The Bible is unwaveringly resolute and abundantly clear on prophecy for it says: “When a prophet speaks in the name of the Lord, if the thing does not come to pass that is the thing which the Lord has not spoken. The prophet has spoken it presumptuously; you shall not be afraid of him.”(Deuteronomy 18:22)
It is ironic that multitudes would rather opt for what their ears crave to hear, even splurging thousands of dollars in airfares from across the globe to listen to things their ears itch to hear. Prophecy in its various forms has gripped the country and soon the famed Judgement Night will reverberate for the third time. Everyone knows that its major prophecy has been economic boom for Zimbabwe. This is good for the ears and I would wish the prophecies were true, but the reality is what we have before our eyes; Zimbabwe is in the intensive care unit.
The economy has continued on a downhill trend since the feel-good prophecies begun.
Understandably, the burdened souls of poverty-ridden Zimbabweans yearn for an escape to some Disneyland; a land away from the rigours of the grind of the never-ending poverty. Unemployment, high stress levels, preventable deaths, divorces, regional rejection, suicide and xenophobia are among the host of things typifying the tortuous life endured daily by the majority of Zimbabweans in their various stations.
Against this lifeless background, Judgement Night comes with hard-to-ignore promises. “Bring any situation and watch it being judged on the night,” is one claim of the event. This boldly refers to unemployment, sickness and a host of other social issues stalking the land between Zambezi and Limpopo.
While these promises are enticing to suffering souls it is one thing whether the event, previously, has succeeded in fulfilling its purpose. In light of the past two editions of the event, it is crucial to put the Judgement Night concept to the test to assess whether, indeed, poverty, sickness, misfortune and economic turmoil have succumbed to the highly publicised event.
In this regard, It is only fair to quote verbatim the claims and promises made by the glamorous event over the years.
In 2014, we heard that, “Zimbabweans will cry no more. Zimbabwe’s economy is set for a major breakthrough and people must prepare for the good times that are set to roll again, with industries getting back to maximum production,” said the leader of UFIC, Emmanuel Makandiwa. He further stated, “I see in the helm of the spirit that this nation will not go back to where it was. God is giving this nation a better platform. Industries shall begin to run again, I see production. You shall move around the city and be able to do your shopping even during the night. Industries shall no longer be closing shop.”
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Economic boom has been the major highlight in all editions and at one time we even heard that gold would be picked from the ground. In 2014, one Prophet Boateng, also the spiritual father to the UFIC leader, said it was not a coincidence that Judgement Night 2, last year, came a day after the Independence Day celebration saying the two events signified the physical and the spiritual wellbeing of the country.
Clearly ironic, isn’t it? The reality on the ground stands in stark contrast; it is indeed a case of same promises, different year. More than 100 000 people will converge at the event, with high and eager expectations of encountering miracles and having their situations instantly changed. And for the umpteenth time, Zimbabweans will hear the old tired rhetoric of economic prosperity and restoration.
In sharp contrast to these enticing prophecies, Zimbabwe has continued on a free-fall. In fact, from the year 2012 when these prophecies were initiated, the Zimbabwean situation continues to head towards the south unrestrained.
Before the current wave of massive job losses, independent economists put the unemployment rate at a staggering 85% and as it stands, one can only guess the current statistics.
Zimbabweans have now flooded foreign lands as economic refugees and early this year they were subjects of brutal xenophobic attacks across Limpopo. Furthermore, over 20 000 breadwinners have lost jobs in recent weeks throwing the impoverished families into turmoil.
Thousands of people, among them office workers and graduates have become vendors. The government continues to groan every month with the predatory civil service wage bill gobbling 80% of collected revenue.
This is hardly the picture of economic success; not by any margin. I could go on and on graphically depicting the upside-down state of affairs in the country. Our Gross Domestic Product is the lowest in the region. The Heritage Foundation and Wall Street Journal identified Zimbabwe’s economy as one of the most repressed economies in Sub Saharan Africa and in the Bottom five of the 2015 index of Economic Freedom.
It is mind-defying how thousands upon thousands continue believing things they see working contrarily before their eyes. In all honesty, if one were to take the promises of the event and juxtapose with the situation on the ground, one can see the naked reality. It seems we have become a people plagued by economic stagnation that we have lost the power of objective foresight. We easily yield to anything that promises hope.
The truth of the matter, fellow Zimbabweans, is simple: This country needs to embrace sound economic policies that attract investment. It needs to act decisively on graft and improve fiscal policies. We need re-engagement with the international community and above all to revive industry. God’s principle is that nations must work and not to promote laziness by expecting miraculous boon. Prophecies will not fix this economy or turn around people’s fortunes. God intends that people should work (Genesis 3:19). The sooner we wake up to this reality the better. Zimbabwe needs hands that will work and brains to thrust it forward.
lLearnmore Zuze is a legal researcher, author and media analyst. He writes here in his own capacity. E-mail:[email protected]
