Tjilumbe Moyo is a former freedom fighter and ruling ZANU-PF supporter. He was among the first group of war veterans to seize white-owned commercial farms when land reform began in 2000. He spoke to IRIN about the country's current economic and political crisis, and said change was needed.
"When I went to war at the age of 17 my main objective was to liberate my country and make life easier for my children and every other citizen. I fought and survived fierce battles under ZIPRA [military wing of the nationalist party ZAPU, led by Joshua Nkomo]. He [Nkomo] was a leader that we respected together with President Robert Mugabe and his ZANU.
After years of discomfort in the bush, we won independence in 1980 and behold we were all happy. I returned home and reconciled with my family, but found some family members had died due to war. I had no hard feelings, because that is what happens in any strife.
At the onset of farm invasions, which I think were noble because we still had no land that we had gone to war for, I joined other war veterans and chased away a lot of white farmers in Matabeleland North [in the south of the country]. Our people got resettled there, and that is where I am also staying.
But since then, life has not been easy for us since we can not utilise the land due to lack of inputs. The economy is collapsing daily; food shortages are widespread; I cannot take my children to school because I don't have the money, and this sort of contradicts my expectations when we gained independence. Things are just too expensive and life has become increasingly unbearable in Zimbabwe.
It's now clear that he [President Mugabe] has failed to run the economy, but he still wants to contest the elections next year and rule some more. He is now old and should just allow new guys with new ideas to take over. He can always remain as an adviser.
ZANU-PF has extremely intelligent young guys who can resuscitate this economy; we need them. Mugabe should let them take over, not these MDC puppets whose masters we all know [a reference to Western governments]. I personally want change, but the change should be from within ZANU-PF."
This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions
