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04 July 2008
By Brilliant Pongo
The Apostle Paul says truly: “For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.” this is a startling statement from the Christian bible. One wonders if this is what Robert Mugabe has been reading? Those who believe in God may wonder why God asks men to be in subjection to evil governments.
Mugabe has resurrected the claims of Louis XIV and Charles I's divine right to rule: "Only God who appointed me will remove me - not the MDC, not the British", he declared at a rally in Bulawayo. As he made these pronouncements deadly political violence spread across Zimbabwe like a wild fire with more and more people falling victim to its consuming flames. In a country already ravaged by Aids and hunger political violence has added more to the people’s plight as it is fast becoming the new killer disease.
While some may argue that an evil government is better than no government at all, the question is what do we have in Zimbabwe, evil government or anarchy? Anarchy – shall I say, is the worst of all governments? In fact, anarchy is the absence of all government; it is the antipodes of order; it is the acme of confusion; it is the result of unbridled licence, the antipodes of true liberty.
The governments on earth have been and are the governments of men. Our self-serving leaders claim to have been appointed by God, yet, they choose to be corrupt and murderous and ignore God’s teachings. Robert Mugabe is said to be a devout Catholic and many will be forgiven to question his Catholic morals if at all they guide his way of thinking. Sadly, the same leaders who claim to be chosen of God often engineer the political violence, which has claimed and continues to claim so many lives in our dear nation.
The long-suffering people of Zimbabwe have been subjected to a lot of pain and harassment by the oppression of a mob (ZANU PF). Where every man is a law to himself and his own right arm and is his power to enforce his own will, this is the worst form of government. Laws, which are enacted for the protection of society, have no value except when they are administered in righteousness and justice, and they cannot be so administered in righteousness and justice, if dishonest men occupy administrative offices.
‘When the wicked rule, the people mourn.’ Just like any other thing the present Zimbabwe government has an acute shortage of wise men, good men, patriotic men to bring about normalcy, prosperity and peace to a nation in desperate need. Zimbabwe is in desperate need of selfless leaders who are willing to put the needs of the nation and its people first. None but such men should be chosen as leaders. I appeal to good men and women who have been chosen to represent us in the houses of parliament as senators and parliamentarians, regardless of creed, party affiliation, race or condition to stand up now and be counted. We need to restore the rule of law in our nation.
Abraham Lincoln once observed: “Bad laws, if they exist, should be repealed as soon as possible; still, while they continue in force, they should be religiously observed.” There is no reason or justification for men to disregard or break the law or try to take it into their own hands. It is the duty of citizens of this country to remember that they have individual responsibilities, and that they must operate within the law of the country in which they live. We have a number of laws that are repressive in Zimbabwe and as our representatives we, the people, look upon you to do what is right.
Ezra Taft Benson, a church leader and prominent figure in America for many years, in his book The proper Role of Government wrote: “It is generally agreed that the most important single function of government is to secure the rights and freedoms of individual citizens.” But, what are those rights? And what is their source? Until these questions are answered there is little likelihood that we can correctly determine how government can best secure them.
Thomas Paine, back in the days of the American Revolution, explained that: “Rights are not gifts from one man to another, nor from one class of men to another… It is impossible to discover any origin of rights otherwise than in the origin of man; it consequently follows that rights appertain to man in right of his existence, and must therefore be equal to every man.”
Thomas Jefferson asked: “Can the liberties of a nation be thought secure when we have removed their only firm basis, a conviction in the minds of the people that these liberties are of the gift of God? That they are not to be violated but with his wrath?”
It does not take a brilliant mind to recognise that there are forces eroding that foundation of freedom at every level of government and private life. While there are still many opportunities for statesmen to powerfully bless the future of this land, few elected officials are willing to make the required personal sacrifice.
Let us show our appreciation for those who do act for the good of the whole, to whom principle is more treasured than sound bites and truth is more valued than political influence.
It is a long time since we have had enough true statesmen at the national level, individuals guided in decision making by principle over self interests.
There are good men and women who could become such but they are loathe to enter the political cauldron that now characterises national public office.
Too often politicians now fight, not over issues, but against individuals. They demean the character, integrity and capacity of a political opponent. The power of the media when exercised worthily can help reverse the eroding of our freedom.
However, at times the media is supportive of fashionable political thought and guided by its heady capacity to influence public opinion by presenting events to support private interests rather than objectively, disinterestedly communicating facts.
The freedom and the righteous moral base of this nation can only be sustained by the moral fibre of its citizenry. The repairing and strengthening of our moral fibre can best occur around the hearts of our righteous citizens.
Man’s accountability to God is replaced with man’s accountability to special interests. These can quickly degenerate into coalitions to satisfy the selfish desires of the few at the expense of the majority. With our eyes open wide to the moral decline that surrounds us, we must soberly recognise that freedom is perishable. It can be lost through ingratitude, selfishness and violation of basic human rights. Ngayikomborerwe nyika ye Zimbambwe. God bless Zimbabwe.
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