Zimbabwe Human rights groups and opposition political parties unite to shun independence celebrations

This rare cooperation between political parties and civil society organisations showed unity in diversity in action. The event organized by Zimbabwe Human Rights Organisation (ZHRO) saw many groups coming together in solidarity. These groups which included, Restoration Of Human Rights (ROHR), Zimbabwe Citizens Initiative  (ZCI), Build Zimbabwe Alliance (BZA), ZAPU, MDC-T, Tajamuka etc.. all came together to complete a colourful event.

It was with heavy hearts that many Zimbabweans living in UK had to shun such an important national event, a day when we should be celebrating our freedom from bondage.

The celebration which is religiously observed at the ward, district, regional and national level every year can be done away with until democracy is restored.

What breaks the camel’s back is the amounts of money and time we invest into remembering that we were once not in charge of our own affairs when in fact, we are still in another kind of authoritarian rule.

The only liberation worth celebrating is the liberation of the mind. No wonder Marcus Garvey asserted – “emancipate yourself from mental slavery, non but ourselves can free our minds” – We have not achieved emancipation in Zimbabwe.

To embark on the road to independence; To secure our freedom toward a complete emancipation; and To build a just society,  requires the establishment and implementation of two important aims:
1. The restoration of human rights and democratic ideals based on the principle of “each for all and all for each”(Ubuntu) than the current ZANU PF model of “each for himself and God for us all”
2. We need to retain our human resources in order to attain development of our country on the basis of traditional democratic principles. The resources should be rescued from the ZANU PF predatory machinery.

Many Zimbabweans from the various political and human rights groups came together to reflect on what we now know is the counting of our country’s age since the transfer of political power from the Rhodesian
minority to the black majority.

Each group’s representative had an opportunity to address the rally. Indeed most expressed the sentiments, “what independence in absence of freedom, when 90% of the country is unemployed, people are being imprisoned on trumped up charges, and when people are frog marched to the polling stations”

The march from the Zimbabwean Embassy to 10 Downing Street drew hundreds of Londoners and tourists attention. On arrival to 10 Downing Street which coincided with the announcement of the 8th of June 2017

UK General Elections, led to the postponement of the Petition hand over which the organisers of #Take2Zimbabwe had booked with the officials at Downing Street.

However the drum beating, song and dance continued with each participant proudly hanging his/her flag round their necks. The support from the public was beyond belief, with hundreds stopping to sign the petition, take pictures, and videos of our posters and the rally in support of  #Take2Zimbabwe movement.

The independence of Zimbabwe is meaningless until it is linked with the total liberation of the people’s minds and citizenry. Civil society organisations have been brave enough to stand against the mockery of Zimbabweans.

The shunning of the Independence Day celebrations depicted a mass action whose goal, the ultimate goal is to be able to celebrate our independence as a free people.

The truth about the Zimbabwe independence, unlike the illusion that ZANU PF have, is that of a struggle between the interest of the minority ZANU elite class that is consistent with that of the Rhodesian regime as against the interests of the majority Zimbabwean people that is in contrast with that of the colonising forces and subsequently with ZANU PF.

The only difference is that the indigenous ZANU elites tend to be even much better at abusing their own people because  the difference is not easily seen. Therefore it is only a transfer of bondage from one racist and colonial system to a black ruled authoritarian and dictatorial system.

Many Zimbabweans do not realize that we are still under oppression. This makes it more dangerous. The numbers that came to the National Sports Stadium to watch ZANU celebrate their looting is depressing and heartbreaking. How can one have a solution when they do not know where the problem is?

Needless to say we are now dependent although agriculture was once the backbone of Zimbabwe’s economy before and a few years after independence.

The18th of April 1980 was indeed supposed to mark the beginning of an era in the life of a previously oppressed define people that today call themselves Zimbabweans.

This was supposed to be a transition from the reign of  few minority Rhodesian elite who were backed by the colonial gods of the West to that of an era when the Zimbabwean people had a choice of freely choosing our leaders and  to self-determine our own destiny. Zimbabwe had begun the monumental journey of a people determined to stair their own affairs into prosperity, a dream which is yet to be realized.

Unfortunately this independence has brought about more misery and despair. It is meaningless until it is linked with the total liberation of the people’s minds in order to restore democracy.

It is now time for the people of Zimbabwe to claim their role as the sacred custodians of their country by being vigilant in their choice of who assumes the leadership position of our country.