Violence and crimes in the name of power: The Fear

Zimbabweans are broadly lovely, reserved and peace loving people. Politics has divided and continue to try and divide the Zimbabwean people on tribal grounds. Some writers have argued that tribalism has led to institutionalised tribalism. Whilst I respect their views, I find them to be out touch with the reality on the ground as they do not mirror what is happening.

Most of the writers who argue for institutionalised tribalism draw a lot from the history and politics of Zimbabwe. This article will deliberately leave history and politics so that the author maintains objectivity. It will argue that tribalism is not sustainable by looking at how people are brought up, how they get to make their own decisions and what the current evidence tells us about the direction of Zimbabweans and tribalism.

Upbringing and Tribalism

Most Zimbabwean parents endeavor to build a moral framework for their children to use as a guidance manual. It is from this moral frame work that children are molded and guided to become prudent and objective. In many ways this is what guides them to detach from and connect to various activities.
On the other hand the environment and experiences of individuals can influence how they bring up their children. The core principles used to build the moral frame work can be hugely influenced by this. Moreover replication can occur, for example bigoted parents are likely to replicate their prejudice and bigotry by passing it on to their children.
Coherence, Meaning and Natural  
Having been brought up in the city where the population was more tribally diverse, the writer found the moral frame work to be tolerant and generally the same across the neighborhood and the wider community.  However in communal areas the population was less diverse. Looking back with hind sight tribalism is less likely to thrive in diverse communities but there is a bigger risk that it can thrive in less diverse areas.

Although tribalism could survive for some time in other Zimbabwean communities, children grow up and reach a stage when they start questioning things and looking for the truth in order to make their decisions based on their judgments. In other cases the picture painted by tribalism has been challenged and broken by the mainstream practice which people experience through mixing with diverse people at schools, work and different places.

Tribalism has recently faced another blow from the increased momentum of intertribal relations with some leading to intermarriages. In this case the author refers to those cases where tribal families have declared or expressed their desire to maintain relationships and marriages within their tribe. I'm sure many Zimbabweans have their own examples where the opposite is happening or has happened.

The dominance of diverse networking is indirectly reversing tribalism by making it difficult to practice. Typically in such cases tribalists are forced to pretend not to be tribal. However in so doing they attract friends and colleagues from different tribes who eventually challenge and transform their implicit attitude.

The Current Evidence

 There is compelling evidence that tribalism has been forced out of the main stream. It's getting impossible for Zimbabweans not to be strongly connected to someone from another tribe either personally or through family and friends. What's more is that debates, projects and political parties which run on tribal grounds or those that are hijacked by tribalists are likely to fail and be shunned by Zimbabweans.

A new generation which is more tolerant and inquisitive has emerged which suggests that indoctrination and passing down tribalism is now going to be difficult. The admiration of multi lingual Zimbabweans is also gaining momentum and many Zimbabweans are expressing their desire to learn other languages.

In some ways the recent emergence of tribal hatred, tribal politics and tribal supremacy philosophy is open to interpretation. While others have viewed it negatively the writer views it positively in that it gives Zimbabweans an opportunity to talk, debate and thrush out differences. What's more is that the tribal hatred shows some elements of desperation by tribalists who now sense the end of the game.

The emergence tribal politics and the tribal supremacy philosophy can be seen as survival and transformational strategy by tribalists. As the article already demonstrated that it is now difficult to be tribal in the mainstream. Typically tribalists are now surviving by looking for political parties and pressure groups with people who fit their tribal context and once accepted they transform the group into a tribal one. Indeed there are political groups who are now harbouring tribalists because they were hijacked and transformed.

It is politics that Zimbabweans blame for dividing their nation in the first place. Again it is politics that is being used as a tool by tribalists to further divide Zimbabweans. However evidence seems to suggest that most of the Zimbabweans will not buy anything contaminated with tribalism and this explains the failure of tribal politics.

In conclusion tribalism is not sustainable. What we are yet to see is whether idealising tribal supremacy will hold or not. However the current atmosphere shows that tribalism is now dancing on the periphery which puts tolerant Zimbabweans in better and stronger position. If Zimbabweans want young people and the future generations to live in a much better and tolerant society then they should toughen and reinforce a positive understanding of the Zimbabwean tribes.  

 Farai Chikowore: is a Local Governance Reader who graduated in Strategic Public Management (MSc) and in Public Policy Government and Management (BA, Honours) at De Montfort University. He likes to evaluate the contribution of political discourse to understanding government policies. His main areas of interest are in Research in: Partnership Working, Local government, Local governance, Democratic renewal, Policy process and Strategic Management.He can be contacted at chikoworefarai@gmail.com