Social media and the mass demoralisation ploy in Zimbabwe

By Bernard Bwoni

The current propaganda blitz against the ruling party, President Mugabe and the government of Zimbabwe is to be expected and will intensify leading up to the 2018 general elections. The regime change machinations have failed to push through and impose a candidate of their choice via the electoral process in Zimbabwe over the years. They have propped up and funded opposition politics to effect regime change and their efforts have come to nought thus far. The ruling party has remained resolute and true to its core and people-orientated policies, albeit not without challenges of course. The people of Zimbabwe have voted overwhelmingly in support of the ruling party and from the look of things nothing much is going to change in the 2018 general election. This is what is frustrating the funders and founders of the regime change projects in Zimbabwe. They are now clearly aware that regime change is not going to come the way they initially intended, thus they are drastically changing their tactics. They are beginning to re-emerge from their recollection hibernation and this time they seem to be going for broke as they are convinced that transition to their neo-colonial packaged version of democracy is only going to be ushered in by activism, induced public agitation, violence and even blood. The stakes are that high.

The well-choreographed offensive against Zimbabwe and President Mugabe is going to persist and there is a renewed vigour to sow the seeds of discontent, division and despair among the masses in Zimbabwe. The crux of this propaganda thrust is to over-emphasise alleged “failures and disasters” by the ruling party which they attribute to the President of the country. This is why individuals like Pastor Evan Mawarire have been unleashed and getting coaching lessons as we speak. Mawarire’s message has been deliberately repetitive with the specific purpose of gauging and changing public perception. The sole purpose of this offensive is to magnify and elevate the negatives while downgrading anything positive relating to President Mugabe or the ruling party. There is a deliberate focus on falsehoods, lies and fabrications to give credibility to their agenda. Any positive developments that have been happening or are happening under the ruling party are deliberately downplayed, ridiculed and stifled in a way that they are never brought to the fore. Anything positive linked to President Mugabe scares those anti-Zimbabwe and anti-ZANU-PF sceptics who are pushing for an unconstitutional change of government in Zimbabwe.

The social media bombardment against Zimbabwe and President Mugabe is merely to plant seeds of division within the ruling party and create mass demoralisation and despondency. There is nothing organic about the so-called flag movement. It is a deliberate, systematic and sustained strategy meant to create resonance with the masses’ sanctions-induced suffering. The idea behind this strategy is to exempt any external factors in Zimbabwe’s economic woes and simply put emphasis on “supposed and alleged” government failures. There is a sustained and relentless accentuation of an imminent implosion and impending catastrophic economic collapse. This is a calculated use of the fear factor to agitate the masses and separate them from anything Robert Mugabe or ZANU-PF. This unprecedented propaganda drive against President Mugabe is specifically intended to enhance any fractures within the ruling that could lead to an implosion. The idea is to manage and cause that implosion. The truth, facts and evidence have now been permanently side-lined in favour of falsehoods and fabrications with the sole purpose to tarnish the name of the President and to turn the masses against him and the ruling party. Fortunately, the masses can see past through this layers of lies and half-truths. The recent march in support of President Mugabe a few days ago clearly highlights futileness of the efforts of the regime change machinations. The majority of people in Zimbabwe are rational and objective, and are able to navigate through these deliberate distortions which seek to exploit this mass demoralisation exercise to effect regime change in the country.

It is important to highlight that some of the ruling party’s current problems relating to indiscipline and potential are in fact self-inflicted. The party allowed itself to be infiltrated and compromised by some opportunistic individuals with no marrow or moral mettle. The party was systematically infiltrated by these so-called moderates who can neither point to or stand for any principles whatsoever. These are individuals who shamelessly jumped on the ZANU-PF ticket to derive and extract certain benefits and privileges during the date yet nibble at the core of the party in the privacy of darkness. These are the individuals who will watch as the pendulum swings and will jump on any side it stops. These are the same individuals who will then ill of the ruling party when they are ejected from the comforts of the party. The ruling party and Zimbabwe have been under crippling economic sanctions for the better part of the last 15 years. The party, under the resolute stewardship of President Mugabe has managed to hold the country together amid the sanction-induced hardships inflicted upon the masses in Zimbabwe. ZANU-PF has largely remained united and managed to fend off major economic and political sabotage attempts, and hence the frustration and desperation of the architects of the regime change agenda in Zimbabwe.

The social media onslaught against President Mugabe and the ruling party highlights the defeatism and desperation of these outfits. Having failed to destroy and dislodge ZANU-PF from outside, it appears that the strategy has shifted to more enhanced attempts at causing fractures very close to the nucleus of the party. One can only feel for President Mugabe and the ruling party having to battle the external saboteurs and illicit internal infiltration and meddling. The case of the recent Communique and statement allegedly from the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association is a clear case of attempts by some unprincipled individuals (not the war vets) to further fracture the core of the ruling party. No one is taking ownership of the said statement and Communique and this seem to point to a more sinister plot to hijack what could have been genuine dialogue between the war veterans and their patron President Mugabe. I have respect for the war veterans and will forever be indebted to the sacrifices they made for the liberation of Zimbabwe. There are no two ways about that. The fact that all are denying any ownership or authorship of this damning and divisive communique points to nothing more than meddling by some unprincipled individuals to cause friction between the President and the war veterans. The party regrettably allowed unscrupulous individuals who can easily be turned, into its core and these are the inevitable but unintended outcomes.

It is unfortunate that a composite structure of the ZANU-PF disposition allowed itself to be compromised in this manner by some destructive and divisive elements. The war vets are rightly the vanguards of the country’s revolution and play an important role in stabilising the party and country. That should never be allowed to change because any such cracks will be celebrated by the regime change architects who have already started ululating and celebrating the alleged rifts and divisions. The fact that the generality of the war veteran has distanced themselves from this ill-advised communique points to devious individuals behind its authorship and abrupt publication. The regime change machinations are smelling blood and hence the concerted efforts to magnify any cracks, crevices and signs of divisions within the party. The injection of Pastor Mawarire into the mix is not an accident but a well calculated move to have a man of the cloth in pole position to push forward an opposition agenda. The majority of Zimbabwean people are inseparable from the Christian religion, and thus to unite the masses against ZANU-PF, what better way than to create an impression of impartiality masked by religion. The dewy-eyed Pastor Mawarire fits perfectly in this regime change matrix clearly designed and being thrust forward as the voice of the citizens (This is in no way meant to downplay the masses’ grievances and suffering). The idea is to disable the ruling party by exploiting any possible cracks and increase mass agitation through misinformation and disinformation via social network sites and social media.

The ZANU-PF inspired revolution and black economic empowerment gains are under threat owing to the so-called moderates who invited and allowed such a precarious state of affairs to exist and persist. The ruling party has committed and unwavering cadres who are consistent in their defence of the party. In the end the ruling party always triumphs amid all adversity. We have the history and track record to prove it. Social media does not install Presidents; it is the will of the people that does.

Crucial case of protectionism in Zimbabwe

By Bernard Bwoni

The argument that Zimbabwe does not have any industry to protect, thus protectionism would not work, is an unfortunate and a very reductionist argument. The Zimbabwe government has been making some bold, but very unpopular decisions to help stimulate domestic manufacturing and enhance exports. The anti-protectionism dialogue in Zimbabwe has been mainly centred on the argument that the country's industry is not in its infancy but simply operating at way below capacity, thus did not require any protection. However, the fact that Zimbabwe's industrial capacity utilisation has declined to below 50% in effect means that most companies have no capacity at all and thus technically  in their infancy. They would require a period of protection and promotion to allow them to build capacity and to be able to absorb new technologies to enable them to compete with those countries which benefit from much large economies of scale. The two sides of the protectionism debate in Zimbabwe needs to be sincere and factual and not simply driven and determined by emotions alone.

