Opinion / Columnist
If we vote for evil, we will reap destruction
25 Jul 2013 at 22:23hrs | Views
Once again Mugabe has challenged my conscience. Recently Mugabe challenged journalists by wondering if they had a conscience and "that sense of truth, sense of honesty". Herald, of all institutions, ran with a headline "President slams shallow journalists" (Herald, 26 July 2013).
My response to Mugabe's challenge was questioning myself "Are we not human enough to be rational people, who can respect life, work to develop their country and proudly stand among other nations, people and tongues?" My answer was that it starts with me and for that sake I wrote this piece. My response to Cde. Mugabe is that I can't be honest but hide my face in the face of such betrayal. I can't be truthful and vote for evil. I can't betray my comrades and vote for the destruction of our people and nation. You can keep that version of your Zimbabwe and I would rather wait for the true version we fought for. I will leave the voices at Nyadzonya and Chimoio decide which side to take.
I think everyone must reflect on this question. First Mugabe himself, especially reflecting on what many of our people died for, must sit down at home and ask himself if he has any bit of truth and honesty left in his heart. Out of respect I can't say much to this man I once saluted with so much reverence. But it's my duty as a citizen to ask him to reflect on all the blood that was shed in pursuit of freedom and consider if he has given the freedom or taken it away. If not Mugabe must accept that akachekeresa ropa remaComrades, and according to Dare, and the logic he himself used in response to the Mgagao declaration, he may have to face charges of war crimes and national treason.
Next to answer this is Mnangagwa, Chiwenga and Chihuri. I pick on these because they know the story back in Mozambique. I am sorry Mnangagwa has been waiting in the queue for too long but that is not an acceptable excuse. These three must reflect on the sacrifices paid by dear comrades and ask themselves whether they still have any sense of truth and honesty to the ideals of the liberation struggle. You argue that this is about "returning the country to the whites" or "regime-change agenda". This is an insult to all the comrades who lost their lives fighting for the very right to freely choose our own leaders, including CHANGING them. Yes the comrades died so that the people can choose to change regimes as and when they like without threats. Can Chihuri and Chiwenga honestly go to Tongogara and complain "chef povho dziya dzarasha gwara remusangano, vavakungovhotera chero wavada!" Tongogara would bang the desk "nyoka dzevanhu, saka munofunga ndakafira kuti imi neshamwari dzenyu mugute kusairira matumbu ruzhinji ruchipona nenhoko dzemaronda".
Can you guys honestly say that what we are going through is what the liberation struggle was all about; that we could so cheaply, with utmost impunity, just shed blood, rape innocent children and displace millions just to make room for our greed. That in 2013 people, after 33 years independence, are hoarded into trucks, like cattle for slaughter, and dumbed at places where they are forced to listen to someone narrating what happened in the 60's.
Rita Makarau must reflect on this and demand the same from her team. She must reflect on what Mudede and Chiweshe did and the consequences and ask herself if she would want all that misery, blood and pain suffered by our people rest on her head. I am not asking her to do anyone any favour but simply, as a Zimbabwean and African woman of honor, respond to the cry for truth and honesty echoing from her own heart. If the chaos faction wants to cheat let them do it themselves and not with your assistance or connivance.
I reflect back on our history for independence and I note that we fell long back when we chose to be quiet when evil thrived. Many like Wilfred Mhanda were dumbed for their patriotic sense of national interest, while others like Tongogara and Mujuru were eliminated for being naively honest believing that it was all for the benefit of the "toiling masses" when it was simply for the hungry wolves. Many were silently eliminated and will never rise again. Whoever you are in this chaos faction in Zanu PF, it is certain they will do the same to you - some soon after these elections. You think they will let you kill innocent people and let you live with all that you know? If they could do it to vanoyera like Chitepo, Tongogara and Mujuru you think they will think twice about you. Shandiswa hako but think again.
I am always intrigued by people working in our national institutions. Institutions like The Herald, ZBC, ZEC, ZNA, ZRP and CIO must reflect if they have not indeed destroyed the truth and any sense of honesty more than anyone ever. Workers in these institutions must ask themselves if they have any truth or sense of honesty left in what they are doing. IS IT TOO MUCH TO DO THE RIGHT THING? The opposition must reflect on this too, considering those that have died in search of real change in our politics and institutions.
