Opinion / Columnist
It's those Zanu-elite-leaders and not majority Shonas
05 Jan 2018 at 22:04hrs | Views
Mr Kernan Mzelikahle: hate speeches has become the culture of Zimbabwe since the inception of Zimbabwe as a nation in as much as violent culture is identity of the nation, hate speech is now Zimbabwe culture so to speak. President Joshua Nkomo warned Mugabe well in 1985 elections that this pasi so-and-so, pasi naye: whoever is the enemy cannot be the modus operandi to win the elections. It is not civil as you put it to use hate speeches to gain whatever objectives you have as an organisation. According to the Zanu PF freedom fighters' war of liberation language, pasi naye meant death to whoever is enemy. Sadly enough: not even two months ago, when Mnangagwa came back from exile South Africa, this is the language he greeted his supporters at the Zanu PF headquarters: pasi nemhanduuuuuuu!
To preach love and not hate is a noble thing. But I wonder if you can still tell the Mthwakazi Youth who, only five days ago, in January 1st 2018 dared to go to church to peacefully demonstrate in the presence of the President of Zimbabwe, Emmerson Mnangagwa. They were manhandled out of the church, sent to the barracks and beaten to pulp for demonstrating peacefully inside the church, you still tell them to love, give them the other chick to be beaten to pulp again as the holy bible says. It was in church, the priest did nothing to defend them, and the President never followed up to see what happened to the young people who were rounded up by the army during the church service. Where was love there? These young people were in church were love and forgiveness is imparted to the congregation, but did not apply to those 8 young men. Should they continue to be told to learn to love all the same, because if they did that the Zanu PF will give them what they want? Are they to behave like children? To get the sweet you have to be a good child first to deserve it.
I read your article in Bulawayo24 today. That article was very insightful; there are lots of noble values expressed in it. Your article contribution is a must read for all Zimbabweans and not only Mthwakazi or the people of Mathebeleland only. I remember you rightfully said "Mthwakazi and beyond:" It should never be the people of Mthwakazi who are told to send the carrot in the form of love only to get the stick back from Zanu PF and its army. Preaching love to the nation must be holistic in approach: and not a segment or a region of the Zimbabwe society for it ever to get traction. It is as fresh as yesterday that Mthwakazi Youth were manhandled by the army. They were manhandled coming from the church that preaches love for all.
I will not be able to rewrite all the poignant points you highlighted in your article but wish to share my own political views I am wholly entitled to. If everything went by your argument that we should preach love in most trying situations and adversaries, we would still be called Rhodesians today. Nobody will have gone to the liberation war for independence because we would have continued love our colonisers in the hope that they will give us independence we want. We would have waited for a thousand years.
When the founding fathers and mothers of this great nation decided to go to war, they had seen the limit to what racist In Smith and his henchmen could do to the African majority: treating them as slaves in their own country. Noble as it might sound that love conquers all adversities; violence in most cases had been used to bring change to rigid systems that propagated superiority against other races and ethnic groups. I am not condoning violence by any account, but to preach it to one segment of the nation that is on the receiving end will not bring those noble results you envisage. I am no propagating violence in 2018; we have enough democratic spaces to demand what we want as citizens. Our rights are enshrined in the constitution. A right to demonstrate peacefully is in the constitution.
Yes, Martin Luther King used non violence means to get the freedom and equal rights for the African Americans in USA. Martin Luther was forceful and assertive in approach and as a result he was understood by his followers even to convince the white population to join in the fight against discrimination of black peoples in America. It is this very forcefulness and assertiveness that we are doing, drawing examples of our liberation icons: indeed Martin Luther.
You ascertain that the people of Mathebeleland are bitter about the marginalisation they have to endure still enduring to this date. It is the very youth that have been marginalized since they were born. To some of them, there is no schooling, no birth certificates, no IDs, no semblance of development in the region. In terms of human empowerment it is minimal to zero. We see teachers brought from Mashonaland to come and teach children who cannot understand Shona language. Job preferences are from the people of Mashonalands. It will be very difficult to still preach love under such circumstances. Instead, such actions by the government reduce the people to bitterness, and that is where the hate speeches come from to vent frustration they experience daily on their lives.
