THE renaming of the Harare International Airport after President Robert Gabriel Mugabe was an untimely venture and a sheer waste of scarce financial resources meant to massage the 93-year-old leader and his eccentric wife Grace’s egos at the expense of the national cause.
While it is traditional to name key sites, places or even ports of entry after the country’s icons, it is important to say that Zimbabwe’s identity is a contested one.
This makes the timing of the honour suspect, as it was done under controversial circumstances. Given the rate at which the ruling Zanu PF party officials are falling over each other to please the soon-to-be 94-year-old veteran leader, it is possible that one day Zimbabweans would wake up to a renamed Zimbabwe. This is outright lunacy on Mugabe’s part.
Of what benefit are all these honours, given the state of the country’s economy, endemic corruption, contestations over Mugabe’s legitimacy especially in his Zanu PF party?
It boggles the mind as to what sterling work has Mugabe done in the aviation industry that warrants the renaming of the country’s major gateway in his name?
Almost 20 years ago, Zimbabwe was a hub of the southern Africa region playing host to all major world airlines, but today only a paltry –most of which are threatening to pull out before the end of the year are coming to Harare.
On what basis, therefore, was the honour bestowed on Mugabe? What is even regrettable is the fact that the honour comes hardly a few months after government set aside $1 billion to construct a university in his name. The university is a private institution owned by his family. Besides almost all roads and any iconic features in Zimbabwe are named after the President, as if he is the only liberation war icon.
Perhaps that explains why Zimbabweans snubbed the occasion meant to rub Mugabe’s ego. We believe there ought to be something tangible that Zimbabweans can identify with as a product of Mugabe’s good governance as a motivation, not this self-aggrandisement and self-destructive policy.
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We have no doubt that Mugabe and the First Lady Grace will be stripped of all these so-called honours once he leaves office. Instead of Mugabe growing the economy, his policies are self-serving, destructive and discouraging to foreign investors. Mugabe should be warned that soon or later Zimbabweans will hit back hard because of his penchant for love of money, profligacy and power while the majority wallow in abject poverty.
This madness must be stopped!
