Unity in diversity
ZIMBABWE is a unitary State and although languages and dialects may differ, the fact remains that there is more that unites its citizens.
As Unity Day (December 22) draws near, it is imperative to ponder where the nation came from and revel in the diverse cultures in Zimbabwe.
Way back in the 1930s, Mao Ze Dong and Chiang Kai Shek were in mortal combat as their armies slugged it out for control of mainland China and Japan invaded Manchuria on the pretext that some Chinese had performed acts of sabotage on her infrastructure.
The Communist guerrilla leader, Cde Mao, uttered his famous saying: “Brothers fighting each other should stop. Let’s concentrate on fighting the common enemy.’’
Thus, the Kuomintang and the Red Army focused their attention on Japan until final victory in 1945.
Zimbabweans should remain united and fight the economic malaise that is threatening to bring down our sanity.
Since the 1896-97 First Chimurenga/ Umvukela, unparalleled unity was exhibited by the people of Zimbabwe.
Anyone who believes that Zimbabweans are a divided lot should study the history of nationalist engagements with the colonial government, which culminated in the Second Chimurenga that began in the 1960s.
Zimbabweans have a common language, never mind the colonial construction that there are many languages in the land.
Bantus use similar words in their various languages. The word “bee” is a classic example of a word which transcends boundaries from Tanganyika to South Africa.
In Mozambique, a “bee” is called “nyusi”. The Shona call it “nyuchi”, while the Ndebele call it “inyosi”.
Language ought to unify people.
The Ndau say “kusheka”; while the other Shona dialects like Karanga, Zezuru and Manyika say “kuseka” and the Ndebele say “ukuhleka”.
Without doubt, this shows that we are one people. It is important to note that Zulu and Ndebele also use similar words.
Therefore all Bantus are related one way or the other. Accordingly, their language has similar traits.
According to oral tradition, the Bantu came from Cameroon, while other sources say the Shona came from present day Tanganyika and the Shona ancestor Tovera was in Tanganyika.
Accordingly, the Vendas are close relatives of the Shonas. With that in mind, it appears senseless to wax lyrical about the schisms between and among our various tribes.
There is unity in diversity.
Unity in diversity is significant in the devel opment of the country. People may differ in principle, but it does not take away the fact that they are related.
Brothers may differ at one point, but a stranger must never take sides lest s/he is left with egg on the face when the brothers re-group as one.
This is the legacy that our founding fathers left for Zimbabweans and tribal wars have not visited the country since the signing of the Unity Accord on December 22, 1987.
In 1896, the Shona and the Ndebele combined forces to dislodge the British South Africa Company which had invaded and took over the country in 1890 before going on a plundering spree and pegging farms for their unborn children.
In their greed, they never thought that there were Africans in the green valleys.
Of great importance is the unity exposed by the chiefs in various parts of the country.
Chief Makoni was not a bystander in that uprising and he paid the ultimate price. The
medium of Nehanda Nyakasikana, Mkwati and Kaguvi were some of the many who gave the uprising a national character, but it goes without saying that the Europeans had underestimated the unity of purpose that the two seemingly polarised tribes would spring a surprise one day.
Vanquished, it appeared as if the Africans would remain in servitude forever, but that was not to be.
In the early years of African resistance, people thought of creating pockets of resistance along tribal lines.
For example, they would have burial societies for people who came from one area and even had tribal dances, but as nationalism snowballed, a nationalistic character came in.
Benjamin Burombo’s Bantu African Voice Association created anxious moments for the colonial regime and from there, there was no going back for the fulfilment of the national agenda.
Nationalists in the early stages of the movement were tribe blind and never used a tribal name for their parties. It was always unity and more unity. The Zimbabwe African People’s Union and the Zimbabwe African National Union were formed in the 1960s following the banning of the National Democratic Party and its subsequent split in 1963.
It is instructive that the leading nationalist parties — ZAPU and ZANU — whose armies fought a protracted war against the Smith regime war machine, had “union” and “African” elements in their acronyms.
The leaders believed in a broader national coalition against colonialism notwithstanding the various tribes in the nation.
This is the unity which forged the alliance Patriotic Front at the 1979 Lancaster House Conference, whose results birthed the new Zimbabwe in 1980.
The Second Republic has moved in to interact with the people regardless of where their physical presence is.
To that end, conversations have been held with the traditional leadership in an attempt to perpetuate the heritage of unity which was penned on December 22, 1987.
Some analysts contend that unity should always involve the people on the ground for it to be relevant to the people.
If the top-down approach is used, the vast majority would not be in sync with the rest of the country.
Hence, the current conversations with traditional leadership are readying people to appreciate the significance of unity.