My Voice, My Zim

Personally, my perception of this country is influenced by the rural background in which I grew up in. Where I would wake up at 4 am to assist my parents to do work before I go to school which was 4km away. I never perceived that as child labour but as training. I went to a catholic school, Kutama Secondary School in Zvimba for my secondary and trained as a teacher. While at Kutama I became a catholic and still am a practising one. Because of missionaries that taught us such as the likes of one Brother Arthur I was influenced to join politics and liberate ourselves during the then white colonial system.

I joined the liberation struggle via Botswana where I mobilised war fighters. Thus, I wish to see a Zimbabwe which has its natural resources in the pockets of Zimbabweans and not of foreigners. These resources should be shared among Zimbabweans and how it is distributed is another case but Zimbabweans, Zanu (PF), MDCs, MKD and other parties decide on their own how to use or distribute the resources.

I want a Zimbabwe which should never be allowed to forget that it was once a British colony in which Zimbabweans were made to believe that they are inferior and a ‘white’ door is superior to a ‘black’ door. I want a Zimbabwe where the greater equaliser of people’s statuses is education and all cultures of all people are uplifted without discrimination and people are afforded their freedom of worship.

Patricia Mlalazi, Harare- I would like to see a prosperous Zimbabwe where I am free to wear what I want, to discuss any views in public without fear, take my kids to the school I want them to go to without being restricted by school fees. I want to be able to do what I was able to do 15 years ago, that is to go on holiday three times a year. I want to be able to choose not eat certain foods because I don’t want to not because I cannot afford to. I want to be able to move jobs when I feel I want to not to be restricted because there are no other choices. I want my kids to go to any university they want to and not to be restricted to for example, only the University of Zimbabwe. I want to be able to say to my friends in other countries they can visit me when they want to without the threat of travel warnings from their governments on Zimbabwe. I want to stand in international gatherings and proudly say I am from Zimbabwe without worrying about how people will judge me.

Dr Godfrey Kanyenze, Director of the Labour and Economic Development Research Institute of Zimbabwe- A Zimbabwe that respects people’s rights, an environment where there is freedom of speech and movement, where people exercise their rights and the police protect people’s rights. I want a Zimbabwe where people enjoy socio-economic rights such as water, sanitation and food security and where people are free from poverty.

James, Mt Pleasant, Harare-A Zimbabwe which is governed by the rule of law, where there is freedom of speech, freedom of expression and association. A Zimbabwe where the youth are empowered and where everyone has the ability to earn a living.

Winning MDC-T Primary election candidate for Budiriro Constituency, Costa Machingauta says I want a Zimbabwe in which everyone is free. Where people get all necessary services that need be it health, education or food. I want a Zimbabwe which is productive and vibrant. A Zimbabwe free of fear, where there is press freedom and our reporters do their work without fear. We want a Zimbabwe in which what our liberators fought for is fulfilled which are respect of human rights and all freedoms.

Douglas Mwonzora, MDC-T spokesman- I want to see a free, just and democratic Zimbabwe where everything is done fairly and where everybody has the right to exploit lawful opportunity.

Councillor Mollen Rutsate of Norton Ward 3: I want a peaceful country with loving leaders. A Zimbabwe in which all sectors whether private or public adhere to good governance. Good governance would eradicate corruption. I want a Zimbabwe where we share the little resources we have in this country.

Freeman Kanungo (23) a vendor: I want a Zimbabwe with a caring government that is innovative and create employment opportunities for every citizen. A Zimbabwe where children and youth are afforded a chance to attend school.

Alexander Rusero, political analyst- As a liberal I want a Zimbabwe where there is tolerance, peace, love and above all acceptance of each other

Anna Starichi (23): I want a Zimbabwe that does not discriminate, where the rule of law is upheld. A Zimbabwe with God-fearing leaders who consider their people before making decisions. By this I mean the people must be consulted and involved in national issues at grassroots level through their elected leaders.

