(TALKZIMBABWE) Zimbabwe's history cannot be re–written

Zimbabwe's history cannot be re–written
Nancy Nyamhunga and Arthur Gwagwa — Opinion
Thu, 19 Jun 2008 00:05:00 +0000

ON 27 June 2008, Zimbabwe goes for a presidential run-off that has the potential of rewriting our country’s history for better or for worse. People will be casting their vote under both duress and undue influence as a result of hunger and fear of the unknown that is being induced by an invisible hand.

However, there is no consensus among Zimbabweans in identifying whose hand this is but what is certain is that this hand is wielding a pen that is trying to rewrite our history. In this article, we will try to highlight some of the major events that have happened in the history of Zimbabwe, and by doing so, hopefully empower Zimbabweans so that the decision they make on the 27th June, will be made from an informed choice rather than under compulsion from this invisible manipulative hand.

We have noted that the Western media have and is trying to re-write Zimbabwean history, and in the process trying to divorce the current political impasse from Cecil John Rhodes`s invasion of Zimbabwe in 1890. The two cannot be separated; the injustices perpetrated then have still not been resolved. The western media is deceptively trying to ignore these injustices, but instead concentrating on the latest shortcomings of the current Black government in the hope of arm-twisting world-opinion in the hope of maintaining the current unequal ownership of land in Zimbabwe.

In difficult times like these, our nation needs strong non partisan leaders from the civic society who rally people behind value-based decisions. These leaders must make a war cry to help people regain perspective before they make crucial decisions which have the potential of reversing our country a century backwards. Such leaders have the ability to scale the biggest tree in the wilderness in which Zimbabwe is, survey whether we are cutting the right bush in the first place and if not, signal to the voters accordingly. If they don’t do that, the whole nation will climb a ladder that is leaning against the wrong wall!

In this article, we will humbly but patriotically endeavour to provide this leadership at this crucial hour by casting vision and providing direction to disenfranchised Zimbabweans. Our advice to the voters is to know where we are coming from as a nation (Our history and heritage), where we are on the journey including what we can achieve (Our progress, purpose and potential), who we are (Our Identity and values) and where ought to go (Our Destiny). By taking this criterion into cognisance, one is able to regain perspective and cast a vote that would preserve our heritage, which is true to our identity that resonates with our values, which recognises our purpose, while acknowledging our potential and is guided by our common destiny.

The following is a simple chronology of our country’s history as we know it and not as the westerners know it:

Where we are coming from:

1889 – 1890 The British government gives Cecil John Rhodes a blank mandate to steal land, kill and destroy anybody and anything that was black that stood in his way. Mbuya Nehanda and Sekuru Kaguvi are crucified in the process. No-one was ever prosecuted for crimes against humanity.

1892- 1893 – The Ndebele uprising against British settlers is crushed by the BSAC. Many black natives lost their lives.

1930 – The theft of the land by the British intensifies through the enactment of the Land Apportionment Act and the Black people are pushed into destitution and their way of living is completely decimated as they find their hunting grounds all fenced up. In the process, Black natives who had large herd of livestock, had their cattle either confiscated by the British settlers, or they were simply destroyed. No one ever apologised for this.

1930-1960s – The Black people begin pockets of resistance against British rule and this leads to the breakdown of the federation and the independence of Malawi and Zambia in 1963.

1965 – 1966 Ian Smith unashamedly continues to cling to the land his ancestors had stolen, and the Western countries impose nominal sanctions against him but continue to supply food to him. War of liberation begins at Chinhoyi. (Up until his death, Ian Smith remained an unrepentant racist bigot, but the western press never labelled him criminal, murderer, despot, sadist or dictator – he was granted his dignity and died in his ripe age.)

1972 - Guerrilla war against white rule intensifies, with the fighters operating out of Zambia and Mozambique.

1978 - Thousands of black Zimbabweans are massacred at Nyadzonya and Chimoio at the behest of Ian Smith and no one was ever prosecuted for this. New government of Zimbabwe Rhodesia, led by Bishop Abel Muzorewa was installed that sought to protect the rights of the white community against the black natives. Margaret Thatcher could not commit British troops in Zimbabwe then to sustain this puppet government because the troops were committed in Northern Ireland at the time. The Prime Minister of Australia then, Fraser discourages Margaret Thatcher from installing Muzorewa but recommends that a proper election takes place. Civil War continues in the meanwhile.

1979 – 1980- When the Coloniser is faced with imminent defeat and the embarrassment of being found in possession of stolen land, he removes the hat of a thief and wears that one of a peace Umpire. During the Lancaster House conference, he makes sure that he gives the Blacks only political power and deceptively clings onto the land through section 16 of the Constitution which could only be revisited in 1992. The war pauses and Mugabe becomes the Prime Minister and extends the hand of reconciliation to Ian Smith and his former security services.

