Monday, 26 September 2016

An open letter to African Americans: African lives matter too

I am a fan of Black American history. As such I have read a bit on Fredrick Douglas, Harriet Turban, Booker T Washington, Marcus Garvey, Martin Luther King junior, Malcolm X among many others. But Marcus Garvey’ solid Pan-African philosophy touches my heart the most. More so because I identify with this philosophy. Africa and the African diaspora we are one, including you too, our brothers and sisters in America.

Which is why I was shocked flipping through the news channels on Wednesday the 21st of September. African Americans demonstrating in support of Mugabe at the UN headquarters in New York. Effectively countering the Zimbabwean demonstration, against Robert Mugabe’s rule. I was angry with all African Americans at first but then I figured it would be too harsh to do so. How could I paint all African Americans with the same brush. Most of you do not even know about this demonstration let alone the organisers. As a result, I bear no grudge with all of you.

I will not cast aspersions on all of you, but I will take my issue with the December 12 movement which organised the demonstration in support of Mugabe. A tyrant who has run down his country into a basket case. Reducing his once admired fellow citizens into paupers, all in the name of fighting imperialism.

Now December 12 movement, I am not challenging your right to demonstrate. I accept that right totally. But I found it most interesting that most of your members participating in that demonstration could not point Zimbabwe on the world map. They did not even know basic facts about Zimbabwe; like the year we got our independence or that we do not have oil. Maybe next time, educate your members when you engage in issues that do not concern you.

It is typical American behaviour of you to meddle in our internal affairs. Zimbabweans simply wanted to tell their President that he has over stayed his welcome but for some weird reason you chose to join in the discussion. We know your imperialist nation meddles in domestic issues of other smaller nations. We somehow thought since you are family, you will respect our sovereignty to hold this internal conversation without outside meddling.  

Since you have chosen to meddle in our affairs, come let us dialogue. Converse and find each other. Believe you me, there are so many issues that we can agree on. You might not know this because we have not been as loud or equivocal as Mugabe in the past. Rest assured we agree on many issues. I am however willing to find out areas where we do not agree.

When Mugabe talks about taking back our natural resources the whole country is in agreement. He stands out to the outside world as the true champion of his people. But we who know him disapprove his abuse of this noble idea. Instead he using it to build patronage. Rewarding his cronies at the greater majority's expense. Zimbabweans are wallowing in poverty. For rhetoric cannot feed their empty stomachs. Our demonstration in New York, was a cry for a Zimbabwe that works for everyone. Your banners said he was right. Is it because you support a Zimbabwe that works for Mugabe’s cronies only? Do our sorry African lives not matter to you? If not then what kind of Pan Africanism is that?

 When Mugabe says the United Nations needs to be reformed and democratised, of course he is right.  We are in agreement with that view too. But do not expect Zimbabweans to shower hypocrisy with praises. Charity must always begin at home. You cannot be a democrat at the UN and an autocrat at home. In Zimbabwe he arrests, detains and tortures opposition activists. At times abducting and or even murdering opposition activist. Now can you understand why we are not enthused by Mugabe talking about democratising the UN. If he believes in democracy, why does he not exercise it, in his own country? Yet you say Mugabe is right, do our African lives not matter?
When Mugabe talks about ending the Palestinian occupation and the Two State solution, of course he is absolutely right and we are in total agreement. Zimbabwe’s stance is unequivocal, Palestinian occupation must end without fail. Mugabe may have wider exposure and international platforms to air his views whilst we have none but our views on this issue are the same.

When Mugabe talks about the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) double standards he is right and we are in agreement. But we also know that the court has not convicted innocent Africans. Should the African lives that are lost at the hands of these monsters count for nothing? Is their African blood that worthless?

When he talks about sovereignty and the ills of imperialism of course he is right and we are in agreement. But sovereignty is not shoving the leader’s will down the people’s throats. We have a right to tell our leaders to go when we no longer want them. We have a right to demand accountability from our leaders who behave more like emperors and kings.

Mugabe is a great orator and a man of high intelligence. His rhetorical exploits are matched by a few. But that cannot make us forget his corrupt leadership. The country lost more than US$15 billion worth of diamond revenue through corruption. If it were the only scandal to grapple our country it would be better but time and again Mugabe has turned a blind eye on corruption. At times even rewarding the culprits. He talks right but talk is cheap. What happened to one man one farm? Together with his wife they have more than thirteen farms. What then are you exactly saying when  you say Mugabe is right?  Don't our sorry African lives not deserve better?

