The Man Can ShamZimbabwe Dictator Par-Excellence, Mr. Robert Mugabe has shown the World that “the man can sham” and he has! Mugabe a highly intelligent man who possesses seven (7) higher educational degrees earned in prison on various subjects has out witted his opponent Morgan Tvangarai with a wave of violence and intimidation, beyond the reaches of any text book he ever studied while in detention. His example of staying the course, under international and domestic pressures, is an inspiration to all African - dictators. It is a dreadful example to emulate. However, Mugabe being intelligent does not mean his intellectual veneer should be taken to mean the man can think. He cannot of course. For book knowledge to be effective, it must be linked to real life to become effective. If not, a man may as well not know how to read or write as the guy next to him.
Interestingly enough, Mr. Mugabe’s attested biggest personal weakness as a man and leader as told by those close to him is his inability to tolerate any criticism. While many modern leaders believe criticism nourishes leadership, in Zimbabwe like in Seychelles, it could send you floating. Hence, Mugabe’s sense of superiority which he uses to lord over his ZANU -PF. Sound familiar SPPF? While he likes the occasional joke, he gets bitter and uncommunicative when he is made to feel inadequate. Sound familiar SPPF? Mugabe is cut off from the reality of being an ordinary person limited by humanness that would acknowledge his limitations, vulnerability and mortality. As such, it is told, he has developed a sort of madness, since he is answerable to no one and he is out of touch even with his own madness. Sound familiar SPPF? If so, read on....it gets better.
In Seychelles we have our own Mugabe, but he is not black and he does not claim to be African, but acts like the Black African Dictator-Mugabe in any case. From the Coup d’Etat on June 5th 1977, to the ruling by Presidential Decrees under the One Party State Marxist- Communist failed utopia era, till today, when Seychelles, like Zimbabwe is now suffering from severe Inflation and Devaluation of the national currency, like Mugabe, he still calls the shots and uses the same tools of violence, intimidation, fake currency rates, Land Acquisitions, systematic victimization of opposition rank and file, Arrest -Detention without Warrants- intimidation of Judiciary all dictators use.
Do not kid yourself to think for a moment Seychelles is a true democratic state. It is not. We, like Zimbabweans are stuck because one man who was intelligent, could not apply his knowledge to his World, without using past relationships to bias his decisions and actions. Hence, today, we all suffer, like all in Zimbabwe suffer for the same reasons under a different hand. For to put Country before self, is not a small challenge. It is possible only with mentally and spiritually well balanced individuals at the helm.
Like Mugabe, SPPF liked the sound of Marxist Ideology in the early days. This Marxist rhetoric made life easier for the dictators. They could spout out some song and the Public would dance. They did not have to engage in debate to defend their ideas. Nor did they ever have anyone question their authority. As time goes on, this lack of questioning makes a leader weak since his brain is not challenged. Without a challenge over a prolonged period, dictators start to think outside of the reality of their people. They venture into their own World. Sound familiar SPPF?
While Rene was clever enough to step a side in the hope of being able to manage Affairs of State from the sidelines under his bunker; Mugabe has elected to grab the bull by its horns and control Zimbabwe to the very end of his own life. Mr. Mugabe, a professed Marxist turn lover of luxury goods, fine suits tailor made in London and Italy, has vowed to hold on to Zimbabwe at all cost. He is doing just that for the moment. While he selects his Gucci shoes to go with his Marks and Spencer three piece suits, his people cannot select a loaf of bread to feed their families and they must now rely on international food aid donations to keep them alive. The situation in Zimbabwe today, is testimony to Mugabe’s failed policies while still being an intelligent man, but not being able to apply his intelligence to the real World around him. As he reads his lofty books and spouts his fancy ideas, his people practically starve to death. Sound familiar SPPF? If so read on, it gets better. Make the most of Weekly.
Why should we pay attention to this African mishap, People of Seychelles? Because Rene still runs the show and the show is on the same road as Zimbabwe, only the figures and statistics are a little different, but same downward- failing- collapsing trend is in play in both countries. As Mr. Michel delivers fertilizer and seeds from FAO to feed us and Minister Joel Morgan begs for some corn from Communist China to keep our pigs and chickens alive for 4 more months, it is now only one step into another hole, before we start relying on international food aid to feed us in Seychelles as well, just as we are witnessing in Zimbabwe through CNN, BBC and TV5. One day soon, as the ships dock in Port Victoria, the Minister for SPPF will sign the discharge papers for international food aid to feed us and SPPF will claim another grand success.
