Govt not sidelining Matabeleland

“Indigenise, indigenise, indigenise!.”
These words or their synonyms have almost become a ritualistic chorus for leaders decrying a decidedly malignant reticence by people in Matabeleland vis a vis the indigenisation and economic empowerment drive by the Government.
The latest voice of concern came earlier last week from former Midlands Governor Cde Cephas Msipa who urged residents of Bulawayo to stop moaning and spring into action by taking control of industries that remain in the hands of foreigners, 31 long years after the dawn of independence and sovereignty.
Freedom from colonial rule does not merely translate into Zimbabwean political leaders occupying cushy offices from which white racist rulers cracked whips on the backs of blacks, nor the translocation of our people from noisy high density to quiet, suburban homes where blacks were visible as either gardeners, cooks or baby minders.
These scenarios only amount to a shadow of freedom because real freedom means the control of both political and economic power, which is vested in the means of production and which by and large remain in the intractable grip of foreign companies with their parent bodies in the West which is at war economically with Zimbabwe.
With the means of production in Zimbabwe’s hands the country’s destiny will be guaranteed even in an opaque future because we will have the reins of industry and commerce, the geese that lay the golden eggs in our tight grip.
Yet people in Matabeleland, who will be probably counted on both hands, appear to be waiting for the Government to handover to them stakes in foreign companies on a platter, while their counterparts in other regions grab the initiatives by moving into partnerships with foreign owners of companies at stake. Take land reform, for instance, grouses had been heard by people in Matabeleland to the fact that they were left behind in land procurement and allocation by the Government.
But did they or did they not just sit back and expect portions of land being foisted on them when they had not applied for the land physically or in writing. The duty of governments is to create the necessary ground work for economic empowerment by enacting people- friendly laws.
When such an enabling environment has been created, the people must then complement government efforts by taking the initiatives to implement the laws and policies of empowerment rather than hold their heads in their hands and moan as though someone deliberately excluded them from programmes of self-actualisation laid on for every Zimbabwean citizen or bonafide residents where that also applies.
Not so long ago a leader of a certain nondescript political party is on record as opposing the Indigenisation and Empowerment Act describing it as ultra-vires human rights, as the law, in his argument, meant that whites who owned companies set for indigenisation had their rights arbitrarily violated.
Of course such a negative reading of empowerment for black people can be expected of leaders seeking ingratiation support from western countries with companies operating in Zimbabwe.
But Zimbabweans, politically mature now as they ought to be, should see through such transparent, play-boy political gimmicks and get on with empowering themselves and the country.
The danger in playing willful truant, where other Zimbabweans see opportunities created for them by their Government, and later cry foul play is that such people open doors to Zimbabwe’s enemies to come marching in and teaming up with the disaffected complainants causing unrest or worse.
“Self-determination”, “shaping our own destiny” etcetera together formed the signature tune of both the peaceful struggle for independence in the fifties and sixties during the armed revolutionary struggle culminating with Uhuru in the 1980.
These declarations meant exactly what they said, that Zimbabweans wanted independence and freedom as catalysts for self-realisation and self actualisation without a white man looking over their shoulders.
The sluggards should keep their loud mouths shut and not pull down by the shirt those Zimbabweans who know the serious implications of independence and freedom for both themselves and their country.
In short, those who blame the Government for “leaving us behind” should actually blame themselves for preferring to remain at the tail end of things rather than moving with the times.
lSteve Mpofu is a former editor of The Sunday Mail and the Chronicle.