“OUR CHALLENGE AND OUR LEGACY”
“................................The atrocities in Matabeleland started in 1981 and ended 1988. Only the Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace raised the issue publicly.
My thesis in this paper is that these extra-judicial activities consumed the greater part of the Zimbabwean Government until 1998 to the exclusion of Economic Planning...............................................”
Prof Ken Mufuka.
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A keynote speech delivered at the First Zimbabwe Diaspora Conference held in Johannesburg, South Africa, December 7-9th, 2007.
By Kenneth N Mufuka, M Litt (St Andrews, Scotland) PhD (Queens, Ontario, Canada). Professor of History at Lander University in South Carolina, United States of America.
(Requests for scanned copies of the Original Speech can be made to mufarostig@gmail.com .)
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Zimbabwe is blessed by the most dynamic population on the face of the earth. I have seen Zimbabweans laugh when they should be crying. I was told by a very reliable source in the journalistic fraternity that the Reserve Bank Governor, Dr Gideon Gono, welcomed three visitors just the other week. You see, Dr Gono's employers studied Voodoo Economics.
So there were standing before him, three izangoma, straight from the netherworld armed with their bag of tricks. “We will introduce ourselves, Sir”, they said. “This ZHERO counts up to ten, this ZHERO up to ONE HUNDRED and this ZHERO number three, he can count up to ONE THOUSAND. We want our jobs back.”
The story becomes even more bizarre and juicier. They say the Governor shut himself in the Bank Vault.
The problems that face Zimbabwe in 2007 can be traced to a style of Gevernment by President Robert Mugabe since he came into power in April 1980.
With hindsight, it is obvious that the Colonial Regime of Ian Smith had left sufficient fat in the Economy of Zimbabwe for the new Government to disperse and use as inducements to its supporters. Its opponents were equally silent for a long time until two factors came into play. These two factors were that in 1999, Mugabe decided that the white population, through their farming activities, controlled thirty percent of the country's wealth.
The white farming population numbered less than 4000 families. Such a concentration of wealth and influence outside the “authorised political structures” could no longer be tolerated. The second factor was that by disturbing the goose that lay golden eggs, the Economy collapsed in seven years. The role of the Church, until now, was ambivalent, but not entirely silent.
In the early years of Independence between 1980 and 1984, President Mugabe showed his intolerance towards Organisations and Political Parties other than his own. A pattern of Zero Tolerance for diverse views was set at the beginning of the Regime.
Judith Todd, the daughter of the beloved Missionary and former Prime Minister of Rhodesia, Sir Garfield Todd, wrote a book, “Through the Darkness: A Life in Zimbabwe”. She recounts the death of Josiah Tongogara, “in a car accident.” His death was never investigated.
It is unthinkable that a General of a victorious Guerilla Army would be driving in a truck in the dark without headlights. Judith Todd says that she did not know what to think about this untimely death.
Nkomo was initially included in the first Coalition Government, was demoted within one year and was hounded out of the country in fear of his life. False charges were put forward that his Party was planning a Coup against Mugabe's Government. Nkomo, in his biography, “The story of My Life” says that in all his long life, he had never worked with a less sincere man than Mugabe. In March, 1983, Nkomo's house was ransacked by the Secret Service and two men were shot dead.
Thereafter, thirty-two farms that belonged to ZAPU were seized without copmensation and thousands put out of work. The fact that the Co-operatives had been bought by the workers, from their pensions and contributions, was irrelevant. The point here is that there was no consideration for the Economics or the livelihoods of fellow Zimbabweans.
This writer worked as a Publicist for Ndabaningi Sithole , the Founder President of Mugabe's ruling party, The Zimbabwe African National Union. At Independence, in 1980, Sithole was falsely accused of importing Arms of War. These so-called “Arms”, shown in Court, were a classic Enfield rifle and two bullets. His farm was seized and Sithole died a broken man.
This writer was also involved through the Methodist Church with the Bishop Abel Muzorewa. After Independence, he was put in jail, placed under house arrest, charged with treason and discharged of all wrong-doings by Courts of Law. Nevertheless, he spent the latter part of his life in voluntary exile in the US.
The same story is repeated in the cases of Dumiso Dabengwa and Lookout Masuku.
Arrested for treason in 1983, they spent time in jail, were discharged of any wrong-doings by Courts of Law, and yet they were not released from jail till 1987. There is a clear pattern of lawlessness and callousness towards human lives. These men had wives, children and families to support. No consideration to these matters was given whatsoever.
Barely a year after Independence, Mugabe set up a new Military Wing called the Fifth Brigade, trained and equipped by North Koreans. This Brigade by-passed all the rules and regulations and reported directly to Mugabe. They started operations in 1982. The recruitment was from ZANU militants. According to Judith Todd, one battalion was situated in the heart of Matabeleland. The voice of the Church was heard at this early hour, but very faintly.
Anglican Bishop Karlen of Matabeleland gathered information about certain graves and atrocities which had been committed in his area in the nane of “Gukurahundi” (meaning 'Sweet Clean.')
