Justice according to Nsoyenyoni: An analysis of conflict resolution in AbaseGuswini LeZothamlilo and its implications for the current justice system in Zimbabwe

Abstract

Justice is an elusive good in day-to-day life. It is demanded by every member of any given society: the physically strong, the weak, the good and the bad. Nsoyenyoni (Hare) is portrayed as a character that pursues justice, but at the same time questions arise as to whether what he pursues is justice, punishment or revenge. Readers of the anthology AbaseGuswini LeZothamlilo may wonder if Nsoyenyoni’s justice is jungle justice or something of his own making. Justice, punishment and revenge are discussed as concepts to establish their full meanings. This article also explores circumstances where Nsoyenyoni is involved in trying to level the ground for others and where he tries to escape the consequences of his own behaviour. Nsoyenyoni’s justice system is interrogated to juxtapose the values of those abaseGuswini (animals) and iZothamlilo (human beings). It is crucial to establish the lessons that the current justice system can learn from Nsoyenyoni’s. The article uses textual analysis as a method and is guided by the Afrocentricity Theory.