A response to Patrick Chinamasa

Our fight is, and remains, internal. It is a fight based on what we wish to be and what ZANU (PF) thinks and, indeed insists, we ought to be.

I listened, with intense curiosity, to the dispositions of ZANU (PF) on Zimbabwe, which I think were well articulated by Patrick Chinamasa, the current Minister of Justice in Zimbabwe, in his recent deliberations with a group of Zimbabweans in the United Kingdom.

I was, however, quite dissatisfied by the lack of depth and brutal honesty of the questions posed to him by his audience, which I think is a result of their ignorance about the current social conditions on the ground in Zimbabwe and how the ZANU (PF) has contributed to their deterioration.

Personally, I do not think that any informed Zimbabwean does not agree with the historical issues around land, including the fact that the British, for various reasons, did not fully fulfill their obligations with regard to the provision of financial resources as promised. However, I disagree with the means by which ZANU (PF) sought to address the problem.

There is nobody, who disagrees with the necessity of the self determination and sovereignty of Zimbabwe and for Zimbabweans to be able pursue their own issues and come up with solutions that they deem relevant to their needs, without interference from any country. The point of departure for me is that, this has been continually abused by ZANU (PF) as the right to oppress Zimbabwean citizens.

There is nothing inherently evil or injurious about indigenization or empowerment and the right for Zimbabweans to own, control or dispose of their national resources and assets as they deem fit. However, once again, the approach being promoted by ZANU (PF) to achieve this will most likely not achieve the intended objectives.

There is a deep respect by all Zimbabweans, I think, of the role played by those who contributed to the liberation struggle in any manner or form. This respect is, of course, only due to those who have remained steadfast on the objectives of the struggle and they count a few.

There indeed is nothing wrong, with ZANU (PF), as one of many political formations in Zimbabwe, to be afforded the opportunity or a platform to present their views. But surely this must also equally apply to all Zimbabweans. The restrictive media laws imposed by ZANU (PF) stand in disparity with their argument that they have been denied free access to the British press.

The fundamental problem we are challenging as Zimbabweans is the inherent and demonstrable philosophy of ZANU (PF) of "none but ourselves". This philosophy has, over the years, shut out opportunity space for most Zimbabweans who may not agree with ZANU (PF), to create and build their own reality that is outside the world view of ZANU (PF).

This philosophy has resulted in the alienation of a large number of progressive Zimbabweans who differ with ZANU (PF), on how Zimbabwe should be managed and developed. It has created an illusion that there is no outside and thereby robbed us of the possibility of creating a new Zimbabwe, significantly different, in form and character, to what ZANU (PF) leadership may imagine.

Added to this, is the fact that Individuals within the party and the army, have claimed sole and exclusive responsibility for our freedom and yet all Zimbabweans who could, contributed and suffered in some way for Zimbabwe to be free. As a result, access to economic opportunity in Zimbabwe, has not been based on talent or virtue, but on the support and therefore tacit approval of the view that only ZANU (PF) is the only legitimate political formation that is entitled to political power. That we reject.

You see, my divergence with the honorable minister, is based on the need for us to create a modern democratic state that is underpinned by fairness and the respect of our dignity; the right for Zimbabweans in general, to differ without consequence; the right for us to pursue an alternative socio political narrative without the interference of ZANU (PF); the necessity for the removal of all impediments, overt and covert, created in the past by ZANU (PF), to limit our personal liberties and the pursuit of our happiness; the creation of new laws and institutions that guarantee such liberties and the renewal of our social values to meet our ever changing socio economic needs. The British have nothing to do with that.

Our fight is and remains internal. Our agenda as black Africans is informed, not by what the British think or would like, but by whom we have become. We are the next generation of Zimbabweans who wish to see and create a significantly different future from the past.

We are saying cohesion, intimidation and fear can no longer be the basis of our relationship. Nor is prescription and economic exclusivity tolerable any longer.

We have the right and the responsibility to re-define our reality in Zimbabwe through peaceful, internally driven regime change by participating in a free and fair elections, unsoiled by ZANU(PF)'s deceitful schemes to retain an unfair advantage.

Vince Musewe is an economic analyst based in Harare. You may contact on directly on [email protected]

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