BiAS 7 – The Bible and Politics in Africa
Na Jehovha wakati kuna Mosi, ndiunganidzire makumi manomwe evasharuka
(elders) vaIsraeri avo vounoziva kuti vari vakuru vevanhu, vane nduna padera
pavo; uvaunze kutende romusangano, kuti vamire (to take a stand) newe. Neni
ndinozodzaka ndirekete apo. Ndinozotora mweya uri kwauri, ndiudurure padera
pavo. Navo vanozotakura mutoro (mutwaro) wevanhu pamwepo newe, kuti usa-
chazotwara wega. (Zvierengo 11:16-17) Mosi na Aaroni vakaenda
vakaunganidza vasharuka vese va Israeri. Aaroni wakaereketa mazwi eshe
akaereketa Jehovha kuna Mosi. Navanhu vakatenda. (Ekisedusi 4:29-31)According to Mahoso, African culture and philosophy is biblical. For
him therefore, to link age of a leader to democracy or oppression is go-
ing against the Bible. Since God asked Moses to select elders from the
tribes of Israel to help him govern, it therefore follows that God is happy
with old leaders of Africa. In particular, for Mahoso, God has not only
chosen Mugabe to lead Zimbabwe together with his cabinet and army
generals who are also old, but God is also happy with their leadership.
Mahoso believes that having elders in your midst is something to be
cherished and celebrated.
To respect and receive knowledge and wisdom from elders is very bibli-
cal as it is also Godly, according to Mahoso. The logic is simple; God
speaks to the elders as he did with Moses and the Israelite tribal elders
that he summoned to come and take a stand with Moses. That is why,
‘when the message of leadership and liberation was first revealed to
Moses, the first to be told and convinced were the elders, (Num.11:16-17;
Exo. 4:29-31). And it was the elders who had to teach that message and
teach it to the people, for 40 years, before the people finally reached the
Promised Land.^35 In the same way, according to Mahoso, God has cho-
sen Mugabe as Zimbabwe’s Moses, war veterans, army generals and
other elders who are like Israelite elders to lead the people until they
repossess their land and economy. It is only through them that God
speaks to Zimbabwe about the strategies of liberation from colonial
shackles. They thus, shall lead Zimbabwe out of Egypt (state where the
economy is controlled by foreigners) into the Promised Land (state
where the economy is owned by the indigenous blacks) characterised by
eternal prosperity, where Zimbabwe will never borrow but lend.
In Mahoso’s understanding, this is very much in agreement with Afri-
can values of unhu (ubuntu). With this African relational philosophy of
‘Umuntu ngumuntu ngabantu, “I relate therefore I am” or “I am who I
am because of who we are,” the African differs most profoundly from
(^35) Mahoso, ‘Denigration of African Elders’.