Opinion / Columnist
Is it time for a strategic re-think by Zimbabweans in the Diaspora?
20 Dec 2013 at 07:58hrs | Views
A wise man once said 'It is neither the strongest of the species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the ones most responsive to change'. Amidst the talk of 'lack of change' Zimbabwe is changing and the people who have a stake in the country including those of us in the Diaspora must also change with it, otherwise there is a great risk of becoming irrelevant. We also have to revise our strategies because despite the seemingly stagnant or somewhat retrogressive political environment, we cannot ignore the fact that as a country Zimbabwe is adapting, changing and moving on, with or without the Diaspora. The school of thought that political change of a certain nature must be obtainable before our mainstream participation in the political, economic and social affairs of our country needs urgent reviewing.
This calls for a new paradigm shift and a new approach whereby the Diaspora needs to constructively engage with the government of the day in Zimbabwe. There is need for engagement rather than avoidance or isolation. While the western approach still remains that of shunning or limited embracing of the government in Zimbabwe, Zimbabweans in the diaspora need to fully embrace our government and proffer our expertise. Times are changing and who ever thought Britain would go to beg China for investment, or that Iran would make overtures that would allow for America and Britain to work with them rather than against that country? Where nations give, they will get something as well as like-wise where citizens give, they will also get something!
At great but worthwhile risk of sounding apologist the Zimbabwe Diaspora Development Link does hereby suggest a rethink on the strategy that should be adopted by Zimbabweans in the Diaspora when dealing with the unfolding political and economic dynamics back in Zimbabwe. For a long time the Zimbabwean Diaspora has been waiting for the political situation back home to change before they can participate in the political and economic development of the country. With the so called 'change' momentum seemingly regressing and rapidly running out of steam, the political status quo is likely to remain for the foreseeable future. Five years is a very long time, and in the event that ZANU PF prevails again in 2018, then that could be ten years and the Zimbabwean Diaspora needs to review our wait and see strategy and adopt a new, positive, pro active and pragmatic engage encore approach
As Zimbabweans abroad we need to become more proactive rather than reactive and to open our eyes to the changing dynamics unfolding around us not just in Zimbabwe but the world over. We need to seize the opportunities that are available in our country rather than wait while those opportunities pass and will never come around again. We need to engage rather than disengage with the government and put sound and concrete proposals on policy and legislation rather than simply surrender and get in indifference mode. We also need to reach out to the government rather than simply wait thinking that they should come to us and we have nothing to lose by making the first overture as what is at stake is our beloved country Zimbabwe. For the past fourteen years there was a huge expectation that Zimbabwe would go through a transformational change that would include the moving aside of the old guard en-masse. There was also equal fantasy that there would be ushered in a new guard with youthful exuberance and this expectation was not necessarily due to the hatred of current government but because most people genuinely and rightly so, believed that the country needed a new impetus to move in a different direction.
The 2008 elections made everyone believe that a transition would take place at the 2013, elections but the recent 'watershed' elections handed a crushing blow to all those who felt that the country needed to move in a different direction. Given the recent turn of events, it is no longer a wild view then that the old party will rule for the next 10 to fifteen years and thus extinguishing expectations of transformational change in the country's politics. While there are Zimbabweans in the Diaspora who may not like ZANU PF as a party and the policies that it espouses, a stark reality is that they are the ruling party and government and their policies will be implemented. If those of us in the Diaspora are serious about wanting to have a stake in the affairs of our country, or indeed if we have dreams that our children will have a stake in their country, we have to come to terms with the fact that, that stake will have to be built and secured under the revolutionary party's rule.
The wait and see that strategy that most of us have adopted for a long time, gets riskier if one does not know how long they have to wait. While our diverging political views may be stopping us from seeing the reality which is that Zimbabwe is being carved up and the revolutionary party decides the sizes of the slices and who gets what,if the diaspora does not participate in Zimbabwe's affairs, the Chinese, Nigerians and South Africans and other will. There is a real risk that Zimbabwe will be under different control by the time we decide to be involved. We have already been disenfranchised in the diaspora vote and no one will win that for us. The new constitution was re-written with very little if at all involvement of us in the diaspora. Despite acquiring permanent residence in the diaspora, we must accept that our fortunes are inalienably intertwined with Zimbabwe our motherland. We have to remember that if Zimbabwe fails, the need for us to support relatives back home becomes more apparent. When Zimbabwe slows, we cough up. We should learn what the previous unity government despite its political differences were able to put their differences and put Zimbabwe first.
On this basis, it would seem pragmatic to engage the political process in Zimbabwe. This is why the Zimbabwe Diaspora Development Link is propagating a new thinking and a different approach from the old. It is time that we consider adapting to strategies that make us relevant to the politics and economics of the day. We are calling on all Zimbabweans where ever we are to step up to the plate and stake our claim. Zimdiaspora Network Link wants to engage with Zimbabweans in Diaspora who are keen to be involved in investing, engaging the government and willing to assist Zimbabwe to succeed at a time when geo political and economic environment is becoming competitive, changing and most countries changing their policies to better their citizens.
