For our children's sake, we have to act

I strongly believe that a people-driven initiative to call for an end to the suffering in Zimbabwe is the way to go.

By people-driven I mean an effort where there are no donors to decide what agenda such an initiative should take because as it is now, there is one agenda – demand to be ruled well and to have our dignity restored.

This is what every other opposition party has failed to do. The people who came up have proved to be even worse than Zanu-PF and Robert Mugabe in their greedy and thirst for power.

The people should come up and demand in a peaceful manner the right to be respected, to be given all the things they should be given without begging.

This does not need a political party. This does not need money. There is no need for donors. This is a very simple issue of a people fed up with the way they are being treated. A people fed up with being treated like small children. A people yearning to be citizens in their own country.

Like the food riots, the mothers who started demonstrations in 1997 were fed up with the ever rising cost of bread. They were concerned with the future of their children. They wanted a better life for their children.

This too does not need educated people because these are among those who have failed the country. They have lied, cheated and twisted the story of Zimbabwe to suit their own desires.

There is no doubt that we all know what we want. Those simple things that make life easy and enjoyable. Running clean water. Electricity. Funded education. Jobs. An end to corruption. Accountability. A leadership that has the people at heart.

These have been taken away from us for too long. As for the economy, we thought we could do things for ourselves. Indeed, we are doing things for ourselves. Looking after our old parents because there are no social grants. Sending our children to school because the government cannot do it any more. Building our own houses. And trying to be a dignified people.

But this is proving to be difficult. Time has shown that whatever we are doing, we will not get anywhere unless we ask to be ruled like a people.

We have been cowards for too long. Too afraid of the consequences of our actions. We have shied away from our roles as parents. We have given away our children's birthrights to a few thieving families. When the time comes for our children to demand jobs, we will not have any answers.

We have let down the next four generations that will have to pay all the debt being harvested from China.

This is a fight that does not need the US, UK, France or Spain because it has got nothing to do with them. The US should first make the lives of all peoples equal before pretending to be concerned with us. The same with France and the UK.

For our children's sake, we must demand what we are worth now.