Supporting ZANU PF is a must for most Zimbabwean villagers

Dismayed doesn't even begin to explain how I feel at discovering that President Mugabe and his Zanu PF cohorts have stooped so low as to illicit money from the very poor in the name of supporting their party. Poverty is rife in Zimbabwe with the majority of the people living below the poverty datum line and yet they are still expected to contribute funds towards Zanu PF's agenda regardless of their political affiliation.

Villagers in Vumba were forced to pay $5 towards President Mugabe's 93rd birthday bash and yet we are told that ZANU PF loyal supporters gave willingly towards this cause. Considering that most of these villagers can barely afford to feed themselves and their families it's unbelievable that the government would still expect donations from these poor villagers. This is just another clear indication that the government does not care for the plight of its people but will instead do all they can to push their agenda. Another woman in Sabhuku Nyamagwada's village in Vumba, spoke of her fear at being an MDC supporter as she was threatened with death if she supported anyone else's party other than President Mugabe's ZANU PF party. MDC supporters in that village have resorted to walk in pairs out of fear and as a safeguard against being brutalised or murdered.

Villagers in Hwedza told the daily news in Zimbabwe last week on Sunday that they were being forced to contribute towards a youth rally that ZANU PF wants to host in Marondera in June. To my way of thinking, if ZANU PF is so great and popular,  people would not need to be coerced into supporting them and their causes. The constitution is very clear that every ZImbabwean citizen has the right to belong to any political party that they choose as is indicated by the extract below:

67. Political rights•

1. Every Zimbabwean citizen has the right :- 
a. to free, fair and regular elections for any elective public office established in terms of this Constitution or any other law; and   b. to make political choices freely.

2. Subject to this Constitution, every Zimbabwean citizen has the right--• Freedom of assembly • Freedom of association • Right to form political parties  
a. to form, to join and to participate in the activities of a political party or organisation of their choice; 
b. to campaign freely and peacefully for a political party or cause;  
c. to participate in peaceful political activity; and  
d. to participate, individually or collectively, in gatherings or groups or in any other manner, in peaceful activities to influence, challenge or support the policies of the Government or any political or whatever cause.

The government and their enforcers clearly have not read this memo as they continue to intimidate and harass non supporters. People can no longer rely on the government and the police to keep them safe and it seems as if we have entered an era where we need someone else to police the government as they can no longer be trusted to put the interests of the wider population ahead of their own agenda...these are dark times for Zimbabwe.

Will things ever change in Zimbabwe?

Leaders set the culture for whatever groups they lead and that group cannot develop beyond the vision of its leadership. If the head is rotten the rest of the body will be rotten as well. In the case of Zimbabwe it's a sad but true fact that nothing is going to improve as long as the current leadership in all branches of government continues to lead. The corruption in government is so deep set and has cascaded from the head of its leadership to the people with minor positions in the government, to the point of becoming normal that no one even bats an eyelash when they come across it. The only way that a change can come in this kind of system is to have a complete overhaul of all the systems in government and start afresh building from the top to the bottom.

Over the past few weeks I have been horrified at the blatant disregard of the constitution by members of the Zimbabwean parliament as they openly opposed the core values of what the constitution stands for. This behaviour has gone unchecked and is completely unacceptable for people who hold such public seats in office. Martin Dinha who is the Mashonaland Central Provincial Affairs Minister was quoted saying that the 1970's liberation war veterans who oppose President Mugabe should be captured, stripped and taken to the army barracks where they would be beaten as punishment. When he was later asked about this by the media he said these comments were made in jest. Why would someone in authority joke about people being beaten and think that this is funny when ordinary citizens are being arrested for doing less? When Mr Dinha was elected in power he swore to uphold the constitution of the country and for him to joke about perpetrating violence towards its citizenry clearly shows his contempt at everything that the constitution stands for when it comes to the ordinary Zimbabwean people.

