THERE is no distinction between vana vevhu and vapambevhu in our Constitution.
All Zimbabwean citizens are equal according to our Constitution.
All are entitled to the wealth of Zimbabwe.
There is absolutely no distinction between the coloniser and the colonised in the Zimbabwean Constitution.
Those who fought for the liberation of this country such as the ones whose sacrifices we celebrate during the Heroes Day and Defence Forces Day every year and those who fought against the liberation of this country and are still resisting the legitimate rule of the children of this country as their land and heritage, are all entitled to the wealth of Zimbabwe by the power of the Zimbabwean Constitution as the Supreme Law of this country.
The descendants of Mbuya Nehanda and the descendants of Rhodes, all are equal according to the Zimbabwean Constitution.
The coloniser and the colonised are the same.
The freedom fighter and the Selous Scout, the patriot and the settler Rhodesian who never dies and continues to oppose our freedom and make us suffer by imposing illegal economic sanctions on us as punishment for daring to take up arms and repossess our land and heritage; all enemies of Zimbabwe who are citizens of other countries are accorded equal rights to the wealth of this country by the power of our Constitution as long as they are registered as citizens of this country.
Those who massacred thousands of Africans who lie in mass graves in Zimbabwe and neighbouring countries and some whose remains are still unburied; those who committed such atrocities and still openly boast about them; the Zimbabwean Constitution entitles them to enjoy the fruits of the independence that they opposed and was brought by the blood of those they massacred.
The Constitution gives them the right not to even come to the Heroes Acre to honour those who made it possible for them to become Zimbabwean citizens and enjoy the wealth of Zimbabwe together with those they killed during the liberation struggle.
The Constitution does this through Section 58 which says they have the right to assemble or not to assemble and freedom to associate or not to associate and celebrate with others during the Heroes’ or Defence Forces Day or any other national day in Zimbabwe.
Section 58 (2) says categorically that no person may be compelled to belong to an association or to attend a meeting or gathering.
The Zimbabwean Constitution does not enjoin anyone to be patriotic or to love this nation and be ready to lay down their lives in defence of this nation and protect the gains of the liberation struggle.
Patriotism is an option according to Chapter Three of our Constitution on citizenship.
Section 35 (4) (d) on the duties of citizens simply expects a citizen of Zimbabwe to defend Zimbabwe and its sovereignty to the best of their ability.
It makes patriotism a choice.
There is no option in patriotism.
The heroes whose lives Zimbabweans celebrate today and every year during the Heroes’ Day and Defence Forces Day had no such luxury of choice.
There is a huge difference between “to the best of my ability” and “laying down one’s life” to liberate and defend one’s country.
Patriots love their country and defend it with their very lives.
That is what the heroes whose sacrifices Zimbabweans celebrate during the Heroes’ Day and the Defence Forces Day did.
They died for their country.
That is what is meant by Zimbabwe ndeye ropa.
They did not have the luxury of saying “to the best of my ability”.
“To the best of my ability” is a luxury.
It means, “I cannot do it if it involves suffering or death.”
It also means, “I cannot do it if it involves exposing my family to danger.”
But most ominously, it gives those who have ‘Dual Citizenship’ the luxury and right to fight against Zimbabwe on the side of the enemy countries of Zimbabwe whose citizenship they also enjoy.
Our Constitution emboldens them to fight against Zimbabwe and enjoy the wealth of Zimbabwe at the same time.
No one can be loyal to two masters at the same time.
Every person has one father and one mother.
That is what patriotism means.
It means to follow in the footsteps of one’s forefathers or patriarchs.
Dual citizenship gives one the right to belong to Zimbabwe when he or she wants to enjoy the wealth of Zimbabwe; and not to belong to Zimbabwe when he or she wants to help the other country of his or her citizenship to fight Zimbabwe and re-colonise Zimbabwe.
Zimbabweans must wake up and revisit their Constitution or they will live to see the day when real patriots, those who laid down their lives to liberate this country, accuse them of betraying them and colluding with the enemy.