Africa needs new fresh brains

By Petros Rambwawasvika

All people of African descent independent of wherever they live in the world are Africans and belong to the African continent.

The fundamental problem, which faces African people who are in every part of the world, is the lack of political education, lack of mass revolutionary organisation and the lack of dedicated revolutionary cadres. It is a root level ideological predicament. The solution is correspondingly a root ideological identity.

We recognise capitalism, imperialism, colonialism, neo-colonialism, racism, apartheid and sexism, as one common multi-form and multi-faceted enemy.

We suffer from poverty, disease and ignorance, homelessness and obliviousness, in every part of the world, as a result of exploitation and oppression, corruption and opportunism, ideological confusion and organisational chaos.

There is only one final solution to these problems – road to democracy and Pan–Africanism. During early 1959 Africa was dominated by some Europeans; they projected more of the negatives on Africa in a way which resulted to hatred for Africa. We end up hating Africa, we end up being negative about Africa and hated, you cannot hate a root of a tree not hating the tree. You cannot hate your origin without hating yourself.

If one takes a close look at Africa today, how minerals and world-life are handled by the leaders, it is a shamble. Everything is taken away from the continent through few individuals who are still dancing to the same lyrics of capitalism which they opposed yesterday and today. They do not have future generations in their minds; they have failed to see things beyond their noise.

In our hotels and restaurants even food has foreign names. When we fry potatoes we call them ”French Fries” even though they are fried in Zimbabwe. Take a look at suits, ties, shoes, watches, and even underwear the leaders wear, they are not even made in Africa. Is it not ironic surely that they even keep their money out of Africa?

We do have technical Colleges and Universities where we have different faculties; like medicine, engineering, and teaching, to mention a few. African doctors are not trusted even after training. African leaders and the wealthy Africans usually have their health check-ups done abroad where they trust the doctors over there.

They also send their kids to Universities abroad which are an indication that they do not have trust in their own educational system. Engineers are trained in our local Universities, but our roads and other infrastructure seems to be done or built by the Chinese engineers. That is how bad it is in a continent or country we claim we belong to. Tenders are done in a very corrupt manner. The venality level at the minute, stings so badly.

Some leaders are political offenders who are still hoping for a hope in the future of the part and the country they lead. Here is the fact, if God gives you a lemon you do not cry for an orange to make lemonade. We seem to have leaders who are full of crying babes who blame everything on other parts of the world, yet the problems they face are their own making.

The Individuals steal from what they claim God given resources, it’s like a mother who steals from what she cooked or prepared for the family. This has been going on for too long. For example, we have leaders who came from a colonial era who are suggesting they can still be vibrant leaders at 92, the likes of President Mugabe. This is simply madness and unseen in this day political democratic era.

Nyerere, Sekama, Kaunda, Mandela, and Masire passed the baton to others. The tragedy of Africa is the failure of African leaders who fail to realise that you are not successful until your successor succeeds. On itself, it is the denominator because if a leader allows a successor to succeed during his life time it is the demonstrative of the fact you built a country and trust others to lead.

The problem of Africa is the personification of office and the assumption of the typical African leaders who do not want to leave office. They believe without them the country will not survive. Their ego is to satisfy themselves and a few. Good example is Zimbabwe; right now the country is held to ransom due to one man, who does not have grand ideas for the country.

I wonder who will give Zimbabwe the boost and therapy it dearly needed to move forward again. At the moment, the opposition seems not to be exploiting weaknesses which are easily seen in ZANU PF. The MDC seems to be confused and clueless on what to do.

Recently President Mugabe was called upon from his holiday to come back to address the state of the nation. In as much as he (Mugabe) has the power, surely one would have thought it was a good window opportunity for MDC to move around the country addressing people and tell their vision and new plans to end this madness we are all confronted with. Mr Tsvangirai if, he is serious in the role of taking Zimbabweans to Canaan, urgent steps are needed now. This idea of waiting for election time is not a good strategy.

All our leaders lost our core founding principles. If leaders like Kwame Nkrumah of Ghana rose from the grave he would be very angry with the situation we find ourselves in today. Gaddafi had it but unfortunately they killed the idea. I would like to see one day an African leader who shall stand at the gap and talk about Africa as a united driving force to future prosperity.

After listening to some African leaders giving speeches to platforms such as; United Nations and African Union, one got to scratch his head wondering whether these leaders will say the real deal. Nobody seems not to be nearer to the answer which some of us want to hear for the sake of future forward United States of Africa.

The problem with the leaders is that, they lost the ball in their own country and at an African Level too.  Hence, they became a club of hypocrites, incompetent, and impractical in driving the continent’s vision forward, what a bunch of naïve thieves we elect.

It might not be to some readers’ interest, but it is worth mentioning Julius Malema at this point. The young man seems to have it and carry the ideology that Africa one day shall pull together as one entity. The United States of Africa once advocated by the likes of Kwame Nkrumah should be in minds of any politician who is inspired to be a leader of an African country one day.

