It takes discipline and a saintly understanding to rule

THE recent turn of events in Zimbabwe has proved that one does not need a lot of force or bloodshed to change governments. The army has been pivotal in the administration of the country for more than 30 years.

It is a very rich country in mineral resources. The governing elite reduced the country and its people to pinching poverty. A person of President Mugabe’s stature played no role in democratising the institutions of the country. The army has been looting the country and its resources, and forced its citizens to live as pariahs in the neighbouring states. All the intellectuals have fled the country.

Incoming President Emmerson Mnangagwa should hold early elections and stop intimidating the opposition and the citizens of the country. Gandhi said: “Consideration for others is a quality of a cultivated mind.”

Zimbabwe has suffered much pain and cruelty from doing what we knew to be wrong. Becoming better than we we were, we realise that we could be better than we were.

The ordinary law-abiding, kind and industrious citizens of of our northern neighbour have had their rights and honour deliberately and systematically perverted by their politicians.

We cannot say that the principle of love is to be limited to personal relations, and not extended to public and political life.We must acknowledge the pain and suffering endured by the people of Zimbabwe in the last three decades.

We hope now the politicians, including President Mnangagwa, will develop a sounder moral and ethical principle. The highest morality of law and duty is essential for a just social order and decency.

It is only possible for democracy in Zimbabwe to succeed if it is based on the dignity of the individual and social justice for all its citizens. The people of Zimbabwe should have told President Mugabe: “I live with bread like you, feel want “Taste grief, need friends; subjected thus “How can you say to us I am king?” (Shakespeare’s Richard II) In our country too we had our upheavals. Former president Thabo Mbeki wanted to remain a leader of our country for a third term. Members of the ruling party made it clear to him that they and the people of South Africa would not tolerate this.

The leader of the ANC Youth League said that he would kill for Zuma – even this statement would not have changed the minds of our citizens. We had a peaceful transition and transfer of power.

Our country is still confronted with massive corruption. Criminals all over the place, huge unemployment and poverty. For every tourist visiting South Africa, more than two jobs are created. Criminals are creating massive unemployment in our beloved country by preventing people from overseas visiting our beautiful state. Only those who are well-disciplined and have developed the delicacy of apprehension which is conspicuous in saints, have the right to rule. Dr Sears Appalsamy Netherlands