Julius Malema anena ya Moyoni

 

South African populist politician, Julius Malema.

Al Jazeera interviews the populist politician about his thoughts on Mandela’s life and death.

Julius Sello Malema is a South African politician, and the Commander-in-Chief of the Economic Freedom Fighters. He also is a former president of the African National Congress Youth League and was a member of the ANC until his expulsion in 2012. Described as a “fascist” and a “demagogue” by his critics, he has always been able to hold a wide approval rating among some black South Africans. He has been convicted twice of hate speech. Al Jazeera’s Azad Essa sat down with the controversial figure to get his thoughts about Nelson Mandela and South Africa.

Al Jazeera: Madiba has passed on, what will be the impact on this country [South Africa]?

Julius Malema: Madiba’s passing away is going to serve as an education of the younger generation, particularly of where we come from and where we are heading to and whether what Madiba stood for has been achieved. So it has by and large been a reflection period. We need to continuously reflect on whether we have sold out on Mandela’s legacy or have we lived up to it. And what needs to be done to make this legacy last forever, for generations to come.

AJ: What about your feelings about Mandela’s legacy?

Malema: Mandela’s legacy is a very good legacy. It has laid a foundation, for a total emancipation of our people. It serves as a beacon of hope, and it serves as a building bridge towards the attainment of economic freedom, because Madiba ushered in political freedom – and political freedom without economic freedom is incomplete. Before he died, he said the struggle continues and we should have asked the question, which struggle. The struggle for economic emancipation of our people continues. And that is the terrain with which we decided to occupy ourselves as the economic freedom fighters. The people, especially generations choose their missions. Madiba’s mission was freedom in our lifetime. And he never betrayed that mission. He stayed true to it. And what is the mission of our time? It is economic freedom in our lifetime. We are not going to betray that mission, which has been informed by the foundation laid by Madiba and his generation.

AJ: So you have no doubt that Madiba completed his task?

Malema: He did. He did. There is no doubt Madiba played his role up to the finish line and handed over the baton to this generation and the baton landed in Zuma’s hand. And Zuma with not knowing how the race goes, he went back instead of running with the baton to give to the next generation, reversing the achievement of Nelson Mandela. If there is anybody who achieved his existence in society, it’s president Nelson Mandela and he was sold out by those that came after him.

AJ: What was the turning point for you regarding your support for Jacob Zuma?

Malema: The turning point for me against President Jacob Zuma was when he made an acceptance speech and press conferences he addressed subsequently, when he said that nothing would change economically. And remember, we elected this person on the ticket that he was going to bring fundamental change. And he says nothing is going to change economically, and he goes to London and reassures the queen and everybody else, that no, in South Africa things will remain the same. That is what the Boers said even before negotiations. They said, “OK, we are going to un-ban the ANC and other political parties. They must do away with the rhetoric, then the negotiations start and business will continue as usual.” And President Mandela agreed to that because he knew once we grab the political leaver of power, then we can use that to change the living conditions of our people. Those who came after him, sold out completely. 

AJ: There are certain pressures on the South African president and the presidency, and the governing parties from outside forces, when it comes to the World Bank and the IMF. How is the South African government supposed to deal with these pressures when it comes to outside powers?

Malema: We must reject the World Bank and we must look for the World Bank as well. We must look for an alternative market as well. We must look at what the World Bank has done in Africa, the creation of unemployment, the creation of inequality. If the IMF and the World Bank were really acting in the interest of African people, we wouldn’t be in the crisis we are now. The crisis we find ourselves in today is not of creation by the African leadership. The creation of international financial institutions which gave terms the did not benefit African people but the multinational companies that came to exploit the resources of Africa. So why listen to people who have no history of helping you anywhere else in Africa, except to milk your resources.

AJ: Why are people supposed to trust you … when there is so much controversy around you, with people accusing you of corruption etc? Why will people trust you to take the cause forward?

Malema: I have never refused to go to court. I’m a law abiding citizen. I believe in accountability. Allegations will always be there against leadership. But, how leadership deals with allegations, is very important. So you can trust a man who is not scared to be answerable before the courts of law.

AJ: What’s next? What is the next stage of this revolution according to you?

