Opinion / Columnist
Let's promote patriotism and not a personality cult in Zimbabwe
3 hrs ago | Views
The Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) has increasingly alienated its audience by subjecting the few remaining viewers and listeners to relentless propaganda promoting President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
Over the past months, state-controlled media has become a tool for cultivating a personality cult around the president, rather than fostering a genuine love for Zimbabwe.
The persistent airing of jingles glorifying Mnangagwa-produced and performed by ZANU-PF-affiliated women's choirs-occurs at an almost maddening frequency of every 30 minutes.
This development reflects a troubling shift toward a culture of authoritarianism that seeks to deify individuals instead of uniting the nation under shared values of patriotism.
Ordinarily, such antics by ZBC might not warrant much concern, given the corporation's diminished audience.
Over the decades, ZBC has seen a catastrophic decline in its viewership and listenership due to its poor-quality programming and unabashed bias.
According to Zimbabwe All Media Products Survey (ZAMPS) reports, ZBC's audience share is a fraction of what it once was.
However, instead of presenting actual numerical data-possibly to spare the broadcaster further embarrassment-ZAMPS reports now opt to publish percentages, such as ZBC's claim of a 67% audience share for its main news bulletin.
To directly receive articles from Tendai Ruben Mbofana, please join his WhatsApp Channel on: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaqprWCIyPtRnKpkHe08
Such statistics are misleading, as they obscure the reality that only a small fraction of Zimbabweans still rely on ZBC for information or entertainment.
This is unsurprising, considering the state-controlled broadcaster has been reduced to little more than an extension of ZANU-PF's propaganda machinery.
Yet, the problem with ZBC's jingles lies not merely in their ineffectiveness.
Rather, the greater concern is the culture they propagate.
Zimbabwe appears to be inching closer to the model of North Korea, where personality cults have eroded democratic values and enslaved the population to the whims of "The Leader."
In North Korea, the Kim dynasty has built a system that revolves entirely around the supreme leader's perceived infallibility.
Public displays of loyalty, including mass parades and orchestrated mourning at the deaths of leaders, are mandatory.
Citizens are bombarded daily with messages portraying the leader as god-like, rendering dissent unthinkable.
This environment has stifled innovation, ruined the economy, and plunged ordinary North Koreans into extreme poverty and isolation, with millions facing chronic food shortages while resources are funneled into maintaining the regime's power.
The glorification of leaders in Zimbabwe risks creating similar conditions, where accountability, transparency, and citizens' rights are sacrificed at the altar of political expediency.
The relentless push to glorify Mnangagwa through jingles and propaganda diminishes the core values of patriotism, which should center on love for one's country rather than blind loyalty to a leader.
Genuine patriotism inspires citizens to protect their nation's integrity, natural resources, and collective welfare.
A patriotic Zimbabwe would focus on nurturing national pride through celebrating the country's natural beauty, promoting its vast cultural heritage, and encouraging civic responsibility.
For instance, instead of glorifying a leader presiding over a failing economy, ZBC could highlight Zimbabwe's majestic sights, from the mighty Victoria Falls to the breathtaking Eastern Highlands, urging citizens to rally behind efforts to preserve such treasures for future generations.
True patriotism also demands accountability and exemplary leadership.
As Zimbabwe's national anthem proclaims, leaders should be "exemplary" models of honesty, fairness, and integrity.
Yet, Zimbabweans have witnessed the opposite.
Under Mnangagwa's leadership, corruption has flourished, human rights abuses have escalated, and the economy has deteriorated.
Millions live in abject poverty, unable to access basic services like healthcare and education, while the nation's resources are plundered by a politically connected elite.
For a regime that has caused so much suffering to promote itself as a bastion of virtue is not only hypocritical but an insult to the intelligence of Zimbabweans.
The glorification of leaders in Zimbabwe serves only to obscure the regime's failures and suppress dissent.
Citizens must understand that loving their country does not mean uncritically supporting its leaders.
On the contrary, true patriots hold their leaders to the highest standards, challenging them to act in the country's best interest.
Zimbabwe's leaders must be reminded that their legitimacy derives from their ability to serve the people, not from propaganda or attempts to impose themselves as demi-gods.
The government's focus should shift toward fostering a culture of national pride rooted in collective ownership of Zimbabwe's future.
This entails prioritizing the welfare of all Zimbabweans over political survival, tackling corruption head-on, and ensuring equitable access to the country's wealth.
The current propaganda campaign glorifying Mnangagwa is antithetical to these goals, as it promotes a vision of patriotism that equates to servitude to the ruling elite.
By rejecting this false narrative, Zimbabweans can reclaim the essence of patriotism as a force for national renewal and unity.
Zimbabwe must avoid the path of North Korea, where personality cults have turned citizens into mere instruments of state propaganda.
Instead, the nation should aspire to build a democracy that celebrates its people's diversity, resilience, and ingenuity.
Let us promote patriotism that inspires citizens to dream of a better Zimbabwe and work collectively to achieve it-not one that shackles them to the whims of those in power.
As the saying goes, "Patriotism means to stand by the country. It does not mean to stand by the president."
It is time for Zimbabwe to embrace this principle and chart a path toward genuine national pride and progress.