There are many who challenge the quality and pricing of the domestic product and that is valid and necessary argument. The local producers have in the past been notorious for producing low quality products, charge very high prices or create artificial shortages or scarcity to increase the prices of goods. Many consumers in Zimbabwe are very sceptical of domestic products and it is now up to local producers to reassure consumers with ethical and professional standards of doing business. The emphasis should be put on quality to be able to compete with products from more technologically advanced economies. Their niche should be the quality and the price to win over the suspicion Zimbabwe consumers. 

The prices of domestic products have always been a sticking point with consumers preferring cheaper options from abroad. The domestic producers have always argued that their production costs are often higher and hence the pricing structure of their products. Because many are producing at a much smaller scale, their production costs are initially considerably higher. Thus to make a profit or break even, they have to charge accordingly. However the tendency of Zimbabwe producers and businesses in general of wanting to make a killing with massive profit margins is unsustainable.

There is need to start looking at volume rather than these unrealistic prices to make profits. This however does not diminish the fact that domestic industry in Zimbabwe requires that period of protection. In 1791, the then American Treasury Secretary, Alexandra Hamilton argued successfully for American industries to be given the cushion of an initial period of protection against foreign manufactures. Hamilton argued that local industries would be hampered during their infancy if exposed to direct competition from the more developed economies who had started benefiting from much larger economies of scale. The USA, Great Britain, Japan and most advanced nations of today developed on the backdrop of heavy protectionist policies to cushion domestic industries when they were in their infancy. 

The Zimbabwe producers and manufacturers have always argued that they were failing to build capacity due to the unrestricted influx of cheap and inessential imports into the country. They have repeatedly called on the government to provide them with that period of protection so as to enable them to build their capacity. The government recently responded through the Statutory Instrument 64:2016 with a ban on certain specific non essential imports into the country. The response from the South African retailers was unprecedented but predicted. This reaction from across our southern borders reveals the complexities of the one-sided nature of the trade relationship between the Zimbabwe cross border traders and the South African retailers. The retailers in South Africa demonstrated against the import ban as it drastically and significantly impacted on their livelihoods. The whole value chain, backward and forward linkages, was severely disrupted by this ban. The Zimbabwe cross border traders demonstrated as their livelihoods were inextricably linked to these imports from the south. The timing of the ban is not exactly convenient as the country's economy is very weak and many rely on importation of goods for resale in Zimbabwe to make ends meet.

These demonstrations as valid as they are, do not diminish the equally valid case for domestic infant industry protection and promotion. The country is importing some very basic products that can be easily manufactured locally. The less unnecessary imports into Zimbabwe, the better for domestic products and manufactures. However, as already indicated, domestic producers ought to be sincere and realistic when it comes to quality and pricing. The Zimbabwean consumer of recent years has been spoilt for choice with variety of imported goods. The quality of goods produced locally has to compete with what local consumers have gradually got accustomed to. The key to a successful relationship between the Zimbabwean consumer and locally-produced goods is the price and quality primarily. The consumer has to be convinced that moving from the imported product to a local one will not mean compromise on quality and price. They need to have a good quality product which is competitively priced.

The products that fall under Statutory Instrument 64:2016 are products that are being produced locally and available locally or can be made locally. The ban on imports will create opportunities for local firms and producers to start producing or making these products. There is likelihood that exports will increase and with increased exports comes economic growth. Economic growth means employment opportunities and employed people have money to spend in the economy. There are some who have argued that the timing of statutory instrument 64 of 2016 was probably I'll-conceived and that is a fair assessment. The country is currently going through a difficult economic period, people have no other sources of income and buying and selling imported goods sustains livelihoods for many. This was a tough decision that had to be taken, timing or no timing.

The country has to start creating formal employment opportunities to support tax revenue generation for public services delivery. With formal employment, a middle class will eventually emerge and a bigger middle and working class in formal employment paying taxes will enhance revenue collections through taxes to fund public goods and services. To create regular formal employment requires a sound and fully operational manufacturing sector. An increase in exports facilitates the sound manufacturing base, and to enhance exports may in some cases mean a reduction in imports.

The government is reportedly considering regulating the numbers of haulage trucks on the roads to help revive the National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ). This is not entirely an ill-advised move and it will definitely help stimulate the ailing national rail system. There are pros and cons to the move. The haulage trucks sustain livelihoods for the individuals who own those trucks and one or two drivers they employ. On the negative side the haulage trucks have had a disastrous record on the country's roads. Many accidents and death have been due to these monsters on the roads. They cause the most wear and tear on the country's roads. The NRZ on the other hand will potentially employ more people, directly and indirectly and this is for the greater good of the country and economy. The timing of this would be very inconvenient due to the disabling and difficult economic conditions in the country.

Zimbabwe is Open for Business

By Bernard Bwoni

Zimbabwe is an extraordinary country that is setting a whole different standard to the concept of economic development. The country has faced challenge after challenge and has withstood all adversity and continues to do. There have been challenges of communication (or lack of) and consistency (or lack of). The fact of the matter is that Zimbabwe is a country on the cusp of a phenomenal economic take-off and that is unavoidable. The difference between this impending take-off and what most African countries temporarily achieve (and then inevitably falter) is the fact that the Zimbabwean model is backed and manned by genuinely economically empowered natives. That is crucial. I will clarify and quantify this later on in the article. The bottom line is that the country’s land reform and economic empowerment strategies have been a success and are starting to bear fruition.

Zimbabwe has one of the most elaborate financial and banking systems by regional standards with an array of commercial banks, merchant banks, building societies, asset management companies, finance houses and insurance companies. The investment process in Zimbabwe is also made quite fluid by the highly effective Zimbabwe Investment Authority (ZIA). The Zimbabwe Investment Authority is the first port of call for all investors and their website www.investzim.com is vibrant and provides up to date investment information and processes. All investment information, facilitation, procedures and documentation to be completed and submitted are clearly explained. ZIA is there to assist investors and potential investors with obtaining all necessary permits, licences and all authorisations to fully set their business in Zimbabwe. The country is surging ahead with initiatives to improve the economy and to make for smooth and ease of doing business. There have been genuine and practical efforts on the part of government to spruce up the business environment, cleansing it of all obstacles that Zimbabwe less attractive to capital. The country has already reduced the time it takes to register a company from 90 days to 13 days with the aim of reducing it to 3 days in due course. 

This has already caught the attention of potential investors and when I visited the Zimbabwe Investment Authority, I was informed of the surge in enquiries and the interest investors are taking in the country. I was met with unmatched professionalism and high standards of service at the ZIA offices. The offices are clean and airy and staff from reception all the way to all the main offices could not do enough to assist and provide you with information. One of the Executives we met, Mr Ranga, was responsive and provided us with relevant and precise information about business registration and all the processes. Now this the standard of reception the potential investor is receiving and it is world class. The young lady at reception was smiling and warm. This is the country setting the tone, the right tone for its inevitable and impending economic take-off. This is a country shouting and shouting loudly that it is open for business. And it is and there are business opportunities.

