There is a picture and story that has gone viral on social media with calls to sympathize with a young lady caught stealing in one chain store in Harare. There have been calls to condemn the Zanu PF government for its mismanagement and apportion blame on it for such incidences that force citizens to steal.
But, where do we draw the line between criminality and a genuine act of desperation spurred by hunger? I think at time we need to take time and reflect on what we put out there as issues to discredit our government and all its cronies for their misrule. Criminality must be condemned just as much as we are condemning the Robin Hoods of Zimbabwe.
Did this lady steal because she was hungry? What pushed her to attempt to steal the items that she was found with namely 1 bottle of whiskey, 1 spirit, 1 fizzy drink, a full chicken and a tray of beef? The drive behind the act needs to be interrogated before I jump in to sympathize with her and blame a failed government for her actions. Did hunger/desperation push her to try and steal those ‘goodies’? Those in my book are not basic groceries.
If she had attempted to steal rice, sugar, beans, spaghetti, hupfu I would l have given her 100% of my sympathy. I’m sorry, this one doesn’t fall into my category of a hungry Zimbabwean who wants to feed herself or her siblings. More like someone trying to go get a fix and throw some braai party. My pity button is not pressed on this one. My heart bleeds for the many Zimbabweans forced into desperation and destitution by the regimes that has robbed us left right and centre. I will let this one pass for my compassion.
We deserve better livelihoods and opportunities in Zimbabwe. However, as we push for our demand to an end to structural violence and social injustices in Zimbabwe it’s not every case that is worth defending….KATALAMBANO….
