Page 19 - Msingi Afrika Magazine Issue 16

Re-Education

a moral code that promoted people pass on. receive land in Zimbabwe.
to live within their means, build Even though they didn’t succeed But, as with any deconstruction or
gradually, own assets and shy away in killing him, three attempts were restructuring process, Zimbabwe
from debt. made on his life. Tony Blair even had to start its agriculture afresh on
• As a consequence, many Zim- went to the extent of asking SADC diminished capacity, as previously
babweans, including villagers, leaders for approval to attack Zim- dispossessed black farmers, sucked
own considerable tangible assets: babwe, just to remove Mugabe. dry by 90 years of white exploita-
homes, land, water sources, seeds, Eventually, the west resorted to tion, began to reacquaint themselves
solar electric generation capacity, attacking his persona and reputation with the land and now are gradually
mineral claims, livestock, crops in to diminish the impact of his work. pushing up their output.
the ground, farming implements, This is why, in his death, all we are • In the last three years, 18 years af-
insurance policies, business proper- being fed is unsubstantiated allega- ter Land Reform, Zimbabwe’s black
ties and assets without debt. Giving tions and rumors of the wealth he farmers have surpassed the tobacco
them some of the highest networths amassed, instead of his measurable and cotton numbers it took white
and gearing for economic growth in and unparalleled achievements. settler farmers over 95 years to set.
future. 12. Farming In 2018 cotton numbers jumped by
Even the waiters and helpers many • As with minerals, Zimbabweans over 300%, numbers achieved under
South Africans disparage, own more control their land and the coun- economic sanctions, without the
property than the average middle try has in excess of 120,000 black privilege of debt, slave labor, pole
class debt-ridden South African, farmers benefiting from their land taxes, preferential western market
hence they end up starting busi- by farming tobacco and contributing access or subsidies from exploitation
nesses, while their counterparts to foreign currency generation. that white farmers enjoyed.
are bogged down in debt for cars, One of the major reasons we don’t • In the process, the country has
clothes, airtime and, many times, see murders for survival, violent ser- maintained a percentage of its
even food. vice level protests, gruesome Mari- heirloom seeds, because of govern-
• Zimbabwe has more than 3 million kana type strikes and bloody crime ment’s agriculture research centers
people with a net worth of over in the country (besides the good and Mugabe’s clear policy against
US$100 000, the opposite of the law enforcement and Zimbabweans GMOs. Complementing that, the
colony where personal debt is sitting being able to export their labor), the country has one of the biggest beef
at $121b or 34% of GDP, because main reason is, each Zimbabwean and goat herds in the hands of rural
white investment has citizens taking family is able to use land, including folk in Africa.
debt in exchange for their resources. road sides velds to feed themselves.
Those who lose their jobs have the 13. Mining
11. Leveraging Human Talent benefit of moving back to their ru- • As outlined above, Zimbabweans
• Once the people were educated ral homes where they have access to control their mineral resources, and
and skilled, Mugabe’s long term plan land, before being forced to resort many average Zimbabweans own
of giving them access to resources to violence for survival. mineral claims and mines from
to learn and gain experience to pro- The infirm, vulnerable and even which most of the nation’s ore is
duce kicked in. For this purpose he the indolent (lazy) are sustained by derived.
pushed for the promulgation of the their relatives in the country or the • This is the reason why the big-
indigenization policy and later-on diaspora because of the communal gest black gold, platinum, chrome
ZIMASSET. values still ingrained in the society. and coal miners in the world are
These are the underestimated bene- Zimbabweans. All emanating from
In his mind, he knew that this leg fits of land reform, Mugabe’s educa- Mugabe giving his people, who
of the struggle would be the most tion policy and assertive leadership, Europeans believe are not worthy
difficult. More difficult than going which have maintained morality of controlling their resources, access
to prison or war, because, for the and the non-violent nature of the to resources.
same endeavor, Lumumba, San- nation, even under sanctions. We currently have more than 6,000
kara, Arbenz, Noriega, Torrijos • Between 1980 and now, more than gold miners and these citizens form
and Gaddaffi were assassinated by 300,000 families that support on av- the engine for the government to
western powers. He understood that erage 11 members, were given land build up its gold reserves.
the same could happen to him but and till today, anyone patient enough • Mzi Khumalo’s Metallon couldn’t
this was a cup (destiny) he couldn’t to apply and wait for land, can still mine gold in South Africa but he is

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