It’s our bridge also

People are so mean I tell you.

This week, some sections of the media and individuals from Zimbabwe and Botswana have been making fun of my country and President Emmerson Mnangagwa with regards to our share or nonexistent share of the Kazungula Bridge which connects Zambia and Botswana across the Zambezi River.

There were memes of how Zimbabwe was trying to fit in with the most circulating being that of three boys seemingly playing a video game, two boys had their joy pads plugged onto the system while the third boy who is meant to be part of the game is just there holding his unplugged joy pad.

The meme was captioned; Botswana, Zambia and third unnamed country discussing ownership of a certain bridge.

But what really made me laugh out loud was the new created meaning of Kazungula on social media; which they said is the act of excluding someone from an important event, especially when they feel like they’re important enough to be included or brag that they are part of the said event, people have no chill I tell you.

Well, practically and technically Zimbabwe does not have a say on the mighty Kazungula Bridge as our then president, the late Robert Mugabe choose to be petty and personal because of his sour relations with former President Ian Khama and Zambia’s late former leader, Levy Mwanawasa who had openly criticised his leadership.

But, diplomatically we can claim a piece of the bridge; after all we are neighbours.

Oh and by the way, some local politician brazenly said Zimbabwe and Zambia own the Zambezi River so it means we have rights over Kazungula Bridge, things people say so they can squeeze themselves where they don’t fit!

Anyway the Zimbabwe government and President Mnangagwa in particular should have saved himself from the embarrassment by accepting that our country missed this gravy train.

After all this regime is not entirely to blame for this loss, the blames lies solely on Mugabe who chose to behave like a spoilt brat instead of looking at the broader picture of how Zimbabwe would benefit from this bridge.

There was surely no need for the government to go on about how Zimbabwe joined Botswana and Zambia on the project on March 2018 and pretending that the president will also officially the bridge when it was clear that he would just be a guest.