ZimToronto

TSVANGIRAI: Stop dithering while people are dying

2008-12-18T21:13:00.000-08:00

Abstract
Zimbabwe’s power-sharing deal is stalled as Robert Mugabe’s wounded Zanu PF party convenes an annual conference to regroup. Morgan Tsvangirai whines about a passport and his party threatens to pull out of the power-sharing deal. On the other hand, people are dying of cholera, hunger and political abuses. The country’s economy has reached beyond the earthly definition of a crisis. When, will be the time to stop fiddling while Zimbabwe is burning.

A wounded Zanu PF regroups
Mugabe’s Zanu PF party is going into its annual conference limping from its severest political wounds yet. The once invincible “people’s party” suffered its first ever election loss in March and was forced into a power-sharing deal with bitter enemy, the Movement for Democratic Change.

Part of the reason Zanu PF lost the March 29 election is that one of its better loved leaders, Simba Makoni split to form a new movement called Mavambo/New Dawn. But perhaps more devastating will be last weekend’s withdrawal from a 20-year partnership by PF Zapu elements who revived the late Joshua Nkomo’s party under the leadership of Dumiso Dabengwa.

With the power-sharing deal tittering on the brink of collapse and calls for new elections are mounting, Mugabe’s campaign machinery has also been damaged somewhat.

Elliot Manyika, the leader of the Zanu PF Militia (the Green Bombers) died in a car accident; Joseph Chinotimba, leader of the pro-Zanu PF liberation war veterans is in hospital with back injuries sustained in another car accident and Air Marshall Perence Shiri, the notorious army leader responsible for the massacre of thousands of people since the early 1980s, was shot on the shoulder in an alleged attempt at his life.

So, if Tsvangirai and his MDC smell the blood of a dying behemoth that is Zanu PF, it is because they believe the wounds are deep. But this is Zanu PF, a party of zealots who never give up.

The MDC should never be fooled to believe Mugabe’s party is finished. This is a party with a vast array of human and material resources (mostly state-owned) at its disposal and it will use them to regain whatever ground it has lost.

Furthermore, nobody should ever underestimate the respect and support Mugabe and his party command from regional and continental movements; especially fellow liberation parties like Frelimo in Mozambique, ANC in South Africa, Chama Chama Pinduzi in Tanzania and MPLA in Angola, to name but a few closer to home.

It should not surprise anybody if Zanu PF emerges from this weekend’s conference with its fist raised high. This is a party that has been down before and rose from its own ashes.

During the liberation war it suffered a mutiny at its bases in Mozambique and a bombing campaign by the Rhodesian army. After independence, a series of opposition parties challenged it but were all swatted like flies until the MDC came along and forced it into this position of weakness.

MDC does not learn from mistakes
But the MDC does not seem to have learnt that Zanu PF is not the kind of enemy you dare endlessly (sometimes with unreasonable demands). Mugabe and his people use this time of inaction to recover from losses and regroup fast.

When the MDC won the March 29 elections, Tsvangirai and his executive literally got drunk with power they had not even assumed. For three straight days the MDC leadership failed to take control of a clearly leaderless country, enough time for Mugabe and his party to recover from the shock of their electoral losses and take charge.

Tsvangirai went into self-imposed exile and by the time he came back, Mugabe had regained enough impetus to force a run-off that ended with the veteran guerilla leader running his inexperienced opponent out of the race, resulting in the current power-sharing deal.

Instead of learning from that mistake Tsvangirai is once again in self-imposed exile, whining about a passport he knows is being used by Mugabe as a tool to wind him up while Zanu PF is rallying its demoralized troops.

How can a leader who has endured years of being beaten, detained, tortured and almost killed; condemn the people who chose him to continue suffering under the same regime he is supposed to deliver them from.

I mean, is a passport really so important to Tsvangirai that he can ignore the hundreds who are dying of cholera each week, the scores of his own supporters who are being abducted (some will not come back alive) and the continued economic meltdown.

It’s only a few months ago when Tsvangirai was holed up in Botswana and his own supporters started singing: “Tsvangirai where are you when we are being killed” at funerals of Zanu PF victims.

The killings have resumed and will increase if Mugabe calls for another election (which MDC seems to prefer) and people will start the song again.

Tsvangirai might take for granted the support he gets from the people of Zimbabwe and the international community, but it is fleeting. It can change in a flash.

Also, the MDC should not be fooled by what seems to be a disintegrating Zanu PF. In reality, nothing has changed in Mugabe’s party. In fact, the groups that are breaking away will hurt the MDC more than Zanu PF itself.

Both Makoni and Dabengwa are strong in MDC’s own strongholds. In the past election Makoni beat Tsvangirai and Mugabe in Matabeleland South province and he dented Tsvangirai’s chances in Manicaland province where both men come from.

If Dabengwa’s party reclaims its support base of Matebeleland and parts of Midlands, again, the loser will be the MDC because Zanu PF has not had support from that part of the country since 2000.

If an election is held in a few months as envisaged by many, Zanu PF stands a good chance of actually winning or at least forcing yet another stalemate that will result in another round of negotiations.

You made your bed, sleep in it
So, Tsvangirai should stop posturing and sleep in the bed they made with Mugabe and his party – the power-sharing deal.

Sure, it is not a perfect document but to blame its shortcomings on Mugabe alone is to be dishonest. This was a two-way affair. Each party gang pressed the other into it in one form or the other.

It is important not to forget the purpose of this deal: (which is) to offer immediate economic relief to the long suffering people of Zimbabwe, draw up an all inclusive and democratic constitution and prepare the ground for free and fair elections in at least 18 months.

The clock is ticking. Both sides should stop dithering and get on with the work people died for them to do.

Cracks in SADC support for Mugabe?

2008-05-11T17:07:00.000-07:00

Cracks seem to be developing in the Southern African Development Community over the election crisis in Zimbabwe.

Leaders of the 14 countries that make up SADC have all along been united in preserving their liberation struggle camaraderie that bordered on ignoring the economic plunder and human rights abuses being perpetrated by President Robert Mugabe and his Zanu PF party in Zimbabwe.

However, Botswana – the region’s undisputed leader in democracy - has broken ranks with the rest of the regional members, opting to confront the Mugabe regime.

Prior to the Lusaka emergency SADC summit in mid April, Botswana offered opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) leader, Morgan Tsvangirai a safe haven when he faced imminent arrest on “treasonous” charges of declaring himself the winner of the presidential election before the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission announced the results.

Last week the Botswana government went on to ban Zimbabweans from buying fuel within its borders, a move that is reported to be grounding transportation in Zimbabwe as even government institutions and Zanu PF functionaries sourced fuel from Botswana among other sources.

The Botswana government went on to instruct its public media to report on the violence being perpetrated by security agents, the army, police, war veterans and Zanu militia in Zimbabwe.

"I have told the public media this must be given the priority it deserves. We cannot be getting stories on a local problem on the wire service when we are here on the ground,"
Botswana’s deputy permanent secretary in the Ministry of Communications, Science and Technology, Andrew Sesinyi is quoted by the Zimbabwe Standard as having told the Mmegi newspaper.

According to the Standard, Sesinyi’s directive came shortly after an unprecedented mass deportation of Zimbabwean traders from Zambia last weekend. Observers saw this as yet another sign of growing regional impatience over the unending political crisis in this country, Zimbabwe’s independent Sunday newspaper said.

In fact, it appears more countries, even those whose leaders appear to be solidly behind Mugabe – like Thabo Mbeki of South Africa – have taken action against his intentions.

The refusal by union workers to offload a Chinese ship carrying arms destined for Zimbabwe is reliably understood to have been initiated and encouraged by politicians within Mbeki’s ruling ANC party who do not subscribe to his quiet diplomacy.

Their action was emulated in Mozambique.

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Albie Sachs, SA's top justice an ordinary man

2008-05-11T17:04:00.000-07:00

TORONTO, ON, Canada (The Southern African.com) - As a student of the history of the struggle for majority rule and democracy in southern Africa, one name I came across regularly in texts and lectures was that of Albie Sachs.

Reading and hearing about him, I pictured a fiery giant, both in stature and demeanor. A domineering figure who birthed modern South Africa’s constitution and is its custodian in the Constitutional Court of South Africa.

Like Nelson Mandela and other important men and women of the struggle, I looked forward to the day I would meet him.

That day was Wednesday, May 7, 2008, 24 floors up a trendy legal office building in downtown Toronto. The occasion was a special reception organized by the Canada-South Africa Chamber of Business and the University of Cape Town Foundation, to flaunt him to Toronto-based members and well-wishers.

In sauntered a very ordinary man in a blue “Mandela shirt”. I only realised it was him when I saw how everybody farced over him.

But like all great people, Albie Sachs is just an ordinary man. No, there wasn’t any of the learned pompousness associated with legal minds. Absent, was the self-importance of a judge as he posed for pictures with everyone (including me) who wanted and, at one point, sat alone in a corner just observing his soon to be audience make rounds between the coffee and snack tables and, of course, the wine bar.

When he stood up to speak about "Every Judgement I Write is a Lie", his latest book, the authority of a Justice came out and so did the defiance of a freedom fighter.

His stumpie arm (cut off in a bomb attack in the 1980s) pointing menacingly at his audience, Justice Sachs spoke about how decisions made by judges are made by people. There are rules to follow but there are also personal considerations that may not be declared openly but may, nevertheless, come out in the judgement.

“Every Judgement I Write is a Lie” – is, of course, tongue in cheek, or is it?

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See no crisis, hear no crisis and speak of no crisis

2008-04-13T16:33:00.000-07:00

So, leaders of the Southern Africa Development Community met for an unprecedented 12 or 13 hours. Turns out the issue that took most of their witching hour deliberations was whether to call the situation in Zimbabwe “a crisis” or not.

In the end, after a whole night, they announced their decision to compel the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission to release the presidential results – as if they were the first to call for that.

To crown it all, they declared that there is “no crisis” in Zimbabwe. No prizes for guessing where that phrase originated from. Here is a hint through – South African president, Thabo Mbeki passed through Harare on his way to Lusaka.

No Crisis
A simplified dictionary definition of a crisis says it is a “critical moment”. Politically, one could define it as “an unstable and dangerous situation”.

Now, let’s put this in context. Zimbabweans voted on March 29. Two weeks later they have not been told who their choice for president is. The Movement for Democratic Change claims that its leader, Morgan Tsvangirai won. They are supported by the independent Zimbabwe Election Support Network.

The ruling party does not dispute that Tsvangirai may have won but they have demanded recounts, a run-off and now a re-run. Mugabe has reconstituted his dissolved cabinet including MPs beaten in the election.

The army and police have been deployed massively, war veterans and Zanu PF zealots are re-occupying farms and, slowly but surely, information and evidence of people being tortured is coming out.

The economy is at a virtual standstill.

All this does not constitute a crisis to SADC leaders. It is normal for Mbeki to host more than three million Zimbabweans in his country. It is normal for Mwanawasa to see Zimbabwean mothers and young girls prostituting themselves on the streets of Lusaka.

It is no crisis for President Khama to have Botswana’s commercial sector clogged by Zimbabwean professionals seeking refuge in his country and President Armando Guebuza sees no crisis when Zimbabweans cross the border everyday to seek jobs on Mozambican farms.

Ah, handina remuromo (I am lost for words).

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Zimbabwe Election Crisis: Can we trust SADC?

2008-04-10T18:10:00.000-07:00

So, SADC leaders will meet on Saturday to tackle the crisis in Zimbabwe.

Can we really trust these spineless men who seem to be “awed” every time they are in the presence of Robert Mugabe? They always appeared so dazzled that they literally flaunt their wimpish deferment to him.

Watch my word, come Saturday afternoon, all we will hear is gibberish about “African brotherhood” and perceived “western imperialistic forces” only they can see lurking along their borders with Zimbabwe.

