What change means in Matabeleland

Change to how we are governed is not only central to Matabeleland society’s political dreams, but it is long overdue. There needs to be urgent changes in how Harare operates so government serves the public not the wealthy and powerful elites and certain tribes, not others. The current cult of personality has stripped institutions of their powers and left the country open to majoritarian tyranny and the vices of powerful elites.

It can be argued that contempt of the institutions of governance and loyalty to power has damaged social cohesion and the integrity of government in Zimbabwe and many other African states. When institutions no longer serve the public but are used as a vital nerve for individuals to get closer to power and benefits that come with that proximity, the integrity of institutions is compromised.

Matabeleland will continue to reject the Zimbabwe state configuration and government priorities. We believe government institutions lack the will to extend power to all regions because the heads of departments owe their loyalty to the executive branch and have genuine fears of upsetting the goals of consolidation of power to an ethnic Shona cult, ZANU PF, and the cult leader – president Mnangagwa.

Goals of the ZANU PF-led state are an open secret – the Shonalisation of the state and deprecation of everyone else. ZANU PF is only comfortable with managing Matabeleland and finds calls by locals for its empowerment reprehensible.

When we talk of change in Matabeleland, we do not refer to a cult of personality and being led by a Ndebele rather, we envision a time when the rule of law will be integral to how we are governed, when all will be equal before the law.

Experience of a nationalist and tribalized government in Zimbabwe is that it reduces certain population groups to subhumans and treats them as such. Matabeleland has endured the worst of a cultist political movement and has been calling the loudest for change, and the change we envisage looks like this: power shared fairly across society not over certain population groups and unity conceived as the harmonious togetherness of people with different perspectives, skills, and beliefs, all working toward a common goal and never to be confused with uniformity which is the state of everyone being the same, often achieved by forcing people to conform and suppressing differences. People being respected for who they are is the dream.

The integrity of institutions is vital to justice. When those who lead government institutions wilfully subvert laws for the sake of proximity to power, they become the law unto themselves while the institutions become meaningless and expensive, and the average person and marginalised communities are pushed even further away from justice. Matabeleland suffers injustice in Zimbabwe because those who are meant to lead government departments serve the leader of the executive branch and are only accountable to the cult leader, not the people.

Political localism will address many of the problems Africa faces in its countries. The principle of localism as construed in Matabeleland is not mere isolationism, but it is justified ‘protectionism’ — it protects local interests and is the best assurance of representative governance and insurance against consolidation of power in the executive branch.

And the idea that Matabeleland leadership should be made up of and influenced by locals does not imply any prejudice against individuals from elsewhere. The principle of localism whenever referred to in Matabeleland always implies the principle of respect of diversity, improving human interaction, and reducing government in local activities.

It is our view that real improvements in Matabeleland must come mainly from local households, entrepreneurs and communities. Local communities must review our socio-political and economic engagement which include methods of land use and production, the education system and delivery methods. We need to research and work together to reduce waste and environmental devastation by bringing local decision-making into harmony with local ecosystems.

Reducing government and the burdens of government is core to the Matabeleland socio-economic and political argument. We believe the region and its inhabitants must retain socio-economic self-determination with greatly reduced central government interference.

The localisation of socioeconomic and political activity offers opportunity for ordinary citizens to protect the region from destructive policies that deprive local communities of the control of local resources. We must do everything possible to provide to ordinary citizens access to local resources and equal access to opportunity to participate in local economy. By so doing, we provide for opportunities for local capital to work locally.

Real structural change in Matabeleland that sees power being returned to the ordinary citizen is not the responsibility just for the privileged, the wealth elites, and the powerful. It is everybody’s responsibility. The public must detach themselves from ambitious national socio-economic and political policies that exploit and destroy local communities. All practicable steps must be taken to oppose and undermine systems that show no mercy toward local communities.