My trip to Zimbabwe

My trip to Zimbabwe in November was very enlightening but also very shocking. I stayed in both Bulawayo and Harare and I saw very massive differences in terms of the deterioration of standards in both roads and infrastructure, Bulawayo was like a ghost town with human Angels. I was amazed at how humble and polite the people in the community were regardless of the difficult economic challenges they were facing every single day. 

In Harare the deterioration of standards was also there but to a much lessor extent, there most people I met seemed to have accepted the conditions that are offered to them, there was no real excitement or that feeling of positive energy you sometimes get in people. The good places were very good but also very expensive and clearly distinguishable as social places for the more affluent in society, unfortunately for me i never really got a chance to engage with any of the wealthy and influential in society.

I guess the wealth of a country is not measured by the number of rich individuals in it but by the amount of poor people in society. Zimbabwe is very rich in terms of the many kind hearted people you meet in the streets, most of my old friends had become pastors..something I would have never even imagined they would one day become. My conclusion was there are a lot of opportunities for those with the capital to start off, and in terms of attitude I felt there was more people could do together than just waiting for government to come and help them fix their problems. Essentially government should only be there as a facilitator, helping society in the formulation and implimentation of polices that are capable of promoting growth in communities.

In Bulawayo there is approximately plus or minus one million individuals who potentially migrated to seek employment in other countries, the biggest being South Africa. Surely if these individuals all organised themselves into community based Trusts a monthly contribution of R50 each for say 500 000 individuals would raise R25 million a month which works out to R300 million per year..that's just half from South Africa and one region..surely a lot can be done with that kind of funding to help rejuvinate the communities they grew up in. 

This same approach could be applied to other regions in the country, but in-spite of our very high literacy rate we seem to be failing to trust each other when it comes to joint initiatives, we seem to struggle with issues of transparency and accountability which simple require consistent  and effective feed-back systems that build confidence in such group activities. 

I appreciate the bad experiences that some externalised citizens have had with relatives and individual partnership agreements in their attempts to contribute to the upliftment of society, but where trust was broken because of that lack of honesty and transparency. I have also been a victim of such dishonest arrangements, however do think sitting back and dismissing that window of opportunity without trying again differently is self defeating. I believe that transparency and accountability require a consistent feed-back system that can build confidence in such group activities. 

We can speculate about what might happen or what the powers be may opt to do in such scenario's but that all remains speculation until we are prepared take ownership taking into account those bad experiences in order to implement much more viable and sustainable approaches that allow for a fluid flow of ideas between individuals and communities. 

The information age gives us options to harness tools like the internet and mobile technology to ensure transparency and accountability in process. Surely if the likes of Econet Boss Strive Masiyiwa can introduce technological innovations like Eco-Cash what's stops us taking advantage of similar methods to put in place more transparent methods of community investment initiatives? 

There are several benefits that come with such a concept, depositors can have an opportunity to choose which area of their community's development agenda they would love their funds directed to. It could be funding small business, funding construction projects, funding education initiatives, funding sports activities etc. etc. there could even be an emergency fund for priority areas like health and food subsidies or small scale farming financial assistance.

By the way, such ideas do not have to be all charity based, activities like road and infrastructure construction and other types of work could be instituted through an independent community tendering process put in place through an agreed legal process negotiated with the local authority with emphasis on granting opportunities to members of those specific communities first before any outside companies in order to promote localisation and give back locals that sense of achievement and pride of having done something valuable in their environments.

The foreign taxation route is not something that I would be too keen on advocating for at this stage of our independence, it's quite clear to most that our government has shown us how terrible their record is in terms of corruption and mismanagement of the economy. Foreign taxation methods would only be a viable option if externalised citizens can secure an agreement that's capable of protecting their interests and allows them space in any investment decision making process. Such agreements may come with voting rights which would legislatively give them a voice as to how their taxes should be utilised for national development objectives.Personally I would prefer the public does it alone with the blessing and cooperation of government and other linked stakeholders.

What may happen soon if we do not initiate this ourselves is the government may introduce a foreign taxing system of which we may have no say nor have access to information that clearly shows how our money is being utilised..

..food for thought..

'We' [people] have the power to change our environments but not by remaining spectators and critics always blaming government and other's for our failures.

