When the opposition leader in South Africa, Helen Zille, recently called President Jacob Zuma a womanizer that’s ready to put the lives of his three wives in danger’s path, she was branded a racist. Is there any grain of racism or lie in these remarks?
Employing pretext is an in-thing for Africa’s tarnished rulers. It is seen in Rwanda when the perpetrators of the genocide as well as the number of victims are covered. When the London High Court found former Zambia’s president guilty of fraud of over $ 58,000,000 (and of course, stealing and squandering) public money, Fredrick Chiluba labeled it racist and trash! But it is true. Chiluba misappropriated public moneys. His wife was recently jailed thanks to the same malady. What’s more, it came to light that some of Chiluba’s 21 associates are not Zambians! If Chiluba were not the racist he accuses British of, why did he spend Zambians’ money with non-Zambians?
When it comes to racism, African corrupt rulers are second to none. They prefer doing dirty business with foreigners especially Indians. Refer to Goldenberg and Anglo-Leasing in Kenya and EPA in Tanzania. Behind these scams are Indian conmen and rulers! If Chiluba was able to steal and spend a million bucks in a boutique in Switzerland, what can you call this? The truth is the same in Malawi where the former tyrant faces same charges.
To get off hook, it’s become a norm for Africa’s thieves to take camouflage in race, colonialism and other hogwash. When they go cup in hand begging from the west and but stash the money in offshore banks, isn’t this racism? When they run down their academic and health infrastructure but go for medication and education overseas, isn’t this racism?
When Sudan’s Omar Bashir was indicted by the ICC in The Hague, he dismissed the move as mere neo-colonialism. But when he’s butchering people in Darfur and introducing Islamic Sharia to non-Muslim Southern Sudan, it’s neither colonialism nor barbarism! It is a fallacy for our rulers to think that we’re all fools.
Zuma is now steering the nation. Will he avert his history and the challenges it poses? Will he quell the media for reminding him who he actually is or bite the bullet? Soon, Zuma will see a cartoon showing him with an Indian con man surrounded by weapons, bundles of bills and coins as the moneys change hands. People will ask for him to dance Letu umushini wami; and, as president, he won’t be able to come forth to dance and cheer them up. This is the moment a true Zuma will come to the agora to be counted.
Off the cuffs: I’d like to congratulate Malawi ’s president Bingu wa Mutharika for his convincing re-election after a longtime tussle with his predecessor. One thing is obvious. Mutharika has made a precedent in that one can abandon the ruling party and yet rule the country without any obstacles. Now Mutharika has the edge to nicely and legally bring Bakili Muluzi to book. Though Muluzi showed a good gesture at Mutharika’s inauguration, this should not blind Mutharika.
By Nkwazi Mhango
Mhango is a Tanzanian living in Canada. He is a Journalist, Teacher, Human Rights activist and member of the Writers' Association of New Foundland and Labrador (WANL)
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