By Field Ruwe
Sata’s failure to attend Mandela’s memorial
Anxiously, I waited as Cyril Ramaphosa announced the names of leaders present, but before he got to Zambia, I saw Guy Scott in the VIP locale and my heart sank into the pit of my stomach. When I first read that Sata would rather attend Kenya Jubilee celebrations than celebrate the life of the world’s most revered statesman, I began to think there was something terribly wrong with our president. I prayed that he changes his mind and joins other world leaders in sending off an extraordinary black man, a colossus, a global icon who is African. To the shock and horror of many, he did not.
Why do we have a president? This is perhaps one of the simplest yet profound questions. The answer has always been because we need an arbitrator, a trailblazer, and in times of war, a commander-in-chief. The person we choose becomes our front, our image, our chief representative. In this case we chose Michael Chilufya Sata to serve as our vanguard and conduit for reaching the world. His actions and decisions are therefore at the heart of our personal lives. If he acts inappropriately the world laughs at us; if he improves our lives, the world applauds him; and if his achievements go beyond world expectations, the world treats him like Mandela.
When Sata failed to show up at Mandela’s memorial many people were left scratching their heads, more so when Zambia High Commissioner to Kenya Mumbi Phiri announced that Sata would be traveling to Nairobi for the Golden Jubilee, a day after the Mandela service. For those who thought our president had lost it, cannot be blamed. As for me, I thought he was the usual daring leader without discernment who was making the greatest blunder of his life based on his ego; that his bold and thoughtless decisions were at work. After all, he has the reputation of being unpredictable and impulsive. I feared that the world would laugh at us for putting such an insensitive man at the helm.
[pullquote]Upon his release from Robben Island, Mandela picked not Tanzania, Ethiopia, Cuba, Russia, or the USA, but Zambia for his first foreign tour in 27 years[/pullquote]
Let’s face it; if there was a historic occasion that called for the presence of our president, this was it. We, more than any country in the world are largely responsible for securing the release of Mandela and the eventual destruction of apartheid. Mandela said so himself. Upon his release from Robben Island, he picked not Tanzania, Ethiopia, Cuba, Russia, or the USA, but Zambia for his first foreign tour in 27 years. On February 28, 1990, Mandela arrived in Lusaka to thank us. He reminded the world that it was from Lusaka that the ANC’s “remarkable team of men” built the organization into a powerful force. With the patience and cooperation of Zambians they executed their plans to the point “where we feel we are on the edge of a breakthrough in our struggle for freedom.”
Zambia’s history with the ANC
Yes, Zambia became a seat for the ANC in exile. Between 1964 and 1991, we accommodated the ANC’s executive committee members including Jacob Zuma who was housed in Woodlands, Thabo Mbeki in Makeni, and Oliver Tambo in the former colonial governor’s house at State House. Others included Alfred Nzo, Commander Joe Modise, Chris Hani, Mac Maharaj, Moses Kotane, Duma Nokwe, Mzwai Piliso, Mendy Msimang, Moses Mabhida, Themba Mqota, Mark Shope, Tennyson Makiwane, and Jimmy Hadebe. These men with their families called their flight to Zambia “the pilgrimage to Lusaka,” and so did thousands of South African refugees. They were found in almost all residential areas—Emmasdale, Avondale, Lilanda, Matero, Kabwata, Libala, Kaunda Square, and even in shanties. They used some of the houses as “MHQ Underground” (MHQ=Umkhonto we Sizwe Headquarters), or “Special Ops” from which sabotage strategies were planned.
In 1967, the ANC and ZAPU of the now Zimbabwe formed an alliance known as the MK-ZAPRA (later ZIPRA) force to fight the Rhodesian and South African governments side by side. The merge put our lives in danger. Rhodesian and South African forces began to infiltrate our country, destroying lives and property.
Who can forget October 19, 1978? On this day, the Rhodesian Air Force took over all our airports, and launched a series of raids on ZIPRA training camps in what became known as “Operation Gatling” conducted with the support of the South African government. Bombs fell on us indiscriminately. The emergency wing of UTH was turned into a sea of blood. It is believed 3,000 people, some of them Zambians died on that day alone, and many were maimed. Rhodesia and South African killings, invasions, raids, blasting of roads, and burning of villages continued until KK met P.W. Botha in 1982. In the end we lost many lives and our economy tanked.
