“Zimbabwe Will Never Be a Colony Again” Mantra as Deneocoloniality

The chapter offers an analysis of the “Zimbabwe will never be a colony again” mantra that influenced the country’s foreign and domestic policies during Robert Mugabe’s rule (1987–2017). The chapter tackles the issue of sovereignty and its meaning in the context of Zimbabwe’s economic and political relations with the Western powers. Specifically, the chapter examines the contradictions that existed when Zimbabwe reacted to neocolonialism perceived to be driven by the West, yet putting the country under the economic and political control of China and other Eastern actors. Thus, the chapter dismantles the myth of the country’s sovereignty. The use and abuse of history by the Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF) government in the name of fighting neocolonialism are also discussed. This is done through a comprehensive examination of the meaning of Zimbabwe’s independence in the 1980s against the 2000s. The chapter argues that Zimbabwe’s revival of nationalism against all forms of neocolonialism must be understood within the context of the emergence of the strong political opposition party, the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) in the late 1990s. Thus, in reality, perceived neocolonialism was not a threat to national identity but to ZANU-PF. The chapter uses existing secondary data as well as my insider’s perspective because of my proximity to the national processes.