We are not in agreement with his mala-administration, as we speak hospitals do not have basic medicines including pain killers. Whilst he has been at the country’s helm, the past 36 years, he cannot even trust the healthcare systems he administers. Together with his family they receive treatment in Singapore. Is not what is good for the goose also good for the gander? We demand and deserve better our African lives matter too.

University education is now a preserve of the rich and the middle income. Poor people can no longer afford to send their kids to University. Government support has been withdrawn due to lack of funding. Whilst most ministries with a direct bearing on social services are cutting back on their spending, Mugabe’s travel budget continues to balloon every year. Currently it is bigger than the ministry of Industry and Trade and other important ministries. With such clear lack of vision, how can we expect him to take the country out of this current mess he created in the beginning. I hope you can forgive me, when I do not understand what you mean when you say, Mugabe is right. Are we Zimbabweans then expected to smile at our president and pretend that our country is heading in the right direction? Just in case you did not know we value our African lives to just let things continue as they are.    

Even though the movement Black Lives Matter started in the US it is now bigger than just African American lives. Black Lives Matter must be more than just a slogan or a preserve of African Americans being shot by the American police force. It must be all encompassing for black people everywhere across the globe.

Mugabe must go because  Black Lives in Zimbabwe matter too.

Best Regards

Whitlaw Mugwiji

Monday, 19 September 2016

The last Stay-away was not a failure it was just less successful

Protests by their very nature have their ups and downs. It is a very difficult exercise, to sustain protests over a long period of time. However, that said, I think the failure to understand our economy’s new realities was at the heart of why this last stay away was “less successful”.

Under Zanu PF’s mismanagement, industries have closed and continue to do so. A walk around Zimbabwe’s industrial areas clarifies this picture. In city centres across the country, streets are packed, full of vendors trying to eke a living. Every day is a struggle. A hassle to feed the family. With no savings to rely on, demonstrations are just but a heavy burden on the already struggling masses.

As if that was not enough, last year’s Supreme Court, anti-labour ruling, made firing employees even easier. With no guaranteed employment for workers, going on strikes and demonstrations is quite a risky business. Naturally out of self-preservation, workers are reluctant to engage in non-ending strikes and demonstrations. Unozosara kudzokera kubasa chitupa chava pahwindo ukawedzera matambudziko gumi pazana (You will end up getting fired, adding more problems to your already existing ones).

On top of these two main factors, you then have sceptics sowing seeds of self-doubt in the masses asking mundane questions. What did the stay-away/demonstration achieve? What has changed after your protest? These people did not start today though. Yesterday they spoke in hushed tones. Today they are shouting on top of their voices. Sometimes hiding behind pseudo intellectual questions. Brazenly challenging people to provide #ThisFlag’s ideology and the way forward after stay-aways/demonstrations. Their questions have managed to contaminate people’s hopes and dilute their high spirit. People are beginning to wonder if their actions are worth the risk they are taking.

What is the pastor’s ideology?
Thus it is imperative that we try and answer these questions. For the benefit of those who were about to lose hope and give up. The question of #ThisFlag’s ideology is a non-question, #ThisFlag is a citizen’s movement not a political movement. It’s a citizen’s movement, whereby people are simply airing their concerns about the economy and other affairs of the state. Including corruption and incompetence in government among other issues. Surely people do not need to have an ideology for them to speak to these ills. It is their right as citizens to express their displeasure at their government’s actions or inaction. In fact, intellectuals have the moral responsibility of analysing actions vis-à-vis their causes and motives not this people bashing we see online.

Then what after the stay-away/demonstration?
Now this is a very interesting question. I am more than convinced that if it had not been asked with so much cynicism, it would have sparked a necessary debate. In attempting to answer this question, I hope to arouse some discussion around this difficult question. I am sure you will agree with me that this is a conversation we must have among other conversations if we are to succeed in removing Mugabe.

The primary objective of protesting is to communicate to the authorities, that the people do not want a certain policy, government action or inaction. Protests as a means of such communication can only work when the government in question has a conscience and is willing to listen to its people. The one we have in Zimbabwe is well known for its non-listening policy towards its own citizens. It has neither the capacity nor the interest to address our concerns
.
So why keep talking to someone who is not willing to listen? Through our protests we are no longer talking to the government, we are talking to one another as fellow citizens. Saying to each other enough is enough. In the process re-energising the support base that was otherwise growing weary of the ever promised but never coming change.

