Tuesday, 25th October 2011
Howzit
Yesterday I took a few unprintable comments for my mentioning that I grew up in Salisbury in Rhodesia. Apparently I caused offence by mentioning the city and country 'incorrectly'. But when I was growing up, it was Salisbury in Rhodesia. Yes, it is Harare in Zimbabwe now, but I am not about to rewrite history to pacify a few objectors. Sorry.
Almost daily we read some article in the press about white Zimbabweans, and when written about by a ZANU PF ally or sympathiser, these people (possibly including myself) are referred to as 'Rhodesians' or 'Rhodies'... Have these various scribes noticed that Rhodesia ceased to be in late 1979? Where is this Rhodesia that they talk of?
How can we be 'Rhodesians' if there is no such place? (Well, there is a Rhodesia not far from Worksop in the UK.)
In his recent speech addressing an audience in Des Moines, Iowa in the United States MDC-T Treasurer General Roy Bennett spoke about what he terms 'the struggle for democracy in Zimbabwe'.
He told the gathering that 'Zimbabwe is not fighting for a return to democracy because the country has never enjoyed or experienced democracy in any real sense'. This is a ridiculous perspective by Roy Bennett who is an icon of the remnants of colonialism in Zimbabwe.
He is unrepentant and mindless over the terror he and his imprudent ancestors caused on Zimbabweans since time immemorial. Bennett should be the last person to preach democracy if ever he is to speak at all.
What form of democracy did the imperialistic white men come to impose on Zimbabwe and Africa during their habitual periods of craziness and madness particularly in the 19th century, when they aggressively and violently expropriated our land, resources, power, comfort, heritage and democracy for over a century?
I have an idea. Institute a referendum in Zimbabwe. Ask the population if they are content to remain as the country is under Mugabe's rule, or, if possible, would they return to the economy and culture during the days of Rhodesia.
The results will speak for themselves.
I am sick and tired of black Zimbabwean politicians painting all and any white politicians in that country as 'racist' or 'attempting to subvert the will of the people'. It is time that the people of Zimbabwe are allowed to speak freely, and the sound of their voices will drown out the rantings of ZANU PF and their spurious associated scribes...
And, as a kicker, the writer says that the lands were 'stolen'. What of the farms that were bought since independence from the Mugabe administration? How were they 'stolen'? Yet they were seized by pro-ZANU PF personages without and thought or subhection...
Oh, and Roy Bennett was never a Selous Scout.
ZANU PF has a bad habit of allying themselves with people of questionable pasts. The multiple rapist, Nzira, was no exception. His early release from jail and then his eagerness to embark upon a pro-ZANU PF trail in the country are just two aspects which should really be seriously considered when someone sits down to write his eulogy.
A ZANU PF loyalist and self styled prophet popularly known as Madzibaba Nzira has died.
Nzira dies at the age of 58 barely a year after he was released from prison by President Mugabe where he was serving his 20 year jail term for multiple rape crimes.
Nzira is survived by three wives, seven children and two grand children. Mourners are gathered at his Johane Masowe Wechishanu, Chitungwiza shrine.
The Vapositori church leader once declared that President Robert Mugabe has been given to Zimbabwe by God and should rule for life.
The leader of the Johane Masowe eChishanu faction was slapped with a 42 year jail term and left with an effective sentence of 32 after the suspension of 10 years on condition of good behavior which was later reduced to 20 years after he appealed against the sentence.
Nzira was released from prison under unclear circumstances before he went on a ZANU PF campaign trail and it was speculated that he had been released in time for the upcoming elections. A family representative who confirmed Nzira’s death reported that he died of Hypertension and a heart ailment.
This sort of thing happens all the time with Mugabe and his apologists. And the death of Nzira will not stop him from doing something similar with convicted criminals again.
Let me get this straight. ZANU PF youth attack him in his vehicle, he reports the event to the police and is arrested for his troubles?
Mkoba MDC-T House of Assembly member Amos Chibaya is back again in filthy police cells. This follows his arrest in the process of reporting a violence case in which his vehicle was extensively damaged by ZANU PF youths.
Chibaya together with Midlands South MDC-T Treasurer, Livingstone Chiminya, were locked up by the notorious Law and Order cops on Sunday upon arrival at Gweru police station where they had gone to make the report.
The Zimbabwean gathered that on Sartuday Chibaya addressed a Peace Rally in Mberengwa. Soon after the event, his driver picked up some supporters on the way back to Gweru while Chibaya followed in another vehicle.
When the driver arrived at a shopping center at Guinea Fowl about 10km from Gweru, they stopped to have some refreshments. Rowdy ZANU PF youths who were listening to Mbare Chimurenga’s song Nyatsoteerera at the shops, became violent at the group and later stoned the vehicle.
So - in Zimbabwe it is a crime to report pro-ZANU PF youths for committing a crime?