Shuvai Mahofa who is the provincial Affairs Minister has also gone on record saying that only Zanu PF supporters will be favoured in contract awarding for the construction of the Harare-Beitbridge Highway.
"Recruitment of general labourers should be done through the local Zanu PF leadership, we need to screen and take our people only."
"District chairpersons should have a list of party cadres so that when the program starts, you are ready with the names of our youths."
"This is what we agreed at the leadership of the province.''
The construction of this road is estimated to take up to 3 years and will create about 330 000 casual jobs. The government is supposed to be impartial and provide equal job opportunities for its citizens but they are using their strength to indirectly force people to become members of their party. People are hungry and desperate for jobs and the government is manipulating this vulnerability in order to garner more support for their party in the lead up to the 2018 elections.

This is not the first time that the government has manipulated people into supporting them and it seems to be a trend that they have adopted leading up to major elections. This continues to happen because we the people continue to allow it. For many years I, like a lot of people had my head in the sand and pretended that everything was alright as long as I managed to look after myself. This kind of attitude is what has kept this Zanu PF ruling party in power and will continue to keep them in power as long as we the Zimbabwean people continue to watch as they treat the country's possessions as their own personal property. We the people can bring about a positive change in Zimbabwe by using our God given talents, be it our voices to say 'enough is enough', our legal knowledge on how this ruling Zanu PF party can be stopped or just being the person who agrees to stand up and be counted as standing up for the rights of the Zimbabwean people and opposing the atrocities that are being committed by the government...the buck starts with us.

A country on its knees

37 years after independence and the country is a mere skeleton of what it used to be....Zimbabwe is dying. The land has been stripped bare of its mineral resources, the infrastructure and the economy are slowly collapsing. Who is to blame for this destruction?

I have heard numerous speeches from president Robert Mugabe and his cabinet over the past couple of years blaming the West for all the problems that Zimbabwe is currently facing. Our Zimbabwean government is very adept at passing the buck and they overlook the fact that they are the ones who have been running the show for the last 37 years. When we gained independence all the systems and infrastructure were in place and Zimbabwe was a very successful country to the extent of competing with the US dollar where the rate of exchange was one $1 Zimbabwe dollar to US$1.47 dollar. I am not an economist but to my layman knowledge this is a clear indication that Zimbabwe was very competitive on the international market. All the government had to do was maintain the systems that were in place when we gained independence and build on that. The foundation was well set but they have failed to build on top of what was left and have even gone as far as destroying the very foundation that was left for them.

Greed and corruption is the order of the day and whilst people are starving and dying of disease those in power continue to pat themselves on the back in congratulatory pride for doing a great job of running the country. What is it going to take in order for these selfish people to see that they are slowly killing the country and everything that it stands for? Zimbabwe is a living testament to the adage from the bible that says, 'The love of money is the route of all evil'. In the name of governing the government has committed such atrocities against its people that it doesn't bear thinking of and they continue to intimidate their citizens to garner support. If this is not evil, then I don't know what is.

From as far back as I can remember Zimbabwe has taxed its citizens an additional tax of 3% of income to cover for the Aids Levy. This money on top of financing a wide range of HIV and AIDS related programmes is also supposed to help the children orphaned as a result of this disease by paying for their school fees. A majority of those children are not benefiting from that fund and yet people continue to get taxed. Millions of dollars have been disappearing from the government coffers for decades and still they blame the West. How stupid do these people in government think that that we are?

This is what has become of our beautiful city Harare. People queueing for endless hours to get their hard earned money out of the banks, pavements on the high street filled with goods to sell and unemployed graduates playing football in the streets because there are no jobs to be had. It is the government's duty to ensure that the country has a thriving economy where everyone who is willing and able to work is employed, where the health and well-being of the population is a priority and where systems are in place to ensure that the population does not go hungry. The government continues to fail on all these fronts and yet they tenaciously still cling to power and refuse to acknowledge their failure. In my mind it is very clear on who is to blame in this Zimbabwe debacle...who else but President Mugabe and his ruling ZANU PF party. 

