via The people must come first | The Zimbabwean by Vince Musewe 22.01.14
An empowered community can never emerge from an environment of fear and intimidation by those in power. In this article, I want to deal with Zanu (PF)’s stated intentions to empower Zimbabweans, and how we can accelerate the achievement of this objective to the benefit of all.
Someone within Zanu (PF) recently tried to explain to me the party’s empowerment policy as stated in their manifesto. I am afraid his demonstrated grasp of the issues involved lacked depth and appreciation of what empowerment really means. This is my response to him.
I must first categorically state that empowerment is inherently contradictory to any philosophy or value system which promotes exclusive access to power and resources of the state by a select group of people by virtue of their contribution to the armed struggle. The view of “none but ourselves” hitherto evident in the DNA of Zanu (PF) cannot sit comfortably side-by-side with its stated objectives of empowering a broad base of ordinary Zimbabweans. This is a contradiction which needs to be resolved.
An empowered community can never emerge from a society managed by control, fear and intimidation. A leader cannot profess to be committed to empowering citizens and yet declare that only those who voted for him deserve to benefit. He also cannot empower others by holding onto power.
You cannot as a leader oppose, limit or purge those who may differ with you and, in the same breath, profess your commitment to creating an empowered society.
You also cannot deny people title deeds to land and claim that you stand for empowerment. It is a lie. Freehold ownership of assets and free enterprise are the immutable pillars of empowered societies.
Empowerment for me means ensuring that all Zimbabweans have the ability and means to create the circumstances which they desire in pursuit of a better life – without limitations but in adherence to the rule of law.
The fundamental principle to empowerment therefore, is the deliberate removal by the state of any limitations that do not allow people to live up to their full potential.
The government or Zanu (PF) must therefore be an ally in the process to empower Zimbabweans. It must be the facilitator that ensures that any laws, habits or practices by the state, public or private institutions including individuals that limit others in their pursuit of their ambition, are expunged.
Access to education, the existence of multiple sources of information, a free media and freedom of speech are the characteristics of an empowered society. As long as these are controlled or limited in some manner by the state, Zanu (PF) cannot claim to be champions of empowerment as they do in their manifesto.
Colonialism disempowered blacks through legislation and practices that limited their potential and their ability to compete. It limited and sort to control access information, access to education and other public resources. Zanu (PF) cannot afford to promote and protect the very laws that limited us and then claim that their policy is to empower Zimbabweans.
We must also see universal access to affordable high quality education for all. It must provide wide choices in line with our development objectives; it must be at the centre of our human capital development strategy in line with national priorities and international trends and developments. Empowerment without quality education is a fallacy.
Access to information creates empowered societies. This means that access must be broad and affordable. We must see the internet and ICT as empowerment tools that need to be freely and broadly available to both urban and rural communities. We must see multiple community radio stations, more television stations and more media products and services geared to empower us and not limit us.
Lastly the meeting of basic needs is imperative if we are truly committed to empowerment. Food, shelter, health led to empowered societies. You cannot be empowered if you are sick or hungry or homeless. Single mothers, orphans, the disabled, the elderly must be looked after as a matter of our empowerment policy.
Empowerment is not only about money, but about the quality of life and psychological emancipation of our people. It is about potential and putting in place policies that allow this society to live up to its full potential, without limits.
The results of empowerment are characterised by a vibrant, healthy, self-confident, creative, responsible and rapidly developing society. That is what we all want for Zimbabwe. I fear that Zanu (PF) does not have any of this in mind when they claim that their objective is to empower Zimbabweans. We must challenge their limited paradigm. The people come first! – Vince Musewe is an economist and author based in Harare. You can contact him at vtmusewe@gmail.com
COMMENTS
Again Vince a good article. One interesting read is the Zanu regime is not only alienating other races or those not in their clique they are doing this openly to all to see. Their unfairness to certain groups has an agenda and that stems from fear of those groups. Their methods of ethnic cleansing has failed them and other methods are being employed to prop them up. Sadly the majority of Zimbabweans have realised their scam so Zanu in true fashion has let the dogs loose onto our people no matter their group.
“Empowerment” seems to me to be a limited word. It inspires me to consider who controls the empowerment. Who determines the limits of that empowerment and to whom it applies? As is common thought, “the devil is in the details”.
“Freedom” seems a more powerful state. Not an anarchy, but operating in an environment where the people are free to choose that environment, and set themselves limits based on natural conventions of civility and human rights and property rights and the rights of choice. And let the government of their choice “wield the sword” against those who would violate those conventions and bring harm to the people.
But, facing facts, those in power, and many who support them, have committed so many atrocities in crimes against humanity, and stolen so much, and brought so much poverty, they must keep their thumb on the people for fear of having to account for their crimes. Like North Korea, they do so with a gun to the heads of their people.