Peace country with food. – Gunisto Magunela @magunela

I want a free and democratic Zim.full of peaple who think about the future. via SMS

Mugabe gone. Nothing will improve in Zimbabwe until that happens. – Nibbs @nibbs007

Police are selling pple”s souls for a mare $5, what thy wnt on roadblok is jst a 5buks, thy dnt care abot pple’s safety, some drivers dnt hv licences, combi no adequate papers fitnes and insuarance, all thes thngs police dnt look at them only tak 5buks and let pple die, stop corruption plz 4 our own safety. via SMS

My hopes as expectations are: 1. Peaceful & Dignified polls, 2. Lifting remaining sanctions on the pple & their economy, 3. The Zim economic Renaissance shifting gears into a proper boom ASAP! – Natembeya James@NatembeyaJ

I would like to see a Zimbabwe that is peaceful, democratic and united society. – TechMark@alvintaffy

I refused to be abused by the MDC-T’s David Zungura while the police and the local justice authorities stand by and watch.Therefore I demand to be heard by Jacob Zuma. – White Mvula, Mhangura. via SMS

I want a Zimbabwe where we will trust the judiciary system,where there is a freedom of speech, where we control our resources and a Zimbabwe that create millions of job. – Nkosana R

l want freedom from opression.No to press censorship n propaganda. – Robert Kundhlande

Would luv to move freely without the threat of violence. – Phyllis R. Chikowore@phyllismadau

Less finger pointing & loose talk and more action just because WE CAN. Lost enough time lets get it together already. – Ruvi @tembotweeter

I hope 4 a more highly educated population, technologically savvy youth & an empowered girl-child @PrepandMaiden

I want a country governed by people we freely elect, not by those appointed through negotiations of any kind. I hope one day we will see winning parly seats without loss of life or limb as a normal occurrence and not something to brag about. – UberZimbo@UberZimbo

I wish for a day when 70 is cut off point to hold political office.Anybody above 70yrs NO! – Rufaz wa~Mavhure@Mavhure

I want to see a growing economy whe young graduates can get jobs and not roam the streets when in fact they are educated. – Cmba mupiwi@simbamupiwi

To become the food bowl of Africa again. – Many Johnson

2b free 2 choose gvt we want and freedom of speech without fear. – Rodgers Xitsakisi

A #Zim where there is an environment in which the mineral resource base is leveraged to spur economic growth. – Ngonidzashe Muzondo @NgoniMuzondo

I love my zimbabwe so much bt ubandlululo ngama langauge akume coz we wil neva improve. In zim ther are so many laungages abt 10, so there is no betta langauge than the other. The only way for us to be betta is to stop triabalism thnk abt it hey – Mayibongwe Tshuma

Peace love and harmony

A free & a beta Zimbabwe, new government & new beginning – Blessing Sibanda

Zim is my home and l need it and am proud to be one – Pauline Chikosha

Ngatichinjeyi hurumende we need developments muzimbabwe umo not kuba (Let us change the government, we need development in Zimbabwe and not the looting of resources) – Bule Tigere

We need a change and we still have hope. – PROUDLY ZIMBABWEAN

Zimbabwe should be for anybody willing to rebuild and make it a super country, with all the inteligent people reasources we got, Zim can compete with SA. Lets make sure Zanu loses. – Shumba kuShabani

We need a Zimbabwe that will firmulate a model that will reopen manufacturing in Zimbabwe and regulated mining that employs people and a total maximisation of our farming resources. We want a youth programme that restores confidence! – Magdalene Mukandatsama -Dodo

We want a zimbabwe with lndustry nt inovharisa macompany we used to enjoy the tme when industries were functioning Mogiza chinja .tichatonga chete – T.m. via SMS

#myzim is prosperous, confident not paranoid abt its sovereignty, with freedom & justice even for weakest – Chofamba Sithole @Chofamba

#myzim freedom prosperity peace justice security – Alex Weir @Alexweir1949

I need a Zim with politicians who, whether from Nda, Nde or Ndu party respect pple’s rights & being accountability for any wrong doing according to the law. – Bee Moyo RSA

A nice Zim, free and wealthy. via SMS

In Zimbabwe we will need peace to follow the world peaceful. – via SMS

A zimbabwe with equal opportunities for jobs and

education. Fair treatment of all citizens irregardless of different opinions. – Baba jnr, Witbank, RSA. via SMS

