BY AARON GONO
“We strongly condemn tendencies by some powerful countries who preach peace, human rights and democracy and yet clandestinely fund conflicts and unconstitutional change of governments for their own interests.”( Emmerson Mnangagwa, President of the Republic of Zimbabwe, 78 th Ordinary Session of the United Nations General Assembly, 2023, New York, USA.)
It’s high time Africa must emancipate itself from the economic slavery imposed to it by the Western nations. When we talk of the Western nations, the chief culprits are Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Portugal and Britain. For brotherhood reasons l wanted to deliberately leave out the UK and put America.
But for journalistic ethics of fairness, accuracy, balanced and objectivity, l grudgingly put Britain( will explain later). To those who always want to evade facts and rely on social media, let me take you back the memory lane. In 1884-85, some European nations gathered in Berlin, in what is now known in historical archives as the Berlin Conference. These countries were deliberating the future of Africa, amongst themselves. Africa was divided and the biggest chunk of it was taken by the Queen of England. In sub- Saharan Africa, Germany grabbed Namibia and Tanganyika; Portugal, Mozambique and Angola; Britain got Nyasaland, Zambia, Rhodesia, South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland.
Paris dominated from the East and North of Africa, though Britain had spread its tentacles in every corner of Africa, it also dominated the north; hence the name the ‘British Empire, was ordained.
In 1957, Gold Coast( Ghana) became the first African country to attain independence under the tutelage of the late Kwame Nkrumah. When he stated that Ghana’s independence meant nothing if the whole of Africa is not free. His speech didn’t get many ‘ likes’, from the colonists.
The ‘ Winds of Change’, began to tilt in favour of many colonized African countries, in the early 1960s, many African countries became to realize that ‘Uhuru’ had come. Mozambique and Zimbabwe attained theirs, five years apart in 1975 and 1980 respectively. In 1980, Zimbabwe Grounds was filled to capacity when Zimbabweans welcomed their leaders from exile. 18 April, 1980, at Rufaro Stadium the ‘Union Jack’ flag was lowered down by then Prince Charles, ( now King), and the new Zimbabwe flag also tasted the atmosphere of a free Zimbabwe. Politically we were free but economically we were not.
Our former white masters controlled every facet of the economy. Till today, the African economy is still in the hands of conglomerates. When some ‘ clever blacks’ try to raise the issue of disparities; they are silenced by ” Wokeness”. Human and property rights are used to silence anyone who disagrees with the status quo. Their voices must always prevail and their institutions must tell you to turn right or left.
Failure to observe these rules, you crush. Zimbabwe and South Africa right now, their economies are not performing because they want to programme other African minds to start their ‘ Windows 1980’. Ramaphosa instead of double speaking, he is frankly piggybacking his brother ,Emmerson. Word of advice, Mr Ramaphosa, ‘the white bosses don’t like ‘ clever negroes’, for your economy to work you must behave.
Zambia’s economy is touted as fast growing because they are behaving.
The so- called ‘ coups’ in former French colonies are not real, coups but’ Operation Restore Legacies.’ The young generations of the military sensing that their leaders still subscribe to the French’ s Eiffel Tower’ s opulence, are saying enough is enough.
How long should the French continue to loot their resources with the consent of their leaders. They want to take control of their economies, that will sustain their futures. Hence, the constitutionality issue of who was legally voted into office, is on display.
Democracy is not being followed by who and why should Africa taught to think and pretend to grasp Euro-centric theories? Why can’t Africans substantiate and delineate Africaness, ‘Ubuntu’? Why should everything being standardised? One size, fits all.
Democracy when it suits them and applicable when necessary. Oh my God! Human rights, when the Aryan race is not favoured, and the Partition of Africa, legalized? Regime changes in the South are promoted and when Republican supporters pay a courtesy call at the Capitol, it’s an insurrection.
Pestering Donald Trump with mugshots and legal fights, and in Africa it’s ‘ lawfare’. And in the US, it’s safeguarding the Democratic guard rails. Vietnam, Libya, Cambodia, Iraq, Afghanistan, Angola, Mozambique, Liberia, Somalia, Ukraine, lran, North Korea, Taiwan, Venezuela, Zimbabwe, etc.
If the US Embassy in Harare can justify the US’ s presence in these countries? France and Britain are just lapdogs, America is the meteor. America with its great media houses can they just tell the world ‘ why they are disturbing the world peace.
We need Peace, give Peace a chance. As l mentioned above that l feel bad to mention Britain as the chief colonist, that role has been taken by their American kith and kins. Britain has long learnt to live and share its space with its former colonies( the Commonwealth Community). So, Britain is not guilty. Meet me in Zimbabwe ( Ndoto sangana ku Zimbabwe vakomana).
