NEW ZIMBABWE ORGANISATION UNLIMITED (NZOU)

Zimbabwe Voluntary Voters Organisation is an effort that is undertaken by (NZOU) to get Zimbabweans in the diaspora to exercise their God Give right to choose their own destiny. NZOU was formed on the 1st of June 2006. Its main aim was to make Zimbabweans in the diaspora realise their worth. The following is the charter that has thus far driven NZOU:

OUR CHARTER.

“Sometimes it falls upon a generation to be great, you, can be that generation!” These were the words of Nelson Mandela when he addressed a gathering at Trafalgar Square in London during the make poverty history campaign…. What is this generation going to be remembered for? Are we going to be remembered for cowardice? Are we going to take up the challenges that we face or are we going to stand down and resign as losers???? Are people in the Diaspora the cowards that ran away from home troubles to be used and abused by inter-nationals? Can the Diasporians really organise and relieve Zimbabwe with blessings from outside, just like Zapu and Zanu did from outside.

The struggle that was won by Zanu and Zapu, was the emancipation of the common man, more so the Blackman. That generation, achieved what they set out to do, that is to turn the Government from white to black, and there by making it representative of population. What are the challenges that truly face Zimbabwe now? Is it not an economic challenge?

After Independence it was always going to be hard for black people to take over the country and actually run a successful economy, so the struggle that Zimbabwe now faces is in fact not a new thing to newly independent states of Africa, many have fallen under economic hardships as corruption set in and rule of law collapsed. Do not get me wrong I am not condoning in any way the regime that has put Zimbabwe in a strangle hold at the moment, but before we judge them it is always wise to remember that the real people who were behind the liberation of black majority are now late. I am talking of people like Josiah Magama Tongogagra, Jason Ziyapapa Moyo, Nikita Mangena, Ndabaningi Sithole, Joshua Mqabuko “Father Zimbabwe” Nkomo, who’s death was the turning point for the worst for Zimbabwe’s economy and most recently Learnmore Jongwe, who upon his death left the MDC and ultimately the opposition , rudderless.

For so long Zimbabweans have failed to rise above tribal politics. People vent their anger either at Mugabe, the Shona or the Ndebele. We are beginning to sound like losers and characteristic of losers; they always blame the next man for their miss fortunes. Some us are not even qualified to speak about tribalism, as they are not are of the history that entails the formation of tribes. Like me perhaps, in as much I detested white people for what their forefathers did to us, my great grand father was white, and I am of cause as brown as they come, after three generations there is no trace of white on me. This goes to show how easily you could have “enemy” blood running in your veins.

Not with standing the fact there are those that are so in touch with their roots, such that they can smell their ethnicity and proudly proclaim that they are this or that and can joyously chant their totems and praise their tribe. It’s all so good. But in reality what is ethnicity? Ethnicity is according to the dictionary is a group of people sharing the same clique, interest, region, skin colour, religion and so on. Examples of ethnicity unfortunately cry out with a loud voice from Serbia where people are divided along religious lines, needless to say the Muslim community was cleansed. Ethnicity cries out with a loud and nasty voice from Rwanda where tribal divisions prevailed. Zimbabweans of cause have had their fair share, with Mzilikazi’s mighty army prevailing over the Shonas and in recent history of Mugabe’s Gukurahundi massacres in Mandebeleland.

As people in the Diaspora, ethnicity cries out to us wherever we turn, in newspapers, televisions, in graffiti, etc, all have something to say about us “ethnic minorities”. You will realise that in the Diaspora , we share the same ethnicity, and are dealt by the same hand with people from all over world, it don’t matter where you come from , as long as you are not a citizen of the country you live in, you now have your own unique ethnic group called “ethnic minorities”. Similarly as Zimbabweans in the Diaspora we have now developed into a new ethnic grouping within the ethnic minority group. In this ethnicity, it has become apparent that previous tribal backgrounds do not have any impact in our “identity” anymore. The world now deals with us as per our new identity as Zimbabweans in the Diaspora. Even the Zimbabwe government looks upon us as a different group of people. This grouping therefore makes us different from the rest of Zimbabweans. We are like a new tribe outside Zimbabwe; some of our children find it hard to even speak our vernacular languages.

