Dear Sirs, I was recently shocked to see you flying to Ukraine to do what media called peace mission. Dear Presidents, Azali Assoumani (Comoros), Macky Sall (Senegal), Cyril Ramaphosa (South Africa), Hakainde Hichilema (Zambia), PM Mustapha Madbuli (Egypt), and unmentioned top envoys from, Republic of Congo and Uganda. I’ve some questions for you. Who authorised you to represent Africa in this impossible mission in the first place? What did you achieve in your meeting with your host President Volodymyr Zelenskyy Zilch. Why? First, you goofed. Your dress code was a hoot. You didn’t do your homework well. Since the war started, Zelenskyy’s never been in suits. You’re in suits. What did this say to your host?
Peacemaking requires some tricks one of which’s knowing the behaviour, family even the history of the conflicants. When former US President Jimmy Carter sought to reconcile Egypt and Israel in Camp David, he did a small trick that enticed and softened conflicants’ stony hearts. He says that “instead of just saying best wishes Jimmy Carter, I got my secretary to get their names and I put ‘with love’ (the) names of his grandchildren” (CNB, October 2, 2014). Essentially, this trick solved the impasse that existed for 13 days without any flicker of peace.
Dear Presidents, you know as everybody knows. Charity begins home. Somalia, Sudan, Mali, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Ethiopia, CAR, DRC, South Sudan, and Zimbabwe are on fire for various reasons. Why Ukraine first but not the African countries above? Somalia went to the dogs over three decades ago, and you didn’t and don’t bother about it. Sudan is in hell. You didn’t and don’t bother! Burkina Faso, and Mali are on the verge ogf becoming failed states like Somalia because of terrorism. You didn’t and don’t bother! Cameroon’s split down the middle between Anglo- and Franco-speaking Cameroonians. You didn’t and don’t bother! Who’ll bother? Why bother? A fool left his house on fire and went to souse the fire of his neighbour. Is this love or candle love? A goat always leaves pastures close to it and seeks those situated afar from it.
Dear Sirs, ironically, while the likes of Hichilema and Ramaphosa went there, in their next door neighbourhood is Zimbabwe struggling with illegal sanctions. Egypt’s Libya and Sudan on fire and it came to light recently that it is denying entry Sudanese fleeing conflict (Al Jazeera, June 17, 2023). Republic of Congo and Uganda have the DRC burning and Senegal’s Mali in its neighbourhood. Why’ve you gone to help your neighbours first? Do you think you can move Ukraine that enjoys the backing of the west even an inch? That’s why I see your impossible mission of peace as a goof.
Dear Sirs, let me ask you. Why did you go? Hichilema answers “life is universal, and we must protect lives––Ukrainian lives, Russian lives, global lives” (PBS, June 16, 2023). Ramaphosa adds that “this conflict affects Africa negatively” (Sky News, June 17, 2023). Seriously? Aren’t the lives of the above mentioned countries, especially Zambia’s neighbour Zimbabwe universal, and thus, supposed to be protected? Are other conflicts in Africa affecting it positively? Can Russia or Ukraine listen to such failures whose house is on fire but are going to douse the fire of its far neighbour who’s all supports from the masters of the world? What’s the rationale of doing so? Is it the lack of self-confidence and self-esteem or self-racism? Were you sent by Russia, which’s behind BRICS to which South Africa’s a member while Egypt’s seeking to join? Zelenskyy responds “every soldier, every new step we take, every metre of Ukrainian land freed from the enemy is of utmost importance” but not the noises of peace from those who can’t address their internal conflicts next doors. Have you easily forgotten how the world discriminated against Africans in offering asylum and favoured Ukrainians?
In a nutshell, Dear Sirs, in other words, Zelenskyy’s telling you to put your house in order first. Look at how Saudi Arabia and the US are busy in Sudan while you’re wasting hard-earned money of your poor people globetrotting for impossible mission. If there’s anything you achieved is nothing but photo-ops. That’s that.
Dear Presidents, you know as everybody knows. Charity begins home. Somalia, Sudan, Mali, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Ethiopia, CAR, DRC, South Sudan, and Zimbabwe are on fire for various reasons. Why Ukraine first but not the African countries above? Somalia went to the dogs over three decades ago, and you didn’t and don’t bother about it. Sudan is in hell. You didn’t and don’t bother! Burkina Faso, and Mali are on the verge ogf becoming failed states like Somalia because of terrorism. You didn’t and don’t bother! Cameroon’s split down the middle between Anglo- and Franco-speaking Cameroonians. You didn’t and don’t bother! Who’ll bother? Why bother? A fool left his house on fire and went to souse the fire of his neighbour. Is this love or candle love? A goat always leaves pastures close to it and seeks those situated afar from it.
Dear Sirs, ironically, while the likes of Hichilema and Ramaphosa went there, in their next door neighbourhood is Zimbabwe struggling with illegal sanctions. Egypt’s Libya and Sudan on fire and it came to light recently that it is denying entry Sudanese fleeing conflict (Al Jazeera, June 17, 2023). Republic of Congo and Uganda have the DRC burning and Senegal’s Mali in its neighbourhood. Why’ve you gone to help your neighbours first? Do you think you can move Ukraine that enjoys the backing of the west even an inch? That’s why I see your impossible mission of peace as a goof.
Dear Sirs, let me ask you. Why did you go? Hichilema answers “life is universal, and we must protect lives––Ukrainian lives, Russian lives, global lives” (PBS, June 16, 2023). Ramaphosa adds that “this conflict affects Africa negatively” (Sky News, June 17, 2023). Seriously? Aren’t the lives of the above mentioned countries, especially Zambia’s neighbour Zimbabwe universal, and thus, supposed to be protected? Are other conflicts in Africa affecting it positively? Can Russia or Ukraine listen to such failures whose house is on fire but are going to douse the fire of its far neighbour who’s all supports from the masters of the world? What’s the rationale of doing so? Is it the lack of self-confidence and self-esteem or self-racism? Were you sent by Russia, which’s behind BRICS to which South Africa’s a member while Egypt’s seeking to join? Zelenskyy responds “every soldier, every new step we take, every metre of Ukrainian land freed from the enemy is of utmost importance” but not the noises of peace from those who can’t address their internal conflicts next doors. Have you easily forgotten how the world discriminated against Africans in offering asylum and favoured Ukrainians?
In a nutshell, Dear Sirs, in other words, Zelenskyy’s telling you to put your house in order first. Look at how Saudi Arabia and the US are busy in Sudan while you’re wasting hard-earned money of your poor people globetrotting for impossible mission. If there’s anything you achieved is nothing but photo-ops. That’s that.
Source: Independent Zimbabwe today.
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