In a land where oppression has merely changed its facade, only Zanu PF has reason to rejoice in its 41 years of purported independence from colonial rule. This “independence” is nothing more than a superficial shift in the oppressor’s guise. Zimbabwe finds itself ensnared by a web of tyranny and subjugation, making it difficult for its citizens to truly celebrate. As the nation commemorates four decades of a regime marked by media suppression, a captured state, a subservient judiciary, a pliable legislature, and a corrupt executive beholden to private interests, it’s clear that Zimbabweans have little to cheer about.
The journey to power remains obstructed and controlled by the military, while fundamental constitutional liberties, including the right to life, property, affordable healthcare, and quality education, are sacrificed at the altar of Zanu PF’s corrosive grip on the economy and its yearning for a one-party state.
In the era of segregationist governments, Africans couldn’t traverse certain streets in what is now Harare. Astonishingly, today’s youth can’t hope to displace Zanu PF through elections. What was once a mere street restriction has evolved into an entrenched status quo that Zanu PF will protect at any cost.
For Zimbabweans, especially the youth grappling with food shortages, unemployment, and soaring inflation in urban areas, or those in rural regions dependent on erratic presidential input schemes, there’s little reason to celebrate this 41-year charade. Forced into an informal economy favoring Zanu PF’s small players, the youth have been left with nothing but a legacy of neglect, malfeasance, and primitive accumulation.
The health sector paints a bleak picture, with citizens succumbing to treatable diseases due to a crumbling infrastructure, drug shortages, and an underpaid and demotivated healthcare workforce. While Zanu PF elites seek medical care abroad, Zimbabweans are left to fend for themselves, trapped in a failing healthcare system. Celebrating 41 years of this stark inequality is a bitter pill to swallow.
The military, once touted as an integrated force, has metamorphosed into a tool of terror, suppressing the population’s desire for democratic governance. Backed by Zanu PF and protected by a compromised judiciary, it serves as a deterrent against regime change efforts driven by the opposition, thus undermining the very essence of democracy.
Corruption has thrived for four decades under Zanu PF’s rule, infiltrating every facet of society. Nepotism, fraud, extortion, and bribery have become the norm, siphoning billions of dollars from the nation’s coffers. Zimbabweans are left to witness their country’s resources plundered while basic services and infrastructure crumble.
In conclusion, Zimbabwe’s so-called independence is a far cry from true freedom. The nation remains under siege from a military insulated by Zanu PF, and justice for past wrongs seems elusive. Celebrating 41 years of this deprivation is a painful reminder of lost lives, the suffering of victims, and the sadism of a regime clinging to a futile dream of a one-party state.
As Zimbabweans look ahead, they yearn for genuine independence—one marked by accountability, justice, and a brighter future for all.