Opinion
As soon as the US Center for Disease Control issued their guidelines for travel abroad, I took the opportunity to return to my beloved Zimbabwe to mourn the passing of my mother, Mbuya Elsie of the tribe of the rain bird.
I had read at least 20 books about Sheikh Mohamed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, ruler of Dubai, Defence Minister since 1971, and vice-president of the Arab Emirates. His best book is entitled, My Vision: Challenges in the Race for Excellence (2012).
Dubai and its ruler have many similarities with Zimbabwe, and I wanted to know why my beloved country has fallen far behind that jewel of the Middle East. The two countries are ruled by autocrats, but there ends the similarity.
Makhtoum loves his people with a passion that is almost insane. In recent years, the Emirates have been working on hosting the world Olympics, at which time they hope to showcase the first class standard of life they have achieved in a short space of 40 years. Zimbabwe has just celebrated its 40th year of decline since independence.
Contrary to general impressions, Dubai is no longer an oil kingdom. Realising that sooner or later, oil resources were finite and nonrenewable, Makhtoum started on a journey to make Dubai Airport the centre for world travel.
An examination of the world map and air travel routes in 1965 shows that Heathrow and Gatwick airports in London were the center of world travel. Evidence in the British Museum shows a very clear vision by the planners of Heathrow and Gatwick airports. They wanted these two airports to serve as a hub for world travel.
They even enlarged the Mercato the world map so Britain would look larger than it really was. Nothing is by chance. Today, a similar examination shows that Dubai Airport (DXB) is the second largest destination for air travelers in the world. With Dubai Mall as the largest mall in the world, Barj Khalifa (2008) the tallest building in the world, the Atlantis, the tallest hotel in the world, Godolphin the largest race horse breeding and training company in the world, it is no surprise that 92% of Dubai’s products are non-oil related.
Nothing is by chance. These achievements can be attributed to the vision and dreams of Al Maktoum. Further, as I have shown in some detail, Maktoum’s style of government is that of benevolent autocracy. The style of government may be important, but obviously it is the vision and love of country that determines whether success can be achieved.
Archival research shows that Hwange and Victoria Falls have the longest airport run-ways in Southern Africa, which formed a jumping place for huge American military cargo air-ships to Vietnam. Victoria Falls is the number one natural wonder of the world on the United Nations World Heritage list.
Further, Hwange Game Reserve is bigger and more animal infested than Kenya safari reserves. These two, Hwange and Victoria Falls, therefore, form a natural hub for world tourism.
Nothing has happened in 40 years.
On arriving at DXB airport, I was welcomed by immigration officers trained in the Ministry of Happiness. The face-veiled lady did not ask how much money I had. “Professor, you must see the Atlantis, the tallest hotel in the world,” she began to bubble a list of desirables.
Two officers from the Atlantis were already waiting for me. A bus, they said was ready. I was offered telephone services for free (so they said) and the list goes on.
The point I am making here is that visitors or returnees are not regarded as suspicious persons. There was no visa fee.
As we travelled into the city, there was no sign of any police presence. I was informed that the rulers in that part of the world adopted an ancient protocol from the Persians and Medes. Some people are so bad for society that they do not deserve trial.
Islamic judges work in teams of five. In many cases all they have to decide is the identity of a thief, after which the thief (assumed to be a male) is thrown into a mudwalled fortress awaiting loss of the hand that committed the crime. Temperatures range from below zero to 130 Fahrenheit at mid-day.
It has been estimated that 90 % of prisoners who live to regain their freedom never want to return. In the US recidivism is exactly the opposite.
My escort misplaced a cell phone in a restaurant. The shop keeper said she was waiting for the owner to return for it otherwise she would send it to the police.
Traffic fine letters are sent to the home address. The police will wait for a year to recover fines, at which time, when license renewal is due, the vehicle is locked up in a jail house (not the driver).
The human driver is treated with the outmost kindness; addressed always with the introduction of INSHALLAH-(God willing).
Deterioration in Zimbabwe
Any reasonable person will be aware that when God created the little geographical unit of Zimbabwe, He saw that it was good.
Having populated it with the sweetest people on earth, the best educated people among the Bantu, and the prettiest women among the Bantu, the devil sneaked in (while God was resting) some real bad sorts called politicians.
As my taxi drove from the airport, I counted 20 dead solar street lights. My driver told me that batteries were stolen by youthful offenders between ages six and 13.
These attract only a police whipping and are allowed to go.
The deterioration of the roads between the airport, Cranborne, Sunningdale and around Hatfield police station is disgraceful. My escort told me the “chefs” were waiting for Chinese donors.
Where there is no Makhtoum people perish.
Because of the hot weather the Emiratis built interstate roads during night hours, working between mid-night and two hours before sun-rise. Apart from building roads, the Emiratis are building houses for the poor.
Newly wedded couples are blessed- IN_SHALLAH, with a two bedroom house and a bank account of $Dirham30 000. Thereafter, INSHALLAH, if blessed by children, each child has an allowance of $D2 000 per month. Emiratis do not pay taxes.
With the gifted people we have in Zimbabwe, and the resources we have, we have 10 times more advantages than Dubai has.
We must pray without ceasing for God to send us our MakhtoumIn-Shallah.