When Mandela embarked on his tour, Commonwealth heads of state, including Secretary-General Shridath Ramphal, travelled to Lusaka, Zambia to meet him. It was a proud moment for KK and Zambia, a country Mandela, in his words of gratitude, referred to as “the Switzerland of Africa” for its sacrifices. He clearly recognized the human and economic cost we endured. For that, we won a permanent place in his heart and in the hearts of countless South Africans. It is with our sacrifice in mind, and in honor of all those who perished, that President Sata should have put other commitments aside and travelled to Pretoria together with KK. Yes, KK did, but that was by far enough.
A President is not a demi-god
It just didn’t feel right to send VP Guy Scott to represent us for various reasons, one being that he is a man despised by South Africans for his off-color remarks about South Africans being backward. Lest we forget, here are Scott’s own words: “The South Africans are very backward in terms of historical development. I hate South Africans. That’s not a fair thing to say because I like a lot of South Africans but they really think they’re the bees’ knees and actually they’ve been the cause of so much trouble in this part of the world.” With these words he fell out of favor and damaged our relations with the South Africans. At the memorial Scott was the unwelcome guest.
Now, there are some who might be quick to defend the president, many who are his cadres, die-hards, “pain for gain” beneficiaries, and those who naturally love him through thick and thin. They will foolishly say they see nothing wrong with sending Scott to the memorial. Sadly, Zambian politics blindfolds the mind and impedes critical and reasonable thinking. A party leader wins and his followers build a brick-brained wall of blind loyalty and strongly support any poor or foolish decision, regardless. That is what is wrong with us. We treat politics like a religion. The leader becomes a demi-god. He is immortal. We kneel, bow, kiss his feet, and render a nod of stubborn idiocy. We are totally at his mercy and “shall surely follow him” even when he causes us shame or leads us into the abyss. Such is the paradox of blind loyalty.
“You don’t know the reason why the president delegated Scott,” someone might say. And this is where the problem lies. It is most likely that the person who says thus may not know either. But if the past is anything to go by, we should know who we are dealing with. President Sata truly believes he has got us in his thrall. His attitude and actions reflect his deep conviction that he is indispensable; that he owns us and therefore owes us no explanation or apology. We have instilled this perception in his mind. We have created in him a cult of personality that makes him behave like an insensitive tyrant.
Surely, if Sata was not invited to the memorial, he should have informed us. We would have taken it upon ourselves to protest, attack President Zuma and call him the most ungrateful leader on earth and demand he pays reparations for our sacrifice. If Sata had chosen not to travel because he disliked Nelson Mandela, he should have advanced the reasons for their differences. If indeed he was feeling fatigued or unwell he should have posted a press statement. Whatever the reason, we, his humble servants should have been informed. He didn’t, and he won’t, which is a great shame really.
Nevertheless, it was gratifying to see hundreds of planes emerge out of the African sky, carrying with them heads of state from Obama of the U.S. to Xanana Gusmao of the small country of East Timor. Even Hamid Karzai from war-torn Afghanistan and the aging Robert Mugabe found time to travel to Pretoria to memorialize Mandela, an African whose humility, and visionary leadership, touched the lives of billions on earth. The moral conscious of more than 100 world leaders required that they attend. For once it felt great to be African, and wished it could last a lifetime. Thanks Nelson.
thats our president!! insesitive indeed! and shameless too. its our culture to pay respect to the dead. where we cum from u dnt even go for work when ur neighbour is dead, u are given compasionate leave>>>> shame! Michael, Shame!
Mr Ruwe , I was reading you wikipedia page and found it rather flattering. Did you write your own wikipedia page, because there is no reference and you seem so proud of having been in the ‘Debate Club’ while at secondary a non achievement which you have termed an achievement.
Your articles are decent reads.. You are trying, as you say, to depict the fundamental and shattering changes to a culture of politics in Zambia at present.
My problem with you is two-fold:
Firstly you are too simplistic,in this case you are filled with bitterness about you are not as relevant to the political scene as you would have liked. You are hiding behind the blanket of being a journalist and are not interested but you are!
Secondly I don’t feel quiet taken over when I am reading them, no…
As a person in diaspora read this article expecting it to tell me something profound about the Zambian political culture and experience, and something else not . Not hypersalivating about a change and successor.
Your dislike of Mr Sata is evident, staggering shocking, unwarranted and the reason of my point above, you come from the copperbelt, you could do with an article and talk of what you have been impressed about the PF ONLY
Again, I am now convinced these articles are a self driven agenda for you to be relevant at the political scene there which is shocking for someone who terms himself as a , radio and television host, entertainer, and entrepreneur, businessman and journalist.
