ZIMBABWE…THE LAND OF DREAMS!

As I sit 10 000km away from the land of my birth and of which I am very proud, I cannot over emphasise the feeling of “pre-emptive ecstacy” in a possible major upset in the recently concluded elections in Zimbabwe.

I amke the assumption that the peoples voice will be allowed to stand and that Robert Mugabe will relinquish power after 28 years, most of which has been satisfactory but which has brought mass trauma for the population of Zimbabwe, both within and outside. Just the thought that this may well be a probability within the next 24 to 48 hours fills my eyes with tears of joy. Even if it does not happen. Its just the joy of the ’hope’ that that feeling brings me.

This is a population that has been collectively raped for 8 years and who are now in real terms so poor, that it will take a great deal of hard work to get back to some form of respecatbility. I am also proud to say that Zimbabweans are hard working and are able to handle the challenges that lay ahead.

The international community, of which Pakistan has been a part, has chosen to overlook the desperation of that once prosperous nation, by not supporting sport boycotts against the regime. We are disappointed at the lack of compassion that has ben shown around the world and yet the super powers felt it necessary to spend US$1 million a second on the war on terror and yet not concern themselves about the freedom and “democracy” they keep wanting to export around the world in a country that would have required almost negligible international fund support to be allowed to carry on in peace. 

Zimbabwe had the best education record in Africa, including South Africa, of 96% of the population. It was considered the bread basket of Southern Africa and was the second largest producer of Burley tobacco and coffee in the world behind Brazil. We had a commercial farming community that was able to stand amongst the community of nations with their heads held high in the knowledge that they were productive and efficient. We had a road and communications network was second in Africa only to South Africa. We had a country of which we were extremely proud and it has ben rubbed into the dirt.

But we will rise again! With or without the support of the Western/International community, we are able to pick ourselves up and get back to our rightful position. I salute my countrymen for having to endure such pain for so long. The light at the end of the tunnel shines bright. Pamberi ne Zimbabwe! Makorokoto! Amhlope!