Sunday, 22nd February 2009
Howzit
There were two stories that I wish to highlight initially, both of which highlight the tunnel vision of ZANU PF.
Firstly, there was the report last week that outgoing Minister of Health, David Parirenyatwa, stated he could leave the ministry a 'happy man'.
What drugs is this man on? Is he happy that he is leaving the ministry, or, as I suspect, is he suggesting that he has done a good job?
Far from it! Cholera is rampant in Zimbabwe and although Mugabe tried to tell the world that they has eradicated the disease within just a few days, it is more than apparent the the ministry has no idea how to fight the spread.
(Mugabe's comments were 'excused' the next day by his office who stated that he was being 'sarcastic'. Mugabe has gone on since then and made allegations that the disease was started deliberately by the USA and UK...)
Parirenyatwa is dreaming. He is responsible for the demise of one of the best medical support systems in Africa. He should be hanging his head in shame.
The second story surfaced last night. In it we read how loyalists praised Mugabe at his birthday party - well, one of the parties at least.
The adulation ranged from:
"
to:
"
Can someone explain to me where is the dignity of being forced to live in a hole in the ground after having had your house knocked down by the government?
Where is the dignity of not having any money and as a result not being able to pay for required medical treatment?
"Long live comrade Mugabe we shall ever remember and never forget."
"God bless our leader, one day he shall liberate the whole continent ofAfrica ."
Are all of these people blind?
Pass me a bucket - I think I'm gonna be sick...
What drugs is this man on? Is he happy that he is leaving the ministry, or, as I suspect, is he suggesting that he has done a good job?
Far from it! Cholera is rampant in Zimbabwe and although Mugabe tried to tell the world that they has eradicated the disease within just a few days, it is more than apparent the the ministry has no idea how to fight the spread.
(Mugabe's comments were 'excused' the next day by his office who stated that he was being 'sarcastic'. Mugabe has gone on since then and made allegations that the disease was started deliberately by the USA and UK...)
Parirenyatwa is dreaming. He is responsible for the demise of one of the best medical support systems in Africa. He should be hanging his head in shame.
The second story surfaced last night. In it we read how loyalists praised Mugabe at his birthday party - well, one of the parties at least.
The adulation ranged from:
"
to:
"
Can someone explain to me where is the dignity of being forced to live in a hole in the ground after having had your house knocked down by the government?
Where is the dignity of not having any money and as a result not being able to pay for required medical treatment?
"Long live comrade Mugabe we shall ever remember and never forget."
"God bless our leader, one day he shall liberate the whole continent of
Pass me a bucket - I think I'm gonna be sick...
-o00o-
And as if to back the story above, a report on the death of an ordinary Zimbabwean...
"Richard Mutoti was not celebrating Robert Mugabe’s 85th birthday yesterday.Neither were his friends and family. Instead, they were lowering his body into the ground at Granville Cemetery Harare
Mr Mutoti was put to rest amid earth mounds, evidence of the appalling legacy of Mr Mugabe’s misrule, which Zimbabweans will be coerced into celebrating this week. The cholera victim, fromHarare
Twisted blue and white flowers, fashioned from shreds of plastic, lie about between black metal name-plates offering a roll-call of the dead, few of whom had survived for even one-third of their President’s lifetime. Some of the mourners may have seen yesterday’s Herald newspaper on their way to the funeral, proclaiming that "Comrade Mugabe has been in the trenches slaving so that you and me could live a life of dignity". The only dignity left to the Mutoti family was a white cloth, used to conceal the cholera bag in which their loved one was interred."
I am very surprised that Mugabe and ZANU PF allowed life to carry on whilst they celebrated their leader's 85th birthday.
ZANU PF live a self-centred life and ignore the waste they have caused. They also ignore the people they were 'elected' to serve. They ignore the deaths that lie in their wake. Perhaps one of their own needs to die of cholera for them to actually take heed of where they are going.
"The state mouthpiece had over five pages of gushing praise for the President, a former schoolteacher born at a Jesuit mission station in Kutama in 1921. "Like a mighty crocodile, you have remained resilient, focused and resolute against all odds," said an advertisement from the Defence Ministry, in an unintentional echo of the title of author Peter Godwin’s scathing indictment of Mugabe, When a Crocodile Eats the Sun. It gushed on: "If everyone gives just a fraction of what comrade Mugabe has given this country, we will be up there with the most advanced countries in the world."
I gave more than my 10% - and so did many others - and where did it get me?