I don’t dislike as a matter of fact I like you more than most people here
Thanks
Mushota by the sound of your name, you should have hailed from the same village with me in Kawambwa. Your analysis of Field Ruwe is justified by my knowledge of him. So we have people in the diaspora who can respond to this man Field Ruwe. No matter what trash he writes about Sata and Zambia, God has blessed Sata to be our President in his life. Field writes his trash as strategic campaign for people to consider him or one of his mentors for the presidency of Zambia. Sorry Baba, our natinal mind-set has not been infected by your hateful writings.
Mushota, stop attacking Ruwe because Ruwe understands SATA better from way back. The problem with some of you PF thugs is that you don’t know the SATA of 30 years ago. All you care about is the vernomless cobra of today.
He at one time during a live TV programme called someone “Reverend of Fe aces”. Everything which was said about him by Chanda Chimba is the truth. Infact Chanda Chimba should make CD/DVDs from the STAND UP FOR ZAMBIA programmes so that it should form part of Mr. SATA’S autobiography. It will sell like hot cake.
Mushota is in state house… read the blog again. I think the person pretending to be Mushota dropped the guard and got taken by emotion. This is not the “normal” Mushota style. Now we know that Mushota is just a front for state house or some paid propagandists
@Innocent Chimfuntumba,
Thank you for bringing Ruwe’s ambition to light. You have helped to elevate him to a level I did not imagine–that of president. Maybe we should try him. With people like you hammering this in our heads it is becoming more and more likely. Your fear of him is obvious, that’s why you propound on his foreign parentage. You read his articles with that in mind. We know he was your classmate, and so was I. I know you were a below average student, and that’s perhaps where this eminates. You are jealous of him. We know you to have political ambitions. You have tried and failed.
This country does not have a Commander In-Chief. The man who is supposed to hold that position has very little self esteem. He cannot interact with other leaders who are leading countries that are more successful than our Zambia. That is why he is more comfortable hanging around Mugabe, hence his willingness to attend the event in Kenya. Zambians must be careful, this man may just help those who want to delete the history (especially Nigerians in SA) of our participation in the liberation struggle.
@Luba Kaonde, you should be careful yourself. You are talking garbage which should belong to the dustbin. Ruwe should be talking about hunting for a successor in a different way. The title of his article is not what it should be, but rather talks about an innocent man. He wants to appease the likes of Luba Kaonde. Ala some of you have insomia because of the President. Leave the man alone please.
The article expresses what most intelligent Zambians were also thinking, however am not sure what the percentage of intelligent Zambians is.Looking at who we voted into power I think the percentage is quite low.
Luba Kaonde, You talk of “Zambians must be careful, this man may just help those who want to delete the history (especially Nigerians in SA) of our participation in the liberation struggle”. KK at the funeral service belittled the Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete for trying to make his country look like they are the only ones who helped the ANC. But then you cant blame him. Where was the Zambian president, or that of Angola, countries that did as much as Tanzania. Perhaps if they were there they would have been given a chance like Kikwete to praise themselves.
Ruwe is on point. Anyone attacking him for this opinion did not watch the funeral service & see KKs reaction. Ask KK how he felt. The MC, included KK on the program for a vote thanks at the last minute. Ásk yourself why?
It is very SHAMEFUL that our president shunned Madiba’s memorial service & subsequent burial.
From 2011, Sata has successfully managed to isolate Zambia from the international community going by the non participation or insignificant presence on international gatherings. We just have ourselves to blame because we voted for him despite knowing his history & have continued to tolerate his questionable leadership style. For how long do we have to endure with this leadership?
As I have said elsewhere our President responsively delegated the most relevant person Super Ken our own Founding Father of Zambia who personally and on behalf Zambia bore the the brunt of apartheid and fought for release of the late icon Mandela whose memorial and funeral were not for exhibit rather for most relevant mourners like KK. Sata out of humility delegated KK to personally represent him and Zambia, and officially for the Veep and his wife as well as Ministers to represent our beloved President Sata and Zambia. Field Ruwe hates Sata and Zambia and will never return to Zambia that is why he writes with such impunity. He is my former classmate, I know the depth of his jealous and ungrateful patriotism because he is a Zambian by birth but of foreign parental heritage.
