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I believe in justice but Zuma shouldn’t be in prison
Former South African president Jacob Zuma addresses his supporters in front of his rural home in Nkandla for the first time since he was given a 15-months sentence for contempt of court on July 04, 2021. PHOTO/ AFP
What you need to know:
- Deputy RDC Kitagwenda District, Sam Evidence Orikunda says: Democracy was imported to Africa but Africans now want to use it more than the owners and they want to show that they understand it better than those who brought it.
I have been following conversations from the time former South African president Jacob Zuma was imprisoned. Thereafter chaos erupted in South Africa and there has been looting of property and several people have lost their lives.
A few years ago, there were cases of violence in South Africa when South Africans attacked and killed people from other African countries. That was not only shameful but embarrassing as a continent which has complained about colonisation and imperialism. When I compare those two events I conclude that there could be a power vacuum somewhere in South Africa.
South Africa, being a country that produced one of the most respected icons in the world, the late Nelson Mandela, it should be one of the most respected countries not only in Africa but also in the whole world. Everyone should be yearning to go to South Africa for tourism to learn one or two things about their history. Instead South Africa is painting a horrible image.
Remember their dramatic parliamentary sessions that turned into comedy skits for some people to watch on internet?
It could be true that the former South African president had a case to answer but I feel there could have been another way of handling that matter. Not jailing him and thereafter spreading the images of him in cells on social media. I’m sure that could be the reason why people were annoyed hence thronging streets.
Democracy was imported to Africa but Africans now want to use it more than the owners and they want to show that they understand it better than those who brought it.
Interestingly they’re ending up embarrassing themselves and it’s a huge shame to us as a continent. Some of these things we do in the name of democracy and other policies show that we are still mentally colonised.
It’s as if we think and do things on remote control of foreigners who were here many years ago and who left a shabby image of our continent.
Sam Evidence Orikunda, Deputy RDC Kitagwenda District
