The African-Western experience can best be summed-up into three phases and none of these phases has been good to Africa but they have all been financially lucrative to Europe and the United States of America (USA) in particular. The phases are slavery; colonialism and neo-colonialism and in each phase the African has been denied freedom to free choice and individual growth without white supremacists poking their noses into the affairs of Africa.
Zimbabwe has not been spared as there has been a foreign hand in the Zimbabwean cookie jar since the days of colonialism and more so now that the nation is trying to move forward and regain its continental and global prominence. Judging by the USA and European Union’s comments on the unfortunate recent spate of violence that was driven by the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Union (ZCTU) and the Movement of Democratic Change (MDC), the West is not willing to just let Zimbabwe be and get on with its affairs.
Please do not get this writer wrong, while acknowledging the need and importance of having relations with the West and similarly noting that the West has poured millions into developmental projects in Africa, the positives simply are not enough to cover for the negatives in the Africa-Western relationship. What Africa needs is a mutually beneficial relationship and to be treated as an equal partner, something which the West is not ready to do.
Getting back to Zimbabwe, this past week saw two press statements that were released by the USA government and the European Union parliament regarding the aforementioned spate of violence in January 2019. Both statements read like they were prepared by the incompetent public relations team at Morgan Tsvangirai House (the MDC Headquarters) as they lambasted the Government of Zimbabwe for its response to the violent protests while turning a blind eye to the level of violence unleashed by the protestors or the part played by civic society organisations that are largely sponsored by the same USA and EU governments in organising and executing the violent protests.
It is inconceivable that western governments would come out and rightfully condemn civic society organisations for deliberately causing loss of life and property by organising violent protests and promoting chaos with the aim of undermining the progress and positive overtures made by President Emmerson Mnangagwa in trying to rebuild the nation. Condemning them would just confirm what we all have known for centuries, that the West is not and will never be able to let Africa be as they always want to meddle and protect their self-proclaimed superiority.
Therefore, the negative statements from the USA and EU were no surprise as they perfectly dovetail into the EU-USA agenda of regime change and maintaining a chokehold on Africa. For the MDC and civic organisations in Zimbabwe the more the government of Zimbabwe looks bad the more money that flows into their pockets. I mean, look at it, if you have an organisation calling itself Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition that is bankrolled by EU backed NGOs it means that their bread and butter is crisis so they will never say there is no crisis in Zimbabwe so that the money keeps on coming.
However, credit has to be given to the majority of African states as they have managed to remain resolute and united in the face of unjust treatment from western powers trying to impose themselves on Africa. This past week also saw the SADC Chairperson, Hage G. Geingob, President Namibia, release his own statement on the same issue of last month’s violence across the country.
True to form and learning from past experiences (divide and conquer strategy used during colonialism) SADC was quick to recognise the hand of the West in the recent disturbances and refused to be dragged into Zimbabwe’s domestic matters but instead choosing to respect the people of Zimbabwe and giving them the freedom to solve their own problems.
The SADC chair wrote, “The SADC Heads of State and Government noted that since coming to power, the new Government of Zimbabwe has continued with concerted efforts to address socioeconomic challenges and transform the economy, particularly through the Zimbabwe Transitional Stabilization Programme (2018-2020), and to consolidate unity and peace in the country. This, notwithstanding, some internal groups, in particular NGOs, supported by external forces, have continued with efforts to destabilise the country.”
If only the West would take a cue from the SADC Heads, who are clearly closer to the situation and have a better understanding of the matter, in respecting each nation’s individual right to grow on its own without outside interference. Simply put it is high time westerners let Africa be.
