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Patronage and Military Entrenchment in the National Economy

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Patronage and Military Entrenchment in the National Economy Patronage and Military entrenchment in the national economy THE PRESIDENT’S MEN: Zimbabwe’s Service Chiefs are suspected to have played a key role during the election.-zimbabweinpictures.com This week, we continue with publishing and controlling ownership of the means as platinum and gold mining. This section edited excerpts from a report published hrough an elaborate patronage of production. The military, through po- examines the extent to which ZANU-PF’s by the Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition titled system established to reward OLWLFDOSDWURQDJHKDVEHFRPHDVLJQLÀFDQW political patronage has entrenched the The Military Factor in Zimbabwe’s Politi- SDUWLVDQ VHQLRU PLOLWDU\ RIÀ- part of the domestic bourgeoisie class and military in national economic affairs and cal and Electoral Affairs. Below is Chapter cials and keep them loyal to many top commanders have teamed up the likely impact on electoral processes. 5 of the report which looks at how service TZANU-PF and to President Mugabe, the with politicians and businessmen to form Retired and serving senior military chiefs are being handsomely rewarded for military has increasingly played central political and economic interest groups RIÀFHUVKDYHLQWKHUHFHQWSDVWEHHQDS their role in maintaining the status quo. and critical role in directing production venturing into lucrative businesses such Continued on Page 3 The Bottom Line is Economic Empowerment “I believe that if we solve the Now the issue is that Zimbabwe- see is for the South African gov- opment Chamber we tell people, are campaigning for elections. economic problems then other ans come to South Africa look- ernment to give the Zimbabwean ´<RXFDQEHWKHHPSOR\HUUDWKHU In Zimbabwe people are dying. things will fall into place. It is ing for work because there is government money to process than always having to shout Even right now, people are dy- like this: if you are a healthy 94% unemployment in our coun- passports. about the unemployment rates. ing as they mobilize for a new person you can do everything, try and, as of 2009, the Zimba- The solution is not for people You can help our citizens.” constitution. People need to be but if you are sick you can’t do bwean currency was suspended. to be forced back to Zimbabwe. If we empower the citizens, they in our shoes and see it from our anything.” Yet when people arrive in South Even if the political situation is won’t be bulldozed by the sys- perspective to know what solu- s a founding director $IULFDQ RIÀFLDOV VD\ ´:H FDQ- to normalize the economic situa- tems. For example, right now in tions will work. The bottom line and current secretary of not give you refugee status. You tion has a long way to go. I, and Zimbabwe if you don’t have a needs to be about the citizens. Athe Zimbabwe Diaspora must have a work permit.” The others like me, will serve no pur- party card and there is a drought I believe that if we solve the Development Chamber, I am irony of it is that the Zimbabwe- pose if we go back to Zimbabwe. you don’t get food aid. In that economic problems then other based in South Africa and my an government doesn’t have the And if I go back, my seven years way, people are bulldozed by the things will fall into place. It is goal is to economically empow- capacity to issue its citizens with of activism in South Africa will system. However, if people had OLNH WKLV LI \RX DUH D KHDOWK\ er the Zimbabwean diaspora. If passports and you need a pass- be wasted. I am better positioned their own access to food they person you can do everything, members of the diaspora are em- port to get a work permit. People to do something for my country wouldn’t need the government but if you are sick you can’t do powered economically they can come illegally into South Africa from the outside. rations. It is for this reason that anything. If African citizens are make a meaningful impact back only because they have no other Currently people in the diaspora I believe empowering citizens is economically empowered then home, where people are suffer- option—it is not that they want send money to their relatives in important. democracy will come. ing everyday from poverty and to stay in the country undocu- Zimbabwe informally. I worked In 2003, I read the book Rich government oppression. mented. for 4 years in foreign exchange at Dad, Poor Dad by Robert Kiyo- The current situation of Zim- The South African government Barclays bank and I understand saki and it inspired a paradigm babweans in South Africa is a recently declared a moratorium that this will not strengthen an shift in me. I took a lot of life By Nora Chengeto Tapiwa a for- catch 22. Initially we were not stating that by December 31, economy