Who says Sata by all means must be at Madiba’s funeral? Do u know dat some countries in Africa never even declared a single day as national mourning? If anything zambia has done more to southAfrica than wat they have done to us,we dnt owe them anything.This kind of politics of trying to appease people is long gone that amounts to pretence and MICHEAL isnt such kind of a president.
There goes the delusional Ruwe again trying to make a mountain out of a molehill.Why do you want Sata to be attending all the funerals ? Do you personally attend all your relatives funerals ? The man was represented by his veep and KK and that was good enough.KK`s presence was even much better than Sata because that Mandela first visit to Zambia you talked about was more to thank KK than Zambia as a whole.
Sata declared 7-days of national mourning. Is this not enough? Perhaps Ruwe could have represented Zambia since he feels so strongly about this. I personally think that the national mourning was a powerful and more sincere gesture than physically being counted at the stadium.
There goes the delusional Ruwe again trying to make a mountain out of a molehill.Why do you want Sata to be attending all the funerals ? Do you personally attend all your relatives funerals ? The man was represented by his veep and KK and that was good enough.KK`s presence was even much better than Sata because that Mandela first visit to Zambia you talked about was more to thank KK than Zambia as a whole
I’m surprised you expected more of him seeing as you do nothing but write about how he falls short of the mark. KK was probably the most relevant out of our presidents to be there, Scott kind of lives up to the amusing ideal in a ‘we shall overcome’ reversal type of way and Sata in the eyes of some has them waiting with baited breath for the next unpredictable and occasionally inappropriate foot in mouth moment. South Africans have done a great send off without our help. Your points though noted have already been covered in press. Perhaps the appropriate Mandela lesson for you is ‘Resentment is like drinking poison and then hoping it will kill your enemies’. HUNT FOR A SUCCESSOR could be about profiling potential future leaders as implied by the title… or it that too positive…
Ruwe lee ball low fee a who you cheek allah ! Why this hatred for the president.At are say !!!!
What is your problem all of you who are worried about HEMCS not going to Mandela’s funeral? Super Ken went there with Guy Scott and Mrs Scott. It that not enough representation? Oh perhaps the President should have sent Field Ruwe, ok, I now understand why Ruwe is complaining. Ruwe is a bitter man because he belongs to a certain party. Leave HEMCS for once imwe ala!! Kabili you have been claiming that come 2016, you will evict the President from plot 1. HEMCS is giving you sleepless nights tefyo?
Ruwe and his hatred for Sata awe mwandi.Ndeloleshafye
Ruwe ! Lyena ili lishilu lyamwana.I feel pity for those who buy his crap.The guy lives in a bubble ever since he began his PHD.Too much for a failed comedian
Field Ruwe does have a point sometimes but his hatred for Sata overrides it. Him and ZWD need to calm down or they will become irrelevant.
I sense there are alot of paid PF cadres on this site who will go a mile to defend Sata at whatever cost.
Ruwe’s articles can be controversial & easily provoke some individuals but surprisingly even the most offended will ALWAYS read them in full. Just look at the above comments & many more coming.
Us, we are non – partisan but purely expressing independent opinions from logic & reason. You can attack, “ponter”, gang up or threaten but you cannot kill a progressive idea or expression.
Ruwe is right. Sata should have attended this funeral or give Zambians his reason for not attending. If it’s his hate for Madiba, ill health or feeling uncomfortable mixing with other world leaders, we deserve to be told. He’s our representative out there.
Keep hammering them Ruwe!
SATA is afraid of mixing with intellectuals. He would rather be with vulnerable girls from Kasama school to remind him of his youth years.
So you are paid to insult an elected president and respect self-imposed up and down president?
What did Mandela do for Zambia when he was president of South Africa? NOTHING! Zambia suffered a lot because of them south Africans. Seven days of national mourning was more than enough for him! PERIOD.
@The Dude, I agree with you.
If only Zambia could run on this kind of verbal diarrhoea, we would all be rich.
Ba LT warning – my virus checker is announcing Trojans on this page, you may want to check your advertisers and banners bwana
Mandela snubbed us because we voted KK out in 1991, that’s how his perspective was from inside jail for 27 years. So they just gave us Shoprite and refugee Boer farmers instead of a word of thanks
I am surprised ruwe, just an unaccomplished comedian some years ago, has so much hatred for his motherland and president. Instead of vomiting so much venom, show us your intellect by proposing workable solutions for the motherland. Anyone can speak and say anything and they wont get the respect. It is people who come up with solutions who are respected.