This will be the third time these leaders are meeting over Zimbabwe in just one year. The previous two meetings turned out to be talkfests whose achievements were to endorse Mugabe’s brutality against the opposition and unbridled plunder of the economy.

One really wonders what kind of hold Mugabe has over the SADC leaders. Most of them are a generation younger and all of them replaced their countries’ founding leaders, some three or four times over. Why they do not see the need of that democratic process in Zimbabwe boggles my mind.

The question that keeps bothering me is whether these leaders are with the people of Zimbabwe (as they should be) or against. In fact, this is the answer they will provide on Saturday, whether by design or default.

I mean, we all know what Zimbabweans need. They voted, as required by the democratic principles SADC promotes. But they have not been told who won.

So, Zimbabweans expect SADC to tell Mugabe to let the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission announce the results of the March 29 presidential election. That is what the Zimbabwe constitution demands, that is what SADC should demand and that is what Zimbabweans deserve.

But, I can predict to you now that you will not hear any of them utter that demand. Not when old Bob is eyeing them from one corner of the room.

Actually, it is rather curious that Mugabe, after initially calling for a run-off, has now changed his mind to demand a re-run. To back up his demand, he has claimed some superficial irregularities.

He cried foul over some 8,600 votes (as if they would make a difference) and dragged some poor ZEC officials to court for prejudicing him of as little as 51 votes in one constituency – how pathetic.

But hey, a man is gotta do what a man is gotta do, right!

So, now with that flimsy evidence, he will dazzle his fellow comrades with his usual oration, threaten any dissenters with that withered fist and they will all fall in line.

Mark my word, SADC will call for a re-run “at such a time when the atmosphere is right to do so” – an indefinite endorsement to Comrade Mugabe.

So much for “African brotherhood”.

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Presidential results: High Court joins the delay game

2008-04-07T06:41:00.000-07:00

Nine days after the historic presidential election in Zimbabwe on March 29, the result has not been released and it may never be.

After a promising election process that was remarkable for its peaceful conduct, Zimbabweans and the entire world expected an equally orderly counting process and everybody expected that by now there would be a duly elected president ready to be inaugurated on Independence Day, April 18.

Instead, the world has watched in disbelief as the army-led Zimbabwe Electoral Commission dilly-dallies with the results.

Electoral rules stipulate that a maximum of six days is allowed for the announcement of results and ZEC met that stipulation only in relation to the senate, parliamentary and council elections that were conducted concurrently with the all important presidential poll.

The opposition Movement for Democratic Change’s leader, Morgan Tsvangirai has declared himself the winner over long-time national leader, President Robert Mugabe of Zanu PF and two independents, former minister, Simba Makoni and political upstart, Langton Towungana.

Tsvangirai based his declaration on figures tabulated and released by his party (from results posted outside polling stations) and those collected by the independent Zimbabwe Election Support Network. Those results put Tsvangirai’s tally at 50.3% against Mugabe’s 43.8%.

If those results are correct, they put Tsvangirai above the 50% plus one vote stipulation to win the election. There are reasons to believe the results are correct. ZEC and Zanu PF are not disputing them. Instead, ZEC has continued to postpone announcing its own totals while Mugabe and his party have called for a recount and are preparing themselves for a re-run.

MDC has appealed to the High Court to compel ZEC to release the results. The High Court has also joined the delay game. On Sunday Justice Uchena said he would decide on Monday if the case can be heard. On Monday he determined that, yes, he could hear the case but will determine on Tuesday if it is urgent or not. So, the game continues.

Meanwhile, Mugabe and his party have revved up their campaign for a second round, even though none has been declared. War veterans have been reactivated and there are reports of fresh farm invasions. The opposition alleges that the army has stepped up recruitment and Zanu PF youths (Green Bombers) are being reactivated.

The government propaganda machinery is working overtime to incite Zimbabweans with stories of white farmers returning to “forcibly occupy their former land” and allegations that the opposition is planning to hand over the economy to whites.

The international community seems powerless, reduced to making the feeble noises of “release the results now”. Noises that fall flat on Mugabe’s “hard to hear” ears.

South Africa, ever the prop on which Mugabe stands against international condemnation, repeats the mantra “let’s all be calm and wait for the results”.

Meanwhile, Zimbabweans have gone back to their miserable lives, invoking their various gods to intervene SOON.

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Despondency as election results trickle in

2008-03-31T04:49:00.000-07:00

Initial jubilation by opposition supporters in Zimbabwe is fast turning into despondency as official election results are being announced at a seemingly deliberate trickle.

All Sunday the Movement for Democratic Change was telling the world that its leader, Morgan Tsvangirai had won the presidential poll by up to 67%.

However, by early Monday afternoon in the country, the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission had not released any results in that poll and the opposition has begun to suspect rigging of the already counted votes.

Other sources said the presidential race was actually inconclusive with the possibility of a second round run-off between Tsvangirai and either President Robert Mugabe of the ruling Zanu PF party or Dr. Simba Makoni, an Independent candidate who is a former cabinet minister in Mugabe’s government.

In the parliamentary poll, which is equally important, the ZEC had released results from 24 constituencies by 1 pm Zimbabwean time (7 am EST). The results were evenly split between the ruling party and the opposition.

However, MDC tallied the results officially posted outside polling stations throughout the country to conclude that it had so far taken 95 seats against Zanu PF’s 40 and 20 for independents. There are 210 contested parliamentary seats and, if indeed, MDC won 95, it is just 11 seats away from claiming victory (which it has already done).

News agency reports say up to nine of Mugabe’s key cabinet and politburo members had already lost their seats to the opposition. These include vice president, Joyce Mujuru; the minister of security, Didymus Mutasa; minister of justice, Patrick Chinamasa; minister of youth services, Elliot Manyika and minister of local government, Ignatius Chombo.

Some of the Zanu PF big wigs who lost their seats appeared to have taken the losses so hard that Manyika killed a polling official and is now in custody. There are unconfirmed reports that Chombo and another losing minister, Webster Shamu were also involved in gun-related disturbances in their constituencies.

All this comes at a time when President Mugabe’s sister and long time confidante, Sabina Mugabe died on Sunday after suffering a suspected heart failure. She had been very ill for a long time.

Her two sons, Leo Mugabe and Patrick Zhuwawo (both senior members of Mugabe’s government) are said to have lost their parliamentary seats.

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Minister commits murder after losing election

2008-03-30T08:13:00.000-07:00

Even a serious event like an election has its own anecdotes. Some are sad, some are outright funny and some are just horrible.

As Zimbabweans eagerly await official results of yesterday’s landmark elections, unofficial results are already being floated around.

But, before we get into that some serious and rather said tidbits.

Elliot Manyika, an outgoing member of Mugabe’s cabinet and the ruling Zanu PF party’s political commissar (lead campaigner) lost his parliamentary seat and his mind. Upon being told that he had been beaten by an opposition Movement for Democratic Change candidate, Manyika is said to have lost all control and shot someone dead. He then bolted from the scene and was only apprehended at the airport where he attempted to skip the country. He is now in police custody facing murder charges.

That Manyika would do that is not surprising. This is the man who personified the brutal aspect of the ruling party’s campaign tactics as the leader of the Green Bombers (the ruthless Zanu PF national youth service). Besides, his very life is (or should I say was) Zanu PF.

Another liberation war veteran and former perpetual cabinet member, Webster Shamu is also said to have been barring polling officials from announcing results of his being trounced by the opposition in his “safe” seat in the Chegutu commercial farming area. A gun was also sighted. Let’s hope nobody is going to be shot there.

Other Zanu PF heavyweights reported to have lost (but have not gone berserk yet) are:
Vice President, Joyce Mujuru
Party National Administrator and Minister of the Secret Police, Didymus Mutasa.
Minister of Local Government (as corrupt as they come), Ignatius Chombo
Minister of Agriculture, Joseph Made

Many more Zanu PF titans are expected to fall as the day goes by.

One cabinet member who had already fallen at the Zanu PF primary election level, Aeneas Chigwedere, Minister of Education, epitomized the saying “the harder they fall”.

He was on Sunday bestowed the headmanship of a village in Hwedza. From leading the entire education system in a country reputed to have the high literacy rate in the developing world, to heading a village of peasant farmers. Chisingaperi chinoshura (everything comes to an end).

On the presidential election. The unofficial results show things are not good for old Bob. It appears at best he will make a second round run-off. But with his close allies (who were campaigning for him) losing to the opposition, it becomes difficult to imagine how he would win.

In fact, the delay in announcing elections could mean either of two things. That election officials are trying to find a way to give him a win (rigging) or they are giving him time to gather himself before he faces the music.

More to follow.

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Change is in the air, I can smell it

2008-03-29T05:24:00.000-07:00

Change is in the air comrades. I can smell it all the way from Zimbabwe. There are two aromas, both sweet (the scents of Makoni and Tsvangirai) competing against a stench so foul it can only be that of an aging dictator (Sekuru Bob).

Frankly, on this day of reckoning, I just don’t care which of the two sweet ones lingers in my nostrils when all is done. It is the foul one I want removed from my space forthwith.

Actually, foul smells aside, did you see the suit Bob was wearing when he cast his vote. Now, that’s an attire for one who knows retirement is nigh. Very grandpa-ish, in a strange way, for those who know how Mugabe can really don them sunjaz.

But the man still talks of “conquering”, “knocking each other out”.

Oh, hey, Bona (the first daughter) is voting. I wonder if she did some of that youthful rebellious stuff and voted for Makoni or Tsvangirai, instead of her father. You, know the kind of stuff someone will reveal in a biography or something, years later.

But I digress. I was talking about the sweet smell of change. It is permeating its way here from those long lines at polling stations, and from the news that almost everywhere the catch word is “change”.

The sweet aroma comes from the dozen or so people I talked to this morning, from across the entire country, all saying: “Forget the rally attendances and the messages of doom. We are changing things.”

One elderly lady in a high density suburb of Bulawayo whose son I grew up with (and he has travelled to Zimbabwe from South Africa to vote) told me this: “My son, the fact that you are calling me from that far, not across the road and that my own son is having to travel from across the border to vote, is enough for me to vote for change.”

“By the way, I am not alone in this,” she added as I was about to bid her farewell.

Now, if Bob wants to scuttle this dear lady’s dream for change by stealing the vote, then he should not wonder if she “knocks him out” with her cooking stick.

TO READ MORE OF MY WRITING, PLEASE VISIT;
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Army deployed to protect people against Mugabe

2008-03-28T21:10:00.001-07:00

I spent the whole election eve worried sick about the massive military deployment in Zimbabwe – tanks on the streets and even Air Force planes criss-crossing the countryside.

This has never happened before in a free Zimbabwe and like everybody else I reached the conclusion that Mugabe is ready to unleash the mighty Zimbabwean army on the people should they; either vote him out or he steals the vote and they revolt.

But then I reached a sort of eureka moment and I almost jumped out of my own skin. This deployment is actually for the good of the people, I reason.

Now before you throw your ballot papers on me, just follow, okay!

See, right from the beginning Simba Makoni has been harping about overwhelming support in the government, the ruling Zanu PF party and the security forces.

Although all the serving chiefs have uttered words to the effect that they will not salute anyone other than Mugabe, this time their declarations have not been as forceful as in 2002. They, in fact, personified puppets going through programmed motions.

Besides, we hear of Mujuru being on Makoni’s side (he has not disputed that yet), Dabengwa has come aboard and so have some other lesser military types (albeit retired). We have had the Bonyongwe issue at CIO.

We heard of police officers defying Zanu PF instructions to protect the opposition in some cases. Even some war vets and Green Bombers have been reported to shed their brutal Zanu PF past to join the progressive forces of the the opposition.

Then we had Tsvangirai telling his supporters not to worry about the army, followed by Nkosana Moyo (Makoni’s strategist) declaring that “we have people in the management” of elections (that includes the army).

In fact, the general response from the opposition is that of “oh, boys are just being boys”.

