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NewsDay

AMH is an independent media house free from political ties or outside influence. We have four newspapers: The Zimbabwe Independent, a business weekly published every Friday, The Standard, a weekly published every Sunday, and Southern and NewsDay, our daily newspapers. Each has an online edition.

As the crises deepen . . .

Opinion & Analysis
South Sudan is Africa’s newest and youngest country, but I hate what is happening there right now.

South Sudan is Africa’s newest and youngest country, but I hate what is happening there right now. Selfish politicians have allowed the country to degenerate into series of violence.

Guest Column by Mutsa Murenje

The United Nations estimates that over 180 000 people have been displaced by the fighting in South Sudan and it is reported that the forcibly displaced have no water, shelter or food. In addition, over 1 000 people have died in brutal circumstances all because we have “idiots” who love power than they do humanity. We ought to earnestly love each other regardless of political, ethnic, religious or affiliation.

The Egyptian crisis also continues unabated. I hate to be associated with an Africa that has no respect for democracy, human rights, rule of law, good governance and peaceful transition of power. Lives continue to be lost, the military continues to brutally and undemocratically oversee the affairs of Egypt without any mandate to govern from Egyptians.

And, I haven’t seen any African solution to African problems in Egypt. The same applies to the Central African Republic. Innocent lives are lost and thousands are displaced. Crimes against humanity and war crimes are committed against women, children, people with disabilities and the elderly.

This pattern is seen even in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Somalia. The situation in Mozambique that disturbed us in the recent past seems to have died down. Unfortunately, these are our African stories and we need accurate reports on these problems bedeviling our continent so that we will be able to respond appropriately and expeditiously to these preventable human-made crises. Boko Haram also continues to wreak havoc in Nigeria.

This is an all-too familiar

Africa and I do hope (and I am quite optimistic) that a new generation of African leaders might be able to break with the sad and brutal Africa we have now. Africa is in dire need of leaders who will serve their people first and not themselves.

And now to the crux, the Zimbabwean situation! The situation in my country makes my heart sink. We are tired of endless political bickering and economic deterioration. Zimbabwe is burdened with a declining economy and high unemployment rates. It is quite sad that the situation has worsened only a few months after brazen electoral rigging by the Robert Mugabe regime.

Poverty has taken root and we strongly and vehemently reject the undemocratic system of government obtaining in Zimbabwe. The time has come and now is for us to bring dictatorship to its knees and take strong measures to solve the economic problems.

We need to free ourselves from the shackles of Zanu PF tyranny. We have seen the role played by the military in helping the government to come to power or stay in power. Mugabe lacks legitimacy. He is one man who has come to power, and has stayed in power by violent means. He has complete disregard for the welfare of the people and we can’t honestly continue like this. This has to come to a complete halt!

Focus in a free, just, democratic and prosperous Zimbabwe should be on the establishment of factories, employment creation and revival of the economy. We need to change the position of our country from that of a debtor to that of a creditor, from a country in debt to one whom money is owed.

The situation prevailing in Zimbabwe has taught us thus: “Education can teach people how to disguise their evil intentions, but it can never transform their hearts. They will still be dishonest and selfish no matter how sophisticated they become” (Alejandro Bullon).

We have human hyenas taking advantage of our suffering to benefit themselves because of our seemingly hopeless and desperate situation. I need to remind these oppressors that constant poverty and prolonged oppression drive people into aggression. It is a telling fact that the majority of the modern world’s social conflicts have their roots in the sense of frustration, injustice, and desperation that more and more people feel.

Authoritarianism remains an evil, a cancer in the body politic which must be removed before our democratic health can be realised. The underlying philosophy of democracy continues to be diametrically opposed to the underlying philosophy of authoritarianism and all of the dialectics of the logicians cannot make them lie down together.

After all, “To deprive man of freedom is to relegate him to the status of a thing, rather than elevate him to the status of a person” (Martin Luther King, Jr). Evil must be resisted because no moral man can patiently adjust to injustice. What we need today is a group of men and women who will stand for right and be opposed to wrong, wherever it is.

Let’s withdraw our cooperation from an evil system. We want determined courage of individuals willing to suffer and sacrifice for their freedom and dignity. As ED Nixon puts it, “We’d better decide now if we are going to be fearless men or scared boys”. Now is the time to make real the endless promises of democracy.

To young people I say: Let’s gain wisdom, strength and maturity by association with faithful men and women, those who have shown and displayed unwavering fidelity to the cause of freedom and have met with courage and loyalty the trials that came upon them.

For God has not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. Let’s not forget that a social movement that only moves people is merely a revolt. A movement that changes both people and institutions is what we want and that is what we call a revolution.

Become a dedicated fighter for a free, just and democratic Zimbabwe. Make it a central part of your life. As for me I have made a career of humanity. I have committed myself to the noble struggle for a free, just and democratic Zimbabwe.

If you do this you will, in the words of Martin Luther King, Jr “. . . make a greater person of yourself, a greater nation of your country, and a finer world to live in.” I am ready to die for the cause I am advocating for.

Mutsa Murenje is a social worker based in South Africa