Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Zimbabwe National Heritage Not Worth 30 Pieces of Silver

National heritage not worth 30 pieces of silver

Tuesday, 27 September 2011 02:00
Zimbabwe Herald

WikiLeaks exposed many factors about Zimbabwe's political environment. It created much-debate about what was released as it either denigrates, exposes, rubbishes or praises some political gurus in our society.

The media benefited much from the WikiLeaks as it tended to structure headlines that sell high volume of newspapers for each media house. WikiLeaks has been the leading marketing tool that helped journalists to hide behind their laziness and create news out of what people already new from the Internet.

Some media houses, under cover of WikiLeaks, sought to continuously keep the nation polarised among partisan lines without helping the nation by way of critically analysing, evaluating and creating debate around the facts exposed by WikiLeaks. This writer has noticed a free for all attitudes where journalists are regurgitating and commenting recklessly about the facts, hypocrisy and treason exposed by the hacking merchant, WikiLeaks.

This writer, from a proudly Zimbabwean perspective, would want to offer constructive points for effective debate around issues of hypocrisy and treachery exposed by WikiLeaks.

The first point of debate is the erosion or decay of American diplomacy. WikiLeaks has helped the world to understand that American diplomacy is not about creating mutual respect amongst nations. It is about siphoning information that enhances America hegemonic power politics.

This writer, strongly feels it is now time for Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS) to stand and be counted by balancing the world power politics.

This BRICS must now take advantage of the window of opportunity that has been created by WikiLeaks' exposure of America's asymmetric diplomacy. The BRICS can now vigorously ride on a strategy to isolate

America using the decay of diplomacy that has been created by WikiLeaks. The second point of debate is that the world must understand from now onwards that American diplomatic staff are man-at-work.

If they call you for a cup of coffee, lunch or for a beer drink, never feel comfortable and secure for after the coffee they will write a report to their home offices, detailing what will have been discussed plus their personal opinion about you.

Never at any one time should anyone sip the coffee or drink the beer and then say reckless or treacherous things thinking one is in the hands of the most secure man. Technology especially ICT technology has proved beyond doubt that anything encrypted can be decrypted.

As the American diplomatic staff carry out their mission, it is believed that they also get some personal benefits from the activities. Like the Russian billionaire who got money through intelligent activities during his time as a KGB official, it is strongly assumed that American diplomatic staff are cashing in from the same ventures.

One source told this writer that American diplomatic staff value their agents according to their education, position in society and the amount of information they perceive to likely get from the agent. They also look at the economic state of their agent's country before a payment is done. If it is consider that the agent is worth US$40 000, this amount is requested from the home foreign office.

The amount is released to the requesting American diplomatic office, which then decides to pay a subsistence amount to the agent and may pocket the rest. It must be remembered that money given to agents is not forensically audited. So to many of those who treacherously sell their countries by giving Americans information, remember that you are only receiving subsistence money after selling your heritage.

There are good examples of neo-liberal academics selling their heritage for substance money.

These neo-liberal academics and a host of other political turncoats are aware of the fact that land reform and black empowerment laws are the only policies that empowers the majority of our people. However, because of the subsistence money they get they continue rubbishing any process that assures Zimbabweans control of their heritage.

It is a shame that people of their academic stature only see reasons in fattening themselves with money from donor agencies. What these academics are forgetting is that once they die, both the country and their families can not inherit donor funds.

It is therefore a fact that those who embrace land reform and black empowerment are now blessed with a heritage that benefits both the country and their families. Heritage as is espoused in the bible on 1st Kings chapter 21 V 1-6 is cherished by every generation. The question to ask is: are sanctions and land title deeds that the MDC formations are clamouring for of any heritage value?

The other interesting point that I want to debate is about leadership and its relationship to our heritage.

The WikiLeaks describe President Mugabe as an intelligent and energetic leader who has an "encyclopedia brain" regardless of his age and health. The same Wikileaks describe PM Morgan Tsvangirai as a leader who needs abtrose around his neck.

The president, regardless of his age, is advancing issues to do with Zimbabweans controlling their heritage. This, to the writer, means the politics espoused by the president allows the millions of the unborn

Zimbabweans to benefit from their resources.
These policies lay a strong foundation from which future generation will forever enjoy the milk and honey of Zimbabwe. The policies enunciated by the president and his party resonates with teachings from the bible.

Many people have wondered why most churches support the president and his party. The answer is, he preaches what is in the bible and what God gave unto Zimbabweans. If one reads the scriptures in Joshua and the 1st Kings you will be left with no doubt that God gave each man his peace of land.

Thus according to the bible land is treated as heritage. The question is who are we to undo what God forbids?

Dear reader, it is not fact that the PM and his party, by calling for sanctions they are selling their heritage for subsistence money. Tendai Biti agreed that donor funds are not adding value to our GDP.

Surprisingly, he still does things that enhance poverty in Zimbabwe. If agriculture is the mainstay of our economy is it not instructive that it becomes our number one priority in terms of funding?

The PM has been described in the WikiLeaks as a mindless and weak leader. The Sunday Mail of 18 September, 2011 exposed to the nation that our PM went to Chicago in honour of an invitation by a person on political asylum.

This writer sees the embarrassment that he got there also as an embarrassment for Zimbabwe.

The questions to ask are, how can a PM honour a visit to a foreign country on an invitation by a person on political asylum and more so without following the protocols of the foreign nation?

Would Zimbabwe, abound with highly qualified intellectuals, want this man to be our leader?

How much embarrassment are we prepared to endure?

My last point of debate is on violence. If one reads the Wikileaks he will be left with no doubt that violence is entrenched in the MDCs.

The WikiLeaks chronicles the cancerous violence as a deep-rooted phenomenon of the MDC-T. The WikiLeaks also highlights how blame of violence will be moved to Zanu-PF. The vehicles for transmitting this treachery concept, in a repeated manner, with a well-packaged propaganda, are the Newsday, Daily News and Zimbabwe Independent.

Due to the insatiable appetite for subsistence money from donors, neo-liberal academics have joined the crusade of apportioning blame of violence to Zanu- PF.

The questions to ask are, would they correctly blame the MDC for violence since Wikileaks has exposed it? For how long are we going to continue to be rubbished as a nation by a few individuals who want subsistence money from USAID?

My advice to all Zimbabweans, both young and old, is do not be used by people who asymmetrically claim to be democrats when in fact they are for subsistence money from donors. Remember to embrace policies that ensures a continued enjoyment of our heritage by the unborn millions of Zimbabweans. Mai Charamba, a non-academic, sang philosophically "Africa Restore your identity; you are not poor but you are rich; you are not cursed but blessed". Behold Africa!

Panganai Kahuni is a social and political commentator.

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