So, I reached my own conclusion that, in actual fact, the army is being deployed to make sure “Mission Remove Mugabe” is accomplished without a hitch.

My theory is that upon realizing that he has lost the plot, old Bob will try to set his presidential guard against the people, but the regular army - so deployed - will shiled the people.

But hey, I am not holding my breath.

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The Fist vs The Open Hand vs Clasped Hands

2008-03-27T21:07:00.000-07:00

After all that has been said by all and sundry over the past months about the state of politics and the economy in Zimbabwe; after the opinions, wishes and predictions, it now falls on the people of Zimbabwe to pull their country out of the brink of total collapse or tie heavier weights on its underbelly.

The much awaited presidential election in Zimbabwe is here.

The candidates and their surrogates, journalists and observers, pundits and critics; have all had their say. Variously they have pontificated on who should win the election and why. Individual and collective opinions, wishes and hopes have been mixed with facts and reality to form predictions.

Depending on whom you talk to or whose account you read, the three main candidates; outgoing President Robert Mugabe (84) of the ruling Zanu PF party, main opposition Movement for Democratic Change leader, Morgan Tsvangirai (56) and Independent Simba Makoni (57) have been tipped to win this election.

The predictions are very compelling for each of them. Mugabe’s ominous fist of fury crushes all dissent so much that people would rather vote for him than face the wrath of his security machinery, we have been told.

Tsvangirai’s “change” mantra has been so loud and poignant this time around that voters no longer fear Mugabe’s promised Armageddon if they abandon him.

We have also been told that fresh-faced Makoni’s message of unity has resonated with a nation so tired of the polarizing status quo – on both sides of the political divide – that they will elect him enmass.

Well, they say words are cheap - or better still - action speaks louder than words. It is now time for the Zimbabwean voters to do what has always been their absolute right – to determine the country’s destiny on Saturday.

The choice they have may seem so simple. Vote old Bob out and manna will fall from heaven, the proverbial milk and honey will flow along the country’s rivers and the glory days of yesteryear will return instantly. Leave him in power and unprecedented doom will befall the entire nation. The reverse has been argued by Mugabe and his supporters.

It is assumed that Zimbabweans should and would vote one way or the other as a block.

Might it be that simple?

Will a peasant farmer in the remote Zambezi Valley feel compelled to vote for Makoni in the same way as a professor in the City of Bulawayo will be?

Can an MDC activist who was jailed and tortured for his political preference convince a government worker who benefited from the land redistribution exercise to dumb Mugabe?

Would a landless white farmer and a liberation war veteran agree to unite for the purpose of national peace, reconciliation and progress?

These are difficult questions to ask anyone, and yet, Zimbabweans have to ask themselves these questions and answer them through the ballot.

From afar, it seems easy to say: Mugabe is too old to remain in power and that he has ruined the country. It also seems easy to say Tsvangirai is unsophisticated and too polarizing and that Makoni is inexperienced and rather naïve.

But the fact is that a voter’s choice is based on immediate and local needs. Whether these needs are similar for every voter will only be seen after the election.

What is not in dispute is that the country is in ruin. Inflation runs beyond 100,000%, unemployment is rated at 80%, there is virtually no food or services and a quarter of the country’s 12 million people are in exile.

Those in the country – the voters – have endured various forms of human rights violations such that not a single one has escaped emotional, mental or physical persecution.

But on Saturday these same hobbled people have to pull their country out of the brink of total collapse or tie heavier weights on its underbelly and let it sink deeper into the abyss of misrule and economic plunder.

For better or worse; they have to make a choice. Is it gonna be Mugabe’s fist that threatens to crush all, Tsvangirai’s open palm of change or Makoni’s clasped hands of national unity?

Zimbabwean voters will tell us on Saturday.

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Gono turns Reserve Bank into "Elect Mugabe" Bank

2008-03-17T06:32:00.000-07:00

Of the four candidates in the Zimbabwe presidential election due in two weeks, former finance minister, Dr. Simba Makoni, is the only one who has made it clear that, among his immediate tasks in office, would be to “examine and define the mandate of the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe and its relationship to the state.”

He stated in his election manifesto that he would “restore the autonomy of the Central Bank as a regulator.”

It is not surprising why Makoni would prioritize a re-look into the workings of the Reserve Bank which has been transformed by incumbent governor, Gideon Gono into anything but.

A Central Bank is universally defined as an entity responsible for the monetary policy of a country. Its primary responsibility is to maintain the stability of the national currency and money supply.

The RBZ, under Gono, has failed to fulfill its mandate. It is common knowledge now that the monetary policy of the RBZ has been consistent on printing and dishing out useless bearer cheques to the nation, a function that nobody would find easy to classify as a role for a Central Bank.

As for the primary responsibility of maintaining the stability of the national currency and money supply, well, reality suggests that has not been practiced either, with the USdollar exchanging at more than ZD 30 million and inflation at more than 100,000%.

The RBZ has also been involved in black market currency transactions, something tantamount to a policeman joining thieves instead of arresting them.

But these are the obvious failings of the RBZ that Gono may even defend successfully to those who sympathize with his self-made situation.

What is really worrying – and even embarrassing – is how Gono has transformed the RBZ into an “Elect Mugabe Bank”, with departments to supply farming equipment and rural transportation.

The RBZ is directly involved in funding and active distribution of tractors, ploughs, scorch carts and other implements under a project called the Farm Mechanisation Programme.

It’s a project specially designed and timely introduced to begin at the same time as President Robert Mugabe is seeking a sixth term in office. Last week, in an interview with The Financial Gazette, one could feel the glee in Gono’s words as he proudly enumerated the thousands of tractors, ploughs harrows and other implements the programme is offering to farmers.

Ironically, Zimbabwe has an agricultural bank, but nothing is heard of it in the programme which should really be within its mandate. But the Reserve Bank, together with its governor, has become a personal tool of Mugabe’s and no prizes for guessing who will benefit from the implements.

As if that is not enough, the Reserve Bank is also in the forefront of funding and implementing another “Elect Mugabe” project; the so-called National Transport Enhancement Programme under which Mugabe and his surrogates are going round the country donating buses, 35 for each of the country’s 10 provinces.

What boggles one’s mind is that Zimbabwe’s rural transportation system has always been a private enterprise affair and never before has the government been required to provide buses.

Nobody knows who will administer the buses and under what statute. All we know is that Mugabe said the buses will charge affordable fares, by whose definition, we don’t know.

But is a direct role by the RBZ necessary? Where is Gono getting the money to embark on all these schemes, including a “Food for Votes” programme that has gone awry as nobody wants to load the maize in Zambia.

But I digress. My issue is with the RBZ being on the forefront of an election campaign on behalf of one candidate. This can only happen in Zimbabwe.

Itching to react!? Bring it on: imadawo@thesouthernafrican.com

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Mugabe bangs down phone on Chissano?

2008-03-09T15:39:00.000-07:00

Been away from blogosphere for a week or so attending to pressing bread and butter issues – the family has to eat.

Anyway, while I was away, I met three senior government officials from South Africa, Zambia and Mozambique. As I introduced myself (or was introduced – in one case) the issue of elections in Zimbabwe would come up almost immediately.

Although I met them separately and they actually do not even know each other, the three officials would ask me the same question: “So, what do you think is going to happen on March 29?”

My one important question to them was what were their governments thinking or doing about the situation in Zimbabwe.

The one from Mozambique had this to say: “You know that our former president, (Joquim) Chissano is Mugabe’s best friend, right? He tried to tell Mugabe to retire but that man (Mugabe) does not listen. Chissano persisted but he had to stop when Mugabe stopped taking his calls or if he got through, your president would cut him off the moment he heard his voice.”

“We respect Mugabe. We are forever indebted to him and Zimbabweans for their help during the Renamo war, but right now he is costing us. Investors cite our proximity to Zimbabwe as a risk. He must go.”

The South African turned out to be a man of a few words: “Our current president (Thabo Mbeki) and our future leader (Jacob Zuma) have both agreed that anybody else is preferable to Mugabe. We know he is gone.”

The Zambian official added: “Mugabe must be hard of hearing because our president has been bending his ear since he came to power but he sits there like he is listening yet, he is not. Nobody wants him anymore.”

Their words, not mine. These are very senior people in the three governments who would know.

My final question to the three officials (separately, of course) was, if what they told me were the actual views and feelings of their leaders and governments, why were they not ganging up to approach Mugabe as a group and tell him that they do not support him anymore.

Almost to the letter, the three said: “He has been told.”

Uhmm, interesting.

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Zim journalists committing electoral fraud too

2008-03-09T15:35:00.000-07:00

Journalists of my generation at Ziana – between 1992 and 2000 – will agree that the best way to incur the wrath of the news agency’s editors was to submit a story without background, cross-references or with figures that did not add up.

Being a student of some of Zimbabwe’s best editors of that era, like Tarcey Munaku, Ndaba “Ndasto” Nyoni and “Sekuru” Tambayi Nyika (may their souls rest in peace), I cringe when I read some of the stories being churned out from Zimbabwe, particularly at this time of elections.

Very few reporters – and editors – produce complete stories that would make a reader understand an issue even if they have missed earlier accounts and I find it very frustrating.

Coverage of the highly contentious presidential election is the case in point here. Ruling Zanu PF candidate, President Robert Mugabe is quoted extensively by both the government-owned and private press as he bashes his opponents Dr. Simba Makoni and the opposition Movement for Democratic Change leader, Morgan Tsvangirai.

We read that at almost every rally, Mugabe accuses Makoni and Tsvangirai of being funded by British and American businesses. The Herald even published names of companies alleged to be funding Makoni.

The reporters doing these stories may be young and without much knowledge of what happened in the 1980s and 1990s, but their editors will definitely recall that every election before 2000, Mugabe received public financial donations (solicited and unsolicited) from mostly British individuals, companies and organisations.

I recall vividly that in preparation of the 1996 presidential election, Mugabe dispatched the late Eddison Zvobgo to go and fundraise in London, no less. Zvobgo raised more than 1 Million Pounds from the likes of Tiny Rowland and others.

I made several trips to London and other European destinations with Mugabe as a presidential reporter. There were meetings with white businessmen, which we would not be allowed to report on. I don’t suppose Mugabe discussed cricket with these men.

Lately, Tsvangirai has ganged up with Mugabe in accusing Makoni of being funded by foreign “embassies” in Harare. This sounds to me like a jilted lover venting on a rival suitor.

Was it not a few short years ago that Tsvangirai prided himself with being seen in the company of the same diplomats and even travelling to their countries to seek (and receive) endorsement and funding as the next president of Zimbabwe.

Could it be that after failing to deliver in three attempts, his former backers have decided to pursue a new and perhaps more acceptable option and Tsvangirai is lashing out in bitterness?

Whatever the case, the point is that Zimbabwean press (and to a large extent Diasporan and foreign press too) has been complicit in not being diligent enough to provide this background and cross-referencing or balancing their reports.

And the funding issue is not the only problem. There is the fact that Mugabe’s message at this year’s election rallies is exactly the same as he delivered at every other election campaign since the 1980s. He would give people land and food, increase salaries of government workers and make sure “bad ol’ whitie” doesn’t come back.

Yet, not a single reporter has raised this background in the thousands of stories we read each election period. No effort is made to go to the people and ask them if they ever received the things Mugabe promised them every election period.

Then there is the issue of rally attendances. Last weekend when Makoni addressed a rally at White City stadium in Bulawayo, depending on the newspaper one read, the number of his audience ranged variously from 4,000 to 7,000. That’s understandable.

Then this weekend, it was Tsvangirai’s turn and the range was 12,000 to 40,000.

I covered many rallies and other functions at White City stadium and unless its carrying capacity was increased in the years that I have been away, I know that there is no way 20,000 people can fit into White City; let alone 30,000 or 40,000 which is the capacity for Barbourfields or Rufaro.

