by Field Ruwe
At the end of the taxiway the plane turned and faced east. The president peered through the window again and saw that people were still waving. He spotted the VP for he was the only white person in the crowd. He was standing next to the Acting President, a man who only a few hours ago had been his junior.
Lately, the VP had begun to dread trips to the airport to see off the president. They were his worst moments. He often felt disregarded, demeaned and humiliated. There were times when he felt like a jerk—like a pawn, a stooge—times when he felt as rotten as he was feeling now. It’s the law of the land, he reminded himself for the thousandth time.As he watched the plane, rage swept through him like an avalanche, taking with it all the wonderful moments he had spent with the president—the first meeting to form an opposition party; their victory celebration in September 2011; the memorable reception following his appointment as vice president; and his excitement at seeing the headline in the Guardian newspaper: “Zambia’s white vice-president hails ‘cosmopolitan’ new era.”
[pullquote]Remember, when the army officers salute, you don’t need to salute back, just smile. Often we’ve had acting presidents use the wrong hand to salute. And one more thing, after all is done we’ll drive your back to your house and not Plot 1[/pullquote]
He stole a glance at the Acting President and saw that he still displayed the “pinch me, I’m dreaming” smile. He had been pinching himself since the president asked him to act. Not in his wildest dream did he envision becoming acting president, not for one day. To say he was shaking like a leaf would be an understatement. He could hardly keep his feet on the ground.
The VP tried, as he had done on several occasions on a day such as this, to remain composed, but his mind was working some negatives: I’m not going to address this chap as ‘sir,’ or ‘Mr. President.’ He can eat crow, all I know. I mean how can I? Why should I? I’m the second most powerful man in Zambia. I answer to no one but Michael.
The plane raced down the runway. The president waved as it began to climb on its way to cruising altitude. VP reluctantly waved back. The plane disappeared. The Acting President was still waving.The head of the presidential security whispered in the Acting President’s ear: “Your Excellency, sir, he’s gone. You can stop waving now. You need to say bye to the VIPs and the Generals before you leave. Remember, when the army officers salute, you don’t need to salute back, just smile. Often we’ve had acting presidents use the wrong hand to salute. And one more thing, after all is done we’ll drive your back to your house and not Plot 1.”
Reminiscent of the previous occasions, the VP waited for the Acting President to lead the way. This was the part he despised the most. It made him feel unwanted; often dejected. He knew some cabinet ministers did not approve of him being VP. They often showed it when the president was out of the country. If they had their way they would relegate him to a ministerial position or confine him to the party.
Actually, the thought had crossed the Acting President’s mind. He was thinking of holding an impromptu press conference in the State House gardens the next day. He had spent the previous night preparing his speech. It read as follows:
Countrymen, I speak to you not only as your Acting President, but also as a compatriot mindful of the sacrifices you have made over the years. At the height of hunger, poverty, and disease you have remained resilient. Faced by these challenges, you have chosen hope over terror; over horror; over trepidation. You have remained a patient, loving people adored by the world beyond our borders. But what good is patience and love without the full measure of happiness? Why should we continue to be a patient and loving, but suffering people? Why can’t we carry our patience and love, which are our God-given precious gifts, to higher heights?
One lesson we have learned over the years is that happiness is never given on a silver platter. It is earned. It is earned not only through hard work, but also, and mostly through intelligent initiative—no more no less. The path to happiness is not for the lazy mind. It is not for those who are not innovative. It is not for the greedy and the corrupt. It is not for the privileged, the rich and the fortunate. Rather, it is for the positive thinkers, doers, inventors, and risk-takers, and that’s who we should be.
Countrymen, we toil too much, and sweat profusely because we refuse to use our heads. We accept narrowness. Time and again we sacrifice too much and blister our hands and break our backs so we may live another day, and yet we can do something about it. We can ease our pain.
How can we ease our pain? By being more creative than we currently are; by being as curious and as innovative as our fellow humans in the developed world. Our minds are no less inventive as theirs. Europeans and Asians are not a fortunate people. They are a hard-working thinking people. They think all the time. We think sometimes and often we think no times.
