Black First Land First (BLF) joins the rest of the progressive world in wishing former president Mugabe’s soul to Rest In Power. We also wish his family and all those affected by his passing, strength during this period. Robert Mugabe was one of the leading lights of black nationalism and warriors for land reclamation. The symbolism of Mugabe resonates with us as black people.
We are saddened by his passing but we also draw strength from his great revolutionary legacy. We hope that our people in Zimbabwe will be inspired by his legacy to rise up and do what he and his generation did, and that is fight for the return of our land and the dignity of our people! We note that as the Mugabe chapter closes Zimbabwe is already in another era (that is fast eroding his legacy) under Emmerson Mnangagwa who rose to power via an imperialist sponsored coup. We must also not be bamboozled by reactionary agendas to turn his stature into an electoral propaganda tool to perpetuate neo-colonialism in Zimbabwe and the rest of Africa. The struggle must continue!
Zimbabwe under Mugabe had resolved the land question. He returned land to Zimbabweans. Prior to 2000, approximately 6 000 white settlers owned about 80 % of the land. These whites dominated the agricultural sector of Zimbabwe.
Up until Mugabe was undemocratically removed from power, 245 000 blacks and their families owned most of the land. This explodes the myth that only Mugabe’s loyalists received land. Evidence also indicates that those associated with ZanuPF under Mugabe’s leadership, obtained only less than 10 % of the land.
We note that the post Mugabe ZanuPF doesn’t accept that there’s a crisis in Zimbabwe. We must not be held behind by bureaucratic dictates. We have to be creative, brave and make the hard proposals. Zimbabwe must work. There’s no question about that, but it must work with these two questions – politics and economics – in an intertwined manner. Yes, the politics and the economics of Zimbabwe cannot be disaggregated and resolved outside of each other. They belong together. So normalize the politics, and normalize the economics together. In SA we argue very hard that we have a role to play and our role is to bring financial help to Zimbabwe.
ZanuPF’s Mnangagwa must make peace with MDC’s Nelson Chamisa under an anti imperialist program that puts blacks first. He must cease attacking the Mugabe loyalists who fled Zimbabwe after the coup. He must allow all exiles to return and grant a blanket amnesty to those accused or convicted of politically motivated crimes. A revolutionary transitional government of national unity, which will put the people first, must be formed. All police brutality and state violence must end!
To clarify on the Zimbabwean situation – SA must advance conditional financial support to Zimbabwe, without delay. SA must give financial support on condition that Zimbabwe does the following immediately:
1. Transitional Government of National Unity
2. Amnesty to all and let the exiles return.
3. Release all political prisoners
In the long term, we need economic stability via economic integration. South Africa must show in figures what its contribution is to the front-line states.
Let’s do the Chimurenga! We must get back on the revolutionary path, paved by Robert Mugabe’s legacy.
Issued by Black First Land First, National Coordinating Committee of (BLF NCC)
6 September 2019
Contact Details
Black First Land First Mail: [email protected]
Zanele Lwana
(BLF Deputy President)
Cell: +27 79 986 7225