Political analysts castigate puppet African leaders

Wednesday, 22 February 2012 00:00

Professor Jonathan Moyo

Herald Reporter POLITICAL analysts have joined President Mugabe in castigating African leaders who cannot stand up to the West even when it does something wrong. They hailed President Mugabe for being honest in describing the attitude of some African leaders as being influenced by cowardice. The analysts said too much dependence on imperialists stifles development on the continent. Professor Jonathan Moyo said most of the African leaders had long lost the African agenda because of dishonesty. The one very clear and disappointing state of politics in Africa today is precisely the issue raised by President Mugabe in the interview on the occasion of his 88th birthday of not just cowardice of the so-called new breed of African leaders but also their treachery, he said. Its not only that they want budgetary support or genuinely want to address anything in Africa. Its simply that they are sellouts by definition. They dont think about their people but themselves and their pockets. The independence movements were based on the peoples aspirations and driven by the people but the governments of most African countries today are not based on the aspirations of the people, its driven by leadership treachery and leadership cowardice so we have a situation of leadership stupidity. Dr Charity Manyeruke, a lecture in the department of International Relations at the University of Zimbabwe said African leaders reliance on foreign aid was the reason why some economies were still struggling. Self reliance is an issue that affects world politics and economics. For too long Africa has been relying on the West for ideas and not resources, while they have been taking our resources. Indeed as long as there is too much dependence on the North, it stifles

development in our continent because you cant make independent decisions. There is need for us to unite as a continent for genuine regional integration but if we still have other countries singing from the same hymn with the West then we have a problem, Dr Manyeruke said. She said it was important for other African countries to emulate Zimbabwe in spearheading economic independence adding that political independence was not enough. Dr Manyeruke said the global economic crisis had proved that one could not rely on foreign countries for budgetary support since some of the support had been reduced or cut. President Mugabe branded some African leaders as cowards who are prepared to sell out their countries for financial aid and material benefits. In an interview broadcast by ZBC on Monday, the Head of State and Government and Commander-in-Chief of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces said the leaders actions will trigger revolts if youths discover that they are being used to serve imperialists. He said the current crop of leaders was quite different from revolutionaries who fought for Africas independence.