When we protest we are crying out to our African brothers and sisters, telling them that things are not okay in Zimbabwe. We are speaking to the Pan Africans that African lives matter and they do not feed on empty rhetoric. By doing so we are putting pressure on the dictator who flies around pretending everything is okay back home.

When we are protesting we are screaming to the international community. Asking them to keep their eyes on Zimbabwe. Thus making it much easier to demand electoral reforms. Much more importantly when momentum of protest is on the ground, it is much easier to organise people to vote in their numbers and defend the vote afterwards if necessary.

However, these protests must be taken to the rest of the country. Since demonstrations and stay-aways are our main tools to speaking to one another and the international community at large they must have wide spread appeal and support in order to be heard. People in the rural areas need to be engaged. But in a different kind of conversation since we cannot guarantee their safety. We need to send flyers with pictures of their Zanu PF leaders’s houses. Tell a story of affluence in the midst of poverty. Show that their leaders’ houses cost more than schools and clinics put together in their home districts. Prove to them beyond any doubt that their leaders do not care for them.

Sometimes our talk and our cries are not loud enough but that doesn’t make them failures. It means we have to talk louder and at times, scream on top of our lungs if we must. Thomas Edison says in his famous statement, “I have not failed. I have just found 10,000 ways that won't work”. We can only fail when we stop trying.

How do we make the stay-away/demonstrations more successful?
In my last article which can be found here. I state that we must accept nonviolence only if it is a superior tactic but not because of its moral soundness. Thus we should never be apologetic for adopting the right tactics even if they maybe too radical and morally unsound for some other people’s liking. Since people are forced to go to work either because they are self-employed or because they are afraid to lose their jobs they have to be coerced not go to work.

How do you coerce people not to go to work? You disrupt the transport system either by blocking strategic routes to and from the cities with boulders or by spreading threats through flyers to commuter omnibus drivers that if they defy the stay-away their commuter omnibuses risk being burnt. People must be willing to carry out these threats if the commuter omnibus drivers defy the threat. Nothing is as damaging as an empty threat.

However as Nietzsche says “the mother of excess is not joy but joylessness”. We have to be creative and vary the nature of our protests. Many people disparaged the pastor for calling people to sing Ishe komborera Africa during the Highlanders versus Dynamos match at Barbourfields stadium. But it is such creativity we need if we are to sustain our protests. Imagine the whole stadium waving Zimbabwe’s flag. Putting aside our football rivalry and putting our country first. Enjoy our football game and protesting at the same time. We need to be flexible and above all proactive because the regime will obviously react to our actions.  

Conclusion
Mugabe can take as many pain killers as he wants but a loose tooth can not rest until it is pulled out. The state might be able to counter the citizen’s protest today and maybe tomorrow but as long as the citizens’ concerns are not addressed it is just a matter of time.

Let’s be relentless and not tire. At times we can be less successful but still we can complete this change together. A new Zimbabwe is possible in Mugabe’s lifetime.

Monday, 12 September 2016

We must accept nonviolence but not as an absolute moral principle

It’s easy for non-participants in this our struggle for democracy, economic and political justice to say that all violence is abhorrent. Quite easy for them to stand aloof and retain their moral purity, condemning both the oppressor and the oppressed. Quite easy for pacifists deeply influenced by their philosophical idealism and absolutist ethics to let their fellow citizens suffer violence from the state than sacrifice their own non-violent principles to defend them.

We must accept and respect nonviolence but not as an absolute moral principle. We celebrate the war of liberation. At the same time, we castigate nationalists who were against the liberation war. Yet these nationalists believed independence, could be achieved through nonviolent means. We need to pause, sit down and reflect.

When you hear government representatives and their surrogate state media, you would assume that violence is by definition something done by non-state agents. In their eyes what is done is not important, but who does it. When the police use violence, it is in defence of the security of the state and its citizens. But when the citizens react violently to this violence it is terrorism and counter revolutionary. That kind of logic fellow comrades is idiotic.

