The Zimbabwean crisis: A man made disaster? What is the solution? Who is the black Knight? Read on if you want to know.
For some days now, I have had a burden on my heart. It would simply not go away. No matter what I did, the Zimbabwean crisis lingered in my thoughts. Yesterday, it even interrupted my discussions and my meditation on the Sabbath of the Lord. I knew I would not rest until I had penned my cogitations. Even now I wonder if I will find peace until the "troubled waters" are stilled.
“Why art thou cast down, O my soul? And why art thou disquieted within me? Hope in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God (Psalm 42:5,11; 43:5).”
See how your fame is turned into infamy, O Robert! How your confidence is turned from the Rock of ages unto the god of forces, O thou that callest thyself Gabriel! What a misnomer! Did you not say of Ian, “now the devil himself is defeated?” And now what have you become? Consider and judge how you have fared! Do two wrongs make a right? Did not the Almighty exalt you, while you were yet little in your own eyes? He adopted you and raised you up among the brethren. He appointed a people from afar to nurture you at Kutama Mission, when you were without a name and fatherless.
Gukurahundi was a fly in the ointment; Murambatsvina was your undoing and your latest evil “the straw that broke the camel's back.” Like Saul, the son of Kish, so have you done: For he was taken from Benjamin, the least of the tribes and made captain over the people of Israel. Yet in his latter days he forgot his God and rebelled against his Maker. He defiled the sanctuary and slew the priests of the Most High (1 Samuel 22:21). He sought to destroy the shepherd boy, even David, Jehovah's anointed. Because he disobeyed the Lord, and stiffened his neck against Samuel's counsel, God also rejected him.
“For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king. And Samuel said unto him, The LORD hath rent the kingdom of Israel from thee this day, and hath given it to a neighbour of thine, that is better than thou. And also the Strength of Israel will not lie nor repent: for he is not a man, that he should repent (1 Samuel 15:23,28,29).”
Behold, now you walk in the footsteps of Saul, ruthlessly putting down all opposition to your unrighteous deeds. Have you not lifted yourself up even against the “Prince of the host”? If Nebuchadnezzar (who reigned over the kings of the earth) was punished for his pride, how much more thou, O Robert? You replaced Colonialism with Marxism and Imperialism with Atheism. The fall of the Berlin wall was a sign unto you, but you refused to see. The collapse of the Soviet Union was the confirmation but you would not hearken.
“The pride of thine heart hath deceived thee, thou that dwellest in the clefts of the rock, whose habitation is high; that saith in his heart, who shall bring me down to the ground? Though thou exalt thyself as the eagle, and though thou set thy nest among the stars, thence will I bring thee down, saith the LORD (Obadiah 3,4).”
Do not listen to those who lie to you, for in the end they will laugh at you. They will stand aloof and wag their heads and hiss their tongues at you. Yea, they will say, “is not this the man who thought himself invincible and untouchable?” Reflect on the events of the recent past and you will know that no man is beyond retribution. Evil is decreed against you, O son of Mashona! You are walking the green mile. You are treading on thin ice. You are trying to balance on a tight rope … not knowing that it is being loosened.
Search and see that your peers have passed from the stage. Those who propped you up are now retired. How you have become a soloist! You are performing a monologue. The spotlight is upon you. Your flaws are evident. Your voice is breaking. You have lost your charm. There is no man to cover you. Look up! For the curtain is coming down on you. Ba n'ganga won't help you. Muti will fail you. You are caught in the past. Your time was up long ago. Handover the reigns to your grandchildren! See, they are about to strip you of the little honour that is left, O black Knight!
Even now it is not too late. There are two paths before you. Choose the path of peace! Walk away, while you can (at least the shame will be lessened). Learn from Kenneth (your comrade). Listen to Levy! He is right about his analogy. You are about to sink. You only have two options: to live in shame or die in disgrace. Behold, nature itself is against you. Last year's (2006) tremors were a warning. Look, the earthquake is coming! Your own body despises you. Listen to the voice of reason! Wisdom is calling to you.
Mashona unite, Sindebele unite, Batonga unite, Africa unite! Listen to the words of Bob (the prophet of reggae). “Afrika unite!” This is a test not for SADC alone, but for all Africans. “It doesn't matter where you come from. As long as you're a black man…you're an African.” The whole world is watching to see if democracy can work in Africa. What, is not today, Sunday March 25, 2007 a significant day? How can we properly celebrate the 200th anniversary of the abolition of slave trade, when we are not free from our self-styled shackles? Shall not the whole world cry out against us - hypocrites, hypocrites! Thabo, please make us proud to be Africans again. Nelson, I excuse your silence. You have borne enough on your shoulders. Peace to you, true son of Africa! Remember the words of one of Africa's fallen heroes, Dr Martin Luther King Jr: “When one suffers, we all suffer alike. That is the interrelated structure of reality.” May the dream come true! Let us all together: Jew and Gentile, Catholic and Protestant, Red, Yellow, Black and White join hands together as brothers. Then can we all truly sing the words of the old Negro spiritual? “Free at last! Free at last! Thank God almighty, we are free at last!”
