Tendai Biti: Testimony before the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Africa and Global Health policy – “Zimbabwe at the Crossroads: A Chance for a New Beginning” (12.12.2017)

Since Zimbabwe is still not rid of the Zanu-PF dictatorship, let us remember some wise words from the Father of Zimbabwe – Joshua Nkomo!

The whole story and political legacy of comrade Joshua Nkomo is to big for a small quick and brief article. This here is just a brief parts of his legacy of his history and what he achieved, while becoming the Father of Zimbabwe. The man who had deserved to be the President and be one who ruled as a just ruler in the Republic after the fall of Ian Smith’s minority government. It wasn’t only now disgraced President Robert Mugabe who liberated Zimbabwe, there we’re several people behind that. It was the now War Veterans and also other political leaders. There was also different external support of both ZAPU and ZANU, ZAPU was supported with weapons from Soviet, while ZANU was supported by Chinese and still is today. ZAPU through progression made a Patriotic Front. With time also got part of the one-party system and became disfranchised by Mugabe into the ZANU-PF.

Nkomo did a lot in his political career from being a Union leader and into a fully fledged Nationalist. Standing against the imperialists, even being questioned for his negotiations and his mindset towards the colonizers. Even so, he pursuit the goal and changed methods with time. He went from being allies, went into exile several times and even feared for his life. Because he stood by the cause, the liberation and freedom. While Mugabe used the liberation for his own personal gain and to take total control, one of the casualties was Nkomo and his tribe. Therefore, the cost of his liberation are still evident today. As ZANU-PF ate up his party, but his legacy will live on. Because he was steadily working on the quest for liberation not only from the British, but from a government who took away the freedom from its citizens.

Secret telegram to Nkomo in 1982:

“In September 1982, British government learnt that Nkomo’s forces were upset that he joined Mugabe and facilitated the arrest of Dumiso Dabengwa and Lookout Masuku” (…) “The full letter from Zipra forces to Joshua Nkomo who was at the time a minister in Mugabe’s government is believed to have triggered Gukurahundi: “We are declaring that we are no more commanders. Why are you supporting Mugabe the puppet and not returning Dabengwa and other commanders who are in jail? Why are you campaigning that the tourists be returned before our other demands are met? We want Dabengwa and Masuku from you now, Joshua because you are the one who caused them to be arrested. (The reason for this you know. You told us at Gwai.You are afraid of being arrested).This means you want to be a friend of puppet Mugabe, the one you were saying was a dog. This s the last warning until Masuku and other commanders are freed.To us ZIPRA forces, Zapu military wing, you are our enemy number 1.We shall prove it by action.(Do you remember saying a man keeps a club?). We will meet at the unknown capitalism, Zimbabwe. Down with puppet Mugabe. Down with Zanu PF. The war must be prepared for. We have the tourists too until our demands (B) are met” (Mawire, 2016).

Nkomo in 1983:

“In retrospect, I now believe that I and ZAPU were deceived and cheated by you and your party when you talked of unity, reconciliation, peace and security. I now honestly and sincerely believe that when you invited us to take part in your government you believed that we would reject your offer and set ourselves up in strong opposition to you and thereby label us disgruntled rejected plotters” (…) “It is now obvious to me that when you demoted me from the Ministry of Home Affairs which you knew was negotiated for a purpose at the time you invited us to take part in your government; that while you knew that we felt it was necessary for us to take part in one of the security ministries (Defence or Home Affairs) so that the former ZIPRA men drafted into the ZNA and ZRP may feel confident, thereby solidify both the army and the police, you deliberately took that action. It is clear you wanted us to pull out of your government at that time so as to destabilize the army and the police, create dissidents out of the deserting ZIPRA men and then call us plotters against your government” (…) “The double tragedy of Zimbabwe today is, firstly, that the routine and administrative use of detention, torture and arbitrary repression has been adopted by an independent government, and secondly, that this government uses the very same mercenaries and torturers as the former regime used against the struggling people. In fact the situation today is in some respects is even worse, as our government has abandoned even those standards of bourgeois legality which the Smith regime generally attempted to hide their repression behind. Under that regime you could be detained but a least you were more likely to be issued with a detention order. You were therefore, less likely to simply disappear as is the case today. The mercenaries and torturers used by the former regime are known and are very few, and therefore their exclusion from our security organs could not have disrupted those organs” (…) “One of the most disgraceful and shaming aspects of our independence which is difficult to defend, is that we have taken the methods and men used to oppress, torture and kill our people and tried to use them to consolidate our ‘independence’. You cannot take weapons, methods and people designed to defend colonial fascism and try to use to them defend the people. It is just not possible. Today in Zimbabwe the same torturers that Smith used against the people are back in business ‘defending a people’s government’. They must smile to themselves when they are ordered to continue their torture of patriots by an independent government” (…) “This is not government, it is the abuse of government, an abuse which transforms the rule of law into the law of rule. As such it cannot lead to a free, united, peaceful and prosperous Zimbabwe. But to one in which oppression, division, violence and poverty will shadow all our hopes, and make a mockery of the freedom struggle in which so many heroes gave their lives” (Nkomo, 1983)

