire that he is said to run, he is one of the beneficiaries of the patronage machinery. The interview is so revealing.Mphoko has chosen to be a well fed slave than a hungry free man as the Legend of reggae Lucky Dube would put it.
A modern day slave is not one with a goering on his neck. It’s one who sings for his super. One who is mentally beholden to someone, one who sings the song of the slave master. This forms part of the curricular vitae of the new VP as he announced his entrance on the political arena. Many a time since his swearing in, the VP has made damaging remarks be about vendors or anything that he deems necessary to talk about. While he has betrayed the people of Matabeleland that he somehow shares some historical facts and realities with, it seems the thought of the “bogus and dubious” luxuries that come with the gravy train has corrupted his thinking.
In the unfortunate article, the VP reduces the grave Gukurahundi massacres to a “conspiracy” of the West. It is a well-rehearsed interview that is given by one dramatizing his CV and displaying his “credentials” before his new employers. Of course the interview can never be rubber stamped as a true reflection of what transpired unless if one is a proverbial idiot who sings wedding songs at a funeral.
Of course, Mphokos sentiments don’t come as a surprise especially to me. President Mugabe himself has only reduced the Gukurahundi atrocities to a mere “moment of madness” and has not even bothered to avail the findings of the Chihambakwe commission. Lately his spokesperson George Charamba joined the fray and added even more insults by claiming that Gukurahundi was a myth. Now these people we hear carping nowadays mumbling about a conflict they have chosen to distort its facts, are busy perfuming nonsense about all the “theories” they have so carefully crafted to try and change facts that regrettably are already public knowledge. Theirs remains a lone and distorted voice in the wasteland using the public media to score unworthy points and to cleanse ZANU PF’s soiled hands in the genocide.
To cut a long story short, the whole interview amounts to an impulsive stubborn rejection of facts of history, facts which keep bouncing against a dishonest mind -that because of fear of the “known” remains unrepentant and heartless. All this is another matter, another story for another day. I am not chasing that today.
Enter Organ of National Healing and Reconciliation…
Now with such naivety, can any honest, sane person expect more from this organ that has been coincidentally placed under Mphoko? Is it not like expecting output from brains without filter? Honestly, the organ that even failed during the time of the inclusive government when it was still co-chaired by the 3 political parties that were in the government. Now ZANU PF is at it alone and how can one deal with a group whose collective genius tells them that Gukurahundi was a conspiracy of the West or a myth?
It comes not as a surprise the snail’s pace in the composition of the National Peace and Reconciliation Commission. There has, however, been muted calls for the composition of this independent commission that is mandated to ensure post-conflict justice, healing and reconciliation, seemingly just ahead of this abominable utterances by the Vice President (V.P). He and the rest of his ZANU PF cabal can remain behind self-made bars of denial of facts.
What’s important is that the new V.P who is supposed to propagate messages of healing and reconciliation, is the one whose effortless downhill descent into madness has even kicked off his political career off to a bad start.
Will there ever be NPRC?
Interestingly, the tenure of the NPRC is fast expiring and there is nothing that the government has done to try and speed up its composition .Of course the deliberate delay is linked to ZANU PF stubborn rejection of facts that are well documented for all to see and verify on the need for healing and reconciliation.
The term of the NPRC might come and expire, but the need for healing and reconciliation can never be wished away. Coming up with dubious opinions which seek to show acts of unforgiveness, tribalism and hate only compounds the situation.
Unfortunately, Gukurahundi is an act of genocide that is stuck with us as a country and there is no amount of opinions or press releases that can change that unless the process of national healing and reconciliation is initiated.
If you stand for the truth,you stand alone!
That’s the bottom line!
Rawlings Magede is a rural political enthusiast who writes from Zimbabwe.
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