The Zimbabwe Law recognises the issue of property rights and this is enshrined into the new constitution. It guarantees the right to private ownership and Chapter 4, Part 2, subsection 71 of the new Constitution addresses the overall issue of property rights fairly and again in line with international law. The rights are extended to all people and the rights to compensation are recognised. Part 2, Section 72 of the Constitution points out that access to agricultural land is seen as a “fundamental right” and that “every citizen of Zimbabwe has a right to acquire, hold, occupy, use, transfer, hypothecate, lease or dispose of agricultural land regardless of his or her race or colour’’. The rights are extended to all people and the rights to compensation are recognised. However, the issue of property of agricultural land needed to be and was addressed in line with the need to “redress the unjust and unfair pattern of land ownership that was brought about by colonialism”. The issue of property rights is clearly covered under Zimbabwean law and no investor is going to have their investment taken from them. This has never happened in the country and is unlikely to happen.

The country has been making significant strides in infrastructure development initiatives.  There have been practical and sustained efforts in the rehabilitation and construction of road networks, power generation, information technology and water treatment. The Tokwe Mukosi is nearing completion and Kariba is halfway through retooling and rehabilitation. The completion of the Hwange Thermal Power Expansion, Gwayi-Shangani and Makomo will generate additional thousands megawatts into the national grid. In the next few years once all the power generation projects are completed Zimbabwe will potentially be exporting power to its regional partners. As we speak load shedding has become a thing of the past in Zimbabwe. Power supplies have been constant and consistent even before the completion of all the power generation projects taking place in the country. The work at Morton Jaffray Waterworks was recently completed in Harare and water treatment rehabilitation and retooling is being cascaded nationwide.

There is evidence on the ground of dualisation of the country's major highways with Harare-Bulawayo at an advanced stage, the Harare-Beitbridge are taking shape. The Plumtree-Mutare road and Airport road have now been completed and are world-class. Zimbabwe has made inroads in information and technology assimilation with a 100% mobile penetration according to the Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (Potraz). Zimbabwe has in excess of 13 million mobile phone subscribers which easily translate to every individual in the country having access to mobile phone communication. The strength of the housing market in any country is a very important indicator and in the current economic environment in Zimbabwe it needs to be used with caution though. It could be that house prices in the country are overpriced but it is a demand and supply issue. The strength of the Zimbabwe housing market lies in the fact that most homes are owned outright with no mortgage or outstanding loans. There is money in brick-and-mortar.

The Zimbabwe agricultural sector is set for a revival in the coming season as there has been significant investments in the sector. Crucially the Presidential Inputs Scheme will continue to benefit many households throughout the country for the current agricultural season. This strategic scheme targets maize, small grains and livestock which are important for the country’s food security and national self-sufficiency. These are positive and proactive initiatives on the part of the government to stimulate agricultural growth as this ensures that seeds are readily and timely available at the start of the planting season. It is from an agricultural base that the country’s economic revival is stemming from. There has also been a great deal of interest and initiative from the diaspora community in engaging in agriculture through massive resource mobilisation strategies and practical initiatives. The Zimbabwe Agricultural Initiative (ZAI) has been engaging government in initiatives to boast agriculture in the country. ZAI is an initiative of Zimbabweans based in the diaspora and they are engaging government to invest in the country’s agricultural sector.

One of the key stumbling blocks to the revival of the agriculture sector has been access to financial resources in particular the small-scale and newly resettled farmers. The government has been proactive and made good progress in terms of facilitating resources mobilisation from the country’s financial institutions. The Prescribed Asset Status (PAS), the Liquid Asset Status, tax exemptions and government guarantees are some of the key strategies the government has been pursuing to ensure that the agricultural financing institutions more willing to fund the sector.  There has been progress in allowing the 99 year leases to act as collateral for farmers to access funding from banks. There are in principle provisions to make the leases bankable. The banking sector has mobilised in funding for farmers to access working capital under a number of available credit schemes and so far support for contract farming arrangements have been in place through the Agricultural Market Authority.

In the past farmers have struggled paying back loans and this has made the financial institutions very sceptical and reluctant to provide new lending to farmers. This has in turn has had a negative impact on agriculture and productivity. The government is now ensuring certainty of repayment through an efficient Stop Order System which help address the challenges relating to farmers avoiding paying through side marketing. Robust recovery systems which guarantee financial institutions that farmers will repay have now been put into place. The Bankers Association of Zimbabwe (BAZ) is currently developing and making arrangements for the re-establishment of the Stop Order System with the support of the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe, The Ministry of Finance and Economic Development and The Ministry of Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development. The government has been encouraging Contract farming arrangements between farmers and cotton merchants through the continuation of the Buying Quota System for contracts to limit side marketing of contracted cotton which will also support loan recovery and the sustainability of bank funding for cotton production. These are all positive strategies to rebuild trust with the lending institutions.

The government has been keen to induce productivity in agriculture via joint ventures with interested parties. The government of Zimbabwe owns expansive estates of good agricultural land nationally through the Agriculture and Rural Authority (ARDA) and the Cold Storage Commission (CSC) which currently lies under-utilised and as such has been inviting investors willing to partner ARDA and CSC in joint ventures. Under the arrangements the potential investors will provide capital whilst ARDA and CSC will provide the land and infrastructure for the estates. Initiatives such as the diaspora based ZAI have been buying into this and looking to partnerships with government and local farmers.

The country is headed for better outcomes and there is no other way round that. However, there is need to address some of the policy and administrative challenges that have held back previous government initiatives. Corruption and other administration malfunctions have been the albatross around the country’s economic turnaround and it is action and actual follow up which will ensure that this is nipped in the bud. There are no boundaries to the possibilities that Zimbabwe has to offer her citizens and the opportunities are being presented without limits. There are endless possibilities and opportunities for investors, both domestic and external. Now is the time to invest in this unique and strategically placed African country. Africa’s safest and most peaceful country.

www.zai-agribusiness.org

The (un)necessary case of the import ban and protectionism

By Bernard Bwoni                                                                  

The recently gazetted regulations under Statutory Instrument 64 of 2016 to control and regulate the importation of certain goods that are available locally or can be made locally requires further debate and discussion minus any associated emotions and bias. The recent demonstrations and burning of a warehouse at the Beitbridge Border Post point to a number of key underlying and still to-be-debated issues. The criminal damage at the border was unfortunate and potentially points to some individuals or groups of individuals who are pushing their own agendas to create the impression that the current cash crisis is a political rather than an economic problem. That is muddling issues instead of looking at it from a point of proffering long term remedies for the country. It is true that Zimbabwe has allowed a problematic situation to exist whereby it imports more than it exports which has brought to the surface all the issues of cash shortages, unemployment and the many other related crises being witnessed. It is thus government’s responsibility to remedy the situation through regulation of trade to create the right environment for local businesses to fill in the gap created by this ban. There are many anchor level commercial activities that local producers and business people can enter into because they are low entry investment sectors. The goods that are on the list of the restricted categories under this statutory instrument can be made locally if not already being made locally and these are opportunities for the domestic producers and entrepreneurs. The categorised goods include such items as wheel barrows, lock gates, lattice masts, roofs, roofing frames, doors, windows and window frames, shutters, corrugated roofing sheets, baked beans, potato crisps, cereals, bottled water, mayonnaise, salad cream, peanut butter, jams, maheu, canned fruits and vegetables, pizza base, cheeses, ice-cream, yoghurts flavoured milks, furniture and so on. These are products that can be made locally and this creates opportunities for the local businesses.