Nkomo in 1984:

“‘We believe that what is happening has not been necessarily ordered by the authorities but that young men are doing things on their own. But when you appeal to the government for action and they don’t do anthing, you come to believe that some of these things are arranged,’ Nkomo said ‘We must fight against these things. You cannot have a one-party state with people torn to pieces by tribalism and hatred unless those in power are confused and continue with this gospel of hate,’ he said” (UPI, 1984).

From his own book:

“In his account, Nkomo was careful to distinguish between the new ZANU-PF government and ZANU-PF as a party. While he criticised ZANU-PF as a party for trying to kill him, Nkomo (1984, p. 1) remained committed to the newly independent government: Robert Mugabe had decided to have me out of the way, and he evidently did not care what method was used. But I hold the legitimate government of Zimbabwe innocent of this atrocity. Mugabe was acting not as prime minister, but as leader of his party, ZANU […]. As leader of ZANU he acted outside the law: but the law and the constitution of Zimbabwe remain in force, and I hold the ruling party, not the lawful government, responsible for the attempt on my life” (…) “It is not too late to change all that, to muster the collective energy of our people and build the new Zimbabwe we promised all those long years of suffering and struggle. During my brief exile in 1983 I appealed in this way to Prime Minister Robert Mugabe, calling as a start for a national conference of all the country’s interest groups, under his chairmanship, to begin the process of reconciliation. He did not answer then. Perhaps in the interval between writing this book and its publication he will change his mind and reply constructively. For my part, I shall continue working to that end. Long Live Zimbabwe!” (Ndlovu-Gasheni, 2010).

“Both Smith and Kaunda chose Nkomo as the right candidate for negotiations for two reasons. First, because it was perceived, he was a generally acceptable figure among Zimbabweans, also as a possibly leader of an independent black government. Second, Kaunda in particular saw Nkomo as an astute negotiator who would not betray his people by negotiating for nothing less than majority rule. To Kaunda, Nkomo had already shown good political negotiating skills throughout his career as the leader of SRANC, NDP, and now ZAPU. Although the talks broke down over the timing of the introduction of the majority rule, Nkomo was willing to compromise on some aspects in his quest for independence. One thing that he could not compromise on though was the need for political independence and equality on a one man, one vote basis” (…) “Undoubtedly, the memory of Nkomo’s contributions to the decolonization of Zimbabwe, as father of Zimbabwean nationalism, astute and untiring negotiator, nationalist and subsequently in the postcolonial Zimbabwe, statesman, will forever be part of our history. That is what perhaps Eddison Zvogbo, a onetime Minister of Justice, when he positively reflected on Nkomo’s legacy a few days after his death. He stated, ‘It is true that all of us die, but some truly don’t die. It will never be possible for Joshua Nkomo’s name to vanish from our history. Josh will never die’” (Sibanda, 2017).

This is just minor tales of the political maverick and ambitious Nkomo was and his wishes for the new Zimbabwe. His vision didn’t happen and Mugabe took control. The state didn’t significantly change. He also became a part of ZANU-PF government, even after the slaughter of his ethnic brothers. That stain has former been part of ZANU-PF and the oppressive acts of Mugabe and his henchmen. One of them has now become the President Emmerson Mnangagwa. There are several other leaders who participated in these events. While Nkomo went into exile and later came back again.

I have just focused on the early 1980s and the change from Smith to Mugabe government, where Nkomo got squeezed and his leadership got ceased.

