. Malema

JOHN Arbuthnot Fisher, who became the first sea lord in 1904, was one of the most celebrated officers in the history of the British Royal Navy. He argued that one is always a fool if one fails to be a political gentleman.
This argument was presented in an except published in The Times of June 29, 1919.
Ironically, this reference gloomily befits the status of South Africa’s opposition Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema who has been absurdly classified as a political buffoon even in the matter of democracy, especially when he hints ill on affairs of a sovereign state like Zambia.
With this, Mr Malema has finally proved himself as a maker of his own political tragedy now that he has atleast tried to be a political leader many a times though he simply does not know how, his action shaving done nothing more for him than make him a political charlatan in his formative stages of opposition leadership.
His thin interpretation of international politics defeats what his elders in former presidents of South Africa, like Nelson Mandela and Thabo Mbeki, among other freedom fighters, have long perceived the liberation influence that Zambia played in the struggle of freedom for, particularly, the southern African community against the iron-fetters of European Hegemony.
Zambia was and still is home to freedom fighters that fled from execution by the colonial rulers.
The country is credited for helping several African countries get liberated with the unflinching support of first republican President Kenneth Kaunda.
And yet, here is one seemingly disgruntled opposition figure in Mr Malema burning Zambia’s candle of unmatched spirit of freedom on both ends for misplaced political mileage.
Mr Malema has recently been making newspaper headlines castigating the leadership of President Edgar Lungu, while he has lamentably failed to influence equitable distribution of wealth in his own backyard for the benefit of the majority indigenous South Africans who continue to wallow in poverty and utter disadvantage while the minority clan off-shots of imperialist wine and dine in prosperity.
Alas, Mr Malema’s mediocre political arrogance is evident in his verbal attacks on BBC correspondent Jonah Fisher, to whom he responded when questioned about his lavish lifestyle by barking: “Don’t come here with that white tendency! Go out bastard, bloody agent.”
Now, at least you know what political character we are dealing with who even poses a risk to foreign mining firms, posing a threat to their investment and economic confidence in Africa’s versatile economy as he calls for the nationalisation of the mining sector of South Africa.
In his limited memory, the EFF leader should be reminded that South Africa is heavily reliant on foreign experts to run various sectors of the economy, which means that it not feasible for one of Africa’s economic giants to dream that locals, to the exclusion of foreign nationals, can manage the affairs of the country especially as far as mining is concerned.
Former diplomat Nedson Nzowa, who served as number two at the Zambian mission in Canada, labels Mr Malema as nothing less than ‘a sponsored loose cannon’ whose ill-statements against the Zambian leadership should be ignored by Zambians and the international community.
Mr Nzowa describes Mr Malema as a misguided politician who had failed to make political impact in his own country because he lacks diplomatic etiquette by erroneously resorting to commenting on the domestic matters of sovereign states.
“Mr Malema does not have any political influence in South Africa or elsewhere, but his behaviour is alarming because he seems to be talking without anybody talking to him about reflecting on his statements,” Mr Nzowa said.
In his unsolicited remarks, Mr Malema also poured scorn on Zimbabwe’s political situation, unconcerned that his comments had great potential to harm the good standing diplomatic relations of his country with its neighbours.
Mr Nzowa alleges that Mr Malema was easily bought and that the EFF leader had been paid by unknown people with a hidden agenda to denounce President Edgar Lungu and other regional leaders.
Mr Nzowa said while Zambians and political party leaders in the country had views about South Africa’s internal matters, no Zambian had issued any statement regarding that country’s situation.
He said if Mr Malema had genuine concerns about domestic issues in Zambia, he should have written the Government, through established diplomatic communication channels.
Mr Nzowa said politics should be conducted in a mature manner.
He said the governing African National Congress (ANC) did not issue comments on Zambia’s internal affairs because this was how governments conducted themselves.
The EFF leader was quoted in the private media as having charged that the threatened state of emergency which was proclaimed by President Lungu was illegal.
He is also quoted as having called President Lungu a coward, claiming the Zambian leader did not tolerate any dissenting views.
PF Media Director Sunday Chanda has no kind words for the disgruntled EFF leader regarding his unsolicited remarks against President Lungu.
Mr Chanda said Mr Malema, who in his simple imagination projects himself as a spokesperson for the opposition in the sub-region, should not interfere in external issues he is ignorant about.
He clarified that contrary to Mr Malema’s assertions, there is no state of emergency in Zambia because Article 31 invoked by President Lungu and ratified by Parliament did not create a state of emergency but deals with a threat to public security or threatened emergency.
What a political indictment for the less learned Mr malema because, in simple terms, President Lungu merely sought recourse to the Preservation of Public Security Act, Cap 112 of the Laws of Zambia under Article 31 of the Constitution of Zambia to prevent further
cases of economic sabotage, which threaten public security and people’s safety.
The political fate of Mr Malema affects the fledgling political destine of his own country’s democratic credibility.
To paraphrase the Western poet Alexander Pope’s writing, Mr Malema should drink deep or taste not the political soup.
Also, he should be schooled that the preservation of Public Security Act (in Zambia) leaves the Constitution intact and that all actions being taken continue to be subject to the constitutional principles.
According to Mr Chanda, Article 31 was invoked long after the United Party for National Development (UPND)’s leader Hakainde Hichilema’s incarceration.
Mr Malema should have known better before uttering a word against Zambian affairs, that Mr Hichilema was not arrested after the invocation of Article 31 but is a suspect appearing before a competent court of law, something which grossly exposes Mr Malema’s hypocrisy on foreign affairs.
Mr Chanda goes on to say: “Malema and his EFF must be told that UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema was not arrested by President Edgar Lungu: Hichilema is a criminal suspect appearing before Zambia’s competent courts of jurisdiction which Malema and his minority party must respect.”
PF Copperbelt Media Information Spokesperson Andrew Kalima argued that Mr Malema is not a credible source to comment on issues surfacing in Zambia.
He said the South African opposition party leader is not even competent to address issues affecting his own country.
Mr Kalima said Mr Malema is only best known especially among white South Africans for his insistence on singing the struggle song, ‘Shoot the Boer’ — something they say puts them at risk of violence.
He is no leader to write home about because he has already presented a threat among white South African farmers to their livelihoods with his denunciation of them as being “criminals” and calls for Zimbabwe-style land seizures.
“What sort of a leader is he to even have the audacity to comment on affairs of a foreign country when he cannot address problems affecting his country?” Mr Kalima asked.
He said Mr Malema is simply a frustrated, revengeful fellow with a misplaced political agenda on the Zambian political front.
For instance, Mr Malema has failed to influence any policy to address the grim reality that almost half of South Africa’s children are growing up without their fathers, yet he has the audacity to comment on Zambians affairs, which are far beyond his nose.
Let him start from his own backyard before leaping across the border to argue issues that are beyond his political intellectualism.
Elsewhere, the South African opposition political party leader may be a political bubble about to burst as his shadow of failure follows him even in the thick dark!
For now, Mr Malema should do a favour to his cognisant by pondering on the argument that one will always be a political fool if he fails to be a gentleman.
To paraphrase one philosopher’s words, a man is by nature a political misfit just like Mr Malema has proved.