They have made God their enemy, and He will recompense them for their evil against Him.
It would be good for all Zanu a*£seholes to read the book of Psalms and repent before they meet their maker.
Zimbos are a sleeping lot,they derserve it dai tichimama chaizvo
This guy gets weaker with each article. Empowerment is for fools. It is a state that does not exist. It is a NGO type of word. Used all the time, but has no meaning.
The problem is that Zanu PF are only motivated by power “at all costs”. This is what drives them because they fear regime change more than life itself. The reason for this is that they have looted so much and caused so much collateral damage to life and limb of Zimbabwe citizens that the thought of losing power means that they will end up at the Hague along with Taylor.
So like all freedom loving Zimbabweans, Zanu PF live in fear and the problem for us all is that we are waisting our time and energy debating whether they will ever do the right thing.
They won’t, their mission is very clear. They are moving Zimbabwe towards TOTAL CONTROL WITH TOTAL POWER IN ZANU PF HANDS – AT ALL COSTS.
Power to the people and genuine freedom and liberation that Vince Musewe speaks about is only possible if Zanu PF is ousted.
Ousting Zanu PF will only be possible if the people are lead and mobilised out of the fear trap by leaders with a bit of common sense, something which has been sadly missing up until now.
At this time, not one of the existing top leaders in MDC-T, MDC-N, Zapu and others have the capabilities to unite and deliver what Vince speaks about.
The slogan “Real Change” will never happen unless there is “REAL CHANGE” at that top level
Zimbabweans…speak,they do. Write …they do. Excellent English for that matter with jaw breaking words to spice it. In the end …NOTHING!
The Chinese do not speak or write about their intentions, their strategies. They “befriend you” as a strategy and then go on to stripe you to the bone, perhaps even taking the bone too. Leaving you “ZERO”. Please Zimbabwe, these Mugabes are no longer in a position to deliver a future for your children. They have been decimated by Chinese. New action is required, that does not have Zanu PF in it…because Zanu PF is short of economic strategies that advance the wishes of Zimbabweans. Only short term onces based on picking pebbles in Marange and offering then to Chinese at the price determined by Chinese
Problem with African society and political systems consider law to be an end in itself. The highest institutions in the land, Presidium, Cabinet, Constitutional court, and parliament should be guided by that which the laws of the land are trying to achieve. When a law says freedom of speech, what is it we want to achieve by inscribing that law? Is it giving people the right to verbally abuse others, no. To me that is how our present “leaders” interpret it, therefore they see it is a demon that needs to be contained. What we are trying to achieve through freedom of expression is to give those that have something constructive to say to be able to say it without any inhibitions. When we say 1 man 1 vote, what is it we are trying to achieve? Are we merely using it as a tool for changing faces in government or is there something else that is deeper that needs to be achieved like “empowerment”? How would this be interpreted in terms of voting accessibility, voting education, registration et al. Why would it be a problem when any person (or organisation) tries to make others within the society be aware of what to consider during voting. Why say 1 man 1 vote when those with power and guns do not like the concept? Shouldn’t the constitution be a mirror of how we want our society to function? If the 1 man 1 vote concept is so foreign to us why do we etch it in our laws. Is the law just a piece of paper used to woodwink some stakeholders, which stakeholders. This concept goes further to include tangible products and services themselves. Are we designing products and services that actually cater primarily for our needs and wants or are we being fed with products that are designed and valued by other “civilized” systems. The people who are appointed into the pillars of the state should be highly motivated if the laws that they scribe and look after produce a successful, innovative, moral, contributing society that gives solutions to humanity (primarily Zimbabweans and the world at large as secondary). To me once this happens then we have an empowered, free society. Once the best in our society do what they know best and are rewarded accordingly we will never have an empowered populace. Those who have the gift of entrepreneurship should have the capacity to identify their capabilities and become entrepreneurs. Those with the teaching gift should become teachers. Those with the engineering gift should become engineers so forth and so forth. The people in the highest offices should look at our laws according to what they want to achieve more than on what they actually say. That is the debates that should be in our parliament. Once we can focus on those issues, products, services that make our society this thing called empowerment will remain an NGO word (as John Thomas puts it). Until we respect the needs, wants and views of Mbuya vangu vari kwa Mazviiwa we shall remain a country that preaches empowerment without understanding what empowerment really is. Freedom and empowerment goes hand in hand and freedom precedes empowerment.
If only VInce could convince many of his Shona tribalists on this, instead of always preaching generalities. Pinpoint the problem exactly – thats how you solve it – confront it and stop pretending. This kith and kinship mentality will never work in solving Zimbabwe’s problems!!