"Every day inZimbabwe
34 people die as a result of the country’s cholera epidemic.
6,328,767 is the percentage increase in the real rate of inflation.
40 political prisoners still wait for release under the “unity” government.
600 people flee to neighbouringSouth Africa
565 Zimbabweans are infected with the virus that leads to Aids.
20 grammes of maize is the UN daily ration after recent cutbacks."
"Zimbabwe Africa ’s oldest leader, with a party at a luxury hotel in the capital.
A crowd of 2,000 was expected to feast on beef in sauce or roast chicken, rice and vegetables last night, with serenades from a variety of musical acts at theRainbow Towers Harare
The dinner was in part a fundraiser to make up a short-fall in donations for further celebrations next weekend. Organisers have complained angrily that businessmen and farmers have reneged on promised contributions. Mugabe and his family are used to extravagant birthday parties.
Last year his supporters raised £175,000. This year, with the country bankrupt, almost half the population needing food aid and unemployment at 94%, donations have failed to meet targets.
So desperate isZimbabwe
I wrote this before - if Mugabe wants a birthday party, then he should pay for it. Why should companies and organisations pay for it when they don't get invited - or even thanked for their contribution?
Many of the "donations" are, in reality, "demands"...
"The country’s bankrupt public sector used tens of thousands of US dollars – now the currency inZimbabwe
The prison service, which does not provide food or clean water for political prisoners such as Jestina Mukoko, the human rights monitor who was jailed in December, spent $2,000 on an advertisement paying tribute to “the resilient and true Son of the Soil... the force that binds us together."
I find the use of the word "force" to be somewhat poetic.
"Richard Mutoti was not celebrating Robert Mugabe’s 85th birthday yesterday.
Mr Mutoti was put to rest amid earth mounds, evidence of the appalling legacy of Mr Mugabe’s misrule, which Zimbabweans will be coerced into celebrating this week. The cholera victim, from
Twisted blue and white flowers, fashioned from shreds of plastic, lie about between black metal name-plates offering a roll-call of the dead, few of whom had survived for even one-third of their President’s lifetime. Some of the mourners may have seen yesterday’s Herald newspaper on their way to the funeral, proclaiming that "Comrade Mugabe has been in the trenches slaving so that you and me could live a life of dignity". The only dignity left to the Mutoti family was a white cloth, used to conceal the cholera bag in which their loved one was interred."
I am very surprised that Mugabe and ZANU PF allowed life to carry on whilst they celebrated their leader's 85th birthday.
ZANU PF live a self-centred life and ignore the waste they have caused. They also ignore the people they were 'elected' to serve. They ignore the deaths that lie in their wake. Perhaps one of their own needs to die of cholera for them to actually take heed of where they are going.
"The state mouthpiece had over five pages of gushing praise for the President, a former schoolteacher born at a Jesuit mission station in Kutama in 1921. "Like a mighty crocodile, you have remained resilient, focused and resolute against all odds," said an advertisement from the Defence Ministry, in an unintentional echo of the title of author Peter Godwin’s scathing indictment of Mugabe, When a Crocodile Eats the Sun. It gushed on: "If everyone gives just a fraction of what comrade Mugabe has given this country, we will be up there with the most advanced countries in the world."
I gave more than my 10% - and so did many others - and where did it get me?
"Every day in
34 people die as a result of the country’s cholera epidemic.
6,328,767 is the percentage increase in the real rate of inflation.
40 political prisoners still wait for release under the “unity” government.
600 people flee to neighbouring
565 Zimbabweans are infected with the virus that leads to Aids.
20 grammes of maize is the UN daily ration after recent cutbacks
-o00o-
"Zimbabwe
A crowd of 2,000 was expected to feast on beef in sauce or roast chicken, rice and vegetables last night, with serenades from a variety of musical acts at the
The dinner was in part a fundraiser to make up a short-fall in donations for further celebrations next weekend. Organisers have complained angrily that businessmen and farmers have reneged on promised contributions. Mugabe and his family are used to extravagant birthday parties.
Last year his supporters raised £175,000. This year, with the country bankrupt, almost half the population needing food aid and unemployment at 94%, donations have failed to meet targets.
So desperate is
I wrote this before - if Mugabe wants a birthday party, then he should pay for it. Why should companies and organisations pay for it when they don't get invited - or even thanked for their contribution?
Many of the "donations" are, in reality, "demands"...
