Discussing politics is regarded as dishonorable, by some families and religious groupings. Rather than being causative, the majority of our people prefer things being determined by others. Such people do not know that the term “independence,” actually denotes self-determinism. A self-determined person cannot allow others to regulate his destiny, without his own consent.
There is substantial discomfort in all matters of responsibility, as responsibility requires a willingness to accept blame. Anything regarded as invoking acrimony is avoided by the considered decent and honorable people, especially among religious groupings. Indeed, it is true that politics arouses squabbles.
No decent person would like to be associated with politics. But all our problems emanate from improper political activism, as good people avoid political activism. The only reason for politics to be frequented by criminals is due to the timidity of the honorable people. Most of those people who deserve to be honorable are known to avoid politics.
But there is no honor that comes before being exposed to dishonor. This is the truth derived from the example of none other than Jesus Christ, showing us the way towards eternity. The illuminated dishonor of Jesus plotted the only incomparable standard, for all eternity. An honorable person is obsessed with the survival of others, ahead of his own survival.
It cannot be denied that politics, alone, has caused dilapidation, in Zimbabwe. Just as bad politics is attributed to having caused the current dilapidation; some positive development could have prevailed, had politics been in responsible people. This is where those assuming being smart, by avoiding politics, get everything amiss.
Politics is considered dishonorable to some circles. But, in actual fact, what should be regarded as dishonorable is a failure to take responsibility in the environment. A deeply confused society assumes that some people were born to be politicians, in order to determine the future of the entire population. This is not true. Our independence is too important to be left in the hands of psychotics.
We may not all be qualified to run for the presidency. But it is within anyone’s responsibility to select anyone to run for the presidency. The state of political apathy as characterizing Zimbabwe, since 1980, is deplorably appalling. This is notwithstanding that the majority of Zimbabweans, spanning that time were exposed to some decent education.
Unless the prescription of education is, itself, questionable, there is no excuse for the educated people to fail to take responsibility in political affairs. Could a highly educated and considered a normal person take comfort in being driven by an insane person? If not, how could Zimbabwe be allowed to fall into a condition, such as currently prevailing?
Unless also affected by insanity, under normal circumstances, no-one could take comfort, being aboard an airplane, whose pilot would be clearly observed as insane. The destiny of any vehicle being driven by an insane person can never be predictable. Normal people can actually be able to detect insanity, to save, even the insane person at the steering wheel.
Understandably, those affected by insanity, in equal measure, cannot be expected to detect insanity, on other people. Those people would be in agreement with the insane driver, even though poised for danger. Insanity is prevalent in our society, but most insane people are considered normal.
The safety of the entire population can only be possible when sane people become willing to take full responsibility. This is based on common sense, more than it is based on some scientific research. Any good observer is capable of seeing these things, including their effects.
While insanity is wide-ranging, it can also be easily detected among the characteristic behaviors, among ordinary people. The only challenge lies in that there are a lot of things that are considered normal when the opposite is true. This is like a proverbial frog, unable to jump out of the water, with the increasing temperature, towards its boiling point.
Firstly, the insane people are criminals, detected by means of their speaking in generalities. They are comfortable sitting in the area of the “May be.” When one behaves in a way that is out of the norm, the insane ones are also known to adjust, accordingly. They do so, by concluding that such would be the behavior of everyone in that surrounding.
The insane, feel safe and comfortable, as long as they would be in the company of other criminals. Safety is interpreted as avoiding extreme conditions. This describes the story of Christianity, in Zimbabwe. The majority of these people are known to be loyal to their church groupings, even when holding positions in Church leadership.
However, such devotedness to Christianity would not, necessarily, be driven by some desire to advance true Christianity. Although regarded as faithful, such Christians serve to drive many out of Christianity. When trying to stretch those people to take the Bible seriously and apply what it says, they become unsettled and label you an undesirable element.
Their faith is not based on what Jesus taught, necessarily. But on what would have held their respective denomination intact over the years. The denomination may have been sustained by one charismatic founder of that Church. But not necessarily by the teachings of Jesus.
The most interesting manifestation is that such insane people would coalesce around those considered as, behaviorally, more criminal. Those influencers would be few in numbers. Others would be just followers, unwilling to question the position taken by those in leadership, easily coalescing around them. The falsity is sustained in the common belief in leadership structures.
The Church leaders would be regarded as superior, yet completely disregarding the teachings of Jesus, who invalidated that methodology (Matthew 20:25-28). Anyone questioning the position adopted in the leadership would be labeled a renegade, even without justifiable reason.
Secondly, the insane people feel threatened by those appearing as successful in their environment. Their comfort is derived from a lack of development. The war of liberation reminisced with sad tales of people who were killed in horrendous conditions. But the victims of such abominable murders were highly successful in their endeavors.
Fictitious stories were created, describing the hard-working people as, “sellouts.” This was the common label, triggered by jealousy, against successful businessmen. Nevertheless, jealousy, is a state of insanity, as carrying no survival value. Imagine a situation where an innovative person engages in a grinding-mill business, helping everyone, including the jealous ones.
That progressive business person becomes targeted and sold out to the senseless guerillas, quick to shed innocent blood. Among the on-lookers would be those aware of the wrong conduct by those filthy guerillas, but unwilling to confront them on the basis of truth, due to fear.
