The true life struggles of the Banana children

 

Michael Thabo (RIP), Nobuhle, Martin Mhambi , Nathan Sipho (Liverpool, U.K)

Life in Rhodesia

I guess our journey really started in the 70's when the family first migrated out of Rhodesia to the United States of America where our late father former President Canaan Banana was pursuing his academic studies in Washington D.C.

99 New Luveve before migration to America

 As a Reverend our dad travelled a lot around   the country most likely part reason we were all   born in different Cities. My brother in Wankie   (now Hwange), my self in Fort Victoria (now   Masvingo), my younger brother in Bulawayo   and the youngest my sister after independence   in Harare.

 On reflection these journey's across cities and   countries would remain significant events in our   lives even as young adults. Later in my article   you will see how these travels might have   affected our mental health and shaped what led   to some of our life challenges.

Person of Public Interest

Our family in New Luveve after returning from America

 I suppose when anyone is a person of public   interest like a preacher or politician they have   to try find a way to have a work life balance   otherwise their family will miss out on quality     moments to bond with them as a parent  and husband.

 

 I can only speak for myself but most likely my   brothers and sister might have felt the same   way, we never really got to know our father as a   dad because of his seemingly busy working   schedule and his love of his people. Our mum   basically performed both roles quite effeciently   and perhaps due to the strong extended family   network structure at the time also helped her   overcome some of the challenges that many   single mothers faced even though in her case   she was a married mother with a very busy   husband.

Zimbabwe Independence 1980

The arrival of independece in Zimbabwe did not help change the family conditions that we experienced pre-independence, truly speaking it actually worsened them as our father was no longer just ours alone but a stately father figure whom every citizen looked upto and respected as a Head of State. The only times we had to have conversations with him was at the dinner table but that environment was also quite intimidating as it was a long table where we sat at a distance from the Head of table and obviously table manners had to be adhered to also to English standards.

Small breakfast table in one of the sitting rooms Martin & mum eating.

I personally tried disrupting the process by hanging around out of normal working ours activities where my father would be involved in football training and on some weekends during off season also jump into the motorcade to go fishing with him and during football season also attend some of the matches with him, but in all these events there was no close conversations as he would be focused on communicating with the players and coaches or Statehouse staff in the case of fishing trips. 

Let me point out that my reflections directed at him are in no way an attempt to taint his positive contributions to society as a leader but to give you the reader perspective in terms of helping you appreciate some of the challenges faced by children of prominent individuals in society in terms of their relationships with their parents. Please also take note that my story might not be the same as the stories of other children in similar situations.

The Cost of Ego: How Zimbabwe’s Fragmented Opposition Keeps Power in ZANU-PF’s Hands

 

By: Sipho N Banana 

Zimbabwe’s democratic struggle is being held hostage not by ZANU-PF alone, but by the opposition’s refusal to make strategic compromises. 

 Our opposition landscape today is littered with splinter parties, each carrying a banner of hope, each believing it has the key to salvation and yet collectively, they fail to move the needle of change. Why? Because we have mistaken going it alone for political strength, and in doing so, we’ve handed ZANU-PF victory after victory on a silver platter. 

 The idea of working together in Zimbabwean politics is too often misunderstood. For some, it means merging parties. For others, it means compromising core values. But that is a narrow and self-defeating view. Collaboration does not have to mean surrendering identity but it means building a unified front capable of achieving shared goals. It means putting Zimbabwe first, not party logos. 

 The Pitfalls of Fragmentation 

 In the 2018 elections, over 20 opposition parties contested the presidency. Many of them knew they had no realistic path to State House, yet they fielded candidates anyway. What followed was a familiar outcome: ZANU-PF maintained power, not because it had overwhelming support, but because the opposition had once again diluted itself to the point of irrelevance. Had even half of those parties chosen to support a single credible candidate, we might be living in a different Zimbabwe today. In 2023, the story repeated itself. Smaller parties, many barely known beyond a few districts, insisted on participating “independently.” The result was predictable: they split the protest vote, gave legitimacy to a flawed election, and further confused the electorate. Voters were left asking ... who really represents us? 

