admin
Stanlake John William Thompson Samkange (1980) highlights the three maxims of Ubuntuism or Hunhuism that shape the philosophy of Ubuntu. The first maxim asserts that “to be human is to affirm one’s humanity by recognising the humanity of others and, on that basis, establish respectful human relations with them.” The second maxim means that “if and when one is faced with a decisive choice between wealth and the preservation of the life of another human being, then one should opt for the preservation of life.” The third “maxim” as a principle deeply embedded in traditional African political philosophy says “that the king owed his status, including all the powers associated with it, to the will of the people under him.”
A number of scholars concur Ubuntuism is an idea from the Southern African region which literally means “human-ness”, and is often translated as “humanity towards others”, but is often used in a more philosophical sense to mean “the belief in a universal bond of sharing that connects all humanity”. An example of the African way of life known back then, before Western cultural imperialism penetrated our social fabric, though still evident in most rural settings, in the Ubuntu domain, “visitors are provided for and protected in every home they pass through without payment being expected. In fact, every individual should try his or her best to make visitors comfortable — and this applies to everyone who is aware of the presence of a visitor within a locality.”
African intellectual historians like Michael Onyebuchi Eze have argued however, that this ideal of “collective responsibility” must not be understood as absolute in which the community’s good is prior to the individual’s good. On this view, Ubuntu it is argued, is a communitarian philosophy that is widely differentiated from the Western notion of communitarian socialism. In fact, Ubuntu induces an ideal of shared human subjectivity that promotes a community’s good through an unconditional recognition and appreciation of individual uniqueness and difference.
From the days of the liberation struggle, we have seen the spirit of Ubuntu come to the fore, with people from different parts of the country coming together to fight the common enemy, give each other food, clothes and shelter. And President Robert Mugabe has now and again implored on the spirit of Ubuntu, telling the young and old alike in the country to treat each other with respect, treat each other as brothers and sisters despite differences in opinions to make this country a better place for everyone.
As the country grapples with the effects of drought, the President has once again appealed to the nation to abide by the spirit of Ubuntu, highlighting that there will be no discrimination in the distribution of food imported by the Government to feed people and those caught influencing food distribution on partisan lines would be dealt with in terms of the law. His call came amid reports that there were some officials who were distributing food aid on partisan basis, after Government started to import food to give to the masses countrywide.
“We have the same feeling, needs and demands and so even as we struggle against each other politically, the hunger that we feel within our own party is the same hunger being felt in the MDC. We are Zimbabweans whether we are working in mines, farms or companies. We can never rub off the fact of our being Zimbabwean, the fact of being human beings. That is what Christianity teaches us. Whether we find ourselves in the party or any association, we are all the same, bound together as one family of Zimbabweans . . . If you have surplus and know there are other areas that need food, please assist each other and Government will be in the process of bringing more.”
We therefore urge all those tasked with the distribution of relief food to the masses to take heed of the message from His Excellency, and above all, allow the spirit of Ubuntu to prevail on all facets of our lives.
Online Reporter
Bongani Ndlovu