Is Matabeleland really Marginalised?

The question whether Matabeleland is marginalised or not has sparked always sparked a heated debate in the society. Some of the individuals holding powerful positions in society have disputed the assertion that Matabeleland is marginalised.

 A few weeks ago, a Bulawayo Magistrate Chrispen Mberewere was quoted in a local newspaper disputing the assertion that Matabeleland was marginalised. According to him, de-industrialisation of Bulawayo was nothing out of the ordinary because de-industrialization was happening everywhere. Mberewere said this while he was passing sentence on two Mthwakazi Youth Leaders Joint Resolution Mqondisi Moyo and Busani Sibindi whom he convicted for organising a demonstration against Zesa without police clearance. Mqondisi Moyo and Busani Sibindi had led a demonstration for employing people from Mashonaland to work at Emganwini power station and sidelining the locals.

“The court has taken into consideration that the accused are first offenders who acted in the belief that they did not need to inform the authorities,” he said.

“The court did not take into consideration that they are from a marginalised region as indicated by the defence counsel during mitigation, it is not true that they come from a marginalised region. The aspect of de-industrialisation affects the whole country.”

Last year, former MDC director of policy and research Qhubani Moyo described the people of Matabeleland as cry-babies who were anti-Zanu and rejected government help.

Moyo said people in the region were anti-Zanu PF to an extent of shunning opportunities offered by the ruling party only to cry foul when Matabeleland lagged behind in development. 

"One of the problems we have as people of this region is that when opportunities come from the government, we don’t take them and then we cry foul from outside.People should grab that opportunity and serve the region while in the government."

“I have walked that path where we attack people from this region who work with Zanu PF calling them sellouts and this and that, but I have realised that doesn’t help.It does not serve the region at all.”