Beyond the Surface: Challenges and reflections on Zimbabwe’s socioeconomic landscape
As early as 6 am in the streets of Harare, you see boys aged between 14 -18 with cardboard trays filled with cigarettes, chewing gums and sweets ready to start hawking. These boys could be in school but it’s obvious that their guardians can not afford to keep them in school.
In short, Harare and the whole of Zimbabwe looks and smells like poverty except for a few places. Hospitals are in a sorry state with no medication, electricity and water shortages.
Owning a car and using public transport is convenient but also dangerous at the same time because of our bad roads. This is not only a Zimbabwean problem, Nigeria, Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea are some countries that are in shambles despite being blessed with a lot of natural resources. What kind of legacy do we want to leave for the next generation, what lessons are we trying to teaching our children. For Africa to really prosper what kind of leaders do we need?
Without being realistic, it is hard to attain success in our personal lives or as a country as a whole. Democracy is a word we love throwing around but do not practice. In my personal view, though very controversial and sounds like coming from an oppressed individual, Africa needs visionary dictators. Someone who although protects his own interests, cares enough to develop the country.
If we look at Rwanda, although they have their own issues, you would not believe there was a genocide thirty years ago. It has become one of the safest countries to visit, slums have been destroyed and they have built houses for their citizens, they are hospitals are well equipped and they are attracting foreign investors. President Paul Kagame a well-known Arsenal fan, took it upon himself to sponsor the team and attract more tourists under the, “Visit Rwanda” campaign and has been a lucrative deal.
The BK Arena has hosted some celebrities, games and conferences, yet we don’t have a functioning stadium as a country.
I am sure being in power is sweet but being intentional about the people you promised to serve wouldn’t hurt but actually guarantees one more term in office without coming up with devious plans. What most Africans/ Zimbabweans need is access to the basics, they are not asking for a lot.