Malema: The next stage is the nationalisation of mines, banks and strategic sectors of the economy. Nationalisation of the land.

AJ: Won’t you scare people off?

Malema: Which people?

AJ: Foreign investors.

Malema: When you say foreign investors, you want to say white people. Because there is no black African foreign investors. If they go, let them go. We’ll look for alternative markets. The Asian tigers are waiting to come in.

 AJ: And you trust the Asian tigers to follow your interests?

Malema: They will invest in Africa and South Africa through our terms. Anyone who is not willing to comply with our terms, we will not open a space for that person. The Zimbabweans are doing it. Look at them. Despite the fact that they’ve gone through pain, they’re coming out of that pain. They’re becoming one of the fastest growing economies in Southern Africa and Africa. And the Zimbabweans, in the next 10 years are going to be the only Africans who own their own land, in the whole of Africa. And that is an achievement. The struggle means pain.

AJ: How important would this event be, with regards to next year’s elections?

Malema: It will help us in great way. As I said, it will help the country to engage in a self-reflection mood. We must use Madiba to remember where we come from , where we are and where we are going. Did we achieve what Madiba stood for? That’s what this elections is going to be about? Madiba’s death reminds us of how those in power today undermined what Madiba represented. And it is going to be very tough. And it is going to be very tough. People say they will use Madiba’s death to blackmail people. And invoke emotions of people. They are going to do that if we are not there.

We will use Madiba to remind people of the wrongs that these ones have done. Madiba did not build a one million kraal [homestead]. Madiba has never built a 500,000 [rand] spaza [informal] shop for his beautiful wife. Remember, beautiful wife, who deserves everything else. Madiba didn’t use the money of the people to do that. Madiba did not use the money of the people to build a 2.5 million [rand] swimming pool for himself. Despite the fact that he knew how to swim. People build swimming pools, in the whole family, no one knows how to swim, but they build a 2.5 million [rand] swimming pool for their families. That’s not who Madiba was. Madiba never used the state resources for self-enrichment. Madiba’s children, all of them, are still struggling until today, but the current crop of leadership – they are rich even before they are born.

Source: Al Jazeera

Rest in Peace Nelson Mandela

Aliyekuwa rais wa Afrika Kusini Thabo Mbeki atabiri kuwa mzee Mandela atarudi nyumbani hivi karibuni.

 

Rais wa zamani wa Afrika kusini Thabo Mbeki amesema mtangulizi wake Mzee Nelson Mandela, huenda akatoka hospitali na kuendelea na matibabu nyumbani. 

Mbeki amesema hayo wakati akizungumza katika  hafla moja ya Chama cha Afriacan National Congress-ANC.

Mandela  amelazwa hospitali kwa  wiki tano sasa kutokana na maambukizi  ya mapafu, hali iliosababisha kumiminika kwa risala za kumuombea nafuu kutoka ndani ya Afrika Kusini na kimataifa.

Marafiki waliomtembelea wamesema Mandela bado  anapumua kwa msaada wa mashine.

Shujaa huyo wa vita dhidi ya sera ya ubaguzi wa rangi, alitumikia kifungo cha miaka 27 gerezani, kabla ya kuwa Rais wa kwanza  wa Afrika kusini ya Kidemokrasia mwaka 1994. 

Thabo Mbeki aliyekuwa makamu wake wa Rais, alishika wadhifa huo wa kuiongoza Afrika kusini  wakati Mandela alipostaafu mwaka 1999.

Ifikapo siku ya Alhamisi wiki hii Mandela atatimia umri wa miaka 95.

"SINA WASI WASI NA AFYA YA MUME WANGU MANDELA"......MKE WA NELSON MANDELA

MKE wa Nelson Mandela amesema hana wasiwasi na afya ya mumewe kama alivyokuwa wiki moja iliyopita. “Anaendelea kupokea matibabu vizuri,” amesemaGraca Machel.
mwenye umri wa miaka 94 anaelezwa kuwa katika hali mbaya, ikiwa ni wiki ya tano sasa hospitalini. Juzi Rais Jacob Zuma alisema mpambanaji huyo dhidi ya ubaguzi wa rangi wa watawala wachache weupe wa Afrika Kusini “ameendelea kuwa mpiganaji imara hivi sasa kama ilivyokuwa miaka 50 iliyopita.” Alilazwa tangu Juni 8 kutokana na matatizo ya mapafu.
 