Bishop Karlen asked Sir Garfield to relay the information to Mugabe. Sir Garfield gave the papers to his daughter Judy. At a chance meeting with General Rex Nhongo (now Mujuru) and Brigadier Agrippah Mutambara, she described the contents of the letter from Bishop Henry Karlen. Bishop Karlen and Judy assumed that the atrocities were unauthorised by the Army Commanders. “Events chronicled were far, far worse than I could ever have imagined. It seemed that State Armed Forces – whether 5 Brigade or others too – had gone berserk in an orgy of violence against defenceless civilians,”she wrote. She placed the date as February 17th, 1983. That she dared challenge Mugabe's policy deserved severe punishment. She was raped by a senior officer.
A pattern had clearly emerged, and the atrocities in Matabeleland continued. Joshua Nkomo, in his book, also recounts an incident that involved former Zimbabwe-Rhodesian President Josiah Gumede. Gumede was “cruelly beaten and left for dead in his house for two days, in an attack by men of the Fifth Brigade.”
Further, in an Easter 1983 Statement, six Catholic Bishops of Matabeleland issued this statement, “We are convinced by incontrovertible evidence that many wanton atrocities and brutalities have been and are being perpetrated. We have already forwarded such evidence to the Government.”
Nkomo was subsequently arrested for possession of a Parliamentary speech ( a document the police considered subersive) and possession of 300 Zimbabwe dollars (while waiting for an Internal Zimbabwe flight.) While he was released, his four companions were unlucky. “They spent six months in prison, their only offence being to have been with me.” This kind of imprisonment is by police discretion, without any input from a judge.” Nkomo 236, 240.
The atrocities in Matabeleland started in 1981 and ended 1988. Only the Catholic Commission for Justica and Peace raised the issue publicly. My thesis in this paper is that these extra-judicial activities consumed the greater part of the Zimbabwean Government until 1998 to the exclusion of Economic Planning.
Despite their noisy announcements and fancy Economic Policy announcements, no rational and consistent Economic Policy was ever followed. The expansion of Education and Health faciities consumed the surplus left over from the Colonial Government. There was a lofty announcement that the Zimbabwe Government was to re-formulate Marxist Economic Planning.
The sum total of this new Economic thinking was that all humans were to be addressed as Comrades and all Government leaders were to follow a Leadership Code which did not allow them to own more than one house. As we all know, beginning with the Paweni scandals, the Willowvale Motor scandals, the Veterans Buildung Fund, and the Veterans Pension and Gratuity Fund, where some of them received more than 100 per cent disability payments while continuing to work: our Leadership enjoyed the benefits of Mercedes Benzes, their wives went shopping at London “Harrods” all the while proclaiming to High Heaven that they were Marxists, the wars in Matabeleland, in Mozambique and later in the Congo were unbudgeted and were paid for by borrowing and the printing of money.
Patrick Bond and Masimba Manyanya, in their excellent book “Zimbabwe's Plunge” says that the crunch came as early as 1987. In 1980 the debt service ratio to foreign exchange earnings was 4 per cent. In 1980 the ratio rose to 34 per cent. By 1990 the World Bank became the main lender. With US $3.5 billion required to keep the Government afloat, foreign debt alone was US$2.5 million. Interest rates dictated to by the World Bank rose to 40 per cent. These high interest loans killed the small business enterprises and were dictated by the World Bank.
Worse was to come as Zimbabwe entered into the Congo conflict: it had to pay US$980 million in one year. Thus we were borrowing in order to pay back our loans. What about Economic Planning and Policies?
The point I am trying to make here is that because of the wildcat domestic and foreign interventionist policies of the Zimbabwe Government, it soon ran out of money, and was at the mercy of the World Bank. From 1995 onwards, Gross Domestic Product declined, according to the World Bank figures. (Bond and Manyanya pp 45-47.)
The full impact of these adventures and ruinous domestic Voodoo Economics were not appreciated intil 1999 when 2700 white farmers were exposed to the same brutal treatment to which African opponents had long been subjected. Until this time, President Mugabe was awarded many honours by the World Community.
Edinburgh, for instance, awarded Mugabe an Honorary Degree, Honoris Causa on July 24, 1984. In 1991, the United Nations honoured Mugabe for fighting hunger and bringing about an Agricultural Revolution to Zimbabwe. In 1994, the University of Massachusetts followed suit.
We are interested in the Economic Policies of the Zimbabwe Government, and whether we can learn something for the sake of our children. We know now that there was no Policy as such and that contrary to Public Opinion, the Zimbabwe Government followed whatever blueprint the World Bank laid before them.
Chido Makunike has sent me a detailed argument on the false assumptions behind these Voodoo Economics. There is no doubt that Ian Smith's Economy was based on cheap labour and a vicious Class System. Zimbabwe had an opportunity to perpetuate, to a limited extent, that Economic System because it had the highest literacy rate (96 percent) in Africa and a sophisticated enterprising community; black, Asian and whites.