We have endured so much violence at the hands of our government as citizens of this beautiful country. For violence is not only physical. We have been stripped of our dignity. Firstly opposition members were denied land under the land reform programme now those living in areas affected by draught are being denied food through Zanu PF’s partisan food distribution. Some have been forced to live as illegal immigrants in foreign lands. Our decent sisters forced to engage in prostitution. Our disenchanted brothers forced to become petty criminals. It is of paramount importance for ordinary citizens to recognise that they are capable of reclaiming their authority over the Zanu PF ruling thugs. We must break our bonds of passivity without fail. For with them we are totally incapable of decisive political action. If violence does move the citizenry to break these bonds, then I think there’s a pretty strong case for violence.

Virginia Held asks an interesting question, what can a people do to free themselves from oppression and have their rights restored and respected? Malcolm X believed that oppressed people should use whatever means is necessary to secure their freedom. As citizens we have tried to engage our government through peaceful marches only for the peaceful protests to be quashed by a rogue police using button sticks, water cannons and teargas canisters.

Dismantling such an illegitimate and brutal regime even through the use of violence is actually a moral improvement. However, to me the question of whether we can use violence to overcome Zanu PF evil, is not a moral question but a tactical question. I am only concerned if violence is going to be more efficacious than a nonviolent programme of action. I would only accept advocacy of nonviolence, not as an absolute moral principle, but as a better tactic to achieve our desired ends.

There are numerous philosophical arguments justifying the use of force. I personally do not have any problems with the use of force, more so in countering the oppressor’s violence. I am a firm believer in distributive justice, an eye for an eye and an arm for arm. They must know that they are just as human as we are, if they are pinched they too can feel as much as we do. In 2008 we allowed Zanu PF to set up bases across the country. These bases later became torture chambers for the opposition. Unfortunately, many of these bases are still functional to date that. Days of being slapped on the cheek and giving the other cheek must come to an end. However, we must be careful to target the right people. Targeting the wrong people is counterproductive, like looting stores, destroying vendors’ wares and other private property unless of course it belongs to Zanu PF chefs. The last thing we want is to lose the people’s sympathy.

 We must know that governmental lash back to violence is inevitable, and when it comes, it is usually more severe than we anticipate. But government’s overreaction can help radicalise the formerly passive, win international support and more importantly put Zimbabwe back on the agenda of international agencies like SADC and the AU.

Conclusion
Thus we cannot afford to condemn people who are acting in self-defence, against a violent regime. Doing so is by default to accept that the government’s use of violence is legitimate. If I were to seat on God’s seat of judgement I would judge and punish harshly those who are unable, for lack of imagination, courage and support, to respond to violence and injustice violently, it may be better to respond non-violently than to endure it passively without protest.

"Where slavery is the given order, fighting for freedom appears as disorder."

Saturday, 6 August 2016

Let’s be the Change we need, We can finish this together

The proverbial allegory of people watering the garden whilst the house burns adequately describes the current Zanu PF leadership. Mugabe is busy fiddling with factionalism and globetrotting nonstop whilst the country burns. 

There is a cash crises, no money to pay civil servants, let alone feed the starving section of the population affected by draught. But Mugabe, wife and their cheerleaders are only but preoccupied with power retention in their dying party. This kind of arrogance is the doing of unfettered power in the past 36 yrs. Which we must defeat without fail, sooner rather than later.

Yes, we have heard these nonsensical claims that its not Mugabe but his lieutenants who are to blame for all the country's ills. Mugabe is the sole appointing authority in the country, therefore the buck stops with him. It is under his watch that corruption and incompetence has flourished. Thugs masquerading as government officials have been protected and are being promoted on the basis of their zealousness and loyalty to the corruption godfather Robert Mugabe himself.

Ladies and gentlemen, Zimbabwe is not going to recover from these ills unless we take necessary action to remove the thieving Mugabe and his thugs from power. 

All of us, progressive democratic forces and especially the youth must be preoccupied with two things and two things only. That is removing Mugabe and Zanu PF from power and envisioning the future we want post Mugabe era.

What must be done now?
Stealing from Ibsen’s wisdom I concur that the greatest task for our generation is to blow the existing political system into thin air. Unfortunately, it seems to have penetrated into some of the opposition organisations too. Therefore, it is our responsibility as young people to exterminate this archaic political system that places personalities above institutions and  an individual above a cause.
But first we must dismantle Zanu PF and its pillars of support. Either we respond to this, our generational mandate or betray it, there are no two ways about it.

