Opinion / Columnist
The in-gathering of our exiles
02 Sep 2018 at 14:07hrs | Views
Much has been talked lately about our diaspora. They have become a talking point of the MDC, fighting for their right to vote. Economists debate what amount of money they send back every month, and how much it helps to alleviate the cash crisis. Every family knows someone who sadly left the country temporarily. Some of our best and brightest are trying to make a living and support their dear back home at the same time.
But that is not the whole story. There is another trend, which is less talked about, but which might be more telling for the future of our country. It struck me during my Sunday reading today - the exiled are being in-gathered and are coming home!
It started in April, when after 16 years of self-imposed exile, Thomas Mapfumo finally returned to Harare for an emotional performance. As we all remember, he left with his family many years ago because of the constant harassment they were subjected to under the Mugabe regime. And all because he "dared" to sing about and criticise Mugabe and his corrupt cronies. Yet, finally, he deemed it worthy and safe to return to Zim, because the tide has changed. As he said just a day before his first show after the many painful years of absence: "I thought maybe I wasn't going to be able to come back here while I was still alive, but by the grace of God, I'm here".
And just today, we received another encouraging sign. Wilf Mbanga, the founder of Daily News, a true journalist who honours his profession, returned to Zimbabwe! Let's not forget that Mugabe declared him an "enemy of the people". But after 15 years in Britain, he said today that Mugabe's departure had allowed him to safely return to his home.
The bedrocks of civil society are artists and journalists. They are needed for any society to flourish. They are indispensable in this new dispensation. Their return, their feeling that they are safe, and that something new is beginning, is the most obvious sign that we are witnessing the first days of a new Zimbabwe!
As we are taught in the Holy Bible: "Then, the Lord, your God, will bring back your exiles, and He will have mercy upon you." (Deuteronomy 30:3)
But that is not the whole story. There is another trend, which is less talked about, but which might be more telling for the future of our country. It struck me during my Sunday reading today - the exiled are being in-gathered and are coming home!
It started in April, when after 16 years of self-imposed exile, Thomas Mapfumo finally returned to Harare for an emotional performance. As we all remember, he left with his family many years ago because of the constant harassment they were subjected to under the Mugabe regime. And all because he "dared" to sing about and criticise Mugabe and his corrupt cronies. Yet, finally, he deemed it worthy and safe to return to Zim, because the tide has changed. As he said just a day before his first show after the many painful years of absence: "I thought maybe I wasn't going to be able to come back here while I was still alive, but by the grace of God, I'm here".
The bedrocks of civil society are artists and journalists. They are needed for any society to flourish. They are indispensable in this new dispensation. Their return, their feeling that they are safe, and that something new is beginning, is the most obvious sign that we are witnessing the first days of a new Zimbabwe!
As we are taught in the Holy Bible: "Then, the Lord, your God, will bring back your exiles, and He will have mercy upon you." (Deuteronomy 30:3)
Source - Joice Tsitsi
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