Welshman Ncube supports the diaspora community

With so many of the children of Zimbabwe having been dispersed across the world map in search of greener pastures in the last decade, the majority of our scattered people still remain connected to Zimbabwe as their home and are bound to come home anytime but at their own free will. The cause for their being in foreign countries is known and must be seriously considered as a politically-and economically-driven process. No one among the children of Zimbabwe had a desire to leave home, family and friends to endure the various challenges experienced through living abroad.

It is a mockery for the said children of Zimbabwe to be made refugees through a punitive political and economic system where the country has enough resources that can be harnessed to improve the home conditions. Bad times sent them away from home with various skills and attributes that could be used to help save and serve Zimbabwe. The current political and economic system remains fraught with loopholes that must be politically addressed.

While the brain drain effect should be reversed, such an issue is a serious one and should not be approached with armchair criticism or mere politicking or populism without aligning the interests of the parties involved.

The MDC under President Ncube truly values the role of the Diaspora community. They are an indispensable lot among our community and have indirectly contributed to the economy of the country to make its heart pump continually. The Diaspora team has fighters that have survived many challenges to stay afloat and still send something home to their families. We should all salute them for that effort. Cash, clothes, books, medicines, computers and phones have made it into Zimbabwe through their hands and hard work. Such a flow of aid to help in place of government resourcefulness means a lot to the progress of Zimbabwe.

Today wherever we look in towns and cities, new houses are emerging by each corner. At business centres, notable ventures are sprouting. On the streets we have seen new car brands roving the streets. In days of fuel shortages, some of them have sent fuel home. The volume of business at the Beitbridge border post speak volumes about the role of the Diaspora community. They send parcels home because they care about Zimbabwe. A concern shown to a family, a community, a church, a village, a council or school is a care for Zimbabwe.

Such a role should not be taken for granted. We salute the gallant children of Zimbabwe and in case they must be convinced to come back home, there should be open rapport between them as individuals or their representative bodies and our party leadership. We cannot force-march them to come home in the blink of an eye without any incentives because they have their own plans which they cannot simply drop midstream without solid alternatives to land at once they get home to settle.

To send misleading communications to foreign governments about the need for our children to be send home sounds inconsiderate and misguided.

The Diaspora community should be accommodated on their expectations so that there is a give and take scenario as they leave their established foreign careers to come and invest their time, skills and input at home. Their needs should be seriously considered because currently they are indirectly playing a role to helping shape up the economy of Zimbabwe. The MDC under President Ncube will form a partnership platform that will enable both sides to have a meeting place on what can be done to make the situation work. There should not be an arbitrary or single-handed approach to this return plan, neither should there be a dictated solution through abuse of office. They are free adults with mixed social interests for their families. Such values should not be overlooked or taken for granted and should be accommodated and debated openly for a solution to be achieved.

For that reason, we support our friends in the Diaspora and we give them our solidarity. We respect their contributions and their input. Their issues must be addressed. We are not going to mislead world leaders to send them back home. We will consulting with, and appeal to them as reasonable adults through issuing practical incentives that they can weigh before they make independent decisions. As citizens, they deserve respect and recognition. We also take this same consideration to ensure that our heroes who remained at home are taken care of in terms of their needs on infrastructure, jobs, good schools, hospitals, universities and amenities. With that sound system should also be an overall working system that supports our gains and furthers our social, political and economic interests.

Let us unite and re-build Zimbabwe.

N. Dube- MDC