Wiki jana, Zuma alikanusha madai kuwa Mandela hivi sasa hajitambui. Watu wengi ambao wamemwona tangu hapo wamekuwa wakisema anajitambua na ana hisia.
BBC imeripoti kuwa Graca amekuwa pembeni mwa kitanda cha Mandela muda wote hospitalini hapo-Medi-Clinic, Pretoria-na amekuwa akijitenga na mgogoro wa kisheria ndani ya familia ya kiongozi huyo ambao umewekwa hadharani katika wiki chache zilizopita.
Graca ni mke wa tatu wa kiongozi huyo mstaafu wa Afrika Kusini, walioana wakati Mandela akitimiza umri wa miaka 80. Rafiki mkubwa Veterani mwingine wa mapambano dhidi ya ubaguzi wa rangi, Ahmed Kathrada, alipata kuruhusiwa kumwona rafiki yake huyo kwa dakika chache.
Kathrada alisema lilikuwa ni tukio la kuhuzunisha kumwona Rais huyo wa zamani, ambaye wakati wakiwa jela pamoja alikuwa na nguvu zake , akiwa katika hali dhaifu kiasi hicho.
Mandela hakuweza kusema lolote, lakini uso wake ulibadilika na kumtambua mgeni wake kupitia machoni, Kathrada alisema alipofika hospitalini hapo Julai mosi akishuhudiwa na Graca.
Hiyo ndiyo taswira ya Mandela ambaye Waafrika Kusini, na watu wengi duniani, wanashindwa kuikubali. Mtu ambaye alivumilia miaka 27 jela na kuongoza nchi yake kuondoka katika mgogoro na kuingia katika maridhiano, hivi sasa yuko mahututi na anafuatiliwa saa zote na madaktari.
“Kwa miaka yote tuliyomfahamu, ni mtu ambaye alikuwa akijali sana afya yake, mtu ambaye alifanya mazoezi ndani na nje ya gereza mara zote, na sasa unamwona mtu ambaye ni tofauti kabisa. Si yeye ni ganda lake tu,” alisema Kathrada (83) alipohojiwa Jumatano na AP.
“Ulikuwa ni mshituko mkubwa na nilijihisi uchungu, na hatuna la kufanya tumwombee ili aendelee kuwa nasi kwa muda mrefu zaidi,” alisema Kathrada, ambaye aliungana na Mandela katika kipindi kigumu cha mapambano dhidi ya utawala wa wachache.
Wawili hao walikutana mara ya kwanza mwaka 1946, kabla ubaguzi haujaanza. Alhamisi utakuwa ni mwaka wa 50 tangu uvamizi wa mwaka 1963 katika shamba la Liliesleaf jijini Johannesburg, ambao ulikamata wengi wa viongozi wa chama cha African National Congress, wakati huo kikiwa chama cha ukombozi na sasa chama tawala. Kathrada naye alikuwa miongoni mwa waliokamatwa wakati huo Mandela akiwa tayari gerezani.
Ilifuatia kesi ya Rivonia ambayo Mandela alituhumiwa kwa usaliti na kula njama za kupindua serikali, na kutangaza kuwa alikuwa tayari kufa, ikilazimika, kwa imani yake katika usawa wa binadamu.
Yeye, Kathrada na wengine walihukumiwa kifungo cha maisha jela na kupelekwa katika kisiwa cha Robben karibu na Cape Town.
“Alikuwa mwanamasumbwi, alikuwa mfanya mazoezi, alikuwa mtu mwenye nguvu,” Kathrada ambaye baada ya ubaguzi wa rangi kwisha alikuwa mbunge, anakumbuka kuhusu Mandela.
“Gerezani pia, tulikuwa tukifanya kazi ya kuponda mawe kwa nyundo na sepetu, tuliona kazi ngumu … lakini yeye alikuwa na nguvu kiasi cha kuizoea mara moja.”
