admin
Fungi Kwaramba Political Editor
When a Chinese national allegedly shot two of his workers recently in a pay dispute in the Midlands province capital of Gweru, there was, as expected a backlash from Zimbabweans who condemned the gun totting man.
On its part the Chinese Embassy in Harare has been unequivocal in condemning the criminal act, calling on the country’s law enforcement agents to ensure that justice is done. The Chinese business community came together and pledged to ensure that they would give succour to the victims.
Today, the Chinese man is locked up in jail, facing justice from the Zimbabwean courts. The double swift action by both the police and the Chinese Embassy to act and speak out against the callous act of violent put paid to naysayers that there is any form of preferential or entitlement by our All Weather friends.
There were some who wanted to irresponsibly use the isolated incident to rouse public anger against the Chinese, an attempt to lump the acts of an individual to the broader Chinese community, but such acts are not only cowardly, but also incendiary and thus unacceptable in a modern Zimbabwe.
As the nation, and the world at large, tackles hate crimes and other criminal acts such as the case in point we should collectively reject prejudice, intolerance and repel the temptation to reduce acts of individuals as reflections of the broader community.
Such behavioural trends are counter-productive and often a reflection of a society that is intolerant, violent and discriminatory, something that certainly is alien to Zimbabwe and its peaceful citizens. It is therefore, important to view the unfortunate incident that took place in Gweru as an isolated criminal act, and also to leave the matter in the hands of the police and the courts. While it is every individual’s right to express opinions, these should not degenerate into hate and thus fuel acts of xenophobia.
Let us not lose site of the bigger picture, and let us leave the country’s justice delivery system to deliver justice to fellow Zimbabweans who were subjected to violence by this individual.
Over the past years, China has stood with Zimbabwe through both good and bad times. The bond between the two nations is that of brothers, forged during the liberation struggle and persistent to this day.
Just as an example, the Chinese Government has over the years invested heavily in Zimbabwe and in recent months, following the outbreak of coronavirus, China has made timely interventions that have kept us going in the face of a world pestilence.
The current donations aside, China’s Shanghai Construction Group is working on the new Parliament complex in Mount Hampden, 18km off the capital, Harare.
The multi-million New Parliament project aside, the Chinese are also expanding the Hwange Thermal Power station, a project that will, upon completion add 600 megawatts into the national grid by 2022.
Apart from the US$1.5 billion Hwange expansion project, the Chinese through Sinohydro completed the expansion of the Kariba South Expansion project.
The Chinese have a vast of projects spread across the country including, mining ventures. Such a commitment is testimonial of the genuine rapport between the two nations.
That of course, is not an attempt to muddle the crime committed by one individual, but rather is demonstrative of the fact that individuals are never homogeneous in behaviour and that, the way they behave or relate does not portray or mirror their nations’ relations with host countries.
Which brings the fact that in a globalised village, citizens of the world can emerge as heroes or villains in any location they are found.
For instance, we have Zimbabweans who are strewn around the world, some are true ambassadors of the country who carry the nation’s flag with exemplarity and in like vein, we cannot deny that some of our citizens are not model Zimbabweans in whichever country they may be living.
A case in point is of a Zimbabwean man who was recently arrested in Louisiana, United States of America on murder charges, that was an isolated case which is not indicative of the behaviour of Zimbabweans worldwide.
In countries like China, where our footprint is increasing, thanks to growing ties and the Asian giant’s less stringent visa requirements, our countrymen and women are also being caught on the wrong side of the law and are tried in accordance with the laws of China. They are subjected to that country’s justice delivery system, just as other persons who break the law.
Thus Zimbabweans should give justice a chance and allow due process to take place without applying emotions that border on hate and xenophobia. It is trite that criminals abound in all jurisdictions and subject to the laws of those dominions.
Online Reporter