Some have argued that the ban is an extreme measure and that government should have imposed harsh anti-dumping tariffs or rates instead. That is without a doubt a valid point but the counter argument is that even with such measures in place, the same products would continue to come into the country due to various reasons, mostly illegally of course, at the entry points. The import ban is a strategic move by the government to stimulate the growth of domestic manufacturing capacity to increase exports. Local entrepreneurs will start producing or are already producing those goods locally and eventually cheaply. If goods are being produced in Zimbabwe, this creates employment as increased production minus the imports means increased sale of the domestic product and job opportunities for Zimbabweans. It is people with jobs who have money to spend on goods and services. This is a way of kick-starting Zimbabwe’s economic growth. The business people from Musina are up in arms against the Zimbabwe government’s decision to ban the imports because it has serious repercussions and puts restrictions on their livelihoods. The South African producers and wholesalers have unilaterally made a claim to the Zimbabwe market as wholly theirs and will resist any entry onto the Zimbabwe market by Zimbabwe products. That is the reason why they were demonstrating on their side of the border. The Zimbabwe cross-border traders are sustaining these SA businesses, they bring in the cash and in so doing employment opportunities for South Africans. They are basically exporting employment opportunities to the South African economy. It is a fact that the cross-border traders have to sustain their livelihoods during these tough economic conditions. There is no denying that and people have to survive. It is also a fact that government has a responsibility to come up with solutions and sometimes such solutions may be unpopular with some sections of the public.

This is a dilemma for the government which is faced with the challenge of making decisions for the greater good of all and for the long run. It is a fact that Zimbabwe is currently facing a cash shortage and when people go to neighbouring countries with dollars or rands to purchase goods for resale back in Zimbabwe, they are in fact propping up that country’s economy. This is basic and needs to be viewed from an economic point of view for the greater good of all not individuals. Zimbabwe has to import the USD or Rands under the current multi-currency regime. When people buy goods produced in South Africa for example, they are boosting sales for South African businesses and increased sales for these businesses means more employment opportunities for them and not for Zimbabwe. This is the reason why South African business people are protesting as well on their side of the border against Statutory Instrument 64 of 2016.

There is an urgent need to kick-start the Zimbabwe economy and an import substitution industrialisation strategy is a good starting point. This is not re-inventing the wheel as all the developed countries and emerging economies of today have had to do that to get to where they are today. The same argument from most people is that Zimbabwe does not have an industry to protect and as such the import ban is ill-conceived. The counter argument however is that, for Zimbabwe to have an industry to protect, whatever is there or was there requires time, promotion and protection to build capacity to be able to compete against products from outside. There is the argument that the timing of the ban is insensitive. However, the other argument is when is the right time? The Zimbabwe manufacturing sector is being choked by these cheap imports the government has just banned. The local manufacturers are struggling because a huge chunk of the local revenue is being lost to these cheap and in most cases inessential industrial and agricultural imports which can be made, produced and accessed locally. Zimbabwe is basically exporting forex and employment to other economies through this over-reliance on imports. Formal employment is not being created. The economy is heavily burdened by these imports and it is struggling to grow. Where in this world has economic growth has come from importing?

The value of producing wealth is in fact more important than the wealth itself because of the long term implications. Imports may create a profit for the individual but the long term impact on the country’s manufacturing sector is dire. The argument being put forward by those who are against the import ban that locally produced goods are more expensive than the imports is very correct. It is a fact that initially protectionism can make the price of goods more expensive. However, with time as the country builds its capacity, the goods will be produced more cheaply locally. These are the long-run realities of protectionism. The import ban may appear insensitive but in reality it is not anti-people. The Zimbabwe government is responding to the situation and looking at fostering a local economy where wealth creation improves the economic and social fortunes of the majority. This is about an economy that focuses on all and not just certain individuals. It is not always going to be possible to have it both ways. Governments have the responsibility to make bold and sometimes unpopular decisions for the greater good of the majority. Businesses and factories are struggling in Zimbabwe owing to intense competition from these cheap imports. The country is thus faced with a real dilemma, to either leave the local manufacturers and businesses struggling so as to sustain the cross border traders whose livelihoods depends on such imports into the country.  

The country is importing some basic products that could easily be or already being manufactured in Zimbabwe. The country is not exporting enough to counter the excessive imports into the country. The shelves are filled to the top with a wide variety of imports and that is not sustainable. It is a tough choice between the Zimbabwean consumer embracing the local product for long term benefits or variety and abundance in supermarkets for instant gratification.

bernardbwoni.blogspot.com

Pastor Evan's reckless disregard for citizens’ consensus

By Bernard Bwoni

The individual or individuals behind the "flag movement" or whichever name they prefer to be known by, have issued a statement of what they claim are "citizens' demands" to the government of Zimbabwe. This was issued on social media sites Facebook and Twitter. Some of the demands were that the "RBZ and Ministry of Finance must make an announcement that they are no longer issuing out bond notes" and "the Ministry of Industry and Commerce must make an announcement about the removal of Statutory Instrument 64 of 2016 banning the importation of certain inessential goods into Zimbabwe". The statement goes on to say that "If all the demands are not met within the next few days the citizens will be shutting Zimbabwe down again on Wednesday 13th and Thursday 14th July 2016". There are also reports suggesting that Pastor Evan and other individuals have also threatened to march to State House if these demands and ultimatums to government are not heeded. It's like some British individual threatening to shut down Britain if government plans to cut welfare benefits are not put aside. This is precisely what Pastor Evan is trying to do with his coercive, confusing and confused strategy. It is a simple case of a few clueless individuals getting together to issue out demands to the government on Facebook without any consent or consultation.

One Facebook socialite, Ms Kerina Mujati posted on her Facebook Wall challenging Evan's sincerity in this short-sighted shutdown Zimbabwe movement and queried his motive by saying;

  “Pastor Evan Mawarire typical fake pastor, prophet of doom typical of a terrorist. He is trying hard to be noticed thinking he might line his empty pockets as he isn't a match of the bling pastors Makandiwa, Angel and Magaya. You call for a stay away contributing to the downfall of the economy you are moaning about. People who are self-employed has lost earnings. Calling for a stay away with no agenda to your means is beyond obnoxious. Evan watadza kukoroza mari ye fake minana oda kukonzeresa. People who are being injured do you have a way to assist getting them medical aid? There is no man of God like you only a terrorist can behave as such. What did you achieve as Mugabe has not paid attention to your disorganisation? Please leave people to get on with their lives you fake pastor. You are thirsty for attention for your glory what of the masses? Vanotuka tukai henyu muchitungamirirwa nemupupuri wenhema Madzibaba Wapusa Evan. Munangwarira kuzviisa muCivil War muchizvinyepera kuti muri kuita revolution kukaurisa Mugabe munangwarira vanokuudzai kuti zvinangwa zvavo ndezvei. Ndikoko. ‪#‎cdesistermwenewazvo#”

Ms Mujati's post invited and earned her some shocking vitriol from other Facebook users for disagreeing with Pastor Evan's strategy and questioning his motives. She however has every reason to question him because his call urging citizens to "shutdown Zimbabwe" has far-reaching implications for the nation as a whole and have the potential to plunge the country into a state of anarchy and lawlessness. The fact of the matter is that Pastor Evan has been brazen to the point of implying that his own word is the 'citizens’ last word'. In his videos his starting statement has been, "the citizens have spoken". This all-encompassing use of the word 'citizens' requires further interrogation to bring about some clarity to the confusion. He has been speaking as a private citizen and as far as I am aware, he does not represent any formal organisation such as a political entity or a civic organisation.