2018 is upon us. For how long shall we let Zanu PF play Russian roulette with our lives? We must take a stand and adopt the Malcolm X strategy “by any means necessary”. Yes, it is a dangerous stand but bullies only understand one language and we must either speak that language or be prepared to be bullied forever.

Tough decisions and actions must be taken. Taken to show our seriousness. Everyone, from the ordinary citizen to the various leaders of either civic society or opposition groups has an important part to play. No one can and will play anyone’s part.
   
1. The Opposition must unite without Fail
I can never grow tired on emphasising on this point. We cannot allow the egos of a few elites to overshadow the importance of this move. Zimbabwe is crying for salvation and salvation can only come from us. Together we stand divided we fall ancient wisdom informs us.

Yes, occasionally we remind those formerly Zanu PF members now in the opposition who want to rubbish the parts they played within the Zanu PF system in the past on social media. But this is not a cue for our leaders to mean that we do not want to join hands with these new members of the opposition.

In politics, we must be pragmatic and never be ruled by our emotions. We must be realistic and idealistic. The world we live in is full of imperfections. If we are to take the struggle forward we must operate based on the realities of the present moment. They say in politics there are no permanent friends or enemies, only permanent interests. When our interests collide like now, we must never hesitate to join hands with people we regarded as enemies in the past.

When the war veterans who have been Mugabe’s biggest pillar of support realise that their patron is Zimbabwe’s biggest liability we must not deride them. But we must seek them, talk to them, court them back to be with the people.

These court solidarities and the Tajamuka led demonstrations are providing a platform for all opposition leaders to come and be with the people who are desperately seeking leadership which is not forthcoming from traditional sources. Dumiso Dabengwa, Simba Makoni, Tendai Biti, Mangoma, Margret Dongo, Elton Mangoma, Joyce Mujuru, Welshman Ncube, Morgan Tsvangirai, Thokozani Khupe, Priscilla Misihairambwi Mushonga and Lovemore Madhuku come and be the face of the people’s struggles and lead from the front. Your unity at this juncture will send the right message both to the dictator and the masses that enough is enough.

As sure as the sun will rise each day, rest assured that bond notes are coming in October. The government does not have money. They are waiting to print those bond notes, whilst hoping that a bailout from the International community and Multilateral Institutions will materialise. Being proactive we must have a united opposition in place to lead the people in revolt against these bond notes. The same opposition leadership must also engage these multilateral institutions to stop propping up a rogue regime that is in its dying stages. 

2. Self introspection
We need to take a deep introspection of ourselves as the opposition and start making changes from lessons we have learned both from our past mistakes and experiences. They say a clever man learns from his mistakes but a wiser man learns from others’ mistakes.
We have not been serious in recruiting serious talent within our ranks in the opposition both from young promising leaders within the country and serious professionals across the globe. Councils have been run by incompetent Zanu PF but since taking over we have not seen any drastic changes to show our excellence as the opposition. When it comes to running the country competence must be placed before party loyalty. It is therefore the responsibility of the opposition to recruit top talent whilst still in the trenches so as to avoid opportunists taking advantage when the battle has already been won.

The opposition must be accountable to its members, sister organisations and the general populace who place their faith in it election after election. We must not just go to the people seeking votes but hold feedback meetings both at council and parliamentary level throughout the country. Hear people’s concerns and try and address them. Feedback meetings are also a platform to explain to the people, the political challenges the leaders are facing in their day to day operations. 

Self-introspection must be a continual process not a one of thing off. There must be systems and mechanisms in place to carry self-introspection as a continuous process.  

3. An eye for an eye
You can never reason with a bully for a bully understands only one language. You simply have to stand up to him. He might beat you in a fight but be rest assured he will never bully you again.

We have preached peace and non violence only to be taken advantage of by these thugs. It is our revolutionary duty to defend ourselves and protect change agents in vulnerable places across the country. Supporters of change were brutalised and we did not do all we could to defend ourselves. This must change. Muroyi munhu akatsunywa anochemawo (a witch is a human being if pinched he will cry too). Zanu PF people are not super humans they can hurt as much as we hurt.

