Dramatising the pain and suffering of Zimbabweans will not change our perspective

The connivance of Verashni Pillay, the deputy editor of Mail & Guardian, and Kieno Kammies, the Cape Talk567 radio presenter, in portraying the interview of President Mugabe by Dali Tambo on People of the South, as a "PR exercise" is not a surprise to many people. Over the years the Mail & Guardian and presenters such as Kieno Kammies have used their positions to further the regime change agenda by exaggerating and dramatising Zimbabwean issues and stories, on which they have very no experience and understanding. Because of their scanty knowledge of Zimbabwe they pander to the whims of their masters and end up misinforming the general unsuspecting public.

Kammies and Pillay are no strangers in taking every opportunity to criticise  and vilifying President Mugabe, whilst their knowledge and understanding of the Zimbabwean situation is limited only to what they have heard from the 'anti-Mugabe press' and opposition politicians. It is no wonder why the Mail & Guardian acts as the mouth-piece of Zimbabweans yet they have a skewed understanding of issues relating to what they refer to as land grab, and political violence.

Instead of taking a leaf from Dali Tambo, who sought time to find the truth of the man who has been demonised and vilified world over, they jump to criticise Tambo on why he did not ask their questions . It is time that the Mail  & Guardian and people like Pillay and Kammies understand that Zimbabweans can speak for themselves. We do not need them as our mouth pieces in addressing our challenges.

Verashni Pillay's accusations on Tambo are disingenuous and have an element suggestive of an imperialist stooge. Characterising President Mugabe as an aging tyrant and as a man who has used violence and undemocratic means to stay in power since 1980 is absurd, and cannot go unchallenged. To further assume the role of a judge and spokesperson for Zimbabweans on their "plight" is mischief of the highest order. It is because of their preconceived ideas that they felt hard done when Dali Tambo did not ask questions which they had on their interview sheets.

The suggestion by Pillay that showing Mugabe in a favourable light a few months before Zimbabwe's crucial harmonised elections is a political and PR exercise clearly shows that they were hurt by the impact that the interview had. However, Dali Tambo is not a politician and did what he had to do for someone who qualifies to feature on the People of the South programme.

It should be noted that any African of repute like Dali Tambo, a true Pan Africanist, would feel proud in a man like President Robert Mugabe who continues to be misunderstood, vilified and ill-judged by a lot of the press and people like Pillay and Kammies. It is not a secret that President Mugabe has done a lot for the Zimbabweans in terms of economic empowerment, education and most importantly giving back land to the indigenous people. This is a feat no other leader has achieved in Africa, and it is because of his courage that President Mugabe has earned a bad name from those who had stolen land and had it taken away from them.

Nevertheless, he will go down in history as a true nationalist, revolutionary and true leader with a very positive perspective from many Africans. People like Verashni Pillay should be reminded and advised that the Zimbabwean story can better be told by Zimbabweans. Exaggerating and grossly dramatising the pain and suffering of Zimbabweans will not in any way change our perspective of our country Zimbabwe and President Comrade Robert Mugabe.

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Kennedy Mapesa Mandaza is the ZANU-PF SA Secretary for Information and Publicity