×
NewsDay

AMH is an independent media house free from political ties or outside influence. We have four newspapers: The Zimbabwe Independent, a business weekly published every Friday, The Standard, a weekly published every Sunday, and Southern and NewsDay, our daily newspapers. Each has an online edition.

Diasporans, show practical patriotism

Opinion & Analysis
I watched with awe the presidential elections in the United States which ushered in a second term for Barack Obama.

I watched with awe the presidential elections in the United States which ushered in a second term for Barack Obama.

Opinion by James Charlie

There also were tragedies that took away innocent lives — the Aurora shooting at a mall in Colorado, Hurricane Sandy on the East Coast which ravaged New Jersey and surrounding areas and most recently, the unimaginable killing of children in Newtown, Connecticut, at Sandy Hook Primary School.

All these are things happening around as the world watches and wondering what is next. There was bloodshed in Gaza, war in Syria, starvation, war and hunger in Africa, and it is sad that little attention is paid to the events in the motherland. However, that is not the main purpose for me to sit and narrate to the world. My real issue lies with my own country of birth — Zimbabwe.

Looking at the map of this beautiful southern African nation is a belt filled with richness, the Great Dyke. Among the minerals there are gold, copper, nickel, cobalt, platinum and, lately, diamonds, which make it one of the most endowed in natural resources. Now, in a country so blessed, how we have become the laughing stock of the world beats me. We know there were sanctions imposed on some of the top members of the Zimbabwean government for violating human rights which negatively affected and impacted some sectors of the economy. We understand that it is what is partly blamed for the demise of our economy, but is it the whole story? Journalists have written and rode this wave for a long time, but have never been able to ask the hard questions, especially to the powers-that-be.

If these sanctions crippled the nation, it also surprises a lot of us as to how our dear elected civil servants in high offices have managed to acquire so much wealth that if some of them really want to, can pay salaries of all employees in Zimbabwe for years without them getting broke.

I become emotional when people are without water and electricity, for these are basic needs. For all these years, fingers have been pointed at the opposition or the West with the real culprits being spared. They are basking in riches, driving the latest models of cars and donning the most expensive suits, building mansions and sending their children overseas for decent education.

What about the ordinary person? Education should be a right for all children, but teachers are not paid enough or simply being neglected and we watch and applaud the government. Hospitals are more or less just but buildings, except a few meant for those with deep pockets. Potholes are the order of the day on most roads.

Our nation has become worshippers of a few liberation heroes/heroines (some of them fake and others who never even cleaned or fired a gun in the air during the war) who are running the country down in the name of sacrifices made during the struggle.

Yes, it was a hard-fought war, but is that a licence for the few to plunder wealth enriching themselves and their closest aides at the expense of the nation? We are tired of excuses that 88-year-old President Robert Mugabe is the only person who can lead this country.To where, really? He has taken us thus far and do we really feel comfortable with where we are today? To a lot of fair minds, Mugabe has taken the nation to where it will be difficult to bring it back from the brink of a cliff. After Zanu PF, we have to deal with a lot more social than economic issues, corruption, rehabilitation of the police and legal system, criminal minds, a poor health system, political murderers, a sorry prison system, rundown education system, unwanted foreigners, alcoholism and drug abuse among the youth and middle-aged. We cannot afford another term for Zanu PF, enough is enough.

I urge Zimbabweans to vote for change in the coming elections. We should resist being given labels when it is our lives and generations to come who will be affected by our inaction. Time has come for Zimbabweans to ask ourselves what we are doing to better our nation. The power of the people cannot be suppressed forever, but for only a while. For those of us in the Diaspora, most of us have become critics of petty issues and leave these bread and butter questions unanswered. We have been fortunate to live among some democratic nations and it’s time to practice this in our own nation. This is a cry for action from all of us who love Zimbabwe. It made us the people we are today, but what legacy are we leaving for our kids? I hope that this will trigger us into action and it is collectiveness that brings people together and uplifts the nation. We have seen a lot happening here in America where people unite in the face of adversity and are able to stand up and move on. As Zimbabweans, we should have enough pride and patriotism to stick together and move our country forward. With all the engineers, doctors, nurses, architects and thousands of academics spread the world over, let’s collectively come together to build dams, hospitals and even our roads, privatise them if we have to, but surely bringing back that Zimbabwe that we grew up in. It is not easy, but we have to start from somewhere.

Best wishes for 2013 and let’s start to bring hope to our nation and our fellow countrymen stuck in Zimbabwe. I have hope because nobody imagined a woman president in Africa and, worse still, a two-term black president in the US. Yes, he is there, a marvellous Commander-in-Chief. It is hope and the dream that was preached by the late Dr Martin Luther King that made it possible. Then King had a dream and I have a vision for Zimbabwe. Let us unite and rebuild Zimbabwe.

 

  • James Charlie is a political activist currently resident in Dallas, USA. For comments, he can be reached at  [email protected].