Why are Zimbabweans such a selfish lot?

Zimbabwe, once heralded as the "breadbasket of Africa," is now a country struggling under the weight of political mismanagement, corruption, and economic collapse.

As citizens face ever-deepening poverty, crumbling infrastructure, and gross human rights abuses, the question that many of us are left asking is: Why are Zimbabweans reluctant to rise up against the kleptocratic ZANU-PF regime?

In recent times, I have noticed a growing tide of frustration within the Zimbabwean diaspora and at home.

Many people are pointing fingers at the political climate, decrying the regime's abuses, and blaming an oppressive system that punishes dissenters with brutality.

However, there is one critical underlying factor that often goes unnoticed - selfishness.

While fear undoubtedly plays a role in inhibiting political action, I argue that at the heart of the Zimbabwean passivity is a deeper, more troubling issue: a profound selfishness that runs across various sectors of society, from academics to businesspeople, religious leaders, and even those with substantial wealth.

This is the issue that must be addressed if we are ever to hope for meaningful change.

Zimbabweans are not standing up to the regime because they are too busy looking out for their own interests at the expense of the collective good.

If we examine the current landscape, it is clear that Zimbabweans, particularly those with influence and resources, have largely chosen to remain silent.

And their silence is not born of mere fear - it is driven by a selfish desire to protect their own position, privileges, and material wealth.

The Myth of Fear: Selfishness Behind the Silence

It is a common refrain among Zimbabweans to attribute the lack of resistance against the regime to fear, and there is some truth to this.

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The ZANU-PF regime is infamous for its brutality, using tactics of violence, intimidation, and imprisonment to silence critics.

Opposition leaders, civil society activists, journalists, and ordinary citizens who dare to challenge the status quo face grave repercussions, including torture, imprisonment, and sometimes even death.

There is no denying the real danger that comes with speaking out.

However, fear alone cannot explain the scale of inaction.

Fear, after all, is not absolute.

Courage does not mean the absence of fear; it means acting in spite of it.

A mother who rushes into a burning building to save her child, even though the flames threaten to engulf her, is not fearless - but her love for her child overcomes her fear.

She is motivated by a sense of duty and sacrifice that transcends her own safety.

This is the question that Zimbabweans must ask themselves: Why are they not motivated enough to act in the face of such misery and oppression?

Why, despite the grave injustices, do they remain passive?

Why are the academics, business leaders, religious figures, and other influential personalities so conspicuously absent from the struggle against this tyrannical regime?

The answer lies in the harsh truth that the majority of these individuals are driven by personal interests, by a selfish desire to preserve their own status and material wealth, rather than a collective sense of responsibility to their fellow citizens.

The Selfishness of the Privileged: Business, Academia, and Religion

In every society, there are individuals who hold power, privilege, or influence, and their actions can have a significant impact on the wider social and political landscape.

Zimbabwe is no different.

Businesspeople, academics, religious leaders, and others in positions of power have the potential to lead the charge against the corruption, inequality, and mismanagement that are plaguing the country.

They possess the means, the knowledge, and the platforms to challenge the status quo and amplify the voices of the oppressed.

And yet, many of them choose not to.

Let us first consider the business community.

In a country where corruption is rampant, where politicians line their pockets at the expense of the public, and where the economy continues to crumble, the role of business leaders should be to speak out against such injustices.

Yet, what we see instead is a disturbing trend.

Businesspeople in Zimbabwe are not rallying against the system; they are actively participating in it.

Yet, are they not supposed to understand the effects of corruption on the economy, business viability, and job creation more than anyone else in the country?

Many prefer to wine and dine with the ruling elite, forging lucrative deals that serve their own interests, even if it means turning a blind eye to the rampant corruption and mismanagement that is undermining the country's future.

Take, for example, the recent scandal involving Mike Chimonde and Moses Mpofu, two business figures who are now seeking public sympathy after being arrested for corruption.

Chimonde, Mpofu, and other such figures were once part of the privileged circle, benefiting from their connections with the ruling party.

They may now claim to be victims of a system that is allegedly persecuting them, but where were they when opposition leaders like Job Sikhala, Jacob Ngarivhume, as well as labor activists like Obert Masaraure  and Robson Chere were being thrown behind bars for standing up for ordinary Zimbabweans?

Where were they when the police were brutalizing citizens who dared to speak out against the regime?

Their sudden shift in narrative, once they find themselves on the wrong side of the law, reveals the selfishness at play.

When they were benefiting from the system, they said nothing.

Now that they have been affected personally, they are speaking out.

