By Peter Qeko Jere
A critical analysis of the Zimbabwe situation today reveals that they need a Chihana type of a pro-democracy campaigner and a human rights activist. Chakufwa Chihana was the only courageous man in Malawi in 1992 who defied all odds but came home to lead the struggle against the autocratic rule of Dr. Banda. Chihana arrived at the airport and didn’t fear death and the prison chains but went forward to give his life as a sacrifice for the freedom of the country. This is the man who shocked Dr. Banda and faced him head-on until Banda open up the country to multiparty democracy. Chihana came to Malawi to directly face the treason law of Dr. Banda and he never left the people alone. He even said that no change can take place from outside the struggle. True change and victory is born from the inside and if there is someone who is man enough to lead, he has to be ready to die and sacrifice his life for others.
In the bible we are told that freedom and change for God’s children in Egypt came because Moses stayed with the people and confronted the regime of the time right there. Moses stayed strong even though his people continued to suffer. He suffered with and stayed strong and was not moved. Infact Moses never asked for any foreign intervention but God used him because he stayed with the people. God stays with the suffering people and he blesses a leader who ministers to such people. The Exodus account shows that blessed is a leader who stays in the frontline leading the suffering and the poor because God mightily uses and ministers to such leader. But when a leader goes into hiding, he becomes useless before God and can not be used by Him anymore. Going into hiding or leaving the suffering alone is closing the chapter for God to use him because God is looking for someone, a leader who can stand between the gap of the suffering people and become a sacrificial lamb to be slaughtered for the salvation of many. Even Jesus Christ in the bible, he describes himself as a good shepherd someone who takes care of the sheep and that is the quality of a great leader, someone who can lead and be with the people. One of the characteristics of a leader is that he has to be a shepherd and normally he stays in the frontline and the sheep follows him. The shepherd is the one who gives direction as to where the sheep should go that day. This is what a leader should do, something which is terribly missing in Tsvangirai. Though the western world is supporting the move to withdraw and even his hiding in the Dutch embassy, the world should know that God hates a leader who leaves his sheep alone. God’s desire is for a leader to lead the suffering people. The world should also know that God moves away from a leader who abandons that suffering and the poor and instead he raises up someone capable to stand between the gap.
We are arguing that Zimbabwe today need the Chihana type of a leader because of what Morgan Tsvangirai has been doing since the election results were announced. He left the people and went to South Africa and was up and down African capitals to mount up pressure against Mugabe. Also he is hiding in the Dutch embassy something which shows that there is a huge problem and element of fear in him. It is so much dangerous when a leader who is supposed to be at the frontline vacates his position and goes into hiding. The question is with whom do you leave the people and where will they go to when are in trouble? The Chihana type of leader stays with the people and don’t care about their lives but surrender it completely as a sacrifice for the liberation of their people. Such leaders stay in the battle frontline until the war is over. This is what Zimbabwe needs this hour around, a leader who will stay with the people, someone who will suffer with them when the going gets tough.
A critical analysis of the Zimbabwe situation today reveals that they need a Chihana type of a pro-democracy campaigner and a human rights activist. Chakufwa Chihana was the only courageous man in Malawi in 1992 who defied all odds but came home to lead the struggle against the autocratic rule of Dr. Banda. Chihana arrived at the airport and didn’t fear death and the prison chains but went forward to give his life as a sacrifice for the freedom of the country. This is the man who shocked Dr. Banda and faced him head-on until Banda open up the country to multiparty democracy. Chihana came to Malawi to directly face the treason law of Dr. Banda and he never left the people alone. He even said that no change can take place from outside the struggle. True change and victory is born from the inside and if there is someone who is man enough to lead, he has to be ready to die and sacrifice his life for others.
In the bible we are told that freedom and change for God’s children in Egypt came because Moses stayed with the people and confronted the regime of the time right there. Moses stayed strong even though his people continued to suffer. He suffered with and stayed strong and was not moved. Infact Moses never asked for any foreign intervention but God used him because he stayed with the people. God stays with the suffering people and he blesses a leader who ministers to such people. The Exodus account shows that blessed is a leader who stays in the frontline leading the suffering and the poor because God mightily uses and ministers to such leader. But when a leader goes into hiding, he becomes useless before God and can not be used by Him anymore. Going into hiding or leaving the suffering alone is closing the chapter for God to use him because God is looking for someone, a leader who can stand between the gap of the suffering people and become a sacrificial lamb to be slaughtered for the salvation of many. Even Jesus Christ in the bible, he describes himself as a good shepherd someone who takes care of the sheep and that is the quality of a great leader, someone who can lead and be with the people. One of the characteristics of a leader is that he has to be a shepherd and normally he stays in the frontline and the sheep follows him. The shepherd is the one who gives direction as to where the sheep should go that day. This is what a leader should do, something which is terribly missing in Tsvangirai. Though the western world is supporting the move to withdraw and even his hiding in the Dutch embassy, the world should know that God hates a leader who leaves his sheep alone. God’s desire is for a leader to lead the suffering people. The world should also know that God moves away from a leader who abandons that suffering and the poor and instead he raises up someone capable to stand between the gap.
We are arguing that Zimbabwe today need the Chihana type of a leader because of what Morgan Tsvangirai has been doing since the election results were announced. He left the people and went to South Africa and was up and down African capitals to mount up pressure against Mugabe. Also he is hiding in the Dutch embassy something which shows that there is a huge problem and element of fear in him. It is so much dangerous when a leader who is supposed to be at the frontline vacates his position and goes into hiding. The question is with whom do you leave the people and where will they go to when are in trouble? The Chihana type of leader stays with the people and don’t care about their lives but surrender it completely as a sacrifice for the liberation of their people. Such leaders stay in the battle frontline until the war is over. This is what Zimbabwe needs this hour around, a leader who will stay with the people, someone who will suffer with them when the going gets tough.
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