And have no misconceptions. Police cells in Zimbabwe are not clean, are not cleaned or freshened up. These are the worst placed in the world to get locked up - ask Roy Bennett.
Nothing has changed in Zimbabwe...
Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai has reiterated that his party is ready to govern when it wins the forthcoming presidential and general elections without shedding blood and firing a bullet. Addressing thousands of villagers in Nkayi’s Ziminya Business Centre in Matabeleland North Province yesterday, Tsvangirai said the fact that his party brought some modicum of stability in the socio-economic sectors meant that they were ready.
“When I look back at the years in which this party has been in existence, I realise we have managed to bring about change in this country without firing a bullet,” Tsvangirai said.
“I am confident that we are going to indeed complete this change without firing a bullet. We are ready to govern this country. This can be achieved because SADC has ensured that systems that would give birth to a free and fair election are indeed put in place.
“I believe that once those systems are in place, you cannot fail to choose your leader and governing party between that old man (President Robert Mugabe) and a younger candidate, your son-in-law, myself,” said Tsvangirai to a loud round of applause from his party’s supporters.
Mugabe will obviously disagree...
So there are political changes going on in North Africa, but these are unlikely to change Mugabe's intention on ruling - no matter what...
The jacaranda trees are blooming in Harare, draping its broad avenues with canopies of purple and green. The shops are bustling, hotels and restaurants are often full, children are at school, young couples are walking in the park. No sign of a revolution here.
Coming to Zimbabwe after two spells in Libya this year, I felt like they were not merely the length of a continent apart, but on different planets. While north Africa has been convulsed by revolution, life in Zimbabwe in 2011 has continued to flow in a comparatively gentle, uneventful way.
President Robert Mugabe, immovable for three decades, has little cause to be kept awake at night by last week's chilling images of a bloody, battered and bewildered Muammar Gaddafi pleading for his life. Could it happen here? Not likely.
I wondered why not. After all, Zimbabweans (led by Mugabe among others) rose up a generation ago to overthrow Rhodesia's white minority regime.
"Fear," explained one former minister in Mugabe's government. Past public marches have been brutally crushed. Earlier this year 46 activists here were arrested and charged with treason for merely watching a video of the uprising in Egypt.
Okay Machisa, director of the Zimbabwe Human Rights Association, told me: "The Arab spring did not go down well with the Mugabe regime. Jailing those activists was a way of saying we don't want people to go on the streets and demonstrate."
Mugabe is not going to go quietly and he has his security forces on high alert, Any suggestion of a popular uprising will be nipped in the bud very early - and one thing we are all painfully aware of, is that Mugabe is not afraid to spill blood to remain at the helm.
Take care.
'debvhu
How can we be 'Rhodesians' if there is no such place? (Well, there is a Rhodesia not far from Worksop in the UK.)
In his recent speech addressing an audience in Des Moines, Iowa in the United States MDC-T Treasurer General Roy Bennett spoke about what he terms 'the struggle for democracy in Zimbabwe'.
He told the gathering that 'Zimbabwe is not fighting for a return to democracy because the country has never enjoyed or experienced democracy in any real sense'. This is a ridiculous perspective by Roy Bennett who is an icon of the remnants of colonialism in Zimbabwe.
He is unrepentant and mindless over the terror he and his imprudent ancestors caused on Zimbabweans since time immemorial. Bennett should be the last person to preach democracy if ever he is to speak at all.
What form of democracy did the imperialistic white men come to impose on Zimbabwe and Africa during their habitual periods of craziness and madness particularly in the 19th century, when they aggressively and violently expropriated our land, resources, power, comfort, heritage and democracy for over a century?
I have an idea. Institute a referendum in Zimbabwe. Ask the population if they are content to remain as the country is under Mugabe's rule, or, if possible, would they return to the economy and culture during the days of Rhodesia.
The results will speak for themselves.
I am sick and tired of black Zimbabwean politicians painting all and any white politicians in that country as 'racist' or 'attempting to subvert the will of the people'. It is time that the people of Zimbabwe are allowed to speak freely, and the sound of their voices will drown out the rantings of ZANU PF and their spurious associated scribes...
And, as a kicker, the writer says that the lands were 'stolen'. What of the farms that were bought since independence from the Mugabe administration? How were they 'stolen'? Yet they were seized by pro-ZANU PF personages without and thought or subhection...
Oh, and Roy Bennett was never a Selous Scout.
ZANU PF has a bad habit of allying themselves with people of questionable pasts. The multiple rapist, Nzira, was no exception. His early release from jail and then his eagerness to embark upon a pro-ZANU PF trail in the country are just two aspects which should really be seriously considered when someone sits down to write his eulogy.
A ZANU PF loyalist and self styled prophet popularly known as Madzibaba Nzira has died.
