From Freedom to Captivity
Jubilee Centre May 14th, 2008
Many African nationalists would argue that the United Kingdom has no right to be critical of Zimbabwe’s current presidential election results stand off between ZANU-PF and the MDC. Many see the UK special interest in the Zimbabwe election results as being solely over the land invasions by Mugabe and ZANU-PF that began in 2000 and led to the white farmers losing their properties. The assumption by African leaders appears to suggest that the UK and USA sympathy for the MDC is not because the Party is more democratic than ZANU-PF.
It appears that Mugabe has convinced the African leaders that the support to MDC by UK and USA is a continuation of war over farm land that was lost by white farmers and was distributed to Zimbabweans. Therefore, as far as the African leaders are concerned, every utterance from either London or Washington over Zimbabwe is a confirmation of the view that North’s interest in Zimbabwe is their kith and kin. Mr. Mbeki’s refusal to speak to the international media must be understood from the context that this is an African problem and Africans are of age to solve their own problems and to shape their own destinies.
It is undisputable that the then UK Prime Minister, Tony Blair and his International Development Secretary, Clare Short have played a role in the crisis happening in Zimbabwe today as result of their approach to the land issue problems over ten years ago. However, to put blame solely on the British government is like 
looking, at the speck of saw dust in Blair’s eyes and paying no attention to the plank in Mugabe’s eye. For example, why should Zimbabweans experience brutal oppression and injustices from its own police or army for exercising their right to vote? Why are leaders of opposition party not in Zimbabwe? Why should Zimbabwe have more than three million refugees? Why should Zimbabwean grandmothers be deprived of the joy to nurse their grandchildren who are being raised in foreign lands so as to get a better shot at life? Why should the life of certain Zimbabweans be under great restrictions as if they are again under Ian Smith rule where black people were basically second class citizens? Why should people who fought for the right to determine their destiny and received their freedom in 1980 be held in captivity again?
We submit that Zimbabwe problems are not so much because of Blair’s or Short’s mediocre approach to the land issue. Yes, the UK must own up for its mistakes on the state of Zimbabwe today. However, it is our view that Zimbabwe is in this situation because of its political leaders who refuse to take the plank out of their own eyes before they take saw dust in others. The Bible is full of stories of Kings who refused to see their own mistakes and failed to own up on their sins because they had become powerful. Their pride led to their downfall. The prophets warned such Kings over and over on the consequences of their defiance. The Kings did not pay attention and in the end this led their people into captivity. Do we have prophets in Zimbabwe? Are they preaching the message on how the sin of pride by Kings leads nations to captivity? What about you? Are you reminding your church on the dangers of pride?
Lawrence Temfwe
