Shame on you!

We are living on precious time. The young Zimbabwean of today is yet to fully understand how much sacrifice and death was put into the creation of this superstructure we now call a country. My aim is not to brew up hate and create division, but to stir up a desire within the young man and woman in this country to appreciate the fine line of just how much selfishness and greed have become dangerous elements in our nation, communities and families. Slowly but surely these two are leading to the destruction of our cohesion as people of a common history, and who are running away from the same ghetto daemons of poverty, ignorance and functional illiteracy.

It has been said that lest we forget, but the honest truth is that we are doing more than just forgetting, but completely erasing that which is of value, whilst hiding behind the claim of wanting to survive. There is a big difference between surviving and living. During the colonial period people fought to survive. Their survival meant that we, who are here today, can now live. Live to see a better tomorrow, where there would be improved justice, freedom of movement, freedom of speech, freedom of association, freedom of worship. Freedom to aspire and desire for something, and realise dreams coming to pass. For this they were willing to die and for this, some did die. Some are known, but most are unknown. Men and women of valour, who despite their fears let it all on the line, even though they were just like you and me. They felt pain the same way we do, felt cold like us and had emotions too.

Look at yourself today and your life asking yourself where you stand. Were you worth that sacrifice by that brother and sister who was out there braving the cold, so that the injustices of colonialism would come to an end? That son and daughter of the soil who gave up their chances of getting an education so you could get yours. Those, who gave up their relationships and hopes of having a family, so you could have yours today. All that, so you could have the rights you have today. And you decide not to even vote. And then you decide to manipulate and ill-treat your employee. You decide to rape, kill, steal and lie to another so you can get more than what you already have, which is a priceless life of freedom. Shame on you!

We turn to God and religion and there it seems no better. Devils in suits have cropped up there as well, manipulating people for their hard earned money and confusing what is right for what is wrong by indoctrinating us with opinions that make the dead turn in their graves. Some have taken advantage of poverty and our desire for the spiritual, to con some of our less cognitive brothers and sisters out of their money whilst enriching themselves. They turn the truth of the bible so much it has become a lie that is turning many away from reality and enslaving them to believe in promises of money and success, which they most likely will not experience in this lifetime or the next.

What is wrong with us? If you watch any of the documentaries on slavery and juxtapose them to the way the modern day employee is treated one cannot deny that the conditions in a number of homesteads for house workers are no better. From the remuneration, to the treatment, one will be shocked. We have heard a number of cases too many of abuse in the workplace. From security guards being forced to walk n*de after being stripped of their uniform and the common cases of house workers being sexually, physically and verbally abused in the home.

Even worse are the disgusting and infuriating cases of the little ones who are victims of reported and unreported sexual abuse... My gosh!!! Is this the freedom that we longed for and that so many gave their lives for?

Whilst this nation obviously has issues like these which need serious attention, like an open wound on a leg, one then asks where people find the time for political bickering on power so they can get a taste of the pie. What pie is it that we aspire for, crying and claiming to fight for people's rights when the things that need attention are so obvious? Our true enemies of poverty, growing ignorance, individualism and functional illiteracy continue to plague us and disunite our nation, communities and families. You just need to listen to the radio and see the newspaper headlines and notice that things are not in order. Our nation is in disarray over things within our reach. Strong answers and solutions are needed for serious problems and challenges we are facing as a nation. Stop blaming the government per se and ask yourself what you are bringing to the table.

This has ceased to become an issue of political affiliation but more of individual restructuring on priorities. Our minds need to be put in the right place. Education is loosing value, not because of unemployment or finance, but due to the fact that the majority of people who are getting it are no longer aware of why they really need it nor what it means be truly educated. The ones who are meant to deliver it have lost touch with the reasons why they are teaching what they are teaching in the first place. It has become a shame. It is just a big shame.

In the midst of some degree of sombreness we need to remind ourselves that the best is yet to come. But now we need faith and strength for these tough times and dark days, and feelings of uncertainty against all odds in days to come. There is a lot of work to do in encouragement and renewal. It should not take us time to echo that great things have been endured in this country already. This should be our turning point, which seems surreal but is a fact. If there is one thing our supposed enemies brought us is that one positive thing as well, that, ‘WE must stand together'. We must transcend the boundaries of selfishness and greed in our education, literacy, illiteracy, poverty, riches and colour for a Zimbabwe for all.