Then there is the issue of generals who declare that they will not salute any leader other than Mugabe. Why doesn’t anybody tell these gentlemen the truth that if Makoni or Tsvangirai are elected by the people of Zimbabwe, it is a simple fact of military rules that they will perform a crisp salute to their new Commander-In-Chief or else they will be court-martialed.

In any case, President Makoni or Tsvangirai will remove them from the positions they hold now and replace them with generals befitting that rank.

These are just a few of many inadequacies I notice in reports from Zimbabwe and I wish someone could ensure that we get backgrounded and balanced news.

Neglecting these ground rules of good journalism is, in itself, an act of electoral fraud.

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Who will endorse who, in the run-off?

2008-02-24T12:46:00.000-08:00

It is becoming more likely that the March 29 presidential election in Zimbabwe will not produce an outright (more than 51%) winner between incumbent President Robert Mugabe (84) and his two challengers, former Finance Minister, Dr. Simba Makoni and MDC leader, Morgan Tsvangirai.

Thus, a never used constitutional provision for a second round run-off between the two leading candidates is more than likely to be invoked.

This has opened a new question that is not yet being debated but will soon be on everyone’s lips. The question is: If any of the three candidates comes third, who, of the remaining two will he endorse?

There is no simple answer to this question. First, we have to consider the candidates’ electorate.

Mugabe is likely to win among his rural base mostly in the Mashonaland provinces. But he will not take Matabeleland and will lose in parts of Midlands, Masvingo and Manicaland.

Tsvangirai will carry most of Harare, about a third of Manicaland, a piece of Masvingo and Midlands and a tiny bit of the vote in Matabeleland.

Makoni will share Harare with Tsvangirai, a third of Manicaland, a few seats in Masvingo, a third of the spoils in Midlands and most, if not all, of the votes in Matabeleland where he should reap the rewards of being endorsed by the Mutambara faction of MDC.

That leaves the country divided in three almost equal parts with no clear winner. Many expect Mugabe to come up with a tiny lead, followed by either Makoni or Tsvangirai.

Now, it may seem simple enough to assume that if Makoni comes third, he will endorse Tsvangirai because he stood up to run specifically against Mugabe, not Tsvangirai. It can also be assumed that Tsvangirai will endorse Makoni because he would consider him a better devil.

Although no one expects Mugabe to come out third, should people determine so, convention would expect him to endorse Makoni because he came out of his party and has clearly said he will not seek retribution against the veteran nationalist.

But Zimbabwean politics is not as straight forward as that and nobody can predict what will happen until it happens, just like nobody expected Makoni to run until he actually did.

But there is no harm in speculating
Mugabe is not prepared to lose. He has conditioned himself to rule Zimbabwe until he dies, so much as he might anticipate the annoyance of being forced into a run-off, he does not consider himself coming out last. That means he is not thinking of who to endorse.

In any case, Mugabe will never be expected to accept defeat just like that and happily endorse Makoni or Tsvangirai. If he cannot rig his way back into State House, he will most certainly cause chaos, perhaps of a military nature because he clearly has the army in his pocket.

However, if circumstances force him to give way after the first round, he is most likely to throw a tantrum and refuse to endorse anyone and his supporters will then make their own choice.

Tsvangirai
Tsvangirai too does not expect to come out third in the first round. At the least, he expects to come out second to Mugabe and much as he dismisses Makoni’s overtures for an alliance, he will need his fellow Manyika’s endorsement to defeat Mugabe in the run-off.

But should what he thinks is unrealistic happens and he comes out third, he too is not going to roll over and give his blessings to either Makoni or Mugabe. He is so ready for State House that a defeat in the first round will leave him so bitter that he will most likely refuse to accept the results and seek the intervention of the international community – Kenyan style.

But if push comes to shove (particularly if his supporters and financial backers force him to endorse someone) he will grudgingly throw his weight behind Makoni, but not without a firm deal of some influence in the new government. There is simply no way he will back Mugabe and even if he did, Mugabe is likely to throw the endorsement right back into his face.

Makoni
So, if Makoni comes third, who will he endorse? Convention would say Mugabe because Simba is still Zanu PF at heart and a loss for him and a win for Mugabe would indicate that the Zanu PF support he banked on is non-existent.

Besides, people who are going to vote for Makoni are those who are disgruntled by both Mugabe and Tsvangirai, so the former minister’s endorsement of one or the other may not make much of a difference as the voters will simply go back to their old parties or just stay away.

But then again, if Makoni sees himself as a leader of the future like most people see him, he will look beyond 2008 and start preparing for the next contest. That then, might persuade him to endorse Tsvangirai in the hope that if the MDC leader wins the run-off, he will make it easy for Makoni to form a new party to launch his own bid in the next election.

Well, there might even be other considerations and permutations I could not think of here but are, no doubt, in other people’s minds.

The bottom line: If it were not for Makoni’s entry into this election, all these possibilities would not even be on the table.

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How soon we forget

2008-02-21T15:12:00.000-08:00

Reports of South Africans attacking immigrants from other African countries seem to be getting worse, with the latest being today’s attack in a settlement called Laudium, just outside Pretoria.

Tomorrow’s Pretoria News leads with a story titled: “Flames and Mob Fury”, a sad account of how South Africans turned against their Angolan, Malawian, Mozambican and Zimbabwean neighbours attacking them with anything from guns and machetes to sticks and booted feet. Not even children were spared, the report says.

Authorities could not say what really sparked the attacks, but the locals accused the foreigners of committing crime.

Whatever these people have done to anger the locals should not warrant any attacks in a country considered to have the rule of law.

In any case, South Africans should not forget that it is only a short 14 years ago when millions of them were scattered in the countries where their victims come from.

They were treated as guests in their time of need and rightly so. No South African was ever victimized in all these countries even when, in some cases, people felt some of them abused their privilege of being apartheid victims needing protection.

The foreigners they are attacking now are in South Africa because they too need protection and help and they figured who better to go to other than their brothers and sisters whom they protected not so long ago.

The South African government should stop these attacks forthwith lest it be accused of abetting these attacks.

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Voting for Mugabe is cruelty to our elders

2008-02-19T15:45:00.000-08:00

Prior to last Friday, the day when all aspirants of various elected political offices in Zimbabwe filed their papers, I did everything possible; pray, wish, will and hope that President Robert Mugabe will give himself (to our immense benefit) an early 84th birthday present.

I told myself that there is no way an old man could still want to play this dirty game called politics with men young enough to be his children. Surely, he would want to leave it all and go to Zvimba to tend to his pigs and chickens while he can still totter after them.

But then, he registered to be elected and since Friday I have been asking myself why uKhulu is putting himself in this situation. Surely, it can’t be power he still covets? There has to be something that causes a man in the twilight of his life to quicken his journey yonder by continuously carrying the burden of a hungry, poor, jobless and cowed nation.

Then it dawned on me. You see, the problem is not old Bob. Gushungo is only responding to those of us who keep pushing him to stand for election and then go on to elect him (genuinely or otherwise).

The shame is on the men and women who fill up an arena and endorse him as their candidate when there are younger people who can carry the yoke. A bigger shame on the men and women who coo in his aged ears that “you are the only one to do this job, Chef,” when in effect they mean “you are the only one who can ensure our butts are covered beyond March 29.”

But what would be immoral, heartless or even diabolic would be to go into a polling booth and putting an “X” on the name of an 84-year-old man.

That would be total disrespect for our elders, a total lack of compassion for a man who, for a whole 28 years, has been shouldering all our problems as a nation. He needs to be relieved of this heavy burden.

I know, of course, that like most elderly people, Mugabe can and will be stubborn. He will campaign vigorously, lifting and shaking that once potent but now withered fist in the air and admonishing anyone who dares challenge him or threatening to floor anyone who votes him out.

But old and senile people do that sometimes, right. They angrily insist that they, and only they, can protect us from the evil men of the West who want to colonize our land and enslave us again. They let their senility cloud their judgement and believe they can conquer everything and everyone even if the weight of their own fist can send them sprawling onto the ground as they try to strike imagined enemies.

“Ndinombonzi aniko ini? Vaudze kuti ndairova mikono ini (What is my name? Tell them I used to beat up stronger men),” they will sputter rhetorically.

The point is, there is simply nothing new 84-year-old Mugabe can offer Zimbabweans, no matter how his oratory and eloquent self may try to argue.

Voters should not allow themselves to be hoodwinked by the same old tricks: whites will come back to take over, war veterans will go back to the bush if you vote me out, etc.

In fact, for him to raise these issues would be to assume that Zimbabweans cannot prevent any “re-colonization” or whatever he calls it, without him as leader.

As for the war veterans, it would be amusing to see people in their late 40s to 80s going back to take arms just because old Bob has not been voted back into power.

In fact, how about putting a cap on the age at which one can stand for the presidency. Something like 60 years should be reasonable.

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Makoni Is Now Ahead On Issues

2008-02-13T20:37:00.000-08:00

A friend of mine, political analyst Ndaba Njobo, called Simba Makoni a Mafikizolo http://www.ziminternationalnews.com/letters/2008/02/12/mafikizolos-have-right-to-presidency.aspx, in an endearing way, of course.

Omafikizolo, in Zimbabwean politics, are supposed to be bumbling upstarts open to lampooning by the veteran of Zimbabwean politics, President Robert Mugabe.

But this John Come Lately is a whole lot smart. Knowing that his opponents, Mugabe and Morgan Tsvangirai have had years of preparations with established organisations to back them, he beat them to the one thing very important in any election – the Election Manifesto or Platform.

I have not seen the full document, but what I have read in the media is enough to convince me that Makoni is out of the blocks while his opponents are still lacing up their boots.

The Issues
The issues Makoni intends to tackle if voted into Zimbabwe House are:
To undertake immediate and urgent tasks to resolve the food, power, fuel, water and sanitation problems and develop a policy framework for economic and social renewal, in the short, medium and long term.
To redefine the mandate of the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe its relationship to the state as well as improving the bank’s relationship with other financial institutions. “I will restore the autonomy of the central bank as a regulator; remove different foreign exchange rates as a tool for doing away with the parallel market and removing distortions in the economy.”
To institute a people-driven national constitution.
To restore property rights and restore the rule of law in mining.
To institute a transparent land reform programme.

These are the issues in people’s hearts, the issues that will restore Zimbabwe’s respectability in the world. With a promise for economic reforms, transparent land redistribution and restoration of property rights, Makoni is not appealing to Zimbabweans only, he is appealing to the international community too. Take it from me, they are listening.

But most importantly to any candidate, Makoni is the first to have made the declaration to tackle these issues if elected. All that is left for him to do now is explain how he will do it, the funding and the time frames.

On the other hand, Mugabe and Tsvangirai now have the dilemma of coming up with either different platforms or “copy” Makoni’s. Either way, they are doomed. There are basically no other issues that could trump the above and copying only results in them having their ballot knuckles rapped by the voters.

Makoni also has the advantage of not having been in a similar election before so, there is no history for anyone to look back on and say, “oh, you promised this before but you did not deliver.”

Both Mugabe and Tsvangirai have history. Mugabe’s history being that he never delivered on any of his promises, that’s why people want him out. On the other hand, if Tsvangirai raised these issues before, it was not with the same clarity as they have been raised by Makoni.

This is why many Zimbabweans (and interested foreigners too) wish Tsvangirai could emulate Arthur Mutambara and join forces with Makoni.

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Can I Vote For A President And MP From Different Parties

2008-02-13T20:33:00.000-08:00

I received an interesting question from a voter in a “real dilemma.”

“Mr. Madawo,” he began. “I have a problem. I am excited about voting for Simba Makoni to become president, but I am related to our local Zanu PF Councillor and I also think that the MDC MP we have is doing a good job. If I put Makoni in power, will he give us a good MP and a good Councillor like my aunt?”

