All the people accused of corruption were not born corrupt. They were made corrupt. They were socialised into thinking corruption is normal and acceptable.
They need to be re-educated.
While we cannot open re-education camps, there is certainly need for a re-culturation, a sort of Cultural Revolution that brings honesty, integrity and fidelity back to the centre of public life.
If ever there was need for a Fourth Chimurenga to ensure the gains of the first three are preserved and lead to quantifiable socio-economic transformation, that need would be premised on making it standard for public and private sector office bearers to conduct themselves in a manner befitting the struggles waged to get us where we are today.
We are not talking here of a Cultural Revolution as steered by Chairman Mao from 1966 to 1976. That was a totally different thing which was created in a totally different geographical, political and economic setting.
However, what there is in common with Chairman Mao’s revolution is that we desperately need to purge our society of “impure elements” who, because of an unfounded sense of entitlement, think they can grab whatever they want without facing any consequences.
These are the impure elements who will give themselves and their lovers vast sums of money from a pensioners’ purse that pays out just US$30 to the real intended beneficiaries – retirees, the injured and widows.
These are the impure elements who will pay themselves monstrous salaries from a kitty that was established to enhance public healthcare and yet more than 30 percent of the nation has no access to healthcare services.
These are the impure elements who not only demand that they be allowed to loot with impunity, but that we be happy with their looting.
These are the impure elements who not only urinate on the faces of the citizenry of this country, but also demand that we call that discharge rain.
Something has got to give. We cannot carry on with this self-importance and smallness of mind.
Which is why we need a Cultural Revolution that will, as Amilcar Cabral called it, see us “return to the source”.
A return to the source is about rediscovering those values of equality and Ubuntu that informed our first three Chimurengas.
Zimbabweans must stop being blinded by the trinkets of wealth that they acquire through their corrupt activities.
Ayi Kwei Armah, in the epochal “Two Thousand Seasons” referred to this as having our heads turned by the “clothes of colours bright to fascinate children’s eyes set in adult’s head”.
But how does this Cultural Revolution start? How do we root out deep-seated inclinations towards “mazhet”, inclinations that we are daily passing on to our children?
It is not easy, admittedly, but it can be done.
We can start by using the instruments of law that are available to us.
For one, thoroughly investigate allegations of corruption and where evidence of wrong-doing is found, arrest the culprits and prosecute them.
Let people know that their actions have consequences, that the trinkets that turn their heads come at a price.
While that is happening, let us start creating a sense of shame around corruption.
In the Far East, people kill themselves when they are exposed. Here, they brag that they are untouchable, and ordinary people look at them with envy and say “akapenga uyo”.
We need to stop making celebrities out of those who acquire their wealth through questionable means.
This should happen in tandem with creating a sense of honour around diligent service.
In all this, the media have a huge role to play.
From a longer-term perspective, we need to incorporate those values of Ubuntu in our education system so that our children grow up knowing that they must abide by the straight and narrow.
It is heartening to note that Government’s education curriculum review is seriously looking at how best to weave Ubuntu into what our children are taught.
These are among the little steps that can start our Cultural Revolution and set us on the course to creating a society that recognises corruption as the national evil that it is.
COMMENT: Impure elements and a Cultural Revolution
The Sunday Mail
All the people accused of corruption were not born corrupt. They were made corrupt. They were socialised into thinking corruption is normal and acceptable.
They need to be re-educated.
While we cannot open re-education camps, there is certainly need for a re-culturation, a sort of Cultural Revolution that brings honesty, integrity and fidelity back to the centre of public life.
If ever there was need for a Fourth Chimurenga to ensure the gains of the first three are preserved and lead to quantifiable socio-economic transformation, that need would be premised on making it standard for public and private sector office bearers to conduct themselves in a manner befitting the struggles waged to get us where we are today.
We are not talking here of a Cultural Revolution as steered by Chairman Mao from 1966 to 1976. That was a totally different thing which was created in a totally different geographical, political and economic setting.
However, what there is in common with Chairman Mao’s revolution is that we desperately need to purge our society of “impure elements” who, because of an unfounded sense of entitlement, think they can grab whatever they want without facing any consequences.
These are the impure elements who will give themselves and their lovers vast sums of money from a pensioners’ purse that pays out just US$30 to the real intended beneficiaries – retirees, the injured and widows.
These are the impure elements who will pay themselves monstrous salaries from a kitty that was established to enhance public healthcare and yet more than 30 percent of the nation has no access to healthcare services.
These are the impure elements who not only demand that they be allowed to loot with impunity, but that we be happy with their looting.
These are the impure elements who not only urinate on the faces of the citizenry of this country, but also demand that we call that discharge rain.
Something has got to give. We cannot carry on with this self-importance and smallness of mind.
Which is why we need a Cultural Revolution that will, as Amilcar Cabral called it, see us “return to the source”.
A return to the source is about rediscovering those values of equality and Ubuntu that informed our first three Chimurengas.
Zimbabweans must stop being blinded by the trinkets of wealth that they acquire through their corrupt activities.
Ayi Kwei Armah, in the epochal “Two Thousand Seasons” referred to this as having our heads turned by the “clothes of colours bright to fascinate children’s eyes set in adult’s head”.
But how does this Cultural Revolution start? How do we root out deep-seated inclinations towards “mazhet”, inclinations that we are daily passing on to our children?
It is not easy, admittedly, but it can be done.
We can start by using the instruments of law that are available to us.
For one, thoroughly investigate allegations of corruption and where evidence of wrong-doing is found, arrest the culprits and prosecute them.
Let people know that their actions have consequences, that the trinkets that turn their heads come at a price.
While that is happening, let us start creating a sense of shame around corruption.
In the Far East, people kill themselves when they are exposed. Here, they brag that they are untouchable, and ordinary people look at them with envy and say “akapenga uyo”.
We need to stop making celebrities out of those who acquire their wealth through questionable means.
This should happen in tandem with creating a sense of honour around diligent service.
In all this, the media have a huge role to play.
From a longer-term perspective, we need to incorporate those values of Ubuntu in our education system so that our children grow up knowing that they must abide by the straight and narrow.
It is heartening to note that Government’s education curriculum review is seriously looking at how best to weave Ubuntu into what our children are taught.
These are among the little steps that can start our Cultural Revolution and set us on the course to creating a society that recognises corruption as the national evil that it is.
CARTOON
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