Who is to blame for the underdevelopment of Mberengwa: Which Way Forward?
MBERENGWA SON: Dr Takavafira Zhou
By Dr. Takavafira Zhou
I have always tried to avoid contributing to this question but it keeps nagging and I cannot avoid it any further. My apologies for those who may feel I am delving into a political issue. Yes it is political but my submission is above partisan politics and resonates with national politics of sustainable development and participatory democracy. It is certainly above the narrow definition of politics as a dirty game or who gets what, when and how? It’s about politics as life that you cannot avoid. In my comprehension of politics as life, no one can avoid it.
What we must desist from is partisan politics that is prejudiced, parochial, narrow-minded, arid, acidic and toxic. Mberengwa is a typical resource case study, with abundant minerals such as Lithium, platinum, chrome, iron ore, emeralds, antimony, copper, lime, gold, beryllium, asbestos, tantalite and many other rare ones. It also has a rich and versatile human resource. Sadly, it wallows in poverty and underdevelopment, with collapsing infrastructural development in schools hospitals and communities. It is the only district in Zimbabwe without a tarred road passing through the middle of the district, roads are still in their infancy with some that can be mistaken for gullies or rivers, while several people are fetching water from river beds. Several people are walking for more than 10km to get to the nearest clinic and even the district hospital does not have simple equipment like X-ray forcing the people of Mberengwa to travel to Bulawayo or Zvishavane for an X-ray examination. We are all to blame for the parlous state of Mberengwa:
1. *General populace blame* for choosing novices to represent them even where there are better options within and across political parties. The general populace makes wrong choices and uses their stomach as opposed to their brains. By failing to demand accountability from the government of the day through Mps the general populace is to blame. Worse still the general populace has allowed itself to be divided along political parties and concentrate on sloganeering, singing and gravitating at empty promises, and ignoring key issues of sustainable development, responsible leadership, accountability and corporate social development.
2. *Traditional Leadership* has also renounced its responsibility in terms of sections 280, 281 and 282 of the constitution. Traditional leaders have failed to rise above partisan politics, promote and uphold the cultural values of their communities, and facilitate development in the areas under their jurisdiction. They have allowed foreigners to loot mineral resources from Mberengwa without any plough back.
3. *Mps* have failed to make laws that enhance peace, order and good governance that foster sustainable development of Mberengwa. Neither have they played their oversight role and represented Mberengwa constituencies properly. Worse still they have failed to realise that they represent all people in a constituency and remain locked behind the bars of a political party in their functions. They are also engaged in looting the mineral resources of Mberengwa without any plough back in local communities. They cannot as beneficiaries of mineral plunder voice issues of corporate social development in parliament or approach the Minister of Mines with suggestions for communal share ownership or responsible mining in Mberengwa.
4. *Senior Politicians* Most senior politicians from Mberengwa have virtually abandoned the district and now operate from elsewhere. *Vakuru vakati ziva kwawakabva mudzimu weshiri uri mudendere.* I just want to remind all and sundry that you have a role to play by virtue of being born in Mberengwa. It was a tragedy that there has always been a contested struggle over who is most senior from the time of Hon Richard Hove, Hon Sikanyiso Ndlovu, Hon Rugare Gumbo etc to the current situation of Hon July Moyo and Hon Dr Joramu Gumbo. This village-like politics has been costly to Mberengwa, and the earlier these senior politicians leave a better legacy for Mberengwa, the better.
4. *Human Resource* There are so many educated people from Mberengwa ranging from teachers, nurses, soldiers, police officers, engineers, doctors, professors, lawyers, agronomists, accountants, economists, data analysts etc in Zimbabwe, regional, continental and global world. Such an enlightened human resource can collectively resolve the challenges facing Mberengwa as a district. Sadly, this group has also allowed itself to be divided and spend more time debating and postulating theories that will never see the end of the day. Worse still they have allowed novices to take leadership responsibilities in communities and stifle any initiative for sustainable development. Many are also showing signs of being learned but not educated, failing to tape and harness collective wisdom that is not necessarily derived from books but “Indigenous Knowledge Systems that are as old as the hills and Mountains of Mberengwa,” to use the dictum of an old man in my home area.
5. *War Veterans* Mberengwa was a critically contested zone in the liberarion war by virtue of controlling minerals and routes to South Africa by the RF. The populace of Mberengwa responded positively to thecwar effort pushing their sons and daughters into the war. Sadly, many of these have suddenly become dormant after the war. Some are just wallowing in poverty and watching Chinese, some elite politicians and zvigananda looting the natural resources of Mberengwa. War veterans from Mberengwa can still play a crucial role in the reawakening of Mberengwa and thrust towards sustainable development. The *iwe neni tine basa* liberation ethos can be put into effect to foster the communities of Mberengwa’s development agenda.
6. *The Youth* who in essence have always played a crucial role in spearheading revolutions should play a critical role in the development of Mberengwa. Sadly, they are a destructive group that are used and abused to divide the people of Mberengwa. Many have turned into artisanal mining and drug abuse. *Zvanzi vaka sticker.* Many more have voted with their feet in an exodus to regional countries. If tapped and harnessed properly the youth dividend of Mberengwa can play a crucial role in sustainable development of Mberengwa.
What is, therefore, needed is a paradigm shift in the development of Mberengwa based on tapping and harnessing our natural and human resources for development. All natural resources from Mberengwa must be processed in Mberengwa in order to add value and beneficiation. The people of Mberengwa must enjoy a share of the natural resources accruing from their area, which must be used for infrastructural development, skills development and sustainable development of Mberengwa. A thrust on small scale dams can guarantee an agricultural revolution and food security. Equally important is a mining revolution that can guarantee several line industries in Mberengwa and ensure the tarring of roads in Mberengwa. Mberengwa has the potential to become an economic giant district provided that we find an appropriate collective modus operandi to harness our human and natural resources for development. Such a navigable system must be based on sharing the mineral wealth of Mberengwa. This is not to imply that the government must not benefit from the mineral wealth of Mberengwa, but only to say the government cannot decentralise effects of mining and centralise benefits. As the host community that suffer from environmental effects of mining, Mberengwa must also benefit. There is also a greater need to ensure responsible mining that ensures a balance between profit and environmental considerations, let alone allow locals as individuals or communities to venture into mining. Chiefs must be allowed to own mines in a manner reminiscent of the Fokeng so that they spearhead development. They must all rise above partisan politics. The sustainable development of Mberengwa must never be surrendered even when its prospects appear negligible. It is an Agenda that needs collective wisdom and efforts in order to reach fruition.
Cry the beloved people of Mberengwa.
Dr Takavafira M. Zhou is a former student of Cegato High School and hails from the Masarira Family around Jeka Bridge. He is also the President of the Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe. He is writing in his own capacity. Views expressed here do not reflect the editorial position of Zimbabwe Observer.
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