Golden Guvamatanga

The recent defeat of the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) is yet another timely reminder of why Liberation Movements, mainly in the SADC region, must up the tempo in capacitating the masses through vigorous pursuit of resource nationalism.

While opposition parties in Zimbabwe have typically sought to associate the BDP's ouster from power as 'a victory for democracy' the inescapable reality is that the dice was cast when former Botswana President Eric Masisi began to push for a larger stake and say in his country's key resource-diamonds.
Botswana, Africa's largest diamond producer used to receive just 10 percent in royalties but increased the share to 25 percent under President Masisi, who at the time of leaving office was pushing for 50/50 shareholding with De Beers.
De Beers has not only been linked to sophisticated looting of diamonds in countries like Zimbabwe but has also been accused of funding regime change agenda activists, a charge it has failed to deny.
Masisi's defeat has also been attributed to De Beers' funding for opposition parties in Botswana with a view to maintain its stranglehold on diamond mining in that country.
Lessons for Zimbabwe:

The inception, at the turn of the millennium, of the illegal regime change agenda in Zimbabwe has its roots firmly steeped in brazen attempts by Western countries to maintain control of land and minerals in the country.
But policies adopted by Government have ensured that those resources are in the hands of the majority and must thus benefit the majority.
For instance, the ban of exports of raw lithium ores in 2022 which was followed by the ban of exports of all raw mineral ores in 2023 have ensured that the country has control over its resources.
This stance has encouraged investments in the development of processing.
The recent ban, now superseded by the Base Minerals Export Control (Unbeneficiated Base Mineral Ores) Order, includes minerals like nickel and manganese ores, aiming to stimulate domestic production.
Projections suggest that by 2040, lithium demand will increase over 40-fold, while nickel demand is expected to rise by 25 times. Importantly, diversifying the economy offers a sustainable path to growth, ensuring broader economic control and long-term resilience for the population.
It is essential for authorities to draw valuable lessons from Botswana's policies to ensure enduring progress.