- WICKNELL CHIVAYO left school at 15
- DISGRUNTLED Zimbabwe police stage uniform protest.
- MNANGAGWA wife Auxillia drops charges against nine women who boed her in Manicaland
- O.J. Simpson dies of cancer , aged 76.
- South Africa ANC is the cause of ZIMBABWE troubles claims Zimbabwe opposition politician Job Sikhala
THE RISE TO HERO and fall to villain of an African stateman turned despot,..wither Zimbabwe!
At almost a century old, with half a century in politics and a third of a century in power, Mugabe’s legacy after 33 years as the absolute ruler of Zimbabwe, is one of, a hero turned villain, world statesman turned black oppressor, a national icon of hope and freedom to a despot , dictator and the crashing of a people’s dream of freedom, hope, unity, equality and prosperity for all.
It is a legacy fraught with untold human rights abuses, intolerance and elimination of political opposition, the Matabeleland genocide, the exile of the white minority, the persecution, murder and displacement and the rendering unemployed and homelessness of black Zimbabwean farm workers, a massive, unprecedented and continuing exodus of black Zimbabwean refugees, the destruction of Zimbabwe’s economy, one of the 5 most corrupt nations in the world with millions of Zimbabweans starving, unemployed, impoverished or dead, the total collapse of a once vibrant agricultural sector , the backbone of Zimbabwe’s economy, from the “Breadbasket of Africa” feeding the whole African continent , to a “Basket case” for food aid and international charity, begging for food from the same African continent
Mugabe, stood for and was incarcerated for African nationalism, leading to a peace settlement that included many other players, and independence in 1980 after a protracted armed struggle. To the majority he was a Hero, a symbol of hope, African nationalism, black freedom, national unity, equality, peace and prosperity for all Zimbabweans,and a model and vision for the future of Africa.
However he has effectively become a symbol of the originally deposed white oppression, back with a vengeance, now in black, a reversal of the original gains at independence, a symbol of disempowerment, injustice, starvation, inequality, and loss of the dignity that we had originally regained from colonialism at independence.
Under white oppression, living in a keep was a loss of freedom and dignity. Equally true, is the fact that under Mugabe, for
Zimbabweans living in the diaspora , displaced by Mugabe’s governance, be it for political or economic reasons, we are now under the culmination of a successful 33 year era, of a successful Zanu PF government campaign of human rights abuses, genocides, intolerance, violence , disempowerment, subjugation, indignity, inequality, black oppression, rampant theft, corruption, looting of national resources and wealth.
Zimbabwe is effectively, a nation where power and wealth rests in the hands of, or is monopolised by a select few, security chiefs, Zanu PF stalwarts and those closely connected to Mugabe. This is all rolled out to the nation under the guise of dubious Black empowerment, Nationalisation and Indeginisation policies.
Zimbabweans are constantly reminded of the sacrifices of those who fought in the liberation war, and reminded, under no uncertain terms by Mugabe albeit ever in a constant war mode, that Zimbabwe was brought about by the barrel of a gun, and a gun mightier than a pen. In other words, democracy in Zimbabwe, under the despot Mugabe, is nothing short of a dream or miracle to say the least. If it was right that the Bullet forced the Ballot that brought freedom and independance from oppressive white minority in 1980, how wrong is it to contemplate the same in fighting black oppression? Should our nation be so focused on a blinkered ballot strategy against an adversary who has repeatedly stolen the vote from us at every election since since time immemorial? Voting is effective against a HERO, but when faced with a VILLAIN, its overrated and irrelevant. There are thousands of other effective strategies to engage across a whole spectrum ranging from BALLOT to BULLET, and the mark of a genuine struggle for democracy is the ability to adapt to the challenges faced at each and every turn and the ability to employ other counter measures to complement the ballot in pursuit of democracy.
It is the ability to revisit the options and engage relevant, practical, timeous, effective alternatives that are centered on a quick turnaround from the political impasse with minimum destruction. The ball is in our court and should not be left to one or two individuals as in political leaders and their parties. Are we going to simply sit back and await the standard fate of losing out in 2018 elections in another vote rig or are we ready to rise up to the challenge before us as people to engage alternatives and complement opposition in the drive towards democracy
. Remember defiance to oppression is in no way unpatriotic or western puppet mentality as regularly defined by the Zanu PF mantra or guilt trip that we are regularly thrown into.
It is a just and patriotic act of duty, to defy oppressive authority and discharge a national duty with the responsibility of caretakers of our own destiny and the future of our children and decendants. Diaspora exile and social media and all other accompanying acts of defiance, by everyone in and out of Zimbabwe, are welcome, but is it enough for a better tomorrow. The transition from ultimate dictatorship led by a villain to an ultimate democracy led by true hero, is not an easy road but, its achievable! History will not forgive us for sitting back and letting our motherland go down to the dogs. Stand up and be counted!
Every contribution, no matter how small, matters. It could be as simple as freeing your grandparents from the mental oppression that has come about from state control on the media, repressive media laws and government disinformation campaigns that have successfully led some people, particularly our grandparents in rural areas to believe they live in paradise yet they ere typically living a hell on earth to quote another dictator. It is everyone’s duty to liberate them from this disinformation.
Independance in 1980, delivered a Hero, a statesman and an icon of African nationalism but we have, over a period of 33 years reared a despot, a villain, an oppressive black government led by the oldest and longest serving dictator in Africa, with a massive proportion of Zimbabweans having been born, lived and died under Mugabe and never known any other leader. The gains of independance have been typically crashed by the very same hand that led us to that “paradise”. What a legacy! DISCUSS! Sibusiso Ngwenya