- Tendai Ruben Mbofana is a social justice advocate and writer. Please feel free to WhatsApp or Call: +263715667700 | +263782283975, or email: mbofana.tendairuben73@gmail.com, or visit website: https://mbofanatendairuben.news.blog/
Over the past months, state-controlled media has become a tool for cultivating a personality cult around the president, rather than fostering a genuine love for Zimbabwe.
The persistent airing of jingles glorifying Mnangagwa-produced and performed by ZANU-PF-affiliated women's choirs-occurs at an almost maddening frequency of every 30 minutes.
This development reflects a troubling shift toward a culture of authoritarianism that seeks to deify individuals instead of uniting the nation under shared values of patriotism.
Ordinarily, such antics by ZBC might not warrant much concern, given the corporation's diminished audience.
Over the decades, ZBC has seen a catastrophic decline in its viewership and listenership due to its poor-quality programming and unabashed bias.
According to Zimbabwe All Media Products Survey (ZAMPS) reports, ZBC's audience share is a fraction of what it once was.
However, instead of presenting actual numerical data-possibly to spare the broadcaster further embarrassment-ZAMPS reports now opt to publish percentages, such as ZBC's claim of a 67% audience share for its main news bulletin.
To directly receive articles from Tendai Ruben Mbofana, please join his WhatsApp Channel on: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaqprWCIyPtRnKpkHe08
Such statistics are misleading, as they obscure the reality that only a small fraction of Zimbabweans still rely on ZBC for information or entertainment.
This is unsurprising, considering the state-controlled broadcaster has been reduced to little more than an extension of ZANU-PF's propaganda machinery.
Yet, the problem with ZBC's jingles lies not merely in their ineffectiveness.
Rather, the greater concern is the culture they propagate.
Zimbabwe appears to be inching closer to the model of North Korea, where personality cults have eroded democratic values and enslaved the population to the whims of "The Leader."
In North Korea, the Kim dynasty has built a system that revolves entirely around the supreme leader's perceived infallibility.
Public displays of loyalty, including mass parades and orchestrated mourning at the deaths of leaders, are mandatory.
Citizens are bombarded daily with messages portraying the leader as god-like, rendering dissent unthinkable.
This environment has stifled innovation, ruined the economy, and plunged ordinary North Koreans into extreme poverty and isolation, with millions facing chronic food shortages while resources are funneled into maintaining the regime's power.
The glorification of leaders in Zimbabwe risks creating similar conditions, where accountability, transparency, and citizens' rights are sacrificed at the altar of political expediency.
The relentless push to glorify Mnangagwa through jingles and propaganda diminishes the core values of patriotism, which should center on love for one's country rather than blind loyalty to a leader.
Genuine patriotism inspires citizens to protect their nation's integrity, natural resources, and collective welfare.
For instance, instead of glorifying a leader presiding over a failing economy, ZBC could highlight Zimbabwe's majestic sights, from the mighty Victoria Falls to the breathtaking Eastern Highlands, urging citizens to rally behind efforts to preserve such treasures for future generations.
True patriotism also demands accountability and exemplary leadership.
As Zimbabwe's national anthem proclaims, leaders should be "exemplary" models of honesty, fairness, and integrity.
Yet, Zimbabweans have witnessed the opposite.
Under Mnangagwa's leadership, corruption has flourished, human rights abuses have escalated, and the economy has deteriorated.
Millions live in abject poverty, unable to access basic services like healthcare and education, while the nation's resources are plundered by a politically connected elite.
For a regime that has caused so much suffering to promote itself as a bastion of virtue is not only hypocritical but an insult to the intelligence of Zimbabweans.
The glorification of leaders in Zimbabwe serves only to obscure the regime's failures and suppress dissent.
Citizens must understand that loving their country does not mean uncritically supporting its leaders.
On the contrary, true patriots hold their leaders to the highest standards, challenging them to act in the country's best interest.
Zimbabwe's leaders must be reminded that their legitimacy derives from their ability to serve the people, not from propaganda or attempts to impose themselves as demi-gods.
The government's focus should shift toward fostering a culture of national pride rooted in collective ownership of Zimbabwe's future.
This entails prioritizing the welfare of all Zimbabweans over political survival, tackling corruption head-on, and ensuring equitable access to the country's wealth.
The current propaganda campaign glorifying Mnangagwa is antithetical to these goals, as it promotes a vision of patriotism that equates to servitude to the ruling elite.
By rejecting this false narrative, Zimbabweans can reclaim the essence of patriotism as a force for national renewal and unity.
Zimbabwe must avoid the path of North Korea, where personality cults have turned citizens into mere instruments of state propaganda.
Instead, the nation should aspire to build a democracy that celebrates its people's diversity, resilience, and ingenuity.
Let us promote patriotism that inspires citizens to dream of a better Zimbabwe and work collectively to achieve it-not one that shackles them to the whims of those in power.
As the saying goes, "Patriotism means to stand by the country. It does not mean to stand by the president."
It is time for Zimbabwe to embrace this principle and chart a path toward genuine national pride and progress.
- Tendai Ruben Mbofana is a social justice advocate and writer. Please feel free to WhatsApp or Call: +263715667700 | +263782283975, or email: mbofana.tendairuben73@gmail.com, or visit website: https://mbofanatendairuben.news.blog/
Source - Tendai Ruben Mbofana
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