Alimwelezea Graca kama mlinzi mzuri wa geti ambaye anahakikisha wageni, wakiwamo ndugu, marafiki wa zamani na Rais Zuma hawatumii muda mrefu wanapofika hopitalini hapo kumwona mumewe. Mumewe wa kwanza alikuwa Rais wa Msumbiji, Samora Mchel aliyekufa kwa ajali ya ndege mwaka 1986.
Mwanafunzi mwenzake Mwanasheria wa haki za binadamu, George Bizos, ambaye alikuwa mmoja wa wanasheria waliomtetea Mandela na wengine katika kesi ya Rivonia, alisema Graca alimwalika kumwona Mandela mwezi jana. Ziara hiyo hata hivyo, ilifutwa baada ya afya ya rafiki yake huyo kudorora.
“Hakuna kati yetu ambaye hatakufa, lakini nashindwa kuamini kwa uhakika kwamba anaweza kututoka hivi karibuni,” Bizos alisema kwa njia ya simu.
Anakumbuka ziara ya Mandela Johannesburg wiki moja kabla hajalazwa, ambapo wawili hao wakifuatana na Graca, walizungumzia vitu vingi kwa zaidi ya nusu saa, ikiwa ni pamoja na siku zao wakiwa wanafunzi wa sheria Johannesburg.
Kumbukumbu zinaonekana ndani ya nyumba ya Kathrada jijini humo, ambako vifaa vya chakula vya gerezani vimetundikwa ukutani ndani ya fremu. Ni zawadi ya siku ya kuzaliwa kwake aliyopelekewa na Mandela mwaka 1999, ikiwa na maandishi: “Kwa Kathy, kila la heri kwa rafiki yangu wa kweli.”
Picha kubwa ya wawili hao inaning’inia sebuleni. Wote wakitabasamu huku Mandela amemshika Kathrada gotini.
Kabla ya ziara ya wiki jana, kwa mara ya mwisho Kathrada alimwona Mandela Septemba nyumbani kwake kijijini, jimboni Eastern Cape, muda mfupi kabla ya Rais huyo mstaafu hajahamishiwa Pretoria na Johannesburg kwa mara ya kwanza kwa ajili ya kuanza mlolongo wa matibabu.
Kathrada alileta albamu ya picha kutoka Kazakhstan, ambako alikwenda kwa ajili ya tukio la kuenzi fikra za Mandela litakalofanyika Julai 18 siku ya kuzaliwa kwa kiongozi huyo.
Picha hizo zinaonesha watoto ambao walichora michoro inayomwonesha Mandela au bendera ya Afrika Kusini.
Siku yake Maofisa wa Serikali wamekuwa wakiwahimiza Waafrika Kusini kujiandaa kwa sherehe za miaka 95 ya Mandela wiki ijayo. Mandela anajulikana duniani kote kwa mchango wake wa kukomesha ubaguzi wa rangi Afrika Kusini.
Alifungwa jela miaka 27, kabla ya kuachiwa huru mwaka 1990 na kuchaguliwa mwaka 1994 kuwa Rais wa Afrika Kusini. Baada ya kutumikia nafasi hiyo kwa miaka mitano aling’atuka.

Mandela yu mahututi

 

Mzee Nelson Mandela

Madaktari wanaomtibu rais wa zamani wa Afrika Kusini, Mzee Nelson Mandela wamesema hali yake imekuwa sio nzuri kwa saa ishirini na nne zilizopita na sasa ni mahututi.

Habari hizo zimekuja kupitia taarifa iliyotolewa na ofisi ya rais ya Afrika Kusini.
Taarifa hiyo imesema bado Mzee Mandela ameendelea kusalia hospitalini mjini Pretoria kwa siku ya kumi na sita akitibiwa mapafu yaliyosababisha tatizo kwenye mfumo wake wa upumuaji.
Rais wa Afrika Kusini, Jacob Zuma amemtembelea Mzee Mandela jumapili jioni na kuzungumza na jopo la matatibu wanaomtibia.
Baadaye bwana Zuma alirejea kauli yake ya kulitaka taifa na dunia kumuombea Mzee Mandela apate nafuu.