If they burn anyone’s house, two Zanu PF houses must be burnt too. If one opposition guy is beaten two Zanu PF people must be beaten two. This is the only language Zanu PF understands. Let us show them that we mean serious business. For how long shall we continue to be cry-babies and victims when we are in the majority. How can a demonstration of over 3000 people be quashed by less than 20 rogue riot police? We have to start speaking the language they understand.

4. Increase the cost of supporting Zanu PF 
If we are really fed up of our suffering and we all agree that our suffering is a result of Zanu PF misrule, then we need to make this loud and clear. Let’s stop buying vegetables from known Zanu PF thugs who terrorise us in our neighbourhoods during elections.

Zanu PF chefs own bottle stores and supermarkets in our ghettos if we are seriously fed up, let’s speak through their pockets and maybe they will listen.

The opposition has better intelligence infrastructure and as such they must organise and lead a boycott Zanu PF campaign. This campaign must encompass boycotts of the Herald, Alfa and Omega products throughout the country. How do we reconcile the fact that we do not like Mugabe and his goons yet we prop up their businesses?

We must also boycott artists that participate in Zanu PF’s functions. It is one thing to participate at national events and celebrations but to participate at private Zanu PF functions must be punishable. Mtukudzi, SoulJah Love, Killer T and Mathias Mhere must be punished for their acts during the one million march endorsing Mugabe as the Zanu PF candidate for 2018. We did this with Simon Chimbetu and Andy Brown in the early 2000s without any formal organisation spearheading the boycott. Back then we were serious about change. We need to reignite that seriousness going forward and show these goons how much fed up we are.

5. Name and Shame 
Zanu PF zealots and thugs are well known in all our communities. We must make their lives difficult. We must publicise their pictures, what they have done, their names and where they live. Their children and their relatives must become ashamed of them and their actions.

Those adept with technical skills must create a website or simply a Facebook page or both where these people can be posted and published. Due care must be exercised not to victimise innocent people, there are other malicious Zimbabweans who are petty for no reason. Nehanda Radio at some point documented some CIOs across the world. We now need to improve on this and take a holistic approach to document all our tormentors, their names and faces because this is the machinery that is propping up the regime.

There are police officers who go beyond the call of duty. They act as if they are Mugabe’s children, or that they are major shareholders in Zanu PF. We need to document their names, faces, force numbers and the roles they are playing in suppressing the people. They will have to pay for their actions in the new Zimbabwe without fail.

Conclusion
We need to seriously engage the rural and  farming communities. Things are tough for everyone and the truth of the matter is that everyone now wants change. We need to make our agricultural policy quite clear and unambiguous for the ordinary Zimbabwean. Let them know unequivocally that we are on the same side of the divide, we are not going to reverse the landreform. But at the same time we must never be apologetic to those who corruptly benefited and have multiple farms. We will retake and redistribute the other farms and leave everyone with one farm.

But above all we need to come up with a serious strategy to counter Zanu PF violence in the rural areas.

Chiefs who play partisan politics in food distribution and mobilisation on behalf of Zanu PF must also be shamed and publicised. We all know that these very same chiefs were used by Ian Smith during the colonial days now they have to make a choice if they want to play a part in the new Zimbabwe or not, if they are with the people or with the dying dictator because with or without them a new Zimbabwe is coming.

As Maureen Madeumanga puts it, yes when it comes to Zimbabwe, it is now personal do not expect me to be politically correct or apologetic. We must do all it takes to make the new Zimbabwe a reality.

A new Zimbabwe is a must in Mugabe’s life time.

Tuesday, 7 June 2016

May the true Christians stand up!!! (First published on my other blog in 2012)

I have been wanting to write a piece on Christianity for a very long time especially after the Makandiwa conference where people had to pay money to hear the word of God and those who could not pay the aforementioned gate fee were barred entrance into the bounty of God`s grace. This is perhaps globalization, but perhaps globalization too far, of course this has been done and it is still being done by churches in the developed West. The most unfortunate thing is that we are like sheep we follow blindly. But let it be known that when it comes to God Africa is way much ahead because by nature we are simply much more spiritual. 

The problem is that the church has become so worldly all they ever preach about is material wealth. Attending church these days is no more than attending a how to get rich seminar. Luckily the principles they teach actually work but that is beside the point, the church should concentrate on what matters the most, saving souls and to take from the words of the Master himself he said “seek ye the kingdom of God first and everything shall be added unto you”. I can hear someone say well the church has to cover the costs and someone has to pay for that, oh please come on, why not ask people to bring whatever they can afford so that everyone has an opportunity to hear the gospel.

