A citizen's response to what the Bishops said...

 To every point that Zimbabwe's Catholic Bishops made in their open letter is every citizen's right to have an opinion that will be judged between appropriate and in some cases sinful! Truth is above us all and when that comes we will all be free indeed! But here I share how and what I perceive in my own effort of serving the country I love. This is in the spirit of a true love for Zimbabwe like that hoped for in all communications about and on our nation. So here is my view on their main points, and beyond that, there is also a government response that a citizen will also wish to address - though separately.

1. It is true as the bishops stated, our freedom is still to be sought further with Zimbabwe and Zimbabweans remaining with various impediments to their freedoms. I did observe August 15 was made very relevant in lands afar as they celebrated VJ Day and it has been 75years since the battles that gave them celebrated victories ushering in their current world state! The impediments to social, internal, and external political freedoms, and to economic levers of self-sustenance and prosperity determination are still around being applied from outside and from within 40years into our independence. This letter they wrote must be addressed, too, to all such identifiable drivers and forces of impediments to Zimbabwe’s freedoms and progress. I mean all antagonistic forces! No sacred cows for the Bishops. We lack other freedoms not yet achieved and these freedoms are to be sought with the liberation struggle as an undeniable and perpetual foundation. The struggle for liberation will never cease to be relevant as the gains and lessons are tangible tools for our progression. I however would also add there is no progress in believing merely in the liberation struggle that is past. Struggles present are indeed linked but the new phases of focus!

2. The struggle between ‘those who think have arrived and those not’ is a struggle between a mentality that Zimbabwe is now good as it is, against that which says it yet has developmental track to roll further and far. Proponents of the ‘having arrived mentality’ would be evidenced by not having a vision especially for the vulnerable and those of lower incomes. They would be found by not working at repairs, re-engagement, engagement, innovation, growth initiatives and infrastructural developments. They will be found by not working on increasing the equity of Zimbabweans in their own resources, land and prevailing world opportunities. They would not be be seeking investment and improving business ties for our country. They would be putting corruption first with not a single structure to fight corruption better than they have witnessed in the past. These would clearly be those who claim Zimbabwe has arrived.

The pace of progressive work, the conduct of individuals in corruption are subjects for imperative ongoing engagement that nevertheless do not pronounce that Zimbabwe has arrived or that it is now perfect. It is not, like many nations that should be seeing more of such letters, our Zimbabwe is not perfect.

Our young nation has not always taken the perfect routes and responses to challenges. The vision is to do better than the past such that no atrocity follows on the backdrop of whether it is pure hate, be it conflict, be it the lack of trust, anarchy nor be it the misrepresentation of ground facts that paints tribes and whole people as guilty or innocent in abhorrible acts.

Zimbabwe’s truths matter. They always matter. They are the matter!

This adequately follows to address the belief that the coalescence of world bodies and individuals around a hashtag explains and make factual every claim. The truth that matters in scripture as it is in our clarity of thought and discernment is not defined by dogma nor by the words of those who have made themselves high priests or Pharisees of world politics.

“Be wary of the yeast of the Pharisees”. Some of them continuously rob and disadvantage more if not most widows and orphans than our nation’s anger and means will ever be equipped to on it most evil day.

The matter of fact is the truth on the ground, which needs clear discernment separated from subjectivity, needs to be related to full facts of both occurrence and implication at law.

Where human rights offences are/were committed, that is unacceptable! Where lies are/were peddled, that is unacceptable! Where full facts or none at all are not available, their propagation as facts or as undeniably full is too, unacceptable!

Let us work in truth and full facts in discussing the challenges we face. Let innocence not be subjective or a derivative of favour, political inclinations and prejudices or bias.

“We all ought to render unto Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to Him”.

3. Corruption is agreeably a scourge that affects every level of society with most unwelcome examples seen in positions of greater public responsibility and accountability. This is across the political divide and also across social standing, religious groupings or class.

There is a corruption-culture that needs a strong strategy to arrest it. This culture is fast growing globally even into the sector of truth. With lessening truth, we must ask whomsoever speaks or aligns to falsehoods, what freedoms do they seek? Only the truth sets us free! #NoFakeNewsOnZimbabwe #NoLiesOnZimbabwe

Corruption is not driven by a single personality if the truth be told and accepted. No one is Mr or Mrs Corruption besides the devil itself that influences people. But as people we have our wisdom to build structures and institutional efficiencies in both preventing and recovering from corruption. This is the job at hand whose timelines need all players to review as to add impetus to current progress, or block deterioration.

