Or can we attribute it to a form of intimidation and terrorism unleashed by imperialist countries and their agents on an African leader who dares demand the control and ownership of the riches of his country for the benefit of his people and the rest of Africa? Is Robert Mugabe a victim of a brutal imperialist West? Why are the United States and Britain, acting as the 'Big Brothers' watching over the world? Have the leaders of these western countries socialised us to accept their supremacist attitudes to the extent that we internalised them as our self-image? All these questions are a living testimony to the effect that some leaders regard themselves as lead runners who should set the pace for latecomers; in this case, Africans as the so-called latecomers. Incidentally, is Mugabe the one on the wrong and thus Britain and US should be absolved of any blame? I don't think so. Mugabe may have erred to the detriment of the Zimbabwean population but those who carry the same yoke of wrongful deeds should also come to the party.
In his book, Planet Dialectics: Explorations in Environment and Development, W. Sachs posits that, "ruined buildings hide their secrets under piles of earth and rubble. It is therefore not surprising that archaeologist, shovels in hand, work through layers upon layers to reveal underpinnings and thus discover the origins of a dilapidated monument. But ideas can also turn out to be ruins, with their foundations covered by years or even centuries of sand". Based on this theory, one is tempted to agree that the imposing ruins of the imperialist over their former colonies, still linger over every issue that has seen the Zimbabwean economy pale into a shadow of its former self. Though I concur that Mugabe is wrong, I also tend to think that he is only trying to push the rubble of the ruins aside to open up new ground for the prosperity of his country and benefit of his people. Unfortunately, his efforts which started with the land distribution exercise, has not received the blessing of the super-powers.
