Why Zimbabweans will never be free any time soon 

Any oppressor is given the power to oppress by the oppressed.

Source: Why Zimbabweans will never be free any time soon – The Zimbabwean

That’s what we refuse to acknowledge as Zimbabweans.

We will never be free anytime soon, and it’s apparent that not many of us are ready to accept this fact.

As long as we lamely sit back, and daydream about some ‘messiah’ coming from another land, or one or two local people doing the fighting for us, then we are the most foolish people on this planet.

And, each and every day we are proving this to be so.

Most Zimbabweans are not prepared to sacrifice everything, for the good of the country and the future of our children.

We would rather that we made our cake, and ate it at the same time.

Well, that’s not how life operates.

We can’t expect to go about our everyday lives, and enjoy the little comforts and pleasures that we still have, yet expecting someone else to sacrifice for us, and bring the change that we want.

We always want someone else to have the silver bullet that will solve all our problems for us.

Well, life is not like that, and will never be.

Even the valiant action by Rosa Parks in 1955 – when she refused to sit at the back of the bus, where Black people were expected to sit – would have amounted to nothing, had the masses not joined in the struggle by staging massive nationwide boycotts all across the US.

As far as I am concerned, Zimbabweans haven’t yet suffered enough to take their own plight and destiny seriously.

Once we have suffered enough, we will automatically get off our behinds, and truly say, “Kusiri kufa ndekupi” (one way or another, we are dying).

The oppressed are the ones who can take back their power away from the oppressor.

I learnt that from my childhood – after being subjected to repeated sexual abuse and bullying – and have managed to exercise this throughout my life, without fearing anyone, nor running to someone else to fight my battles, but boldly standing up, and speaking up, for myself…no matter the consequences, and bruising in the process, but the victory is always sweet.

Until we get to that stage, please, if there is anyone still dreaming of emancipation any time soon, they can either wake up, or keep dreaming…as probably, that’s how some people manage to get through the hassles of life (by hiding their heads in the sand).

© Tendai Ruben Mbofana is a social justice activist, writer, author, and speaker. Please feel free to contact him on WhatsApp/Call: +263733399640 / +263715667700, or Calls Only: +263782283975, or email: mbofana.tendairuben73@gmail.com