What is the job of an army anymore? Traditionally – defend a countries’ borders against invasion by another country. Fair enough role. But seems every army these days is fighting their own civilians.

India: (maybe not the army, but the government) vs. anti-corruption hunger striker. Gone are the days when he would be accused of being a Pakistani agent, enemy of the people, foreign sympathizer, etc. Now, it seems he can be nothing but a pissed off local boy. One of the common people fighting the government, which, while ‘elected’ does not seem to be ‘of the people’.

Syria: the army is busy in a war against Homs. Which is a Syrian city! Back when I was student, we read about how the Israelis ran rings around the Syrians and took the Golan Heights. Now, the Syrian tanks no longer have to go to the border to be surrendered. They just drive to a nearby town and surrender their tanks there!

Israelis too! The Israeli Air Force is busy flying missions against its own people. (If the Israelis will not let the Palestinians be a separate country, then the Palestinians must be part of Israel, and bombing Palestinians must therefore be bombing their own people.) Even if their ‘own’ people are next door in Egypt, and five Egyptian soldiers get killed along the way. And the Israelis seem no longer interesting in fighting a war against any army in any mountains or on any of their borders.

Libya: there is a case of the Libyan army fighting the Libyan people. Certainly no NATO jets seem to come under threat from the Libyan ‘Defense’ forces. And the Libyan Army seems to be losing, most likely lost, to the Libyan civilians.

The DRC: well, whatever. Who really knows what is going on there, even the DRC citizens and residents! To many countries on the borders. Each with their own cross border opposition forces. The Lord’s Resistance. The Interhamwe. The ZNA diamond mines. The Angolans. The Katangese. One of the best roads I drove on in DRC was built by the Zambians, so Zambians could get from one part of Zambia to another part of Zambia the quickest way!

Cote D’Ivoire: But since Laurent Gbagbo was winkled out of his country – which turned out to be a hole in the ground (underground bunker) in a military camp, (but he still thought of it as ‘his’ country, talk about living with your head up your ass!) – that army is not longer fighting its own civilians. And now that Gbagbo is gone from his hole in the ground, who is the army? Who belongs to the army, or who does the army belong to?

Sudan: finally! Now that South Sudan is a country, there really is an external threat across the border!

So here, it makes you wonder, if Tsvangirai is a threat to national security… who are invading us? The Chinese? Botswana? Or, what is ‘National’ security? Who exactly are the ‘nation’ (he is also a Zimbabwean, isn’t he?) he is making insecure?

So what is role of the ZNA? Why is it any bigger than 15000? Or even that big? The Foreign Ministry keeps us safe from threat of invasion – we are at peace with all our neighbours. Aren’t we? We even had to send the army two countries away to lose a war, in the DRC. And who was the enemy there, what foreign country was invading them? And threatening the ZNA diamond mines?

Which brings to mind a sight, going to the range (The Gun Range, Harare Shooting Sport Complex). To get there, enter though the entrance gate of the Cleveland Ranges, Arcturas Road. The military 1000 meter range. The president’s medal has been held every year, probably going back to Southern Rhodesia days. And since Zimbabwe, RG Mugabe has been handing it out to the best rifle shot in the military.

Suddenly, for the first time since I came here in 1971, and started shooting there in 1976 there is a gate and a boom and gate house and presentation platforms and flags and flag poles (and the HSSC sign has been pushed flat so no one can see it). All this suddenly at President’s medal time, for presentation and all the rest. Who is trying to impress who? Is the Army trying to make Bob feel ‘elevated’, or is Bob throwing money and works at the army to make them feel like they really have anything to do? Or are the Generals throwing stuff at the ranks to make them feel they are part of the ‘big bucks’ going around?

Let’s hear it for Ocean Marambanyika. Writing for The Standard Ocean suggests that well-managed diamonds can make a difference – to the lives of the citizens of Zimbabwe. It really is time for Zimbabweans to reject nontransparent and unaccountable political leadership.

Well-managed diamonds can make a difference

http://www.thestandard.co.zw/

Sunday, 21 August 2011 14:36

The discovery of the Marange diamond fields in eastern Zimbabwe should be a milestone in the history of the nation. The discovery should NOT be a catastrophe.

Various media reports point out that the Marange diamonds might be roughly
20% of all global diamond deposits. If this is true, then it is a God-given chance to turn around the fortunes of the country, especially considering that the global economic crisis favours minerals such as gold and diamonds.

The Earth Times reported that, “The hugely prolific Chiadzwa fields are regarded as the world’s biggest diamond find in more than a century”. The New York Times quoted a United Nations-related expert Mark Van Bockstael as saying: “This (Marange) is a world-class deposit, no doubt about it.” He added, “The deposit is a freak of nature.”

If this is true, then imagine how wonderful it would be if the diamonds were properly managed and put to good and transparent use. Maybe Zimbabweans can learn from how other nations managed their precious resource finds. There are many examples that we could learn from. We could take for instance the discovery of oil in Norway and how the Norwegian government managed its oil resources.

