Maravi

(TALKZIMBABWE) Reflections on Zimbabwe

Reflections on Zimbabwe
Muchengetwa Bgoni - Opinion
Wed, 06 May 2009 04:32:00 +0000

MUCHENGETWA BGONI (Compassionate Justice's Director for Southern Africa) recently returned from Zimbabwe. He went there to be with his mother in her final days. The following are his reflections on what he observed and experienced while there.

Their eyes speak of no hope. It is as if hope has become a foreign concept and nobody expects any good to happen in Zimbabwe again. It is as if they are all waiting for a chance to die and forget about their problems and burdens. Who can blame them? Life has been hard and each time they think they have hit the rock bottom, things keep getting worse. Yes, this is what is happening to the people of Zimbabwe today.

The majority of the people in Zimbabwe are suffering. Most are dying not because they do not have a chance to get well, but because they cannot pay for a chance to get well. I learned of a 34 year old young woman from my church who passed away after failing to come up with the US$40 that was needed to buy the medication her doctor had prescribed. Another friend of mine and his wife lost their baby just because they did not have the US$800 needed for his expecting wife to be able give birth in a private hospital. The government hospitals that used to be affordable, have all been closed down. Only the private Parirenyatwa Hospital was operating. Most people now use Christian Mission hospitals as they have a few supplies.

My own mother was in a private hospital before she passed away. I was surprised that she was the only patient there for the first 3 days. One would therefore expect things to be different since it was a private hospital. Please don't misunderstand, the hospital service was excellent, but they did not even have basic things like feeding tubes or catheters. I had to drive around town, checking with different pharmacies before I could find a catheter to buy. Gratefully, I had the money I needed to buy the medication and catheter for my mother. What happens to the thousands of other Zimbabweans who are penniless? This was a sad reality for me see and quite a wake up call. I have come to realize, that where you are born determines your life span. The latest statistics say that Zimbabweans have short life spans, most don't live past their mid 30's. From what I heard while there, most are dying because of hunger, lack of medicines and basic sanitation.

The ironic thing is that despite the suffering of many, there are some who are doing quite well. In fact, I learned of a 34 year old man who was said to be building a 101 roomed house. I saw people driving cars that most people in the USA cannot even afford to test drive. Something is very wrong! There are a few corrupt people at the top that are stealing from their own brothers. Drastic change is needed or the few will destroy the many.

What pains me the most, is that a majority of Zimbabweans from my neighborhood are generally intelligent. I know that most of them would have had flourishing careers if they had been born in the Western Hemisphere. Some of them are athletic enough that they could have made it big in the sports world. Take my neighbor Patrick for example, he had a good job with an insurance company the last time I saw him. However this time around I found him selling vegetables by the road side. He told me that he quit his insurance job because he was not making enough money to last him the whole month. Most of the people who are driving nice cars or building huge houses are not the well educated professionals, but the black market dealers who buy and sell things while taking advantage of people in their hour of need.

I grew up being encouraged by mom to study hard. My mothers generation always encouraged my generation to dream of becoming teachers, doctors or nurses. However, these days, those jobs do not pay much at all and so children have no desire to study hard. They see their brothers, who have no education, doing better than the educated doctors.

If nothing is done soon, Zimbabwe will collapse. The education system has already collapsed. The University of Zimbabwe has been closed for about 7 months or so now. Kids hardly went to school last year because most teachers had stopped coming to work. Who can blame the teachers when the salaries they get are not enough to last them a week. The health system has collapsed. The infrastructure that used to make Zimbabwe proud is gone. Pot holes are found everywhere with the exception of the road that lead to the Presidents house. The sewage system that used to be one of the best in the world, has ceased to function. It is no wonder the cholera epidemic killed many, because sewage water is everywhere, especially in the high density areas. I grew up in Highfield, and learned with sadness that most people have ceased using their toilets. Instead they relieve themselves in tins and then dig holes to dispose the human waste. Some portions of Harare have had no running water for seven months and yet they still receive water bills from the city council! Refuse collection ceased long ago.

What then is the answer to Zimbabwe's woes? Some have said Mugabe should go, while others have said the West should lift the sanctions they have put on Zimbabwe. I talked to many of my friends while there. I was encouraged that most of them stated that only God can solve Zimbabwe's problems. Despite, and maybe due to the suffering, the church is going strong. I saw people in church that in the past I would not have dreamed of ever finding there. God has a purpose for Zimbabwe and it is up to the Zimbabweans to seek Gods face for direction. Yes, Zimbabwe has troubles, but the good thing is that most have turned their eyes to God who is their creator. Just like with the children of Israel in the land of Egypt, God will hear the cries of the children of Zimbabwe and answer.

We will see good in Zimbabwe again and its just a matter of time.

-Muchengetwa

Labels: SANCTIONS

posted by MrK @ 6:46 PM