By Mavis Harrison – 18th April 2021
Zimbabwe turns 41 years of "Independence" today the 18th of April 2021. We are said to be independent and free.
My question is “Independent from who, free from what, free to do what?
Many “born frees” in Zimbabwe still live with their parents. Forty-year-old men and women who should by now have built their own homes are stuck at home because they cannot afford to move out.
Most Zimbabweans are either unemployed, underemployed or living from hand to mouth in one form of hustling or another.
ZANU-PF has remained in power against the majority’s will through blatant rigging of elections and repression of the citizenry since 1980.
All systems are broken. Healthcare, Education, Industry are all in tatters.
The judiciary is captured and so other state institutions.
Civil liberties are non-existent. Those who dare speak out are incarcerated or persecuted in one way or another, including being abducted or killed. Some are made to disappear without trace.
All rights to freedoms are curtailed through use of force by government agencies, including the army.
The Media is highly censored. Opposition political parties are silenced through sheer repressive force and persecution of members. Some are killed, some are incarcerated and some are hounded day in day out. Same applies to human rights activists, some of whom are maimed, made to disappear or killed for speaking out.
Is it true that Zimbabweans are independent? Is there real cause for celebrating this day?
l stand to differ!
About the author:-
Mavis Harrison is a Zimbabwean human rights activist based
in the United Kingdom. She is the current Deputy Organizing Secretary of the
North Branch of the UK Chapter of Restoration of Human Rights (ROHR) Zimbabwe.
She can be contacted via email; - mandiwenisteve@gmail.com
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