"The country’s bankrupt public sector used tens of thousands of US dollars – now the currency in
The prison service, which does not provide food or clean water for political prisoners such as Jestina Mukoko, the human rights monitor who was jailed in December, spent $2,000 on an advertisement paying tribute to “the resilient and true Son of the Soil... the force that binds us together."
I find the use of the word "force" to be somewhat poetic.
-o00o-
Mugabe - giving it large...
"
Mavambo, an opposition group yesterday launched a scathing attack on the bloated government saying it reflected "abundantly that this GNU was all about convenience for the politicians and not about delivery of service to the people."
President Robert Mugabe last week swore in five ministers of state and 19 deputy ministers bringing the number of ministers, and deputy ministers to 61.
When the 10 governors are sworn in at a date to be announced, this would bring the size of the government to 71 members.
The inflated government now gives Mugabe an outright majority - something that the hard fought (in every sense of the word) election in March last year does not reflect. But since when does the need, want and desire of the voting public ever feature high on Mugabe's list?
Apart from the cost of the bloated government, it is more than apparent that Mugabe is not going to go without a fight. Sadly he has had 29 years to prepare, whilst the people have continually been on the back foot.
"Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai also told guests at the MDC-T’s 10th anniversary celebrations on Wednesday that the government was virtually broke, adding some of the ministers had no "offices and adequate furniture."
The addition of the five ministers of state and deputy ministers who were not catered for in the Global Political Agreement (GPA) worsened matters and the role to be played by the new ministers of State remains unclear.
Sources said Mugabe pleaded with Tsvangirai and Mutambara to have his ministers accommodated as part of efforts to ensure "stability" in the country. Mugabe pointed out the appointments were necessary in order for him to manage the "dynamics in ZANU PF" in the face of a stiff resistance by some members of the old guard to the formation of the inclusive government."
What about the stability and dynamics of the Zimbabwean people? If Mugabe is unable to manage his party, then that is his look-out - not a problem to be endured by the Zimbabwean population...
"Opposition MPs and senators, who feel their parties had gone back on their campaign promises for a leaner government also expressed anger over Tsvangirai and Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara’s endorsement of the bloated government.
They accused their principals of going back on their promises of a leaner government, which they fear would cost them their seats in the next polls.
"When we were campaigning we were saying we want a cabinet of 15 ministers and during the negotiations the number went up to 26 and eventually 31 after the agreement," said an MDC-M MP.
"The number has now gone to 71 for the entire government yet we are beggars, the million dollar question now is how do you convince donors to rescue you when you have such a bloated government.
"It is unjustifiable and the people ofZimbabwe
The central bank (note - not capitalised - hehehe) is broke - the coffers are empty. Of everything but the Zimbabwean dollar which is without value and shunned by Zimbabwean businesses...
All used up, taken and spent on absolute rubbish by none other than the birthday boy himself - Robert Gabriel Mugabe...
"Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) employees are reportedly faced with dire straits following the failure by the central bank to pay their salaries for December 2008 and January 2009.
The workers say they have lost hope they will receive their February salary given the lackluster attitude and “absolute arrogance” of the bank’s governor, Gideon Gono.
It is understood the central bank management, instead of addressing workers’ grievances over salaries, has resorted to threatening employees with dismissal.
Said a workers committee representative on condition of anonymity: "Workers have been too patient with the governor (Gono) and his management. They are now saying enough is enough.
"They believe the time for people to know the truth is now and that the world should know how bad the management style at this bank is."
For those curious as to the meaning of "lackluster": Lacking brightness, luster, or vitality; dull.
Couldn't have put it better myself...
And I'll bet that senior management and the governor haven't gone without their salaries...
"The representative said there was deafening silence from the management regarding the staff salaries which have been outstanding since last year while there was no assurance the bank would meet its February salary bill.
It is alleged the management is using a restructuring exercise as an excuse for not settling the salaries on time.
Recently, Gono, in a memorandum to workers, intimated that the central bank was undergoing a restructuring exercise that would see some of its staff members being offloaded.
Reads part of Gono’s memo: "In order to ensure that the nation gets the best out of the sharp skills many of you had developed during our gallant journey of serving our country over the past five years, some of you who so wish, will have the opportunity of being re-assigned on secondment basis to needy arms of Government, particularly in the Ministries of Finance, Agriculture, Mines and Industry and International Trade given our intensive interactions with them during our various rescue operations over the past."
Gono could do one restructuring exercise that will go a very long way to satisfying the staff of the RBZ - and the people of Zimbabwe.