Who will save our children

I find it unbelievable that a government cabinet that boasts of such well educated people can support stupid decisions that endanger the future of not only the country but also future generations. Great leaders are leaders who lead by example and are also people with great vision, who think not only of today but also of tomorrow. Zimbabwe is governed by a selfish people who think nothing of tomorrow and their focus is only on themselves and their families.

When I look at all those in power, they have ensured that their own children have received the best education that money can buy whilst the children of the majority of the population are barely receiving an adequate education. They have safeguarded the future of their children whilst completely ignoring the plight of the children who do not come from well to do families. A vast majority of the Zimbabwean children are living in abject poverty and this is leaving them wide open to sexual exploitation as they fight to survive. It is the government's duty to ensure that our children are protected and that there are social systems in place to ensure that children's needs are put first. Obviously the Zimbabwean government does not see the protection of our children as a priority, because if they did we wouldn't have all these children out on the streets fending for themselves.

According to UNICEF approximately 100 000 of Zimbabwe's 1,3 million orphans survive on their own in child headed households.

In order to put food on the table these children are resorting to prostitution so that they can look after their siblings. Girls as young as 12 are resorting to prostitution just to buy the basics like food. Men as old as their fathers and grandfathers are taking advantage of the vulnerability of these children and offering them money in exchange for sexual favours. The government is watching whilst the innocence of thousands of children's lives are destroyed and what makes me so angry is that all these people watching are themselves parents. These children are ending up with various STI's including HIV but they feel this is a risk that they must take because they have no choice. A generation of the young children and young adults is being slowly wiped out as a result of HIV/AIDS.

If the protection of the rights of children is not a priority then what on earth are the following ministries doing? Ministry of Health and Child Care, Ministry of Youth, Indgenisation and Economic Empowerment, Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare. Surely its a mockery to have all these staffed departments of paid people and yet have thousands of children exploited on a daily basis without any one of them intervening.

I say to our Zimbabwean government save our children. Be people of integrity who uphold the constitution that you swore to uphold when you came into power. If you continue to watch as our children perish and do nothing then the blood of our children and the future generations is on your hands...

Oppression masquarading as Good Governance

What kind of man do you have to be to continue accumulating wealth at the detriment of your brother...that is the story of our Zimbabwean government. I grew up hearing about the liberation struggle and how the blood of the people was shed to set the black people free from the white man's rule of oppression. Blood was shed so that the rule of oppression would never have to hang around our necks again and that we would be our own people. When our forefathers sacrificed themselves for us, I don't think they envisioned that the Zimbabwean people would yet again be under the yoke of oppression, but now at the hands of their fellow black brothers. When people live in perpetual fear for their lives, from the very people who are supposed to protect them...that is not freedom. When hundreds of people are evicted from the homes that they have built to make room for one person who wants to add to their wealth...that is not freedom. When parents cannot afford to send their children to school...that is not freedom. When our friends and families are dying because we cannot afford to pay the hospital fees...that is not freedom. Where is this freedom that are forefathers died to give us?

The constitution of Zimbabwe states as some of its founding values and principles the following: supremacy of the constitution, the rule of law, recognition of the inherent dignity and worth of each human being, recognition of the equality of all human beings and good governance.

On Wednesday the 26th of March 2017 people were evicted from Arnold Farm in Mazowe despite a court order outlawing the evictions. These are families with children who were subjected to the indignity of watching as their homes were destroyed and not be in a position to do anything about it. In my eyes this is not recognising the inherent dignity and worth of each human being. When a person's precious possessions are strewn around like rubbish, where is the dignity in that? It is alleged that these evictions are to make way for the expansion of the First Lady's business empire...how much more wealth does she need? As a mother herself how can she justify seeing another mother cry for the plight of her children and not be moved to compassion? The constitution clearly has a different meaning to those who hold office in government to the one that they lord over the rest of the population. The government does not view the equality of human beings as it is clear that one person's interests far outweigh the interests of hundreds of people.