Seychellois open your eyes, what has happened in the Zimbabwe failed state scenario, is happening in Seychelles today. Do not let SPPF fool you anymore. Open your eyes to save your children and their children from more SPPF failure. Do not let the beautiful beaches and lovely islands God bequeathed to us, fool you to believe everything is fine in paradise under SPPF. It is not! We are now in a disaster management mode. Our economy is in shambles. Inflation, known as the ‘Hitman of Political Organizations’ in economics, is gunning straight for SPPF. They don’t know where to run – Where to take cover, SPPF is selling Seychelles to Arabs - Communist China – Russians and others to pay debts SPPF created themselves. They now call this exercise “Joint Venture”. Their top brass Princes are already rich beyond your capable imagination. They got so rich off our wealth as a Nation - but not from their smart and hard work. We do not have to name names anymore; our children already know them all by heart.
In Zimbabwe, the Opposition led by Morgan Tvangarai has run a clean campaign in the hope of obtaining International support for a military intervention in his country. Tvangarai pulled out of the Presidential Election Run Off and the campaign was marred with so much violence that it was determined not to be Free or even Fair. Tvangarai’s political future now lay in state in the hands of the International Community. The People of Zimbabwe have been intimidated to the point of no return. The spirit of a people broken; only the outside World can help them now or they shall rest in peace under Mugabe.
Do not let Seychelles walk this walk. In future, be thoughtful before casting your vote – it is the only thing, which can make the difference between Seychelles going down the path set by Zimbabwe or move towards a complete transition. If we achieve a successful transition, only then will we be able to seek forgiveness of SPPF debts from the Paris Club and others, which are staring us in the face till it causes our early death as a Nation. A vote for a mentally weak but bull headed Opposition is not a vote either. In coming Elections over the years, send the salary beggars packing and SPPF to where they belong.
In Seychelles, SPPF under Rene and now under Michel has used violence as a tool of maintaining power for many years now. He uses intimidation as well. From the early days, till today, these tools of the trade of tyrants are used in Seychelles. What is the difference? Well, no in SPPF holds seven (7) prison degrees like Mugabe, but Rene is probably just as smart. His intentions from my observation are nothing different from Mugabe’s: “stay in power at all cost”.
While CNN and BBC bring us pictures of the violence in Zimbabwe, in Seychelles, SBC does not cover gruesome events in our own backyard. Instead, it is the Seychelles Weekly that brings the beatings, Police State Abuse, Military Abuses on Civilians, and alleged State House Agent Murders to the forefront. Nation, People, Isola Bella, People Plus, SBC do not report murders acts of victimization and intimidation, let alone follow up on them. Nation reports sometimes, “A man was found”.
Secondly, in Seychelles, we have a much smaller population than in Zimbabwe. Hence, the Police State has to do much less acts of violence and intimidation to keep our population under a constant state of mental suppression. But in Seychelles, one act of violence is felt throughout the community and it brings shock waves to all our hearts as if it were 1000 people being killed in Zimbabwe. Rene and surrogates like Michel know that too well. While Rene used Seychellois who do not know better to commit these brutal acts, Michel it would appear from his actions, is leaning on foreign assistance now that he has imported a gang of Irish men consigned to State House and the International Airport. These men do the occasional surveillance and break-ins into Democratic Party Headquarters at Mont Fleuri and these allegations as they have been made in the press have not been denied by Mr. Michel or Mr. Rene. Therefore, they must be true. The UNDP should put some of that Budget to work to get to the bottom of this type of State sponsored terrorism. If the UNDP does not investigate this matter, then shame on the representative.
SPPF and ZANU-PF are the same type of political organization. Both parties in Africa are led by the same type of men. They can be proud to know that the ways of violence and intimidation has worked in favor of Mr. Mugabe for a moment in time and history. Mr. Michel can hide behind SADC official positions to hide his embarrassment, but in the end Boss has said: “Boss is Boss”, so be proud Mr. President, when Mugabe wins one for tyrants all over Africa.....he is winning for you too!
The winds of failure never blow any good... anywhere!