This is the beginning of consultative process and we are calling for those who would like to be involved to send us their views and ideas and also be ready to come to a conference in 2014 on a date to be confirmed.
More information and details about the thinking behind this new vision as well as the founding aims and objectives is available on request on the email below. Please get in touch and we will send you more information.
Thanks
------------------
E-mail: zimdiasporanetworklink@gmail.com, Twitter: @zimdiasporanetlink
This calls for a new paradigm shift and a new approach whereby the Diaspora needs to constructively engage with the government of the day in Zimbabwe. There is need for engagement rather than avoidance or isolation. While the western approach still remains that of shunning or limited embracing of the government in Zimbabwe, Zimbabweans in the diaspora need to fully embrace our government and proffer our expertise. Times are changing and who ever thought Britain would go to beg China for investment, or that Iran would make overtures that would allow for America and Britain to work with them rather than against that country? Where nations give, they will get something as well as like-wise where citizens give, they will also get something!
At great but worthwhile risk of sounding apologist the Zimbabwe Diaspora Development Link does hereby suggest a rethink on the strategy that should be adopted by Zimbabweans in the Diaspora when dealing with the unfolding political and economic dynamics back in Zimbabwe. For a long time the Zimbabwean Diaspora has been waiting for the political situation back home to change before they can participate in the political and economic development of the country. With the so called 'change' momentum seemingly regressing and rapidly running out of steam, the political status quo is likely to remain for the foreseeable future. Five years is a very long time, and in the event that ZANU PF prevails again in 2018, then that could be ten years and the Zimbabwean Diaspora needs to review our wait and see strategy and adopt a new, positive, pro active and pragmatic engage encore approach
As Zimbabweans abroad we need to become more proactive rather than reactive and to open our eyes to the changing dynamics unfolding around us not just in Zimbabwe but the world over. We need to seize the opportunities that are available in our country rather than wait while those opportunities pass and will never come around again. We need to engage rather than disengage with the government and put sound and concrete proposals on policy and legislation rather than simply surrender and get in indifference mode. We also need to reach out to the government rather than simply wait thinking that they should come to us and we have nothing to lose by making the first overture as what is at stake is our beloved country Zimbabwe. For the past fourteen years there was a huge expectation that Zimbabwe would go through a transformational change that would include the moving aside of the old guard en-masse. There was also equal fantasy that there would be ushered in a new guard with youthful exuberance and this expectation was not necessarily due to the hatred of current government but because most people genuinely and rightly so, believed that the country needed a new impetus to move in a different direction.
The 2008 elections made everyone believe that a transition would take place at the 2013, elections but the recent 'watershed' elections handed a crushing blow to all those who felt that the country needed to move in a different direction. Given the recent turn of events, it is no longer a wild view then that the old party will rule for the next 10 to fifteen years and thus extinguishing expectations of transformational change in the country's politics. While there are Zimbabweans in the Diaspora who may not like ZANU PF as a party and the policies that it espouses, a stark reality is that they are the ruling party and government and their policies will be implemented. If those of us in the Diaspora are serious about wanting to have a stake in the affairs of our country, or indeed if we have dreams that our children will have a stake in their country, we have to come to terms with the fact that, that stake will have to be built and secured under the revolutionary party's rule.
The wait and see that strategy that most of us have adopted for a long time, gets riskier if one does not know how long they have to wait. While our diverging political views may be stopping us from seeing the reality which is that Zimbabwe is being carved up and the revolutionary party decides the sizes of the slices and who gets what,if the diaspora does not participate in Zimbabwe's affairs, the Chinese, Nigerians and South Africans and other will. There is a real risk that Zimbabwe will be under different control by the time we decide to be involved. We have already been disenfranchised in the diaspora vote and no one will win that for us. The new constitution was re-written with very little if at all involvement of us in the diaspora. Despite acquiring permanent residence in the diaspora, we must accept that our fortunes are inalienably intertwined with Zimbabwe our motherland. We have to remember that if Zimbabwe fails, the need for us to support relatives back home becomes more apparent. When Zimbabwe slows, we cough up. We should learn what the previous unity government despite its political differences were able to put their differences and put Zimbabwe first.
On this basis, it would seem pragmatic to engage the political process in Zimbabwe. This is why the Zimbabwe Diaspora Development Link is propagating a new thinking and a different approach from the old. It is time that we consider adapting to strategies that make us relevant to the politics and economics of the day. We are calling on all Zimbabweans where ever we are to step up to the plate and stake our claim. Zimdiaspora Network Link wants to engage with Zimbabweans in Diaspora who are keen to be involved in investing, engaging the government and willing to assist Zimbabwe to succeed at a time when geo political and economic environment is becoming competitive, changing and most countries changing their policies to better their citizens.
This is the beginning of consultative process and we are calling for those who would like to be involved to send us their views and ideas and also be ready to come to a conference in 2014 on a date to be confirmed.
More information and details about the thinking behind this new vision as well as the founding aims and objectives is available on request on the email below. Please get in touch and we will send you more information.
Thanks
------------------
E-mail: zimdiasporanetworklink@gmail.com, Twitter: @zimdiasporanetlink
Source - zimdiasporanetworklink
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