OF ILLEGALLY ALLOCATED STANDS and DEMOLITIONS of-illegally-allocated-stands-and-demolitions
B.y Patrick Gore 13th November, 2013
Polarisis of Analysis. (A phrase from Mwalimu Ray Haggins) …When a person fails/refuses to properly analyze the information availed to them. This is normally caused by an imbedded belief and/or desire. It is quite clear to me that the desire to own wealth causes a Polarisis of Analysis in a large section of our Zimbabwean population. Educated people have been known to “plant” large amounts of cash in the ground with the “belief” that it would grow. Thousands gather at religious meetings and give large tithes with the hope of being “blessed” with prosperity. The desire to acquire wealth blinds them to facts.
When the “Land Reform Programme” started large numbers of people were allocated urban stands in locations earmarked for other developments, locations not suitable for residential buildings etc. The process to acquire land was simple, buy a Zanu PF card, attend meetings and the local commander of the local War Vets allocates you a stand. Then Operation Murambatsvina came, police and bulldozers moved in to demolish “illegal structures”, and thousands found themselves not only homeless, but having lost all they had invested in their new-found wealth
Minister Chombo recently announced that illegal structures are going to be demolished. Allegations of illegal allocation of stands have been leveled at persons unnamed. While those that were allocated or bought stands will argue that they did so “legally”, I argue that they failed to analyze these transactions properly and that it was more their “greed” rather than their “need” that caused them to do so. In their rush to “own” property they failed, or rather refused to make a proper analysis. It is greed that stops us from analyzing how our actions will impact those around us and our nation at large.
Because of their actions the nation finds itself in a lose-lose situation. If the government goes ahead and demolishes their homes, we find ourselves with more homeless people. And, as Zanu PF is now issuing contradictory statements on the issue, the demolitions are stopped, the nation finds itself with unplanned urban settlements which make delivery of services impossible, outbreaks of diseases more likely and general disorder.
It is this Polarisis of Analysis that makes one gullible to malicious individuals, false prophets, corrupt officials, imposters and so on. Remember the government ministers who believed that pure diesel was oozing out of a rock. Despite the fact that most, if not all of them carry Doctorates, they still took their shoes off and performed stupid rituals. To me no more stupid than believing that buying a party card is all I need to be allocated a stand. Especially in view of the fact that only a few years ago those that did the same soon found themselves homeless. Is not the point of knowing history to prevent us from repeating the mistakes of the past?
Every citizen has a right to decent housing and shelter, so why should you as an individual purchase this right. Should you not be fighting for this right for you and your fellow citizens? Remember, the trick of the political trade is to keep the hungry bellies empty. It would be absurd to say that the top officials were not aware of the illegal allocation of stands. It is my assertion that they ordered them knowing very well how they would proceed afterward. They took advantage of the gullible. And the gullible simply made themselves gullible by failing to analyze properly.
Disclaimer: Patrick Gore is a human rights activist and a member of the National Executive Committee of the UK Chapter of Restoration of Human Rights (ROHR) Zimbabwe and, in this instance, writes in his personal capacity. He can be contacted on e-mail ptrck_gore@yahoo.co.uk