[pullquote]For him to behave like us is to fail us. When he became VP we were expecting him to be in the forefront in making our president appreciate democracy. Democracy is what has made Dr. Scott’s race successful[/pullquote] As your Acting President, I am here to lay a new foundation for our growth so that when the president returns he will find us picking ourselves up, dusting ourselves off, and beginning to remake our country. Here is what I have decided. By the power invested in me as your Acting President, I have with immediate effect made major changes to the cabinet and created the Ministry without Portfolio to meet the demands of a new age. It will be headed by Dr. Guy Scott.
Let me briefly say something about Dr. Scott. As Vice President, he is a wasted talent in a country full of frills. He carries with him responsibilities without authority. We all know he will never be president. He’ll always be left to ridicule because he can’t even act as one. Yet, he is one of us. But let’s face it, in this world of prejudice, discrimination, and racism, our Dr. Scott can knock at more doors than even our president. He is much more believable at the IMF, World Bank, 10 Downing Street, even at the White House because of the color of his skin. It is not racism, countrymen, it’s the truth.
There are many things Dr. Scott can achieve on our behalf, but unfortunately he’s not patriotic enough. His heart is not Zambian enough. Here is a man who has taught robotics at Oxford University and yet he has done nothing for Zambia in terms of technology. There is not one single machine of value to us he has constructed, and yet he can. He can make automated processing machines for our factories, and robots for auto manufacturing. He can take us from hand production methods to machines. That’s what he should be doing at the Ministry without Portfolio. He should be encouraging abstraction, discovery, and curiosity. He should be creating a social order based on industrialization. The 2020 generation should remember him as the Zambian white man who revolutionized the Zambian industry.
Also, Dr. Guy Scott knows that copper is our lifeline. He knows copper is to us as gold is to the South Africans. While gold has made South Africa a prosperous nation, copper has turned us into paupers. Although copper may be down from the peaks of the 1970s when we ranked among the top producers in the world, we still have enough rock to last us a lifetime. Dr. Guy Scott knows it. He was born in this country. Growing up, he was a friend to some of the current Chief executives in the South African mines. Instead of him watching our mines run down by unscrupulous Chinese and Indians, he must broker a deal with some of his friends to come back and work with our Zambian team to pump life back into our most treasured industry and bring our copperbelt towns back to life. Our Zambian miners deserve better.
[pullquote]It is not racism, countrymen, it’s the truth[/pullquote] It has always been our belief that Europeans are organized, and it has been their belief that we are disorganized. We have one European from the cult of efficiency who can show us where we’ve failed. For him to behave like us is to fail us. When he became VP we were expecting him to be in the forefront in making our president appreciate democracy. Democracy is what has made Dr. Scott’s race successful. For him to fail to tap it onto our president is to deliberately divorce himself from our advancement.
Countrymen, instead of mounting Dr. Scott on the political anthill, stepping on helpless ants, chanting “Donchi Kubeba!” in a language similar to Bemba, and indulging in political shenanigans, let us put this, our dear muzungu, to good use while we are in power. Let us use him as a link in our quest for prosperity.
I have also decided to drop the Minister of Finance and asked Dr. Dambisa Moyo to replace him. Dr. Moyo has been inside the World Bank and seen shylocks at work, setting the security at a pound of our flesh. She understands how the institution has destroyed Africa; how it has enslaved us. She also understands the Chinese and their underhand methods and demands. I believe she holds the key to our economic growth. She will cohort with Dr. Guy Scott, an economist himself. As for the current Finance Minister, I thank him for a very long, long, long distinguished service. Thank you, countrymen.
Inside the presidential limo the Acting President finished reading the speech. He put it back in the folder. He was thinking about the press conference when it dawned on him that it was a pipedream. It was a waste of time. The VP was going nowhere. He was the throne bearer of the deity. He was a cosmic used to keep the ambitious and traitors at a distance. With him as Vice President there would be no heir.
The credibility quotient for this article is this: If it deals with politics it’s a fact; if it is dramatized it’s fiction; if it is outrageously unbelievable, it’s a fact.
Field Ruwe those are good points concerning SCOT. I think you must have overlooked the current governments policy & manifesto, its non of all that. If we gave SCOT a ministry without portfolio funding regarding automation & research will be an issue. This government lacks prioritization hence they bought military equipment like jets etc when the country is not @ war. Coming to Dambisa Moyo Vs Alexander Chikwanda, to me moyo can do well as an adviser not a planner & implementer, Chikwanda is the man when it comes to planning & implementation.
nice thought
Ba Field Ruwe i can see that you are trying to reinvent yourself in comedy.Not too bad for a failed career comedian.Maybe your attempt to imitate Kalaki`s satire might pay off after all.Good lucky bro.