Corruption busting is a very technical and tactical  task that needs all of us to descend from high horses of one directional finger pointing.

If we all humble ourselves to be on the ground, we will all clearly identify what serves Zimbabwe and be servants and some being servant leaders. 

It will be most welcome for the nation to improve its discussion cum discovery on what and where Zimbabwe’s worth really is and how it can be preserved from being lost from its children to go back or away into the hands of those who wish to manipulate it for their own ends. We have been enslaved, colonised, and should not allow our nation to be robbed or robbed again, and not benefit our poorest further and just enrich hunting rich people.

4. The truth of this political world matters for strategy. Today’s heroism is undeniably the efforts of driving the nation forward. That journey has many as a force pushing behind. The Zimbabwean journey is also not without impediments against our force forward. Those impeding forces need to be revealed to all otherwise we will celebrate short term heroes who will only be setting up the country to re-fight for certain gains. The truth matters, there are many who want what we have, who do not want us to have it either in full or in a fair way. There are others determined that we do not succeed if we are to have a big share of what is ours. These include rights, resources and freedoms. It is a claim to be investigated by all who really care for Zimbabwe for it might be a fact and a truth. Or is it not?

We must be clear on heroism! Naivety to global political machinations, and facilitation of foreign gains over internal gains are not acceptable even in any chosen nation of those deemed friends of Zimbabwe on the pertinent situation. Just to open our eyes to the meaning of current trade wars. Nations protecting themselves or offending other nations for value extrication. 

It would add value to fully get an assessment of foreign policy dynamics on Zimbabwe and whether letters of concern are also overdue or should remain undelivered on sanctions unfairly imposed on Zimbabwe especially when considering both historical and current global practices including by those who impose these. A thought especially as we care for the vulnerable.

I will pause and pose a question; who is worth two decades of sanctions, a nation that has had conflicts and confrontations resulting in deaths over land and demonstrations, or one that has enslaved, colonised over centuries and killed larger masses with atomic bombs? Parable of the unforgiving servant might be a good reference point where politics is given biblical connotations.

To move on, I remind how truth matters, and  add, so does character in foreign relations! Naivety to the character of foreign relations seldom has no connection to heroism! We must well read the verses and the connect them to well-read circumstances. Speaking of which, what is the thinking on capitalism of the world’s nations that are not recipients of Bishop letters since Zimbabwe now has a socialism recommendation from those globally headquartered surrounded by Rome? Good intentions, and these are welcome.

Good intentions should help the poor and vulnerable. In a country with a Vision2030, it is best to criticise the vision’s substance or claimed progress rather than claim the poor do not feature on the national agenda. Uplifting incomes to middle class is not largely an agenda for the richest in word and in deed. It is worth referencing impact or lack thereof in the programmes like agricultural input schemes and welfare safety nets as not good enough for the Bishops rather than make claims of total absence of schemes for the poor. Are sanctions a scheme that has worked for these poor anywhere in the world? The truth on Zimbabwe matters!

We need provision of expert legal reviews of cases as evidence of the erosion of judicial prudence and independence above the generalised and dogmatic claims. How many have abandoned the courts or are only attending them under duress? Zimbabwe needs to travel a journey paved by its facts and truths. They are relevant to its sustainable strategic wins. No deals with the devil! #OnlyTheTruthOnZimbabwe.

5. 

The truth matters and clarity is of the essence! Were it that the Bishops have no confidence in anyone, the good book allows one to rebuke those they think are with sin. It is here that the Bishops ought to be abundantly clear and notify that they do not recognise the government or that they do not view it as able within its constitutional mandate to deliver against the Bishops’ (and if equating also to their congregants’ expectations). It is also here that the expressions need to render to Caesar (constitutionality) how the way forward is exercisable as wished in Heaven for our piece of Earth. It is also pertinent that their judgement of sin is made solid by clear linkage and compatibility with (not claims but) full facts. These facts need to be clear on the past and present and importantly with the future as would be put in their way forward or manifesto. Claims on what the present and past look like are easy, it is the near prophecy of the efficacy of futuristic proposals  that needs a strong relationship with high probability and truth!

In conclusion active citizens must be appreciated for effort and encouragement should always be overflowing on each of us to play our roles and play them well.