DATED AUGUST 14 2013 “The decision is announced by messengers, the holy ones declare the verdict, and so that the living may know that the Most High is Sovereign over the kingdoms of men and gives to anyone he wishes and sets over them the lowliest of men. “This is the dream that I, King Nebuchadnezzar, had. Now, Beltshazzar, tell me what it means, for none of the wise men in my kingdom can interpret it for me. But you can, because the spirit of the holy gods is in you” (Daniel 4:17-18). This past week, the inhabitants of this wicked and wounded world once again witnessed the dishonorable end of yet another dictator .Despite widespread rumors of vote buying –Mugabe suffered a heavy blow to his arch rival Morgan Tsvangirai winning only a mere 12% of total votes cast. Mugabe’s dishonorable end is just a replay of the demise of other past dictators who at the end had to account to the people they lead. For a man who lead Zimbawe with an iron fist to commit a cowardly act of suicide Is pathetic.Most Zimbawens dreamt of the day their former leader was to be put on trial for the atrocities he commited while in office but alas-with Mugabe dead Justice wont be served. With the rest of late Mugabe’s family including his wife and kids currently living in exile in Malaysia chances of bringing them back to face justice are slim. Many Zimbabweans the world over, who had suffered the 33 years of oppressive, repressive, and brutal regime of Mugabe, are extremely over joyous. They have been partying nonstop wherever they find themselves.For Baba Jukwa and his legion of facebook fans,Mugabe exit paves way for democratic reforms and a better future for children of Zimbabwe scattered around the world something they fought so well for.Thanxs to the power of the internet. There is no doubt that the former strongman was deeply hated by most Zimbabweans. And that’s why they whole country has been in a non stop celebration..a week after the announcemt of the results. However, the questions that those who still feel shocked and saddened by Mugabe’s dishonorable End must answer are these: First, why didn’t Mugabe relinquish power when his people overwhelmingly rejected him in 2008? With close to half a billion seized in foreign Asia accounts in the last week-The Mugabe’s stood among the most richest criminals the world over until last week. It was long time coming,but its true that God is interested in the political, economic, and social and leadership challenges of every nation, tribe, tongue, kindred and people, and when those in authority become so tyrant and dictatorial, God uses the lowly means most times to bring shame to the wise and powerful according to world standards. Most world leaders, especially African political leaders do not understand what leadership is all about. They do not understand the divine and sacredness of leadership. Most of them do not know that power is given by people and can be taken away people, power is a gift and it is given primarily in three ways: (1) by God, (2) by people, and (3) by circumstances. The African tyrants and dictators, refuse to learn that no matter how powerful and connected a leader may be – he or she stands to loose power and authority by those three ways as well. Leaders ought to be servant – literally slaves to the people they serve. Jesus Christ, the greatest leader of all times, made this statement to his followers, “Whoever wants to become great among must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve and to give his life as a ransom”(Matthew 20: 26-28). The word slave literally means servant both in Greek and Aramaic languages. For the former President these bible teachings come a little too late.Surely here was a many who was cluless what leadership is all about. Mugabe didn’t have essential qualities to be a leader-No wonder he lead Zanu-pf to complete distruction in the 33years he was in power.He lacked the basics which are character, courage, compassion, charisma, integrity, and trust. And worst of all, he was are greedy, corrupt and foolish.Foolish no one could dare challenge his leadership in Zanu-pf in the last three decades he was in power. The answers and the truth of what transpired this past week can only be found in the pages of the Holy Scriptures. As a passionate student of leadership, I searched through the history books and ancient writings, to look for any similarity among the kings and rulers of the ancient world – including Charlemagne, Charles V, Louis XIV, Napoleon, Adolph Hitler, Mussolini, Idi Amin, Sani Abacha, etc, to compare with the Mugabe’s fate. King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon the Great and Saddam Hussein of Iraq fit the comparison. . The book of Daniel, which bears the name of its author as well as the chief character simply means, “God is (my) Judge.” Prophet Daniel records a detailed account of the reign of King