I'm a young dreamer, and #EDhasmyvote

I'm a dreamer.  I'm not ashamed of being a dreamer.  Dreams bring us up. They give us vision.  They keep us yearning, they keep us ambi.

My childhood in Zimbabwe, however, was far from a dream.  This blessed land, sometimes felt more like a curse.  We struggled for food, we struggled for water.  Yet, in our village we battled along.  There were always more smiles than frowns.  More positive comments than complaints.  We are a tough nation.  A positive people.

Indeed, I felt that all of us were in the same boat.  But when I moved to the city, suddenly something inside of me changed.  I was frustrated. The more I learned, the more I studied, the more angry I became.  The disparities were right there.  They were in my face.  Why were there "haves"? Why were there so many "have nots"?

In Harare, I got a TV, eventually a phone.  One day I got the internet.  There it was. The world was there for all of us to see.  America.  Europe.  The East. The West.  Entertainment and sports.  Freedoms and debates.  I of course enjoyed reading allthe newspapers here at home – which even during the toughest of times, maintained their critical eyes.  But suddenly my dreams could have colour.  I saw what was out there.

However, never did I believe in my wildest dreams that we would be rid of Bob.  Never did I believe that we would hear a Zanu-PF leader invite the international community – from SADC monitors to EU election experts – to come and oversee a free and fair election.

In November 2017, my dreams began to become a reality.  While ED is not perfect, he took one small step for him, which became a giant leap for the people of Zimbabwe.

Within a few months, we are already on the map.  While cash is still an issue; the wheels are in motion.  Billions of dollars of investment are on the table.  World leaders are queuing up to come and visit.  Our hotels are full (I work in the hospitality sector!).  Our airports are busy.  Our president is even calling for peace and unity in the New York Times.

Whilst I refuse to follow any leader blindly – especially one from ZANU-PF, I was not brought up as a supporter – I refuse to be a naysayer.  I refuse to stand idly and quietly by while obstructionists and rejectionists write off this move based on aperceived 100 day score card.

Did anyone really believe that the economy would be revamped in 100 days? Did anyone really believe that roads and bridges would be completed in 100 days?Rebuilding utter destruction takes time.

So I urge the youth – all of my fellow compatriots who were born in the 80s and 90s – to dream like me.  Our peaceful revolution must serve as an anchor, a demonstrative fact that when a great people comes together, we can achieve anything; peacefully.  

Let's throw our support behind the leader who is helping us make this dream into a reality.  Let us now give him the time to bring in the billions of dollars which have been promised to him– and to us.  Already international institutions are increasing their outlook for Zimbabwe's economy.

 For two full decades, I could not have dreamed of any respected international bodysaying something positive about our economy.  Now they are.

With a growing optimistic economic outlook, investment willfollow.  With investment, comes jobs.  So I'm choosing to be a skeptical supporter of our president.  

I choose to give him five years to make my dreams come true.  I choose to give him five years to create those jobs.  And most importantly I choose to give him five years to complete this new journey of transformation for our new Zimbabwe.

So whilst, as I noted, I am a skeptic, in the upcoming harmonized elections, #EDhasmyvote
 
 M.T., Hotel Worker, Harare