The same can be said for the academic community.

Academics in Zimbabwe are among the most highly educated and influential people in the country.

They are the ones with the knowledge to understand the gravity of the situation, and they have the capacity to educate the public and challenge the government.

Yet, we see very little meaningful opposition from them.

Instead of using their platforms to speak truth to power, many academics remain meek as they desire their research, books, and workshops to receive the endorsement and financing of the ruling elite

They are content with having their photographs taken with those in power instead of holding them to account.

Their silence is deafening.

This same culture of selfishness extends to the religious community.

Zimbabwe has a rich religious heritage, and many of its leaders are in positions of immense influence.

In theory, religious figures should be the first to speak out against injustice, as their teachings emphasize compassion, love, and a duty to stand with the oppressed.

Yet, many of Zimbabwe's religious leaders have chosen to remain neutral or, worse, have aligned themselves with the regime for personal gain.

Instead of advocating for the poor and marginalized, many are more concerned with maintaining their own status and wealth, often at the expense of the very people they claim to serve.

The Role of Selfishness in Maintaining the Status Quo

When we examine the attitudes of the privileged in Zimbabwe, it becomes clear that their reluctance to challenge the regime is not born of fear, but of a calculated decision to prioritize their own self-interest.

The fear of losing their wealth, status, and position is far greater than the fear of standing up for what is right.

They understand that to take a stand against the regime could cost them their business deals, academic endorsements, or access to power.

So, they remain silent.

This selfishness is not limited to those who have wealth or influence.

It runs through every level of Zimbabwean society, from the high-ranking officials to the ordinary citizen.

The desire for personal gain, whether in the form of money, status, or protection, is a powerful motivator that prevents people from taking action.

Zimbabweans, as a collective, have become so consumed by self-interest that they are willing to ignore the suffering of their fellow countrymen.

Would They Speak Out If Their Positions Changed?

A critical question we must ask is: Would these same people, who remain silent today, suddenly find their voice if they were to lose their wealth and status and find themselves in the position of the oppressed?

The answer, unfortunately, is likely yes.

Many of those who are now complicit in the regime's abuses would undoubtedly speak out if they found themselves on the receiving end of such injustice.

Is this not what we are witnessing with Chimombe and Mpofu?

This underscores the selfish nature of their silence - it is not fear of repression that keeps them quiet, but fear of losing what they have.

Imagine if Zimbabwe's wealthy elite, business leaders, and academics were to take a stand, united in their condemnation of the regime's corruption.

Imagine if medical practitioners were to take the lead in calling out the deplorable standards in our public health institutions.

Imagine if lawyers were to be the most vocal in not only condemning human rights abuses in Zimbabwe but the capture and misuse of the criminal justice system to silent dissent.

Imagine if all journalists were to give a voice to the voiceless and oppressed to tell their harrowing stories at the hands of a cold-hearted regime.

Imagine if they used their platforms to expose the government's misdeeds, to call for transparency, and to demand accountability.

The impact would be immense.

Their voices would carry weight.

The public would listen.

And yet, this does not happen because, at the end of the day, their selfish desire to maintain their privileges outweighs any moral imperative to act.

Conclusion: The Need for Selflessness and Solidarity

Zimbabwe's crisis is not just a political one; it is a moral one.

The selfishness that runs rampant through all levels of society is the main reason why the country continues to spiral into chaos.

Until Zimbabweans, particularly those in positions of power, are willing to look beyond their own personal interests and take a stand for the collective good, the country will remain in the grips of a regime that thrives on greed and corruption.

What Zimbabwe needs is a radical shift in mindset.

We need a culture of selflessness, of solidarity, where individuals are willing to sacrifice their own comfort for the greater good of the nation.

Only then will we see the kind of courage and action that is needed to remove a regime that has brought the country to its knees.

Until then, the selfishness that has become ingrained in the fabric of Zimbabwean society will continue to be the greatest obstacle to meaningful change.

Zimbabweans must remember that courage does not mean the absence of fear.

It means acting in spite of it, driven by a higher moral purpose.

If the privileged in Zimbabwe can find the courage to stand up for what is right, despite the dangers to their own well-being, then the rest of the country will follow.

But until that happens, we will continue to be trapped in a cycle of selfishness and silence that benefits only those who are in power.

© Tendai Ruben Mbofana is a social justice advocate and writer. Please feel free to WhatsApp or Call: +263715667700 | +263782283975, or email: mbofana.tendairuben73@gmail.com, or visit website: https://mbofanatendairuben.news.blog/