The Struggles After the Struggles (Zimbabwean Philosophical Study, I) (Ser. II, Vol. 12)

The present volume presents what Leonard Harris, the African
American Philosopher, calls, Philosophy born out of struggle . In this
volume, Zimbabwean philosophers are reporting their interpretations of the
local struggles in the context of rural and urban poverty, demands for
participatory democracy, the role of Christian Churches in the context of
African traditional religions, the free market age, corruption, the desire for
peace and social development. What they call the struggle is the fight
against colonial rule which was wedged since 1890 when the British
Pioneer Column arrived in the area between the Limpopo and Zambezi
Rivers. This first uprising was in many ways defeated, yet the struggle did
not end. In the sixties, the struggle intensified until the attainment of
independence in 1980. The papers in this volume argue that the end of the
violent liberation struggle in 1980 is not the end of the struggle. Each one
of the papers identifies and discusses some struggle which Zimbabweans
have been engaged in since 1980. The struggles after the struggle are varied
yet connected to each other in so far as they are all attempts to facilitate the
growth and flourishing of Zimbabweans as they work to participate and to
contribute to the globalizing world. Simon Mawondo grapples with the
issue of social justice and how it could apply to the land issue in Zimbabwe.
Of particular concern for him, is to find a way of implementing the
demands of justice without undermining the need for reconciling
Zimbabweans. Ezra Chitando discusses how religion in Zimbabwe could
play its part in building a better and peaceful society. He, however, is not
unaware of the negative role religion has played in the past. Andrea
Chimuka in his first article in the book picks up the debate on the negative
role of religion in Zimbabwe, focusing on Christian churches. David
Kaulemu, in his first article, pursues the discussion of why it has been
difficult to establish a truly peaceful Zimbabwe. In many ways this volume
is about the search for peace for which many of the authors demonstrate a
deep concern Sobantu Sibanda discusses the issue in the context of the
Ndebele and Shona relations. Jameson Kurasha is concerned with
corporate peace, not only in Zimbabwe but in the world at large. Patrick
Tom looks at how we could establish peace with the environment and
Munyaradzi Madambi looks at how we can go beyond colonial education to
establish, through education, positive views about ourselves. David
Kaulemu, in his second article in the volume looks at how peace and
development could be established once traditionalist exclusivism is dealt
with in Zimbabwe. Chimuka, in his second essays begins to identify Shona
concepts that could be used to go beyond negative exclusivism. Francis
Chumachawazungu takes up the same theme of how humans can deal with
each other as humans. While he is confident that a new way of living is
coming into being, he points out that a lot of work still needs to be done.
But for him, hope is the key as he expresses the spirit that inspired the to the tradition of hope talk . Let us disagree, reflect, and criticize without
demonizing and always never losing sight of hope.