 Meanwhile, the ruling party used this confusion to tighten its grip. This obsession with individuality and the desire to wear one’s own colours, speak from one’s own podium, and claim credit for imagined victories has reduced the influence of many political parties to that of pressure groups. They make noise, issue statements, march when permitted but they cannot shift power. Why? Because real power in politics comes from numbers, strategy, and unity.

 Strategic Partnership ≠ Merger 

 Let’s be clear: no one is saying every political party must dissolve into another. But collaboration doesn’t require a merger. It requires a shared agenda, coordinated action, and the maturity to know when to lead and when to support. Political coalitions elsewhere in Africa such as Kenya’s 2002 National Rainbow Coalition or Malawi’s 2020 Tonse Alliance succeeded not because everyone became one party, but because they recognised the moment demanded unity above ego. Zimbabwe’s opposition must learn the same lesson. It must stop operating as a collection of competing brands and start acting like a movement. 

That doesn’t mean pretending we all agree on everything. It means agreeing on what matters most ending authoritarian rule, restoring the dignity of our people, and creating a democratic state that works for all. 

 The Way Forward 

 To move forward, opposition parties must: 

 1. Create platforms for dialogue and trust-building among themselves, not just in election years, but permanently. 

 2. Develop shared strategies for engagement, including joint rallies, coordinated messaging, and protection of each other’s political space. 

 3. Stop prioritizing publicity over purpose. Just because your logo isn’t in front doesn’t mean your work doesn’t matter. 

 4. Involve civil society and independent voices in fostering unity, offering neutral ground for building coalitions that are more than just election pacts.

 

 Conclusion: 

 Unity is Not Weakness The real threat to ZANU-PF is not any single opposition leader. It is a united movement that refuses to be divided by small ambitions. Zimbabweans are hungry for change they are desperate for leaders who show not only courage but wisdom and humility. 

 Until opposition parties learn to compromise strategically, their noble intentions will keep being buried under the weight of their own egos. The time has come to move from fragmentation to formation not necessarily of one party, but of one purpose. Because if we do not come together, we will keep coming apart and ZANU-PF will remain the only one smiling.

Reflections on the state of Zimbabwe on the Memorial Day of late President Banana

 

 (5 March 1936 – 10 November 2003)

It didn’t matter whether we met often or not, what mattered is that your advice helped me connect my life’s dots. It didn’t matter whether we spoke every day or not, what mattered was that you loved me a lot. Dad, I miss you.RIP

The 10th of November is my late father's Memorial.

My father was a member of Zanu PF who volunteered to step down from office before the end of his second Presidential term after the signing of the Unity Accord on December 22 1987 to facilitate peace and unity between the two liberation political parties Zapu and Zanu that were embroiled in a bitter struggle for power.


This emanated from the dissident insurgency in Matabeleland and Midlands and the subsequent deployment of the dreaded North Korean trained 5th Brigade to quell the conflict. Sadly the indiscriminate use of force even on unarmed innocent civilians led to the infamous Gukurahundi resulting in the senseless killing of thousands of innocent civilians across Matabeleland and the Midlands areas. This should provide context to the idea of the Unity Accord which led to an end in these hostilities.

My personal take on the Unity Accord is that it was a political strategy by Robert Mugabe and Zanu to consolidate power seeing that Zapu was a formidable opposition party, with a similar liberation war background and strong national structures. In spite of the 1987 Unity Accord being seen as a major achievement in ending the so called 'moment of madness' (Gukurahundi), I believe it mainly benefited the top leadership of Zapu whilst leaving the people from the region victims of the new system of government.

There is indeed some hope for national unity with the recently announced Road Map Manual on the Gukurahundi community engagement process led by Chiefs. It is however encouraging to see the new President, Emmerson Mnangagwa, taking this very bold step to move past our historical differences and work towards bringing equality, justice and peace for all. I think it is of utmost importance for Zimbabweans to make every effort to try and resolve some of these outstanding issues on their own without external interference.

 

While I appreciate and respect the sacrifices made by my parents and many others towards the liberation of Zimbabwe, 42 years have passed since Zimbabwean attained its independence and I now find it a bit monotonous and patronising for some of those in positions of power to continue using those liberation efforts as justification to remain in power and control of a nation that could have done better.