Well, my answer to the fellow (and hopefully to others in a similar situation), was simple. Although the harmonized election(s) is on the same day, you vote for the President, Senator, MP and Councillor separately.

So, it is quite right for a voter in Gwanda to elect a Zanu PF Councillor, an MDC MP and/or Senator and an Independent President. Isn’t that the richness of democracy? Because you like a Councillor from a certain party should not necessarily mean that you have to be burdened with a president from the same party.

But knowing those party campaigners out there (especially in the rural areas), I will not be surprised if people will be told that the only way is to vote a team from one party or the other.

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Did you hear: Bob Raring To Fly To Zvimba For Good!!

2008-02-11T19:19:00.000-08:00

Everybody has been wondering why old Bob has not vented, a whole week, after Simba Makoni announced his intention to contest him for the presidency of Zimbabwe. I mean, we had become accustomed that almost immediately someone says or does anything considered abhorrent by Gushungo, he would instantly hit out calling them names and symbolically striking them down with his fist.

But there had been deathly silence from State House, until today when The Herald reports that he came out of an extraordinary politburo meeting and said: “I am very raring to go and raring to fly."

Oh, and The Herald qualifies this with ‘he said while raising clenched fists in a show of confidence.’
Now, I was not there, but for the Bob I know to give such a short and meek remark, without taking a shot at Makoni or even Tsvangirai, that means something is terribly wrong. Could the fists have been an old man’s feeble effort to defend himself from perceived blows from his enemies?

The Herald also says the man who could have been king but lost his chance by aligning himself with an out of fashion faction of Zanu PF, Emmerson Mnangagwa will hold a press conference tomorrow on the fate of Makoni. He will be flanked by old timer Nathan Shamuyarira.

Well, gentlemen, just be careful what you say about Makoni, this is the man whose shoes you could soon be licking.

Nuff said. Let’s see what the press conference will reveal.
Oh by the way; just talked to someone who was in Bulawayo yesterday. He says the name Simba Makoni has suddenly become the most popular in The City of Kings. Another fellow says a former CIO boss is firmly behind Makoni.

And guess what, if MDC Mutambara has teamed up with Makoni (as is reported) it means within a week of entering the presidential election, the former finance minister could easily sweep the vote in the whole of Matebeleland and parts of Masvingo and Midlands provinces, not to mention his home turf of Manicaland and, of course, Harare.

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If The Truth Be Told: A Case For Simba Makoni

2008-02-11T17:36:00.000-08:00

Simba Makoni’s intention to seek the presidency of Zimbabwe has injected a welcome excitement into an election that many of us were ready to dismiss as just a farce.

Some analysts have doubted Makoni’s intentions, given his timing - weeks after meeting President Robert Mugabe behind closed doors and days after being denied a chance to contest Zanu PF parliamentary primaries in Manicaland. But the most lurched on “flaw” of Makoni’s is that he insists on remaining a Zanu PF member. Well, the fact that this is the worst his critics can throw at him shows how Makoni is easily what the doctor ordered for Zimbabwe.

In any case who, among politicians of Makoni’s generation (including Movement for Democratic Change (MDC)’s Morgan Tsvangirai and Arthur Mutambara) was not a member or sympathizer of Zanu PF, at some point. The fact that Makoni is challenging for the leadership of the country from within Zanu PF, shows that he has the guts (not displayed by anyone else) to fight for democracy from within.

It is often too easy for people to cry wolf when someone emerges from a party other than theirs, but I believe there is need for us to distinguish between an entire party and those of its leaders who are anti-democracy.

Lest we forget, this is the same Simba Makoni that long before Tsvangirai and MDC came on the scene, people of all walks of life were happy to tout as the most qualified to succeed Mugabe and even do a much better job running the country.

Makoni has proved how smart he is as a politician by not getting carried away and jumping on the earlier calls for him to challenge Mugabe when the old fox was still strong. Lessons were learnt when the likes of Edgar Tekere, Enock Dumbutshena and Eddison Zvobgo tried to challenge Mugabe. They all failed because then, the entire Zanu PF machinery was behind the president.

Now, fissures have developed and the Zanu PF train is just a kilometre from derailment, perfect time to bail out. Even better for Makoni, the opposition is even more disorganized than the ruling party.

Like other people willing to give Makoni the benefit of the doubt, I worry that he might not have enough time to convince the electorate to vote for him but should he lose or be prevented from becoming president, Zimbabwe would have lost the one chance available to replace Mugabe with a leader who has the knowledge and willingness to pull it out of the current economic crisis in short order.

Some critics have been quick to brand him a failure. They particularly single out his 10-year tenure as Executive Secretary of the then Southern African Development Co-ordination Conference (SADCC). They have said he achieved nothing. Not true because to say he failed at SADCC would mean that the current successes of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) are the work of his successors in Gaborone.

The simple truth is that Makoni was thrust into a role that no one had ever been in before at a time when the southern African region was struggling to be self-sufficient from apartheid ruled South Africa. Through his leadership at SADCC, the frontline states managed to sustain themselves and reduce the apartheid regime’s economic hold on its neighbours. If that is not success, then what is?

The fact that supporters and critics all agree that Makoni is respected internationally stems from his successful stewardship of the SADCC and that gives him a clear advantage over his opponents when it comes to forging foreign relations.

In the early 1990s Makoni was appointed Chief Executive of the Zimbabwe Newspapers Group. It was during his term that its flagship, The Herald and its Bulawayo-based sister papers, The Chronicle and The Sunday News were transformed from government mouthpieces to impartial media. That was the only time when you could read, in The Herald, a story as critical of the government as you would read in The Financial Gazette or The Zimbabwe Independent. Zimpapers’ value on the stock exchange soared and circulation increased. Again this puts him ahead of his opponents in terms of the kind of business acumen that is needed now in Zimbabwe.

But there was one hold out at Zimpapers, The Sunday Mail, which was then edited by Charles Chikerema, a relative of President Mugabe. Makoni and Chikerema clashed over editorial issues and Makoni was fired; not because he had failed but because he dared order Chikerema to be a true journalist.

Makoni went into private business and again proved too valuable for Mugabe to ignore and after the ill-fated 2000 election; he brought him back to clean up the mess in the engine room of the country’s economic policy development, the finance ministry.

Ever so diligent, Makoni presented Mugabe with a plan to devalue the Zimdollar as a way to correct the economic imbalances caused by the war veterans' compensation exercise of 1997 and the DRC war in 1998. Mugabe refused to devalue the dollar and the two immediately parted ways. Many congratulated Makoni for that bold move and yet, some people are now twisting the facts to present Makoni as having failed to revive the economy, hence Mugabe fired him.

Quite simply, Makoni is by far the best option Zimbabweans have right now. Mugabe has nothing new to offer except more misery for the country. Tsvangirai may have been appealing in 2000 and 2002 but not anymore. Politically, he has become as dictatorial as Mugabe and even worse, he is very divisive. Mutambara on the other hand is just directionless as, well, a mis-programmed robot.

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Shame on all SADC leaders

2007-08-19T11:43:00.000-07:00

What transpired at the SADC heads of state summit in Lusaka last week has left me wondering whether south African leaders know exactly what is going on in Zimbabwe or they are just so blinded with their love (or is it fear) of President Robert Mugabe that they just don’t care.

How on earth could Zambian president, Levy Mwanawasa say problems in Zimbabwe are being “exaggerated”?

How can anyone exaggerate hunger affecting 3-4 million people; 80% unemployment; more than 5,000% inflation; 3-4 million Zimbabweans exiled; hundreds of opposition and civic activists beaten up, tortured, jailed and killed? How possible is it to embellish that when most of these statistics are churned out by none other than the government or its agencies?

Mwanawasa should know better. Not long ago his own country was in a situation not even as bad as what is prevailing in Zimbabwe. But he is president now because long-time president (for 27 years), Kenneth Kaunda, allowed free and fair elections that toppled him in a labour and civic-driven vote not unlike the one being suppressed in Zimbabwe.

Why then, Mwanawasa do you want to help suppress Zimbabweans from exercising what you benefited from? We thought you were your own man when you stood out and condemned Zimbabwe as “a sinking titanic”. How powerful is Mugabe’s hold on you?

As for South African president, Thabo Mbeki, I wonder whether we are really underestimating the thinking behind the so-called “quiet diplomacy”. Surely a country “burdened” by no less than three million Zimbabweans crossing over in thousands everyday, should actively and urgently seek a lasting solution to the troubled neighbour’s problems.

Unless, of course, Zimbabwe’s troubles and loss of its people is a massive economic gain to South Africa. One just has to look at how many Zimbabwean professionals are running South African hospitals, schools, newsrooms, companies and more. Could it be that Mr. Mbeki has realized that Zimbabwean exiles are worth more to him?

As for the rest of SADC leaders, well, I kind of sense jealousy. After all Zimbabwe is really an economic giant that is only slumbering. Should it be woken up to play, it will rule the commercial playground again in no time.

This is the only way I can rationalize what is going on in SADC about the Zimbabwe issue. Forget all this “solidarity with a brother state” nonsense. Forget the phony condemnation of Britain and the US and others. It is all about insecure regimes happy to have national and international attention on someone else not themselves.

Everybody knows what the real issue is in Zimbabwe. It is about a politically and economically suppressed nation. A nation needing relief from an 83-year-old khulu whose recycled ideas and personnel are just too spent to recharge a modern economy needing modern leadership and ideas.

It is not a personal issue against Mugabe or anybody. It is an urgent national and regional matter that needs to be addressed now.

Mandela, Kaunda, Nyerere, Nujoma and even Mugabe’s own idol, the late Kamuzu Banda let their countries free to seek new leaders. This is all we are asking for please, President Mugabe.

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What report will Mbeki present in Lusaka?

2007-08-14T09:13:00.000-07:00

This week all southern African eyes will be on Lusaka and particular attention will be on one man, South African president, Thabo Mbeki.

Thabo Mbeki will take centre position at the Southern African Development Community (SADC) heads of state and government summit as he is expected to give a report back on his mediation in the Zimbabwean political and economic crisis.

A lot of regional and international hope has been placed on Mbeki mostly because he is believed to be the only man Zimbabwean president, Robert Mugabe will listen to and co-operate with. And, this is the reason why, in my view, it should not surprise anyone if come end of summit, no tangible progress has been announced by Mbeki.

The fact that Mugabe lends his ears to Mbeki means that Mbeki too listens to Mugabe and I am not inventing anything here because the evidence is already there. Mbeki subscribes to Mugabe’s theory that Zimbabwe’s problems have been caused and exacerbated by Britain and its western allies and Zimbabwean political puppets.

Yes, Britain historically caused problems to Zimbabwe like it did to all its other former colonies including South Africa. However, I am not willing to buy that Britain exacerbated these problems alone with its so-called allies and puppets.

If Britain played a part in the escalation of Zimbabwe’s problems, it was in cahoots with the current Zanu PF government or in reaction to actions of the Zanu PF government.

What I mean is; Britain may have played part in the land chaos in Zimbabwe, but it did not influence or sponsor the subsequent economic rot and political persecution of the opposition and civic groups.

Nevertheless, Mbeki will not be expected to initiate and force Mugabe to see reason in redrawing the constitution and redressing the current injustices perpetrated on the nation by Mugabe’s government. Mugabe simply does not want that and what Mugabe does not want, Mbeki will not push for.

This is why recently the South African president announced that the main SADC goal is to ensure “free and fair” elections next year. He makes it sound like “free and fair” is a new catch phrase in Zimbabwe or the region.

The fact is that Zimbabwe has had “free and fair” elections since independence and SADC has been one organization that has always led the way in declaring Zimbabwean polls “free and fair” despite clear and mounting evidence to the contrary.

So, I wonder whether there is a new “free and fair” that Mbeki is talking about. We all know that unless something quite dramatic happens in the remaining months until March 2008, Zimbabwe will go to the polls, Zanu PF will win and Mbeki will declare a “free and fair” election.

