Opinion / Columnist
MDC Independence message
18 Apr 2019 at 18:21hrs | Views
The MDC joins the people of Zimbabwe in celebrating 39 years of Independence. In commemorating the day, it is important to highlight that the status quo brings to question the agenda, values and ethos of the liberation struggle.
Zimbabweans are still in the trenches sadly fighting for the following issues which were the basis of the liberation agenda.
1. The land question
2. Universal suffrage - the principle of one man one vote
3. Transformation of the lives of Zimbabweans.
Thirty nine years after the liberation struggle, land ownership is still a question for discussion. Those politically connected to Zanu PF just work up with an offer letter and displace a fellow citizen. New invasions are still the order of the day. Those who occupy pieces of land only do so at the benevolence of the ruling elites.
This is without mentioning that land has been reduced to a dead Capital carrying only use value with no exchange value.
The MDC makes the point that four decades of independence is enough to give title to the beneficiaries of the land reform, facilitate mechanisation of farms and adapt from dependency on rain fed agriculture.
On transformation, black Zimbabweans are subjected to unpalatable suffering by those who hijacked the agenda of the liberation struggle for personal gain. The majority are living in abject poverty, millions have fled a warless country, millions are unemployed and the gap between the rich and the poor keeps widening.
Access to healthcare is now a pipe dream, the public health delivery system is broken and hospitals have been turned into death traps.
Hundreds of Zimbabweans are dying of curable diseases and stress related ailments.
The same applies to education. An unacceptable number of children is dropping out of school.
The health system itself needs a complete overhaul.
Hundreds of thousands are still walking ten kilometres to the nearest primary school. Some of the schools are not even worth the name. The men and women manning those schools are disgruntled and neglected. They show up every day, and yet are offered an insult as wages.
The same applies to any other public service institution.
Those controlling the State have converted it into an arena for personal enrichment. They are not concerned about the rest.
On the political front, Zanu PF has ensured that they oppose what the liberation was all about. They murder dissent, rape women, abduct those who disagree and steal elections.
The democratic space is closing by the day, there is no freedom of the press, journalists like Zenzele are arrested for producing a documentary and some like Dzamara are made to disappear and calls to account for him are ignored.
There is blatant abuse of raw state power, the gun is now directing politics.
The people of Zimbabwe are however resilient. They will turn out victorious, as we celebrate 39 years of Independence we encourage every Zimbabwean to keep the faith and focus on reclaiming the agenda of the liberation of the motherland.
President Nelson Chamisa and the entire MDC leadership are committed to ensure Zimbabweans enjoy their independence and this can only be achieved through the 5 point plan as proposed by the people's President.
MDC 5th Congress: Defining a New Course for Zimbabwe!
Jacob Mafume
MDC National Spokesperson
Zimbabweans are still in the trenches sadly fighting for the following issues which were the basis of the liberation agenda.
1. The land question
2. Universal suffrage - the principle of one man one vote
3. Transformation of the lives of Zimbabweans.
Thirty nine years after the liberation struggle, land ownership is still a question for discussion. Those politically connected to Zanu PF just work up with an offer letter and displace a fellow citizen. New invasions are still the order of the day. Those who occupy pieces of land only do so at the benevolence of the ruling elites.
This is without mentioning that land has been reduced to a dead Capital carrying only use value with no exchange value.
The MDC makes the point that four decades of independence is enough to give title to the beneficiaries of the land reform, facilitate mechanisation of farms and adapt from dependency on rain fed agriculture.
On transformation, black Zimbabweans are subjected to unpalatable suffering by those who hijacked the agenda of the liberation struggle for personal gain. The majority are living in abject poverty, millions have fled a warless country, millions are unemployed and the gap between the rich and the poor keeps widening.
Access to healthcare is now a pipe dream, the public health delivery system is broken and hospitals have been turned into death traps.
Hundreds of Zimbabweans are dying of curable diseases and stress related ailments.
The same applies to education. An unacceptable number of children is dropping out of school.
Hundreds of thousands are still walking ten kilometres to the nearest primary school. Some of the schools are not even worth the name. The men and women manning those schools are disgruntled and neglected. They show up every day, and yet are offered an insult as wages.
The same applies to any other public service institution.
Those controlling the State have converted it into an arena for personal enrichment. They are not concerned about the rest.
On the political front, Zanu PF has ensured that they oppose what the liberation was all about. They murder dissent, rape women, abduct those who disagree and steal elections.
The democratic space is closing by the day, there is no freedom of the press, journalists like Zenzele are arrested for producing a documentary and some like Dzamara are made to disappear and calls to account for him are ignored.
There is blatant abuse of raw state power, the gun is now directing politics.
The people of Zimbabwe are however resilient. They will turn out victorious, as we celebrate 39 years of Independence we encourage every Zimbabwean to keep the faith and focus on reclaiming the agenda of the liberation of the motherland.
President Nelson Chamisa and the entire MDC leadership are committed to ensure Zimbabweans enjoy their independence and this can only be achieved through the 5 point plan as proposed by the people's President.
MDC 5th Congress: Defining a New Course for Zimbabwe!
Jacob Mafume
MDC National Spokesperson
Source - Jacob Mafume
All articles and letters published on Bulawayo24 have been independently written by members of Bulawayo24's community. The views of users published on Bulawayo24 are therefore their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Bulawayo24. Bulawayo24 editors also reserve the right to edit or delete any and all comments received.