Chilishani??
Lol
Chilishani??
Field Ruwe wants to come out like he is very educated whe he is not even near to be being a real Professor,an adjunct professor is just a senior student teaching the junior students even at UNZA we have some 4th or 5th year students working a tutors teaching the 1st years in some fields .Field Ruwe has never made any sensible arguments ,he always cut and pastes other people’s work , evrything he writes has been already been said by other distinguinshed people what he does is the same as offering the same discription of malaria but using different words . Ruwe is by no means a genious and he will never be, the man is just an arm chair synic. His cut and paste has finished and he has started to recycle his own articles , he has even failed to return the following he had at first when he…
He started writing these series because everyone has seen him for what he is, a bro
ke ass ***** ,a paid communicator of some politicians, another Chanda Chimba III . If Field Ruwe really cared about Zambia like he claims he would have been condeming the behavour of some politicians,but no on the contrary,he always endorses the behaviour of selfish politicians like HH,Nevers,Sakwiba and RBB but condemns or remain silent on the reasonable men like Chipimo,Milupi,Nawakwi and Mutesa who have actually shown real leadership and patriotiism in their conduct. I know that PF will deliver and they are delivering, soon we shall have our own national carrier,our Railway system will improve and we may start manufacturing great products and when that happens i know Field will not see it because he…
Well, at the very least, Field has better prose than you mate. You have an abundance of spelling errors (they can not be typos judging by the myriad wrong spellings you make). Yes , I know that this may come off as harsh but it’s pathetic to make excuses for all the spelling errors when you are trying to make a point about something dude. Anyway, my nsima is ready…
Ruwe you have done your part pretty well I must say,however, Guy could be more useful he acted as president thus, we must amend the law which throughly prohibits him, once that is done you will see that Scott will be more active, after all he is one of us. On the other hand he is aging lets give him the chance to prove to us and the world that he earned it, also that zambia is colour blind..
On Dambisa she is no much to Chikwanda as she is more on advisory part,rhetoric,yup yup while Alex is more pratical, arnalytical and handson kind of man which I for one greatly perceive as the ultimate answer to moving forward.
Lets do this Zambia..!!
Sorry I meant practical….
You probably also meant ‘no match’ and not ‘no much’.
Ruwe nebange lyakwe.Ukaleke dobo mudala pantu uku fyayamba ukukutwala takuweme.We all know you are a failed comedian but wilaleka dobo to rule over you naiwe.Lol
Not too bad.Good to see this side of you Field.
LTs info on Field Ruwe ” a US-based Zambian media practitioner, historian, and author, a PhD candidate at George Fox University and serves as an adjunct professor (lecturer) in Boston”.
LT blogger with more info on Field Ruwe “failed career comedian”
Is this more comedy from FIELD??
Hahahahaha Yaba mwebantu kuti mwafumisha umuntu inchito…Mwandepula tata #dead
A PhD candidature and not candidate. By the way it is not possible to be a lecture and adjunct professor unless you are Post Doctorate. PhD students only demonstrates or gives tutorials.
adjunct professor noun “a professor employed by a college or university for a specific purpose or length of time and often part-time”.
Origin:
Maybe in USA or somewhere. I do not agree with your Qualifications. Am a profession person
Italian, you can be lecturer with a Masters Degree that’s more than enough.
We need to have him act as President in the absence of the president and we must amend “it” to make him stand after Sata. I know everyone would vote for him and UNPD will be history.
DR GUY SCOTT MUST BE OUR NEXT PRESIDENT. HE IS MORE ZAMBIAN THAN EVEN THOSE BLACK ZAMBIANS. EH HAS WORKED WITH INTEREST AND LOVE FOR THE POOR PEOPLE OF ZAMBIA. HE HAS BEEN TO PLACES WHERE BLACK ZAMBIANS FEAR TO GO TO AVOID CATCHING DISEASES OR SIMPLY BEING ATTACKED BY THUGS.
@Peter, I am sure Dr Scott has visited all those places not for the love of the place but as part of his duties or campaigning, all funded and security provided. I am sure with those facilities, most Zambians would dutifully carry out the call of duty.