But let end with the word of ZAPU Spokesperson Iphithule kaMaphosa earlier this year:

“Since the departure of the great visionary and father of the nation, Zimbabwe was plunged into all forms of anarchy and disorder with corruption, nepotism, tribalism, looting and sheer disregard of the constitution becoming the order of day. It became clear as to who was fighting these vices while it exposed Mugabe’s government both as instigators and perpetrators of these vices that has seen the demise of the once prosperous and strong economy to become a huge heap of ruins” (…) “His were aspirations of nation building with equality, dignity and fairness being cornerstone values of a democratic nation state of Zimbabwe. He abhorred tribalism and racism as practiced by the current government. He abhorred corruption which has today crippled the country’s economy. Violence was never part of his vocabulary. As we remember the great Father Zimbabwe, we will always strive to return Zimbabwe to where and what it should be, that is at peace, equality and an economic powerhouse it was. This can only be achieved when we all revisit and embrace Dr Nkomo’s values of peace building and respect for human life. The liberator he was, he conserved human life and that must be emulated, even by the current regime in Zimbabwe that feds on blood of innocent citizens who have died of poverty induced hunger and from violence that has been meted on them since 1980” (Iphithule kaMaphosa, 2017).

I think that is how this article should end. Peace.

Reference:

Iphithule kaMaphosa – ‘ ZAPU commemorates Dr Joshua Nkomo, the President Zimbabwe never had’ (01.07.2017) link: http://bulawayo24.com/index-id-news-sc-press+release-byo-113199.html

Mawire, Gift – ‘Secret telegram that triggered Gukurahundi reveales Joshua Nkomo called Robert Mugabe a dog’ (16.11.2016) link: http://www.thezimbabwenewslive.com/zimbabwe-30252-secret-telegram-triggered-gukurahundi-reveales-joshua-nkomo-called-robert-mugabe-dog.html

Nkomo, Joshua – ‘Joshua Nkomo letter to Robert Mugabe from exile in the UK’ (24.12.2013) – Nkomo letter to Mugabe: “ INFORMATIVE LETTER TO PRIME MINISTER MUGABE’ (07.07.1983) link: https://www.google.no/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=6&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwip36LVruzXAhXmKJoKHcgWACUQFghHMAU&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnehandaradio.com%2F2013%2F12%2F24%2Fjoshua-nkomo-letter-to-robert-mugabe-from-exile-in-the-uk%2F&usg=AOvVaw3NKWJ6SwNORyTQ4AnGWQQb

Ndlovu-Gatsheni, S. and Willems, W. (2010). Reinvoking the past in the present: changing

identities and appropriations of Joshua Nkomo in post-colonial Zimbabwe. In: African

Identities 8(3): 191-208.

Sibanda, Eliakim M. – ‘The Contributions of Joshua Nkomo to the Liberation of Zimbabwe’ (2017), Cananda

UPI – ‘Opposition leader Joshua Nkomo accused the Zimbabwe government Sunday…’ (11.03.1984) link: https://www.upi.com/Archives/1984/03/11/Opposition-leader-Joshua-Nkomo-accused-the-Zimbabwe-government-Sunday/6579447829200/

The rise of #ThisFlag Movement Pastor Evan Mawarire: the Civil Rights Activist and leader that Zimbabwe and the world needs right now!

Pastor Evan Mawarire, the Zimbabwean Civil Rights leader who started wearing the Zimbabwean Flag and called for demonstrations wearing it in public. The Zimbabwean Flag became a tool of resistance and defiance of the Zimbabwe African National Union – Patriotic Front (Zanu-PF), the ruling regime that has been in power since 1980 and under the current President Robert Mugabe.

Robert Mugabe reign started hopeful, but has turned sour over time. President Mugabe has forgotten his struggle is keener on buying jewellery for his wife than caring about his citizens. Therefore the rise of men and civil rights activists like Evan Mawarire is extremely important to change the republic. A republic that has become corrupt cronyism and where the foundations are shaking; where the police brutality and impunity runs rapid. Where massive amount of citizens are living in the diaspora and flee to live in shacks in South Africa.

This is the legacy that is left behind after decades under the President Mugabe, the real change never came, only that that the Zanu-PF elite got to eat and takeover lands from the inherent former colonial tribes and given that away to Zanu-PF elites and generals. So this has shackled the production of a former breadbasket, as the El Nino even made the lacking foods worse. The drought together with the lacking agricultural policies made the former proud farmer nation into a nation who needs help to feed it; so the independent nation needs more help than before existence of Mugabe Administration.

