Years of selective justice and targeted state brutality have convinced people of Matabeleland to reconsider their place in Zimbabwean politics. Wide ranging ideals have come into consideration, from strategic disengagement to total withdrawal from mainstream politics. We argue that disengagement from all political activity in Zimbabwe will not be beneficial to Matabeleland. Such a route poses a threat to our politics that leans towards freedom as opposed to restraint.
We argue that non-participation, as a political strategy, offers no tangible benefits to communities in Matabeleland. People can choose not to participate in some or all aspects of politics, but they cannot insulate themselves from the outcomes of politics.
It is important that the average person appreciates that Matabeleland’s political destiny is his business. The choice of noncommitment and non-participation in all Zimbabwean political activity will not address Matabeleland’s immediate and long-term socioeconomic and political issues.
Communities must understand that results of political choices, including the choice not to make a choice often do not require your consent to affect you. It will make a lot of sense that when you opt for non-participation you associate with good people to build protective measures for your community against the combined machinery of politicians.
While in stable democracies some reflective non-participation may be democratically desirable and indeed, demonstrably enhance democracy, in flailing democracies like Zimbabwe’s, non-participation is just another way of mandating your destiny to government.
If you think your non-participation will cause government to pause and try and engage you at your level, think again. Zimbabwe’s politics does not work on compassion, your choice not to participate will not cause guilt or change the behaviour of those in power, it instead, emboldens the state to extend its reach and increase your vulnerability.
We view blanket non-participation either in the form of boycotts or silence or disengagement as participation and compliance, in other ways. When our people withdraw from active political participation, they grant government unchecked mandate to enforce a mountain of laws and regulations.
Reflectivity opens our minds about what we need just as it helps us understand what we do not need. Matabeleland’s social and political space has long been destabilised by unethical features of systematic tribalism which defines mainstream politics in Zimbabwe. We need practicable strategies to break the barriers laid by mainstream politics and non-participation will not help us achieve that goal but will only leave a vacuum to be filled by surrogates of tribalists in Harare.
A political framework that reflects diversity, equity and inclusion does project Matabeleland’s social space and is vitally important for our dreams of a future of political and economic dignity. What is required is that we build strong associations of local good people that will provide vital local links with communities to promote local democratic networks and provide a vital platform for a sustained collective push back on the damaging policies of the make-believe democracy of Zimbabwe.
We require intentionality of political behavioural shift away from reflective non-participation to participation to reshape Matabeleland’s political destiny. Let us be clear that those who complain about how bad Zimbabwean politics is to Matabeleland and its residents are not activists, activists are those taking practical steps to improve the political experience of all people of Matabeleland.
Key to political remodelling will not be political abstinence but not making Matabeleland hospitable to mainstream politics in Zimbabwe. This is where strong local networking comes in handy. We need to build local associations and coalitions to form a local power block that will take care of local political business.
We need to figure out better and cost-effective ways of turning a politically disaffected and disengaged middle class and youth into an enthusiastic and powerful political activism machine that will advance Matabeleland’s cause.
Gender competence will be essential in creating local policies that reflect the whole society. We must acknowledge that women and girls are the largest and traditionally marginalised constituency in our economic and political space and that has negative social, economic and political outcomes in the region.
We argue that genuine development in Matabeleland will only be realised when we restore the dignity and invest in the optimisation of the capacity of women and girls. For our long-term growth, we must intentionally create and open a safe zone for women and girls to participate in all activities in our communities; we must deliberately pay attention to policies that empower women and girls among other vulnerable population groups.
The political destiny of Matabeleland is our responsibility. Choosing not to participate in all Zimbabwean political processes still reflects a choice, but not the right choice. And when you think about it, it is a self-deprecating choice that perpetuates and maintains the worst outcomes for the region. It literally surrenders responsibility of decisions about our communities to others. We need pragmatism to take an intentional, practical, and responsible path to take control of our communities and change our destiny to ensure social equity and political stability, economic growth and equal access to opportunity.
MTHWAKAZI INDEPENDENT 