Similar Articles: 

http://www.zimbabwesituation.com/WP11.pdf

http://www.zimbabwebriefing.org/EN/Content/ViewArticle/A/The_Diaspora_Potential_and_the_Zimbabwean_Economy

http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/soc/crer/afrobrain/oucho/publications/african_diaspora_and_remittance_flows_11.pdf

http://www.techzim.co.zw/2013/04/ok-zimbabwe-and-fnb-launch-sa-diaspora-mobile-remittance-service/

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A Letter to Zimbabwe's Journalist

Dear Zimbabwean Journalist,

As much as most of us love to read about the personal lives of the rich, the famous, the popular and the suffering the average literate citizen understands and appreciates that the primary purpose of journalism is to ensure a well-informed  citizenry contributing  to the development of our social , political  and economic structures.

Some of us are of the belief that democracy still relies on the belief that an informed citizenry will be an engaged citizenry, and that an engaged citizenry will be more participatory and more informed, and that the result will be a more democratic society. This belief however seems far-fetched judging from the quality of investigative journalism we see nowadays, there seems to be a greater focus on attracting a greater audience in order to make money than actually having reliable, accurate facts put in a meaningful context. I think it is imperative for good journalist to arrive as close to the ‘truth’ of any issue as possible. This can only happen when media organisations have the professional discipline and framework of assembling and verifying facts with all relevant sources in their reports.

Our news media organisations are some of the most common carriers of public discussion, and this responsibility forms a basis for their special privileges. However discussion serves society best when we are informed by facts rather than prejudice and supposition. It is equally important that journalist strive to fairly represent the varied viewpoints and interests in society, and to place them in context rather than highlight only the conflicting fringes of any debate.

I sincerely believe that accuracy and truthfulness require that as media are framers of the public discussion they should not neglect the points of common ground where problem solving can occur. Progressive journalism should always be about storytelling with a purpose. There should be more to it than just gathering an audience or catalogue the important bits. For the sake of their own survival, our journalist must balance what we as readers know we want with what we cannot anticipate but need. In short, they must strive to make the significant interesting and relevant to our daily life experiences.

Lastly as a country (Zimbabwe) we are going through a very difficult period of economic instability, so may I kindly ask that you try and report more on issues related to our economic development, the issues that expose corrupt practice in public and private sectors which are the driving engines of our socio-economic progression, please continue to expose the issues related to abuse of power that are impacting negatively on our social development and adding more hardships to the already suffering majority of our people. Just in case I am misunderstood on the above request let me reassure you that I do appreciate and respect that you have a right to freedom of information and expression, however I'm sure you can also priorities reporting more on issues that directly influence our way of life.  There are some personality issues about prominent figures in society that have passed their sell by date that you choose to republish now and again and in all honesty should no longer be issues of any significant concern to society at this point.

I also ask that every journalist out there to begin promoting a personal sense of ethics and responsibility (a moral compass). You should continue to encourage individuals to speak their minds as this helps to stimulate the intellectual diversity necessary to understand and accurately cover our constantly changing diverse society.

It is this diversity of minds and voices, not just numbers that matters.

Your Avid Reader

Voice of Freedom

What does the future promise for pessimists and optimist?

There are many young and older members of the Zimbabwean community who look at our country from different socio-economic and political environments and can’t help but conclude that something is twisted in a political culture that denies what they plainly see elsewhere: health care systems that provide better outcomes at lower cost and for everyone; better airports, faster trains, more extensive urban public transportation and even, amazingly, better highways; more upward mobility; more sustainable energy policies; elections that work more quickly and inexpensively, with more rational discourse and greater citizen participation. 

The list is long. This is the Zimbabwean Dream we aspire for, which is more real in many other countries but seems an impossible dream for those who refuse to believe it’s possible.

Many young Zimbabweans usually return home with openness about the world that many of their parents lack. Not less patriotic than when they left, they see how curiosity about other ways to do things can only make us a stronger country. They were taught, as we were all taught, that strong nations are built to greatness on ideas borrowed from the rest of the world and improved here. That is what the Zimbabwe Dream Project intends doing.

We need to search for the kind of things that can fuel a Zimbabwean lantern of attraction for future generations. Perhaps more than anything else, it has been the universal desire of all parents that their children will lead lives better than their own. But that dream seems not to exist. And it can't be created if talented people sit on the political side-lines or don't attend the game at all. The media also are complicit in the dysfunction. Not only has the kind of responsible journalism that once characterized much of the Zimbabwean press not yet found a new and a sustainable model of profitability, but political dysfunction is profitable for the irresponsible press, the shock jocks and the vitriol slingers. Yes, the Internet, and blogs, can be wonderful alternatives, but they also facilitate pre-filtered news and can spread outrageous falsehoods. This combination of our constitutional scheme and the role of money make action on most critical issues so difficult. The rich private interests have many ways to block change. 