Already the so-called talks have been beset with problems of Mugabe refusing to have the constitution discussed and his envoys not availing themselves for meetings. Word has it that not much really has been discussed except a few house-keeping matters.

So, I can predict what Mbeki’s report will say: “Progress has been made and continues to be made.”

Life goes on.

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Calling CIDA---Hello, hello?

2007-08-14T09:07:00.000-07:00

I have dealt with a number of both federal and provincial departments and I have been as satisfied as anybody could be with all except CIDA.

I have since come to the conclusion that guys at CIDA are reluctant to respond to enquiries and my writing about this comes from being frustrated three times in less than a year.

On Monday, July 23, I received a news piece from Voice of America that Canada had donated $3.3 million worth of food to Zimbabwe. The story did not have much detail, so on Tuesday I called CIDA for more information.

A media officer, Jinette Thibodeau answered my call and after I told her that I would appreciate an answer by the end of the day, she promised to do her best. She had not answered by the following day and I followed up. She said she had forwarded my request and was still waiting for answers which should come by the end of that day.

Nothing happened for more than a week until Friday, August 3 when I called and left a message registering my disappointment. Ms. Thibodeau called back and said she too was waiting for answers but promised again that answers would be provided by the end of that day.

Nothing came my way until Monday, August 6 when a brief answer restating what I already knew came via e-mail from Greg Scott, Chief of Media Relations.

Needless to say the editor I had pitched this story to had already lambasted me for promising what I could not deliver. To make matters worse, the information provided by Greg Scott left me where I started off, meaning I would have to call CIDA, again, and repeat the questions I wanted answered.

I gave up just like I did late last year when I was part of a group of journalists seeking funding for a project. We wanted to apply to CIDA which has such programs as the Mass Media Initiative and Journalism Development Initiative.

We called and e-mailed CIDA several times and all we got were voicemails which promised to respond to us promptly if we left detailed messages. We did but for weeks we never got any answers until May or June (more than six months later), when I received an e-mail informing me that our application had not been approved. I had forgotten we sought help from CIDA.

In March, after the release of the Senate report recommending that CIDA be closed because it had only done work worth 20% of its $12.4 billion budget for Africa in 38 years, I attended a meeting at the University of Ottawa, on aid to Africa and the future of CIDA.

Participants were hoping CIDA would answer questions but a lady who identified herself as a CIDA worker said she was there in her personal capacity.

“Do not expect an answer from CIDA,” she said and everybody there seemed to accept that it was in fact the way CIDA operated. Well, I still tried to seek comment but my call was not returned.

Still I defended CIDA because I really believe in the work they do in Africa, insignificant as it may seem to Canadian Senators. But the shoddy treatment I have received from CIDA every time I seek information is making me wonder whether I was too quick to defend them.

From talking with other people who deal with CIDA regularly, among them diplomats and journalists, it appears I am not the only one to be treated shabbily by this public institution and I wonder why.

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How will Brown handle relations with Zimbabwe

2007-06-28T07:24:00.000-07:00

When Nicholas Sarkozy won the French elections in May, Africans held their breath. This was the man who, barely a year before, had called immigrants from the western and northern parts of the continent, “rabble” needing “a power hose” to cleanse them off the streets of Paris and other French cities.

But to his credit, Sarkozy took advantage of his inaugural speech as new French president, to invite African leaders to talk about “this common problem” of immigration. You could hear the collective sound of air being let out of millions of African lungs at that very moment.

If any of us from English-speaking Africa, particularly the southern tip, might have felt removed from that situation, we now have our own to ponder.

Gordon Brown has just taken over from Tony Blair at 10 Downing Street. Blair and his policies were rather harsh on Africa, so it is safe to say not many on the continent will miss him.

But we have his closest ally now to content with. He has not said much yet, particularly on the burning issue of Zimbabwe, which has always been the centre-piece of Britain’s relations with Africa.

Is he going to engage Mugabe or not? Is he going to offer some carrots to Mugabe to play ball and relieve the people of Zimbabwe from their suffering that has lasted exactly the same period that Blair was in office? If he offers carrots, is he going to bring sticks with the carrots?

Being a Blair protégé himself, will he pile up only sticks like his predecessor or will he be his own man when it comes to Zimbabwean issues?

The way Brown is going to handle the Zimbabwe issue will dictate the way Africans in general and southern Africans in particular will regard him – an ally or an enemy.

The way he handles the Zimbabwe issue could easily define Brown’s legacy in the same way it tainted Blair’s, but lest we say too much, suffice to say we humbly await The Honorable Prime Minister to speak on the issue.

Lets hear your views!!

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ICJ CODDLES BRUTAL DESPOTS

2007-06-09T06:25:00.000-07:00

When Charles Taylor's trial was moved from Sierra Leone to The Hague, the United Nations and its western backers argued he would not receive a fair trial in Sierra Leone and that he risked being killed by his victims.

Well, he was taken to The Hague where he lives in a cell whose comfort millions of his victims would never dream of. The much anticipated beginning of his trial came on Monday and what did the former Liberian strongman do? He boycotted it.

Oh, he had a reason alright.

"I am driven to conclude that I will not receive a fair trial at this time and I must decline to attend hearings," said Taylor in a letter read out by his defence lawyer Karim Khan. "I cannot take part in this charade that does injustice to the people of Liberia and the people of Sierra Leone."

This coming from a guy who is answering to 11 counts of murder, kidnapping, torture and all sorts of other human rights abuses to thousands of Sierra Leoneans and Liberians. Now he wants justice for his victims?

Taylor's letter went on: "I have only one counsel to appear on my behalf against nine on the prosecution team. This is neither fair nor just."

I wonder whether he knew the terms "fair" and "just" when he was a warlord terrorizing most of West Africa in the 1990s. Looting Sierra Leone's diamonds and using them to fund rebels who raped, maimed and killed.

Familiar story
But Khan was not finished. He went on to tell Judge Julia Sebutinde he had been fired by Taylor who said he would represent himself.

If you are wondering where you heard this before, it happened in the same court, a few years ago when another dictator, Serbian Slobodan Milosevic, was on trial at The Hague.

Milosevic turned the International Court of Justice (ICJ) into a four-year circus that only ended with his death early last year. No doubt Charles Taylor was watching Milosevic's antics like all of us. The difference is that we were agonizing at how a justice process was being subverted at will by the former dictator while Taylor was probably taking down notes. If he were a student, he would be on course to an "A" grade.

If the United Nations and its western backers are serious about deterring would be despots and war criminals from emulating the likes of Milosevic and Taylor, they should close the ICJ immediately. It is a toothless body that gobbles millions of taxpayers' money without producing anything.

People like Charles Taylor do not deserve the kid-glove treatment they are accorded at The Hague.

These are men who played by the sword and in my best view they should die by the sword.
Charles Taylor ordered or did nothing to stop his predecessor, Samuel Doe from being kicked and stoned until he died on the streets of Monrovia. He ordered the raping, maiming and killing of thousands of his own people. He simply has no heart and you do not handle men like him so softly.

I must state clearly that I do not condone street justice. However, I think if Taylor had been tried in Sierra Leone, he would have respected the trial process better.

The way he is treating the ICJ and the way the court is letting him do that, gives a green light to those still persecuting innocent people to carry on knowing that when they are done butchering people, they will retire to The Hague to die in comfort.

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WINNIE: VICTIM OF HER OWN RECKLESSNESS

2007-06-09T06:18:00.000-07:00

Controversy might as well be Winnie Madikizela-Mandela's middle name. It dogs her at every turn.

The latest instalment is that Winnie, who was divorced by South Africa's former president, Nelson Mandela in 1996, was denied a visa to enter Canada late on Monday.

She was scheduled to headline a fundraising gala concert last night as part of the ongoing Luminato arts festival in Toronto. Devastated organizers of the $200-a-plate dinner concert dubbed "A Night in Soweto" said Winnie was to be accompanied by her daughter, Zindzi.

"We are devastated and she is very sad. She was all packed and dressed, ready to leave for the airport when she was informed she could not enter Canada," said Carole Adriaans, events director for arts organization, MusicaNoir, the group that invited Winnie.

Adriaans and other officials at Luminato and MusicaNoir said yesterday they did not know why Winnie was barred from coming to Canada.

Karen Shadd-Evelyn, a spokesperson for Citizenship and Immigration Canada said yesterday: "She did not satisfy admissibility rules."

Well, I am not about to confuse readers by claiming ignorance or by using politically correct language to state the obvious. Quite simply, Winnie is a convicted criminal.

Canada does not admit criminals. That is the law and Winnie is subject to the law.

Under the criminal inadmissibility clause of Canada's Immigration Act, convicted foreigners may only be allowed into this country if:
* They meet the legal requirement to be deemed rehabilitated;
* They apply and are approved for rehabilitation
* They obtain a temporary resident permit
* They obtain a foreign pardon recognized in Canada.

Many South Africans and other people in the world, including myself, have nothing but admiration for Winnie's struggles under apartheid, but in the process of her fight for democracy she committed what was later to be known as her "reckless behaviour."

In the late 1990s, Winnie was charged with 18 crimes including murder, kidnapping, and torture. The most famous victim of Winnie's so-called "reckless behaviour" was 14-year-old Stompie Seipei, who was killed by one of Winnie's associates in the infamous Mandela Football Club, which was largely regarded as her own hit squad.

In 1997, Winnie was sentenced to six years in jail, but she appealed and the sentence was reduced to a fine.

If her actions in the 1980s could be excused as consequences of persecution by apartheid officials, her conviction in 2003 for fraud can hardly qualify her as a political or racial victim.

Further, Winnie has a tendency to utter political statements that tend to embarrass those around her and not many governments, not least of all the Canadian government, would want to be responsible for whatever she was going to say here.

In fact, a part of The Passion of Winnie, a film-opera to honour her struggle, which she was due to commission on Friday, seems to glorify "necklacing," a practice popularized by her supporters who killed her enemies by placing burning tires around their necks.

Winnie's supporters have argued she was allowed to fly into New York two weeks ago to receive an award for her work with AIDS and the Save Africa Concerts Foundation affiliated with the United Nations, so Canada should welcome her.

The fact is the UN operates like a sovereign government and its visitors are confined to its compound in New York, they are not allowed anywhere else in the United States as long as the U.S. government has barred them, as is the case with Winnie.

So, Canada does not have to admit her just because the UN did.

The law is the law.

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Don't forget Zim land issue in Blair's legacy

2007-05-10T17:24:00.001-07:00

AS British Prime Minister, Tony Blair counts down his days in office, his legacy is already being written by many a writer.

As far as most of the world is concerned, Blair will be remembered as the Prime Minister who ended the age-old conflict between Catholics and Protestants in Northern Ireland.

He will also be remembered as the Prime Minister who became a friend indeed to a US President (George W. Bush) who was fast running out of allies as he invaded Iraq on false charges of developing weapons of mass destruction.

But this is not all he should be remembered for. People in Africa – Zimbabwe precisely, will remember him as the British Prime Minister who dared tell President Robert Mugabe off, helping spark an economic and political crisis that has consumed the southern African nation all his entire tenure.

Zimbabweans do not forget that the main reason Zimbabwe’s independence was finally won around the table at Lancaster House rather than in the streets of Harare was because the British government promised to pay for land redistribution in Zimbabwe.

They did some of it under the so-called “willing-buyer, willing-seller” concept. The money stopped during the time of the last Conservative PM, John Major.

Then Blair came into power in 1997. He represented the Labour Party, traditionally the party that understood the feelings of the down-trodden. He would be better to deal with, Mugabe and his government thought until Mugabe met the 44-year-old new PM in Edinburgh where he hosted Heads of the Commonwealth.

It was touted as the highlight of the Summit. Mugabe brought up the issue of funding land redistribution and horror of horrors, Blair would have none of it.

Blair said Britain provided in excess of BP44 million since 1980, most of which went into the fat bellies of Mugabe’s political cronies.

