34 Years has it been Independence or Dependence for most Zimbabweans? How about Me?

In 1972 aged 5, my mother packed our (Michael, Martin & Nathan) bags as we began a journey that would later lead to some of the most significant and memorable experiences we would have in our lives. As we left Zimbabwe for Botswana for the very first time all I could recall as a child was the excitement of travelling on the train, buses and later my first flight out of Africa. I also recall a moment when we met my late uncle Ngwiza who took us to a very dark room in Botswana, don’t ask me what the room was for as I don’t know but that dark moment is still engraved in my memory from the experience.

From Botswana our flight passed through Kenya where we stayed a few days before connecting to London and eventually arriving in the USA Washington D.C. My dad who had already left earlier was there to welcome us to this new environment with a Kentucky fried chicken meal. I obviously had no clue what the purpose and status of our living in the United States was however looking back now I would say that was the first time I was a political refugee. My dad had found us a house in a small town called Rose Mary Hills where I and my older brother Michael were enrolled at Rose Mary Hills Preparatory School.

During our stay in the USA we met Martin Luther King Junior’s family, John Denver the musician at a place called Sky Lake who took me for a boat ride and many other celebrated individuals that I cannot recall perhaps because there was no significant connection between me and them. Strangely I never even knew that my dad was busy studying for his Theological degree at the time nor his intentions or involvement in any political activities back home, but when I look back I can see similarities to what I have eventually found myself pursuing after returning to higher education in the U.K.

After a few years living in the USA the family eventually decided to return to then Rhodesia. My dad was arrested at the airport on arrival and sent to then Gatooma Prison (Kadoma Prison) and later transferred to WhaWha Detention Centre where he joined Joshua Nkomo, Robert Mugabe and many other political prisoners.  At the time though much older I still did not understand the political implications or the reasons why the police had suddenly taken away my dad. We moved to a new location called New Luveve where my mother got a teaching job at the local school Mashayisokhova Primary and where we were also enrolled. I joined in grade 5 and in the middle of grade 7 we moved from Bulawayo to live in Harare. Before our move to Harare my dad and all the other political prisoners were released from prison to go attend the Lancaster Agreement in London, it was on their return from talks to end the liberation war that Zimbabwe Independence was celebrated with Mugabe as first Prime Minister of Zimbabwe and Banana first President of Zimbabwe.

Again for me it was a moment of great excitement as we were put up at Meikles Hotel waiting for Lord Soames and his family to vacate State House. Whilst staying at the Meikles Hotel we bumped into a lot of world leaders who had come to attend Zimbabwe Independence Celebrations, we met Indira Ghandi who was Prime Minister of India, Captain Thomas Sankara who was President of Burkina Faso and Kenneth Kaunda then President of Zambia, by the way most of them met us bare footed running playing along the corridors of the hotel (free souls we were). Because of security and logistics we were not allowed to attend the independence celebration at Rufaro Stadium.

So after all dignitaries had departed back to their countries we eventually moved into what was to become our home for the next 8 years (State House Harare).  It was indeed an exciting moment for us as kids and probably for our parents too as I am sure they never ever imagined themselves rising to such levels in their careers though for me many things were probably happening faster than I could comprehend. Bob Marley and the Wailers were invited to State House to meet the President and his family and as usual our natural child mentality helped us find ourselves shaking hands with them barely dressed for the occasion, I don’t think Bob and crew minded but I’m sure my dad was not too impressed as future meetings the staff made sure we remained in our rooms. Gradually our new home became like an Luxurious Prison, naturally as kids you want to play with other kids, there was obviously plenty room to run your heart out and plenty grounds to take long walks, our friends became the State House Staff, the CIO a, the Police and Presidential Guards and eventually it became a very frustrating experience being unable to leave at will to visit friends from school.

 I guess our newly found independence did not really give us the kind of freedom we would have wanted to experience, everything eventually had red-tape and one could not simple walk out of the gate to go to the local shops. In the 8 years at State House we only had one State arranged holiday to Mozambique at the invitation of Samora and Gracia Machell, we had also been invited by the Royal Family in Sweden but red-tape meant the trips never materialised. As a way out of State House I personally started training with what was initially the staff football team that later became known as State House Tornados. That became my best ticket out of the executive prison and it kind of also helped me grow closer to most football players at the time.

Fast forward after my ‘O’ Levels which I had to try and fit in study during our holiday to Mozambique I did not get very good grades and some of my results were still not out, as with all influences I also wanted to proceed to try ‘A’ level study with the hope of studying Law at the University of Zimbabwe. Because my older brother had been attested into the Air force of Zimbabwe suggestions were thrown at me to join the Police Force, when I look back I think it was all an attempt to copy the British Royal Family blue print of ensuring  the children do some service in the forces.

