Key to the resuscitation of the Mthwakazi social, economic and political space will be making decisions and acting to avoid the paralyzing indecisiveness; we must aim for accountability and ensuring choices align with future goals. It is about our priorities, knowing our biases and embracing the notion that we are not anyone’s victims but masters of our destiny. It is only our educated judgement, choices and decisions that will shape our destiny.

As long as we live, there is no moment when a decision is not being made, including that moment when you opt to walk away from making one, that of itself is a decision being made. For that reason, Mthwakazi would rather face the risk of making the wrong decision than the terror of incapacitating indecision.

Faced by an existential threat, a worsening socio-economic structure and objective decline in political grip by Mthwakazi locals, deepening poverty, lack of public enthusiasm in local matters and disengagement in most things Zimbabwe, Mthwakazi recognises the importance of actively making decisions about its future, its social, economic and political power structure now and identifying pathways to explore.

Let us ensure every decision on local welfare systems, economic activity, land use, natural resources exploitation will be made to benefit Mthwakazi residents and families. We must protect our communities, traditions and culture from destructive effects of indecision.

There is general acceptance that making decisions is the foundational element of politics and society because it is through making decisions that values, priorities, and resources translate into tangible actions that manage, shape, and direct our collective action. It is decisions we make in various areas of Mthwakazi life that determine how the region engages with the Zimbabwe administration, e.g., how public funds are distributed, how fairly laws are enforced, and how our communities navigate crises, ultimately defining social justice, and economic development.

Local clarity of goals to be pursued and how Mthwakazi defines itself determines its engagement with Zimbabwe systems and institutions – whether we see Mthwakazi as an independent state or a region in the contemporary Zimbabwe state determines our inert relationship with the administration. In turn our relationship with the administration plays a key role in how the state engages with us.

We can begin by acknowledging that Mthwakazi is a region in Zimbabwe; that is the reality we must face so we can make realistic decisions about wider expectations of the country. Mthwakazi must make Zimbabwe work for her like any normal country does for its citizens; we must expect and ensure that it provides shelter and opportunity to citizens in the region, and in turn Mthwakazi must contribute to the wellbeing of Zimbabwe.

It is imperative that we call Zimbabwe to account and that the systems and institutions reflect our interests and needs. What is possible is more a matter of attitude; a matter of decision, it is to choose among the – at times – impossible possibilities when that one sound opportunity becomes a possible solution.

Even if our citizenship in the independent Zimbabwe is in no doubt, if we behave as though we were uncertain, we will look and feel like second rate citizens suffering the terror of indecisions and always waiting for instructions from Harare on which part of the Zimbabwean soil to step on, and how. We will not feel like we belong until we decide we do.

The future we create is incumbent upon the choices we make and the actions we take today. In moments of decision, we face several possibilities – at best we do the right thing, alternatively, we do the wrong thing, but the worst thing we can do is nothing.

However, this is not to promote recklessness and endanger Mthwakazi people; care must be taken when making decisions because a single decision can spawn a thousand others that were entirely unnecessary or it can bring peace to a thousand places whose existence was not even known to us.

Decisions about how government should behave toward citizens are ours to make, they cannot be delegated to others; we can give formal mandate to our representatives to present our interests to government, but we must never surrender the power to act on our opinions. Our opinions and interests, not what others think of our decisions, will always determine our action.

Participation in decisions is fundamental to Mthwakazi’s future. Crucially, what we believe affects our views, questions and choices which in turn shape our actions. Our actions determine our outcomes. So, how we manage our legitimate dreams of re-establishing an independent Mthwakazi state is important; it is important that such dreams do not distract Mthwakazi from making decisions about her wellbeing in Zimbabwe. All we do must be in the best interest of the region and the country; we must be aware of the potential bias of seeing Zimbabwe as merely a temporary home which may cause a subconscious withdrawal from participating in long-term decision-making processes.