"The Last Chimurenga"
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I found an article on the internet last evening called "The Last Chimurenga" (hence this editorial's title) and, even though the leanings of the writer (none other than political turncoat, Jonathan Moyo) do not necessarily align with mine, it got me thinking of the prospects of Zimbabwe for the future.
The article finishes with the statement: "Zimbabweans cannot ask for better than to have President Mugabe lead the born-free generation into the Last Chimurenga” and I will not seek to oppose the writer's opinion. But I did like the suggestion of a finality to the problems, war, oppression and deviance to normal governance of the Zimbabwean people.
I may live in the United Kingdom, but Africa in general - Zimbabwe in particular - is very close to my heart. I have written many times of why I took my family out of Zimbabwe, but a physical distance will never be an obstacle in my connection with the country that I still call 'home'.
For the uninformed, the word chimurenga means "revolutionary struggle" and represents the struggles that the Zimbabwean people have had twice before independence in 1980.
Sadly, the word chimurenga also brings with it much unhappiness as the Zimbabwean people have been targets of the Mugabe party since the late 1960s.
I have written many times how Mugabe has picked upon the weak, the aged, the sick, the poor. He also challenges and conquers anyone who opposes or stands against his power and rule.
And the suggestion that the indigenisation “project' will be the 'last' chimurenga leaves me of two distinct opinions.
Firstly, I do believe if indigenisation is to be the last oppression of the Zimbabwean people by Mugabe, then I would hazard a guess that the Zimbabwean people can live with it. Of course, nothing can't be undone or realigned to satisfy all people in the country once Mugabe leaves to join his ancestors...
But then I have to think that indigenisation may be just one step too far to guarantee the Zimbabwean economy might breathe life into the country.
Mugabe-ites will no doubt enrich themselves at the ZANU PF tap of indigenisation, but this will just be recreating the monster that Mugabe made such a noise about during the Rhodesian bush war - the minority 'elite' (in his opinion at any rate) of the population being in control of the majority of the national assets, former foreign owned companies and, of course, the mines (and all they contain) and the farmlands - even if these remain unworked and fallow.
Which then would beg the question - who will make a stand and seek to dethrone the Mugabe-ites even after he has fallen off his mortal coil?
How then, can the indigenisation project be the 'last' chimurenga?
And if the project leaves the nation in a worse condition than when it began, then the mission is not fulfilled, and therefore the chimurenga - the revolutionary struggle - that faces us in the near future cannot be the last one.
Perhaps Zimbabweans are destined to struggle for the foreseeable future – just as long as that struggle is for what is good, righteous, wholesome and honest.
Robb WJ Ellis
The Bearded Man
