Thank you for allowing me space in your paper to express my views on some issues that have been dominating the air in the last few days on the status of the Zimbabwe leader and his country. I don’t think it is really a wise thing to talk and comment blindly on issues one thinks one knows, otherwise one would be embarrassed by showing one’s ignorance. But my belief is that some compatriots talk in order to achieve their agendas despite the realities, and some talk and comment out of pure ignorance. It is equally true that people are from different political backgrounds, different political socializations, experience political relationships, have different understandings of political situations, different political outlooks, different political influences and or were brainwashed to the core. All these, of course, play an important role in the shaping of the thinking of a person, though there is also room for changes to these conditionings. My main topic will be on the attitude of some of my countrymen and women on the status of the Zimbabwe Revolutionary leader, President Mugabe. It should be well understood that this is not glorification, but just stating the facts. Going back in history, one cannot help thinking of the agenda of the capitalist imperialist in Europe. These capitalists had well orchestrated plans with long-term effects before they went for the Scramble for Africa and conquering the rest of the world – it is interesting, and Mozambique and other French overseas provinces. In order to have total control over the colonies, one of the tactics was to change the culture and mindset of the people. Cultural imperialism was very effective, hence you find it is very difficult for some people to shake it off and it is an offence to resist it lest you are labelled by the West as “a naughty boy who needs to be whipped back into the line” or “‘n parmantige mannetjie wat ‘n pakslae moet kry’ as the ‘Afrikaners’ would term it. President Mugabe is, of course, one of the African leaders refusing to dance to the tune of the music in London, hence he is regarded by the West as “troublesome.” And, some of our brothers and sisters who seem not to understand the rationale behind all this, follow suit by speaking the language of our friends in the West. For those who closely followed the developments of the liberation struggle of Zimbabwe, one will have noticed how President Mugabe has stood fast and has been as principled as before. One of the aims of the capitalist imperialists was to create and maintain economic dependency in order to continue with the exploitation of resources. Now when the Zimbabwe leader has been patient for over twenty years to have the land equally shared by all, he is being regarded as undemocratic. As usual, during the land issue in Zimbabwe, the West had to come to the rescue of their cousins. Everybody with a good understanding of the political and economic developments in Zimbabwe will, of course, know who the responsible party is as far as the economic situation or challenges in that country are concerned. It was a deliberate sabotage, and the results were already calculated. On the flooding of Zimbabweans into Namibia, Zimbabwe is a country with a population of millions of people. It academically produces thousands of graduates, many of who might not be accommodated into the economic system. The same applies to Namibia. How many graduate returnees are jobless up to now? How many graduates from our own institutions are on the streets? How many graduates, for example in the North, are driving taxis today? How many thousands of our own people have migrated to other countries and to the West, especially to Europe, to go and do both skilled and unskilled work? Do we only see Zimbabweans here? Why only a fuss about Zimbabweans? Or is it zenophobia? In fact, labour migration is a worldwide phenomenon triggered by different factors. The Phillipines haVE been experiencing skilled labour migration for many years, especially nurses. Some of our own SADC countries’ citizens migrate yearly to South Africa to go to work in the mines. What about American volunteers? Over-production of skills or academics also has its own effects. Remember an incident in India some years ago where hundreds of university graduates gathered around the fire, burning their Certificates claiming that they were of no use to them since they were unemployed. As for the so-called human rights violation in Zimbabwe, which human rights? The only sin the President seems to have committed is nothing else than his continual re-election by the majority of his own people, which is nothing else than democracy at work. So what is wrong with that? Is this not what the West always preaches? Only progressive and revolutionary-minded people will understand the thinking of the presidents, Mugabe and Nujoma of Swapo. It was shocking to hear one of my compatriots ask a question as to what Namibia would benefit from Zimbabwe. This is nothing else than ignorance of the highest order. For her benefit, the friendship of the people of Zimbabwe started a long time ago, during the liberation struggle. Namibians under Swapo during those dark days received moral, political, material and other support. Today, Namibia is having trade relationship, among others, and other mutual agreements. The provision of professionals such as medical doctors, among others, is one physical example. NDINOMWAAMI, ONDANGWA