Let’s get facts correct, Pastor Evan is not an elected official and as such he does not have a mandate similar to the one the government has to make decisions to introduce bond notes or introduce import bans where they consider necessary. He does not have any members he leads or represents as he does not belong to any formal organisation except his own church maybe. He is a private citizen sharing his campaign on social media sites and this potentially flawed campaign is not immune to scrutiny or even ridicule because it has the potential to engulf the whole country into a state of chaos. As a private citizen, he cannot make demands or decisions on behalf of all citizens but only in his individual capacity. When he does that in his individual capacity, that is his Constitutional right, he is entitled to it and he should exercise that. However, when he starts making demands and giving ultimatums to government he needs to make it clear that those are his own personal pronouncements and not the voice of the citizens as he falsely claims.  He has not consulted with and obtained permission of the majority of the citizenry to issue ultimatums on their behalf. The problem that arise from his all-embracing use of the word 'citizens', ill-conceived actions and pronouncements is that they end up infringing on other people's Constitutional rights not to be part of his personal charade. The fact that he uses the statement ‘the citizens have spoken’ means that even those who do not agree with his tactics are lumped in the same bracken when his actions are analysed.

In his Facebook demands statements, he made it clear that "the citizens did not want bond notes and also did not want Statutory Instrument 64 of 2016 to ban certain imports into the country to boost domestic exports". Now here is where the problem comes because that is not entirely true that the citizens do not want these two items. It is debatable what the citizens want or don't want. The question is what sample size did he use, to determine that citizens did not want bond notes? This is what irked private citizens like Ms Mujati and they are challenging his claim to speak for and making such profound unilateral decisions and declarations on behalf of all citizens of Zimbabwe. Citizens like Ms Mujati are not having it and rightly so. Pastor Evan needs to be very clear and specific in his pronouncements and he should refrain from dragging all citizens into his personal project that could potentially lead to unrest and avoidable conflict. He needs to specify which citizens he is speaking on behalf of because there is need for consultation and consensus before taking such life changing and potentially disastrous actions. Without that consensus and without the mandate, he can't speak on behalf of all citizens. A private citizen without an electoral mandate or any formal authority suddenly shouldering the huge responsibility of speaking on behalf of all citizens raises more questions than answers. A Facebook Wall or Twitter Feed does not equate to a polling booth granting him an electoral mandate and as such pronouncements by private citizens without mandates should remain such. Individual private citizens’ declarations and statements should not be confused with the voice of the people.

The demands and ultimatums being issued by the private citizen Pastor Evan should be viewed as private and references to "citizens’ demands" are wholly inaccurate. The question to pose is, what about those who do not subscribe to Pastor Evan's "private" demands and ultimatums? There is a reason why there should always be consultation and consensus on such national matters. It is interesting to note that Pastor Evan is accusing government of not listening to the "citizens" and doing things without consulting the "citizens, and here he is doing exactly what he is accusing the government of not doing. What gives him the right to make declarations in his personal capacity as a private citizen to mean the entirety of the "citizens of Zimbabwe". He must formalise his movement, incorporate citizens into members and then he can speak on those specific members' behalf. There are many who do not want him to make demands on their behalf. To just decide to speak on behalf of all citizens is way too ambitious and open to challenge from citizens like Ms Mujati. Some of those demands and ultimatums do not represent the views of citizens of Zimbabwe but rather a select number of citizens. There are many who can’t wait for the bond notes to be introduced and there are many local producers and citizens who welcome statutory instrument 64:16.

The brazen and wanton disregard of consultation and consensus on the part of activists like Pastor Evan points to a sharp shift from the democratic ideals that the opposition claim to champion and repeatedly accuse the government of having abdicated. The vitriol and threats Ms Mujati received for disagreeing with Pastor Evan points to the deep rooted intolerance on the part of those select citizens whom Evan speaks on behalf of. This select group of citizens that subscribe to Evan's movement is hostile and intolerant to divergent views going by the backlash Ms Mujati encountered. What is shocking is that some have gone onto Ms Mujati's profile, downloaded pictures of her children and are using those images in an unbecoming manner. Now this is the select group of citizens that Pastor Evan represents and is issuing the demands and ultimatums on behalf of. To be fair to him, in his videos Evan has urged a non-violent approach, however it is actions that matter not words.

Pastor Evan himself seem very intolerant of contrary views to his own one-track-minded approach and he has decided on what is the best course of action on behalf of the citizens of Zimbabwe without any consultation or consensus. The government was given the mandate to govern and the responsibility of making certain decisions on behalf of the nation. Some of the decisions may be unpopular with private citizens like Pastor Evan and that is normal. It is also normal for citizens to question such decisions. However, to make threats to besiege State House if his private citizen demands (since there is no consensus) are not met by an elected government is borderline wooden. Whoever is advising Pastor Evan is leading him astray and if he has no one advising him then he needs to seriously consider engaging someone to offer him such services. His manner of talking in representing his 'select group of citizens (and not all citizens) is shouting, repetitive and deliberate use of over-emphasis. There is a definite passion for his movement or campaign and that is commendable. However, that passion or over-enthusiasm is coming across as very rigid. In his first interview on Star FM when he was pitted against Mr Tafadzwa Musarara, he was unrelenting and talking over others to the point of the interlocutor having to rebuke him.

He has also been given an audience with the RBZ Governor and again it was the same choreographed-like repetitive message about being tired of government and government not listening to the citizens. I watched snippets his audience with the Governor and he was listened to and allowed to air his views. The government can listen to citizens’ views but to change each and every policy decision to fit in with each individual private citizen's specific demands and ultimatums will be asking too much and nearly impossible. The repetitive nature of Pastor Evan's message is to serve the narrative aims and concretise the message in those select citizens who subscribe to his rhetoric, to reinforce assumptions and inferences about the supposed government failings. His strategy can be likened to the 'Fox News Effect' where it is a message without neither attitude or altitude but rather it’s 'drill-it-into-the-head' properties. It is aimed at angry and vulnerable people. Pastor Evan's message propels his select citizens to be agitated about things they did not even know they should be agitated about until he repeatedly hammers into their system and shocks their system with "government is not listening" dry message. He is deliberately tapping into emotional core of that niche market of those who otherwise may feel left out. 

Economic terrorism and the regime change agenda in Zimbabwe

Bernard Bwoni

Economic terrorism often refers to activities by a country, a group or individuals that are deliberately meant to cause economic disruption and destabilisation. These activities are the design of and carried out by a foreign country to sabotage the economic activities of another country to render that country dysfunctional. The case of Zimbabwe clearly demonstrates the damaging effects of economic terrorism. The opposition in Zimbabwe was funded to initiative and engage in these acts of economic sabotage against Zimbabwe. The idea behind these acts was to disable Zimbabwe economically, to demoralise the general populace, to make the country ungovernable to make way for an illegal regime change agenda. The purpose is to induce the internal collapse of the state, to create chaos and confusion, to disrupt economic activity to the point of stagnation thereby creating a conducive environment for public protests. These are the same tactics being employed by the opposition in Zimbabwe and their handlers offshore. The Zimbabwe economy has been under constant pressure and attack from groups, individuals and countries that want to and continue to manipulate the economic situation to effect regime change in the country. The economic warfare against Zimbabwe continues and it merits the attention of those entrusted with the national security affairs of the country. President Mugabe has repeatedly lamented the damaging effects of this economic attack against the country to effect the illegal regime change. Zimbabwe was slapped with illegal economic sanctions and the country has been reeling under the effects of ZDERA 2001 and the European Union economic sanctions. The opposition in Zimbabwe with the backing and financial muscle of their funders launched this systematic and strategic economic war against Zimbabwe. This war continues with opposition and their supporters continuing to engineer and make attempts of an economic warfare against the country.

