The news that President Robert Mugabe’s daughter, Bona Chikore is about to give birth could have been received with joy by many, but the fact that she chose to bear her baby in a far off land leaves a bitter taste in the mouth.
NewsDay Comment
That she chose an Asian nation to give birth is a subtle admission that Zimbabwean hospitals are not good enough for the First Family, who have the luxury of choosing foreign hospitals, while the rest of us have to bear with run-down government institutions.
Since the First Family can access well-furnished hospitals in Singapore and Dubai, they may have no appetite to ensure that local institutions are adequately resourced and doctors well-paid and this is the tragedy Zimbabwe faces.
Zimbabwe has one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the world and we cannot begrudge Bona of choosing a country where she and her baby are all but guaranteed safety.
However, this is the legacy Mugabe has bestowed on the rest of the country that has to make do with local clinics and hospitals.
Had Mugabe not prevailed on the rot that is local hospitals, then there would be no need for anyone to seek medical attention outside the country.
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Had Bona or anyone in her family been restricted to seeking medical attention in this country, then we are all, but guaranteed that Harare Central Hospital, Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals or United Bulawayo Hospitals would have been given priority in the budget.
The same thinking prevails in the education sector, where ministers and politicians unashamedly send their children to foreign schools while daily dreaming up hare-brained ideas to govern local education systems.
Ministers’ children are afforded the best education in foreign lands, where they are guaranteed their offspring will not shout some questionable national pledge and where teachers are motivated and are not recalled from leave.
We are reminded of the words by the late South African politician, Chris Hani who bemoaned the vulture mentality by liberators, who become elitist and “drive around in Mercedes Benz and use the resources of this country” to gather riches.
The liberators fought for equality for all and this is a betrayal of the struggle that today’s politicians can access better health care and education outside the country, while the rest of us are subjected to poor quality standards here in Zimbabwe.
Zimbabwe’s health and education system cannot improve as long as the elite and the rulers know they have an outlet — that no matter how much they let the standards fall – they can send their children overseas or to South Africa.
We cannot begrudge Bona’s choice for a country to give birth in, but it feels like a slap in the face of ordinary Zimbabweans who have to make do with poorly-resourced local institutions. We wish her and her family all the best.
