Chronicle Editor
Michael Mhlanga
Zimbabwe has turned 40 years. The memory is different from all others as we celebrated the four decades of independence holed up in our homes.
The 18th of April is not just an ordinary day in the memory of our nation and its genesis to what is now called Zimbabwe.
The day offers cinematic reflection of a journey of national “becoming”. Celebrating national events such as the independence provokes public discussion regarding the content and meaning of national values, shared experiences and socio-political unity. The celebrations become an important arena in which the state makes the nation manifest in the hearts and minds of its citizens.
This year’s independence memory comes at a time the country is facing a tough time of dealing with a pandemic whose prongs and teeth have forced society into lock and key. Four decades ago on 18 April, Zimbabwe devoted itself to mending the social distancing whose imbalance rendered “some animals more equal than others”, as George Orwell comically put it. It is the memory of the quad decades that every man and sundry, yesterday, introspected.
More generally, celebrations such as 40 years constitute dense moments of the symbolic, ritual and discursive construction of nationhood.
They both consolidate and at the same time redefine the nation by, on the one hand, enhancing citizens’ emotional attachment to it, and on the other hand by providing an opportunity for vigorous debates regarding national history, current achievements and problems, and visions for the future.
The Number 40, mentioned 146 times in the biblical scriptures generally symbolises a period of testing, trial or probation. Sunday school taught us that during Moses’ life he lived 40 years in Egypt and 40 years in the desert before God selected him to lead his people out of slavery. Moses was also on Mount Sinai for 40 days and nights, on two separate occasions (Exodus 24:18, 34:1-28), receiving God’s laws.
He also sent spies, for 40 days, to investigate the land God promised the Israelites as an inheritance (Numbers 13:25, 14:34). The prophet Jonah powerfully warned ancient Nineveh, for 40 days, that its destruction would come because of its many sins. The prophet Ezekiel laid on His right side for 40 days to symbolise Judah’s sins (Ezekiel 4:6). Elijah went 40 days without food or water at Mount Horeb. Jesus was tempted by the devil not just three times, but many times during the 40 days and nights he fasted just before his ministry began. He also appeared to his disciples and others for 40 days after his resurrection from the dead.
Looking yonder the Bible, there is much to celebrate as much as there is more we can learn. The response to the land question, child and gender policies, enhanced access to education, of course products of the Growth with Equity policy are snippets of what can be celebrated. As much, there is much to learn about how inclusive and truly “national” the 40 years have built Zimbabwe to be.
The lessons to be drawn from the four decades centre on three main issues. First, political inclusiveness, which concerns, among other issues, the plurality of participants, tolerance of divergent views, deliberate obscurity of ethnicity in political leadership and embracing new political culture of celebrating freedom of political expression regardless of affiliation. On that note, policies, however, informed by politics should be mainly seen for their utility not their origin.
As a result, the mandate of the Government is to ensure that democratisation approaches applied in situating the ideological setting of the national agenda is in line with the country’s liberation values and norms. This entails positioning the national agenda in the interests of the Umvukela/Chimurenga. This view equally translates to defending national interest within the context of the legacy of the collective pro-African national consciousness.
The second point of lesson regards the 40 year’s social inclusiveness, that is, the extent to which the symbols, citizenship, the market space and religion with all its varying facets address the ‘grass-roots’ where poverty is a residing character. Some sections of our community have argued that we have not spent our resources on investing in social infrastructure and poverty reduction. Well, a raving debate exists to that regard because much strides such as provision of low-cost housing, improved access to water and energy and enhancements to increasing access to education for girls and rural children have been made. In spite of that success, there are still lessons we should draw from the successes and challenges we have faced in attempts to address social infrastructure inadequacies and poverty reduction in the 40 years. We have a lot to learn and do.
Finally, the third lesson concerns the ethnic and regional inclusiveness, that is how public funds should be geographically distributed and to which degree all regions and ethnic groups could identify with the independence. It is the Government’s mandate to ensure that public goods are readily available for all citizens regardless of their race, ethnicity, gender and class. Success in this regard will redefine nationalism and align it to its expected course of modernity which will see the absolute eradication of the ugly marginalities of the past which were legally enacted through the divisive attributes of the colonial system. Suffice to say, a great measure of progress has been made to ensure everyone enjoys the fruits of an independent Zimbabwe.
Ethnic and regional inclusiveness has been for a long time been a raging discourse in Zimbabwe. So much that arguments of “marginalisation” bore the constitutional Section 264 which speaks of devolution of governmental powers and responsibilities.
This, as of 2019 effected the disbursement of devolution funds to respective local governments.
This year’s independence celebrations must give room for introspective loyalty to what the nation has gained and that which it seeks to gain from the incentives of the Chimurenga. As we reflect on 40 years of independence, we must audit the extent to which as a country we have remained consistent and loyal to the tenets of liberation. Moreover, genuine lovers of the Republic must constantly hold anyone accountable for all their actions. This way, we can collectively account for the successes and lessons for tomorrow.
Online Reporter