Truth be told we are now the third ethnic grouping of Zimbabweans after the Ndebeles and the Shonas. That, whether we like it or not, is our identity. Needless to say, we now form an extra virtual political province of Zimbabwe. This is a political province that has been ignored for far too long. This is the province of Zimbabwe that has the most educated people of the Zimbabwean population. This is the province that has the most progressive people of Zimbabwe. This is province that has the most entrepreneurial people of Zimbabwe. This is the province that has the most political upright people in Zimbabwe. This is province with the richest people in Zimbabwe. This is the province that has the sharpest brains in Zimbabwe. This is a province that is the highest foreign currency earner for Zimbabwe. The list of the positives that this ethnic group can potentially contribute to Zimbabweans within or without is overwhelming.

Desolately, this is the most ignored province of Zimbabwe. We have no say in the political constitution of Zimbabwe, i.e. nobody stands for our interests and we are frozen out of making our contribution, whether by way of vote or even appointed representation. In fact there is virtually no organisation or attempt to organise our province for any such purpose. Our voice is completely cut off. This is a province by Zimbabwean standards that does not have a Governor, or Members of Parliament and yet this is the province that is the backbone of Zimbabwe. Are we not the ones that send foreign currency for the survival of the folk back home, are we not the ones that send buses trucks clothes and spares back home?

Time is the healer of all wounds, hence this is time to lick our wounds and recognise the important role that we play. It is time that we formed or own organisation that will address issues that relate and identify with our identity. We can no longer wait in fringes and hope that someone will organise us and stand for us.

We are not a political organisation, rather an organisation that will look after our interests, to help ourselves deal with the systems that we live in, to help ourselves handle our finances, to deal with our well being (the Diaspora is a stressful and lonesome environment) and indeed to express our political clout. The organisation that we form must not be limited therefore to one aspect of our plight, but rather cover every portion of our international existence, covering issues ranging from immigration, health, money, jobs, culture, and crime, to politics. It is be fitting there fore to call this organisation the New Zimbabwean Organisation Unlimited. Distance, politics, finance, tribe, religion or intimidation must not limit this organisation.

According to official figures the population of Zimbabwe is 11 million out of the four main provinces of Zimbabwe, i.e. Mashonaland, Manicaland, Midlands and Mandebeleland. If you divide the population equally you will discover that each province has just less than 3 million people as opposed to the population of Zimbabweans now living and working in the Diaspora which is above 3 million .. This means that the province of NZOU has more than 3million people, and makes it the biggest province per head count of Zimbabwe. How can we continue to ignore ourselves?

The wheels of change have been put into motion; this organisation is now under construction and without fear or favour, but specifically for those who are outside of Zimbabwe. If you are interested in taking part in this organisation and you feel that you have a strong contribution to make then you are cordially invited to register your interest by sending an e-mail to nzou.org@gmail.com. Let us know what part you would like to play and the contribution you will make in the formation of this organisation. All the correspondence will be dealt with, with the strictest of confidence and no details will be passed over to any third part. Apon receipt of your e-mail we will reply you inviting you the initial meeting where a constituion will be agreed upon and adopted, and initial election for offices held.

At present we are looking for natural leaders who will fill the various posts that are vacant. This organisation is open to all Zimbabweans in and out side of Zimbabwe who feel that they identify with our identity, however thus said racists and tribalists please do not bother as we have already suffered enough because of your primitive instincts that you fail to shed in order to embrace the twenty-first century.

Please do not ignore this opportunity to make a difference, and please forward this site to as many as you can oh well to at least five people you know.

Thank you for taking time to read this, I hope that we will soon meet .