Our Fathers, Mothers and real comrades in ZPRA must not fear the Independence of The Republic of Matabeleland. Worry not, for upon independence, The Republic of Matabeleland (RoM) under MLO shall recognise the huge role you played to defeat colonialism and compensate you accordingly for the job well done.
Where the Zimbabwe Shona supremacist government sees enemies and foreigners who are not worthy to be recognised for delivering the independence of Zimbabwe, we see disciplined cadres and heroes, fathers, mothers, brothers and sisters that fought and defeated white colonialism. Heroes more than worthy to be recognised and no amount of cash can compensate them for fighting in the Rhodesian war.
You shall be given the dignity, respect and status fit for the real heroes who fought and defeated colonialism. All your properties in Matabeleland except weapons, that were forcefully taken by the Shona supremacist government of Zimbabwe shall be given back to you.
You shall occupy a good spot in the long list of Matabele heroes like the founder of Matabele nation himself, His Majesty King Mzilikazi, King Lobengula, Imbizo, Insukamini, etc. Later to be joined by an exciting new generation of up and coming Matabele horoes and heroins currently fighting for the restoration of Matabeleland state.
It was not your fault that the struggle was hijacked by Shona supremacists who pretended to be your comrades and later turned against you to stab you in the back.
They undermine your leading role in the struggle and label you as cowards that were always on the run during the war. They put a dissident tag on your foreheads to kill, torture and politically persecute you. They took your wartime records and your properties through armed robbery. They distorted Zimbabwe war history to erase your participation, they continue to humiliate, treat you as liabilities of the war and second class citizens.
It is only weak cowards who can do this to make it up for their well known wartime deficiency. Clueless nation builders who reject the corner stone. That is evidenced by the impending split of shaky Zimbabwe that will birth the independent and sovereign Republic of Matabeleland (RoM). The reason why Zimbabwe is now a dept ridden failed state without its own currency.
No! Your dignity and pride should be restored and it is only your people from Matabeleland that can do that in the new Republic of Matabeleland that is arising.
Given the self created political and economic crisis, that bedevils Zimbabwe currently, clear tribal oppression, segregation, Shona hegemony and hatred towards Matabeles, all ZPRA cadres would concur with us that the Zimbabwe struggle was a lost cause that Matabeles must not have pursued. It is a fake idea that was not worth a single drop of Matabele blood. It is a big lie and political blunder that must be corrected as a matter of urgency by all bona fide Matabele citizens including ZIPRA members.
Instead of bringing independence and freedom that the people of Matabeleland have been yearning for in the last 128 years. It brought us more pain and more suffering.
When you heard the cries of black people suffering under white minority oppression, you stood up and took up arms to fight the white supremacist system. The people of Matabeleland are groaning today, they have been doing so for the last 41 years. The reason is still oppression.
This time under black Shona majority oppression. Thus,
the only noticeable change in Matabeleland is the colour of the oppressor.
The black Shona oppression is more severe and more painful than the white minority oppression. Under the Zimbabwe Shona supremacist government we face all things inhuman, genocide, tribal hated, tribal segregation, tribal hegemony and gross human abuse. Indeed these are injustices to be fought by all means possible.
If we ask you to take up arms again and go back to the bush we will be asking too much from you. That is the duty of the young and energetic Matabeles. We are happy to affirm that it is a duty that they are ready to perform with loyalty and pride. Yours is to embrace, support and give guidance to Matabeleland struggle because it is a good thing to do and the fruits of freedom will be enjoyed by everyone including you. When its your time for departure, you shall rest in peace among your people knowing that you left the new Matabele generations free from slavery, genocide and tribal oppression.
Through maximum discipline and commitment our beloved ZPRA practiced “good violence”, that which brought the independence of masses in Zimbabwe. The same cannot be said of ZANLA that practices ” bad violence”, that of cutting off hands, burning with plastic, rapping, abducting, raping and shooting to kill unarmed civilians that they purport to have liberated.
Through maximum discipline, dedication, loyalty and sacrifice, Matabeles will deliver Matabeleland independence through “good violence.”
Viva good violence viva!
Izenzo kungemazwi!
Israel Dube
MLO Secretary for Information and Public Affairs