My heart bleeds to note that the question of truth and conscience may have to be referred to our supposedly learned judges. That a judge can sacrifice the sanctity of his calling for a piece of earth called a farm is unimaginable. That a chief, who should be the custodian of truth and honesty, can trade these for a green cap and t-shirt just demonstrates how fallen our nation is. That churches can also be called to become instruments of supporting evil causes angels to shiver in tears.
As we approach the elections we should ask ourselves why I should vote for someone who has enslaved me for 33 years. Are we not educated enough to identify lies and cheap propaganda; to be treated like chickens who are thrown a few specials when the thrower wants to catch and kill one of them! I will never vote for someone who reduced my country to a refuse dump, chased my friend into the diaspora, killed my brother, raped my sister and now donates blankets to my grandmother. Gore rino kwete!
To the chaos faction in Zanu PF I say hamunyare shuwa. All these years you have been drinking from the blood of your own comrades who perished in camps trusting you guys were fighting for their brothers and sisters. Shame on you. To imagine our own soldiers, children nursed by our own Zimbabwean mothers, hunting and killing their own people like wildlife is beyond reason.
On 31 July 2013 we are voting for people who are prepared to serve and save the country. We should not be fooled by blood sucker hardliners who have hijacked Zanu PF and the opportunists who have just pitched up with the opposition. Let's learn from our past, from the misery of our comrades whose blood they have been sucking for the past 33 years with such impunity that they push their gonyeti size stomachs saying "takarwira nyika ino".
Now as we come to caste our votes in this most important election we must all reflect and focus on national interests. IF WE VOTE FOR EVIL WE WILL REAP DESTRUCTION. WE CAN SAVE WHATEVER IS LEFT BY VOTING FOR CHANGE. Let's all abandon fear, slavery and being used and embrace change to develop our nation. In 1980 the decision was between remaining a slave and being free and there was no question about the outcome. This year is about remaining a slave to a greedy few or being free with the majority; and there is no question about what is right this time.
AS A NATION WE HAVE LET OURSELVES DOWN BUT WE CAN CORRECT IT BY VOTING WISELY
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Farai Mbira writes as a concerned citizen fighting corruption, deception and the tragedy in our politics and can be contacted on fmbira@gmail.com
My response to Mugabe's challenge was questioning myself "Are we not human enough to be rational people, who can respect life, work to develop their country and proudly stand among other nations, people and tongues?" My answer was that it starts with me and for that sake I wrote this piece. My response to Cde. Mugabe is that I can't be honest but hide my face in the face of such betrayal. I can't be truthful and vote for evil. I can't betray my comrades and vote for the destruction of our people and nation. You can keep that version of your Zimbabwe and I would rather wait for the true version we fought for. I will leave the voices at Nyadzonya and Chimoio decide which side to take.
I think everyone must reflect on this question. First Mugabe himself, especially reflecting on what many of our people died for, must sit down at home and ask himself if he has any bit of truth and honesty left in his heart. Out of respect I can't say much to this man I once saluted with so much reverence. But it's my duty as a citizen to ask him to reflect on all the blood that was shed in pursuit of freedom and consider if he has given the freedom or taken it away. If not Mugabe must accept that akachekeresa ropa remaComrades, and according to Dare, and the logic he himself used in response to the Mgagao declaration, he may have to face charges of war crimes and national treason.
Next to answer this is Mnangagwa, Chiwenga and Chihuri. I pick on these because they know the story back in Mozambique. I am sorry Mnangagwa has been waiting in the queue for too long but that is not an acceptable excuse. These three must reflect on the sacrifices paid by dear comrades and ask themselves whether they still have any sense of truth and honesty to the ideals of the liberation struggle. You argue that this is about "returning the country to the whites" or "regime-change agenda". This is an insult to all the comrades who lost their lives fighting for the very right to freely choose our own leaders, including CHANGING them. Yes the comrades died so that the people can choose to change regimes as and when they like without threats. Can Chihuri and Chiwenga honestly go to Tongogara and complain "chef povho dziya dzarasha gwara remusangano, vavakungovhotera chero wavada!" Tongogara would bang the desk "nyoka dzevanhu, saka munofunga ndakafira kuti imi neshamwari dzenyu mugute kusairira matumbu ruzhinji ruchipona nenhoko dzemaronda".