Oil has netted in billions of dollars for Norway and as the United Nation index says, Norway is rated as the country with the best living standards in the world. This is mainly due to its oil and gas revenues.

Zimbabwe does not need to waste time thinking about how to manage the diamonds and the gold for the benefit of its citizenry.  It can simply learn from examples such as Norway. The lesson is that Zimbabwe should have ownership of its strategic resources. By Zimbabwean ownership, it is meant a transparent, democratic system accepted by and accountable to the citizens of the country through constitutionally recognisable provisions.  Below are some quotes on how the oil structure works and benefits Norway.

In 2009, Norway’s petroleum sector accounted for 21% of value creation in the country. This is three times the value creation of the manufacturing industry and around 22 times the total value creation of the primary industries.

By revenue, Norway’s oil utility Statoil was last year ranked by Fortune Magazine as the world’s 13th largest oil and gas company, and the largest company in the Nordic region by reveue, profit, and market capitalisation.

From oil history and oil management in Norway, people can learn that significant resources like diamonds and gold must be state-owned in partnership with private investors who have the expertise. Success depends on transparency and accountability and the ability of the majority of the citizens to accept the laws governing the natural resource industry. It is critical that laws governing significant natural resources like oil, gold and diamonds are seen as moral and beneficial by the majority of a country’s citizens.

It is rare for citizens to reject government control of a country’s natural resources as long as the citizens feel that they are benefitting through infrastructural developments, improved standards of living, better salaries, better education, health and liberty, among other things. Foreign control of significant and strategic assets like oil, gold and diamonds will rarely develop a nation. Local ownership is a preferred model only when it benefits all its citizens and not a select few. All hopes are that Zimbabwe will strive to exploit the diamonds to uplift the standards of people’s lives in rural areas as well as urban areas.

About the Author Ocean Marambanyika writes from the University of Oslo, Norway.

Yesterday, we sent a text message to our SMS subscribers informing them about the breaking news in Libya: Muammar Gaddafi’s whereabouts unknown, sons detained, and opposition forces taking control of Tripoli.

With reports today of a “defiant regime fightback,” the situation in Libya is clearly still unfolding. But Zimbabweans resonate with attempts to remove a strongman, decades long in power. Here are some of their responses to yesterday’s news:

• Hope the brutal dictator will be captured alive and face trial for other dictators 2 wake up and realise they can b next
• It is very unfortunate that dictators are incapable of reading between the lines of the changing times and hence become victims of political upheavals of our time. May he be forgiven for his hands tainted with human blood. We really wonder which existing dictator will give him refuge. Oh! Leaders never learn that they are mortals.
• Oh. Yipee.  No country belongs to one man. The earth is the lords.
• Bravo to the people of Libya 4 ousting a dictator other dictators should learn from this that people power is mighty you can only delay but not stop people’s revolution
• Mugabe must smell the coffee. The upheaval in Africa e.g. Libya is causing some shivers into his helpless spine.
• Mugabe will never relinquish power. He committed many crimes against humanity.

Another interesting bit I heard, from many conversations, some with people I trust very much.

The Army has let it be known (one source has senior army connections, but is not a soldier) that for the next elections, they will campaign (i.e. ‘count’ the papers) for Zim 1, but no one else. (Zim 1 is the losing party chairman).

All other Zanu PF MP candidates must do their own campaigning. They must pull their finger out and get out there to meet the people, see their constituency, make the political promises, etc. The army does not care for the old incumbents. They are quite happy to see a new crop of ZPF come in.

What does this mean? Only the big guy stands a chance. The rest, very vulnerable to the Jonathan Moyos. In some ways ‘great’. A new crop will mean a new party. ‘Safe’ seats in parliament will flow away and Zim1 will have a whole new struggle. Head of administration verses the government. Who wins will be he (or she) who has power (in most cases, those with the guns). But, the party (the losing party) needs a good clean. Many incumbents are busy jigging the monkey. Chombo I most think of (because he screws around in my area of interest, local government). A nobody, with power, who is making good money out of it – and not even in his area. If he has to service his home constituency, he will find life far more difficult. But many other’s too – the really old guys with liberation war credentials.

On the other hand, what will this do to the party, which itself really has nothing but liberation war credentials? And the party (and Zim1 himself) is the face of legitimacy the military coup regime hides behind. Without it, they are naked as the ‘coup of the ZANLA high command’. And many do not even have liberation war credentials. Who is Brigadier General whatever his name is? Where was he in the struggle? What is his history? How has he serviced his constituency (assuming he can find the balls to take off his uniform and stand for election)? They are really just a gang of friends with power (i.e. guns). In the eastern DRC and Great Lakes region, they would be termed warlords. Power, but no legitimacy.

What is their plan (or Zanu PF’s for that matter) for moving Zimbabwe forward?

I wonder sometimes at the choices of people in positions of power Our Dear Leader has made. It would be myopic to place the entire burden of responsibility for our economic and social quagmire on his shoulders. Yet, surely the man who answers to no one when making these appointments must bear a large portion of the blame.