This is why our new constitution has been a see-saw in the first place; that is why there is no public option; that is why security reform legislation is now near impossible; that is why Zimbabwe is one of the remaining countries in the world in its inability to have free and fair elections free of violence; that is why none of the GPA agreed reforms can be enacted.

Enough of my cry baby sentiments, my point is not to depress. It is to express my hope that as young Zimbabweans study and live away from their home country, they will give serious attention to what they see around them and engage politically when they get home. I am not suggesting that all of them should run for office or to choose work in the public sector. But I am urging them to get as deeply involved as they can.
For those who do go into Zimbabwean politics, I hope they will go with their eyes open and their values firm. For Zimbabwean politics today is ugly. There is too much preening to the rich, and often to the ignorant, narrow-minded, and prejudiced, while there are few rewards for dedication to the dispossessed. Public governance needs extraordinary talent, reach, ambition, and problem-solving skills.

Much of the work the next generation faces will be frustrating. But if they stick to it, the personal satisfaction they gain, and the lantern of democracy they help to reignite, will surely compensate for the pain and effort of getting there. 

So what are you going to do, be a critic and observer from the side-lines or actively play a part in ensuring this dream becomes a living reality?

My life in Great Britain [2008-2012]

Just over 5 years ago I was living and working in Johannesburg S.A as an IT Field and Call Centre support engineer, not bothered about politics and what was happening in my country of birth, all I was interested in was spending my time and my hard earned wages with my humble and beautiful wife Shabaan Banana, my four kids, members of my extended family and close friends, sharing stories about interesting events in our lives. I never imagined that perhaps one day my focus will drastically shift towards having an interest in improving the lives of people disadvantaged by social injustice in our socio-economic and political environments in a very passionate way.

When I migrated to the U.K in May 2008, South African's had just started a spate of Xenophobic attacks on foreign nationals in their country, it was a really sad and unfortunate period in what was once seen as a Rainbow nation whose future in African democracy was being seen as the leading example. I took the opportunity to to leave my South African wife and kids behind to visit my mother, brothers and sister that I had not seen much of since my father's passing in 2003. 

On arrival in the U.K, I found myself in a lonely and much closed society compared to the open African communities where you could look over your wall and have a chat or borrow some sugar or salt from your neighbour. I suddenly found myself with so much time in my hands, whilst at the same time struggling to integrate into this new environment. I was not yet permitted to work as I had come through with a visitor’s visa, so I decided to rather further my education whilst I waited for the very slow application for residential status. I do not know what made me choose to study sociology, psychology and criminology at diploma level when I could have done something in-line my I.T qualifications as had been suggested to me by the local education authorities. They also advised that it was a good way of refreshing ones learning abilities after such a long period away from academic study so as to effectively prepare for higher education study.

To my surprise I found myself enjoying my study of these subject areas as they somehow opened up my understanding of how society functions, how people behave and how best they can be controlled by state institutions and its arms of governance. It wasn't long before I came across news about new developments that were taking place in Zimbabwe; the outbreak of cholera was one of the stories that first captured my attention. As I read on I also discovered that election violence had become a nightmare to communities on the ground, there was fear of a total collapse of the Zimbabwean economy. I immediately felt a sense of betrayal, somehow I felt in my quest for self-emancipation I had ignored my responsibilities as a son of the soil [Zimbabwean], I felt I had neglected the people in my country by choosing to live a simple life away from what I never realised was now a downward spiral of socio-economic and political conditions back home. All kinds of questions flew through my mind, was there really anything I could do even if I was at home at the time? What had happened to our liberators and heroes that we had entrusted to deliver Zimbabwe to that free and fair environment full of opportunities for all? I immediately went on a quest to try investigating and understanding what had gone so wrong to a once so great nation, and the best source of information accessible for me from where I was, was Zuckerberg’s social networking platform FACEBOOK. I found myself reading people's views of the experiences they were facing at home, I felt angry but helpless as I knew there was nothing I could do to reverse the harm that had come upon my fellow ccitizens.