Which funds naimwe ba Mfumu, Dr Scott went to very remote areas to campaign for PF, before they came to power, he knows Zambia more than those who claim to be more Zambian than him
The law should stay as is. Whether black, brown like we Africans, blue, pink, yellow or green, no one can become president if both parents were not born in Zambia. We shall not amend our laws to appease your muzungu wanga anikonde inferiority complexes. Stop thinking like shallow people that believe missionaries brought GOD’s word to Zambia. GOD brought himself to Africa long before Europe even was civilized enough to know Jesus. It says in the bible GOD called his son from Kemet ( Egypt ) kudala. Jesus spent his childhood in the motherland, so you all need to open your eyes, Nama scopo. Praise our lord GOD Jehovah always in Jesus’s name.
Homeboy, so you wouldn’t mind if your grand children cannot qualify to be president in Zambia cause their parents (your children) were born outside Zambia? It concerns me very much.
Dr Scott. is the only one who is not corrupt, very hardworking, no fighting, he does not need much wealth, he is someone who is happy with the little he has.
Very independent man and above all DOWN TO EARTH. SATA, have this man in mind, the rest are in fighting
Yes, Scott is the only person in Zambia who paid himself handsomely over the swine flu epidemic and Chiluba fired him for that. I hope he learnt a lesson from that and should stay away from corruption!
I do like this piece. Don’t be discuoraged by cyber attacks. Please keep it up.
Field please separate journalism from fiction so that we can follow you properly. The intro of your story is purely from an imagination that is running away with you. Then you move from dreamland back to earth with Scott’s speech. Am I supposed to take this as mere sartire or are you opinionating on real stuff?
What about u Ruwe?What have u done 4 zambia?Come back we build our motherland togather. Stop relying on liers from some under5 opos and ngo stooges of the west on democracy. Come and c what is taking place on yo own
Guy Scott can make a good president not Winter Kabimba he is just using sata to be the next president what a shame…maybe somebody else not winter nakana sana
Please Rowe – come be serious! Why compare Dambisa Moyo to our Alex! Dambisa has no credible experience at anything but talking. Her brief stint at the World Bank was in a very junior role and in fact people say she got it by flirting with a Muzungu! Zambia has better tested and qualified people like Fundanga, Situmbeko, Magande, Nawakwi, etc – The id.iot Rowe associates living in the West to being clever!! Also, Field Rowe thinks only the Western countries can redeem us from poverty – makes me sick really. In fact the West has made us poorer, closed our mines prematurely and left us in extreme poverty. But the Chinese and Indians reopened the same mines – so why should we get the Western countries back! Let Rowe and his America or Britain hung! Idi.ot!
Ruwe waba itoloshi.
Lol ITOLEshi , ruwe is a useful I he is Hakainde’s Chanda Chimba III , i hope LT will publish this as they have not posted my reply to Tole Ruwe in it’s entirety
PhD candidate is no qualification anywhere in the world and I always wonder why this clown called Field Ruwe continues to use this. That is the problem on trying to be what you can never be in the evenings of your life.
Are you jealous? Do you know what it takes to get a PhD, you rabbit? Have respect for other people’s qualifications, even if we know you failed Grade 7. What about people who go around calling themselves Professor? Do you know that Professor Clive Chirwa needed a PhD before he could become a Professor and later be appointed by Sata? Why then is everybody crying about going to University to learn and be taught by PhD holders? Some of you every time you speak, you are releasing a chi.sushi. It is better to keep quiet and listen sometimes.
My sentiment exactly ,it just shows that ruwe is a small fish trying to make himself look big ,Dr George Welo Mpombo never at any time refered himself to PhD candidate and we all did not even know that he was one until he finished his program. Ala elyo bakaba ba dr ruwe lukanya na kanyelele kakeshiba
@ Chitapi , easy mudala . It obviously does not take 3 years to get a PhD but we understand why form 5 repeater field ruwe’s has taken long . He has an IQ below 70 and so does Voodoo anyway they are one and the same person
@ FIELD RUWE – have a chat with Wynter Kabimba.