The most disappointing aspect in all this, is our failure as people of Zimbabwe to come together and play our part in both national development and the fight against what has now become open abuse of power and privilege by some elements in government who have access to resources to pursue self-interests. Corruption needs to be dealt with firmly otherwise all the well-intentioned economic development initiatives will not trickle down to benefit the many disenfranchised citizens of our once great Zimbabwe.

Each of us, in our little circles of influence, has the ability to create our unique comfort zones. I wake up each morning exploring ways to make a living and continue to explore ways to unleash my full potential without worrying about what the person next to me thinks. What is FREEDOM when that freedom has conditions and limitations to what one can do? Is the love for one's country of origin taboo? Should we be punished and stripped of our dignity for demanding that freedom and justice? Why have so many of us become so selfish and uncaring about where we come from?

There can never be a right time as time waits for no human being, our time is now and we must stop being critics from a distance but constructive critics who are also practically involved in offering alternative solutions. We can't cry about foreigners grabbing all the lucrative economic opportunities at our door steps when we now have the relevant qualifications, experience and knowledge to equally take on those opportunities. We need to move away from individualism and start working as a collective of patriotic citizens pursuing a  common national vision that can improve our way of life.

If I could change the world alone I could, but I am not naive and know that the only and realistic way to change our environment is when we all come together in our diversity and stand up for the greater good. The liberation of Zimbabwe did not end in 1980 with political independence. As I see it, the struggle for economic empowerment of the many should intensify, we have to step up and make uncomfortable choices and sacrifices if we truly love and believe in human progression in our collective journeys as citizens belonging and wanting the best for our beloved nation.

"I write in my individual capacity as an advocate for the empowerment of Africans globally. I strongly believe in Afrocentric approaches and a desparate need to decolonise our education system but use the positive tools from colonial influences to innovate and acome up with value systems that serve African interests best."

Generation 50

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My Generation Personal Reflection

Most of my generation [Generation 50] were too trusting of the generation before us (my father's generation), so much that we left the role of leading our country all in their hands out of respect for their efforts in the liberation struggle. This was also as a general principle of respect for elders which is a strong characteristic of African value systems which made it difficult to challenge their decisions as one may have been viewed as a rebel or lost cause.

The trust based on their colonial conquest milestone which has unfortunately left most of us divided, under resourced and almost toothless to take over and clean up the mess they have created largely because of the influence of the partisan nature our politics has been modelled. I believe this partisan model has created a very toxic business and political environment where ordinary citizens seem more focused on our minor differences than the more positives that could be harnessed in pursuit of common interests.

My awakening to the reality of the rot in our socio political and economic environment was unveiled to me during my 2018 political campaign that I lost as a result of several factors, partly which were based on a poor strategy based on a very short and under resourced political campaign to other factors like lack of access to media platforms like Newspapers, Radio and T.V that seemed to favour the more established political platforms and leaders. In spite of the unsuccessful campaign, I still wanted to find other ways of giving back to the country that helped start my journey of life and therefore decided to extend my stay in Zimbabwe from both a business and community projects approach perspective.

It will be incorrect for me to claim to have all the answers to all the issues that Zimbabweans are facing right now, however that does not mean that I can't start doing something positive about fixing just one of those many issues where I feel change is needed. Change is a process and normally may not reflect immediately or in one's life time but be of benefit to future generations..

I am not sure why some of our elder members of society are hanging on to roles in both public and private institutions that should in progressive societies be retired and allow opportunity for the next generation to take over. Could it be because not enough has been done to groom future leaders and prepare them for those high profile responsibilities that come with national leadership? Or perhaps not much value has been placed on other roles and functions of society to an extent we even have some highly qualified professional who would better serve our nation in their professional capacities in the private sector but choose to be political aspirants or public servants because corruption has made it look more lucrative.

Our politics has become a lucrative opportunity for most professionals because of the deep rooted corruption that now exists in our public institutions that clearly lack transparent systems for accountability. However with the right leadership mindset and will power I do believe Zimbabweans can make every role in society attractive and more appealing if we start promoting a leadership culture that builds and leads our society guided by strong moral values and principles of servitude.

In short we need better and more responsible leaders with integrity in all our public and private institutions who have people interest at heart rather than self interest and greed. This is however not a solution that could be implemented overnight but one we can start working on building now so it benefits for future generations.

Yes We Can, together in our diversity of backgrounds and experiences.

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