One simple piece of paper on Mugabe's desk which says simply, "I resign" signed by himself.
"
Mavambo, an opposition group yesterday launched a scathing attack on the bloated government saying it reflected "abundantly that this GNU was all about convenience for the politicians and not about delivery of service to the people."
President Robert Mugabe last week swore in five ministers of state and 19 deputy ministers bringing the number of ministers, and deputy ministers to 61.
When the 10 governors are sworn in at a date to be announced, this would bring the size of the government to 71 members.
The inflated government now gives Mugabe an outright majority - something that the hard fought (in every sense of the word) election in March last year does not reflect. But since when does the need, want and desire of the voting public ever feature high on Mugabe's list?
Apart from the cost of the bloated government, it is more than apparent that Mugabe is not going to go without a fight. Sadly he has had 29 years to prepare, whilst the people have continually been on the back foot.
"Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai also told guests at the MDC-T’s 10th anniversary celebrations on Wednesday that the government was virtually broke, adding some of the ministers had no "offices and adequate furniture."
The addition of the five ministers of state and deputy ministers who were not catered for in the Global Political Agreement (GPA) worsened matters and the role to be played by the new ministers of State remains unclear.
Sources said Mugabe pleaded with Tsvangirai and Mutambara to have his ministers accommodated as part of efforts to ensure "stability" in the country. Mugabe pointed out the appointments were necessary in order for him to manage the "dynamics in ZANU PF" in the face of a stiff resistance by some members of the old guard to the formation of the inclusive government."
What about the stability and dynamics of the Zimbabwean people? If Mugabe is unable to manage his party, then that is his look-out - not a problem to be endured by the Zimbabwean population...
"Opposition MPs and senators, who feel their parties had gone back on their campaign promises for a leaner government also expressed anger over Tsvangirai and Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara’s endorsement of the bloated government.
They accused their principals of going back on their promises of a leaner government, which they fear would cost them their seats in the next polls.
"When we were campaigning we were saying we want a cabinet of 15 ministers and during the negotiations the number went up to 26 and eventually 31 after the agreement," said an MDC-M MP.
"The number has now gone to 71 for the entire government yet we are beggars, the million dollar question now is how do you convince donors to rescue you when you have such a bloated government.
"It is unjustifiable and the people of
-o00o-
The central bank (note - not capitalised - hehehe) is broke - the coffers are empty. Of everything but the Zimbabwean dollar which is without value and shunned by Zimbabwean businesses...
All used up, taken and spent on absolute rubbish by none other than the birthday boy himself - Robert Gabriel Mugabe...
"Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) employees are reportedly faced with dire straits following the failure by the central bank to pay their salaries for December 2008 and January 2009.
The workers say they have lost hope they will receive their February salary given the lackluster attitude and “absolute arrogance” of the bank’s governor, Gideon Gono.
It is understood the central bank management, instead of addressing workers’ grievances over salaries, has resorted to threatening employees with dismissal.
Said a workers committee representative on condition of anonymity: "Workers have been too patient with the governor (Gono) and his management. They are now saying enough is enough.
"They believe the time for people to know the truth is now and that the world should know how bad the management style at this bank is."
For those curious as to the meaning of "lackluster": Lacking brightness, luster, or vitality; dull.
Couldn't have put it better myself...
And I'll bet that senior management and the governor haven't gone without their salaries...
"The representative said there was deafening silence from the management regarding the staff salaries which have been outstanding since last year while there was no assurance the bank would meet its February salary bill.
It is alleged the management is using a restructuring exercise as an excuse for not settling the salaries on time.
Recently, Gono, in a memorandum to workers, intimated that the central bank was undergoing a restructuring exercise that would see some of its staff members being offloaded.
Reads part of Gono’s memo: "In order to ensure that the nation gets the best out of the sharp skills many of you had developed during our gallant journey of serving our country over the past five years, some of you who so wish, will have the opportunity of being re-assigned on secondment basis to needy arms of Government, particularly in the Ministries of Finance, Agriculture, Mines and Industry and International Trade given our intensive interactions with them during our various rescue operations over the past."
Gono could do one restructuring exercise that will go a very long way to satisfying the staff of the RBZ - and the people of Zimbabwe.
One simple piece of paper on Mugabe's desk which says simply, "I resign" signed by himself.
-o00o-
Take care.
'debvhu
'debvhu
posted by Robb WJ Ellis at 8:21 AM
"Silent Night"
Union Jack (1963 - 64, 1998 - ??)
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