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We beseech you to shed light on the issue of democratic space and human rights in Zimbabwe. All civilised and honest people know that in order for one to rationally judge or measure someone or something you need a standard.

That standard must apply to all the things you intend to measure. For example, if you want to measure the level of democratisation in a country, you could adopt the following as standards —a multi-party system, ease of registering a political party, can all parties hold rallies, is there a separation of powers, can citizens sue government, are positions in government accessible to all who can marshal sufficient support, do opposition parties have offices, etc.

Now Ambassador Nagy, if we are to use the aforementioned approach and measure the level of democracy in all the countries of the world, would your views on Zimbabwe hold water? How many of the countries in the world, that your government funds, praises and enjoys cordial relations with have banned opposition groups, NGOs, and CSOs. You also know that some of your country’s allies never hold elections, never allow some citizens to vote and adhere to none of aforementioned standards. You cannot be ignorant about that; you are well educated and informed, having gone to George Washington University and Texas Tech University before pursuing an impressive diplomatic career.

Of course, you probably have an explanation for the apparent hypocrisy! The friends that you do not subject to the same standard as Zimbabwe have a culture, religion, political system and other values that differ greatly from the US. For that reason, you are hesitant to impose Western standards on those countries. That answer would be predicated on the assumption that Zimbabweans having been colonised, were cleansed of all their values and recreated in the image of the coloniser! They should, therefore, be subjected to the master’s standards. No, I do not think you are that backward, you are too smart to espouse such medieval ideas in the 21st century!

What then could be your motive? Could it be that you think that Zimbabwe is a threat to the US? That would be the joke of the millennium! Zimbabwe is too small to threaten the US which is the leader of the trillion dollar economy league, the chief possessor of nuclear weapons, the most technologically advanced country on the globe and an ally of European superpowers. Zimbabwe does not host terrorists that threaten your country’s security. Zimbabwe does not have a nuclear, chemical or biological weapons programme. So in what sense is it a threat? There must be a reason. You are rational people, not creatures of instinct. Tell us, what is it?

Is it because you think Zimbabwe is leading the developing world’s resource nationalism and indigenous empowerment drive. That would be illusory. Malaysia started the Bumiputra or Bumipetera policy but has not earned your wrath. Could the reason have been the late former President Robert Mugabe who never hid his irritation with your policies? Well clearly not, because he is no longer on this earth. I am sure you would allow, like me, his soul to rest in peace.

Or is it because Zimbabwe has not modified its policies on gay people to your satisfaction? Again this does not appeal to reason because most of your close allies outside the Occident share the same views on gay issues as Zimbabwe.

Or does the answer lie in Zimbabwe’s relations with Russia and China? Well that also does not make much sense. Most of your best friends have more intimate relations with Moscow and Beijing than Zimbabwe. Some NATO countries enjoy excellent economic, political and military relations with Russia and China and you have not demonised them as you have done to Zimbabwe.

What is it then Ambassador Nagy? Tell me, I am baffled, confused. Make sense to me, to the millions of Zimbabweans unjustifiably tormented by the impact of your policies towards their country, and to the more than one billion Africans who empathise with them. Tell me, Ambassador Nagy. 

Jacob Mutega

Nairobi, KENYA