Nebuchadnezzer of Babylon who was the most powerful and longest reigning Babylonian kings from 625 – 539 BC. Like King Nebuchadnezzar,Mugabe was the longest ruling leader of Zimbabwe-There is no denying tthat Mugabe indulged educational reforms that puts Zimbabwe’ system among the best –however this was clouded by his regime onslaught on civilians basic rights and gross abuse of power,stealing from governments coffers among many many other things.. King Nebuchadnezzer made wars against the Assyrians, Egyptians, and Syrians. He captured Palestine and Jerusalem in 605 B.C. and brought Daniel and other Hebrew leaders including the popular ones namely: Shadrach, Meshack and Abednego as captives to Babylonia. King Nebuchadnezzar ruled with power and authority. He had prefects, governors, advisers, treasurers, judges, magistrates and other provincial officials who carried his brutal orders without question. He abused power and did whatever he wanted. He was cruel and irrational to his people and followers. He dishonored God and made an image of himself with gold, ninety feet high and nine feet wide, and set it up on the plain of Dura in the Province of Babylon for people to worship. While King Nebuchadnezzar was at the zenith of his power and influence, filled with pride, arrogance and dishonor to God, the Bible states that the words were still in his lips when a voice came from heaven, “This is what is decreed for you, King Nebuchadnezzar: Your royal authority has been taken from you, You will be driven away from people and will live with the wild animals: you will eat grass like cattle. Seven times will pass by for you until you acknowledge that the Most High is sovereign over the kingdoms of men and gives them to anyone he wishes’ (Daniel 4:31-32). It was Daniel who interpreted the kings’ dream because all the wise men, magicians, enchanters, sorcerers, diviners and astrologers of the Babylonian empire were unable to interpret it. Daniel advised King Nebuchadnezzar to use his positional power in the service of others through acts of kindness rather than torture, murder and war but the King refused to follow Daniel’s wise counsel. When King Nebuchadnezzar forgot God and ruled the people with iron hand, arrogance and pride, God intervened and struck him with insanity as punishment for his pride and arrogance. God showed him that He (God) is the real source of all power, both in heaven and on earth. He lost the empire and everything and lived like an animal feeding on grass for seven years until he acknowledged God and was restored. Also while Mugabe was at the zenith of his power and influence, he forgot that God is the one who has placed him in the position of authority, rather he pursued self-centered dreams and desires. He tirade against the british and the americans is well documented.Mugabe was also a cruel dictator who murdered and killed those who opposed his regime. He tortured many opposition activists –most who are yet to recover a decade after the torture.Mugabe exiled or killed those who opposed him. He also reduced the country to a begging basket,inflation spiraled to trillions percent something that was never had of. He carried out ethnic cleansing in the 1987 Gukurahundi-chasing away the Ndebeles from their homes, imprisoning or killing those who opposed him. The killings, disappearances and torture of his opponents continued well into the last day of office. Over the years he misappropriated Zimbabwe’s diamond money to the tune of nearly one trillion US dollars building a luxurious palace in Borrowdale-Something the new government has promised to look at in the next week. In 2005’s driven by his quest for power and dominance, he destroyed houses in operation murambatsvina.Victims were left to fend for themselves in open ground posing cholera risks and most were made to relocate to the rural areas.All this was done to decimate the power of the opposition in urban centres. He supported and funded EFF Julius Malema in his effort to destabilize the South African government. Some evidence even suggests Mugabe’s connection to the disaperance and unexplained accidents and death of his fellow party comrades in the succession battles that played in Zanu-pf in the lat decade.Outspoken and open minded-Chininga was killed for being suspected of giving the vapanduki information of the doings in the party.Mujuru despite being a soldier of note died in a house fire.Such was the character of the former president-You cross his path and you gotta write your will. Well, finally, God has intervened through the courage and determination of Zimbabwean people.With so much resources at his disposal to rig the eections-the wishes of the people prevailed.Those who were paid to rig in favour of the old dictator simply failed to do so.They instead put more votes in favour of the people’s choice-Tsvangirai.Rigging styles were exposed as they