2018 Elections and our place in History

How are we, as youths, going to be remembered after this year's election?

The first historic installment without the country's first executive president - Robert Mugabe, an election being held in a peaceful environment were the opposition is campaigning unhindered, where some presidential candidates have gone to the extent of claiming to have turned around the fortunes of foreign lands so as to gain local popularity, while others have kept their cool - juggling stabilizing the country's economy and campaigning for a fresh mandate to deliver more good living to the people of Zimbabwe.

I ask because our forefathers are remembered as the youths who fought in the liberation war and brought independence. As grown-ups they then spearheaded the fast track land redistribution program under which many of today's youths were beneficiaries.

Yes, a lot has been promised in this election, from trinkets such as bullet trains to sound policies such as attaining a middle income economy by year 2030. However, as we look to the promised future there is need to cherish and safeguard gains of the past. That we remain independent in the true sense, maintain peace and unity, but most importantly that we escalate and complete the fight for economic independence.

Almost all the contesting political parties are promising economic emancipation for the indigenous majority. However, only Zanu PF has been consistent when it comes to empowering the masses. The revolutionary party took up arms to liberate the country politically and economically. Political independence was instant upon the attainment of self-rule, but economic independence would take time as suggested by clauses in the Lancaster agreement that said land - the mainstay of the country's economy - would only be redistributed ten years into independence.

When the Zanu PF Government embarked on the land reform, the country received a lot of bad publicity, even from media in neighboring South Africa. A lot was written as to how the program should have been done so as to ensure that the economy would not fall. Fast forward to 2018 the South Africa's parliament has passed a resolution to amend the constitution and allow land expropriation without compensation. The decision has generated a storm as political parties, citizens, white farmers and commentators anticipate either real land reform at last or the collapse of the market economy.

The South African economy will probably suffer, not necessarily because expropriation of land previously taken from the indigenous people without compensation is bad for the economy, but just like as was the case in Zimbabwe, those who own large tracks of land in South Africa are the same people who control their economy. As such the land owners will close their companies in protest and many will be rendered jobless.

South Africa can hold research about the best way of getting land to the rightful owners but there will come to the same conclusion that Zimbabwe did - those with land do not want to share.

Across the Zambezi River, the Zambian government recently proposed to ban the ownership of land by foreigners. The Zambian government is also seeking to review existing long term leases so that the land in question cannot be disposed of, sold or exchanged without prior consultation with and approval by the government.

In a nut shell, it seems Southern Africa finally mastered the courage to solve the land question once and for all, probably having seen Zimbabwe succeeding.

Now back to the 2018 election, are we, as youths going to be remembered as the generation that gave back land to our erstwhile colonizers / their proxies or those that worked hard and restore Zimbabwe's status as the bread basket of Southern Africa. We have the potential, we have produced more tobacco that the previous commercial farmers - evidence we can do the same for cereal crops.

Some might ask how voting for your preferred candidate might result in derailing the gains of the land reform - simple, factor in national interests in making your choice - which candidate has been steadfast on the issue of land? Which candidate has never asked for punitive measures against the country simply because of the land reform? Which candidate was put under illegal sanctions simply because they spearheaded the land reform program?

There you have it, vote wisely!