Well when your dad is President and  commander in Chief you gradually also end up fear respecting him like all the staff members around him, I am sure it would not be nice to be seen to be answering him back in front of his Aides, so his Secretary convinced me if I joined the Police I would through them be sent to study my Law Degree at the University, so I eventually found myself at Tomlinson Training depot being trained as a Police Constable (I was not impressed as that was the lowest entry rank in the force which meant I had to salute everybody). My dad resigned from Office to make way for a new Executive Presidency designed to bring peace and prosperity to Zimbabweans after the dirty gukurahundi atrocities that saw the killing of Ndebele people. As a result of this change all that was planned for some of us became less important for obvious reasons.

Police work was too repetitive for me, so I left after 2 years’ service to join the Counter Insurgence Intelligence Unit in Mutare to work on cross border security work during the Mozambican Civil war with Renamo. I began living a very high risk life style working with JOC on operations along the border with Mozambique, I was well equipped with a pistol and 4 spare magazines, an AK 47 with another 4 spare magazines and a Land Cruiser 4x4 that could drive on any terrain. As with all first experiences in such scenario’s one is always uncomfortable and constantly alert but with time I no longer cared what would happen. There was times where I thought I was being sent on dangerous missions intentionally but always accepted and did my job to the best of my abilities. I eventually decided to transfer to Harare to join the Counter Intelligence Unit responsible for creating an anti-terrorist desk, the work was very interesting as I was responsible for South African Liberation Movements security threats and local Embassy screening for potential spies and terrorist organisations. Due to constantly being side-lined from promotion which was done in favour of ‘comrades’ and the increasing symptoms of corrupt practice within the institution I decided to call it quits after serving government for a total 8 years.

I became what was known as a ‘dealer’ at the time as getting a job in the private sector was like starting a new career. Those who were seen as good dealers at that time were people like Kieth Guzha, Phillip Chiyangwa, Lee Sithole just to mention a few, I remember Chiyangwa had offices along Samora Machel and a Garage where he sold luxury cars imported from South Africa. I was very small only acting as a middle man to connect or source information for potential investors and buyers. I remember almost striking a deal to set-up a Precious Stone cutting business after having created a lot of mining links in the Emerald Mining Business, red-tape in the issuing of a licence ended that prospect prematurely.

34 years is a long time to tell a story, some of those years I have had to spend them outside Zimbabwe out of curiosity and to explore life outside ‘The Banana Political Legacy’. What I mean is there was a time where I felt everything I did in Zimbabwe weather working in government or negotiating for a deal or trying to date a girl was always affected by my family background sometimes positively and on other occasions negatively. I had to find some neutral ground where I could grow and be appreciated without first being judged in terms of where I come from, sadly the saying ‘you cannot run away from your problems’ is true as even though I may have found peace from name association in South Africa I was still name associated with ‘Makwekwere’ and some South African’s naturally hated foreigners.  In the U.K one was faced with similar problems of classification ‘Immigrants or asylum Seekers’, people always have so much things to say about those things they do not understand about people.

Fast forward to 2008 after having been in Zimbabwe in 2007 last I looked into Zimbabwe from outside and the negative media sources I had access to did not really help make the new shocking discoveries I learnt about the decline of a once great nation any easier comprehend. I also had my own sources on the ground to substantiate some of the claims and though some of the reports were exaggerated they were not too far from the reality. In 2013 I decided to go and see for myself and what I saw is definitely far from what I remember from 1980, I got the feeling that a new social structure had been invented, it’s either you were filthy rich and untouchable, barely surviving living a lie and playing the obedient citizen or extremely poor and free to be manipulated by the few rich and powerful for a pittance.

Was Independence a simple exchange of roles from an organised minority white rich and influential to a black minority powerful greedy and selfish self-serving individuals hiding behind the banner of the true liberation heroes of our time? How long shall we sit and watch from the side-lines in the comfort of our former master’s land as economic slaves working for a living and not making a living? We need a changed mind-set, we need fresh ideas, fresh leadership and a fresh approach to finding solutions to our problems.

The time for victim mentality and opposition politics is past it’s sell by date, we must break away from this inherited culture of dependency and start taking ownership of our future, only together working towards common objectives focused and directing our individual strengths in a complementary manner can we see the results of our independence. Let’s leave our sad past to history books but learn from those mistakes to build a better future, no amount of blaming and finger pointing the past will change the future, we must all make an effort to change our little circles and naturally add to the bigger circle of change.

Free your mind!