CONTRADICTIONS are a trademark of the Zimbabwean Constitution.
What is given by the right hand is taken back by the left hand.
The provisions of one section contradict those of other sections and cancel each other out.
There is no philosophy that binds them together into a message from the people of Zimbabwe to our children as heirs of Zimbabwe.
For example, the Constitution describes Zimbabwe as a unitary, democratic and sovereign republic.
This means that Zimbabwe is an indivisible geographical and political entity.
But the same constitution describes Zimbabwe as a country of diverse people brought together by a common desire for freedom, justice, equality and heroic resistance to colonialism, racism and all forms of domination and oppression.
The Zimbabwean Constitution describes a Zimbabwean as any person who is registered as a citizen of Zimbabwe.
Such a person who could have registered yesterday or today as a citizen of Zimbabwe is included in the preamble in our constitution which says, “We the people of Zimbabwe are diverse, but united in our common desire for freedom, justice and equality and our heroic resistance to colonialism, racism and all forms of domination and oppression.”
The pertinent questions to ask here are: “When exactly did such a person become involved in the heroic resistance of Zimbabweans against colonialism and racism?
“When did such a person cultivate a common desire with Zimbabweans for freedom when he or she has just registered as a citizen of Zimbabwe from another country where colonialists who oppress and exploit Zimbabweans are coming from?”
The facts on the ground are that vapambevhu, who are citizens of Zimbabwe according to both the past and current Zimbabwean constitutions, never joined the heroic resistance of vana vevhu against colonialism and racism or any forms of domination they perpetrate against vana vevhu.
How could they do so when they are the colonialists and racists?
How could they do so when they are the oppressors and exploiters of vana vevhu?
Indeed how could they fight against the system they put in place to benefit them at the expense of vana vevhu?
Again the facts on the ground tell us that vapambevhu who are now coming to register as citizens of Zimbabwe are not coming to join vana vevhu against colonialism and racism.
They are still the colonialists and racists.
Their intention to register as citizens of Zimbabwe is to strengthen the vote for regime change in Zimbabwe and reverse the gains of the liberation struggle using the power of equal rights to access of land given to them by the Zimbabwean Constitution.
The purpose of describing Zimbabweans as a diverse people is to include vapambevhu as citizens of Zimbabwe whose interests are separate from those of vana vevhu, but are legitimised by the Zimbabwean Constitution as human rights for vapambevhu against the gains of the liberation struggle and the Land Reform Programme waged by vana vevhu.
What they could not do through naked warfare against vana vevhu, they can now do through law-fare supported by the power of citizenship and diverse cultural rights and freedoms given to them by the Zimbabwean constitution.
The reason for describing Zimbabweans as a diverse people is to include vapambevhu as a separate group from vana vevhu and legitimise their colonial interests as lawful rights and freedoms in the Zimbabwean Constitution.
Africans by themselves are not a diverse people.
Their values and interests are not in conflict.
Cde Joshua Nkomo used to say, “We are a people together.”
His favourite phrase was, “Tiri vana vevhu.”
There was a clear distinction between, “vana vevhu” and “vapambevhu” in his mind when he said a day will come when vapambevhu will be asked, “Ko imi makabvanepi?”
There was also a clear distinction between vana vevhu and vapambevhu in the names ZANU and ZAPU as liberation movements.
Vana vevhu refers to Africans.
It means children of the soil.
ZAPU means Zimbabwe African Peoples Union.
There are no vapambevhu implied in it.
ZANU means Zimbabwe African National Union.
There are no vapambevhu implied in it.
Vana vevhu is not an invented political term.
It is a natural description of the oneness of African people as children from the loins and womb of Africa as the land of their ancestors.
Those who sprang from the soils of other lands are not vana vevhu although they may desire to be called Africans or Zimbabweans by citizenship.
It is therefore a gross distortion and ignorance of history to refer to Africans as a diverse people when they are children of the same land and ancestors.
Those who have been chosen by the people to represent Africans have the responsibility to make the laws that reflect the values and history of African people correctly or they shall be rejected as traitors by the people.