In reply to the article written by MLF today on Bulawayo that the Gugurahundi protestors are not tribalists: indeed to protest peacefully against the atrocities perpetrated at Mathebele peoples and the Mashona Zapu members and supports can never be tribalistic. To demand justice to be done regarding genocide and crimes against humanity is not tribalistic. To still expect them to love as if it's not enough marginalization of the people of this area is going through is disturbing because it's not possible. To still be termed tribalist because we ask and demand justice is inconceivable. Disturbing still is to tell them that they should preach love. Do we realize that this stick they get daily radicalizes them to be bitter and hence the hate speeches we hear coming from them Mthwakazi Parties, copied from Zanu PF hate speeches they make in public rallies and youth interfaces?
The plan, the so-called Grand-Plan was planned in 1979, before the 1980 first elections that ushered independence for Zimbabwe from Rhodesia. The grievances between Zapu and Zanu emanated from the freedom war and even before the armed struggle took shape. These numerous conflicts in the fight for the liberation of Zimbabwe that took place in Zambia, Tanzania and Mozambique were the driver of the Gugurahundi: to the ethnic cleansing that was genocidal. The decimation of Zapu was already in the planning, was evident with the first election campaigning of 1980 general election of one man one vote that was full of hate speeches on the Zanu side.
It is a fact that in 1980 before the elections the majority of peoples of Mashonalands were never Zanu PF members and supporters. They preferred to vote for Nkomo than Mugabe as president. Hate speeches are the brain children of Zanu PF elite who forced the majority of the voters to vote on tribal lines. The tribalism determined the vote win, people were threatened, harassed, beaten up for voting Zapu. There were places that were no-go areas for Zapu election campaigners and members and supporters. Zanu PF crushed anybody and anyone who never supported Zanu. This is where "pasi nemandu originated till to this day. Mr. Kernan Mzelikahle this is your area where your articles, should preach love and not hate: put your energy to preach love to Zanu PF especially the ruling party.
No doubt about that: we should learn that hate speeches divides people, it antagonises people, it erodes any meaningful development in the country, it nurtures, generates, undermines diversity, breeds destruction and violence in societies. I agree that our values as people should rise above the narrow confines of hate by anybody especially in leadership positions be it in Zanu PF or in any of the opposition parties including Mthwakazi Parties in Mathebeleland and Midlands.
It is interesting to note that most people of Mashonalands do sympathize with our plight; they note that Gugurahundi is a national problem that must be addressed with urgency. The majority of the peoples in Mashonalands recognise the need to address the national scourge: genocide. There are level headed peoples from Mashonalands: just to name a few who often write on social media: Tendai Reuben Mpofana, Tafi Mhaka, just yesterday he wrote a moving article: just one statement that came out outstandingly: He was saying "bygones cannot be bygones in all fairness: the spirit of law must always prevail where innocent lives have been lost at the hands of government forces and public funds have been abused or stolen." Comrade Wilfred Mhanda spoke passionately about Gugurahundi atrocities; Knox Chitiyo too is one of them. We have to learn to give credit to where it is due. Several friends in my social circles of Shona origin realize the need to redress the Gugurahundi atrocities ever for the nation to move forward.
We need to learn to work together as diverse ethnic populations and races as we are as a great nation. There are many countries who have successfully diversifies their societies well enough to emulate from them. I agree with you Kernan Mzelikahle fully that we need to concentration mostly on developing our region in spite of gross marginalisation, drawing examples from the Scottish devolution processes they have gone through in their history. To do so in Mathebeleland will need resources coming from the government, we have a centralized government. Here is the catch 22; marginalization means to be denied any kind of means and resources to effect advancement in our communities.