The thieving of export funds together with the problematic inflations, as well as faltering currency policies that lead to the depleted economy, as well as International Monetary Fund and World Bank put sanctions or suspended needed loans to the Zanu-PF government. The Zanu-PF has used the funds on their own and had famous parties for the President and his family. As well as the Vice-President putting hotel bills on the government as he lived over 1,5 year at hotel in Harere and sponging of the government coffers.

With the knowledge of this, with the lacking medication on the hospital, the lacking payments of salaries to the civil servants and others proves the lack of governance. The allocations and misuse of funds is rampant as the Zanu-PF elite rides in expensive imported SUVs while the common-man cannot get out enough funds at the ATMs to pay their rent or pay for food suppliers at the market.

In this context came the monumental rise of a simple man, not a man of wealth or kin of former renegades against the colonial Ian Smith Government. Evan Mawarire was close to nobody before 2016 and #ThisFlag Movement. He wasn’t somebody who was well-known. Still, his cause through peaceful means became too much for the government to handle. Therefore they abducted him and as the whole day in Court happen with a dozens of the lawyers who worked Pro-Bono for the man, because they saw his cause and his rise. Pastor Mawarire, we’re a citizen and an outspoken one, who showed no fear for the repression of the Zanu-PF. That because it seems like a genuine cause and heart for his nation. The Republic that birth him and raised him, he wanted a republic with a government that would represent the people and not just bow-down and bend knees for Mugabe.

That is what it is now. The Zimbabwean nation with their mismanaged bond-notes who are another tactic of the Zanu-PF to gain spoils on loans and trying to get more out of the foreign currency in the nation. So the Zimbabwe Reserve Bank together with the President Mugabe hustling more out the poverty with the transaction of  loaning a fortune and then exchanging the foreign currency surplus to the elites. White-washing the bond-notes at the same time; a successful receipt to destroying faith in monies and getting a new 2008 crash-course in hyper-inflation; something the Zanu-PF under Mugabe has created before!

 

So the #Tajamuka, #NotoBondNotes and #ThisFlag together with the rising men and woman who acts against Mugabe and his regime are currently rising with 2016 year coming to the end. Evan Mawarire is a symbol, not only a man who sadly had to flee to United States after the short trial where the public waited for him to released. They proved the people power over a corrupt crony government with draconian laws and a security apparatus that takes the freedom, liberty and opportunity away from the citizens.

The Zanu-PF under Mugabe isn’t giving the Zimbabwean people hope, he is destroying while eating the spoils, while running away from his killings and his damaging rhetoric that has barricaded himself and left him alone. The ones that are loyal to Mugabe isn’t there because the love him, but they love the brown envelopes. There isn’t a policy or political framework that can build the nation or change the pattern of destruction under Mugabe. He has only his own will, which he believes is the will of the Zimbabweans.

If it we’re so, the people wouldn’t felt touch and felt the need for Pastor Evan Mawarire, there wouldn’t be a unknown pastor who turned civil rights activist who would make the headlines, it would been men like Morgan Tsvangirai and Acie Lumumba should be in charge, they should blaze the winds of change. Tsvangirai under the Movement for Democratic Change that had a popular rise a decade ago and nearly toppled the Mugabe regime. The current youth leader and populist Acie Lumumba his VIVA Zimbabwe we’re supposed to garn support, but it doesn’t. Their ties with Mugabe and history are making people sceptical of their will to change the cronyism.

Zimbabwe needs people like Evan Mawarire, the world needs people like him and that has faith in peaceful disobedience against greedy oppressive regimes. Mawarire needs Zimbabweans and the world needs to support his cause for peaceful change. Mugabe isn’t automatically entitled to be president, than he is a Zimbabwean King. Kings are entitled to their role as leaders of their people and to be monarchs. But a President is elected to represent the people and ones in the dominion that the President has the power to rule, because the hand over that power to the person through elections or other functions that make it just. That hasn’t happened in Zimbabwe.

The people in Zimbabwe deserve a government that represent them and work for their will, not being in Harare to earn on the public coffers and earn on loyalty to Executive Mugabe. So the rise of a man like Mawarire is bound to happen because of the injustice happening time and time again. Too many people and their stories dwindle away, so many people have suffered while the rich has eaten, as they have built mansions and owning land instead of building institutions and invested in the people.