Having had to assemble my own crack team for a project recently, I am beginning to understand the difficulties of placing the right person in the right position, and, trusting that person to do their job the way I wish it done. Sometimes I am disappointed, and sometimes it works out. Having a relationship with that person makes it difficult to criticise them, especially when there is always an excuse for work that is not done properly.

Today’s Newsday reports that while speaking at the funeral of Rtd. General Mujuru Our Dear Leader ‘conceded he was surrounded by wannabes and corrupt people, but admitted there was nothing he could do to stop the virus.’ The article goes on to say that he is becoming increasingly lonely following the deaths of his closest comrades.

While Our Dear Leader is only a man, and an old man at that, he cannot be everywhere to watch everyone at once, despite what the ZANU PF Women’s and Youth Leagues would have us believe. That is the purpose of organisation and bureaucracy, but even the soundest strategy can fail without adequate leadership at every level. In many respects it is a case of letting things get out of hand, and for that he is solely to blame. In the terms of his own paternal metaphor: a father is supposed to punish his children when they do wrong, not reward them with more trips abroad, more power, a continued stay in office, and protection from would-be opponents.

Our Dear Leader is in his twilight now, a time for much reflection. If gossip and rumour are to be believed, he is making plans for an exit strategy, but in whose hands will he place the burden of steering Zimbabwe and the party into the future? Who will replace him in executing his vision? Even those who are quickest to point to his failings, have themselves failed in this regard.  The leaders of organisations to whom we would entrust with safeguarding us against avaricious and power-hungry party and government officials are themselves afflicted with the very same demons. The MDCs, with their factionalism, and embarrassing public infighting, can hardly claim the moral high ground. Civil society is not blameless either, with founder-directors refusing to vacate office to make way for a renewal of ideas.

Our leaders regardless of where their spheres of influence lie are afraid of change, and ironically it is those who have the loudest voices in calling for it that are most afraid. As many have said before me, ours is a crisis of leadership. But as a society, we should look to ourselves before we point to the failings of our leaders. Our leaders reflect who we are; if they are corrupt it is because we allow them to be so. If they are avaricious it is because we allow them to take from us without raising a single voice.

Had an good and interesting few weeks. Good places to go (Matopos), good meetings (different people), good meals (chocolate pudding), good conversations (some senior people), good listening (very outspoken, very un-Zimbabwean), and good information (some people just ‘know’ things), and some very trustworthy (old acquaintances).

So some of the things said, and realised, bear repeating.

“Why did you leave the MDC?” “Because it used to be a movement.” And it is claimed,by the questioner, that it still is. But I really do not think so anymore. So many contrary indications.

I remember as the Caucus assistant secretary for the MDC City Councillors, when Mudzuri was Mayor (exectuive, not ceremonial). That is, I was allowed to do all the work. I took the minutes of the MDC councillors meetings (i.e not the City of Harare meetings, but the meetings of the political party at that level meetings). I realised, and we all said, “Makwavarara, she is a problem”. So I wrote letters to the party. All the levels, all the bosses. Femai, the Province Secretary. Chaibva, the shadow Local Government minister.

And I was told, “Ah Laban, you are fighting the wrong enemy”.

Then, Muduzuri was fired (as we all were in the end), and Makavarara took over as Mayor. Murambatsvina followed, and the official MDC response, “Ah, we did not know!”

So, they are a bunch of liars. That is to say, politicians (since all politicians are liars). Moreover, the aim is, as any political partie’s should be, to gain power. The enemy is not ‘corruption’, the enemy is Zanu PF (the other big political party). I was fighting the wrong enemy. But then, I thought the MDC was a movement. They will tell us, in their round about political way, Once we are in power, we can then stop corruption”. This may be true, but one must not forget, they are politicians (and therefore liars).

And then out comes the Mail and Guardian with the front page headline, “Tsvangirai At TheTrough”. So it seems I am not the only one who believes they have left their movement roots, and become a political party. Seeking power, not change. Perhaps a change in who benefits from power, but not a change in the benefits.

So, how is it a movement anymore? They are just a bunch of chefs. New chefs. The Ceremonial Mayor of Harare earns a big salary every month, someone said. Ministers all have new cars. And deputy ministers. And permanent secretaries. And nice cars at that (but even then, they cannot make them last more than a couple of years without major pay offs for repairs). So it would certainly seem the new chefs are not part of a movement for a change of the system. Just a change of the beneficiaries. And Budiriro remans with unhealthy water.

So, while the time has come to criticise them as one would any lying political party, (the joke about nappies and political parties in not a joke) I will still support them as making a change – any change, will lead to less concentration of power. And I will continue to predict, “two years”. Two years and Zanu PF (the losing party, the former ruling party) will be ‘the other’ big political party. This will be good. But certainly not the answer. Two political parties is a step towards the answer. But the answer is DEMOCRACY, not the MDC. So I will continue to work for popular involvement at the local government level. Perhaps not so far as Obote, who banned political parties, but I like his thinking. Along the right lines.