A friend of mine wrote on his Facebook wall, that he badly wanted to attend that conference but couldn't because he was so broke. Its however unfortunate that his status was not very different to the many status updates I saw on Facebook when Sean Paul came to Harare, of people failing to go because they didn't have money. Then there must be something wrong there, this should not be taken to mean that he is not a man of God, I personally believe he is but what it simply means is that he is as human as can be and therefore fallible. And when humans err they stand to be corrected and I hope I have done just that. Now is the time for the true Christians to stand up and speak the truth of God without fear or favor 

The church should not be quiet when our leaders in positions of authority like our beloved Prime Minister go about behaving irresponsibly, impregnating two women within a year. John the Baptist was arrested and eventually beheaded when he told King Herod that he was committing adultery sleeping with his brother`s wife. Let people not mistake this as an attack on the MDC, Zanu pf leaders are equally guilty and so is the MDC led by professor Welshmen the whole civic society. No one is clean even the ordinary man on the street is not clean some pastors too but never the less the church should speak out and act as the true vanguard of our moral fibre in our beloved Zimbabwe. 

Arms akimbo, tongues tied, eyes glued to the unfolding Anglican saga, this is the true picture of Christians, as they stood by and watched from the sidelines, well we will give them the benefit of the doubt in that it was difficult to intervene and support a faction that backed homosexuality in the church, or support Bishop Kunonga whose thuggish tactics are taken from the Zanu Pf hymn book. The true church of God should have rose and condemned the issue of homosexuality and also the abuse of the cloth by Kunonga. Honestly where in the love of God have you seen a man of God wanting to close orphanages and schools so that he can only be in control of the properties, God is seated in heaven wondering where his true sons and daughters are hiding? May the true Christians arise and fight evil. For the bible says in the days of John the Baptist the Kingdom of God suffered violence and only violent man can take it back by force.

How did the church become so passive, so weak and so indecisive, I wonder how men and women of the cloth can sleep well at night when all this evil happens in their eyes? In the run up to elections in the fateful June runoff elections, the Zanu PF machinery launched a brutal attack on the ordinary Zimbabwean populace and the church was silent only to hear one or two voices. Zimbabwean history is full of men of God, who played a pivotal role in the liberation of our country. Reverend Ndabaningi Sithole, Leopold Takawira, Bishop Muzorewa are few names that come to mind when think of the liberation struggle.Where are the true Christians of our time, Christians who will be able to stand up look evil in the eye and speak boldly without flinching, telling evil that its days are numbered. We certainly cannot afford a repeat of that shambolic June runoff. May the true Christians in our midst stand up, please stand up!!

The Autonomy of the Youth Assembly (first published on my other blog in 2011)

Introduction 
I have been fascinated by Julius Malema of late and honestly speaking who hasn’t. Just how he has managed to capture the interest of the world both for the right and the wrong reasons. What has aroused my interest more than anything is the autonomy of the Youth League from the ANC structures, what it means, its advantages and the disadvantages how to manage such a relationship without causing chaos and friction in the party. There is certainly a lesson to be learned from the ANC which is the oldest political party in the continent if I am not mistaken, but if I am I stand to be corrected.

So this Julius Malema issue prompted me to think deeper and ask questions about the political party I not only belong to but also love whole heartedly with all its flaws. Here are some of the questions that came to my mind. Does the youth assembly play the sort of mediating role, merely reproducing the established political views expressed by the mother body or its an active member in the production of politics that is in the sense of creating a new voice.? While the frameworks within the MDC target the youth and strongly recommend the presence of young people, what exactly is the role attributed to them within that process? 

Exactly how much leeway is the Youth Assembly allowed in the production of politics? I answered all these questions in my head of course and you actually thought I was going to spill that out, I though for a moment I was not going to share my honest answers with you but on the other hand it doesn’t hurt to be honest or does it, in any case I hope it doesn’t injure the good relations I have with some of the youth assembly leaders and those in the mother body politic. I will reiterate this my intentions are not only pure but also good. 

So my answers where that: 
The youth assembly merely reproduces established views of the mother body. The role of the youth assembly was just to convey the mother body’s message down its stream Lastly that it did not have much leeway in the production of politics. The next question that comes to mind is how do we address that ? My humble opinion is that by making the YA autonomous from the mother body it will be able to address all the questions asked above.

