Source: Something amazing happened here! – NewsDay Zimbabwe July 12, 2016
Right in the midst of gloom and doom, something amazing happened. Right in between the Limpopo and the Zambezi.
Opinion by Bridgette Malenga
For 36 years, we were deaf, dumb, mute, blind, crippled. Such is the magnitude of the miracle, that millions can speak.
Something happened. Something so crazy happened — Zimbabwe spoke. Spoke up and loud!
From every compass point within, and beyond our borders. Something amazing happened here. I can’t say that enough times.
So often, we were reduced to whispering in dark and smoke-filled bar corners, even then, one always chose their words carefully wary of the friend of a friend sitting at the table.
Then Baba Jukwa started saying some things. We were all afraid for Baba Jukwa, but gosh did we cheer Baba Jukwa on from the sidelines!
Then that something happened. We stopped commenting from anonymous accounts, online accounts on online news pages. We actually began tweeting and sharing on Facebook.
Then began discussing loudly. At the banks. At parties. At work. And now look! We are posting videos of ourselves, running commentary on shared statuses and posts.
Suddenly, that peaceful Zimbabwe, so long silenced by fear of disappearing and no one knowing why or where you are being held, has nothing to lose. So, the best thing was to say, “Haaaa, vakomana, haaaa!”
That voice has swept through every single one of us. Those of us, who didn’t know how to change anything before, now are finding a way of engaging. It begins by voicing it. Begins by saying aloud that we are unhappy, hungry, cold, hurt and humiliated. Absolutely humiliated!
Every new policy designed to bleed our souls bit by bit, has finally taken so much of us that there is nothing left to give. There is nothing left to lose for so many Zimbabweans. Famine. Illness. Death. Forced migration. Poverty. Drought.
All avenues of creative industry for the average family, ruthlessly and shamelessly thwarted by a ruling elite that continuously remind us how they died and died and died — 36 years over — for the independence of this country.
Justify photocopying of colonial laws and bans, reproducing them now for the no longer fledgling democracy to experience — because see, they especially died for it.
Are we to be punished that we weren’t born before they took up arms to fight for our future? Boy, are we paying, in tax through and extortion . . . Zimbabwe Revenue Authority, police roadblocks enforced by Zimbabwe Republic Police, indigenisation policies that serve a handful, and the gravy train?
Then along came some commentators, who said loudly that what are we, but social media activists? I say, remember that before this “something” that happened, we dared not speak what was in our hearts.
We began to say it, aloud, on social media. Then — look! Beitbridge border post shut down, Bindura, Epworth, Ruwa and Hatcliffe, Cape Town and London stood up and on July 6, 2016, and our voice of silence was so deafening, we have yet to hear from the powers that be.
Being hard of hearing through both age and arrogance, we have to understand that it has to happen again. And again. Pity.
On July 13 and 14, Zimbabwe speaks again. Make it your choice to be a part of this, because this is the one way that we, a peaceful, hardworking, cheerful, loving nation, speak. This is Zimbabwe, let those in Parliament tremble at the voice of the people!
We have not had much to celebrate in Zimbabwe for 36 years. But, in the middle of doom and gloom, something amazing happened here!
Welcome to a new Zimbabwe… well, almost, more like coming soon.
Bridgette Malenga is a keen observer of the world around her, often running her opinions and questions off at the most importune times, she is a firm believer that there is always more to learn and better to aim for.
COMMENTS
Hold your horses, it is early days yet. Pay civil servants and they get right back in their old habits.
If the international community bails ZANU out with fresh loans, nothing will change.
Bless most of the people of Zimbabwe and may Matibili live forever in infamy.
If letting the horses run brings hope, then turn the ponies loose and give them full rein.
Hope is what has been missing in Zim. Yes, there will be violence. The same ZANU-PF thugs that harassed, maimed, and killed during the election cycles are still out there. The same soldiers and policia who have blood on their hands are still out there. We can not expect there will not be opposition.
Certainly, the change could come in ebbs and flows, starts and stops, quiet interspersed with chaos. But, the mere fact that hope has risen from the grave is enough to realize that Zim may also rise again.
I see the only solution is for the military, police and govt media machines to switch alliance to the people, then change can take place if they can be trusted.
Winning hearts and minds is the key to unlock the door. If achieved, the ruling party will be a spent force overnight.
History informs, this is the true case and will eventually prevail, maybe not today or tomorrow, but the day will come. It’s only when?
Rhodesia lasted a mere 15/17 + years from pre UDI in 1963 to 1980. The writing was on the wall come the mid 70’s.
From the moment in the late 1990’s (Massive payments to ex combatants) to the farm invasions that commenced in earnest in 2000, it’s been one way traffic to economic disaster and peril for the very vast majority of good folk, who deserve a better deal than what they have currently got – if they have anything or much at all left!
My book informs me of a much similar timeline. By 1978/9, we in Rhodesia were bust and sunk, but our Govt and military refused to believe the real truth of the critical situation prevailing. We did not lose the war – we lost the people!
The same is applicable in Zim today – the Govt has lost it’s people and when that is lost, it’s basically all over.
So, 16 or 17 crucial years later, we are at a crossroad of do or perish. The biggest obstacle is fear – remove that and the horizons are bright.
There will be sacrifice but sacrifice is rewarded with reward!