A few may have chosen to voice their concerns, challenging such kind of sordid behavior. Only to be meted with similar experiences, costing their own lives. The story would have been different, in the event that those villagers would have taken political activism, seriously. As to be in control of political activities.
There would have been no need to cross borders for guerilla-war training. The liberation warfare, could not have been necessary, if the citizens were politically conscious, at the time. Nevertheless, this describes the reason why we have a culture characterized by an unwillingness to take part in political activism.
These are true stories that prevailed during the time of the liberation struggle. It is the state of insanity that remains anchored among Zimbabwean communities. Unless purposefully exorcised, the condition of insanity will continue to haunt Zimbabweans for many more years to come.
Thirdly, we have people who make huge profits out of the disadvantaged people. A community with a high number of impoverished people can be distinguished by the fact that there would be a few people with lots of money. How did the likes of Ginimbi, or Chiyangwa, and others accumulate such amount of wealth, where the majority are impoverished?
Surprisingly, there are those among the poor, who regard such people as their heroes. Such admirers would not be willing to ask a simple question: What kind of business would such tycoons be engaged in? A clean transaction comprises a double entry. In other words, the account that receives has a corresponding amount that gives.
Having accumulated such an amount of wealth, who would have been the giver, and for what benefit? It is true that criminals enjoy receiving without giving anything in return. But criminals are the insane, deserving to be incarcerated. Under normal conditions, politics would be necessary to deal with such criminals, stopping them from providing bad influence to others.
However, with the existence of political apathy, it is impossible to arrest such people. Bearing in mind that those in power would also be criminals, who ensure political appointments in the judiciary. This characterizes a nation sustained in criminology. The abnormal becomes projected as normal, where normal people are criminalized.
The trajectory of such conditions is unstoppable, towards the demise of a nation. Young people cannot identify with productive ideas. They assume being inferior to those of other nations. They fail to understand the reasons for their state of poverty. The likes of Ginimbi and Chiyangwas make them appear stupid when the opposite might be true.
Ask any average young Zimbabwean, their preference, if given a chance to choose between one million US dollars and one of their fellow Zimbabweans. There is no reason to be shocked to discover that those questioned would choose money, rather than their fellow Zimbabwean. This confirms the nature of criminality in the country. This is notwithstanding that none of those questioned would, themselves, prefer being compared, as less valuable than money.
Their survival instinct is worse than hyenas, not preferring their own kind for food. Politics implies concern about civil management and the safety of others. In a democracy, everyone is mandated with some responsibility, choosing the best form of governance.
The starting point is for the citizens to understand the responsibility that comes with voting. This is different from those deciding to go by what others decide. There is no survival in apathy. When committed to Christianity, such apathetic people assume having no concern for this world. The fallacy is in assuming that God would accept them in their state of apathy.
However, this world is a testing ground. If unable to manage the little portion at one’s disposal, in this life, how can one expect to be given weightier responsibility? Jesus described such lukewarm Christians as those He would spit from His mouth (Revelation 3:14-19). These are people existing in-between hot and cold, rather than taking extremes, on either side.
Currently, I cannot think of anything that can be more important than politics, in Zimbabwe. This does not matter whether one is Christian, or non-Christian. The country needs those desiring to make a difference in a bespattered nation, such as ours. There is no need to continue blaming the so-called political players. The poignant question is what one is doing, under the circumstances.
Those declaring that politics is unacceptable for normal people, are, themselves, abnormal people, whether Christians or non-Christians. It is better for one to die attempting to correct the wrong things in Zimbabwe, rather than dying, due to being governed by criminals.
It may not be necessary, for one to be vocal, or taking active participation in politics. My lament is about those choosing not to, even, cast their ballot papers, in due course. Others foolishly declare that there is no difference, because elections get rigged, anyway. This is not different from a person who chooses to do nothing in the face of a marauding predator.
Any human being is a political animal, whether one likes it or not, as long as in need of survival. Civilizations are sustained by responsible individuals, who take comfort in making a difference in their own environments. The United States of America is considered a better democracy than most countries. One has to look at the founding values, among those who eventually produced a constitution that has survived the test of time.
There is nothing peculiar about the Americans, except that they take interest in the political affairs of their country. Imagine the numbers of those, said to have participated in recent elections—even during this covid-19 period? What is it that drove those people to cast their votes, in large numbers, where Zimbabweans choose to be indifferent?
In Zimbabwe, less than a third of the population has been participating in elections, since 1980. Most have been too comfortable, assuming that queuing for voting would be time-consuming. I totally disagree with those advancing falsehoods in that Americans are more civilized than us. The difference, simply, lies in-between taking responsibility and the inability to take responsibility.
Andrew Masuku is the author of Dimensions of a New Civilization, laying down standards for uplifting Zimbabwe from the current state of economic depression into a model for other nations worldwide. A decaying tree provides an opportunity for a blossoming sprout. Written from a Christian perspective, the book is a product of inspiration, bringing relief to those having witnessed the strings of unworkable solutions––leading to the current economic and social decay. In a simple conversational tone, most Zimbabweans should find the book as a long-awaited providential oasis of hope.
The Print copy is now available at Amazon.com for $13.99
Also available as an e-copy at Lulu.com for $6.99
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