Opinions of Wednesday, 22 November 2017

Columnist: Ahanta Apemenyimheneba Kwofie III

Robert Mugabe and the comedy stage

Robert Mugabe, Former President of Zimbabwe Robert Mugabe, Former President of Zimbabwe

After 37 years, many of the people who actually took part in the struggles to liberate Zimbabwe from colonial rule have died and gone. Those who may be alive and have the reminiscence of colonialism may be old and feeble to engage in active socio-economic activities. They may still be loyal to Robert Mugabe but might be too weak to come back to the struggles once again. They are waiting upon the Lord to breathe their last breath.

After 37 years, here comes a chunk of Zimbabwean youths who only came to read in the history books how Robert Mugabe and others struggled to liberate Zimbabwe from colonialism. With such youths, they are likely to tell you "Robert Mugabe took independence for us and so what?" It is a story they have heard over and over again. They are no longer enthused and inspired by the story of Robert Mugabe and the independence.

So, every leader must leave the comedy stage when the applauds are loud just like Nelson Mandela did. Somewhere along the line, no matter how charismatic a leader is, the people loathe him particularly when his generation has gone ahead of him and new breed of youths who have no idea of the struggles emerge.

They loudly call for change despite the fact that they may belong to the same political fraternity and ideologies like Robert Mugabe and the ZANU-PF which is fronting his removal from office as the president of Zimbabwe. I am not sure Robert Mugabe ever thought that ZANU-PF will turn its back on him and force him to leave office when he least expected it.

It nearly caught up with Flt Jerry John Rawlings who was once referred to as Junior Jesus but he was smart enough to leave the scene at the exact stage when he was becoming loathsome. Only the Zimbabweans can tell the accolades attributed to Robert Mugabe during the independence struggles and declaration. They have forgotten all that though he is the same Robert Mugabe.

For such youths, the only slogan they know is change ! change !! change !!! At times the choruses of change is so loud that the mighty ones like Colonel Muamuar Al'Gadafi of Libya were all swept off their feet by the waves of change. You cannot resist it. If you try it, you will be crushed to death by the same people who once praised you.

I don't think Mugabe lost everything. I know he was once a Tadi guy and even taught at St. Mary's Boys' School at Apowa. He even married a Tadi woman who stood by him through thick and thin unlike Grace Mugabe who has fled him when hard times came. Somebody should tell Mr. Robert Mugabe to come home now that everything seems to work against him in Zimbabwe. If he wishes to be sent to Zimbabwe after his death, his wish will always be our command and if he wish to lie by Sally Hayfron Mugabe his first love too, we will not complain.

The same people will pay glowing tributes the day Robert Mugabe will pass on. It is human nature that is why we should never forget that it was the same tongue that was used to shout hosanna was the same tongue that was used to shout crucify him.

Somebody tell Mugabe to come to Tadi if he has nowhere to go but we should remember that ZANU-PF is still in charge of Zimbabwe and Robert Mugabe is just one person in ZANU-PF and in these times, his influences are equally old as his age and would soon die out.

The change that the Zimbabweans are calling for has not come yet.