Can someone make Matabeleland defeatism make sense?

Debate within Matabeleland has focused on the regions’ net marginalisation within the context of the Zimbabwean socio-political regime. To date we have avoided the discussion on the crisis of the socialisation and spread of defeatism that has presided over real loss of local power to the majority ethnic Shona groups. The region has given up on the sense of optimism. For the sake of progress, let us look at how we can recreate our socio-political space so that the ‘it can’t be done’ posture can be increasingly interrupted by someone doing it.

How did we get to this point where a nation of historical warriors has been socialised into passivity, and turned into hopeless victims? To adults in the room, the first couple of years after gaining independence in 1980 was the last time Matabeleland took decisions that required boldness or innovation. Think of the so-called Entumbane disturbances when ZIPRA forces stood up and pushed back at the unfair treatment by the Shona dominated ministry of defence. In response, the ZAPU leadership led by Joshua Nkomo decided to take what it perceived to be high moral ground and de-escalate the situation.

When Nkomo flew over the skies of Bulawayo to convince the ZIPRA forces to lay down their arms and go back to the barracks, he did not just domesticate the ZIPRA bees, he tamed them leaving not only these gallant fighters vulnerable but exposing the entire nation of Matabeleland to the Robert Mugabe led ZANU brutality. Gukurahundi immediately followed. From 1983, we became tentative, suspicious, and dull. We learned, as a nation, to bite our tongue and fold our tail behind ourselves and to look to the future with a wary eye.

To change something, one must understand the context of its existence – who created it, what brought it, why it is good or a problem, and what is maintaining it. Fully appreciate what would constitute change and progress in your situation. The political miscalculations and the cult of personality of Joshua Nkomo that shielded him from scrutiny in both ZAPU and Matabeleland form the foundations of Matabeleland’s post-independence challenges.

Now, a synopsis of what has happened to the nation of Matabeleland: we have given in to defeat, to the related despair and stopped trying. In our response to the crushing Gukurahundi brutality and abuse or real and perceived loss of control under the incompetent rule of an ethnic Shona dominated tribalist regime, we have convinced ourselves over time that there is no escape, and whenever chances of escape have presented, we have cowered and will not act, we have become nihilists who trust futility over optimism.

Battles and wars are won by those with the absolute determination to win; those prepared to take the bull by the horns. We must push back at nihilism, make every opportunity for optimism count towards countering the crushing weight of helplessness. Let us not be limited by the fear of failure; if we are to fail, let it be with pride. For ideas to translate to usable products, we need action; they need to be tried out in real life, and we accept things may go wrong in that process, but the next generation will know us as the previous generation that objected to a life of servitude and vigorously fought for justice.

Fighting established fear and defeatist thoughts is difficult but not impossible; let us try one more time, and ‘one more time’ should be our adopted approach in how we deal with injustice and human failure in all its forms. Where we place our trust matters. Local projects require local enthusiasm, local investment, and local actors; do not entrust a slave master with your freedom because it does not serve his interests well, he will jeopardise it at every turn.

Matabeleland is neither an extension of Mashonaland nor its people an appendage of South Africa. We are an independent nation that falls within the boundaries of the contemporary state of Zimbabwe, South Africa is our neighbour. When we walk in Zimbabwe, let us walk like we belong, no apologies.  It is not tribalist to demand local control over local institutions; it is not tribalism to expect local communities to be addressed in their local languages while receiving public services.

What freedom fighters of Matabeleland require to eradicate gender-based, religion-based, race-based, and tribe-based discrimination, violence, and marginalisation is to identify and replace loopholes of the modern-day chain of human abuse. We will start with the decolonisation of the mind to uproot the implanted ideas of inferiority with positive self-perceptions that promote an internalised local self-respect-based attitude and break the chains of self-doubt at any opportunity. Let us take control of our history so it reflects our understanding of the past as experienced by local communities. The history of our past must be written, told, and taught by locals so emphasis is placed on those events and experiences that are truly essential for the progress of our society.