#ThisFlag and Evan Mawarire are the signs of hope, the signs of people wanting justice and development for their nation. That would be well deserved, the liberation from the Ian Smith regime wasn’t to make sure the liberators could eat the spoils, but actually the free-men of Zimbabwe could live free and earning a proper living for their work. That is dream right now, the rights are only for the entitled in the Zanu-PF the others has to beg. The justice is of two nations, the ones living in the elite and the rest. It’s the rest that needs men and woman like Mawarire, the world need people like him to address the concerns of people in need and who deemed poverty with no voice for their concerns. They are the ones that needs help and needs a government working for them. Instead they are keener on fixing the riches for the elite and finding new ways of short-conning the population. So the Mawarire has to rise-up and say “enough is enough” the Zanu-PF has used their time and taken the people for granted; the Zanu-PF doesn’t deserve anymore, they have used their time and spent it unwisely. Mugabe forgotten his struggle and his riches has blinded him from the cause that lead him to power.

Therefore he had to call out Mawarire and claiming his cause we’re useless. He was hurt that one of his citizens called him out and acted against him. Mugabe made this way and now have to see what he has made, but his stubborn acts of ignorance, his will of keeping enriching himself, is the reason for the rise of the Pastor. The Pastor wouldn’t be anybody if it wasn’t for the oppressive and brutal regime. The regime of Mugabe has lost their way and lost the reason for existing… Peace.

Dr Noah Manyika | I don’t believe that the $15 billion is missing (Youtube-Clip)

“Let me cut right to the chase and say to President Robert Mugabe: I am sorry Mr. President, but I do not believe that the fifteen billion dollars is missing. I cannot believe that it is missing simply because you tell the nation that it is. The reality is that fifteen billion dollars does not just go missing. Somebody knows where it is and why it is where it is” (…) “This is a serious matter that needs every Zimbabwean to be seriously exercised about. We are entering a period where we cannot afford not to be vigilant, not to be suspicious of a party that has become accustomed to doing evil” (…) “It is important for the international community to recognize that our minister of finance’s desperate pleas for help do not mean Zanu PF has changed, or that it does not have a plan to foil the will of the people in 2018. It is one thing to be desperate, and quite another to have changed one’s ways” (…) “Like the $15 billion we are asked to believe is missing, we are also asked to believe that this government has nothing to do with the disappearance of Zimbabwe’s sons and daughters like Itai Dzamara, Rashiwe Guzha and others before them” (…) “Countrymen, this is Dr. Noah Manyika from Build Zimbabwe saying: Do not believe a lie. Is there not a cause? #BuildZimbabwe”

Lumumba says PASTOR Evan Mawarire is done!! – 10 minutes with Vimbai 18/08/16 (Youtube-Clip)

“Lumumba says he did not Insult the President of Zimbabwe. He says he is a Politician not a protestor. He says PASTOR Evan Mawarire is done!!” (My Zimbabwe The revolution shall be hash tagged, 2016)

Rasta Kaseke | From Ian Smith to the Black Smith Mugabe #Tajamuka (Youtube-Clip)

The Gukurahundi Massacres – Joshua Nkomo, Robert Mugabe, Joseph Msika (Youtube-Clip)

President Robert Mugabe 1976 Interview (Youtube-Clip)

Power eats our big-men – The reason for why we need Presidential Term limits

There is for some strange reason a big discussion on the matter. Since some countries have them, some don’t. It is not like every constitution should be written the same with the same accords. In my homeland for instance there is no limit on how long the Prime Minister can sit in power, but that that depends if the people of my country get tired of the PM or the party affiliated with the PM. In bigger countries like the US there is a limit of two terms and only once a President who has broken that rule, was during Second World War and that was Franklin D. Roosevelt. Who had three terms and is the only one well known.

I am sure that Greece would have seemed happy with more often change of leadership. So if they hadn’t sunk that deep with loans and debt. Then it wouldn’t matter how long a regime is in power, if it essentially good, but if it’s not. Then it would be healthy with changes, so that the government recharge and fix the issues of old.  That is for check and balance, also to stop cogging the machine with nepotism and local graft from local councils and smaller government entities.

Now that Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Rwanda and Burundi is following Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Sudan, Zimbabwe and Uganda. They have big-men who have been sitting for ages and continue to break a certain switch of leaders. Burundi has just been through a farce of a election that brought their President Pierre Nkurunziza to his third term. Paul Kagame in Rwanda is thinking the same. Paul Biya the President of Cameroon has ruled since 1982 and is still sitting comfortable. Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo has been the president of Equatorial Guinea has been in charge since 1979. Omar Al-Bashir in President of Sudan has been the chief since 1993. Robert Mugabe is the President of Zimbabawe is the big-men of the country since 1987. Yoweri Kaguta Museveni the President of Uganda has been the head honcho since 1986.

