Tendai Ruben MbofanaTendai Ruben Mbofana
Why, on mother earth, would anyone with even an ounce of sanity or some conscience feel a sense of adoration and admiration for those who oppressed or brutalized their own people?
Unfortunately, I also do not have the answer.
This may likely be one of those mysteries that will dog and vex humankind till kingdom come.
Does it not leave most of us dumbfounded and speechless when we see those who still hold dearly a cold-hearted dictator as Nazi Germany Führer Adolf Hitler?
However, before we rush to labelling these Hitler sympathizers as nothing more than extremists and far right racists, we need to delve a bit deeper into this issue.
Human beings, by their very nature, are drawn to successful people or things.
Our minds are attracted to what we perceive as success, and we want to be associated with it.
That is why – whether in entertainment (sport, music, or movies), business, or even politics – those deemed to have made it, seem to possess the greatest allure.
We are even prepared to overlook their glaring shortcomings.
Is that not why even Zimbabweans were recently found not only celebrating but also embracing as their own South Africa’s rugby world cup victory?
In fact, there is nothing that lights the flames of feverish patriotism than one’s country winning – whether on the sports field or even in military conflict.
Which explains why some leaders, particularly in the USA, are known to resort to war in order to win over the hearts of their citizens.
Even today in Zimbabwe, it is no longer strange coming across ordinary people touting the ‘phenomenal leadership’ of the last colonial era prime minister Ian Douglas Smith.
Need I remind readers that those praising and glorifying Smith are not necessarily the white population – who enjoyed a privileged life under Rhodesia – but black people who endured racial segregation.
Why would anyone end up seemingly celebrating a system under which they once suffered discrimination?
There could be any number of explanations, but one appears to stand out.
It is all about success!
The last time ordinary Zimbabweans actually enjoyed a relatively comfortable and somewhat ‘economically decent’ life was under colonial rule.
Ever since the country attained independence in 1980, it has been downhill – with the standard of living for the majority of citizens worsening progressively.
Today, half the population is living in extreme poverty, whilst two-thirds of the workforce is earning below the poverty datum line.
At the moment, Zimbabwe’s inflation rate, especially that of food, is one of the highest in the world – up there with Venezuela, Lebanon, Argentina, and Surinam.
Our local currency has been one of the most unstable on the planet – at present, officially hovering around ZW$5,500 to the greenback and ZW$8,000 on the much-used parallel market.
Yet, the vast majority of workers earn in this useless money – with 77 percent of all transactions in Zimbabwe being in US dollars – since most retailers in this highly informal economy refuse the local currency.
As if that was not bad enough, these Zimbabwe dollar salaries are not pegged to any real US dollar value – as such, the vast majority of workers are earning less than US$100 per month in real terms.
The situation is even worse for pensioners, most of whom are receiving less than US$30 a month.
Furthermore, during the 2022/23 season, more than 3.8 million people in rural areas faced food insecurity at peak – such that they required some form of aid.
As a matter of fact, hunger has hit urban areas with a vengeance, with up to 2.2 million people in our towns and cities regarded as food insecure.
Whereas for children in Zimbabwe, it is reported that one in three suffers from malnutrition.
It has actually become a luxury for some families to have more than one meal a day – with the food not even meeting required nutritional standards.
All these horrifying statistics were unheard of during the colonial era.
Actually, during that time, the country was under crippling UN sanctions and trade embargo – imposed after Smith declared UDI in 1965.
Yet, the economy performed relatively well, to the extent that those who lived through this period still look back with yarning at the impressive economic achievements.
Is there then any wonder there will be people who decide to overlook the blatant racial discrimination and segregation?
Smith then becomes some sort of folk hero simply because he is now associated with success – as opposed to the pathetic dimwits, losers, and thieves who took over the country after independence.
We can even go back to the controversial issue of Hitler.
In spite of his barbaric and heinous acts not only against his fellow ‘Aryans’ but millions of Jews – he, nonetheless, remains engrained in some people’s minds with these exceptional achievements.
How many of us knew that the popular drink Fanta was a product of Nazi German?
It was borne out of the trade and economic blockade imposed on the country by largely fellow West European nations and the US due to Hitler’s warmongering.
