Tendai Ruben Mbofana
He alleged that Zimbabwe was experiencing social and economic transformation, putting it ahead of its regional peers.
He went further claiming that Zimbabweans had many reasons to celebrate their country’s 44th independence anniversary.
Chissano concluded his praises by describing Zimbabwe’s achievements as ‘remarkable’.
Of course, millions of ordinary Zimbabweans who are enduring daily economic hardships may not see things through the same rose-tinted lenses as the former Mozambican leader.
This is a country where nearly half the population is living in extreme poverty, with 6 million facing dire starvation – according to the UN and WFP, respectively.
As we await the operationalization of another new local currency (curiously named the ‘Zimbabwe Gold’), we have the highest inflation rate in the world.
The Zimbabwe dollar was trading at an insanely staggering rate of ZW$30,000 to US$1 in supermarkets and ZW$40,000 on the black market.
On the infrastructural side, the country is still largely dependent on colonial era buildings – which have remained unmaintained since independence in 1980 – resulting in some collapsing and killing innocent civilians, as occurred last week in Harare.
In the same vein, we are still relying on antiquated and rundown power stations – something which has caused unending crippling electricity shortages that have become a threat to the economy as a whole.
This is a country that is endowed with phenomenal mineral wealth – which is the envy of the world – yet can not even feed its own people, forcing President Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa to declare a national disaster in order to beg for assistance.
Ironically, Chissano, in his laughable praise singing, had alarmingly described Zimbabwe as ‘food secure’!
As such, many Zimbabwean are justified in asking which planet Chissano is from.
However, the man did not stop there.
He, for what may at first appear as a strange reason, saw it fit to pre-empt the criticism he would inevitably receive from Zimbabweans.
“When I speak like this, people will say no, you are speaking nonsense”, Chissano said.
Oh, so it seems at the back of his mind, our beloved neighbour, was well aware that his statement was highly flawed.
I am tempted to actually use the words he himself used!
If he genuinely believed in his wild assertions, then there would have been absolutely no need to throw in that little bit at the end.
Let me give an example.
Say, I attend the funeral of a neighbour, and I am asked to deliver a graveside eulogy.
In it, I praise the deceased as having been a beacon of excellence and exemplary love and affection.
Yet, at the end of the speech, I see it necessary to add that some people may view my remarks as utter nonsense.
For what reason would I do that?
Would it not be because I know that everything I said was a big fat lie?
That is the same with Chissano.
If he was sincere that Zimbabwe was socially and economically ahead of its regional peers and that we had every reason to celebrate our independence, then he should have stopped there.
The fact that he then added that many people will consider his statement as nonsense proves he knows the truth.
Chissano knows Mnangagwa has failed Zimbabwe.
Nonetheless, true to our regional leaders, they never want to tell the truth about (or to) each other.
We have absolutely nothing to celebrate in a country that has been run down by a kleptomaniac incompetent ruling elite.
● 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: https://mbofanatendairuben.news.blog/
Post published in: Featured