Have in mind Ben Ali in Tunisia, Hosni Mubarak in Egypt and Muammar Gadaffi in Libya. All of them had a hard fall during the Arab Spring. So during a short period of time these long times serving rulers was ousted by the public or militias in their countries. And those people mentioned that has been sitting since 1979 to now should have them in mind. They could be next.

Its reasons like this big-men why countries and constitutions, law and rule of laws should fix the longevity for the leaders of the countries. Even if some countries has benefited from leaders sitting long. There have been many who show other tales. That their starting and dealing with matters. Making sure that the countries are progressing, but the issue with all men, power can eat you and when it’s at your grasp you don’t want to leave it. The power corrupt and make sure your family eats and friends to. An leave the matters and supposed people your supposed to serve. That makes the basic issue of leaders who becomes the proof of states where there is “taxation without representation”. They goes from being heroes and big-men with legacy into Machiavellian and Orwellian monsters that swallows the governments, states and organizations. That evaporates and follows the pinpoints from the leaders, but not actual procedures or democratic values. Transparency does matters, checks and balance of information from the regimes dies down especially if it pokes at the government. Ethics of codes of conduct matters for the ruling party, but for the opposition is otherwise since they will be thrown into shackles and dungeons for standing up against the regimes.

There is a reason why media has to be strong against this leaders and big-men. Why term limits is a good thing? It’s because power corrupt and eat men. When you first get a spoon of the sweets they want the champagne and cocktails in the statehouses. While many of the big-men don’t strengthen the basic institutions and ministries of the countries they are in charge of. Instead they put more money into the security and armies, but not too strong because then they are worried that their general’s would make a coup d’etat, especially since some of them took power by the gun themselves. So they usually promise grand changes and grace periods where the institutions left soiling by former leaders. While they does certain things and necessary by them, if so only what needed and supported through aid or donor money they might do something more with this.

While these leaders also often toiled with multilateral organization that put strains on the economic freedoms and loans that funds the countries. The forced moves of liberate institutions instead of strengthen the powers of the nations. Free market thinking that has weakened the economies then making them stronger. So that they import more then they export. Produce simple raw material or farm products and import finished sophisticated products that give the budgets negatives for the countries and also a reason why the countries end up with loaning more money from the multilateral organization. Because of this the big-men make shady deals with international donor countries and producers that lead to more corruption. Their zealous and loyalist under-leaders get cuts and that happens as long as they follow the party lines. The sellers from abroad couldn’t care less because usually they get overpaid for the product and there wasn’t a fair process of the sale. So if there is a transparent overlook of the sale and ordering of the products to the country it wouldn’t have gotten a green light.

This thing grows and grows until it hit either the moon or the sun. The terms are what people looking at. Then you could have discussed and talked more directly about the countries that don’t have it. There isn’t like universal rules to how the constitutions should be and what countries should have in it. There is other ways around that countries has to follow the international agreements, resolutions, charters and convents they have to follow and make amendments to their existing laws. But that is whole other matter. The term limit question is more about the ethical place and trust in the big-men that is either elected or taken power on their own. And if you have issues with leaders taking power on their own, there is a slim chance of them actually caring about rule of law. Instead even if they say something they will turn against close to date of the final period of terms. Just like Yoweri Museveni did in Uganda, Pierre Nkurunziza did in Burundi, Paul Kagame in Rwanda and Joseph Kabila in Democratic Republic in Congo (DRC). They all did a turn-around in limited time right before the end of the official second term. So they could fix the laws and get an official third term.

We the people and the citizens care about our big-men and nations, about the institutions that are made to be around us and supposed to support us. As we want good leaders that actually lead and make changes, and structures to secure their people. Instead when their reign for so long that their stealing of wealth, lands and positions for loyalist can be vial and hurting the country, instead of reaching and making the place better. This could be less of a viable possibility if there were structures and codes into place that pushed leaders to leave behind a legacy and go off in grace instead of sitting into the man with a scythe coming and taking their souls to eternal rest.

