adminBrighton Taruberekera
Correspondent
One of the most famous Nelson Mandela quotes is an excerpt from his Aaron Davis Hall in New York, United States in 1990 when he was asked by Ken Adelman about the future South African government’s alliances with ‘despotic and authoritarian’ regimes such as Muammar Gaddafi’s Libya and Yasser Arafat’ Palestine Liberation Organisation.
Mandela retorted that, “One of the mistakes which some political analysts make is to think that their enemies should be our enemies, that we can and we will never do.”
The death and funeral procession of the late Harare socialite Genius ‘Ginimbi’ Kadungure was characterised by a massive turnout in the city of Harare as well as in Domboshava, something that the serial protestors in the form of the opposition has failed to do in several months although it is something they have a high appetite for.
With ire and envy of the turnout in the city, pro-opposition social media and pseudo political analysts were quick to demonise or place doubt on the sanity of the mourners.
The narrative was that since one Hopewell Chin’ono claims that he is fighting an alleged ‘authoritarian’ regime, everyone and all should ally with him in his so-called mission. Anyone who thinks and acts otherwise is quickly labelled an enemy or stupid.
One of the several analysts argued that Zimbabweans were funny because they had followed a dead Ginimbi in their thousands but no one had followed Hopewell Chin’ono to court notwithstanding that he was allegedly fighting the Zimbabweans’ battle.
What makes this more problematic is that the people who make those kinds of analysis, proclaim themselves as staunch supporters of democracy.
They should be one advocating for tolerance and respect of other people’s opinions and choices. Such attacks are unwarranted.
Democracy does not operate in that manner, tolerance is vital to the functioning of modern, liberal democracies. In Zimbabwe, individual rights and freedoms are recognised and protected through the national constitution.
In such societies where individual rights and freedoms are recognised and protected, some amount of tolerance of difference is required.
Democracy requires tolerance even of the most ‘crazy’ ideas as long as they are not illegal under the national laws.
And in a democracy, diversity comes in many forms.
It may be diversity in thought or speech, dress and physical appearance, language, religion, values, attitudes, and lifestyles.
Diversity may also reflect differences in class, ethnicity, age, gender, sexuality, or geography.
To think that your enemies should be everyone else’ enemy is a mistake, especially in a democratic society or one that claims to be.
In a democratic society everyone has the liberty to choose their own struggles, allies, friends and foes in accordance with their preferences.
It is understandable that naturally, human beings have an inherent desire to superimpose their will upon others.
Whilst going mostly by the majority voice, liberal democracy is designed to also respect and honour individual liberties.
Thus democracy is about majority rule whilst honouring or tolerating diverging views, opinions and actions as long as they are within the scope of the limits of the law.
Brighton Taruberekera is reading for a Master of Science in International Relations at the University of Zimbabwe.
Online Reporter