“But promise is a credit,” argued Mugabe.

“Was I there when you were given that promise? I was in school and I do not honour promises I had nothing to do with,” countered the young PM.

It ranks as the only time anyone dared tell Mugabe off like that and the consequences are there for everyone to see.

Blair might have had a point that Britain provided money that had not been properly accounted for, but to pretend as if he did not know Britain’s obligations to Zimbabwe is criminal.

Much as we blame Mugabe for the chaos that resulted from his badly planned land redistribution exercise, Blair must shoulder some of the blame, if not in equal measure.

This is the reason why most African leaders would rather ignore Mugabe’s atrocities to his own people because they consider that he stood up for them.

However, this, of course, is now an issue for historians to argue. Blair is no longer a factor in the scheme of things as you read this comment. Gordon Brown is the man now.

I am sure Mr. Brown does not need anyone to tell him how important it is for him to approach the Zimbabwe issue more pragmatically than his soon to be predecessor.

Britain cannot afford to ignore its political and economic ties to Zimbabwe and a fresh start may help us all.

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Mutambara sneaks into Canada

2007-05-10T07:30:00.001-07:00

MDC faction leader, Arthur Mutambara snuck into Canada in the last week of April and secured a rare meeting with Foreign Affairs Minister, Peter MacKay in his Parliament Hill office.

The key words here are "snuck in" and "rare". For a national leader whose party boasts the majority of political Zim-Canucks, Mutambara's visit was somehow not communicated to anyone in the Zimbabwean community.

But much as this might surprise many, Zim-Canucks are the list bit fazed.You see, those Zim-Canucks who support the MDC identify themselves with the Morgan Tsvangirai faction so, they have no time for a robotic politician. Some middle of the road Zim-Canucks believe Mutambara is just not worth their time. The rest wouldn't have cared even if it was Tsvangirai or President Robert Mugabe who had come.

Still, for a man seeking to lead MDC to victory against Zanu (PF) and possibly lead the country, Mutambara acted as if there are no Zimbabweans here and that smacks of arrogance. A smart politician, especially one seeking support, would have sought even a single Zimbabwean family and be seen grinning, holding a baby and saying something like: "We are fighting for our children here to come back to a free country and play their part…"

That aside, Mutambara got a very rare meeting with the Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister, the second most important politician here. Such meetings do not just happen and given Canada's lukewarm response to the Zimbabwe crisis, Mutambara must be congratulated for securing that opportunity.

Now, when you get a one in a million chance, you have to throw in that card you know will win. In this case, Mutambara should have pressed MacKay to bring out his blazing gun of condemnation of Mugabe's human rights abuse and even promise to act on it.

Well, what does our robotic leader do, he asks for "technology transfer" when (or more precisely, if) he takes over power. How childish. No wonder MacKay responded by offering "moral support" and ushered Mutambara out of his office.

If I had been there, I would have said: "It is not robot science, AGO."Now, you may remember that a few weeks ago I mentioned that the local MDC branch was so dysfunctional that the chairman was contemplating quitting. Last week, he quit.

Vice chairman, Andrew Mudzingwa takes over the leadership in an interim capacity until an election is held in 90 days. Manyevere said his retirement followed extensive consultations with his executive and was driven by a desire to give a chance to "enthusiastic" young party members who wanted to lead. Smart move. Politics never seemed to be his calling and it definitely contradicted his teachings at the local Seventh Day Adventist (SDA) Church where he is a respected elder.

What's next for him? Watch this space.

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Beating up lawyers is spitting in faces of African leaders

2007-05-09T17:05:00.000-07:00

THE attack by Zimbabwean police officers on lawyers is a slap – no actually a phlegm-filled spit on African leaders’ kid’s glove diplomacy on President Robert Mugabe and his Zanu PF regime.

The insult to the African Union and the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) heads becomes even embarrassing because on the very day the lawyers were given a public flogging like delinquent neighborhood kids, the Pan African Parliament was sitting in South Africa to determine, among other issues, the way to handle the Zimbabwe crisis.

Even more embarrassing, AU chairman, President John Kufour of Ghana and SADC mediator, President Thabo Mbeki were also meeting with the former hoping to hear of progress in the Zimbabwe crisis talks.

To those who may not have known of the issue I am ranting about, here is a brief account:

On Tuesday a group of Zimbabwean lawyers went to the High Court to demonstrate in solidarity with two colleagues who had been arrested and detained on politically motivated charges.

When they gathered to demonstrate, they were told by the police to disperse and they were in the process of doing so when some police officers decided they were not walking fast enough.

"They physically forced us onto a truck drove about three or four kilometres and asked us to disembark. They asked us to lie on our stomachs and then they started assaulting us," said the Law Society of Zimbabwe's president, Beatrice Mtetwa.

According to other accounts, it appeared the police had found themselves something to amuse themselves with judging from how they ran around beating the lawyers like rowdy goats that strayed into a neighbour’s maize field.

How does President Mugabe hope to get sympathy for any of his arguments when his security people show such disrespect for human rights?

Exactly two months ago, it was the opposition and civic leaders who were attacked, resulting in a worldwide outcry that led to the emergency meeting of SADC leaders where Mbeki was chosen to lead talks between Zanu PF and the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC).

The government has maintained that Morgan Tsvangirai and his colleagues deserved to be beaten up because they had defied police orders not to politicize a prayer meeting.

What law did the lawyers break when they complied when they were ordered to disperse? Okay, let’s suppose they did actually break the law in some way, what does the policing rules say in the Constitution? Is there anywhere it says load the offenders on a truck, drive them out of town and proceed to beat them up?

These beatings are senseless to say the least. They tell a tale of fear within the core of the regime. They tell a tale of a cornered bully whose reaction to legitimate challenges is to lash out at anyone within reach.

Last September it was union leaders, what law did they break to deserve a beating? As for members of Women of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA) and their children, they have actually become target practice for an inept police force.

There are people who believe in President Mugabe’s argument over land and other “injustices of the west”. How convincing, President Mugabe, can you be to them when you continue bashing in the heads of your own people?

African leaders, how justified is the beating up of lawyers, unionists and women and children?

My question to you all at AU and SADC is: When are you going to say enough is enough?

Beating up people does not bring back land; neither does it stop Britain and America or even China from colonizing Zimbabwe if they want to. You are actually making it easy for them.

TO READ MORE OF MY WRITING, PLEASE VISIT; www.torontosun.ca/News/Columnists/Madawo_Innocent/
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http:/www.africafiles.org/zimbabwe.asp
http://www.jexcanada.com/

AFRICAN INVESTMENT PASSING CANADA BY

2007-03-31T17:12:00.000-07:00

Recently I attended meetings that left me wondering if Canada is really serious about doing business in Africa.

In all the meetings I detected a dearth of information on Africa as an investment destination and trade partner. I wonder what Canadian diplomats and companies already doing business in Africa are reporting back because it appears the government regards Africa in the mode of a hapless continent that can only be dealt with in terms of aid.

But if one cares to ask them, Africans will tell you that their priority is investment and trade.

A week ago I wrote about how CIDA could be abolished because it is considered to have failed to make a change in Africa and yet that determination is made without input from African beneficiaries.

Last Friday I attended a business roundtable discussion organized by the Canadian Council for Africa (CCA) and the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (DFIAT).

It turned out that at a time when Europeans, Americans, Chinese and Indians are making a beeline to make business partnerships with Africa, Canada has reduced its incentives to businesses and is pulling out its commercial attaches.

This is because DFIAT lacks real time information on the business potential of Africa. For example, DFIAT has divided Sub-Sahara Africa into four investment and trade zones (south, east, west and north) with the main determinant being the availability of oil and minerals.

The zones show that DFIAT does not consider Africa a continent to do business with but a provider of resources.

It also shows that the department ignores information on the existence of investment and trade zones that Africa itself has set up under the African Union (AU). These are Southern Africa Development Community (SADC), East Africa Community (EAC), Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA).

These groupings are used by the EU, China, the US and other investment and trade blocs to great rewards. Trying to circumvent these blocs will not help Canada and may actually be the reason Canadian businesses find it difficult to penetrate the African market because when they think they have satisfied requirements in one DFIAT zone, when they go from country to country they find different requirements they need to meet.

Another issue that came out in the meting was that DFIAT regards business related to education and health provision in Africa can only be provided under the humanitarian banner, hence its CIDA’s job.

Nothing could be far from the truth. Africa has long moved past the free education and health mode and investors from other countries are taking advantage, making a killing by opening up private institutions in Africa.

But DFIAT bureaucrats take orders from their political bosses. This is where the problem lies and it was articulated clearly at another meeting, on Saturday, which was called by Liberal MP, Keith Martin who is seeking support from Zimbabweans to re-launch his effort to have Mugabe indicted in Canadian courts as a war criminal.

Martin admitted that fellow politicians regard Zimbabwe and Africa in general as “a lost cause”, “a dead end”. I wonder whether the wars in Somalia and Sudan or civil unrest in Zimbabwe and other spots are enough for Canada to dismiss Africa totally like that or there is something else.

No matter, my point is that Africa is emerging as a business destination and Canada would best be advised to get involved or it will be left to rue the missed opportunity in a not so distant future.

TO READ MORE OF MY WRITING, PLEASE VISIT; www.torontosun.ca/News/Columnists/Madawo_Innocent/
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http://www.canadiannewcomermagazine.org/

A NEW WOMEN'S ORGANISATION

2007-03-31T17:04:00.000-07:00

I was about to sign off on my column for this week when new information landed in my inbox. Someone told me that a new Zimbabwean pressure group has been formed in Toronto and it is called the Empowered Women of Zimbabwe (EWOZ).

It is late at night here in Canada and its my deadline, so you will forgive me because I do not have enough details about this spanking new organisation except that it is chaired by a fellow journalist, Irene Mazvita Mlambo. I am not sure yet what the organisation stands for but I promise to let you know next week when I get a chance to talk to the chairlady or someone in the group.

For years Zimbabwe has been losing thousands of its professionals to other countries who have readily accepted them as value added to their economies. One such country is Canada where Zimbabweans, although they are relatively fewer than other nationals, are already making their mark in various professional sectors.

This did not escape the eye of the Ontario provincial ministry of labour which is repealing its labour laws to enhance the integration of foreign trained professionals into the economy.

The ministry has especially sought the input of Zimbabweans “because of their high level of education and professionalism” to draw up a new law that will be used in future. This naturally makes us Zim-Canucks proud but our pride is tempered by knowledge that this kind of recognition would have been more meaningful were we at home and being accepted by our own government. Anyway, as this process progresses, I will be updating you.

There is nothing that is more fulfilling than to have someone take your criticism as constructive and try to do the right thing. In the past I have been “trashing” the Toronto branch of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC). I have said, factually, that they are ineffective, disorganised and directionless.

Well, I see some change already. On Saturday I attended a meeting they called with Liberal Member of Parliament, Keith Martin, who has been fighting a lone battle to have Mugabe indicted as a war criminal by the Canadian government. Martin has lost that battle so he is seeking Zimbabweans to give him the numbers he needs to relaunch the effort.

So, in Saturday’s meeting, the MDC supporters pledged to back him by marching on the Zimbabwean embassy in Ottawa on April 16th as a way to draw Canadian attention to Zimbabwe’s plight.
The last time they demonstrated here in Toronto, they sang Ishe Komborera Africa and told bystanders that it was the national anthem of Zimbabwe. When I and other people told them that Zimbabwe’s national anthem had long changed to Simudzai Mureza WeZimbabwe/Pakhamisa iFlag yeZimbabwe, they argued that it was a Zanu PF song. So, I was pleasantly surprised on Saturday when it was announced that MDC members were learning the actual Zimbabwean anthem which they had now accepted to be theirs as Zimbabweans.

One member asked MP Martin to lobby the international community to allow Zimbabweans in the Diaspora to vote. Martin rightly answered that this issue is a constitutional matter that only Zimbabweans could determine.