If society fears that leaders will lead into nepotism, graft, corruption and other evils of long term stand still of leaders and philosophy. The journey that the political climate needs is sufficient tools to stand in rainy days and in glorious ones. Also proper training to lead the next generations into a secure place and leave a foundation that can bring something positive for the people and the nations as whole.

And it isn’t pure and true leadership if they aren’t coping with the ability of leaving the power. They know that and we the people know this. When that happens we see the issues translate into situations that nobody really wants to see. Like the failed Coup d’etat in Burundi in 2015 and the violence that has surged since. Then the failings of the ‘Walk to Work’ protest after the 2011 elections in Uganda. That only led to few fallen activists for the cause, but lead to now initial change. Also the reactions in the DRC after lawfully allowing it’s president a third term, this made people react and the #Telema uprising happened as a aftermath. This because the leaders don’t accept their reach and doesn’t step down in time, instead tries to sit until the chair is breaking. And in due time they will fall out of the chair, it’s just about how they will land and which legacy they want to leave behind.

I am Sure Honorable Mister Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe could have been a real gentleman and been in the league of freedom fighters who fought a just cause against oppression of a foreign power. He could have been seen as that if he stepped down in proper time and given security to the country. Instead he has let the economy run loose, people fleeing the country, rigging elections, letting special army and police trained by North Koreans go into villages before elections and spread fear amongst the citizens. If he had stopped before turning into a villain, he could have been seen as hero. Something that would been worthy actually of how he fought with the comrades against a far-away rulers to secure peaceful nationhood to Zimbabwe together with Joshua Nkomo. Today he will not only be remembered only for the Lancaster House Agreement! But for all of the other madness that has happen after.

The same will happen with these other leaders who might have done great things. And they have made a difference. They have made some kind of changes and progress in their countries. Yoweri Kaguta Museveni of Uganda has made progress in Uganda. Even by sitting very-very long in the chair of power. After uncertainties of the 80s he has with the Movement system made the land peaceful and that has made gains in the aspect of food productions. Even with help of neighbors and the U.S. sent LRA on the run to C.A.R. where he is trying to get them again. Though with lingering into power it’s now taking a toll on the budgets, inflation levels, value of the currency and the enormous level of spending to local councils since there is new district every 5 years or so.

I could go on about every leader I have mentioned and what has happen because of their steadiness of power. How that effects and what that has led to in the countries that their leading, still. Similarities are still that the countries don’t earn much on having the same leaders reigning for many terms. Because the countries getting sucked into the system and patrons of the big-man instead of build functioning institutions and ministries to really developing the countries.

And let this be clear, I don’t want the systems of the West unto these countries that is not what I am implying. The simple thing I am pounding on is how it will be healthy for a nation to have leaders and their big-men for too long. I doubt if it is healthy. The same with MPS and Ministers, they all will eat too much and become fat, instead of serving the people. The same happens with the grand big-man; therefore the change of leadership is an essential feature to society and government.

Therefore what I am initially implying is that no matter what kind of society the human soul and body will be eaten by the power. That’s simple reason is that this is a universal issue, the location and countries could be a mayor in my town for the matter or the leader of European Union, the secondly it could be a president in South America or Asia. This is a phenomenon that is everywhere if the big-man has the possibility. Let me take a few more honorable mentions:

• Alexander Lukashenko has been the president of Belarus since 1994.
• Saparmurat Atayevich Niyazov has been the president of Turkmenistan since 1985.
• Nursultan Nazarbayev has been the president of Kazahstan since 1989.
• Issas Afweki has been been the president of Eritrea since 1991.
• Emomali Rahmon has been the president of Tajikistan since 1992.
• Hun Sen has been the president of Cambodia since 1985.

So thanks for reading. Hope it was worth it and that this wasn’t as long as the tenure of certain big-men. Peace.

(Youtube – Speech) President Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe speech at the state visit in South Africa – 8th April 2015

Worth looking and listening to. From the industrialization of diamond industry to the spirit if Cecil John Rhodes and so on!

Robert Mugabe actually said: “We grow for those who want to smoke it!”.

Robert Mugabe said: “We want peaceful elections”. He disscussed the intervention in DRC from the Southern Africa standpoint. This with the fear from the  power struggle of Rwanda, Burundi and Uganda in the DRC.

He even said: “As a real dicatator! Yes A dictator who had cut the troath of Ian Smith”. Which he didn’t do. He (Ian Smith) died a natural death.

And so much of more, that you should listen to and get enlighten, and get the vision of President Mugabe today.

Enjoy!