By Japhet M. Zwana, Ph.D Dr. Japhet M. Zwana, is a retired professor from the State University of New York ( Albany and Old Westbury), and a regular contributor to this blog. The word ‘gamba’ in ChiShona, a language spoken by the majority of Zimbabweans, refers to an illustrious person who is often exalted after […]
Continue reading about Morgan Richard Tsvangirai, “Gamba” of Zimbabwe
Sir, It’s been a dizzying week for Zimbabwe. Not since the country’s independence in April, 1980 has Zimbabwe been all over the news, all over the world as in the past two weeks. Back in 1980, hope about that young country’s prospects filled the world’s airwaves, because the cause of freedom and democracy had triumphed […]
Continue reading about An Open Letter to Zimbabwe’s New Leader
All pretense, actually the lie that Zimbabwe is a democratic country, one observing its constitution and laws, was exposed on November 14, 2017. Zimbabwe’s soldiers, reacted to a long standing squabble within the governing party, the Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front, (ZANU-PF) by using state instruments to choose sides in that squabble. ZANU-PF has for […]
“Counting Our Blessings” is the title of an article by Eddie Cross, a member of Zimbabwe’s parliament. Despite all the problems that unfortunate country is currently facing, he paints a positive picture of a nation whose citizens are certainly capable of climbing out of the morass and achieving great things, once they unshackle themselves of the current incompetent and […]
Continue reading about “Counting Our Blessings” A Zimbabwean looks at the future
Any observer of the current political situation in Zimbabwe cannot help but be discouraged. What’s happening there does not augur well for that country’s future. Its current president, Robert Mugabe, is a doddering 93 year old, frequently out of the country for medical attention, and presiding over what by any definition is a failed state […]
Continue reading about Zimbabwe’s Political Opposition Has Become the Problem
Ghana/Gambia There have been positive and negative things going on in some parts of Africa lately, vis-à-vis prospects for democracy in that continent. I suppose like any other part of the world, there are ups and downs, and we’ve just got to live with it. I am thinking about Ghana and the Gambia as examples. […]
Continue reading about A Couple of Thoughts as We Head Into 2017
We have come to look at free and fair elections in Africa as a standard for measuring how democracy is setting in for many countries on that continent. Free and fair elections are indeed the best place, the first place actually, to assess whether or not a country is heading in the right direction towards […]
By Japhet M. Zwana He is 36 years old He is a journalist He is a human/ civil rights activist He has petitioned for the resignation of President Mugabe He has been arrested and beaten by the secret Zimbabwean security He addressed a rally on March 8, 2015 in Zimbabwe’s capital Harare and on the […]
Continue reading about Why the hullabaloo about Cecil the Lion?
(July 18 is Nelson Mandela Day, a day created to honor Mandela and inspire others to carry on his efforts to “take responsibility for making the world a better place, one small step at a time.” Below is an article by Dr. Japhet Zwana contrasting Mandela’s example with that of other African leaders. Read on.) […]
Continue reading about Mandela’s Legacy: A Challenge to Other African Leaders
By Japhet M. Zwana and Handel Mlilo People are always harping on the lack of democratic practices in Africa. But once in a while Africa surprises the world by doing a few good things. In Malawi, this past spring, a President with a penchant for dictatorship and eccentricity died and instead of maintaining what he […]
Continue reading about Democracy Lessons for Those Most in Need in Africa