Zimbabwe’s Biggest Problem Is Denialism Says Businessman Fred Mutanda

Brian Kazungu, 24/12/2020

Fred Mutanda, a Zimbabwean businessman with interests in the pharmaceutical industry including a controlling stake in one of the country’s biggest drug manufactures CAPS said denialism was Zimbabwe’s biggest problem.

In his Christmas message to members of a Connections2Communities (C2C) social media initiative called What Is A Leader, Mutanda expressed concern on the way how circumstances are denied as if they never happened and yet those developments will be affecting people’s lives.

He then suggested that people need to agree on how to correct the wrongs such as Gukurahundi as well as the lack of rule of law and violation of property rights by the government rather than to be in denial.

The issue of denialism was also corroborated in a different conversation on Twitter by Zimbabwe’s former Minister of Tourism, Walter Muzembi who was commenting on the reports that South Africa’s Home Affairs Minister, Aaron Motsoaledi had shot down a proposed engagement with Zimbabwe authorities on challenges being encountered at the Beitbridge Border Post.

Mzembi indicated that whether there is crisis or not, there is a much bigger problem in the country which denialism and propaganda cannot solve.

Crisis or No Crisis ? Harare is in denial of a much bigger problem that manifests itself in the chaos at the Beitbridge Border Post . Holiday returnees mere pawns . Propaganda & denialism has failed to manage this mess !

— Walter Mzembi (@waltermzembi) December 23, 2020

Mutanda’s concerns in the What Is A Leader platform were also touched on by a fellow member who indicated that the problems in Zimbabwe dates back to the time of the Lancaster House Conference where many critical issues where left unaddressed.

Another member of the same group used examples in decrying the lack of good governance as evidenced by the mismanagement of funds and other resources which is meant for the development of communities such as was the case with Copper Queen Resettlement.

He said that even though the resettlement initiative had finances in place to cover for schools, clinics, tapped water and a 100km tarred road network, the reality on the ground was deplorable as the only symbol of what could have been there are clustered taps and their meters heaped at shopping centers.

 Below is a WhatsApp between Mr Mutanda and other members on the issue of denialism and the situation on the ground in Zimbabwe.

[12/23, 19:30] Caps Mtanda: As the year comes to the end and we are going to celebrate Christmas my message to everyone on this platform is denialism. This is Zimbabwe’s biggest problem. Just like Holocaust denialism.

In the case of Zimbabwe, people deny that Gukurahundi happened. People deny there’s no rule. of law in Zimbabwe. These are things we have to think about. Agree on how the wrongs of the past can be corrected.

Dispossession of properties from black people by a black government. Thank you for reading

[12/23, 20:10] +263xxxxx: Mukoma Freddy thank you so much for your message. As for me, I would like to say we lost it as liberators of the struggle to accept to go to Lancaster House for negotiations. Why do I say so?

It’s simply because when the struggle was being waged the idea was to fight the system. The system that had created a situation where a minority (Whites) exploited the majority and the Nation’s resources.

When we agreed to negotiate we were made not to change the system but to inherit it from Rhodesia as it was.

Independence was not won but granted by the crown on the basis that the new Gvt at ‘Independence’ and even now became Administrators of the system of exploitation for the benefit of a few. By going to wage a war we wanted to change “The Laws.”

–The Administrative system of Gvt

-The Distribution of Wealth and Resources to our people equitably

-One man one vote

-Change the system of Education to suit our historical background than have our curriculum budget funded by British council

-Equitable distribution of Land

-Change national emblems and signs to our liking and historical background

– Define our relationships with other nations depending on what suits us

-Allow true Zimbabweans to rule their destiny not aliens polluting our political space as is happening since Lancaster Agreement which suits the exploitative nature of those still benefiting from exploiting us.

It’s unfortunate that Zanu Pf as a Ruling Party has been infiltrated by aliens who are in to advance the interest of our former colonizers and International capital. These aliens have nothing to lose that’s why they allow our national resources to be exploited by international capital while real Zimbabweans suffer. These aliens are the ones who favor to bank their loot in Switzerland, Europe, America and UK.