Aside from the death, depravation and destruction caused by these unwarranted economic sanctions, it is important to consider economic damage caused by the persistent negative representation of Zimbabwe by those who continue to want to see the economic difficulties persist to effect this regime change. There is a group of some very misguided Zimbabweans in London who call themselves Zimbabwe Vigil who gather to sing weekly outside the Zimbabwe Embassy. They have constantly harassed visiting Zimbabwe government officials and disrupted any government engagement efforts with the West. The same group is currently plotting to stand outside the venue of the Conference in London to be attended by the Minister of Finance Cde Patrick Chinamasa, RBZ Governor Dr Mangudya, Senior Officials and Policy Makers from Zimbabwe at the beginning of July 2016. The visiting officials from Zimbabwe will be engaging with potential investors and funders and they will be explaining plans and priorities for the rebuilding of Zimbabwe’s economy. These Zimbabwe Vigil people have been making frantic efforts on social media platforms and their proposed picket line outside the venue at the conference to dissuade investors and as they put it in their own words “to tell prospective investors the real reasons why Zimbabwe has run out of money and why the world should be sceptical about any assurances given by the likes of Finance Minister Chinamasa, Minister of Macro Economic Planning and Investment Obert Mpofu, and Mike Bimha, Minister of Industry and Commerce”. This is unfortunate that it is Zimbabweans who are busy de-campaigning the country and trying to block any potential investors to Zimbabwe for their own self-serving ends. Zimbabwe has been working hard in its efforts to reengage with the West and financial institutions like the IMF and World Bank to unlock substantial new funding for economic growth, revival and development. Those efforts are being hampered by such groups as this Zimbabwe Vigil and other groups partaking in this economic terrorism.

It is unfortunate that groups such as these will try to paint a negative picture of Zimbabwe in Western capitals to strengthen their standing and access funding in their efforts to economically sabotage Zimbabwe. They constantly sing and prance outside the Zimbabwe Embassy in London, spreading the negative gospel about Zimbabwe to repel business and investment into the country. Anything positive about Zimbabwe is not good for their own personal prospects of funding and immigration status in the UK. They persistently send the wrong message to those who want to come into the country to do business, to visit and to invest. There are many Westerners who are keen to come to Zimbabwe for pleasure and business and groups like Vigil’s economic terrorism against Zimbabwe blocks and deters such people. They have become persistent and perennial whingers who seem to derive some sadistic pleasure from dishonestly painting Zimbabwe in a negative light and dissuading business from coming into the country to help improve the lives of many. For groups like Vigil it is nothing to do with anything, but primarily self-preservation. The world has become way too interdependent and interconnected and it is regrettable that the voices of such misguided individuals will be heard and their dishonest portrayal of Zimbabwe will put off many potential visitors and businesses. This Zimbabwe Vigil negativity has far-reaching and damaging effects on the country as a whole and this is the economic warfare that Zimbabwe government has to deal with. It just boggles the mind what some individuals are prepared to do for a simple stamp in their passports and a bit of pocket money.

The purpose has been to cause an economic crisis with the intended aim of a regime change in Zimbabwe by the many actors driven by a combination of their sinister motives. It is unfortunate that there is no legislation (clear) on such acts of economic sabotage against the country. There are many such instances whereby individuals, groups and some private media have gone ahead publishing articles and making statements with the clear intention of creating panic and even disrupt the day to day economic activities of Zimbabwe. There are people who are busy telling blatant lies to discourage business from coming into Zimbabwe for the sole purpose of their own self-seeking motives to cause instability and wreak havoc on the Zimbabwe economy to effect regime change. There are some simpletons who do it for stamps in their passports of course. The end outcome is the same though, the destabilisation of Zimbabwe economically. Their motives are every bit as cunning and represent a real and present danger to the economic stability of Zimbabwe. These are existential and immediate threats to the national security of Zimbabwe. Such acts of economic sabotage against the country have far-reaching implications for the country as a whole and it is the ordinary citizens who suffer the most. Those who inflict the damage are not the real victims of such acts, they get their stamps in their passports, and the rest will feel the impact on the ground in Zimbabwe while groups like Vigil prance aimlessly outside the embassy in London.

The groups like Vigil and many other individuals who continually discredit Zimbabwe and block investors from coming to the country for their own selfish ends are deliberately committing deliberate acts of economic terrorism against the country. There is no value whatsoever in putting the country down under fraudulent claims of human rights violations. The many so called activists, pastors and other such peoples are all part and parcel of this matrix of internal and external economic threat against the country.

Inducing false fear to fracture the Zimbabwe core

By Bernard Bwoni

It starts off with dramatic pictures of a group of young people in threatening and boisterous poses, throwing stones and burning tyres in the middle of roads. There is commotion and prancing, singing and scuffles. There is senseless damage to property, wanton disregard to the rule of law and a deliberate provocation of law enforcement authorities to react. Stones and boulders are hurled in the direction of law enforcement and that stirs them into action and rightly so. That precise moment the law enforcement officials move in is the exact moment that is captured on a smartphone device. This is the image that is instantly whisked away and uploaded on social networks sites Facebook and Twitter. The prolific cyberspace warriors play with words to enable them to access and appeal to their intended audience's emotional side. These are very specific words and statements that are used repetitively to tamper with the targeted audience's emotional corner. They will use headings like "Zimbabwe is burning", "Total collapse", "Murdering and raping regime on the brink of collapse", and many such wordings to go with specifically captured images to induce instant panic. This is the caption that is shared by many on social network sites and in so doing creates the false impression that Zimbabwe is indeed burning or on the brink of a total collapse. These cyberspace warriors are not based on the ground in Zimbabwe but rather entirely in the diaspora. They are hostile towards the Zimbabwe government and will not have first-hand information of what really is happening on the ground but will have the resources to create that false reality effectively. Their primary focus is to cause cracks within the ruling party to pave way for the real forces behind their keyboards to effect regime change in the country.

A picture of unruly youths burning used tyres in the middle of a road in Epworth is then taken up by Western media sources, made into a matter-of-fact story and that becomes the world version of news headlines about Zimbabwe. What the country has been subjected to since the land reform programme from 2000 onwards has been a systematic economic warfare meant to bring the country down to its knees. It is a warfare that the country has been struggling to cope with or contain hence the niggling economic difficulties that persist and continue to hold the country its own economic hostage. Zimbabwe has always played catch up to the economic traps that have been set in her paths since attaining independence in 1980. This is a country with a fully equipped and staffed defence college, one of the best armies in Africa, a very good police service (minus some few bad apples) and an intelligence service that outwitted Simon Mann and his mercenaries. These are national institutions that should be formulating 50 year plans to counter such economic warfare and acts of economic terrorism against the country. There has to be serious failures somewhere on the part of the country’s intelligence services if certain economic crimes and acts of economic sabotages continue to resurface in nearly exactly the same format. It boggles the mind that hundreds of millions of dollars if not billions in cash have illegally been siphoned out of the country through our national borders with no one noticing? This is hard to believe but this has left the country with crippling cash shortages and this is now threatening the security and stability of the nation. How can this sloppy scenario have been allowed to prevail in the full glare of the country's security services? How can the country be milked dry of its entire forex whilst it has a feared and fully functional intelligence service? Or maybe the intelligence service in the country don’t have a role to play in financial crimes against the country? Is it the police who should be monitoring such national security breaches?

