Whatshot
What's The Issue?
What's The Issue?
Date: 2016-01-22
Universal love and oneness-of-spirit is referred to in the understanding of the term "Ubuntu". Nelson Mandela was quoted as saying "As I walked out the door towards the gate that would lead to my freedom, I knew that if I didn't leave behind my bitterness and hatred, I'd still be in prison." And so even in death Tata Mandela is sending us the message that it is the bitterness and hatred that imprisons all who conjure it up into their lives. It is this bitterness and hatred that imprisons our greatness as a nation and keeps it locked in the struggle to achieve what we all want, which is to be the rainbow nation of miracles that we are. Only love will give us freedom and peace. Like both Matthew and Mark say in the Bible, "Love thy neighbour as thy self." This is the way.
But in politics this is not usually the way. The way of politics is divide and rule, and we are being divided so easily it is embarrassing. Lead like lambs to the slaughter. No pun intended of course. So many of us falling into the trap of a ranting retort that it is almost comical, if it weren't so dire.
Now it is glaringly obvious to most that there is some discontent with our present president and there is a beacon of light coming from Tanzania's new president, John Magufuli, who is showing us the way forward. Breaking the pattern of megalomania that seems to have gripped this continent by its presidents. John is on! He is powering ahead having been elected by his people. He has been nicknamed "The Bulldozer" having already saved his country millions of dollars by cutting lavish spending on parties and celebrations and cutting the list of delegates from his country to the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting from 50 to only 4. His people love him and they are not posting banners calling for action on any buildings. There is hope for us African's yet. Not if we behave like the Nigerian group of some 55 people, cabinet ministers, state governors, bankers and businessmen, who have been accused of stealing 6.8 billion dollars from Nigeria's public coffers over a period of seven years.
That we can do without thanks.