The Sunday News
Where there is no guidance the people fall; But in abundance of counsellors there is victory.” This is a powerful quotation from Proverbs 11:14 explaining the need for good leadership. Depending on the version of the Bible one reads, the word victory is sometimes replaced by deliverance, salvation, wealth, safety or success.
While President Robert Gabriel Mugabe’s leadership of Zimbabwe since 1980 has been a thorn in the flesh of Western politicians and imperialists, his guidance has provided victory, wealth, safety, deliverance, salvation and success for his people.
The man who turned 92 on 21 February has been blessed with long life so that he can continue to provide wise counsel to Zimbabweans. Just take a look at countries that attained Independence before Zimbabwe. Most of them have been ravaged by war, tribalism, poverty and illiteracy.
In President Mugabe Zimbabweans found VICTORY, triumphing over an evil white minority who thought it was their God-given right to oppress the indigenous people of this country for their own benefit.
The black majority found DELIVERANCE and SALVATION after having been rescued and set free from slavery after close to 100 years under a ruthless settler regime which was bent on enriching the “chosen” few.
WEALTH came as a result of President Mugabe’s Land Reform and Indigenisation programmes which sought to redress the imbalances created by settlers who grabbed all productive land and condemned the black majority to crowded barren land in their own country.
SAFETY for Zimbabweans is the condition of being protected from well-known enemies of the country’s Independence. President Mugabe has kept Zimbabwe safe from the West which has a tendency of turning locals against each other by sponsoring tribal conflict.
Zimbabwe is the SUCCESS story it is today because President Mugabe refused to be bribed or bullied by imperialists who want to control the country’s natural resources. Most African countries envy Zimbabweans and adore our leader who has openly defended the continent and the black race in many a public forum.
Many wish for long life — including those who pray for President Mugabe’s demise — but it is distinctly promised in Scripture as a blessing to God’s people, both in the Old and New Testaments.
In Genesis 15:15 the Lord says to Abraham: “You, however, will go to your ancestors in peace and be buried at a good old age.” Abraham, the father of faith, was rewarded for his good leadership on earth with “good old age”.
The first commandment with promise — honour thy father and mother — is testimony to the reward of long life.
President Mugabe is our leader and in his “good old age” may he continue to provide victory, deliverance, salvation, wealth, safety and success.