Nothing is impossible with Africa to become a global competitor, it’s made possible with her resources. This thing of looking to the west should stop. I trust there are leaders who could carry the same vision forward. I would like to believe young generation could be the best solution to this pandemic problem.

Who would think diamonds from Botswana could act as pillars for France’s economy today? Africa should wake up from its deep catnap. Ronald Regan once said; ‘’America does in what is in America’s best interest’’. If you listen closely, the same statement you hear it being said quite often by any American president.

My simple question is, why are African leaders fall short of the glory so badly? Is it that, they are blinded by earthly paradises which they have created themselves and their families through corruptive means?

Africa needs new fresh brains, with green thinking to lead our beloved Nation. It is so sad that we are still breading bad leaders in every election across the continent.

We have been asking hyenas to look after goats for many years. This had proved that it does not work right. It is sickening watch a television with appeals to help underprivileged children in Africa considered how rich the continent is.

Most children no longer dream big. We have some leaders in Africa who are suffering from pre – madonna syndrome and refuse to leave the stage at the appropriate time. People would skin me alive if I don’t mention President Mugabe at this point.

I hold the view that no matter how good a leader can be, in order to allow a country to move forward and in order to allow institutions to strive one has to leave the office. It is demonstrated that most leaders perform best during their ten years. If one fails to resign after two terms, rest assured that ‘’mavekungoudzwa ngano dzanasekuru nagudo.’’ No matter how good you are, you need to leave the stage so that others could, take the country forward to a better tomorrow.

The moods from people of Zimbabwe were that of a real change and are still craving for it. One would think the right time is now for MDC to raise their red cards, but only God knows what is happening at the movement.

Maybe until they become a ‘’party’’ not a ‘’movement’’ then a new pace setter might be felt across the whole country. It is still remained to be seen and now that Mai Mujuru is coming hot, her chances of joining venture might be very slim considering the mood in the country.

If President Mugabe had happened to look around positively, he could have learned and changed his attitude. Good example is Italy which has had more than 50 governments since the world war. The reason why they succeeded well, is because the individuals who hold the office are merely cock pit on the wheel.

In Africa the vice versa is the case, the leaders turn to personalise institutions like; army and police for their own advantage or gain. These departments once they are individualised, fear will build among the masses and this will change the way people vote.

We might have an election yet not election because people vote out of trepidation. I witnessed violence in Zimbabwe where President Mugabe instigated it towards MDC.

Mugabe uses these appendages to intimidate, displace ballot boxes and tamper around with the voter’s role. We are all aware; this is the true colour of Zimbabwe’s elections each time we held one. These thieves will do anything to keep themselves in power they don’t care whatsoever.

President Mugabe has imprisoned himself in the situation he is in, sooner rather than later the truth will knock at his door, and like what Mr Tsvangirai once said; he can manipulate elections but cannot fix the economy. The truth of this statement is already with us. The question remains to be seen, is to whether he will continue with his premiership or not, surely this is remained to be seen? ‘’Kungoti sekuru vacho chindakwenya havabvi.’’

The sad story about President Mugabe is that, he does not listen to anybody. He is a man who exits without any adviser or close friends. He is always upright in his own mind; he does not see anybody’s worth other than himself.

He once presaged with the likes of Msipa, late Tekere, and Mujuru to leave the stage but, choose not to do so. ‘’Chikuhuhu chaicho mudhara wacho.’’ He has been captured and imprisoned by his own mischievous dictatorship spirit that once trapped Kwame Nkrumah during 1909 -1972. This led to unseen circumstances which ended his career?

In Zimbabwe we have silent, greatest giants’ orators who have been quite for 35 years. The system President Mugabe has created for the years were very good in silence of these characters. As it is now, the environment seems to be peddling to an advantageous one and people are yet to be shocked.

High time is now that President Mugabe should step down. His health is deteriorating each day; his outlook on life is gradually undergoing a serious deterioration. He appeared to be a very tired grandfather who desperately needs a good home based care. He is no longer fit to lead or to be a chief in any village.

As a country, we cannot look for solutions from a grandfather while we have fresh blood that is ready to do the job. He is not in the mood of helping anybody other than those who support him. The man seems not to have a heart anymore, for a good heart supersedes a bright mind.

By calling all Church leaders to pray for the country, he is merely seeking of solitude.  Civil servants such as teachers, doctors, nurses, council employees, and unhappy individuals in cities, towns, and villages and within his party are fading up with the President. This has been portrayed by sick economy, strikes, drought, and secret bull fight going on within his party.

He had failed to look around himself, listen to real people, and see how people are suffering in the country, is a simple statement or sign which God is saying to him, ‘’menemene utekere ufasima’’. His leadership has been considered to be no longer valid. Instead, Church leaders were supposed to be frank with him, that he needed to repent of his sins and high time is now for him to stay away from politics period.

Dear friends, we desperately NEED a better leader if not leadership in the country like yesterday.

Petros Rambwawasvika writes this opinion piece in his personal capacity