THEY all came
And one is tempted to ask so what, what is the big deal; weddings of famous people the world over are attended by equally famous people?
It is nothing out of the ordinary.
So why was it ‘strange’ and ‘extraordinary’ that millionaires, a Soweto-born billionaire by the name of Patrice Motsepe and Presidents, who included Jacob Zuma, whose country is one of the BRICS nations and the most powerful on the continent, visited?
It was ‘strange’ and ‘extraordinary’ in that a not-typical but ‘normal’ wedding that was to prove to the world that Zimbabwe is a pariah state was attended by the above.
President Robert Mugabe, on the special day, was not snubbed.
In fact, the wedding was oversubscribed.
The day was a display of love, oneness and goodwill that shattered myths.
Bona Mugabe’s grand day proved not only her virtue, but that her father, President Mugabe, is not as ‘lonely’ as has been touted by those that hate him with a passion, for reasons we all know.
President Mugabe’s table was not only occupied by himself and a few close relatives, there was an overflow.
Friends, colleagues, acquaintances and potential friends all came.
What we find strange are not the guests that came, you cannot keep a good man down, and no one will pass the opportunity to associate with those that possess noble qualities.
What we find strange is when our media, supposedly proud black and African media, cannot accept the presence of our highly esteemed brothers and sisters on the continent in our country.
Why should we raise eyebrows when Patrice Motsepe visits Zimbabwe?
Were it some European or American billionaire in the country we would be falling over each other to embrace them, ululating and crossing our fingers that they leave behind a few of their dollars.
Imagine if it were Bill Gates in the country, we would be pitifully begging him to invest in the country while he arrogantly strode about pretending not to be interested in what we have to offer.
If Motsepe was a Western billionaire, I do not doubt we would be offering him our souls as a show of our willingness to let him exploit our resources.
The only thing that matters is that the country, with whomever, strikes deals that benefit the nation.
To make noise because Motsepe is black is pathetic and sad.
It goes to show how some of us are so besotted and blinded by the white skin.
Vehama, vanhuwe/ bantu bakithi, a billionaire by whatever colour is a billionaire.
An African one might be better, anonzwisisa hunhu hwedu/uyazwisisa ubuntu bethu.
That noise was made by the coming of President Jacob Zuma of South Africa is also very interesting.
Zuma did not attend a memorial service for Nelson Mandela held in England, presided by the white lackey Desmond Tutu and attended by British royalty and the Prime Minister David Cameron, but instead came to President Mugabe daughter’s wedding.
British royalty, the Prime Minister, therein lies the rub, how dare Zuma not show up, it was not about Nelson Mandela, our princess Bona and his ‘villain’ father Robert Mugabe should not have been considered more important.
But Zuma is an African, dwelling in Africa and Zuma appreciates hunhu hwedu/ubuntu bethu.
He understands the importance of kith and kin.
Zuma clearly values the bond of the African brotherhood in the current dispensation of Western imperial hegemony.
President Mugabe is a brother more important than the British and their royalty.
It is time that the West wake up and smell the proverbial coffee.
And black billionaires are very much welcome in the country, we want more of them, they will be easier to deal with, we have shared the same plate.