Why Autonomy of Youth Assembly 
There will be people in the mother body who will accuse the proponents of the autonomy of the YA as trying to completely detach the YA from the general movement, Some will definitely say this out of fear of a powerful and robust YA, self preservation mechanism I would say, but it should be known that the independence of the Youth Assembly will go a long way in the protection of young people’s rights and providing for the needs of the youth. The autonomy of the youth assembly will play a genuine vanguard role in the broader movement safeguarding the tenets of democracy. Only an independent youth assembly, that is, self-governing can develop bold and determined revolutionary fighters and astute organisers in the building of a democratic Zimbabwe. 

At the same time young people should not be encouraged merely to copy or assimilate what is handed over to them. They should do that through an investigative and critical approach. Real education in struggle on the part of the youth cannot be separated from their independent political involvement. A profound appreciation by the youth of the democratic ideals we are fighting for is better consolidated if verified by their independent experience in the struggle. The autonomy of the MDC Youth Assembly and generally young people in all revolutions is elementary to a revolution’s progress and success. Revolutions are by their very nature activities of young people, and marginalising young people merely into a preparatory arrangement within revolutionary movements stifles the political and ideological development of such movements. History proves that almost all if not all national liberation and revolutionary movements that do not have autonomous youth formations degenerate into insignificance with the passage of time, Zanu pf, UNIP of Zambia and MCP of Malawi providing classic examples. Autonomy of the Assembly will offer the opportunity for the realization of the boundless resources of energy, enterprise, initiative and free application of the creative potential of our youth”. 

How the Autonomy should be structured? 
The autonomy of the MDCYA should be modelled on the lines of organisational independence and political subordination of the MDC . Thus the MDC YA should exist as an autonomous structure within the ANC. This means it is able to develop and implement its own programmes, convene congresses and run its administration. This is done within the broad policy direction and political leadership of the MDC. 

The Constitutional relationship of the MDC YA and the MDC. 
Thus the Constitution of the MDC Youth Assembly should categorically state that it is an autonomous body within the overall structure of the MDC of which it shall be an integral part. It shall be based on the political and ideological objectives of the MDC. The MDC`s Constitution should also categorically state the Youth Assembly as an autonomous body within the overall structure of the MDC, of which it will be an integral part, with its own Constitution, rules and regulations, provided that these shall not be in conflict with the Constitution and policies of the MDC. The Constitutions of both the MDC and MDC YA should not only be recited as a form of giving a sense of the autonomous, but not independent relationship between the MDC YA and the MDC, yet the relationship should by no way be a mere Constitutional relationship. 

The autonomy of the MDC Youth Assembly is a vital political relationship, which can never be reduced to a Constitutional relationship and sacrificed in the course of the revolution. Autonomy of the MDC Youth Assembly is not a by the way issue, but a revolutionary organisational practice which if ignored, could undermine the impetus and energy that young people should impact in any radical political, economic and social change of society Autonomy of the Youth Assembly should not just be reduced to organisational autonomy of organising own meetings, but not taking own decisions. It should fundamentally mean the right of the Youth Assembly to formulate independent political, ideological and strategic perspectives in the course of struggle and independent capacity and ability to robustly advocate for such perspectives. 

Conclusion 
The autonomy of the YA should not be reduced into a constitutional matter without politics, it will be a political blunder with massive consequences. That is why the autonomy of the MDC YA to effectively participate in the liberation and democratization of Zimbabwe There is an abundance of scholarly articles providing both theoretical and empirical evidence that the more the youths are active in the production of politics the less likely they are manipulated for small financial rewards, as a means to mitigate this the youths can have a meaningful voice thus becoming true actors in the politics of the country rather than being mere pawns in the broader political discourse that will be able to air its views in the political discourse of the nation without any fear. 

Not having fear should not be taken in its literal sense and never to be used to undermine the mother body. As the legacy of the Arab spring dawns on us and we enter the final stages of our democratic struggle against the autocratic rule of RGM 's legacy, we expect the youth to play a significant part in the search for new principles that will bring about stability in the Zimbabwean political order. In forging the future, the Youth Assembly will have to operate under the MDC, but on terms more fitting of the historical circumstances that lie ahead than those of the past Long Live The MDC
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