Zim can be the jewel of Africa again
As Zimbabweans prepare to cast their ballots in the upcoming elections, I hope and pray that we understand why we are going to vote and what we are going to be voting for.
Zimbabweans are desperate for change, but should say no to populist leaders. Zimbabweans are done being manipulated by politicians. What Zimbabwe needs is a value-oriented belief system.
We should believe that the country can return to its former status as the jewel of Africa. We need to foster excellence in our children and emphasise that failure is not an option.
After World War II, Japan crumbled. Despite that, Japan became one of the richest nations in the world. It wasn’t just because of the alliance with the United State that it quickly went through a revival. It was because of the inherent work ethic of the Japanese. It was basically a belief system that revived Japan.
Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan and Hong Kong went through dramatic changes from the 1950s to become developed nations. Today they are known as the Asian Tigers.
Most importantly, they were fortunate enough to have visionary leaders, who fostered and nurtured a value-oriented system of hard work, discipline, loyalty and respect towards authority figures.
We need our own Zimbabwean dream. We can see how confused our leaders are. They are not sure who to side with to be their development partners. Partnerships are important for economic development. However, in the long term, we should not cry foul when the socalled investors start putting conditions on our resources and meddle in our domestic affairs.
Zimbabwe has enormous potential to become a powerhouse. With a value-oriented belief system, good partnerships and people-oriented development interventions that emphasise regional development and competitive advantage, free markets, trade, work ethics and education, it will definitely rise up again.
Zimbabweans in the diaspora should feel free to come back home to develop the nation. We need to invest heavily in our current tertiary institutions as well as gravitate our call for change towards rural development and emancipation.