Zimbabweans refuse to mourn Ian Smith
Nov 22, 2007
In the Shona language of Zimbabwe they say: “Wafa wanaka†which loosely translated means do not speak ill of the dead. Forget the evil and focus on the good deeds.
In the Shona language of Zimbabwe they say: “Wafa wanaka†which loosely translated means do not speak ill of the dead. Forget the evil and focus on the good deeds.
It is an age-old adage that seeks to beseech the living not to defile the memory of the dead by focusing on the evil that they did while still on earth.
But for Ian Douglas Smith, who died in Cape Town, South Africa on Tuesday night, there is still a lingering bitterness among millions of black Zimbabweans who still regard him as the personification of evil, even in death.
Smith died in Cape Town at the ripe age of 88.
The former Prime Minister of Rhodesia, Zimbabwe’s colonial name before independence in 1980, is infamous for introducing racist policies when he unilaterally declared independence from then colonial power Britain in 1965.
The new policies eventually drove Zimbabwe nationalist leaders to wage a bitter armed struggle against his regime, that left over 30 000 mostly black Zimbabweans dead.
When news of Smith’s death filtered in Harare yesterday, very few people appeared touched by his death, or let alone appeared to mourn him, suggesting that his racist legacy was still firmly ensconced in the people’s psyche.
Individuals who spoke to ZimOnline yesterday were quite happy to cite racist statements that Smith made during his lifetime that they said showed he was a racist to the bone.
Eldred Masunungure, a respected University of Zimbabwe political scientist, said Smith was a racist who was blinded by a Utopian vision to perpetuate white supremacy at the expense of the majority blacks.
“He will be remembered as nothing but a hardcore racist who was deeply buried in white prejudice,†he said.
Masunungure said it was difficult for thousands of Zimbabweans who lost their loved ones during the 1970s war to forgive Smith and let him depart this earth in peace.
“He drew parallels with Hitler. He had a fascist vision. His greatest tragedy was not seeing beyond the colour of his skin,†said Masunungure.
Cabinet ministers in Mugabe’s government, some of whom spent years in Smith’s jails during his reign that ended in 1979, also seemed not prepared to let bygones be bygones.
Information Minister Sikhanyiso Ndlovu, who spent over 10 years in Smith’s jails, said the former Rhodesian leader was the personification of evil.
“His evil scheming delayed our independence and it is difficult to forget the racism we experienced under him. We went to war because of his racist policies which some people still want to perpetuate to this day,†said Ndlovu.
Hundreds of black nationalists, including President Robert Mugabe, Ndlovu and many others, spent years in prison for daring to stand up against Smith’s policies. Some like, Rural Housing Minister Emmerson Mnangagwa, escaped the hang-man’s noose by a whisker because they were deemed under-age.
Even a visit to the Belgravia suburb of the rich where Smith he used to spend most of his time when he was not at his farm in Shurugwi in western Zimbabwe, showed no signs of mourning.
“We heard he’s dead but why should we be concerned?†said David Gumbo.
Although Smith maybe one of the undoubted villains of Zimbabwe’s recent history the former Rhodesian premier was an astute statesman who managed to maintain economic stability when the country was in a state of war.
When Mugabe assumed power in 1980, he inherited a fully functioning economy despite years of international isolation and sanctions. For example, at independence, the Zimbabwe dollar was slightly stronger than the British pound.
The former Rhodesian leader is single-handedly credited with keeping the Rhodesian economy afloat despite biting international sanctions imposed by the international community.
Political analysts say Mugabe, who inherited a sound economy from Smith in 1980, has virtually run the economy into the ground through repression, some argue is worse that Ian Smith’s and mismanagement.
- ZimOnline
Ian Smith (1919 – 2007) was the Prime Minister of the British colony of Southern Rhodesia from 1964 to 1965 and as the first Prime Minister of Rhodesia from 1965 to 1979 during white minority rule. He unilaterally declared independence from the UK in 1965. The country failed to gain international recognition and UN economic sanctions were instituted.
His party, the Rhodesian Front, won all general elections until the end of white rule in 1979, a period in which few blacks were qualified to vote. The Smith administration fought against black nationalists in the 1971-1979 Bush War. He negotiated an Internal Settlement in 1979 after 14 years of white rule in the face of war, economic sanctions, and international pressure. The agreement led to biracial rule and a coalition government led by Prime Minister Abel Muzorewa of the UANC. The Lancaster House Agreement and the election of Robert Mugabe as Prime Minister of the newly renamed Zimbabwe in 1980 marked the beginning of majority rule. Smith remained an MP until 1987. Subsequently, he enjoyed a long and comfortable retirement in Zimbabwe. critical of his successor Robert Mugabe. While abroad in 2000, Smith described Mugabe as “mentally deranged.†Mugabe threatened to him arrested and prosecuted for genocide should he ever return to Zimbabwe. Upon Smith’s return, he was neither arrested nor prosecuted. In early 2005 he travelled to South Africa for medical treatment. He stayed on to live with his widowed stepdaughter in Cape Town, until he died on 20 November 2007 at the age of 88. The cause of death was unknown but he had been reported to be in ill health in a residential home.
