Of Robert Mugabe, Donald Trump and Brexiters

Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe. (Photo: Courtesy)

When Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe started nationalising white-owned land in Zimbabwe some 20 years ago, everyone accused him of discriminating against white settlers. Was he right? Was he wrong? Could we judge him?

In faraway America, the 45th President is engaging in a somewhat similar endeavour banning people from seven most Muslim dominated countries from entering the US.

Will the rest of the world stand up against this new wave of nationalism the way they did in the 1990s against Mr Mugabe? Some have, but I doubt whether those half-measures will go a long way to convince “outsiders” that the real aim is not to cleanse America of immigrants regardless of their faith.

Meanwhile, since the Brits voted narrowly in a plebiscite to exit from the European Union 7 months ago, the debate about how ‘hard’ or ‘soft’ this divorce should be has been ongoing in the United Kingdom.

In fact, the two terms that are frequently thrown around are a hard Brexit and soft Brexit. The leadership in the UK does not seem to agree on what exactly Brexit means.

Last Wednesday, the British Parliament overwhelmingly voted to give the government of Prime Minister Theresa May the go-ahead to draft the terms of the exit before triggering Article 50, the law that empowers the British government and allows the UK to start the process of withdrawing from the European Union.

Shy have the British people decided to show their dislike for EU to the point of deciding to exit from the Union. Remember during the advent of the European Union in 1957 and ever since, the UK has attempted, unsuccessfully, to apply for membership.

There are implicit and explicit reasons why the Brexiters are pushing for this agenda. One explicit reason is to tame the large influx of immigrants and refugees. Of course, there is a disagreement on what this means.

The immigration agenda is being pursued without a proper explanation. It is vague to say the least. But the undertones are all there.

President Donald Trump. (Photo: Courtesy)

At the moment, the UK imports close to a 300,000 people labour force into the market. Most people who migrate to the UK seem to be getting absorbed into some form of employment.That hasn’t gone down well with the people.

Taking cognizance of those fears, Stephen Scrabb, former Work and Pensions Secretary under Prime Minister David Cameron, has warned that “there could be another rude awakening for the public when they realise that Brexit will not mean a cut in immigration after all... it would be far better for the government to be upfront with the British public now and begin explaining current labour market and demographic realities. The previous pledge to cut immigration to the tens of thousands is, in truth, increasingly irrelevant.”

This issue of immigration will certainly become very explosive during the debate in the House of Commons in the coming two months before Mrs. May’s government officially triggers Article 50. The truth is; the immigration debate is driven by emotions rather than rational approach.

What is at play is the implicit feelings against immigration. The far right political parties such as UKIP have successfully managed to scare the British public into believing that immigrants pose a risk to them.

The wave of ultra-right movements across Western Europe (and now in the United States) seems to worry the mainly white and increasingly uneasy citizens of what was once considered democratic countries and leaders of the so called free world.

Judging by US President Donald Trump’s disregard for the American Constitution, norms and values, it is clear that western countries appear not to want to share their wealth with other poorer people knocking at their doorstep for help.

I fear the immigration debate could even lead to a figurative or a physical wall around countries such as the UK.

The United States under Donald Trump has opted to go for a physical wall. But nothing will stop a creative group of migrants finding an innovative way of arriving at the British Isle.

For the rise of ultra-right conservative agendas are being driven by rallying people to support anti-immigration policies.

This could in the long run also become not only difficult to achieve, but might really not be desirable. With an aging population and fewer children born, more migrants are needed to increase the income-paying age group.

I tell you what, the whole narrative around the Brexit and the rise of Donald Trump seems to be intertwined. It is just a matter of time before a large number of migrants and foreigners are deported back to their countries of origin.

It also begs to ask whether this move will lead to retaliation, the sending back of American and western immigrants living in Africa and other regions around the world, Mugabe style. My guess is as good as yours.