I would like to thank you for this today's article Mr. Mzelikahle, I really took it on board that hate speeches is the root cause of evil intensions, almost becoming a culture that breeds violence and violent intentions. If our President got that on board TOO that "pasi nemanduuuuu" is tantamount to hate speech, if Machinguri got in on board that to say "pasi na Mai Mujuru is an abominable act of violent speech, then we are talking. It should never be the RECEIVING END that should be told to LOVE THY ENEMY AND STOP HATE SPEECHES if the top Civil Servant: President Mnangagwa harbours hate speeches in his chest to shower them at every opportunity to spite his loving enemies: the G40. I can assure you that I will never utter any hate speeches but I will remain assertive and forceful to achieve our objectives: development for our marginalized communities.
To preach love and not hate is a noble thing. But I wonder if you can still tell the Mthwakazi Youth who, only five days ago, in January 1st 2018 dared to go to church to peacefully demonstrate in the presence of the President of Zimbabwe, Emmerson Mnangagwa. They were manhandled out of the church, sent to the barracks and beaten to pulp for demonstrating peacefully inside the church, you still tell them to love, give them the other chick to be beaten to pulp again as the holy bible says. It was in church, the priest did nothing to defend them, and the President never followed up to see what happened to the young people who were rounded up by the army during the church service. Where was love there? These young people were in church were love and forgiveness is imparted to the congregation, but did not apply to those 8 young men. Should they continue to be told to learn to love all the same, because if they did that the Zanu PF will give them what they want? Are they to behave like children? To get the sweet you have to be a good child first to deserve it.
I read your article in Bulawayo24 today. That article was very insightful; there are lots of noble values expressed in it. Your article contribution is a must read for all Zimbabweans and not only Mthwakazi or the people of Mathebeleland only. I remember you rightfully said "Mthwakazi and beyond:" It should never be the people of Mthwakazi who are told to send the carrot in the form of love only to get the stick back from Zanu PF and its army. Preaching love to the nation must be holistic in approach: and not a segment or a region of the Zimbabwe society for it ever to get traction. It is as fresh as yesterday that Mthwakazi Youth were manhandled by the army. They were manhandled coming from the church that preaches love for all.
I will not be able to rewrite all the poignant points you highlighted in your article but wish to share my own political views I am wholly entitled to. If everything went by your argument that we should preach love in most trying situations and adversaries, we would still be called Rhodesians today. Nobody will have gone to the liberation war for independence because we would have continued love our colonisers in the hope that they will give us independence we want. We would have waited for a thousand years.
When the founding fathers and mothers of this great nation decided to go to war, they had seen the limit to what racist In Smith and his henchmen could do to the African majority: treating them as slaves in their own country. Noble as it might sound that love conquers all adversities; violence in most cases had been used to bring change to rigid systems that propagated superiority against other races and ethnic groups. I am not condoning violence by any account, but to preach it to one segment of the nation that is on the receiving end will not bring those noble results you envisage. I am no propagating violence in 2018; we have enough democratic spaces to demand what we want as citizens. Our rights are enshrined in the constitution. A right to demonstrate peacefully is in the constitution.
Yes, Martin Luther King used non violence means to get the freedom and equal rights for the African Americans in USA. Martin Luther was forceful and assertive in approach and as a result he was understood by his followers even to convince the white population to join in the fight against discrimination of black peoples in America. It is this very forcefulness and assertiveness that we are doing, drawing examples of our liberation icons: indeed Martin Luther.
You ascertain that the people of Mathebeleland are bitter about the marginalisation they have to endure still enduring to this date. It is the very youth that have been marginalized since they were born. To some of them, there is no schooling, no birth certificates, no IDs, no semblance of development in the region. In terms of human empowerment it is minimal to zero. We see teachers brought from Mashonaland to come and teach children who cannot understand Shona language. Job preferences are from the people of Mashonalands. It will be very difficult to still preach love under such circumstances. Instead, such actions by the government reduce the people to bitterness, and that is where the hate speeches come from to vent frustration they experience daily on their lives.
