Not everyone singing from same hymn sheet

OUTSIDE LOOKING IN: A Letter from the diaspora

By Pauline Henson

The last nine days in the UK have been given over to Margaret Thatcher who died at the age of 87. Love her or loathe her, one has to admit that she left her mark on Britain and the wider world.

Zimbabweans are probably not aware of the strong feelings the former prime minister aroused in this country. She had been out of office since 1992 but the anger and resentment she inspired in some quarters was positively vitriolic, the adulation from her supporters was equally strong.

Her funeral in St Pauls Cathedral after the cortege wound its way through the streets of London with a military escort was given full coverage in the media. I was half expecting to see Robert Mugabe there after Zanu PF had just expressed its sorrow at her passing.

Rather surprising, considering that Margaret Thatcher had once described Mugabe and Zanu PF as “terrorists”.

In truth, Africa as a whole has no reason to mourn Margaret Thatcher’s passing. She had been decidedly out of step with the rest of the world’s view of the apartheid regime in South Africa which perhaps explains why Frederic de Klerk, the one time South African president, was there for her funeral.

In the nine days between her death and the funeral, various anti-Thatcher groups had made their feelings heard. There were threats of public protests and even parties thrown to celebrate her death.

“Ding-dong the witch is dead” was the anthem of the anti-Thatcher activists and as a result of all this overt hostility there was a heavy security presence in London on the day of the funeral. Then, to heighten the atmosphere of impending terror, came the news of the Boston bombing.

In the event, the funeral passed off without any trouble; there were a few anti-Thatcher placards and one group turned their backs as the cortege passed but other than that it was what some people described it ‘a typically British affair’.

The Queen was there with the Duke of Edinburgh and some two thousand dignitaries packed St Pauls.

As the Bishop of London said in his address, in the end “she was just one of us”, subject to the same hurts and joys and the same inevitable ending. It was a timely reminder that we are all mortal, however high we may rise in the world’s estimation.

And in Zimbabwe, it was interesting to note the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission’s statement this week that it had removed some 300 000 dead voters from the Electoral Roll, including Ian Smith who died six years ago!

April 18th was Zimbabwe’s anniversary, marking 33 years since Smith and the white regime he led was defeated.

It is to Robert Mugabe’s credit that Ian Smith was permitted to reside peacefully on his farm in Selukwe for the remainder of his life. Speaking at this year’s Independence celebrations Mugabe called for peace, “You are all Zimbabweans” he told the crowd.

“Go and vote your own way. No one should force you to vote for me,” No one can accuse Mugabe of not saying the right thing, it’s just a pity his followers don’t seem to hear him. Police Chief Augustine Chihuri was also making the right noises.

Violence will not be tolerated, he told police officers. “Exercise your duties with assertiveness, conviction and boldness without fear or favour.”

Unfortunately, not everyone is singing from the same hymn sheet; just last week, Jabulani Sibanda, the war veterans’ leader, threatened widespread violence if Zanu PF loses the election. Strangely enough there was no ‘bold’ and ‘assertive’ reaction from the police to Sibanda’s threat of violence.

It’s not hard to tell which side the police are on.

Yours in the (continuing) struggle, Pauline Henson.