Friday, September 12, 2008

Botswana has been a true friend to the ordinary Zimbabwean people

Ordinary Zimbabweans have flocked into Botswana, some legal and others illegal. The government of Botswana has been tolerant to such cases because they accepted that there was a problem in Zimbabwe. During this time most of our African leaders developed “quite diplomacy concept” or “see no evil hear no evil approach” at the expense of ordinary Zimbabweans. Anyway let me leave that issue for now as they say history forgives, but does not forget.

Last week one of our Zimbabwean immigrants passed away in the house in our neighborhood and most of her friends deserted her momentarily because they did not know what to do. The few people who arrived at the scene had no plan including me. When people were still thinking about what to do a Motswana neighbour came and assisted in calling the ambulance which took the body. We did not have resources to take the body to Zimbabwe and it was resolved that we bury the deceased here in Botswana. The Batswana neighbors came in numbers to help with the paperwork which seemed hectic and tedious. Donations were made in the community and even the councilor came to the funeral. Money for a coffin and food was raised amongst the neighbors; there was unity amongst the people which made me proud. Relatives from Zimbabwean were assisted to come to attend the funeral.

I want to acknowledge that cultures are different, even in Africa. There were interesting disparities between the Setswana and Zimbabwean way of burying the dead. First to note was the dressing, in Zimbabwe you are not expected to be very smart, instead you can be scruffy and no one would mind that. However Batswana they dress formal, so we had to clarify this point because by the time we arrived at the cemetery other Batswana people looked at us showing serious shock. In our Zimbabwean custom people can drink beer and the friends can even go to the coffin and tease the dead to wake up, but this also really shocked Batswana. Batswana believe in after tears, but in Zimbabwe it can be during tears.

What really touched is the tolerance of the Batswana when we arrived at the cemetery. We were singing our shona song garai neni garai neni which means stay with me in my time for mourning. There was consensus that there would turn to sing songs, first Batswana and Zimbabweans later. I want to be honest that the deceased in the cemetery that morning were really buried in Africa, where there were escorted with songs of different languages.

When we were returning from the cemetery I gave a lift to one of the Zimbabwean ladies whom I was narrating my appreciation to the Batswana people and their President. She then interjected me and told me that the week before the Botswana government had helped bury another Zimbabwean due to financial constraints .The Botswana government then provided the widow with transport money to go back to Zimbabwe. This made me to conclude in my heart that President Khama and his people have been true friends of the Zimbabwean people, who did not only speak good intentions for neighbor to live in peace but also put words into action

However when I was requested to make a speech on behalf of the Zimbabwean community I really thanked the Batswana people and encouraged Zimbabwean people to also take initiatives to attend funerals and other mishaps which might befall their neighbourhood irrespective of nationality. This was a true eye opener that Zimbabweans especially in Diaspora should have clubs or groups so that when there is a funeral or problem they can be able to take their friend back to Zimbabwe for burial. You will agree with me that in our custom a person should be buried in his home village or at least in the country of birth.

Simbarashe Chirimubwe is the leader of Concerned Africans Association and Global Zimbabwe-Diaspora Forum Coordinator for Rest of Africa
Website http://simbarashechirimubwe.blogspot.com

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