Zimbabwe is without question, the most talked about place in Southern Africa. A story is told of how one crazy dictator has managed to turn the once flourishing economy into ruins. Zimbabwe has lost its status as a breadbasket to an overnight beggar. The press both local and foreign has eagerly picked on this. But how much of the good things in Zimbabwe have been reported? There is no way Zimbabwe can just be all bad, without a spot of righteousness. The resilience shown by some of the people is without doubt newsworthy. The patriotism shown by some professionals, who despite all the turbulence have chosen to suffer with the ordinary Zimbabwean when they could easily have got shelter elsewhere, can surely make a good feature.
Nevertheless, there is really no substance in pointing a finger at the western press- Don’t you agree. Do we really expect the press to report positives when the multitude is suffering? Is the question of impact not one of the critical questions we consider when determining newsworthiness? Is the western press really to blame if all these stories are ignored as not newsworthy? Now when the western press report that we are a problem infested continent- always moving from one crisis to another, we all bark at them instead of looking at ourselves and asking what is wrong with us. Don’t you think there is enough evidence that suggests that we are really a problem infested continent? For how long will we keep running away from the truth?
Perhaps we just have to look at the devastation, Mugabe has brought to Zimbabwe. We just have to look at how the African leadership has handled its two last crises in Kenya and Zimbabwe. Perhaps we just need to reflect on the question why us and start looking for answers to our problems.
WHO IS TO BLAME
Looking at Zimbabwe today, one would think that it was Zimbabwe and not Mozambique that was at war for some 16 years. The once war ravaged Mozambique, has a lot to offer than the gold and iron filled Zimbabwe. A tiny land locked and mineral resource deficient Malawi, is a safe haven for economically suffering Zimbabweans. But is the colonialist or the western press really to blame as Mugabe and some scholars would like us to believe? Isn’t Zimbabwe and indeed the rest of Africa really a dark continent because of its greedy leadership?
The recent elections in Kenya and Zimbabwe were both sham. They nonetheless offer us a good insight into the primary sources of African problems- Its leadership. The colonialist has played a part in Africa’s problems- that is a fact. The western press sensationalize when reporting about Africa- true. But don’t they report what they see? I for one would rather have a sensational press than have a passive and greedy leader like Mugabe and Kibaki. They are leaders like these that are behind most of our problems and we have to stand up against them, say enough is enough and free ourselves from this bondage.
Since Zimbabwe embraced democracy, it has been clear that Mugabe would have none of it. And when he started his land reform program, the writing was already on the wall as to the direction Zimbabwe was taking. None of our leaders- I mean nobody dared to knock some sense in the old man’s head. Now, here is the problem; the biggest problem with African leadership is greed and politics of appeasement. Rarely does an African leader, criticize another either in public or in private. It is simply their game plan for sticking to power. They simply follow the ‘cover my back I will cover yours’ strategy. That explains why when Mwai Kibaki lost his election, none of the leaders spoke strongly against him- all they fought for, was governments of national unity which they knew would at all cost retain the presidency to Kibaki. Similarly when Mugabe knew his time was up, he used all means in a crooks book to bounce back through the back door. All African leaders were there and seeing it but they remained mum as if their lips had been sealed by an adhesive. None except for Mwanawasa and Matsire dared to tell him to pack up and go. The rest again were busy pushing for a government of national unity which they also knew would retain power to Mugabe.
SETTING A PRECEDENCE
The reason for this silence could not have been more conspicuous. The African leaders were simply setting up a stage on which they are all eager to parade should elections come to their country. The Zimbabwe and Kenya elections were simply a precedence which will be followed by many more African leaders including those in opposition. If you were thinking of having any violent free African election in the near future, then you perhaps need to think again.
Gone is the era of dictatorships, it is now the dawn for the governments of national unity! African elections are now just another way for having another public holiday and creating temporary employment for unemployed school leavers- the results are always null and void. None of the contestants accepts defeat. A loosing African leader will always claim he has won the elections with the hope of creating some violence which should at all costs lead to a government of national unity. This is enough to see him retain his presidency or get some undeserved power as a prime minister. Little do they think about the poor tax payer who bears the burden of supporting their oft bloated cabinets. Such is the precedence set by the Kenyans and the Zimbabweans.
Now, unless the moon and the stars fall from the sky, do not expect any African leader to publicly acknowledge defeat. It is equally a waste of time to expect SADC or AU to speak out on such issues because; they are simply covering a comrade’s back so that they are covered when it is their turn. This regrettably is the reality we have to come to terms with- life presidencies are not yet gone in Africa because in Africa, loosing candidates, are sworn in as presidents. And possibly it is time we threw the towel in and accepted that democracy will never in Africa.
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