Opinion / Columnist
Our civil servants our weapon against dictatorship
11 Jul 2016 at 15:55hrs | Views
It was obvious that by joining the strike, the civil servants upsets the applecart. It sent shivers up the spine of Mugabe and his cronies.
This must be a clear message to the civil servants that their action will encourage other groups to go on strike too thereby creating chaos.
While getting paid is critical, I would say the civil servants must not make getting paid their ultimate goal or else their action will quickly fizzle out and an afterthought the day after. Ask yourselves where the money you got paid came from just a day after your action?
The danger of your actions fizzling out is that out of the turmoil, somebody or group is emerging - most likely from the military - they will hijack the situation for their benefit. Zimbabwe does not live in a vacuum; this same situation happened in Ghana in 1978 and 1979. It also happened in Benin in 1989.
The civil servants must continue to protest against bad governance that has brought our country to its knees. They must coordinate their efforts with other groups - such as students, lawyers, vendors, etc. - to join them.
If the civil servants does not join the strike, it will fizzle out and Mugabe and his henchmen will relax. Mugabe himself said it at Chipadze stadium in Bindura. He was happy and relieved that the civil servants went back to work.
Remember our revolution has been triggered by inconsequential economic factors - unpaid wages, lack of jobs, food shortages and increase in food prices, etc. Does anyone in Zimbabwe know of a guy called Mohammed Boazizi? He was the Tunisian University graduate, frustrated at not being able to find a decent job; he set himself on fire in December 2011. It was that act, which started the Arab spring.
It led to street protests and demonstrations across the Arab world by the youth. The problem was the youth did not act quickly enough and a revolution was hijacked from them in Egypt, Tunisia, Libya, etc. although they managed to topple some long-standing dictators.
I am sure there is some military general salivating over the chaos in Zimbabwe and planning to strike at the opportune time. We do not want that to happen.
This must be a clear message to the civil servants that their action will encourage other groups to go on strike too thereby creating chaos.
While getting paid is critical, I would say the civil servants must not make getting paid their ultimate goal or else their action will quickly fizzle out and an afterthought the day after. Ask yourselves where the money you got paid came from just a day after your action?
The danger of your actions fizzling out is that out of the turmoil, somebody or group is emerging - most likely from the military - they will hijack the situation for their benefit. Zimbabwe does not live in a vacuum; this same situation happened in Ghana in 1978 and 1979. It also happened in Benin in 1989.
The civil servants must continue to protest against bad governance that has brought our country to its knees. They must coordinate their efforts with other groups - such as students, lawyers, vendors, etc. - to join them.
Remember our revolution has been triggered by inconsequential economic factors - unpaid wages, lack of jobs, food shortages and increase in food prices, etc. Does anyone in Zimbabwe know of a guy called Mohammed Boazizi? He was the Tunisian University graduate, frustrated at not being able to find a decent job; he set himself on fire in December 2011. It was that act, which started the Arab spring.
It led to street protests and demonstrations across the Arab world by the youth. The problem was the youth did not act quickly enough and a revolution was hijacked from them in Egypt, Tunisia, Libya, etc. although they managed to topple some long-standing dictators.
I am sure there is some military general salivating over the chaos in Zimbabwe and planning to strike at the opportune time. We do not want that to happen.
Source - Wezhira Sam
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