BiAS 7 – The Bible and Politics in Africa
the pan-African camp to label them as Western puppets or stooges of the
white colonial masters. This label is difficult to shake off, for a mere
observation of the activities of these forces reveal a sinister motive. They
are only concerned about ‘democracy, multi-partyism, human rights,
civil liberties, etc’; claims that they do not only inconsistently but also
narrowly define. Africa for these forces should open up to the Western
world for lectures on democracy, human rights, freedom, and to receive
intellectual as well as food aid. For example, despite having previously,
in 2010 taken a hard-line stance like Robert Mugabe against homosexu-
ality,^14 Morgan Tsvangirai, leader of the MDC, made a surprising U-turn
in October 2011 and now is pushing for the legalization of homosexual-
ity in Zimbabwe,^15 a practice that Africans regard as foreign and unnatu-
ral. His new stance is believed to have been dictated to him by Western
governments especially David Cameron, who has called upon Africans to
embrace homosexuality to qualify for financial aid from Britain.^16 Paral-
lel with Tsvangirai’s push for homosexuality, his party’s Member of
Parliament for Bulawayo East, Thabitha Khumalo is vigorously advocat-
ing for the legalization of prostitution,^17 another idea that a majority of
Africans detest and view as morally repugnant to the African values.
These forces, from the perspective of the pan-Africanists do not inspire
confidence in African sons and daughters to be self-sustainable and
independent. They are thus, agents of the ‘enemy’ and this position
influences the harsh tone in the writings of Mahoso and other pan-Afri-
canists who see themselves as engaged in a real struggle.
It is these people that Mahoso and other pan-Africanists are in confron-
tation with as they write. Because of their decision to collaborate with the
West against African aspirations, Jonathan Moyo, scathingly labels all
these variegated groups including church organizations as ‘enemies of
(^14) Cf. Vengeyi, ‘Mapositori Churches and Politics in Zimbabwe: Political Dramas to win
the support of Mapositori Churches’, Exchange: Journal of Missiological and Ecumenical
Research, Vol. 40 No.4 (2011), 351-368, (see, 364, footnote no.26).
(^15) Cf. BBC News Africa, ‘Zimbabwe PM Morgan Tsvangirai in gay rights U-turn’, 24
October 2011. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-15431142.
(^16) Cf. BBC News UK, ‘Cameron to dock some UK aid to anti-gay nations’, 30 October
(^17) Cf. Staff Reporter, ‘MP’s Bill to legalise Prostitution’, New Zimbabwe.com,
06 October 2011. http://www.newzimbabwe.com/news-5757-MPs%20Bill%20to%20le
galise%20prostitution/news.aspx.