Kuti wapena imitontokanishe yamunyamata ruwe. For your own information ruwe, Mr Alexander went to College with one of the former Swedish Prime Minters and he is much more groomed than your Dambisa Moyo you obviously have no idea how SIDA came to Zambia do you? What has Dambisa ever done for this country with the so called conections you are talking about? She is nothing but talker like you the last time she was here she came courtesy of her employers under the auspices of a group conference NORVATIS a pharmaceutical firm which obviously invited her because of her chemistry portifolio. Ruwe just keep on telling stories to elementary kids in Boston and those you have managed to convince that you are something .
“Here is a man who has taught robotics at oxford University and yet he has done nothing for Zambia in terms of technology”. You Kidding? Scott must be having the last laugh. Really what can better Sata as a Robot for Scott? Scott has done wonders with Sata the uneducated. What he has done with Sata is for the books.
Zambians respect muzungus too much – do you think they bother in their countries to write silly articles about disrespecting you?? No wait they do that every day – but you want to papatila them, that’s why you come back home with old muzungu husbands or muzungu women that look 60 plus and fat – worry about yourselves not how some muzungu feels, they dont care for you darling.
Bloggers that use local vernacula similar to Bemba cause nausiating and homophobic, not everyone likes bemba be civilised.
Lobyo ulo, ngolefwaya naiwe ulelemba icitonga.
Lol Field Ruwe someone should tell you that HIV dementia is not something to be proud of. Even Netanyahoo is going to be chasing you now. Just because you are failing to hold your beer. Razist mazafaka
Your mother would even regret giving birth to you Ruwe, you are much worse than a useless person. If you are confused then why not go home and plant maize? Like all senile zombies who cannot remember what they are talking about
Okay I know some of you bloggers will crucify me but am asking a question without reading the entire article (it’s too long and am tired).Here is my question:Author are you saying only a white person can invent something black people can’t. Are you saying only white people can effect progressive change black people can’t?
The retrogressive idea of muzungu anikonde is alive and well in zambia.Unfortunately.
@Vuhzi. Yes at your universities. No problems with Masters degree period. My concerns is that high ranking universities top 1 % in the world or any good recognized university will not allow Masters or a PhD student!!!!!! to lecture Final because 20% of credit points is allocated to quality of staff.
Universities like those at kulima tower, Alick Nkhata road even Bsc person can teach.
This person I doubt his honest because he says his/she is PhD candidate, Adjunct professor” Anyway he knows himself better. Am happy to be in G8 and Top i % uni and 200 top unis in world.
Vuhzi look at positively. Ruwe is a married to researcher with three children. No publications apart telling Zambians that are Lazy.
Google his name and see for yourself.
Thanks for your comments on my post.
Goodluck
Italian uli wamano , Vuhzi chiwelewele, these are the ones Field Ruwe loves to deceive because he thinks people in Zambia do not know anything at all . Any way LT even edited his article because pa mbwa shabulebe (ZWD) he has included the reasons he has been a PhD candidate for 3 years and also the degrees he has , only that he has failed to tell in what field his doctoral program is about , also the colleges where he adjuncts as professor in also which subjects or courses he teaches . He is a CEO of Africa Center which obviously is a sido company not one of the fortune 500 companies . The man solely depends on his wife’s salary
Globalised world no descrimination based on colour,race or tribe. One zambia one nation.
QUOTE:”There are many things Dr. Scott can achieve on our behalf, but unfortunately he’s not patriotic enough. His heart is not Zambian enough. Here is a man who has taught robotics at Oxford University and yet he has done nothing for Zambia in terms of technology” BUT WHAT HAVE U DONE FOR ZAMBIA YOURSELF MR RUWE: TALKING AND HALLUCINATING TRIVIALITIES!!!
Do you have to president to contribute to zambia.is the position of vice not enough.i saw the vp speak on bbc and was very impressed.evr heard of henry kissinger.read about his contribution to a country that never by the defination of constitution was his.service to the people
Mr Ruwe is both unpatriotic and unrealistic . Life will never reward someone that does not appreciate or speak well of other people let alone a person that speaks ill of where he was born. Ruwe complains when he is criticized yet he is always criticizing others especially our president and his government and anyone that supports it. I know a lot of foreigners or citizens of other countries that live and work in Zambia yet they do not speak ill of their country infact they have blended themselves well in our society and contribute greatly to the economy of our country Edem Djokoto,the late Mark Tabor,Val Diallo just to name a few are those citizens. Ruwe is no different from the kind of brainwashed African intellectuals I see floating all over the place and flaunting their Ivy league…