Just because Zimbabweans don’t fight back doesn’t mean we’re living in peace!

There can be any number of definitions.

The most common is ‘societal friendship and harmony in the absence of hostility and violence.’

In a social sense, peace is commonly used to mean a lack of conflict (such as war) and freedom from fear of violence between individuals or groups.

Nevertheless, my personal favourite definition is ‘an individual virtue or state, that is, tranquillity or serenity’.

What then do we mean by peace in reference to Zimbabwe?

Is it simply the absence war or violence or conflict?

Or is there more?

President Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa is fond of urging the people of Zimbabwe to maintain peace and unity.

As a matter of fact, he never tires boasting that we are a peaceful nation.

Is there anything wrong with such a statement from a head of state?

Surely not!

We all want to live in peace.

In fact, the foundation to any meaningful national development is premised upon peace prevailing in a country.

Zimbabwe is no exception.

We have witnessed the resultant economic, political, and social mayhem from turmoil in such countries as Syria, Somalia, Libya, Ukraine, and most recently, the Gaza Strip (in Palestine).

Who would wish such conflict upon Zimbabwe?

Definitely no one.

Nonetheless, can we honestly claim there is peace in Zimbabwe?

Can it be characterized as peace when the ruling elite enrich themselves through the pillaging of our national resources whilst millions of ordinary Zimbabweans languish in abject poverty?

Are we to say we are living in peace when half the population is living in extreme poverty and 6 million people are facing hunger?

In all this, those in power enjoy obscene insulting opulence that is only comparable to the rich and famous in the Western  world.

Is it peace when impoverished villagers are forcibly displaced from their ancestral lands to make way for Chinese mining companies with little to no compensation?

Yet these entities are deriving billion of dollars from our vast mineral resources – without ploughing anything significant back into the community and country at large.

When we have public hospitals and schools lacking the most basic needs as medication, cancer machines, ambulances, and books, is this peace?

Where is the peace when the people’s right to elect leaders of their choice is repeatedly denied through fraudulent elections as well as the use of violence and other forms of coercive means to intimidate voters into making particular choices?

What peace is there when those who dare stand up against this oppressive system are relentlessly persecuted mostly through violence and the weaponization of the law?

Let me go back to the definition of peace I quoted at the beginning.

Peace is said to be ‘an individual virtue or state, that is, tranquillity or serenity’.

The key words here are: individual state of tranquillity or serenity.

Indeed, the absence of hostility and violence is most imperative.

Nonetheless, paramount is ‘tranquillity and serenity’.

What do we mean by that?

Serenity is the state of being calm, peaceful, and untroubled.

I love the ‘calm and untroubled’ part.

Having looked at the life ordinary Zimbabweans are living, can we genuinely declare we are an ‘untroubled’ people?

Can we surely claim to be living with individual inner tranquillity in the face of the myriad state-sponsored poverty, hunger, and repression?

In fact, who amongst us feels safe criticizing the Mnangagwa regime without the potential of a violent response?

Is that living in peace?

Where is the  societal friendship and harmony, and absence of hostility in such an environment?

The Mnangagwa administration should be reminded that just because we are not fighting back does not make Zimbabwe a peaceful nation.

We are simply turning the other cheek as the regime continually violates our rights day in and day out with impunity.

If you slap me every day and I do not hit you back, that can never be a situation of peace.

No matter how we look at peace, there is no way Zimbabwe can be described as being at peace.

• Tendai Ruben Mbofana is a social justice advocate and writer. Please feel free to WhatsApp or Call: +263715667700 | +263782283975, or email: mbofana.tendairuben73@gmail.com, or visit website: https://mbofanatendairuben.news.blog/