1983 –1987 Operation Gukurahundi in Matabeleleland is launched by the government which claimed that it was responding to threats paused by dissidents sponsored by white SA to cause destabilisation in independent Zimbabwe. Many innocent civilians lost their lives and the government was later to admit it was “a moment of madness”. There was never any outcry from the western press and instead President Mugabe is conferred several honorary degrees by western universities including The Knighthood from the Queen of England.

1991 – The government of Zimbabwe is arm-twisted by the IMF to adopt the notorious ESAP. Morgan Tsvangirai, then chief of the trade union, once said “The IMF are devils” in response to the economic hardships brought by ESAP.(Note ESAP was prescribed at the expiry of Section 16 of Lancaster House agreement that barred the government from repossessing Land from colonial settlers)

1992- 1997 -The government painstakingly negotiates with the White farmers to give back some of the land that had been stolen by their ancestors and at the same time ESAP was taking its toll. The economy was declining and the farmers (all white) couldn’t buckle but instead threatens the government with court action.

The courts that were staffed by White Judges strongly warn the government not to interfere with property rights. An invisible hand begins to equip young Black intellectuals to fight the government. A period of (confusion) ensues with constant violent clashes between university students and the police. There is sudden activism for the rule of law and respect of property rights. The young black elite begin to own big cars, others were granted dubious scholarships to study at prestigious universities with a pre-condition that they speak against their government. Civic society mushrooms, several “human rights” movements were formed and received generous funding from international organisations.

1997- Clare Short writes to the government of Zimbabwe reneging on the British government responsibility to fund the land reform as agreed in 1979 by the Margaret Thatcher government. This incenses the War Veterans who see this as a ploy to ensure that the land remains in the hands of the White farmers and thereby setting the Black government to fail since it did not have the funds to compensate the White farmers.

1999- The MDC is formed by people from different organisations, e.g. NCA, ZCTU and other civic groups and gets its financial lifeline from the White Farmers and Westminster Foundation to avert the imminent land seizures. Most urban intellectuals and youths fall in love with MDC mainly due to the popularity of its leader Morgan Tsvangirai as a veteran Trade Unionist and as a protest against the declining economic situation.

2000- The war that had paused in 1979 subject to the land issue being settled resumes as the War veterans begin to seize white owned farms.

2001- Most western Donors, including the World Bank and the IMF cut aid because of the land seizure programme. Most people left the country to claim political asylum in western countries particularly UK. Those who failed to qualify are threatened with removal from UK.

2002 - The European Union imposes sanctions on Zimbabwe and pulls out its election observers after the EU team leader is expelled.

2002 – Zimbabwe pulls out of the Commonwealth after being suspended for violation of “gross human rights” and failing to protect “property rights”.

2005 January - The US labels Zimbabwe as one of the world's six "outposts of tyranny"?
Where we are at:

2006-7 – The economy declines rapidly and inflation reaches staggering proportions.

2008 – General Election takes place and produces a hung parliament. Both the opposition and ruling party fail to get majority vote. The Presidential vote goes the same way with Morgan Tsvangirai leading (47.9%) against President Mugabe (43.2%). The constitution requires a winning candidate to get 51% to avoid a run-off and since none of the candidates achieved the required 50+ percentage vote, a run-off is due to take place on the 27th June 2008.

Political violence is reported from both the opposition and ruling party during the campaigning of the presidential run-off vote.

Aid agencies are reportedly campaigning for the opposition and the government respond by stopping their activities.

Where we ought to go:

The person we ought to vote for must first and foremost protect the progress we have made so far as a nation by assertively confronting the injustices caused by the Land Apportionment Act of 1930. However, he must also be aware of where we are, how we got there and how to progress from where we are. He must do this by connecting with strategic people and involve them in the planning. As a prerequisite he ought to cast a compelling vision that inspires hope and crucially identify strategic global equal partners to support us as we limp out of the current economic quagmire. There must also be a realisation that Zimbabwe does not exist in a vacuum, it needs international partners but on an equal basis. This may mean a give and take situation.

Conclusion

When a prominent blind Entrepreneur was asked what was worse than being born blind, she responded that it was having eyes but without a vision. Many Zimbabweans currently have eyes but have lost vision due to a warped perspective caused by our distorted history. We hope that the above chronology will provide the voters with the right perspective to regain their vision to vote from an informed perspective.

Nancy Nyamhunga and Arthur Gwagwa
Leicester and London respectively