like the one we have in lessons from that book. One spe- mer 2010 Women PeaceMaker recognized as refugees unless 2010 all Zimbabweans in South Zimbabwe. But if an individual FLÀF OHVVRQ ZDV ZRUN IRU IUHH at the Joan B. Kroc Institute for we could prove that we were Africa must have work permits. owns a business outside and then and money will come. That is Peace and Justice. This article beaten and our life was threat- Yet the Zimbabwean govern- opens a branch in Zimbabwe that my life philosophy now. ZDV ÀUVW SXEOLVKHG LQ 2FWREHU ened in Zimbabwe. We lobbied ment is still not issuing pass- would help the economy. People ,Q$IULFD WKH ÀUVW DQG IRUHPRVW 2010 and appeared at:http:// the South African government to ports. The same problem—lack can get employment from that issue is a bread and butter is- www.peacexpeace.org/2010/10/ insist that sometimes people are of documentation— that led kind of investment. And in this sue. People are poor. You can’t the-bottom-line-is-economic- secondary or tertiary victims to people to apply for asylum in the way, the diaspora can have a put democracy on a plate and empowerment/. It is re-published the violence that happens in Zim- ÀUVWSODFHVWLOOH[LVWVVRZKDWDUH very powerful impact. Through eat it. In the United States you here with the author’s permis- babwe. We succeeded in that. people to do? The only solution I the Zimbabwe Diaspora Devel- don’t kill each other when you sion. Propaganda Undermining Democracy & Development ropaganda is loosely As a result, ordinary a Zimbabwe diplomatic themselves. The wasps do used as a propaganda and GHÀQHGDVLQIRUPD- people have been subject- remains posted in Lon- not bother to go out into populism mouthpiece. Ption of a misleading ed to the worst kinds of don, another in the United WKH ZLOG WR JDWKHU QHFWDU No-one should fear de- Coordinator’s nature used to promote a brutality, cruelty, inhuman States and in various other they simply wait by the mocracy or see ghosts and political cause. A casual or degrading treatment western countries. beehive to kill hardwork- shadows where non exist Note observation of the kind of at the hands of members It is high time the ing bees for their nectar. – or exhibit a phobia for political information dis- of their own government people of Zimbabwe re- We have such wasps in free political activity and seminated in Zimbabwe who have deluded them- ject propaganda and refuse our politics, who cannot association. today reveals propaganda selves to think that such to be used as cannon fod- work for themselves, but Unless there is an in its extremities, which, I diabolic actions are in the der in a political game that wait for hardworking, or- acknowledgment that all submit, is dangerously un- interests of the country. has only a few enriching dinary Zimbabweans to citizens have a fundamen- dermining democracy and Perpetrators of the wide- themselves while the vast literally kill them and take tal right to fully partici- development and holds the VSUHDG KRUULÀF SROLWLFDO majority continues to wal- over property and wealth pate in their government, country captive to extreme YLROHQFH RI RIWHQ low in extreme poverty. they have worked for all which includes making a polarization and feeds the claimed that they wanted All manner of self-serving their lives. We have expe- choice as to who should, dewaMAVHINGA monster of political vio- to defend the country from policies designed to loot rienced this with the farm or should not govern them, lence. Proganda is a toxin democracy, to prevent and plunder the national invasions. I am told some we cannot begin chat a that poisons our democra- the people of Zimbabwe wealth are coined in beau- of the invaders would new political direction cy, political, community from expressing their free tiful language that gives actually wait for har- for our country. We must and family relations. It is will by voting for Morgan the impression that it is vest time in order to take move away from the out- closely related to the prac- Tsvangirai and the MDC about empowering ordi- RYHU ULSH ÀHOGV UHDG\ IRU right lies and propaganda tice of populist politics, as they viewed this to be nary people when in fact it harvesting! If no drastic WKDW ZH DUH ÀJKWLQJ HQ- where political actors pur- an act of ‘selling-out the is all about the economic measures are taken soon, emies in our midst to em- port to represent the inter- country’ to the imperialist enrichment for a few. This we shall witness the same brace the reality that we ests and views of ordinary west. is the same story with the things happening to com- are all Zimbabweans with people when in fact there The most shocking loot and plunder of the panies under the dubious common aspirations for are only serving their own aspect of this whole pro- Marange diamonds, which – waspy – indigenization ourselves and our children parochial interests.
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