Infidelis A Modern Fable by Derek New (1995)
ISBN: 0-7974-1445-Z

RHODESIANS have used literature to relive the memories of their long lost haven, Rhodesia.
It is through the various books they have written and continue to write where readers pick how bitter they are over their ‘loss’ and how they wish they could turn back the hands of time.
The book under review this week is Infidelis written by Derek New.
New was born and bred in Wales.
The story revolves around Ned Finch who is posted to an African state, Bulwani, from Britain before the African state had attained its independence and was still at war with the white rulers.
Finch was not too pleased with his posting to ‘black’ Africa but had to adjust to the new environment and ended up sympathising with the Africans.
Though Finch’s story is one about sympathy with the suffering blacks, one cannot help but ask the sincerity of whites that purport to fight for the cause of the black person.
And the questioning is as a result of the likes of Roy Bennett, Eddie Cross and Iain Kay, examples who masquerade as sympathisers of the black people yet they have a hidden agenda.
What these three have in common is that they are Rhodesians who enjoyed manipulating blacks before independence.
Today they fool their fellow black MDC colleagues that they are fighting for democracy in Zimbabwe, in solidarity with them.
What one should always know about the white person is that whatever they do, they stand to benefit more.
When Finch arrives in Bulwani he hears stories of how his superiors are abusing the Africans.
“There was rumour that he had beaten an African with the business end of a sjambok across the head and shoulders and that the man was now mentally retarded,” New writes.
The writer highlights cases of black abuse by whites bringing out a clear picture of how whites violated black human rights.
Today most people who witnessed white brutality carry the scars and for some thinking of the past is mental torture.
After Bulwani attained its independence, Finch stayed in the country and remained in the system.
Conversations Finch had with some of his colleagues after independence show how bitter they are and how they look down upon the black government.
President Dzingira Washington Moyo was elected President of Bulwani after independence.
Hugh Perry, Finch’s friend, is worried about the state of affairs in Bulwani after independence.
“Perry, who remained in Bulwani after it came under black majority rule, went on to say that he was deeply concerned that such a wonderful country was going to the dogs though his depression was partially lifted now that the majority of black people were saying it was time to get rid of this bunch of corrupt gangsters. But it will have to be done by the black people.”
It is not surprising that Perry associates the black Government with corruption and blames it for the downfall of the country.
Whites have never been able to appreciate that blacks can rule themselves hence they always find fault in whatever they do.
Perry makes an interesting observation when he concludes that, “Whites have lost their muscle.”
Whites know they are never going to colonise Africa again hence they are putting in place strategies on how they can once again get a hold of Africa’s resources.
Some of their strategies include funding political parties to topple governments that do not ‘follow’ their rules.
Such is the case of Zimbabwe, where Britain has for the past decade been funding the MDC party with the hope of removing ZANU PF from power.
ZANU PF under the leadership of President Robert Mugabe has rolled out programmes such as the Land Reform and Indegenisation and Economic Empowerment that have given locals control over the country’s resources angering whites in the process.
During Finch’s stay in Bulwani the black government started taking back the land and giving it to its people to empower them.
“It was understood that the first 13 farms, covering 300 square miles, were designated for Government take-over later that month to resettle landless black African peasants,” New writes.
“The critical implication was that if, as the result of Land Act, farming confidence collapsed, the whole country would collapse, and there would be pandemonium.”
Just like how the West thought the Land Reform programme in Zimbabwe would fail; Finch also thought the programme in Bulwani would fail.
But time has shown that no matter how much the whites demean black governments they continue to do well and uplift the lives of their people.