Could this new African Class make the Eurocentric global Economic System work in Zimbabwe? I believe that with some encouragement and modification, some neo-global economic system could have been worked out. A marriage between the new Black enterpreneurs and the old Colonial Establishment would have been worked out. China, India and the Malaysian tigers have made some accommodation with that model.
The headquarters of emerging capital today is the Gulf Emirates and Malaysia. But a requirement here is that the new enterpreneurs be left alone to apply their skills as they see fit with some assurance of Property Rights.
There is no such assurance in Zimbabwe today, and our emerging pool of knowledge has been driven abroad, unless they worship the Altar of Voodoo Economics; they have no place in Zimbabwe.
Mutumwa Mawere, emerging minerals sharp mind is cooling his heels abroad, Trevor Ncube, an emerging Media Mogul almost lost his nationality, Nigel Chanakira a banker is living abroad and Strive Masiyiwa a Communications Mogul is abiding his time in exile.
In short, all our emerging enterpreneurs have been exiled. How can we succeed in the Global Model we want to use? This also applies to Academics serving away from the Homeland. Zimbabwe with 96% literacy and an excellent system of Health Providers supported by the University Health System, could become a pace setter for the rest of Africa. My alma mater, the University of St Andrews in Scotland is at the heart of a country which has basically exhausted its mineral resources (except off-shore oil.)
However, St Andrews is the leader in the Educational System of Scotland. Within six months, sixty percent of all Scottish graduates migrate to the far corners of the world as teachers and engineers. Zimbabwe can be the Training Centre for all of Africa's future leaders.
According to my beloved friend Makunike, we must give credit to the Devil where it is due. We give credit to President Mugabe for challenging the Euro-centric hegemony and are able to get away with it. Hopefully, he will die in his own bed. If that happens, he will truly have pioneered new thinking about Economics in Africa. The Euro-centric Economic fundamentals have been overthrown. A well functioning agro-economy has been handed over to Brother Chinotimba.
Chinotimba (bless his heart) has no knowledge of a Global Economy, cares less about the market for flowers and fruits, and has no respect for Lord Sainsbury, the English grocery tycoon who partnered with former white market Agronomists. As for the Capital Market, the brother thinks it is a swear word. Makunike says here we see an example of throwing out “the many positives of the Rhodesian System of doing things, but without a better , or even a merely minimally functioning Zimbabwean System in its place.” (Makunike p 5). What then is to be our legacy?
The current system gives us a golden opportunity to conceive and affect a new system. Not all Colonial suppositions were wrong. For instance, the new bosses, without Capital, are in the habit of not paying their workers. Their flowers and their hot peppers cannot reach European markets in good time, either for Christmas, or for Valentine Day which are lucrative. We must sit down and start at the drawing board.
How much of the Colonial System can we adopt to suit ourselves?
We should also have a mixed society. In Iraq today, there are many mixed societies. One finds a herdsman bringing his goats right into the middle of Baghdad on a Scotchcart for sale at the flea market. It means that tribal areas in Iraq have been preserved for those who do not want to modernize at the Globalization speed.
Any man, in my book, who presides over such inflation and Monetary Depreciation, deserves the title of “Professor of Voodoo Economics.”
Year Rate of Inflation Zim dollar/for 1 US$
1980 7% 70 cents
1986 15% 35 Dollars
1992 40% 45 Dollars
2000 56% 150 Dollars
2001 132% 1000 Dollars
2006 1,281% 50,000 Dollars
2007 (June) 1,5000% 1,500,000 Dollars
In summary, my brothers and sisters, I will forever be indebted to you. I will be able to say to my grand children, I took part in the first Global Diaspora Conference.which laid down the ground rules for your future. It is clear to me that the problem in Africa, in the twenty-first century, is not about the tired old imperialists (though one can dispute the argument that Imperialists like the Devil never tire), but the indigenous abuse of power.
I would say that the rule of Law and the sanctity of Property Rights within certain areas need to be protected as a basis for investment. We may add that no man shall make a law to which he himself is exempted from.
We may also say that while the Colonial System is gone, we as Zimbabweans have benefitted most from its Educational System and that we want to share the facilities and human gifts already invested in this area with our SADC brothers and sisters.
I must also say that there are many examples of a new beginning in History. The prophet Joel told the Jews that in order to achieve such a new beginning, their old men and women must see visions and their young men must dream dreams.
You will be able to say to your grandchildren that you were part of the first Global Conference that expressed in some small way a new vision and a new dream for Zimbabwe.
We must be ruled by laws not by men. Secondly our background prepares us to be the leader in Education for the rest of Africa. Voodoo Economics is unworthy of us and a disgrace. This is our legacy. This Conference must not only see visions and dream dreams but implement them.
In my small way, starting in 1976, I made up my mind to educate one Zimbabwean child a year at Lander University. As I speak, fifty-eight Zimbabweans have passed through my hands. I will say to my grandchildren, dream and also implement your dream; here a little, there a little: it will add up.
I want to thank you all, the Board of the Zimbabwe Diaspora Forum and our beloved Ms Norah Tapiwa for playing such a crucial role in organising this Conference.
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