ZSD welcome partial recovery of war vet Sibanda's political sight!

We in the Zimbabwe Social Democrats welcome Jabulani Sibanda's recent statement condemning the injustice in Zanu PF's infamous land redistribution which has resulted in collapse of the agricultural sector and a few owning many farms. We view this as Mr Sibanda's Saul-on-road-to-Damascus-moment although, unlike Saul Mr Sibanda is not yet to recover his full vision!  

"I have no report of the on-going farm invasions of black-owned farms and it is difficult for me to condemn or condone them. We do not have such an operation as war veterans," Sibanda said according to a Bulawayo24 report.

"However, this is not to say we will fold our hands and allow other blacks to have multiple farms or excess land while others have nothing. No, this we will not allow. We will not allow any black person to have more land than others. We will not be colonised by any other black person."

This is the most sensible thing Jabulani Sibanda has ever said and we view this as a positive sign that he is not after all brain-dead.

The land issue is a very important and urgent matter and how it is dealt with will determine the nation's destiny. Why a few people have ended up owning big farms and some even a multiple of big farms and, to make matters worse, they have failed to put to productive use is a sore point.

However we in the Zimbabwe Social Democrats do not subscribe to Sibanda's njambanja farm invasions as the way to redress this matter or any other national problem.  Indeed it was the njambanja way that allowed Mugabe and Zanu PF to destroy the agricultural sector and landed us in this mess.

We call upon Jabulani Sibanda and his fellow njambanja war vets to realise that the colonisation of blacks by fellow blacks goes beyond inequitable distribution of the land. It also includes inequitable distribution of other resources like the wealth from Marange diamonds, employment opportunities, the holding of a $5 million wedding whilst 300 000 or 80% of children are out of school because their parents can hardly afford to feed them much less send them to school, etc.

The root cause of the economic inequities and injustices is the systematic denial of the ordinary peoples' basic and fundamental right to have a meaningful say in the governance of the country. The only meaningful way to address these economic problems is by restoring the peoples' right to free, fair and credible elections.

The war of independence was not about land only but about freedom, liberty, justice, human rights and human dignity. All these can only be guaranteed with a free vote and hence the pre-independence rallying call of "One man, one vote!" A call that was quickly forgotten for selfish political gain!

It is regrettable that you, Mr Jabulani Sibanda, and your njambanja war vets have become the devil's foot soldiers in helping Mugabe deny millions of ordinary Zimbabweans their basic freedoms and rights including the right to vote and even the right to life itself. The people of Zimbabwe can only hope the ensuing chaos and inequitable farm distribution has helped to open your eyes; now you will all finally see Mugabe for the corrupt and murderous tyrant he is!

Contact Wilbert Mukori at zimbabwesocialdemocrats@gmail.com