Mthwakazi you are spot on. The tribalists must be told head on. Otherwise it will go in one ear and out the other. And mashonas have hard heads anyway so nothing does get in.
I for one; I am waiting for the day I will lay my hands on Bona, Chatunga and Robert jnr – you wait!!
They will have to pay a heavy price for their evil father’s sins. If my people are paying a heavy price for the 1890s tribal wars, which they never participated in, why should these little gukurahundis get away – hell no.
They still have a long life ahead of them. We will meet one day; I will hunt them down, especially outside the borders of Zimbabwe!!
The people haven’t come first for 34 years under mugabe&co and frankly I can’t see it happening anytime soon, certainly not until zanupf is destroyed.
There is only one solution and everyone knows what that is
Good article Vince, keep them coming. Good debate too and lets hope things change soon, but like many allude to it is not going to be overnight. As for the Chinese, they will do whatever they can to prop up this and a future regime but mark my words when the change comes they will high tail it out. that is when we need our Idi Amin time and tell the Chinese Govt to send planes to take them all home, after all they have no residential right to be in our country.
Yes! Vince, a man of vision. We all need vision and to stand together. We are our own worst enemies because we are so divided. Let us wake up pleeeeese!
The government should read Isaiah Chapters 58 and 59 and take note. I
Those chapters will tell you where you are at and also why you are there: and what you could do to change things. No change and no repentance judgment will surely come! Every one of us needs to examine his or her own heart too!
Shona tribalism is Zimbabwe’s curse. Its what divides us; thats the bitter truth.
Welshman should not oppose Tsvangirayi he is a Mundevere, who does he think he is? He can never be President munyika medhu.
This is what divides us and there will be no let up from some us in telling it like it is!!!!
The vince museves,tanonoka whandes and many others are at the centre of very pertinent debate Their hallmark is factual presentation with opinion. Please ZIMBOS lets join them in civilised debate without distracting ourselves by hate language.Healthy debate is surely a catalyst for the appropriate ACTION required to emancipate ourselves.
So let me get this right. ZANU PF duped the people and the rest of the world into believing that the war of liberation was to emancipate the poor masses from a racially divided colonialist rule, and to deliver them into an empowered existence.
As far as the Government is concerned empowerment is about taking from one any other colour and giving to blacks. Pure and simple theft. When did they ever think of building an economy to serve the povo? No its easier taking from whites and using colonialism as the excuse. Does the population ever think that the Government have ever cared about the people? Well hate to break it to you but the Government DO NOT CARE !!It is about themselves only, and that’s it folks. Wake up ! we have all been conned.
Mthwakazi your contributions are tribalistic and devoid of well thought arguments and clarity of mind. If you compare and contrast the contributions of other intelligent Zimbabweans above you are conspicuous by your lack of maturity and leadership qualities. Given your mentality Mugabe you seek to criticize becomes a saint albeit his serious shortcomings. The subject here is how Zimbabweans can rid themselves of this animal called Zanu PF not your idiocy and hate of all Shona people
Chindunduma
Well, I for one will never hesitate to point to Shona tribalism as long as many Shonas see nothing wrong in calling an election alliance between Welshman and Dabengwa tribalistic and regional;
An alliance between Tsvangirayi and Makoni national; yet Tsvangirayi and Makoni are both from Manicaland, one province and Welshman is from the Midlands and Dabengwa is from Matebeleland South, two different provinces.
Mthakwazi ,we all know what happened during gukurahundi ,but we can’t solve anything If u are very emotinal towards Shona people & it sounds u are insulting Shona people instead of responding to the theme of the article by Musewe , u are just blowing everything out of proportion & acting like a Misguided missile u must stop instilling division between Zimbabweans .,Ndebele,Shona ,kalanga ,Tonga, we are all the same , so pliz be considerate..
@Rocks tone
The majority of Shonas are tribalistic, they deserve to be insulted. They play double standards all the time.
Why should Matebeleland people be made to pay for 1890s tribval wars when they were not involved? Why cant Shonas answer that question?
Where Chatunga, Bona and Robert jnr involved in Gukurahundi? Should Mthwakazi people go for them.
Shonas like talking about unity, peace blah, blah, blah; yet everyday they practice tribalism and say tribalistic things against us.
Just check any article published in the independent media on the MLF, MLO, Paul Siwela, Dumiso Dabengwa and Welshman Ncube. There are no constructive engagements at all from many Shonas. All you get are anti-Ndebele insults. This is despite the fact that there are many Ndebele people out there who dont even support these people and their parties. Now do you expect us to just fold our arms and keep quiet?
As long as there are sentiments out there, which seem to imply that Ndebele people should not participate in Zimbabwean politics at leadership level – we will always breath fire until Shona tribalism ends. Moves towards secession will be intensified!!
Chindunduma tell him