Their children study abroad being pampered by corrupt proceeds from exploitation of national resources.

These aliens because they know that anytime they will not be there they use this system that is against majority progression to enrich themselves. They use the alien laws to screw up fellow black people who seem competent so that they kill competition of ideas and development ideas. If they see fellow black proving to be doing better than them while outside this bad system they use laws to disenfranchise them so that only them represent what is development by being front runners of capital to exploit our people and resources. This has been the case since 1980.Alternative voices are not entertained. Diversity is not allowed or encouraged. This is our situation and this stems from us having allowed us to be duped to negotiate at Lancaster House Conference. The consequences are what you have or are experiencing today. Zimbabwe requires a radical shift that has to come from the people and a Leadership committed to true and total emancipation of the country from exploitation from foreign interested parties and partners internally who act as fronts using structures of political parties and Gvt. We should not agonize but get organised. Aluta Continua…✊✊🤝🇿🇼

[12/23, 20:33] +25xxxxx: I strongly believe going back 40 years to blame a miscalculation of that period and export it to describe today’s misfortunes is a mission its own.

We have the human cap and resources to chart our own independent life. Incidentally we even inherited one of the best infrastructure and its superstructure, think of the Railway networks and its Communication systems.

I hail from the Copper Queen Resettlement 2 which was well financed to be the second best resettlement areas in the country with schools, clinics, all water metered villages with tapped water and 100km road network tarred.

Visit the reality my leader and the only symbol of what could have been are clustered taps and their meters heaped at shopping centers.

Now, we may have so many questions on what happened, what went wrong but I find it difficult to attach what my brother talks of Lancaster house conference and the reality in Copper Queen Resettlement 2.

I also remember one of the esteemed VP recently blaming the whites for not teaching them how to run the country 40 years after running and ruining it into the process.

[12/23, 20:49] Caps Mtanda: Thank you for your comments.

The problem is not the Lancaster House Conference. After every conflict there has to be a negotiated settlement.  The Lancaster House is not the problem. But our failure to hold leadership or each other to account.

I was with ZPRA yet 99% of my family members were in ZANLA. I lost more than 10 family members in Mozambique.

No one accounted for all who died under the ruling party. No one held the leadership to account for all the comrades who died in Mozambique or in exile. It’s not the Lancaster House Conference. It’s our failure.

The war had to end. I operated with Zanla comrades in 1974 and 1975. I was in Chiweshe and Madziva when villagers were moved to protected villages.

We were all freedom fighters. Today we are idolizing Mbuya Nehanda. I was just a 17 year old when one of the Mbuya Nehanda spirit mediums died.

It’s painful and that’s the denialism I am talking about. We carried her body all the way to Angwa River. She was to be left on top of a tree.

In March 1975 H Chitepo was assassinated. That week Mugabe and Tekere left for Mozambique but did not attend Chitepo’s burial.

In August Edson Sithole was kidnapped in Salisbury. Our own people don’t want to talk about it. Instead they impose fear to suppress the truth.

I had differences with Edson but when Chitepo got killed he realized there was an enemy among us.

So the problem is not how we negotiated but our failure to implement what we agreed on as the Patriotic Front. That led to the death of Tongogara.

We brought a very good Constitution with a Bill of Rights from Lancaster House. Our problem has always been leadership. Hence this platform “What is a Leader”

Our problem is fear, fear of the unknown idolizing of our government leaders.

[12/23, 20:54] Caps Mtanda: Very interesting that you talk about Copper Queen Resettlement 2.

It was financed under the willing buyer willing seller Lancaster House Conference Agreement

[12/23, 20:58] +25xxxxx: Kuwait Dinar was supposed to electrify all schools and clinics…….by 1990 none is electrified

[12/23, 21:01] Caps Mtanda: All the money went into someone’s pocket. It should be allowed to continue happening today