A voice lost to human frailty
One really important and possibly powerful voice
was missing when the elections in Zimbabwe turned into a seething farce and
outrageous charade, the voice of Pius Ncube.
Pius Ncube was until September 11th 2007
the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Bulawayo for just under 10 years and one of
the fiercest critics of Robert Mugabe and his policies.
As a religious man with the force and authority of
the Roman Catholic Church behind him, he was almost untouchable; as a man
amongst his people he had a role of leadership to be the voice of the voiceless
and the conscience of the people to shame the government into aligning itself
with less suppressive activities and policies.
A cause greater than self
Pius Ncube had to resign his commission because an
aspect of human frailty or ill-discipline beclouded the greater office he held
as he was caught in adulterous liaisons which were recorded and documented by
state security personnel.
For that alone, he lost the ability to project
authority and hence the cause and mission was lost – succumbing to the wiles of
the flesh in the midst of a greater calling, lost him his dignity, his office
and a notable voice for the oppressed of Zimbabwe.
Obviously, we all know that we are fallible, but
the position of leadership and authority carries great responsibilities
especially where integrity and honour count for much that morality forms part
of the bedrock that defines that personality.
Are you what you are?
It goes without saying that you cannot be a man of
God and be caught in morally questionable situations, then expect to retain the
gravitas that comes with your office even if your flock is willing to forgive
and forget.
Also, as a politician, you might get away with all
sorts of things, but if you stand on a platform of honesty, strong family
values and rectitude, the last thing you want to be caught in is a lapse of
judgement that brings your great house of cards crashing down upon you.
Another man gives in
Such is the case of Senator John Edwards, the
failed running mate of Senator John Kerry in the 2004 US Presidential elections
and former Democratic US presidential hopeful.
After many denials, it has transpired that he had an
affair in 2006 [1] whilst preparing his bid for nomination and when
his wife’s cancer was apparently in remission.
It really does beggar belief that Senator Edwards
would have thought this liaison would not get out – there was not only a grave
error of judgement in allowing himself to be caught in an unfortunate moment of
weakness, it is amazing that the goal for high office did not slap him in the
face that his flesh should submit to a greater purpose.
Lacking a view of consequence
One cannot bear thinking of the consequences of
that situation where if Senator Edwards had won the Democratic nomination and
the breaking news as that dastardly Olympic spectacle pervades our screens was
that the Democratic convention would implode over a reprobate and lying nominee
in hardly another 3 weeks.
The nation would have gone into mourning for the
next four years whilst many would have yearned for another possible Clinton
grab at the mantle of the presidency.
Such is the measure of men who do not have the
backbone to vie for office with moral rectitude and a commitment to a cause
greater than self.
Bury your bodies
One should not, however, kick a man when he is down,
but the fact is if you should vie for leadership or office, your skeletons
must not be in a cupboard where others might open the closet and be embraced
with skeletal kisses, but the bodies should have been buried deep down in the
ground where the bones and fossil remains would lead archaeologists and palaeontologists
down the wrong path.
Better still, walk alone, walk like a man with a
cause and mission that far exceeds the demands of the flesh that if tempted you
will not fall – there are very few men who can walk that walk and those are the
few men who are worthy of office, leadership, respect, adulation and the great
prize.
If you can fall short, do not aspire or be really,
really smart – I cannot say that Senator John Edwards despite his brilliance,
success, advocacy and message has been smart.
One slip can lose everything
He has become such damaged goods that the mundane
act of sweeping up the bread crumbs behind Barack Obama by campaigning, raising
funds or having a platform at the Democratic convention cannot be done.
As for his excuses that aim to justify his
position, we need to give it time and time can be an eternity – what a loss to
many and what a shame indeed, my heart goes out to Senator John Edwards’ family
and in some way to the man himself – how are the mighty fallen, they might yet
rise again.
We who speak so loudly probably have skeletons
roaming the streets and that is why the little smart thing in our heads
prevents us from doing something stupid, like vying for office or seeking
authority that brings great scrutiny and expectation of being super-human.
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