Tendai Ruben Mbofana
That way, even the most complex and sophisticated concepts automatically become easier to grasp and appreciate.
At least, that is how my mind operates, perceives and interprets issues – breaking them down into smaller ingestible pieces, more digestible by my brain.
As such, whenever I hear our government claiming to support all the commendable efforts by the ‘Brand Zimbabwe’ campaign – my mind naturally thinks of a very simple analogy.
I imagine that there is a serial rapist and murderer, unleashing a heartless heinous reign of terror around his community – targeting helpless and vulnerable ladies, especially those living or moving alone.
During which, he ambushes them in their homes, or waylays them on secluded paths – thereby, savagely sexually abusing them, brutally torturing them in a sadistic manner, and then killing them in cold blood.
Under circumstances that can only be described as inexplicably bizarre and extremely outrageous – after being apprehended and convicted for his horrendous criminal acts – he spares no effort in a vigorous campaign to show up his gravely tattered image.
In all this, he goes out of his way, blaming everyone – except himself, of course – from members of his community, and any surviving victims or witnesses to his despicable crimes, to law enforcement and the judiciary who nailed him, as well as the media who publicized his callous deeds.
He rants and raves that all of them were out to get him, motivated by a personal hatred and jealous of his successes in life, and doing everything in their powers to soil his impeccable image.
Surely, who would be to blame for the bad press he receives?
Who was truly responsible for savaging his name?
Was he not a victim of his own unspeakable cruelty and wickedness – considering that no one forced him to plan, pursue, and brutally rape and butcher these defenceless ladies?
This is how I perceive the situation in our own Zimbabwe – whereby, the government has a sickening and most disturbing tendency of always blaming so-called ‘detractors and enemies’ for ostensibly ‘tarnishing the image of the country’.
I was not particularly shocked by information minister, Monica Mutsvangwa’s statement at a recent press conference – where she pledged the Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa administration’s overwhelming support for the ‘Brand Zimbabwe’ initiative – which she claimed was necessary as a consequence of concerted efforts to paint a negative picture of Zimbabwe.
Let us be brutally frank with each other – who has being the real culprits in this ‘tarnishing the country’s image’?
Who has been working day and night, seemingly possessed by some malevolent spirit, in making global headlines all for the wrong reasons?
Has it been Hopewell Chin’ono, or Nelson Chamisa, or Job Sikhala – or even Tendai Ruben Mbofana?
Is Sikhala the one arresting opponents and those standing up against oppression, repeatedly refusing them their constitutional right to bail for months, and their trials never getting off the ground?
Is Chin’ono the one who has been entering into shady deals with dubious companies, and diverting or misappropriating national resources – prejudicial the country of billions of dollars annually?
Has it been Chamisa who has been presiding over a failed administration – whose policies appear largely inspired by a desire to pillage and plunder the nation, whilst at the same time characterized by incomprehensible inconsistencies and incompetence?
Why are millions of Zimbabweans living in extreme poverty, hospitals facing shortages of medicine, medical treatment and trained personnel, as well as our schools lacking basic learning material and equipment, with a seriously undermotivated teaching staff?
Who has been going around the country, or deploying gangs of youth, savagely attacking opposition leaders and supporters, or denying them their democratic right to freely gather and campaign?
So, who really has been ‘tarnishing the image of Zimbabwe’?
As a trained journalist myself, I would definitely know what a ‘good story’ is – and, what the ruling elite in the country are doing, is certainly worthy of global headline news
Our Zimbabwe is truly a most beautiful and awe-inspiring country – with some of the most captivating sceneries in the world, the best climate under the sun, and a hardworking and peace-loving citizenry.
All this could easily be making international news headlines – if only our national leaders were not busy stealing the limelight with their own villainous, disgraceful and disgusting acts.
Therefore, who is really the one busy scuttling the wonderful efforts by the ‘Brand Zimbabwe’ initiative?
- 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
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