This is a serious matter, the security of Zimbabwe is paramount and today that security is under imminent threat owing to either omissions or sloppiness somewhere along the way. The threats that the country faces are of an economic nature and these have a real and immediate bearing on the survival of the nation. The obvious cases of embezzlement and money-laundering are all economic crimes against the state and the question to pose is, economic crimes and economic terrorism, whose responsibility is it to counter these? Is there any hawk-eyed monitoring of the national economy from a national security threat point of view? What strategies are in place to counter the growing threat of economic terrorism or economic warfare through deliberate sabotage against Zimbabwe?

The Fast Track Land Reform Programme in Zimbabwe invited the wrath of those who wanted to maintain a status quo where the blacks were side-lined in most economic activities of the country. The regime change agenda is about power to restore economic advantage to a select minority. The false fear that is being fed to the gullible is meant to redirect the masses away from the necessary economic trough towards the unproductive and unpredictable political furnace that does not seek to empower economically. The idea is to trivialise black economic empowerment and magnify the political case through falsified headings and headlines of a "burning Zimbabwe". The cyberspace warriors hate the state with a passion, and have gone as far as dig up archived images and videos and sharing them as current affairs. There are many images that are being borrowed from war torn parts of the continent and being passed on as the current state of Zimbabwe. There is a twisted level of desperation on the part of these cyberspace warriors and those who they do their bidding for.

At the beginning of the article I mentioned that it is imperative that the country's economic and financial department of the intelligence services has to prioritise long term plans to robustly defend the country's economic and financial space in this world. I am sure there are such plans and blueprints in place. If not, then there must be something wrong somewhere. The real stakeholders (not those burning tyres and threatening to shut down Zimbabwe) behind the economic warfare against Zimbabwe are very patient and have long term plans of crippling the economy until the status quo of yesteryear is restored in their favour. The proactive and effective response would be counter long term plans and strategies.

In today's economic warfare being waged against Zimbabwe, the accuracy of details is not important to the perpetrators. It is the falsehoods being peddled by the cyberspace warriors with very high success rates that is emphasised. Their deliberate and inaccurate representation of details has been gaining more traction than the real cause that government of Zimbabwe has been pursuing to empower and improve the lives of the ordinary previously marginalised black people of Zimbabwe.

The agitation and threats to shut down Zimbabwe are all part and parcel of this economic warfare, same as the disruption of any efforts by the government of Zimbabwe to re-engage with the West to bring investors into the country.

The disabling and destabilising effect of induced false fear has been eating away at the core of the Zimbabwean national fabric. The objective of this false fear is to dismantle the engine that drives government which is the ruling party. The cyber warfare on social networks and WhatsApp has been unrelenting, methodical and precise to appeal to the masses' emotional and vulnerable centres to agitate and incite them into whatever action, mostly unproductive and illegal. The messages can instantly be believed and it is only after a while when one looks deeper, that one realises the packaged untruths and falsehoods. It is quite powerful to the point of appealing to some sections of those being attacked, that is ZANUPF party members themselves. It is a message with neither attitude or altitude but rather 'drill-it-into-the-head' properties. It is aimed at angry and vulnerable people. The false fear induces instant panic and makes one despise the "system" without even looking deeper into the meaning. The ruling party needs to guard against false fear because it easily converts to real fear that can have potentially destructive outcomes. The ruling party needs to stay focused on the job at hand, that is efficient service delivery and improving the lives of ordinary Zimbabweans. Remain people-orientated, remain true to the core principles of the party and then the party is onto a winner.

Pastor Evan’s moment, & supremacy of the Constitution of Zimbabwe

By Bernard Bwoni

The government has the conclusive responsibility and is accountable to the people of Zimbabwe. Their role is that of facilitating and putting into play policies, processes and systems for efficient service delivery, which are the safeguards against corruption. They require nothing short of a committed and consistent follow-through. The people of Zimbabwe have repeatedly spoken out about corruption and urged the government to tackle this degenerate economic dissipation. The government has not been deaf to the people’s outcries about corruption, they have listened but the problem is that they have just listened and very little else beyond that. This is what has continued to agitate many and hence why the Pastor’s message has been resonating with some. It is very important that the government make a drastic shift from all the rhetoric on corruption and introduce more drastic and correctional measures to curb this damaging culture that has become inbuilt and the norm in the Zimbabwe psyche. There is no value whatsoever in simply talking about corruption because the culprits will simply carry on without due care or attention even after being named and shamed. The people are agitating because they are not witnessing real consequences for those implicated or found guilty of corruption. There is no point in empty threats and high-sounding declarations that the government is going to fight corruption when the architects of corruption are left to continue with the practices. The three arms of the state, legislature, the executive and the judiciary must work in a tight-knit format to tackle corruption more effectively. If any arm of the state is compromised, then there is no point in even attempting to fight corruption.  Each arm of the arm of state must be razor-sharp in the fight against corruption and once blunted it affect the whole process. What Pastor Evan is selling to the people is nothing new but the fact that it is nothing new does not make it any less important.

The issue of the many road blocks and the constant soliciting of bribes by some police officers has been recurrent and this has caused a lot of distress and inconvenience to the many motorists in Zimbabwe. On some roads there seem to be more road blocks than street lights and it is shocking. The disproportionately high number of roadblocks is what is indeed fuelling and sustaining the corruption and frustrating the motorists. Those are the structural problems that need to be changed, yes there are instances where road blocks or police presence is necessary, but some of it has just become a police get-together to extract some money out of the public. Again, the Pastor is not saying anything new but still very important. Now one does not need to ‘shut down the whole country’ to get his way. In any part of the world as in Zimbabwe, there are appropriate channels to air grievances or to get an audience with the government. Pastor Evan has not exhausted or even started the engagement route. He has gone directly for the kill with his threats and ultimatums. The government of Zimbabwe has not closed any doors to engagement with the people who gave them the mandate with an overwhelming majority. For Pastor Evan, it has never been about engaging the government to air grievances, but something else. The movement has not engaged with the government, but rather issued threats and ultimatums. All they have done was to urge people to stay-away from work and force the government to change certain policy decisions.  The speed at which everything is happening is mesmerising and one has to play catch up all the time as events are moving at lightning speed. The Pastor posts a video on social media and the following day he expects the government to make announcements that they are “withdrawing the introduction of bond notes and that they are withdrawing statutory instrument 64:2016”. Now this is a private citizen in his own capacity who expects a whole government with an electoral mandate to drop everything so as to fit in with his demands, some which have no sound basis at all.

There are issues of integrity that the flag movement has to address and these are pertinent issues. There have been some shocking cases of manipulation and deliberate disinformation and lies to prop up the movement through deception. On Monday 11th July 2016, social network sites were awash with reports of Pastor Evan having been "abducted by alleged state agents". These reports provoked outrage and instant threats of "war against this government" from some of his social media followers, unless Pastor Evan was released immediately by his "state abductors".  It then followed that the Pastor himself posted a video denying these claims of "abduction by state agents". He confirmed that he was safe and sound and that he would be handing himself to the police on Tuesday morning. Many of his friends were not convinced by the video he posted and some went to the extent of discrediting it as a fake video. They continued to share messages of solidarity demanding his release. It was only the following morning when images of him attending Harare Central Police accompanied by his lawyers surfaced and this led many to abandon the narrative of the Pastor having been abducted by state agents. The outrage then shifted and they started asking why he was being questioned by the police for inciting violence through some of his utterances.

