Zuma’s Marriage Spree not Good for South Africa’s Image

Zuma’s Marriage Spree not Good for South Africa’s Image

Zuma, the South African Head of State is supposed to be wedding his third/fifth wife today in a traditional private ceremony. His fiancé Thobeka Mabhija, 36, has been seen with Zuma in a number of state functions recently and is reported that Zuma has paid dowry some two years ago.

Though polygamy is common with the rural Zulu community, I am at a loss to figure out a 66 year old sitting president of a 21st Century first world country that South Africa is, filling his harem yet again whilst in power.

I have never been to SA and I should be forgiven if this is acceptable behavior in a country with the world highest level of HIV/ AIDS infections. His image on this score is not helped by the fact that he once had unprotected sex with a gal and took a cold shower to ward off infections. Zuma’s private profile cannot be worse for the Presidential office.

If anything, he should be a model of sound family values that is in tune with modernity.

Picture Obama getting married to a second wife, supposedly according to his Kenyan Luo ancestry. Calls for him to resign will hit the roof. Even a rumor could see him out. The Head of State Image is watched keenly by the citizenry knowing too well that their collective image hangs on it. Sylvio Berlusconi’s ratings are tumbling over sex scandals.

I have always held South Africa as a social, economic and cultural African Power House that should be emulated by other African countries. Her infrastructure is impeccable, her cities are dazzling, and her culture is breathtaking! At least what I see on TV.

Zuma, a democratically elected President, should at least be different from whoring African Big Men of the past century but he is failing on this score. Even the loathsome Robert Mugabe is exhibiting better decorum. Zuma is taking our continent back to the day of Mobutu Sse Sse Zeko and Idi Amin and seems to relish it.

SA hosting the World Cup 2010 is a big boost for our image and pride as Africa. Last two weeks it successfully hosted Miss World 2009 and I was encouraged. The other month, it hosted what they dubbed the Superdance, a star-studded dance competition that brought together world best dancers, I was amazed. Test Cricket with England is on going. Her Rugby team is world class… The list is endless. It confirms her pedestal in Africa.

The smudge was once her xenophobic uprisings, add a president who is more intent on adding the number of first ladies rather leading the fight against HIV/AIDS and you get some raised eyebrows.

South Africa can do better than this, can’t she?