Tendai Ruben Mbofana
In fact, that characteristic is what defines human nature, and separates us from God – who is perfect, omnipotent, omnipresent and all knowing.
Actually, it is a good thing that we do not have a single perfect, all-powerful, all-present and all-knowing person on this planet – or else, that would have made him or her a god, worthy of being worshipped.
We all are prone to making mistakes, poor judgements, and even committing outright sins and crimes, due to our evil nature – unless we give ourselves and our lives over to Jehovah God, who can work in us, and at least move us out of a sinful life, and help us navigate life, with wisdom, understanding and knowledge.
Nonetheless, in all this, we remain fallible and imperfect beings.
However, what stands out as separating the wheat from the chaff, amongst us as humans, is that – there are those who accept this flawed and defective nature of people, and are ready to be corrected, to learn, and to step aside when it is clear that they have failed in a particular pursuit.
Then, there are the complete opposite – that group of warped people, who for some strange reason, regard themselves as demi-gods, totally incapable of erring, and whenever the situation under their watch goes awry, they always have a sickening tendency of placing the blame squarely on others.
It is never their fault!
This is a very dangerous and unreliable lot – who, as a result of their inability and unwillingness to be held accountable, and accept responsibility for their own shortcomings – are impervious to knowledge and new learning, repeat the same mistakes (possibly, worsening), and always lash out at any who may question them or point out their inadequacies.
Honestly, I consider it a damning curse having such people as part of one’s team – let alone as the leadership – since this spells doom for the entire entity.
A promising individual realizes that he or she is not infallible, and in most cases, when things go wrong under his or her watch, the fault usually lies with the leadership – who should always be on top of any given situation, and be able to find lasting workable solutions to any challenges, regardless how insurmountable they may appear.
In others words, a leader needs to step up to the plate, and provide leadership, more so in times of crises – and, any who chooses to make excuses and fault others, besides himself, for what is going wrong, has dismally failed in that role – a role, which requires someone who is wiling to take responsibility and to learn…and learning comes with acknowledging one’s flaws.
Any leader who is not ready to take this step is not worthy of being a leader, and exhibits troubling traits of a self-delusional psychopath, who is cut off from reality.
No solution can be derived from such a person.
Quite frankly, I do not have any hope for someone who cannot accept that he is at fault, especially a leader – since, that translates into a lack of desire to learn, and dearth of comprehension of the concept of leadership and what this entails.
We are all leaders in one form or another – be it in our homes, families, schools, religious organizations, communities, companies, institutions, and country – and, all these principles apply.
As a matter of fact, the only reason that enabled me to transform my life, in such phenomenal ways, from the wrong path I had chosen in my life – leading to so much pain and suffering for those around me – was on account of how I finally learnt this cardinal rule…sincerely acknowledging my faults and how they had ruined everyone affected (including myself), as well as the urgent need to reform.
Without making such an admission, but electing to make excuses and blaming circumstances around me – I would have never been able to undergo these phenomenal transformations.
In fact, I would have only worsened and deteriorated in my actions and decisions.
That is how life works – and, as such, any person who denies and stubbornly refuses to accept these truths, is a menace and danger to society, who should not be allowed anywhere near the reins of power.
That is where the current ruling establishment in Zimbabwe comes in.
As the country sinks deeper in the dark harrowing abyss of economic despair and anguish – a nightmare that Zimbabweans have endured for two decades – we have the misfortune and curse of an Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa led administration that regards itself incapable of erring, and is composed of demi-gods who cannot be corrected.
Everything that is going wrong, and has gone wrong, in the country is never their fault – but, the result of concerted efforts by ‘enemies of the state’, through mischievous economic saboteurs, nefarious regime change agents, and of course, sanctions imposed by the West…who all are somehow made to appear all-powerful and possessing some uncanny all-conquering ability to mess up virtually anything and everything in the country, like fairy tale gremlins.
Not even once, have any Zimbabweans ever heard those in authority admit their own active role in the unbearable hardships facing the ordinary citizenry – largely, through rampant pillaging and plunder of our national resources, as well.as unbelievably defective and inconsistent economic policies.
Without such an admission, there can never be any hope, and reason for optimism, for the future of Zimbabwe.
Where will we derive that hope and optimism – when we have the misfortune of a leadership that sees absolutely nothing amiss and untoward with the manner in which they are presiding over the nation?
So, what will they do differently next time, if what they are doing today is acceptable, in their own eyes?
Therefore, as Mnangagwa clearly eyes a second term as President of the Republic of Zimbabwe – the good people of this country should be filled with dread, rather than any optimism – as more of the same, if not worse, is to be expected in the coming five years…further driving the nation into economic ruination.
As I alluded to at the beginning of this discourse – no one, under the sun, is perfect and infallible, and we are all flawed and make mistakes…some too catastrophic to even fathom.
However, the key is always in admitting and acknowledging such failings, thereby opening oneself to correction and learning.
Yet, as witnessed in Zimbabwe, this inability to be rebuked, and acknowledging erring, renders our leaders unteachable and impervious to knowledge…signaling a most harrowing fate for the country.
- Tendai Ruben Mbofana is a social justice activist, writer, researcher, and social commentator. Please feel free to contact him on WhatsApp/Call: +263715667700 / +263782283975, or Calls Only: +263788897936, or email: mbofana.tendairuben73@gmail.com