The Dependency Culture

Over 90 % of African countries have people living in very high levels of poverty inherited from a colonial past that rewarded a few at the expense of the majority.

Even after most African countries attained their independence and power was transferred to a new black leadership, this did not change the structural functionality of the economy which simple exchanged hands from a wealthy white minority to a new wealthy black elite most who accumulated massive amounts of wealth through corrupt partnerships with government officials.

It is not a surprise that when it comes to political party funding, the funding sources of more established political parties are a very tightly guarded secret. This raises questions about the sincerity of some of these political parties as they clearly lack the basic principles that can promote transparency and accountability of public institutions. How many citizens actually know how their political parties are funded and how such funds are utilised across their political party structures? This is a real problem especially for countries that make claim to be championing democratic practice.

Most of the time ordinary citizens are distracted from questioning such sources by being entertained by bickering between politicians about either position and power and in very rare circumstances genuine issues that need to be addressed for the benefit of a greater good. FJCZ entry into the political arena has uncovered this unfortunate discovery where most ordinary citizens join a political party because they love the policies, principles and values but at the same time naturally have expectations based on comparing operational effectiveness with experiences of better resourced political platform, hoping to find the same conditions of participation as those of those older establishments.

People were used to seeing the outward performance of such parties like Zanu-PF affording to dish out campaign regalia and all in plenty fold without asking themselves how those party's actually manage to fulfil those handouts. And when they see FJCZ also coming onboard the political arena they automatically assume that the party will do what is obviously done and provide everything just like what Zanu-PF or MDC have always been doing.

It doesn't dawn on them that Zanu-PF has actually been diverting government funds to fund its own political party campaigns, whilst the MDC had the express backing of multi millionaires in the nature of whites who were keen to retain their hold on the monopoly of country's riches.

It does dawn on them the FJCZ must fund itself through the dedication of the millions who are left on the wayside by these elite Zanu-PF who only need their vote to have the fingers on the financial pulse of the nation's treasure. We do intend preaching to the people to refuse to be bought with few pieces of silver and use their "vote" to usher in a government by the people and for the people. 

But alas, how will they ever know. It will take influencing a change in attitudes and making ordinary citizens realise that together in their numbers they do have the power to challenge these very dominant players who use their financial advantage to influence the political outcomes in our society.

Elder Lameck Mahachi

FJCZ Interim Chief of Security & Induction Training

Elder L Mahachi is a founding member of Freedom Justice Coalition Zimbabwe Party since 2010. He comes from a security background and has been responsible for security vetting of new members of the party including taking them through the party's Induction Training so they have a basic understanding of the principles, values, mission and vision objectives.