I want a Zimbabwe that all other nations would admire because of the way she treats her less fortunate, the widows & orphans, the disabled & the old, the sick & the mentally challenged. A Zimbabwe that has leaders who are just and fair. A Zimbabwe that affords all citizens the opportunities for better life: – Yusuf Innocent Murove (Botswana) via SMS

Prouudly Zimbabwean, love uuu my motherland. FB

I love where from and I want to contribute to my people. – Ngoni Chikoore @Some1LikeNo1

A Zimbabwe where young people have enough faith in the political process that they believe they can create positive change #myzim. – Beyond Violence Zim @BVZimbabwe

I want to see a televised #Debate between the Presidential candidates in the next harmonized elections. #MyZim. – Mc Don @itsMcdope

We need job! more warkers to have better life. As like me l am suffering in reserve. I want a zimbabwe where there is peace and justice. via SMS

Wise words from a wiseman.we must join hands and build our country’s future.together we can make it.phansi lama war monger (down with war mongers) – Morgen Tshuma Sipho via SMS

Farmers to come back? Don’t you mean for the farming to take off so that everyone no matter what colour will have access to food and a livelyhood? – Chemwi N Mutiwanyuka via SMS

Lets fight hard so that we can rebuild our collapsed nation. Hw come a country ‘Zim’ with fertile soil and rich in minerals beg money from a desert country with only beef and diamonds ‘Botswana’. Guys a nation need good leadership in order for it to prosper. – Sammy Samboy Semmalo via SMS

We want peace inZimbabwe.

A peaceful and prosperous Zimbabwe via SMS

I want a free and progressing Zimbabwe via SMS

A Zim that sees no zimba continue to scuttle in servile fright in the face of the imperial dominionation ch history depicts drove our ancestral migratory tendencies,a situation that ‘copy_catted’ any of our purported landmark dvpments or achievements, À ZIM THAT’S ZIM. via SMS

Zimbabwe haivakwe ne vanhu vari kunze dzokai tivake nyika izwe rake Ma policy amudhara ndizvo anenge asingade mheno zvake kuno tafa nemari yefodya hameno iko murikufa nei oral

We want peace, Free zimbabwe

Guyz we are tired of this Inclusive Government this pple they concerned about their lives only both side. Zimbabweans we are suffering guyz.” – Alfa B Bahnu via SMS

Zimbabwe need much money to save the employers & help those who are suffering from many types of diseases. via SMS

A zimbabwe where all equal in the eyes of the law. A zimbabwe that belongs to all her citizens. – Bornfree Kurauone. via SMS

Tinehama dzedu dzakawanda dziri kushungurudzwa mumajere dzisina mhosva ndaizvingona hurumende yagona kutsvaka vanhu vezhinhata vanetsamba kana maporofita. via SMS

I want free and fair election

I want a peaceful and well developed country with good leaders. via SMS

A country which respects investor’s money – Tarirai T Marambanyika

I want a Zimbabwe with no violence. Zimbabwe with Freedom of speech & expression, Zimbabwe with leaders who has people at heart – Robson Robie Mutimusakwa

We need food security – Dumisani Ngungu

With free movement, freedom of association with jobs and food on the table etc. – Tonderai Mugari

Vamirire vanhu vasina mhosva

I hope of a Zimbabwe that respect my property rights nomatter how minuscule the possession as long as it is important to me. How else can I accummulate wealth when every little thing I own is being destroyed or stolen yet I get no justice. – White Mvula, Mhangura. via SMS

Hellow Zimbabweans remember not that on this land. Hapana chisingaperi. Yakwana nguva yokudada nenyika yedu Zimba. Anoerera rwizi save mutupo verudzi rukuru. Remekedzaivo zvipo zvevamwe. – Mlambo Silas Mutare via SMS

We are colors of the rainbow, we can share that pot of gold..there is enough for everyone. -vanessa banda @FUNtastyC_vee

I hope Zim holds peaceful polls where one political party will win to end the hackling associated with GNU. – shez @sharontawuya1