Pastor Evan's misguided and devious call to shut down Zimbabwe flopped this week and the week before. The organisers and followers of this movement have been employing scare tactics and manipulative strategies to get people to heed their disorganised and self-serving calls to stay away from work. There has been a proliferation of fake WhatsApp conversations being created and shared as genuine on social media for effect. There have been suspicious recordings of allegedly senior security and army officials claiming to be in support of the movement and that they are fed up with the government. Then there were fake letters claiming to be from companies such as Delta and Econet telling their employees not to come to work for the next two days of the planned stay aways. There were also fake Twitter accounts of celebrities from Beyoncé to Justin Bieber being created and claiming to be in support of the shutdown Zimbabwe campaign. Professor Jonathan Moyo had his Twitter profile cloned and a tweet created in his name claiming that he now had joined the movement and was "with the people".

The lies, the deception and forgery methods being employed to propel public agitation against the state brings into serious doubt the sincerity and integrity of Pastor Evan and his followers. The public is feeding off social media information whose authenticity and accuracy can never be guaranteed. Social media is about how instantly the message is relayed and the associated evoked emotions and reactions. Things are happening at stealth pace and the government is having to play catch up. It has now become virtually impossible to differentiate between fiction, falsehoods, fantasy and facts. The dividing lines have become irrecoverably blurred. The truth and facts have lost their meaning in this information jungle and it is now about regime change at whatever cost.

The speed at which events are happening in this manipulated public agitation clearly points to a "third" or even "fourth" force behind. The usual international media sources have been working with the blatant lies and falsehoods being peddled on social media and then printing these as the true narrative of the current situation in Zimbabwe. There is someone somewhere who is desperate to see the situation in Zimbabwe unravel and explode to levels that will be uncontrollable. These are the despicable depths of desperation linked to Pastor Evan and his movement. Whilst the citizens of Zimbabwe have genuine issues and aspirations, Pastor Evan and those behind him are using the desperation of the masses for self-serving ends. This is a clear case of social media being utilised to manipulate the masses into action and revolt against the government. It is a very irresponsible and dangerous strategy as witnessed by the deadly scenes in Turkey recently.

It is interesting to note that Pastor Evan has caught the attention of the international media organisations and he has now appealed to the "international community" to intervene in Zimbabwe and put pressure on President Mugabe. Then there is the twist and here is when things begin to be even more interesting. The speed at which the pastor is moving and the attention he is getting has invited the full wrath of the other opposition parties in Zimbabwe. The more the attention on Pastor Evan, the less on Morgan Tsvangirai or Mujuru or one of the leaders of the many political parties in Zimbabwe. Tsvangirai has been the sole face of the opposition in Zimbabwe and this new kid on the block is ruffling furthers.

Pastor Evan's charges were dropped after the Magistrate ruled that there had been a violation of the country's constitution. The supremacy of the Zimbabwe Constitution is undisputed and going by the fast-paced events at Rotten Row Courts, Zimbabwe has a solid and robust Constitution that is the supreme law of the land. The Zimbabwe constitution’s supremacy cannot be challenged in any court of law and when it is said that Zimbabwe has rule of law, here is the tangible evidence of that. This ruling in favour of Pastor Evan clearly demonstrated that the people of Zimbabwe, the three arms of government which are the legislature, the judiciary and the executive are all bound by the constitution and that nobody is above or beyond the constitution. This constitution is the fundamental law of Zimbabwe, inclusive and the express embodiment of reign and rule of law. The magistrate's decision was respected and the charges were dropped because the fundamental law of the country was violated. Supremacy and sovereignty are still paramount but the constitution is the supreme law of the land. We cherish and value a strong constitution for it serves everyone irrespective of political, religious or social standing. The Zimbabwe Constitution is a people-driven constitution, all stakeholders took active part in drawing up this fundamental law of the land, and the direct authority of the people cannot be claimed by the judiciary, executive or legislature which are all representative bodies under the constitution. We applaud this outcome because it is a constitutional victory and that document called the Zimbabwe Constitution's practical application and associated outcomes.

Rhodie! Racist or just offensive?

By Bernard Bwoni

Rhodesia was a system that was founded by Cecil John Rhodes and his friends in 1893. It was a system that was founded on the basis and principles of conquest and supremacy of the Empire. It was repressive and it segregated along the lines of race. It deliberately confined the indigenous black people of Zimbabwe to the outskirts of any meaningful social, political and economic participation. This is a system that segregated of the basis of a person's skin colour and nothing else. A system and its followers who celebrated such inhuman behaviour and many of its remnants still celebrate that system as an ideal society. A system that was celebrated by the privileged white minority population and continues to be celebrated publicly and behind doors by many. Those who celebrate Rhodesia, are they celebrating repression and segregation? Some will argue that yes. The reality is that there is nothing to celebrate about that racist system. This then brings us back to the question, is it racist to call someone a Rhodesian or Rhodie? There is nothing wrong in such a reference and it is not racist at all. If one is a direct descendant of Rhodesia, then they are Rhodesians surely. The thing though is that some find it offensive and it is generally frowned upon to refer to a white person from Zimbabwe today as Rhodesian. However, it is not racist.

Racism links the dynamics of assumed superiority and alleged inferiority based on the skin colour of an individual. It is a belief that a particular race of people possesses a superior advantage over another race simply because of their skin colour. It entails social, political and economic advantage deliberately designed to specifically favour one particular race over another. Thus referring to a descendant of Rhodesia as a Rhodesian or Rhodie is not racist at all. It is merely stating a historical fact.

In as it is a historical fact, the truth is that independent Zimbabwe is inclusive and the only label it attaches to all her citizens is that one of Zimbabwean. It is maybe uncomfortable and offensive to some because it automatically gives the impression that they subscribe to the shameful Rhodesian system of repression and segregation. The term Rhodie can be viewed as non-inclusive in modern and independent Zimbabwe that embraces all races as equals.

In 1980 President Mugabe extended the hand of reconciliation to all to be part of independent Zimbabwe. Some remained, embraced and integrated into the new Zimbabwe. Others did not and left the country after their privileged existence was tampered with. This is the disgruntled group that still commemorate Rhodesia, collect and keep memorabilia. They have websites and shops specifically featuring Rhodesia and dedicated to the now extinct repressive and segregation. This is the group that continue to hoodwink impressionable black Zimbabwe by evoking in them nostalgic memories about a system that downgraded to the lowest of ranks. It is not racist to call this group Rhodesians or Rhodies for short because they are indeed Rhodies. Some of them actually prefer to be referred to as such. Some of them only recognise Rhodesia and not independent Zimbabwe.

Then there are those who stayed. They still mostly live exclusively away from the majority black populations. They still enjoy a fairly higher standard of living compared to the rest of the population. They maybe descendants of Rhodesia but they have embraced independent Zimbabwe. So to call them Rhodesians or Rhodies is insensitive but not racist. It is very important to understand the meaning of racism so that people do not end up mixing issues. Racism is not merely about name calling but rather power dynamics of stratifying races in terms of superiority and inferiority.

The fact that it is not racist to refer to white Zimbabweans as Rhodes does not make it right to do so. And then there are the black Zimbabweans who daydream and go on about how great Rhodesia was. That is the misguided and miss educated bunch that holds the belief that for anything to be authentic it has to have a white stamp of approval on it. This is the group that will argue vehemently that it is racist to refer to Rhodesians as Rhodies. The Rhodesians referred to themselves as Rhodies before independence and had a sense of pride in that description

One of the reasons why some will continue to refer to whites in Zimbabwe as Rhodies is because of their separatist tendencies. Ever since independence the whites have failed dismally to connect and integrate fully with the black majority. Some will argue with this but it is a fact. They have largely remained out of mainstream politics and only engaged in activism politics that would only safeguard and preserve their interests.