My interaction on Facebook led me to meet other concerned Zimbabweans living in the U.K, one such Zimbabwean was Barbara Nyagomo. Barbara has always been a very passionate social activist and aspiring businesswoman, we decided we would try and form a community organisation called Kumusha/Ekhaya to try assist Zimbabweans living in the U.K first and fore most and then hopefully with time organise a Diaspora Fund that we would then use to support the creation of self-sustaining income generating projects for people from disadvantaged communities back home, but deep-down our hearts were always in Africa, we knew we had to try and do something to help displaced Zimbabweans in S.A and those struggling with basics in Zimbabwe, it was not something easy to coordinate without any resources at our disposal.

Barbara then informed me that she was also part of a new project called Rebuild Zimbabwe based in South Africa, and thought that perhaps through coordinating the U.K community project we could then support the Rebuild Zimbabwe idea in South Africa. As with all new projects in particular charities and non-profits, getting funding is key for its success, we could not get support from Zimbabweans in the U.K and some of the conditions to access funding for communities and charities in the U.K made it difficult for us to have successful applications. One such condition was the right to register as a charity that required organisations to have a minimum turn-over of £5000, most funders did not approve funding for organisations without a charity number. So eventually we parted ways as the community project failed to get sustainable funding to take off the ground. However we all progressed to set-up non-profit organisations all intended to try help people back home, Barbara established One Million Voices which focused on assisting displaced Zimbabweans in South Africa whilst I first started a group project called Zimbabwe Young Leaders composed of a global Board of management, with Ben Chiza Mukandawire [Malawian Academic/Social Activist], Vimbai Chonyera Jennings [Zimbabwean based in Brazil at the time], Ashley Mwanza [Zimbabwean Student Leader based in Ireland], Abigail Siziba [Project Manager based in South Africa], Elizabeth Demanyundo [ I.T Professional based in Harare] Tafadzwa Gidi, Tafadzwa Madzimbamhuto and Betina Sibanda who joined when the project was renamed Youth Leadership Project Africa in order to represent a much broader continental objective. 

However because of pressure of study I decided to step down from the YLPA Board to concentrate on my studies, part of my course work required me to start a social enterprise, so as part of my University project I started Vision Inspired People Zimbabwe, which won me a prize for the best new social enterprise which helped me kick start the projects activities. Part of the projects goals was to collect pen's pencils, rulers, books and other educational material to send to high density and rural schools in Zimbabwe, in consultation with the Ministry of Education. Some of the funding to cover the costs of shipment was raised by student volunteers who sold wrist bands in support of Orphans and children struggling with buying basic school materials. Again this was all trial and error in a new environment where few minorities had successful projects of this nature breaking into the highly controlled charity environment and again it was a struggle to sustain the organisation as the more established non-profits like Oxfam, Red Cross and many other's simple had more credibility and access to funding than our establishments.

We have learnt hard lessons about sectors dominated by big organisations, the questions about helping people back home remained in our minds, eventually politics seemed the only other way left for us to explore in order to try and influence change. I am now a social and political blogger, social activist and aspiring politician, I am itching to complete my studies and start preparations to return to Africa, things are not looking very bright at the moment for the future of our nation with a rising national debt that now stands at approximately 10 billion, the increasing levels of corruption in all sectors of our society, the struggle is not getting any easier but more difficult.

Giving up is becoming even more difficult as so much effort has already been put towards moving towards this new political challenge, I guess the way I feel is probably the same way a cocaine addict feels when they try to quit, is this a normal thing to be so passionate about wanting to bring social justice? I have joined hands with like-minded individuals from Zimbabwe based in various locations across the globe to start work towards creating a new socio-economical platform coined "Zimbabwe Dream Project". Zimbabwe Dream project aims to create a very strong administrative institutional foundation that will act as a launch pad for a new generation of achievers in Zimbabwe. The current focus of the idea is finding experienced and qualified volunteer professionals to help put together the administrative functions that will ensure the projects sustainability and effective implementation  if you would like to join and support us you can click the following link: Zimbabwe Dream Project or email volunteerzdp@gmail.com for further details.

We view the challenge ahead being more about changing our economic, social and political culture than just leaders and systems of governance. We see it as a journey rather than a destination that can be reached within a specific time period. It is a dream we hope will attract the equal participation of all hard working and peace loving citizens of our country, for without the people there can never be a successful vision for our future.