It was recently reported that Econet Zimbabwe founding chief
executive officer and now majority shareholder, Strive Masiyiwa issued a social media statement
that questioned the transparency of the use of at least US$10 million he/his company
had donated toward alleviating the current cholera tragedy in Zimbabwe.
And it’s fair enough.
Where colleagues and cdes were saying or acting in order to ensure all
hands were on deck in order to at least prevent, as pragmatically possible, a further
loss of lives, there are/were others that are now alleged sought to
profiteer from the crisis. These allegations included issues
to do with the inflation of chemical ‘waterguard’ bottles as well as medical
hand-gloves.
And indeed many a social media activist went apoplectic
at the possibility of this happening in the midst of such an health epidemic. Their motivations were probably genuine but
had it not been for the fact of statements attributed to Masiyiwa over and
about his ‘donation’, they would have probably kept quiet. Or at least not been as apoplectic.
And sure enough, even the very rumour of the same got at
least two (new) cabinet ministers concerned, at least on the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation Television One (ZBC, TV1) stating that they were shocked at the allegations
being leveled at officials in local authorities. The City of Harare also weighed in, with one or two stories being put online about
the temporary/potential suspension of some of its senior administrative staffers.
What may have missed all good intentions at resolving the
tragic crisis of an epidemic is the possibility
that it all makes for good public relations and marketing. Even in its worst humanitarian crisis moments. Especially where it concerns allegations of
misappropriation of goodwill from the private sector.
What it means is that we must immediately forego the mistakes of
the private sector. Or their previous intentions
at profiting from public capital (land, water, health, education and attendant state
infrastructure).
I had to re-read global activist Naomi Klein’s amazing book, ‘ The Shock Doctrine. The Rise of
Disaster Capitalism’ in order to understand what is going on. In Part 1 of the book, she quotes George
Orwell’s novel, ‘Nineteen- Eighty Four’
wherein it states ‘we shall squeeze you empty, and then we shall fill
you with ourselves.’ Innocuous as the statement
may seem, it essentially points to a new reality where we do not read between the
lines.
Even if it were some sort of conspiracy to undermine the
Mnangagwa regime, that on its own would not be enough. Private capital intends to make it clear that
it can run things better. Especially in Zimbabwe’s
national case, no matter the cost. As far as it is concerned , it
will eventually make the necessary profit.
As long as necessary ‘curry' is favoured with those in political power.
So bring out the water bowsers from Delta Corporation and the ‘waterguard’ chemicals from other well-wishers and we have a
recipe for a corporate takeover of what should have remained public
services. That is the provision of
affordable, safe and usable/drinkable water. Even if temporarily.
A point that for now, might not matter as much. Again, its all hands on deck and we will or at
least should ask questions after. The
probability of the latter happening however is relatively slim. The intention is to reinvent our political
and economic reality. This being where
we find solutions in the benevolence of those that already have money/capital to what should be shared societal
problems. We choose to create heroes out of them
in the process, while they make copious amounts of profit from the same.
What it means is that we have a potential reinvention of Zimbabwean
society in the midst of an epidemic.
And depending where you are ideologically
seated, it may work for a while. But the
end effect is that it backfires. And
then we start to look for solutions in the same ideological neo-liberal
framework. That being, we should have
done the same things better. Hence it is
behoove upon many an assumed progressive to denounce any form of corruption against Masiyiwa’s assumed US$10 million donation
equivalent in cash or kind without at
once fairly questioning why and where such stupendous amounts of capital came
from?
Let alone hazarding that perilous guess as to why Ecocash/mobile money
and internet or social media bundles rake in ((probably billions (especially in bond notes) a quarter)). It is money that stems to the greater extent from the poor who seek more convenience than they do profit. Or from those that would use the same on the parallel exchange rates, domestically.
What we do know is that it appears to be open sesame for profiting
out of a national disaster. This entails
putting profit on the highest possible tabernacle of either corporate social responsibility or the fact that a company or a few individuals ere able to shoulder a national burden
when it ‘mattered the most’.
For a country and government as desperate as our own., this
is most likely. A critical eye as to the
motivation would be most unfortunate.
Almost as though we would have traded ourselves off. Even if we do not know or
understand it.
*Takura Zhangazha writes here in his personal capacity
(takura-zhangazha.blogspot.com)
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