The plan, the so-called Grand-Plan was planned in 1979, before the 1980 first elections that ushered independence for Zimbabwe from Rhodesia. The grievances between Zapu and Zanu emanated from the freedom war and even before the armed struggle took shape. These numerous conflicts in the fight for the liberation of Zimbabwe that took place in Zambia, Tanzania and Mozambique were the driver of the Gugurahundi: to the ethnic cleansing that was genocidal. The decimation of Zapu was already in the planning, was evident with the first election campaigning of 1980 general election of one man one vote that was full of hate speeches on the Zanu side.
It is a fact that in 1980 before the elections the majority of peoples of Mashonalands were never Zanu PF members and supporters. They preferred to vote for Nkomo than Mugabe as president. Hate speeches are the brain children of Zanu PF elite who forced the majority of the voters to vote on tribal lines. The tribalism determined the vote win, people were threatened, harassed, beaten up for voting Zapu. There were places that were no-go areas for Zapu election campaigners and members and supporters. Zanu PF crushed anybody and anyone who never supported Zanu. This is where "pasi nemandu originated till to this day. Mr. Kernan Mzelikahle this is your area where your articles, should preach love and not hate: put your energy to preach love to Zanu PF especially the ruling party.
No doubt about that: we should learn that hate speeches divides people, it antagonises people, it erodes any meaningful development in the country, it nurtures, generates, undermines diversity, breeds destruction and violence in societies. I agree that our values as people should rise above the narrow confines of hate by anybody especially in leadership positions be it in Zanu PF or in any of the opposition parties including Mthwakazi Parties in Mathebeleland and Midlands.
It is interesting to note that most people of Mashonalands do sympathize with our plight; they note that Gugurahundi is a national problem that must be addressed with urgency. The majority of the peoples in Mashonalands recognise the need to address the national scourge: genocide. There are level headed peoples from Mashonalands: just to name a few who often write on social media: Tendai Reuben Mpofana, Tafi Mhaka, just yesterday he wrote a moving article: just one statement that came out outstandingly: He was saying "bygones cannot be bygones in all fairness: the spirit of law must always prevail where innocent lives have been lost at the hands of government forces and public funds have been abused or stolen." Comrade Wilfred Mhanda spoke passionately about Gugurahundi atrocities; Knox Chitiyo too is one of them. We have to learn to give credit to where it is due. Several friends in my social circles of Shona origin realize the need to redress the Gugurahundi atrocities ever for the nation to move forward.
We need to learn to work together as diverse ethnic populations and races as we are as a great nation. There are many countries who have successfully diversifies their societies well enough to emulate from them. I agree with you Kernan Mzelikahle fully that we need to concentration mostly on developing our region in spite of gross marginalisation, drawing examples from the Scottish devolution processes they have gone through in their history. To do so in Mathebeleland will need resources coming from the government, we have a centralized government. Here is the catch 22; marginalization means to be denied any kind of means and resources to effect advancement in our communities.
I would like to thank you for this today's article Mr. Mzelikahle, I really took it on board that hate speeches is the root cause of evil intensions, almost becoming a culture that breeds violence and violent intentions. If our President got that on board TOO that "pasi nemanduuuuu" is tantamount to hate speech, if Machinguri got in on board that to say "pasi na Mai Mujuru is an abominable act of violent speech, then we are talking. It should never be the RECEIVING END that should be told to LOVE THY ENEMY AND STOP HATE SPEECHES if the top Civil Servant: President Mnangagwa harbours hate speeches in his chest to shower them at every opportunity to spite his loving enemies: the G40. I can assure you that I will never utter any hate speeches but I will remain assertive and forceful to achieve our objectives: development for our marginalized communities.
Source - Nomazulu Thata
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