It is an age-old adage that seeks to beseech the living not to defile the memory of the dead by focusing on the evil that they did while still on earth.
But for Ian Douglas Smith, who died in Cape Town, South Africa on Tuesday night, there is still a lingering bitterness among millions of black Zimbabweans who still regard him as the personification of evil, even in death.
Smith died in Cape Town at the ripe age of 88.
The former Prime Minister of Rhodesia, Zimbabwe’s colonial name before independence in 1980, is infamous for introducing racist policies when he unilaterally declared independence from then colonial power Britain in 1965.
The new policies eventually drove Zimbabwe nationalist leaders to wage a bitter armed struggle against his regime, that left over 30 000 mostly black Zimbabweans dead.
When news of Smith’s death filtered in Harare yesterday, very few people appeared touched by his death, or let alone appeared to mourn him, suggesting that his racist legacy was still firmly ensconced in the people’s psyche.
Individuals who spoke to ZimOnline yesterday were quite happy to cite racist statements that Smith made during his lifetime that they said showed he was a racist to the bone.
Eldred Masunungure, a respected University of Zimbabwe political scientist, said Smith was a racist who was blinded by a Utopian vision to perpetuate white supremacy at the expense of the majority blacks.
“He will be remembered as nothing but a hardcore racist who was deeply buried in white prejudice,†he said.
Masunungure said it was difficult for thousands of Zimbabweans who lost their loved ones during the 1970s war to forgive Smith and let him depart this earth in peace.
“He drew parallels with Hitler. He had a fascist vision. His greatest tragedy was not seeing beyond the colour of his skin,†said Masunungure.
Cabinet ministers in Mugabe’s government, some of whom spent years in Smith’s jails during his reign that ended in 1979, also seemed not prepared to let bygones be bygones.
Information Minister Sikhanyiso Ndlovu, who spent over 10 years in Smith’s jails, said the former Rhodesian leader was the personification of evil.
“His evil scheming delayed our independence and it is difficult to forget the racism we experienced under him. We went to war because of his racist policies which some people still want to perpetuate to this day,†said Ndlovu.
Hundreds of black nationalists, including President Robert Mugabe, Ndlovu and many others, spent years in prison for daring to stand up against Smith’s policies. Some like, Rural Housing Minister Emmerson Mnangagwa, escaped the hang-man’s noose by a whisker because they were deemed under-age.
Even a visit to the Belgravia suburb of the rich where Smith he used to spend most of his time when he was not at his farm in Shurugwi in western Zimbabwe, showed no signs of mourning.
“We heard he’s dead but why should we be concerned?†said David Gumbo.
Although Smith maybe one of the undoubted villains of Zimbabwe’s recent history the former Rhodesian premier was an astute statesman who managed to maintain economic stability when the country was in a state of war.
When Mugabe assumed power in 1980, he inherited a fully functioning economy despite years of international isolation and sanctions. For example, at independence, the Zimbabwe dollar was slightly stronger than the British pound.
The former Rhodesian leader is single-handedly credited with keeping the Rhodesian economy afloat despite biting international sanctions imposed by the international community.
Political analysts say Mugabe, who inherited a sound economy from Smith in 1980, has virtually run the economy into the ground through repression, some argue is worse that Ian Smith’s and mismanagement.
- ZimOnline
Ian Smith (1919 – 2007) was the Prime Minister of the British colony of Southern Rhodesia from 1964 to 1965 and as the first Prime Minister of Rhodesia from 1965 to 1979 during white minority rule. He unilaterally declared independence from the UK in 1965. The country failed to gain international recognition and UN economic sanctions were instituted.
His party, the Rhodesian Front, won all general elections until the end of white rule in 1979, a period in which few blacks were qualified to vote. The Smith administration fought against black nationalists in the 1971-1979 Bush War. He negotiated an Internal Settlement in 1979 after 14 years of white rule in the face of war, economic sanctions, and international pressure. The agreement led to biracial rule and a coalition government led by Prime Minister Abel Muzorewa of the UANC. The Lancaster House Agreement and the election of Robert Mugabe as Prime Minister of the newly renamed Zimbabwe in 1980 marked the beginning of majority rule. Smith remained an MP until 1987. Subsequently, he enjoyed a long and comfortable retirement in Zimbabwe. critical of his successor Robert Mugabe. While abroad in 2000, Smith described Mugabe as “mentally deranged.†Mugabe threatened to him arrested and prosecuted for genocide should he ever return to Zimbabwe. Upon Smith’s return, he was neither arrested nor prosecuted. In early 2005 he travelled to South Africa for medical treatment. He stayed on to live with his widowed stepdaughter in Cape Town, until he died on 20 November 2007 at the age of 88. The cause of death was unknown but he had been reported to be in ill health in a residential home.