News / National
'African leaders, listen less from those who colonised us'
24 May 2014 at 03:54hrs | Views
African leaders must stand for what they believe in and stop being lackeys of the West, Senior Minister of State in the Office of the President and Cabinet Simon Khaya Moyo said yesterday.
Minister Khaya Moyo told a meeting organised by the Zimbabwe Congress of Students Unions at Harare Polytechnic to mark Africa Day, which falls tomorrow, that Africans must determine their own destiny.
"We must take charge of our continent and listen less from those who colonised us," he said.
"There are some I am told who cannot even up to now drink water from Africa, they have to import it from Paris in order to feel complete, that is a disaster.
"I think when we celebrate Africa Day, let us reflect on such unfortunate developments. We don't have to go to Paris to discuss African matters, we don't have to go to London and Portugal unless you still have that serious political hangover from the effects of colonialism."
Minister Khaya Moyo said it was a pity that Africans who come from French-speaking countries prided themselves to be associated with France, while those who from English-speaking countries associated themselves with the English. The same applied to Lusophone countries that aspired to be Portuguese.
The Senior Minister said it was sad that there were impediments to regional integration and there was need to take control of the continent's resources.
"The use of the terms like ‘resource curse', ‘new scramble for Africa' and also ‘dead aid' reveal that Africa as a continent should pursue policies of natural resource extraction and beneficiation and maintaining their control," he said.
"Africa must thus guard vigilantly against imperialist and neo-colonialist machinations that either give aid or cause the unwanted political crises through external interferences in African states' internal or domestic affairs, in order to retake control of our valuable natural resources."
He said it was prudent that political parties that lost in the July 31, 2013 unite with the ruling party ZANU-PF for economic development.
Meanwhile, ambassador Khaya Moyo has consoled the Dinha family following the death of Michael Dinha, the father of Minister of State for Mashonaland Central Advocate Martin Dinha.
Dinha (79) succumbed to a heart attack in Shamva on Thursday and will be buried at Cottco Cemetery in Bindura at 10am today.
Khaya Moyo described Dinha as a gallant fighter who yearned for the country's independence during the colonial era.
"I have learnt with shock and dismay of the untimely demise of your father on May 22 in Shamva," he said.
"Your departed father was a freedom fighter of immense measure, a nationalist of compound courage who graduated from prison to prison in his pursuance to free Zimbabwe."
Dinha is survived by his wife Fatima, five children - Adv Dinha, Paul, Anny, Sally and Catherine, 22 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Mourners are gathered at number 1026 Oak Road Shashiville in Bindura.
Minister Khaya Moyo told a meeting organised by the Zimbabwe Congress of Students Unions at Harare Polytechnic to mark Africa Day, which falls tomorrow, that Africans must determine their own destiny.
"We must take charge of our continent and listen less from those who colonised us," he said.
"There are some I am told who cannot even up to now drink water from Africa, they have to import it from Paris in order to feel complete, that is a disaster.
"I think when we celebrate Africa Day, let us reflect on such unfortunate developments. We don't have to go to Paris to discuss African matters, we don't have to go to London and Portugal unless you still have that serious political hangover from the effects of colonialism."
Minister Khaya Moyo said it was a pity that Africans who come from French-speaking countries prided themselves to be associated with France, while those who from English-speaking countries associated themselves with the English. The same applied to Lusophone countries that aspired to be Portuguese.
The Senior Minister said it was sad that there were impediments to regional integration and there was need to take control of the continent's resources.
"The use of the terms like ‘resource curse', ‘new scramble for Africa' and also ‘dead aid' reveal that Africa as a continent should pursue policies of natural resource extraction and beneficiation and maintaining their control," he said.
He said it was prudent that political parties that lost in the July 31, 2013 unite with the ruling party ZANU-PF for economic development.
Meanwhile, ambassador Khaya Moyo has consoled the Dinha family following the death of Michael Dinha, the father of Minister of State for Mashonaland Central Advocate Martin Dinha.
Dinha (79) succumbed to a heart attack in Shamva on Thursday and will be buried at Cottco Cemetery in Bindura at 10am today.
Khaya Moyo described Dinha as a gallant fighter who yearned for the country's independence during the colonial era.
"I have learnt with shock and dismay of the untimely demise of your father on May 22 in Shamva," he said.
"Your departed father was a freedom fighter of immense measure, a nationalist of compound courage who graduated from prison to prison in his pursuance to free Zimbabwe."
Dinha is survived by his wife Fatima, five children - Adv Dinha, Paul, Anny, Sally and Catherine, 22 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Mourners are gathered at number 1026 Oak Road Shashiville in Bindura.
Source - Herald
