WHEN celebrated author, George Orwell wrote his seminal book, Animal Farm, it is agreed he was writing about the Soviet Union, but he could have as well been writing about Zimbabwe, as the book captures what is happening in the country.
Source: History will judge us harshly for letting this country down – NewsDay Zimbabwe February 25, 2017
Comment: NewsDay Editor
Just as with Animal Farm, the liberated animals agreed they were all equal, but before long, a vicious class system emerged, where the leader was deified and treated as above reproach.
In Zimbabwe right now, President Robert Mugabe is revered like a deity and criticising him is seen as sacrilege.
When the country attained independence, the ideals were that everyone was equal, but sooner rather than later, patronage, nepotism and tribalism became the country’s ideology.
One striking thing in the book is that the animals agreed that on Napoleon’s birthday, a gun would be fired, and today, thousands of people will gather in Matobo to celebrate a leader’s birthday.
Songs, poems and essays have been written about Mugabe and his birthday and, in true Animal Farm style, Zimbabwe has descended into a farce.
Mugabe can celebrate his birthday in whatsoever manner he wants, but it becomes worrisome when that day is elevated into public holiday status and distressed companies, parastatals and civil servants are literally forced to fund it.
Zimbabwe cannot afford such profligacy, but as many Zanu PF members have elevated Mugabe to immortal status, drawing parallels between him and God — such as youth league leader, Kudzanai Chipanga and the late Tony Gara — then no expense should be spared in pleasing him.
History will be harsh on Zimbabweans for letting things get to this state, for every leader, despite their conquests, is fallible and should be treated as such.
Future generations will ask how this generation and the one before it allowed one man to wield so much power and influence, to an extent that his word is taken as the gospel truth and those that oppose him are treated as second-rate citizens.
History should also judge Zanu PF very harshly for failing to regenerate and entrust one person with so much power, as this is a sure recipe for disaster.
Zimbabwe had so much hope in 1980 and looked like it would set a good example for the rest of the continent, but because we chose the wrong path, this country is now an example of how not to govern.
Mugabe and his party are in for a great feast today, as the country’s fortunes continue to plummet and an enduring question that will be asked well into the future is how this generation allowed the situation to become this desperate.
COMMENTS
You have the wrong time frame, Mr Editor. This is not a generation of fools – it is a nation of fools.
But we are all having such fun in the Matopos – let us just eat, drink and be merry. We sorted out the Matabele, we sorted out the MDC and we sorted out the commercial farms, and now are printing Bond Notes – that is how clever we all are in Zanu., Mr. Joe Cool and Mr. Editor. We have the support of the UN, we have the support of the EU and even the Commonwealth and Her Majesty. We even have a world rated genius from the University of Sussex Professor Scoones telling us how clever and wonderful we all are in Zanu. Kissinger and Carrington worship still us and Malcolm Fraser said that Mugabe was his hero. The second best President in the world Mr. Zumba (we have the best as you well know) has told us that we are simply wonderful. Even Donald Trump, the CFR and Chatham House are in complete awe of us in Zanu because we have a genius in charge.