Can you guys honestly say that what we are going through is what the liberation struggle was all about; that we could so cheaply, with utmost impunity, just shed blood, rape innocent children and displace millions just to make room for our greed. That in 2013 people, after 33 years independence, are hoarded into trucks, like cattle for slaughter, and dumbed at places where they are forced to listen to someone narrating what happened in the 60's.
Rita Makarau must reflect on this and demand the same from her team. She must reflect on what Mudede and Chiweshe did and the consequences and ask herself if she would want all that misery, blood and pain suffered by our people rest on her head. I am not asking her to do anyone any favour but simply, as a Zimbabwean and African woman of honor, respond to the cry for truth and honesty echoing from her own heart. If the chaos faction wants to cheat let them do it themselves and not with your assistance or connivance.
I reflect back on our history for independence and I note that we fell long back when we chose to be quiet when evil thrived. Many like Wilfred Mhanda were dumbed for their patriotic sense of national interest, while others like Tongogara and Mujuru were eliminated for being naively honest believing that it was all for the benefit of the "toiling masses" when it was simply for the hungry wolves. Many were silently eliminated and will never rise again. Whoever you are in this chaos faction in Zanu PF, it is certain they will do the same to you - some soon after these elections. You think they will let you kill innocent people and let you live with all that you know? If they could do it to vanoyera like Chitepo, Tongogara and Mujuru you think they will think twice about you. Shandiswa hako but think again.
I am always intrigued by people working in our national institutions. Institutions like The Herald, ZBC, ZEC, ZNA, ZRP and CIO must reflect if they have not indeed destroyed the truth and any sense of honesty more than anyone ever. Workers in these institutions must ask themselves if they have any truth or sense of honesty left in what they are doing. IS IT TOO MUCH TO DO THE RIGHT THING? The opposition must reflect on this too, considering those that have died in search of real change in our politics and institutions.
My heart bleeds to note that the question of truth and conscience may have to be referred to our supposedly learned judges. That a judge can sacrifice the sanctity of his calling for a piece of earth called a farm is unimaginable. That a chief, who should be the custodian of truth and honesty, can trade these for a green cap and t-shirt just demonstrates how fallen our nation is. That churches can also be called to become instruments of supporting evil causes angels to shiver in tears.
As we approach the elections we should ask ourselves why I should vote for someone who has enslaved me for 33 years. Are we not educated enough to identify lies and cheap propaganda; to be treated like chickens who are thrown a few specials when the thrower wants to catch and kill one of them! I will never vote for someone who reduced my country to a refuse dump, chased my friend into the diaspora, killed my brother, raped my sister and now donates blankets to my grandmother. Gore rino kwete!
To the chaos faction in Zanu PF I say hamunyare shuwa. All these years you have been drinking from the blood of your own comrades who perished in camps trusting you guys were fighting for their brothers and sisters. Shame on you. To imagine our own soldiers, children nursed by our own Zimbabwean mothers, hunting and killing their own people like wildlife is beyond reason.
On 31 July 2013 we are voting for people who are prepared to serve and save the country. We should not be fooled by blood sucker hardliners who have hijacked Zanu PF and the opportunists who have just pitched up with the opposition. Let's learn from our past, from the misery of our comrades whose blood they have been sucking for the past 33 years with such impunity that they push their gonyeti size stomachs saying "takarwira nyika ino".
Now as we come to caste our votes in this most important election we must all reflect and focus on national interests. IF WE VOTE FOR EVIL WE WILL REAP DESTRUCTION. WE CAN SAVE WHATEVER IS LEFT BY VOTING FOR CHANGE. Let's all abandon fear, slavery and being used and embrace change to develop our nation. In 1980 the decision was between remaining a slave and being free and there was no question about the outcome. This year is about remaining a slave to a greedy few or being free with the majority; and there is no question about what is right this time.
AS A NATION WE HAVE LET OURSELVES DOWN BUT WE CAN CORRECT IT BY VOTING WISELY
-----------
Farai Mbira writes as a concerned citizen fighting corruption, deception and the tragedy in our politics and can be contacted on fmbira@gmail.com
Source - Farai Mbira
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