happen by the online blogger-Jukwa-who kept Zimbabweans tantalized with his sensational revealing of evil machinations in the former ruling party.Most Zimbabweans have for the whole week been staying up all day glued to the television watching the now reformed ZBC watching the videos of a man who was a few months ago, a symbol of power, strength, influence and riches but now reduced to an old madala packing his stuff to rural Zvimba. What really captivated my attention and interest was the images of a man who was until a week ago months ago was a symbol of power and strength but now helpless and unable to react when those he bragged that he would defeat won the election overwhelmingly.Even the generals who once swore not to salute Tsvangirai are now grudgingly doing so. This is a man who brandished his strength by raising his wrinkled fist and shout obsecenities at opposition,the west and all who crossed his path.We all remember how he ridiculed Zuma’s advisor Lindiwe Zulu in the built up to the elections calling her a street kid and a whore. He bragged that he would liberate Zimbabweans with his Land reforms policies and from western imperialism and influence. This is a man who committed many atrocities during his lifetime. He killed lots of innocent people because of greed and quest for power. He killed thousands of those who opposed his regime. It is absolutely disappointing that a man who bragged at distance and consolidated power in which some people foolishly followed him thinking that he was a brave man. But his recent ordeal and the manner in which he was defeated with a mere 12% surely demonstrated he was an unpopular coward – and most dictators are cowards. It was absolutely unthinkable Bob would only manage such a percentage given how well oiled the rigging machinery was PAYED. For King Nebuchadnezzar, at the end of seven years, God restored him to the power of the kingdom. The lesson was costly but Nebuchadnezzar never forgot the truth that the most high alone does as he please. There is no doubt in my mind that God brought salvation through all those who chose to vote for change and not forgetting those who could not be used to rig the eections . God always has a way to mete His justice and punishment to any leader who misuses the sacred trust and stewardship of leadership.Its a pity Mugabe learned that a little late. God never bestows positional and personal power as an end in itself, but always as a trust to be exercised with stewardship for the benefit of others. Leaders who misuse his trust by squandering it on extending their own egos through oppressing and manipulating others will ultimately give an account to the One who gave them their power in the first place. The Bible and especially the book of Daniel underscores the temporary nature of earthly kingdoms in contrast to the everlasting kingdom that will be ushered in by “one like a son of man” who receives authority, glory and sovereign power” (Daniel 7: 13-14) from the ancient of days. God has authority over nature and nations; He changes times and seasons: He sets up kings and deposes them; He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning (Daniel 2:21). The affairs of people and nations may appear to be independent of God’s divine control, but regardless of how people rebel against the plan and purposes of God, “the Most High is sovereign over the kingdoms of men and gives them to anyone He wishes” (Daniel 4: 17,25,32). God’s power and influence are absolute. He is not a cosmic tyrant like what Mugabe was. He always uses His authority for the greatest benefit of His creation and His people. .I was not alive during the odyssey of Joseph. Sometimes, it is hard to believe these kinds stories – it sounds like a fairy tale. But thank God, I was alive to witness the odyssey of Mugabe and that of Muammar Gaddafi, and that’s why I am writing this piece and digitizing it for my children and their children to read many years from now. Mugabe refused to allow the people of Zimbawe a chance to be heard and be free in the last 33 years.He also refused to adhere to SADC call for peaceful elections and stop his oppression of his people. The greed and quest for power brought him and his family so lowly in history. All those who lead must be prepared to suffer the inevitable consequences when they fail to give credit to God for positional or personal power. When leaders give in to temptation thinking that they have earned it on their own, they must be prepared to receive the justice of God Almighty. A word is enough for the wise and wise leaders work to integrate their plans and activities with the plans and activities of the Sovereign Ruler of this universe. I hope that Mugabe and family and other tyrants learn some lessons from the old man’s disgraceful end. SM
Posted on: Fri, 26 Jul 2013 19:40:16 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015