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No to othering!

Columnists
Last week I had the opportunity of being a diplomat for two hours, but it felt awkward.

Last week I had the opportunity of being a diplomat for two hours, but it felt awkward.

I must admit though that I totally loved the connections with all these amazing people some of whom I would never get the opportunity to meet ever in this lifetime if it were not for that amazing space. What excited me was seeing all these Zimbabweans, some of which I do know would not ordinarily meet and talk for fear of being tagged to belonging to this political faction or that. Most importantly I thought it rather odd for Zimbabweans to get together in a space created by others when they could simply create their own spaces and meet despite the political realities. This right there is the centre of this narrative, the polarisation of spaces in Zimbabwe.

A few years ago I was a passionate activist that was stimulated by being part of civil society spaces of a very broad spectrum. However, the backlash from being active in these spaces was a painful and yet thorough lesson that personalities, factions and especially brotherhood have a strong influence on how Zimbabwean politics is structured.

This, however, has left many of us with a very active imagination and exuberant energy feeling sapped and cheated. This is a result of wanting to be part of progressive thinkers who stimulate the intellect only to realise that the very people that one had deemed as progressive could be anything, but progressive. This is not a blame game or a witch – hunting reality, but a cry for help to say, can we not do any better? Part of the truth is that some of our ways of behaving are a matter of habit and we can surely unlearn the ways we behave and seek alternatives.

The polarisation of Zimbabwean spaces has seen the framing and defining of anyone under the black and white discourse. This means you are either for or against me, for MDC led by this one or that one, either Zanu PF Weevil or Gamatox and the list goes on like that. What this has simply done is “other” the next person and results in untold suffering for those who are deemed to be on the wrong side of those with the power in the various political spaces. From the readings of the political realities in various spaces it is quite clear that women who are from a different side will fall by the wayward as those with the political clout continue their constant battering of the already devastated.

The danger of “othering” is that those with the power benefit whilst those without continue to suffer as has been alluded to already. The vendors become the other as those who benefit from their presence use their power to puppet the vendors’ lives. Jokes from Jesus’ times and how vendors were treated, the clash between personalities and political players are all but results of othering the vendors.

This faction’s issue that has left many of us scrounging for the bare necessities is also a mere reflection of othering where those in power see those they lead as the others and so the vicious cycle of tyranny continues. As we look at social issues to do with gender-based violence and in particular violence against women, HIV and Aids, Ebola and you name it – the issue of othering those affected is what continues to perpetuate a culture of stigma and discrimination.

The point is that once you as a person dear reader sees the next person as the other, then there is a distancing. It means whatever happens to them, whatever their reality is, that is none of your business and you couldn’t care less! The truth is that whatever happens to the next person’s life, it somehow has an effect on our own lives as well.

What we plant and is what we reap. If we other the next person, soon we will realise that somehow we are affected by whatever happens in their lives. And who knows one time you are othering the next person and the time comes when you yourself will be the other! Looking at Zimbabwe today, reflect on your own reality and see where this works and applies for the person you are.

Having said that othering is an unnecessary evil, it is critical as Zimbabweans that we learn to be brutally honest with ourselves and see where we contribute to all this madness that surrounds us.

There is so much we can point out and decide to blame the next person – that in itself is othering. How are you involved either directly or indirectly in perpetuating the status quo?

Once we can unpack our lived realities in such a manner, it might just help us understand how it is we function as human beings and how we contribute to the sorrow of those around us. There is no need to continue perpetuating a cycle of negativity and unproductivity as we go through this life.

We live once and it is therefore necessary we make it work to the very best of our ability. It is unnecessary to make life a living hell for the next person as they like you are also very busy trying to make it work. Of course at differing levels, but that’s the truth that most of us are doing what we can to make life work for us.

So instead of wasting our very few days in our waking life polarising spaces that could otherwise be utilised for more useful purposes, let us refocus. Name-calling, factionalism, poverty, disease and you name it does not need the Western countries and Europe to intervene and also create safe spaces for us to meet each other and connect.

We can decide alternatives for ourselves that as Zimbabwe we will redefine ourselves and create safe spaces to educate our children, interact and facilitate for intellectual development that will help improves lives.

If we can do this, I am sure we can look back with appreciation at deciding to refocus and stop othering as we join hands to creating a long-lasting legacy of development.

Each person will become a partner in this development journey despite his or her reality and we will soon witness what it means to be guided by a culture of Ubuntu. Let’s do this!

lGrace Chirenje writes in her personal capacity and loves stimulating conversation. She would be excited to hear from you. You can contact Grace on [email protected], follow her on Twitter @graceruvimbo or Facebook Grace Ruvimbo Chirenje. Chat soon.