I was not at all surprised by the support of the ANC to ZANU (PF) because they have a common past and a common destiny. What these two moribund organizations fail to understand is that the black African's needs and aspirations have gone beyond liberation to economic freedom.
Both the ANC and ZANU (PF) are organizations that are showing us their lack of imagination with regard to the future of Africa. They continually show us that they cannot shed the old habits and language of liberation, and must use it on every turn to try and convince us of their relevance. As I have said before, they continue to divide Africans based on their skin colour because it worked well for them in the past
In the case of Zimbabwe, most of us are well educated and progressive in our view of the world and our aspirations can hardly be represented by freedom fighters of yester year. Yes, they performed a risky and vital role in dislodging the colonialist, and it should have stopped there. South Africa is getting there too, as the enlightened black middle class realizes that their deliverer from apartheid cannot and is not necessarily qualified as their deliverer to economic freedom.
In Zimbabwe we face a challenge in that, the majority of our most educated and progressive middle class is outside the country simply because of the failure of ZANU (PF) to create a modern democracy. We are therefore missing a large number of those who can help us accelerate change towards the creation of a modern state. South Africa's middle class is also becoming educated, but there is a general level of apathy when it comes to politics, and this continues to limit the country's political talent for the future. We made that mistake in Zimbabwe.
Unfortunately, what happens is that, the masses, through their sheer numbers, become the deciding factor in our politics. I continue to argue that, the poor sectors of the population that continue to deliver the vote to ZANU (PF) in Zimbabwe or the ANC in South Africa, do not necessarily know what is best for them. They continue to sell our future for food hand outs, bicycles, goats and airtime at election campaign rallies, and are soon forgetful of why they are poor.
The question is how do we deliver true freedom to Africans?
Firstly we must acknowledge that the role of liberation political parties is now over. It is time for new progressive and diverse political organizations to emerge and take over leadership.
Second, we must realize that unless you and I become politically active, it will always be a case of the average thinkers leading us. Africa deserves better. We need to change our economic systems and manage them better and that requires new blood.
Third, progressive Africans must collaborate in the same manner as liberation parties collaborated during the struggle, to create a momentum towards change and economic freedom.
The problems that we Zimbabweans and South Africans face are similar. We are all tired of unaccountable politicians enriching themselves at our expense. We are tired of their inability to deliver on our economic freedom and blaming the West. Corruption, incompetence and greed continue to dominate public office, while poverty continues to increase. Politicians continue to recycle the same people, robbing our countries of fresh ideas from the young educated progressive African. Black racism continues to stifle racial integration and social development.
We must see more Lindiwe Mazibukos of the DA in South Africa as middle class blacks rise to the challenge, see beyond their current circumstances and ignore negative political rhetoric of the ANC. In Zimbabwe, we must see more Beatrice Mtetwas, Zimbabwe's human right lawyer, as we reject the narrative of ZANU (PF) of our future. But more important, we must realize the fact that Africa can never go beyond the limits set by our liberation struggle political parties, unless we all actively participate in politics and build modern democracies that deliver economic freedom. We can no longer afford to watch and exclude ourselves from determining the future of our countries and then complain for lack of change. That is irresponsible.
We would be foolish to leave these responsibilities to the ANC in South Africa or ZANU (PF) in Zimbabwe simply because their mentality cannot imagine beyond liberation. So let them support each other and disregard what we Zimbabweans think for, sooner or later, they will be bedfellows in the dustbin of African history.
Vince Musewe is an economic analyst based in Harare. You may contact him on [email protected]
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