THE 1873 NETWORK – THE BATTLE OF IDEAS – A CONVERSATION ON THE ROLE OF THE STATE Josephat Nkiwane, ACIS I believe The Minister is justified to some extent to be mad on behalf of Zimbabweans. Have you ever thought what it would be like sixty, seventy years from now when all the current crop of political leadership is gone? The better off Zimbabwean in those days will be the one who took advantage of the current governments drive to empower the previously marginalized populace. I was at HICC when he chronicled how the mines and minerals Act of Rhodesia and many African countries was crafted. It had to be corrected. I am not a member of his or any political party but on this one I am behind him. For instance, the Mazoe Dam Issue. How can we allow foreigners to come, conquer and go so recklessly? COMMENT 1. I do not believe that there is merit in the Minister’s posture in relation to the alleged conduct of Zimbabwe’s corporate citizens in the mining sector. This kind of behavior is typical in situations where actors operating in the state are confused about their mandate and intended role. 2. No Minister is appointed to superintend over companies that are governed in terms of the Companies Act and, therefore, fall outside the ambit of state actors. 3. The Minister is not justified to be mad on behalf of anyone but should be concerned about the consequences of blind interventionist policies. The Minister must know the correct perimeters of power within which state actors should operate. 4. The future ultimately is less defined by the actions of state actors than by the actions of individuals through whom wealth is sustainably created. History has never been about the imagination of political actors rather it records the experiences of ordinary people who excel in their endeavors not because they are compelled to do by state actors but in their own interests. 5. The more the story of a people is crowded by political speeches and rhetoric the less likely it is that the promise of a better and inclusive society can be created. 6. The purported drive to empower people runs contrary to the human spirit. It is people who are close to power who invariably can benefit from the power. The majority of Zimbabweans find themselves outside the power space and, therefore, the mirage of empowerment will never be realized. 7. In any democratic constitutional state, is it the role of state actors to empower anyone or to serve? In dysfunctional and failing states, state actors become omnipresent and it is always the case that people surrender their future to people who specialize in finger pointing and blaming others. 8. At best, a politician has nothing to show for his or her stay in government for one to know precisely what a good or bad politician is. 9. It may be the case that Chidhakwa is a good historian who can chronicle how the colonial mining regime functioned but it cannot be disputed that no matter how he can be eloquent on the ghosts of Ian Smith and the like this will add no value to the experiences of today. What is required is not to lean backwards but forwards for the better days of Zimbabwe will not be delivered by imagining what could have been. 10. The proper of government is to create an environment in which the full human potential can be unlocked and this can be best done with less government intervention. 11. You are entitled to be behind Chidhakwa and the thinking that informs his actions and choices. However, when he is wrong, it behooves on all who want to see a better Zimbabwe to remind him that foreigners are people who find themselves outside the jurisdiction of Zimbabwe. People who live in Zimbabwe whether they are born outside the geography of Zimbabwe have a right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Accordingly, Zimbabwe belongs to all who choose to live in it and what you characterize as foreigners are the very people who treat the President when he is sick and who produce income in the territory of Zimbabwe. 12. Mining by nature is neutral of the actors because when the final product is produced it will not have any marks to show that it was produced by a foreigner or indigenous person. 13. The minerals in question have always been in Zimbabwe and if Zimbabweans had a plan for them, there is no doubt that no foreign would have found room to penetrate.
Posted on: Sat, 15 Mar 2014 14:46:33 +0000
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