By Akson Potera President of African Development Party (ADP Zimbabwe).
As usual, I open my analyses with a question.
This analytical article will certainly tell whether there is or nothing to celebrate on this historical day (18 April) in Zimbabwe.
What is independence?
It literally means to be free from one’s control and in short independence is freedom.
Yes, we all agree that Zimbabwe got political independence in 1980 but did she get what is called Total Independence? Definitely not!
Economic Independence was and is not yet attained. Until both politcal and economic aspects are achieved, it is then that we can talk of total freedom or independence, therefore there is certainly nothing to celebrate on this day 18 April of each year.
Unfortunately those who were determined to liberate and develop Zimbabwe have left this soil.
Thousands of Zimbabweans have died before they tasted a single fruit of independence.
Only those who understand the Zim situation can tell the difference between failure and success.
Zanu pf never did anything appreciable after Independence (I say after Independence, get me right).
1. Zanu pf and Zapu led the liberation struggle with the assitance of all Zimbabweans. (NB).
To those with lost and neo opressive minds would heap the load of credits to Zanu pf yet no.
It is Zimbabwe as a whole that liberated herself.
Division of labour principle took place during and after war hence no one group or individual should claim to be the liberator of Zim.
2. The current government destroyed all the once successful industries in Bulawayo and other parts of the country, It has reversed all what Zimbabweans did from their own tax before Zanu pf took over power.
Let me put it crystal clear that the then new government of 1980 used what the then old Smith regime left ie all resources including finance were those of the past Zimbabwe.
Schools were built out of the already available finance and other resources.
Roads networks and infrastructure was maintained using the assets of the past government.
Professionals such as teachers, doctors, nurses, the police, agricultural extension officers were products of the colonial government.
12 Years down the line, the vehicle engaged in the reverse gear bulldozing everything on its path at a high speed.
2. Education is one of the areas the Zanu pf government is said to have done well but the question is:
Weren’t the educational resources left by the old government? What is the essence of being proud of educating and training people without jobs? Education should be applauded if it solves social and economic problems in the country.
The economy is over supplied with graduates without industries to absob them thus there isnt a match between demand and supply. A teacher has lost value together their education, because of our government. Teacher moral degradation is a direct attack to the whole efucation system.
Instead of maintaining the same quality and level of developmemt which it found adorably operational, Zanu pf led government nose dived into a shallow rocky pool. Guess what followed!
3. Zimbabwe was once Africa’s breadbasket
True, it was but still there was a problem mixing issues here. Political Interest (Power obsession) vesus national need or interest.
Land issue of 2000 was used for political expediency instead of serving the public, still the finger points to the same government, same leaders.
Some citizens have their land repossed and given back to the once labeled enemies, the whites. Is that the gain of independence? Can Chiadzwa, Dinde and Chilonga people safely say they are enjoying independence when their ancestral land is taken away from them?
4. The primary goal of the liberation struggle was to free Zimbabwe (independence) and that was achieved in 1980. (Thanks to the original Zanu, Zapu and Zimbabweans at large).
Now the secondary goal was and is to develop Zimbabwe after 1980.
Have we acheived that goal?, If not, what went wrong?
If we know the problem, why should we stick to the problem without taking corrective measures, making ourselves mats to clean dirty feet?
Now let it be clear that there is nothing that the then new government did to the people of Zimbabwe.
There wasnt ROI, return on investment of the voter for over 41 years .
We can’t blame sanctions which came into effect in the early 2000s yet the economic cracks were cleanly visible way back.
Rewind your memory to 1992, ESAP wave, there were no santions by then but the economy was diminishing steadfastly.
During elections, no one talks of sanctions but come time of service delivery, sanctions emerge!
The question is: had thay forgetten that they would not fulfil their promises because of sanctions?
Wow!
They cant talk of sanctions during campaigning time because they know people would not vote for them since they would not work becuase of sanctions hence the povo is told of sanctions after elections.
Now Zimbabwe needs to move away from politics of power to politics for development* which is the only thing Zimbabweans are expecting to see from the current and any government that would come.
I wonder what miracle should a Zimbabweans expect from the current government leaders who collectively failed for 41 years while they were still young and strong?
Does it make sense that somebody failed to perform their expected task when they had all resources including money (own currency) but ask another five years to do the same task they failed accomplish in 4i years?
Akson Potera is the Community Development practitioner and President of African Development Party (ADP Zimbabwe).
adpzimdev@gmail.com