In so doing, the main ingredients of Coca Cola – which was the drink of the time – could not be imported.
This left the German branch of the company with no choice but to work with the scant wartime rations they had in reach – thereby coming up with Fanta.
The name ‘Fanta’ is actually from the German ‘fantasie’ meaning ‘imagination or fantasy’ – aptly describing a nation that never cried over sanctions, but used its own creativity in coming up with solutions to challenges faced.
The famous VW Beetle (Volkswagen) was commissioned by Hitler in 1930 as the ‘people’s car’, designed as a practical, affordable car for the average German family.
Actually, the world’s first functional helicopter, the Focke-Achgelis FA61, was developed by Nazi Germany in 1937.
And so were the first acoustic torpedoes in 1943, anti-ship missiles, and advanced rocket technology – which was later used by the US and USSR for taking man into space.
This is where the reverence of Hitler may emanate – the outstanding successes and achievements.
No one wants to be associated with failure and failures.
Let us come back to Zimbabwe.
What is there for which to be proud when we look at the Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa administration?
With all the deplorable statistics highlighted earlier, resulting in the unimaginable poverty and suffering of millions – what is there for us to be proud?
In all this, the regime has no shame rigging elections and persecuting opponents – through the willful violation of the country’s laws, as well as the jailing and even outright murder of opposition activists.
Job Sikhala has been languishing in prison for one and a half years – as he has repeatedly been denied his constitutional right to bail.
This is a similar fate faced by many others, who have been placed on remand for months or even years – thereby, denying them their rights to freely travel (especially abroad) – on spurious charges that have never gone anywhere.
Jacob Ngarivhume was sentenced to an effective two years in prison, merely for urging citizens to exercise their constitutionally protected right to peaceful demonstration.
Various election observer missions stationed in Zimbabwe during the August 2023 plebiscite – such as the SADC, EU, AU, COMESA, and Commonwealth – openly declared the process falling short of local laws and international guidelines governing democratic elections.
In short, we have an unpopular group of cold-hearted kleptomaniacs in power – who have been rejected by the people but choose to hold on through trickery, fraud, and downright brutality.
What then makes them appear worse than Hitler or Smith?
Should they not all be reviled?
However, as already established, there are those who seem to still be admired by some.
This boils down to whether one was a success or complete failure – more so on the economic front – regardless of their dismal democratic credentials.
It is quite easy to understand, really!
Let us remember that, according to Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs – there are some basic needs that all human beings require in life.
These are: breathing (life), food, water, shelter, clothing, and sleep.
Therefore, people are inclined to disregard aspects such as democracy and other rights (particularly, to vote, expression, association, and so forth) – as they are more concerned about whether they have life, food, water, shelter, and clothing.
Ordinary Zimbabweans, for instance, understand that as long as they keep their political thoughts to themselves, then they are relatively safe.
Nonetheless, no one can run away and hide from the poverty and suffering authored by the ruling ZANU PF regime.
If our public hospital had been adequately capacitated with enough basic medications, functional cancer machines, ambulances, and other necessities that preserve life – Zimbabweans may have overlooked their political rights.
If we could afford to put sufficient food on the table for our families, we might have been tempted to be indifferent to the rigging of elections.
Had our homes been receiving constant, consistent, and reliable water and electricity supplies, we may have ignored that we were not allowed to peacefully demonstrate.
Needless to say, millions of Zimbabweans have no access to these basic needs.
This is in stark contrast to those who lived under Smith or Hitler – who had more than enough.
Which probably explains why some may readily forget the other side of the coin.
Is it then not terribly embarrassing that in Zimbabwe, we have those in power who have failed on all fronts?
There are really no redeeming features when it comes to the Mnangagwa administration.
It is bad, no matter from which angle one looks at this government.
It is horrible enough to be under a dictatorship – but it is even worse when it is presided over by a bunch of dimwits, losers, and thieves.
They make Smith and Hitler look like a Saints!
- Tendai Ruben Mbofana is a social justice advocate and writer. Please feel free to WhatsApp or Call: +263715667700 | +263782283975, or email: mbofana.tendairuben73@gmail.com, or visit website: http://mbofanatendairuben.news.blog/