Nzira dies at the age of 58 barely a year after he was released from prison by President Mugabe where he was serving his 20 year jail term for multiple rape crimes.
Nzira is survived by three wives, seven children and two grand children. Mourners are gathered at his Johane Masowe Wechishanu, Chitungwiza shrine.
The Vapositori church leader once declared that President Robert Mugabe has been given to Zimbabwe by God and should rule for life.
The leader of the Johane Masowe eChishanu faction was slapped with a 42 year jail term and left with an effective sentence of 32 after the suspension of 10 years on condition of good behavior which was later reduced to 20 years after he appealed against the sentence.
Nzira was released from prison under unclear circumstances before he went on a ZANU PF campaign trail and it was speculated that he had been released in time for the upcoming elections. A family representative who confirmed Nzira’s death reported that he died of Hypertension and a heart ailment.
This sort of thing happens all the time with Mugabe and his apologists. And the death of Nzira will not stop him from doing something similar with convicted criminals again.
Let me get this straight. ZANU PF youth attack him in his vehicle, he reports the event to the police and is arrested for his troubles?
Mkoba MDC-T House of Assembly member Amos Chibaya is back again in filthy police cells. This follows his arrest in the process of reporting a violence case in which his vehicle was extensively damaged by ZANU PF youths.
Chibaya together with Midlands South MDC-T Treasurer, Livingstone Chiminya, were locked up by the notorious Law and Order cops on Sunday upon arrival at Gweru police station where they had gone to make the report.
The Zimbabwean gathered that on Sartuday Chibaya addressed a Peace Rally in Mberengwa. Soon after the event, his driver picked up some supporters on the way back to Gweru while Chibaya followed in another vehicle.
When the driver arrived at a shopping center at Guinea Fowl about 10km from Gweru, they stopped to have some refreshments. Rowdy ZANU PF youths who were listening to Mbare Chimurenga’s song Nyatsoteerera at the shops, became violent at the group and later stoned the vehicle.
So - in Zimbabwe it is a crime to report pro-ZANU PF youths for committing a crime?
And have no misconceptions. Police cells in Zimbabwe are not clean, are not cleaned or freshened up. These are the worst placed in the world to get locked up - ask Roy Bennett.
Nothing has changed in Zimbabwe...
Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai has reiterated that his party is ready to govern when it wins the forthcoming presidential and general elections without shedding blood and firing a bullet. Addressing thousands of villagers in Nkayi’s Ziminya Business Centre in Matabeleland North Province yesterday, Tsvangirai said the fact that his party brought some modicum of stability in the socio-economic sectors meant that they were ready.
“When I look back at the years in which this party has been in existence, I realise we have managed to bring about change in this country without firing a bullet,” Tsvangirai said.
“I am confident that we are going to indeed complete this change without firing a bullet. We are ready to govern this country. This can be achieved because SADC has ensured that systems that would give birth to a free and fair election are indeed put in place.
“I believe that once those systems are in place, you cannot fail to choose your leader and governing party between that old man (President Robert Mugabe) and a younger candidate, your son-in-law, myself,” said Tsvangirai to a loud round of applause from his party’s supporters.
Mugabe will obviously disagree...
So there are political changes going on in North Africa, but these are unlikely to change Mugabe's intention on ruling - no matter what...
The jacaranda trees are blooming in Harare, draping its broad avenues with canopies of purple and green. The shops are bustling, hotels and restaurants are often full, children are at school, young couples are walking in the park. No sign of a revolution here.
Coming to Zimbabwe after two spells in Libya this year, I felt like they were not merely the length of a continent apart, but on different planets. While north Africa has been convulsed by revolution, life in Zimbabwe in 2011 has continued to flow in a comparatively gentle, uneventful way.
President Robert Mugabe, immovable for three decades, has little cause to be kept awake at night by last week's chilling images of a bloody, battered and bewildered Muammar Gaddafi pleading for his life. Could it happen here? Not likely.
I wondered why not. After all, Zimbabweans (led by Mugabe among others) rose up a generation ago to overthrow Rhodesia's white minority regime.
"Fear," explained one former minister in Mugabe's government. Past public marches have been brutally crushed. Earlier this year 46 activists here were arrested and charged with treason for merely watching a video of the uprising in Egypt.
Okay Machisa, director of the Zimbabwe Human Rights Association, told me: "The Arab spring did not go down well with the Mugabe regime. Jailing those activists was a way of saying we don't want people to go on the streets and demonstrate."
Mugabe is not going to go quietly and he has his security forces on high alert, Any suggestion of a popular uprising will be nipped in the bud very early - and one thing we are all painfully aware of, is that Mugabe is not afraid to spill blood to remain at the helm.
Take care.
'debvhu
posted by Robb WJ Ellis at 7:30 AM
Union Jack (1963 - 64, 1998 - ??)
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