Chiadzwa diamonds and revenue to be realised from the proceeds. It is almost half a decade since the discovery of Chiadzwa diamonds but nothing significant has been done to benefit the Zimbabwean nationals in general and Manicaland and the Chiadzwa community in particular. Only a few cronies — mainly the politically connected, have increasingly become fatter from this precious resource. Mining companies like Mbada Diamonds have already pledged quite a remarkable amount of money to our Premier Soccer League (PSL).

There is nothing wrong in sponsoring soccer or any societal beneficial project in as much as social responsibility is concerned but not at the expense of the nation’s treasure.

The question is why are we starting sponsoring soccer when the Chiadzwa community has not had a taste of their God-given resource? Diamonds in Zimbabwe as against what was anticipated have never been the panacea to the elusive economic turnaround strategy of the country. They have become in Tendai Biti’s words “cursed diamonds”. Zanu PF that currently illegally wields all realistic power despite that we are in an inclusive government has been the chief culprit that is sabotaging all efforts to ensure people, particularly the youth benefit from this precious resource. The majority of Zimbabwe’s youths are living in abject poverty. Zanu PF appears so determined to make sure all people benefit but in reality the party is doing the opposite. The party has been so hypocritical and insincere in as much as the diamonds are concerned. On its information website on a communiqué entitled Zanu PF’s position on Chiadzwa, the party wrote, “As a party we wish to make it clear that the Chiadzwa diamonds are a strategic national asset and one of the achievements of our national land reclamation programme..

“Zanu PF wishes to reassure the nation that the diamonds belong as much to all the people of Zimbabwe as any fruits of our reclaimed land”. It is now 12 years after the failed land reform (grabbing) exercise and the party still lies to itself and the entire nation that such a berserk engagement was successful. On the same website the party now seizes the opportunity of campaigning using diamonds rhetoric by misleading the nation that, “The proceeds from the sale of diamonds should go a long way in helping the government to pay its civil servants, meet the food deficit in the country, spruce up its health and education sectors and revive the economy.” Only if Zanu PF was honest in its pledges, Zimbabwe could be better by now. Travelling to Chiadzwa a semi-arid stony area recently, I for the first time witnessed how crooked our government and the entire business community have become. Surrounding communities to Chiadzwa among them Wengezi, Zimunya, Bocha, Birchenough Bridge and Nyanyadzi are living under extreme levels of poverty.

Their sole source of income has been selling mats woven from baobab tree bark. Children too have been the primary victims. The majority of them have dropped out of school and are now fully engaged in the business of selling Mopani worms. It is not enough to hear that diamond companies among them Marange Resources, Anjin and Mbada have relocated residents and built them better houses and all sorts of social amenities. It is not enough or even significant in relation to millions of dollars that the companies will get in a resource they never invested in. Sadly, Zanu PF which is in full authority is very blind.