By Dr Masimba Masimba | The attack on the Corby Mayor Councillor Chikoto has reached another level after a local Corby journalist Sarah Ward working in cahoots with Zimbabwean activist Hopewell Chin’ono began prying on the life of the local leader.
Sarah Ward, says she will be publishing an article attacking Councillor Chikoto for having met the President of Zimbabwe.
What Sarah Ward is trying to do is to punish Chikoto for meeting his president. It is therefore clear that Ms Ward is failing to understand that newspapers have objectives. Whether it is even a main paper their objective is to serve the community needs. This means serving everyone regardless of their ethnicity or colour. This is done by not taking any side and by respecting different views. If communities disagree on an issue, a newspaper must not single out one view for vilification.
Even if you disagree as a journalist you must at a wider picture accommodate at a more fundamental principle. It is more important to respect human rights than divide people. If you work against one community you are superimposing your views. Communities strive when their views are respected and accommodated. The mark of democracy is being fair tolerant and only reporting what you understand. The measure of democracy is not how we treat our friends but how we accommodate those who are not even close to us. The promised publication by Sarah Ward is a clear sign of double standard.
The objective of responsible journalism is fairness and not victimisation. There are greater values that a responsible community can tolerate.
A surprising issue is that Sarah Ward is relying heavily on information she is receiving from one section of Zimbabwean immigrants in the United Kingdom. We listern to those whose actions do not superceed ours.
No journalist has a monopoly of defining to us what is valuable to us. Unfortunately Sarah Ward thinks she knows Zimbabwe better than the Zimbabweans.
Diversity and inclusiveness has been allowed to flourish in the United Kingdom. Prime minister in England visited his native country India and met the prime minister of India; surprisingly there is no outcry from Ward and Chin’ono.
Conceivable difference with Chikoto meeting the president of Zimbabwe is that this journalist is saying the same can not happen in an African state. If you meet an African leader and you are an African then there is a problem. It is obvious that this irritated Ward and the detractors because they were discussing issues affecting Zimbabwean community who happen to be black Zimbabweans.
Not big capitastic audience. This has made those who do not believe Africa and its leaders are human beings. When the president of Zimbabwe meets the politicians in London he advocated for investments which will benefit big investors. When the mayor Chikoto meets the president he discussed issues concerning minority black community.
This becomes a problem which is not only a race issue but a class issue. The mayor talked about relatively poor people and becomes an issue. The journalist that seek to condemn him does not even know the contents of the meetings.
This is hypocrisy when the ambassador of UK in Zimbabwe meets the president there is no issue. Is it because she is white. But the mayor is black and meets the president. What about diplomatic relations. What difference is the mayor going to make considering all British organisations are meeting the president. What about the coronation does Sarah Ward even realise that the president of Zimbabwe was in Wngland. What about the trade. These are double standards being exhibited against the first black Mayor of corby. The vice president of USA Camal went to east Africa last month.
America threatened to put sanctions on Uganda because Uganda was dealing with the law against gays. America threaten sanctions.
Ugandan MP said that was cowardly. America is treading with Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Yemen all these countries are against gays the West is bullying Africans.
You can not criticise someone because he met someone. The critiscism of the mayor is hypocritical.
MP Galloway met Saddam Hussain. He said it was hypocrisy because American defence secretary met him at the same time. Galloway said he met him for a good cause. What if the mayor met the president for a good cause. It is premitive to criticise the Mayor for meeting President Mnangagwa.
Corby has a Zimbabwean Community; he is entitled to speak on their behalf. Sanctions are said to be targeted. What if Zimbabweans want to invest in Zimbabwe. The president met Tony Blair in England, and several white Labour MPs have visited Zimbabwe.
Tony Blair represents British and American interests. Apart from racism, Tony Blair represents the British interest. He is allowed to do so. The mayor represents dual citizens who are taken as second class community.
The onslaught on the mayor is racist and of cause using Zimbabwean traitors who are after papers to stay in the UK.
There are two levels,a big interest in economic interest.
This is a financial interest. It’s more about money and largely financial.
Britain is sullivating about our minerals and there are over thirty minerals in Zimbabwe.
Now with gas and oil deposits found in Zimbabwe the onslaught on Zimbabwe is going to be high.
If Zimbabwe develops it will be a multi trillion dollar economy and that’s what they are trying to suppress. The attack on the mayor is just to demonise a nation.
The idea is to demonise Zimbabwe and to use their superiority.
It is an economic struggle where the mayor has become collateral.
Western countries demonise a country and then They come in and siphone the wealth from there.
They labelled our diamonds being supported by Hopewell Chin’ono as blood diamonds only for them to come in. They demonise Zimbabwe; they don’t want any one else to talk to the president of Zimbabwe but they will talk to him and try to own him themselves.
The principle is to silence anyone who is not talking in their interest.
President Kagame said what makes them think that they have a greater right than Russia to be in africa. They think we are their children.
The mayor of Corby is being victimised because he is black and talks do blacks.
Why does UK maintain an embassy in Zimbabwe if the president of Zimbabwe is not to be spoken to? Has Britain declared war against Zimbabwe? Have they cut off diplomatic ties? The British ambassador in Harare took photos with the president and no body talks. But the mayor is being used as a sacrificial lamb.
There is a 144 million pounds trade with Zimbabwe in favour of. Britain. It is not the Mayor selling things to Zimbabwe.
Britain has always been dealing with Zimbabwe during Ian Smith during Mugabe and now. Is it the mayor sending goods to Zimbabwe. Any human being visits his place of origin one they get a chance.
President Obama went to Kenya met the Kenyan president.
He visited his country of birth and origin. As he was there had the privilege of meeting the president. The discussions he has with the president have nothing to do with his position as a mayor. Anyone with the evidence to the contrary should come forward.
In Morden politics we have seen highly level people in positions visiting their countries of origin. Egypt Joe Biden visited Ireland. This does not stop him from being an ally of UK. Boris Johnson was born in America and during his leadership he visited America several times. He interacted with high ranking officials. Obama visited Kenya. Trump visited Scotland were he is originally from. There is nothing out of the ordinary Chikoto did.
Melanie Robinson. Ambassador.
Zimbabwe and Britain have been working on thawing their relationships it is things like this which are counter productive.
President met Andrew Mitchell. Baroness Scotland.
Invitation by head of state for UK King Charles all these are beyond the mayor. Why does Hopewell and Sarah Ward come after an innocent man. Despite all this malice Chikoto has made history and must be respected for that. The first black Corby mayor to meet the president is no villain.