Zanu PF leaders trapped in Rhodesia

By Cont Mhlanga

Growing up back then, this Village Idiot remembers well two Rhodesian slogans; ‘Rhodesia will never Die and Rhodesia is Super’. Looking at it today this remains true to the core.

The Urban Idiot of today remains trapped in Rhodesian systems and ways because those systems were never meant to die and were designed to be super good.

They were so good that even those that maintain and exploit them today don’t even realize that they are busking in the glory of Rhodesian super systems that were designed never to die.

Zanu PF has formed governments since independence in 1980 and has found it very difficult to govern and make this country provide a good living for the majority of its masses. Who remembers these successive ZANU PF governments making any efforts to dismantle the super Rhodesian systems that Zimbabweans spent fourteen years fighting to remove in the bush war and many more years in protests and riots before embarking on the bush war? This village idiot remembers no such efforts.

After the Union Jack had come down and the Zimbabwean flag went up and reggae superstar Bob Marley had done his thing at that packed Rufaro stadium, ZANU PF politicians and Comrades dashed to occupie every chair in every building left by super Rhodesia.

Where there were not enough chairs for the Comrades such as the Parliament and Cabinet they just created more chairs. Sooner than later they were all driving super Rhodesia forward never to die. They became managers and administrators of the Rhodesian system that oppressed and exploited the Zimbabwean masses.

From government departments to industry, agriculture, education, commerce, houses it was a rush to take over what Rhodesians had built for themselves and made super never to die. Comrades even forgot the bones of their comrades in the bush to this day in this rush for chairs.

They forgot why they went into the bitter bush war in the first place and why those that started the resistance to Rhodesian rule before them went into the streets time and again in all forms of protest with the Rhodesians shooting and arresting them putting them away in many years of detention.

The ugly environment and living conditions that Rhodesia had created for the Zimbabwean masses they sustained and promoted in similar fashion as Rhodesians and at times with more vigour than the Rhodesians.

The urban idiot remains trapped in this race to be like and live like the Rhodesians. Not only do they now exploit their own kind and masses but they have now got to a stage where they shoot and lock them up in prisons just like the Rhodesians did. The good thing about Rhodesians is that they never exploited or shot their own people.

This village idiot had some interesting conversations with the Diaspora Idiot about the situation of our leaders today and they had this to say about the super Rhodesian trap;

“In 1858, British Empirical rule was established firmly in most of its colonies and the model was to be established in colonies to come like Rhodesia, the colonial masters started playing tribes against one another – princes against each other and the people; This policy model is now called – Divide and rule.

The seeds of Divide and rule were sown by British Imperial Rule but blossomed in full after the colonies gained Independence. While laying down the foundation of some democratic institutions and policies, the Imperial rulers set the example of how policies of great scope can be used for serving the vested interests of political leaders/political parties in power. The Zimbabwean politicians have inherited from colonial rulers three powerful democratic weapons; Electoral policy, Census operations, and Reservation Policy.

The present-day politicians have learnt very well, how to use these systems for pacifying the masses and prolonging their hold on political authority longer. They are following the footsteps of their predecessor, Imperialist rulers, a class society and are creating their own separate empires.”

So, what’s the Urban Idiot got say about this?

This village idiot asked the diaspora idiot how this can be brought to an end? How do the masses come out of the effects of this trap? Its an ugly trap as it is the Zimbabwean masses that are on the receiving end while the liberator and politician enjoys being a black Rhodesian?

The diaspora idiot responded, “Knowing our history and understanding the dynamics of how we were conquered is a good starting point. History, not just our history but the world over provides us with perspective and solutions to many of the challenges of the present. At its best, history is there to introduce us to some of the things we need right now but are not obvious.

Unfortunately, we’re very obsessed by what we’re up to right now. We are largely biased towards the present saga. The news is about the sad state of affairs right now, justifiably the masses are hungry. This is by design and deliberate.

Social media is obsessively rife with people’s reactions to the things that have been happening in the now. And yet, many of the most important things that we need to make it, to nourish, sustain and inspire us, are a lot older or have been another person’s experience in the past, which they overcame.

What we need above all else are good ideas to outsmart the champions of a capitalist order that enslaves the masses and history is full of them.”

Teaching Zimbabwean history my dear diaspora idiot! My foot!! This village idiot laughed out loud when thinking about the Zimbabwean history that the comrades have created after 1980 for this generation. They call it the Chimurenga History.

It speaks about three names only, Nehanda, Kaguvi and Robert Gabriel Mugabe. It speaks of only one place Chimoi. If one had to ask a Zimbabwean young scholar of today who Lobengula was, the answer one would likely get is that he was a Ndebele who went to sell sugar in England. Who will save this country from its liberators?

ZANU PF governments are trapped in Rhodesian supper systems so deep that they have no time even to tell a true picture of the history of this country. This village idiot thinks this is the foundation of the many reasons why a ZANU PF government alone can never take this country to prosperity.

Zimbabwe is for us all and not just for the liberators. Daily News

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