A picture says a thousand words and these pictures break my heart. This is the worst kind of oppression because it is being perpetrated by the people who have always told us that they would never allow the Zimbabwean people to be oppressed again. My mind cannot comprehend the heartlessness that it takes to leave families stranded and their possessions left out in the rain. The residents of Arnold farm have since written to the SADC for them to intervene and stop these evictions. In a country that has a government in place and where the rule of law is said to be maintained should it really be necessary for its people to ask for help from outside the country? These violations are inhumane and show that the government has been negligent in its duty of care towards its people.

In starting this blog I found myself personally challenged because the temptation is always towards self preservation and that state of mind always prevents one from being involved in anything that causes discomfort. I am a Christian and when I look at Jesus' life here on this earth, He never shied away from controversy and He always stood up for what was right. Isaiah 1:17 says, 'Learn to do right, seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow.' If God is against injustice then my mandate here on this earth is also very clear to me...to stand up against injustice.

Who will speak for the voiceless?

My heart bleeds over all the atrocities that the Zimbabwean government is perpetrating against its citizens. People are being arrested, beaten and detained for having a voice. The very constitution, that is the bedrock on which the government stands, and swore to uphold is nothing but just mere words to them, as they refuse to hold themselves accountable to it. 

According to the Zimbabwean constitution, extracts from paragraphs 58, 59 and 77 state the following:

58 Freedom of assembly and association 

(1) Every person has the right to freedom of assembly and association, and the right not to assemble or associate with others.
 (2) No person may be compelled to belong to an association or to attend a meeting or gathering.

59 Freedom to demonstrate and petition
 Every person has the right to demonstrate and to present petitions, but these rights must be exercised peacefully.

 77 Right to food and water

 Every person has the right to—

(a) safe, clean and potable water; and (b) sufficient food; 

and the State must take reasonable legislative and other measures, within the limits of the resources available to it, to achieve the progressive realisation of this right. 

These are the very rights that the government have been carelessly violating. People are being arrested for the very things that the constitution says they can do. Those in government are not suffering as the common man and they live by a different set of rules and we are using are voices to say 'enough is enough.'

What happened to our beautiful Zimbabwe? I remember growing up with plenty of food to eat and clean water from the taps to drink. Zimbabwe was considered as the bread basket of Africa.We had a great educational system and zimbabweans were considered as some of the best educated people in Africa. The hospitals had medication and the doctors and teachers were paid a satisfactory salary. Now our people are hurting. People are starving and there is no clean drinking water coming from the taps. There is no medication in the hospitals and the doctors and teachers are constantly striking because they are not being paid a fair salary. 

Our people are hurting but we will continue to speak. Itai Dzamara a prominent activist who was advocating for change, disappeared in March 2015 and was never heard from again. Evan Mawarire, a pastor has also been arrested in the very recent past because he used his voice to stand up against the bad governance of the government.

Linda Masarira, a prominent activist for human rights has been arrested several times in a bid to silence her. She was recently quoted saying,  "I have been barred from enjoying my constitutional rights to demonstrate for 5 years, a judgment that I consider diabolic, wannabe and being an instrument of perpetual repression and continued dictatorship, doing community service everyday from 08:00h to 16:00h everyday, my crime being standing up against injustice. As a mother, how do I look after my children with these conditions?God forbid!!!, this country needs more prayers and more action," she said.

"I condemn in the strongest sense the failure by government to come up with an independent, competent and impartial judiciary, and the will to implement constitutional provisions on human and social rights, rights to health, education, clean water and shelter. I condemn the ongoing evictions in Mazowe where more than 100 families are being moved to satisfy the interests of the first family.''

I for one want to see a change in how the government is treating its people. I don't want things to go back to the way they used to be but I want things to be even better than what they were when I was growing up. Even though the government is trying to silence us we will not be silent. If we concede defeat and remain silent what inheritance will we leave for our children and our children's children? I refuse to be silent and I refuse to accept that this is how Zimbabwe will always be...