Coffee with Sovereignty
If you were having coffee with me, I would welcome you to my sovereign state of words. Make yourself at home, put your feet up.
Incase you missed the memo I hail from a teapot shaped country, the sovereign Republic of Zimbabwe having gained sovereignty on 18 April 1980. In the grand scheme of time it’s a fairly young state, still having people who witnessed and even fought in the liberation struggle.
We are constantly reminded of the debt we owe our liberators that its not unsurprising to hear someone remark that perhaps they should unliberate the country so a new generation can liberate it and enjoy the rewards.
They say I am from the Born Free generation because I was born after independence day and never had to witness the atrocities that came with colonisation or the armed struggle for independence. I suppose I am living my ancestors wildest dreams and treasuring our sovereignty. As our former late president or is it late former president would say: Zimbabwe will never be a colony again.
If you were having coffee with me, I would ask you what sovereignty is? Does anybody know what it really is or it’s a platitude politicians like to use like patriot and democracy…
Sovereignty, sovereignty, sovereignty who needs democracy when you have sovereignty?
The electricity supply is erratic, running water isn’t guaranteed, roads have potholes the size of small graves, elections are chaotic and the economy is freefalling but hey at least we have our sovereignty.
The Zimbabwean Dream is to leave Zimbabwe, at almost every turn you find people being encouraged to leave at the earliest convenience.. Of course there are some who have left for greener pastures only to find that life as an immigrant isn’t all sunshine and roses.
There is a Shona proverb: Kusina mai hakuendwe which directly translates to dont go to a place without your mother and is a cautionary proverb that when you travel to a place without your kin you are likely to face all sorts of struggles with no one to help cushion the landing… you will be discriminated against, told you smell and other profanities.
If you were having coffee with me I would tell you that when the current president came to power in 2018, his administration has been referring to Zimbabwe as the Second Republic. I have never understood how we became a second republic but hey at least we have sovereignty. Many promises have been made few have been kept but we still have is sovereignty.
For such a weighty word Sovereignty seems to very fickle and needs to be guarded jealouslys as its threatened by dark forces, imperialists, western governments, regime change, propaganda and maybe even satellite internet.
Starlink is not yet licensed to operate in Zimbabwe although according to an estimate on the Starlink website it is projected to be available in Q3 of 2024 subject to government approval and network expansion of course.
The minister of ICT has made remarks that they are open to working with Starlink but seems they have reservations which seem to lean towards refusing Starlink’s application.
I would guess part of it could be due to protecting local Internet Service Providers which will likely be threated by Starlink as a faster, unlimited and more affordable alternative. The direct payment system might also prejudice them of money they would make from tax unless they can work out a way to get in on the action.
There is also the issue of data mining meaning Starlink might have access to data a sovereign republic doesn’t want in the hands of an entity outside their regulation and control. Speaking of regulation and control, the government has on occasion shutdown the internet but they would not be able to exert that kind of authority over the Starlink network, which in my humble opinion is probably the biggest gripe they have over licensing Starlink.
Strangely enough a ZBC Outside Broadcasting truck was spotted with a Starlink kit on its rooftop, so evidently someone is aware of the benefits of Starlink coverage. Whats good for national broadcaster should also be good for a nation right? While Starlink can work in Zimbabwe its currently illegal to use the kit and the government was warned that it will start to raid and arrest people who sell, advertise or own unlicenced Starlink.
If you were having coffee with me, I would tell you its been a long walk to freedom for an opposition politician and activist Job Sikhala who had been on 500+ day pretrial detention on charges of obstruction of justice and inciting public violence after saying that the ruling party, had killed an opposition activist in 2002.
A Harare magistrate convicted him of inciting public violence but gave him a suspended two-year sentence because he had already spent so long in jail. However his freedom might be short-lived as he has also been found guilty of publishing falsehoods prejudicial to the State and yet to be sentenced.
The politician seems to be following in the footsteps of Nelson Mandela and has taken to a fashion sense similar to the late statesman as well as adopting a hint of his diction and perhaps eyes becoming the next president wanting to start his own political party.
Its still to be seen if he has gained enough political mileage for such a bold move or he misread the room as public sentiment seems to sway towards the opinion that he is no Nelson Mandela and he may have committed a career ending move…
How’s your sovereignty? Whats been happening in your neck of the woods?
~B
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