Excellent article on how the english language can manupulatively be used to convey a whole lots of sins, with a smile of cause! New word meanings like good govermance, non-govenmental organization, sub-saharen Africa, even the word "Africa" have become the most manupulated words in descrbing Africa.

An excellent example on how to manipulate the english language while saying absolutely nothing. He must have gotten gibberish lessons from Mugabe.

Personally I would have no qualms about Africans totally dumping the English language and further isolating themselves from the "wicked west." As Africa is comprised of so many indigenous tribes and dialects, the question becomes what language would they adopt that will be used in world trading and that which will unite all the African people without squabbles arising? Maybe consider Chinese, but even they, trade in English. So Phiri, I think for a long while, you are stuck with the British tongue.

Krsj120, No one is suggesting that English language be dropped. English Language is an international language and has become a standard for most, if not all languages. However, It is fine to promote local languages. Zimbabwe has evening news in Shona and Ndebele and that is great. And then of cause they also have english.

The point is that the english language has been used by anglo white people to lie to Africans. This was done during Lobengual and Shaka Zulu when land was being taken away from them. UK agreed to reimburse white Rhodesian farmers, yet Tony Blair said the document signed did not mean what it said. Then the issue becomes can you trust a white anglo person when they sign a contract! Can you trust the "wording" of the contracts you sign with the UK? And can you verify that a contract says what it says, when you have a very limited understanding of the english language?

Phiri it is not language that does harm or not but the people behind whatever language are responsible for good or bad. Had the early settlers spoken gobbledygook, the outcome would have been the same. Had the early settlers been some powerful nation from other corners of Africa speaking an unknown dialect, the results would have been the same but this time with no bargaining but just heads chop chop. If Mugabe and Zanu-PF had been your early settlers, most Zimbabweans would not have lived to tell the tale.