Page 88 - Empowerment and Protection - Stories of Human Security

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“Some of the worst political violence has taken place in this district.”
refLeCting on Community tensions
A number of interviewees in the nkayi district discussed the issues of tribal or political tensions, which affected the sense of security and the community relations.
“my area is predominantly populated by the ndebele people. it is one of the areas that was perceived as sustaining the ZiPrAd dissidents shortly after the attainment of independence
and mostly shona-speaking soldiers were sent to flush these out. But i feel that the methods used created a great deal of animosity on the part of the ndebele against the shona people. After the unity Accord, many of those who were believed to have been involved in committing atrocities then settled in silobela. the tension between the two communities has been very intense and they hardly ever mix in social gatherings.”
“some youths in makhaba Ward perpetrated violence due to political differences. they burnt houses that belonged to their political opponents and caused major disturbances in the Ward and
it left scars on families and community members. this explains the slow pace of development and the fear of participating in any initiative that comes from outside the Ward. the fear arises from the perception that those who come from outside the Ward can only be enemies trying to influence locals to rise against government so as to once again get them into trouble.”
”general peace has always been a challenge
in nkayi. you will know that some of the worst political violence has taken place in this district. that concern will remain with us for a long time though things have been stabilising of late. there is also a concern on matters of domestic violence and other instances of violence on the social front. if you read the papers, nkayi is known for some of these violent crimes like physical fighting, stabbing, axing and abuse of women.“
d The Zimbabwe People's Revolutionary Army (ZIPRA) was the armed wing of the Zimbabwe African People's Union (ZAPU).
13 (WORLD BANK 2014A)
GRAPHIC
n (2013)
manager of a guest house in Nkayi highlights the increased rate of unemployment caused by foreign companies’ ownership of the timber industry. According to her, they do not employ locals but they bring their own p=eo1p0le.,0a0nd0t.h0is0n0egatively affects the economy in the area. She notes that there are a number of backyard industries such
as carpentry, welding, and hairdressing, that, if strengthened, could provide people with an income. A respondent in Silobela added that, “there is capacity for income-generating projects, but there is no money for start-up capital. Women are running money-lending schemes but they generate very little from them.”
A respondent in Bulawayo points out that: “In order to earn a living, many people resort to various ways, such as trading in second-hand clothes imported from Mozambique. Some resort to illegal border jumping in search of jobs in neighbouring countries with better economies, such as Botswana and South Africa. Some have died in the process swimming across crocodile infested rivers and playing hide and seek with security forces guarding the borders.” He further points out that because of the economic hardships, corruption is rampant in the country and, “What seems to be lacking is the political will to face it head on.”
The interviews reflected on the issues caused by the importation of labour. There are a number of companies that operate in Bulawayo and employ people from the outside. This is a security concern to most residents: “The main question is why the government allows the transfer of human capital across provinces rather than focusing on reducing the unemployment rate at every province.” The
ffff“I am scared to think about the future
of my children.”
HUMAN DEVELOPMENT
INDEX 2013
Economy
Zimbabwe’s financial troubles and the effects
of the economic challenges is a frequently cited
source of insecurity. The following testimonial from a respondent in Bulawayo illustrates this: “I am scared to think about the future of my children. I
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