Thanks for liberating us, now let's move on

Thanks for liberating us, now let's move on

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By Lloyd Msipa

THE fall of apartheid South Africa signalled the last of African countries freed from colonial bondage.

Kwame Nkurumah, inspired by the works of Marcus Garvey, declared and inspired the freedom train that fifty years later saw the last of Africa’s colonies being free. The irony of this journey to freedom is that Kwame Nkurumah himself did not achieve this single handed.

He relied heavily on the workers union, in as much as the ANC of South Africa and the Zanu and Zapu in Zimbabwe relied heavily on the trade unions to achieve independence.

It is when Nkurumah was in place as the leader of Ghana (Gold Coast) that he turned around and redefined the role of the same trade unions. When he was challenged he proceeded to use the very same tactics that Robert Mugabe is using today. When the railway workers went on strike in 1961, Nkrumah ordered strike leaders and opposition politicians arrested under the Trade Union Act of 1958.

Although Nkrumah himself had organised strikes a few years before, there was no longer any place for them in his plan under his leadership. To remain relevant in Ghanaian politics, Nkrumah introduced legislation to deal with those that challenged him, namely, the Preventive Detention Act.

This legislation, like AIPPA and POSA in Zimbabwe, led to widespread dissatisfaction with Nkrumah’s rule leading to various attempts on his life to a point where he did not trust anybody. The police came to resent their role in society. Meanwhile, a quite justifiable fear of assassination meant Nkrumah became less accessible.

Today Nkrumah is regarded as one of Africa’s illustrious sons because he single handedly started the process leading to Africa’s emancipation. However, the respect extended to his leadership in Ghana is lukewarm as a result of this tendency by African leaders to overstay their welcome. Whilst the greatest respect should be extended to those that sacrificed their livelihood to free African countries from the bondage of colonialism, it is not right for the same liberation heroes to hold on to this glory indefinitely.

This self glorification of African leaders, if over-extended, manifests itself to what we have in Zimbabwe today. I’m sure no one doubts Mugabe’s role in leading Zimbabwe to Independence in 1980. This has given him a place in history, as one of the illustrious sons of Africa.

However, like Nkrumah, Mugabe has proceeded to overstep his mark and overstayed his welcome. Robert Mugabe belongs to the Nelson Mandela School and hence he should have passed the baton stick ages ago. Zimbabwe’s challenge now centers on good governance. Good governance demands ethical considerations that do not border on the use of force.

I accept that the decolonisation process was made possible through the use of force. But there was no alternative to this. Zimbabwe and indeed Africa’ next challenge is good governance. Good governance requires leaders who were not involved in the use of force, hence the need for the leadership to pass on.

In February 1966, while Nkrumah was away on a state visit to China, his government was overthrown in a military coup. Today, Mugabe one of the most respected leaders of his time risks pushing those who elected him into office too far.

Like Nkrumah, Mugabe is obsessed that Western countries are after his head. He will not let a week go by without uttering the names of Tony Blair or George Bush. We today see the purging of opposition leaders. This in itself signals the growing use of tactics that were used to bring down the Smith regime. The only difference is that Mugabe is doing it to his own people.

Hushe madzoro, so the shona saying goes, or ubukhosi ngamazolo in Ndebele. We need to come to a place were we credit those that liberated the country and move forward. Those that liberated the country must accept our gratitude for their role and move on. We need to come to a place were good governance becomes second nature to us.

Lloyd Msipa can be contacted at lmsipa@virtalukandco.com
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