Chronicle Editor
Gibson Nyikadzino, Correspondent
THE emergence of post-colonial modernity in the formerly colonised states has triggered the reorganisation of institutions and social conditions in many African states. This continent is yet to fully broaden and firm out a democratic and social order that responds to its specific history.
The philosophy expected to play a crucial role in this, Ubuntuism, has had its existence disrupted in the name of divergent views, certain freedoms and rights appropriated to individuals.
However, these freedoms, rights and holding of particular views in the name of democratic plurality have affected the social order outlined in the philosophy of Ubuntu.
Ubuntu refers to humanness. Its underlying principle is having expressions towards the deeply-held African ideals of one’s personhood being rooted in one’s interconnectedness with others. It is premised on the idea that the benefits and burdens of the community must be shared in such a way that no one feels marginalised, for all efforts are recognised.
Ubuntu, just like Confucianism in China and other parts of Asia, does not prohibit diversity of opinions, neither does it bar plurality. Both are strict on adherence to the respect accorded to different opinions and ensuring that people are able to work with their differences but in a harmonious way.
Dangerous, manipulative politicians
Recently, South Africa’s public broadcaster carried a story with social contradictions posed by a fringe and peripheral political party called Patriotic Alliance which had the hallmarks of anti-Ubuntuism.
For its survival, the political party sought political capital by espousing anti-human, manipulative and anti-African rhetoric that exhibited structural deficiencies. There appears to be dangerous institutionally tolerated sentiments in that society, which in previous times, failure to deal with these resulted in Afrophobic and xenophobic incidences.
The Patriotic Alliance party’s deputy president Kenny Kunene and a handful of supporters made populist remarks against Zimbabwean pupils enrolled at a public school in Pretoria. They were advocating for the expulsion of Zimbabwean pupils and the replacement of the chairperson of the school development board they said was Zimbabwean.
They repeatedly used inflammatory language in describing their plans against fellow Africans.
What was evident is that this small political ensemble is using anti-Zimbabwean sentiments to marshal support for an anti-immigration populist rhetoric as a campaign idea in this year’s elections in South Africa. It is known that the Patriotic Alliance will not win on the ballot, hence thinks it can win by raising anti-humanity postulations.
Exploiting fault lines
Immigration is a result of various factors and it is a mix of globalisation, economic hardships and war. At the same time, this assortment of factors is also a major reason for the populist surge against Ubuntuism.
Anti-immigration rhetoric is being used to increase negative emotional reactions related to immigrants and in particular Zimbabweans. It is no doubt that when an economy is not performing well, people are bound to move to greener pastures.
The movement of people can be through legal or other means and some Zimbabweans are immigrants in South Africa as much as others are in various parts of the world.
This should not be used to cultivate broad ignorance regarding the protection of migrant or immigrant rights wherever they are. Every immigrant has the right to recognition everywhere as a person before law, including having the right to education in the host country.
Nothing should be used to seclude Zimbabwean immigrants in South Africa, just as nothing should be done to Honduran, Cuban, Syrian and Afghan immigrants in Europe or the USA, for their statuses can be regulated under international conventions ratified in national laws.
If South African politicians want to exploit an immigration fault line for political expediency, the consequences are that this endangers the idea of Ubuntu which is an integral part in all aspects of day-to-day life throughout Africa.
African communitarianism
Ubuntu solidarity is shared by all in Southern, Central, West and East Africa. It is only through such solidarity as a result of our people’s brotherly and sisterly concern, cooperation, caring and sharing can isolation, deprivation and any other new problems be survived through positive interactions.
Within African philosophy, Ubuntu is a core tenet of communitarianism.
There is nothing human in attempting to stoke xenophobia because one is desirous to have political office. Anger, hatred and bitterness are therefore corrosive to harmony and anti-humanity as well.
Some thinkers within the field of African philosophy have contrasted the tenet of Ubuntu with French philosopher René Descartes’ dictum “I think, therefore I am.” Descartes’s assertion is very individualistic. For it can be translated to mean “I think I might exist because I am thinking right now” yet that does not say anything about contributions to our being made by those around us.
But in Ubuntuism, you exist because people around you enabled you to exist. The idea behind Ubuntu is that a solitary human is impossible, it is a contradiction because to be human is to be in community. So harmony is a major premise above all else.
When Africa begins to visibly discard Ubuntuism, they will be abandoning its anchor maxims that signify the importance of recognising the humanity in others to affirm one’s own humanity and the value of prioritising and preserving human life over material wealth and gain.
Historical, future connections
It should be remembered that Ubuntu preaches a type of interrelationship that cuts across time. As Africans, we are not only connected in the modern, but also with the past.
That is why during the struggle against Apartheid by South Africa’s black majority, Zimbabwe and other African states played central roles to ensure that blacks became free.
With Ghana’s independence in 1957, the country played a key role in helping to influence independence movements in other African states. Zambia, Mozambique and Tanzania as Frontline states deployed the African human interconnectivity to help Zimbabwe and Namibia fight colonial establishment.
The interconnection of Africans and Bantu language speakers is not only physical, but also spiritual as they are connected in history and into the future with those after us.
Humanity is plural
No African politician should have their score sheet marked good because they made anti-African or anti-Ubuntu sentiments. The right of these same politicians to exist as leaders is set on the platform of Ubuntu, as many people support them. These should not be misled or diverted from the theme that “I can only be fully me when you are fully you.”
A solitary human being is a contradiction to the spirit of Ubuntu. There is a need for politicians in particular and people in general to learn from other humans how to be human.
In Ubuntuism, one cannot be threatened by anyone’s existence because in this philosophy, the better one is, the better another person becomes. Pursuing our interconnectedness means we are bearing in mind that one’s actions affects not just them, but others as well.
This is an ultimate reverse of everything that is western for Ubuntu is a movement from “me to we or us”. For Africans, humanity should remain based on the plural, and not the individual.
Bongani Ndlovu