However, that point was, to me, a sign of foresight on the part of the member. Some of us have long argued that if Mugabe could be forced to allow exiled Zimbabweans to vote and then make sure the elections were monitored more tightly than before, then this time next year, we could be talking of a new regime in the country. Food for thought.

Watch this space.

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ALL IS NOT WELL IN MDC-TORONTO

2007-03-31T16:58:00.000-07:00

I told you from the beginning that in this column there will be no sacred cows. In that regard, this week I would like to talk a little bit of politics.

Like all other Zimbabweans elsewhere in the Diaspora, we, Zim-Canucks have two forms of political representation.

One is, obviously, the government, via the Zimbabwe embassy in Ottawa. Well, I have nothing much to say about Mrs. Chideya and her team except, of course, that they represent President Robert Mugabe and his ruling Zanu PF and we all know what they stand for.

My focus today is on the executive of the Toronto branch of our main opposition party, the Movement for Democratic Change. These guys’ style of leadership leaves a lot to be desired. They will not tolerate criticism whatsoever, and I should know because I have been vilified many times for calling a spade exactly what it is.

Some members of the leadership asked me to expose some of the things that are done by the executive of the branch and before I tell you some of these “vices” I need to say that I asked the chairman, Mr. Andrew Manyevere, not once, but twice. On both occasions I also told him I was asking in my capacity as a journalist and that I intended to write about it.

His response: “Some of the things you are saying are known only to my executive and the fact that you know them makes me believe you when you say members of my executive told you.

“We have problems, but like in any organization, we have channels to deal with those problems and that is what we are doing.”

Now, here are the problems that members complain about:

The first thing is that MDC-Toronto draws most of its membership from Zimbabweans seeking political asylum. Now, when any of them complain about one thing or another, they are quickly reminded that they can always leave the party but bearing in mind that if they do, they might not have a chance at the refugee board. I know that is very far from the truth.

Then there is the issue of officials who “misplace” or “borrow” party funds for personal use with the complicity of the executive. One wonders whether the MDC code of conduct allows this and if paying members are aware that their contributions are used as “soft” loans for executive members.

There are also squabbles about who should give out statements, when and how. In fact, one executive member said meetings called to discuss strategy to lobby for support in the fight against Zanu PF always end up discussing “mundane administration” issues.

In fact, the current executive was appointed in an interim capacity to prepare for the election of a substantive executive but my sources said some officials are strongly against relinquishing power. Curiously, the ones refusing to leave their posts are those who have either gone for refugee hearings and were denied or are still to appear before the refugee board.

Then there are some who are said to have earmarked themselves (or might have been promised by somebody in Harare) for ministerial posts when MDC takes power “soon” but they know that if new elections are held for the branch, they will be voted out and so they are refusing to let the elections be held.

Now, having said all that, I believe it is a very good thing to have MDC represented in the Diaspora, but the party may want to be certain of the people who lead this representation.

Nuff said. Right now I will just chill and wait for what I know is coming - more vilification from MDC-Toronto.

I wonder what they are going to call me this time around. Want to know too?

Watch this space.

TO READ MORE OF MY WRITING, PLEASE VISIT; www.torontosun.ca/News/Columnists/Madawo_Innocent/
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GREETINGS FROM ZIM-CANUCKS

2007-03-31T16:54:00.000-07:00

Fellow Zimbabweans, tino kumhoresai, siyalibingelela, wherever you are on God’s earth.

Did anybody hear what I heard? Some wise guy is said to have recommended to President Robert Mugabe to declare Australia, South Africa, Canada, the UK and US; virtual provinces of Zimbabwe and upgrade (or is it downgrade) our ambassadors and high commissioners in those countries to provincial governors.

I do not know if that is true, but in terms of Zimbabwean populations in those countries, such a suggestion would not be so crazy really. We all know, of course, that Zimbabwe is a nation asunder, its citizens driven abroad by professional deprivation, political persecution and in search of economic emancipation.

Life goes on among Zimbabweans in the Diaspora. People fall in and out of love, babies are born and given names like Sibonelo, students go to school without fear of being sent to Green Bomber camps, professionals try to make their dreams come true, people fall sick and die and we all contribute to our local communities.

We have opinions about what is happening back home and we also contribute towards the betterment of our own people and country through various means; sending money to family in Gokwe, joining political and social forums that debate issues back home and raising awareness about our national plight.

Today we introduce to you this column which will be a weekly feature in this newspaper. In this column you will read about your family, friends and just fellow Zimbabweans in the Great White North.

Canada is generally a quiet country with people who are very careful of what they say to the next person. It is often regarded as no one’s country because we all came from somewhere.

In Canada you see all colours of people, you hear all languages on earth and in the midst of this multicultural mosaic, Zimbabweans are thriving and contributing. We like to call ourselves Zim-Canucks just like Zimbabweans in Australia might want to call themselves Zim-Aussies.

Canuck is an endearing term Canadians are known with. According to Wikipedia, the Internet encyclopedia, Canuck was first recorded in 1835 to mean (ironically) Americanism.

However, we will always be Zimbabweans and this column will seek to advance our Zimbabweaness through our aspirations, desires and wishes as any people far away from home.

Each week we will give you substance on what is happening in our small world in a big and very cold country - it gets so cold here even cars freeze stiff in temperatures that can reach lows of -30 Degrees Celsius. We will tell you what we think and what we say about ourselves and our country. We will also tell you about what others think and say about us as a nation.

Generally Zimbabweans are regarded with respect here. We are better educated, we are largely humane and professional in our conduct and we often excel in what we do. However, we also get entangled in issues that affect everybody else; immigration matters and contentious matters of human relations.

Like in any big family, we also have our own rotten apples or black sheep who put our name in shame once in a while.

Well, as long as we know about it and we have the facts to back up any issue about Zim-Canucks, you will read it in this column because, in true journalism ethos, there will be no sacred cows.

We also invite you, to alert us to any issues that concern Zim-Canucks and we will be sure to discuss them on this column.

Watch this space.

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MUGABE REFUSES TO GO

2006-12-17T16:49:00.000-08:00

Guess who is back? You are right, me.

I am sorry to you, faithful readers of this blog. I know I have been awol for far too long. It is all for a good reason, I assure you. I am in the middle of something so exciting that you will all love me for it. Well, I hope.

Keep watching this space for the big announcement coming in a couple of weeks.

Meanwhile, I may be lousy at predicting World Cup matches, but when it comes to Zimbabwean politics, I think I can crown myself a World Champion Predictor. Earlier this year I said Mugabe would not quit in 2008 and he would not call for elections.

Well, those of you who follow Zimbabwean news will know that Zanu PF completed its annual conference in Goromonzi with a resolution to postpone the presidential election, scheduled for 2008, to 2010.

They don't call him "Handiende" (I will not go) for nothing.

TO READ MORE OF MY WRITING, PLEASE VISIT; www.torontosun.ca/News/Columnists/Madawo_Innocent/
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SOUL INFLUENCIE GOING HOME

2006-12-02T06:04:00.000-08:00

Soul Influence, my favorite musical group in North America is going him. Yes, the boys and girls of that melodious septet are going to Africa on a tour to both entertain and serve.

The group, which is inspired by the members’ Christianity, will visit Kenya and Zambia where they are sponsoring humanitarian projects. They have also adopted a son in Kenya; his name is Haron Meboi, from Kilgoris. Haron should be elated at the prospecting of seeing his seven parents.

From December 5th to December 22nd 2006, Soul Influence will be visiting and working in four projects that they support both directly and indirectly, in Zambia. They will visit and take medical and general hospital supplies to the Arthur Davidson Children's Hospital. In Kenya they will visit the Mully Children's Family, a rehabilitation institution for street children, the Mathare Street Children Rescue Centre.

The African tour concludes a series of 10 concerts under the theme: A Child at a Time. The tour kicked off in Red Deer and Calgary AB, on November 17th to November 19th. Today the group performs at Forest Grove United Church on 43 Forest Grove Drive, Toronto, M2K 1Z4 at 7:30pm.

They leave for Africa on Monday.

TO READ MORE OF MY WRITING, PLEASE VISIT; www.torontosun.ca/News/Columnists/Madawo_Innocent/
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STUPID FAT POLITICIANS

2006-11-27T08:58:00.000-08:00

You know, there is something so abominable about fat politicians in a five star hotel at a prime tourist resort in a country whose economy they have plunder, meeting to discuss how to squeeze more out of its poor people.

I am talking about this past weekend's meeting between South African and Zimbabwean security ministers in Victoria Falls where they agreed to charge the thousands of Zimbabweans crossing the Limpopo legally to seek employment and/or visit relatives and friends.

Zimbabwean travellers now have to pay a security deposit of between $108 000 and $148 000 depending on the destination, have traveller’s cheques amounting to 1 000 rand and produce a letter of invitation, among other requirements.

Now, politicians have always been known to be dumb, but I did not know they would be this dumb.

Hey, those people you are charging more have already been paying you. I would have thought the meeting would seek solutions to the decades-old problem of border jumping - you know, those guys who swim across the river or bribe the border guards.

They are the ones who are flooding South Africa by the millions and they do not do it because they are daredevil who just want to see if they can cross the limpopo without being killed by crocodiles and hippos or being shot by border guards.

These are people who are fleeing human rights violations and are seeking employment in South Africa. These are people who need a solution so they don't risk their lives jumping the border. These are the people for whom meetings are supposed to be called and decisions made.

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

TO READ MORE OF MY WRITING, PLEASE VISIT; www.torontosun.ca/News/Columnists/Madawo_Innocent/
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WHAT DO WE DO??

2006-11-27T06:45:00.000-08:00

It is now common knowledge that Canada will not indict President Robert Mugabe if he happens to come this side of ther world.

Federal Justice Minister, Vic Toews saw no compelling reason for parliament to pass a Bill to indict Mugabe under the crimes against humanity law. The reason? Whatever Mugabe's government is doing against the people of Zimbabwe is too remote for Canadians to lose sleep over.

This is despite that thousands of Zimbabweans have sought refuge here fleeing human rights atrocities back home. Early this month Zimbabwean human rights lawyer and torture victim, Gabriel Shumba was here to tell his story and lobby for the indictment. Another human rights lawyer, Arnold Tsunga was actually honoured here this month, for lobbying against the same human rights violations.

All those speeches, all those pleas, all those radio, televisions and newspaper interviews and graphic pictures, they produced nothing.

No, actually the decision by Canada saved the skin of Zimbabwean Ambassador to Canada, Florence Chideya, who welcomed the "obvious and expected outcome". She will be rewarded handsomely, I can assure you.

For the rest of us, I have a question that we should all answer: WHAT DO WE DO??

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GREEN BOMBERS TO BECOME JOURNALISTS

2006-11-13T06:53:00.000-08:00

News from Zimbabwe continues getting bad for journalists.

According to Zimbabwe News Online, last week a government appointed media regulating body, the Media and Information Commission (MIC) issued a directive to officials at Harare Polytechnic, which houses the School of Journalism, to accept only students who passed through the controversial national youth service training programme.

Many countries have some form of national service for their youths and that in itself is not a problem. The youths are taught the virtues of nationhood; they learn to help the needy and to appreciate their country, its history and sovereignty.

However, the youth national service in Zimbabwe is basically a politicization and military boot camp. It is managed by President Mugabe’s ruling Zanu PF party, administered by sworn Zanu PF members of the army, the war veterans and bona fide zealots. The message taught to the youths is simply “Zanu PF – Excellent, Anything else – Very Bad”. There is no reasoning, not justification.

At completion of the training, the youths would have been transformed into a well-drilled brutal propaganda-enforcing machine called the “Green Bombers”. The name “Green Bombers” is derived from the huge green housefly common in tropical regions. It is such a menace.

The Green Bomber flies with a buzz that resembles a First World War bomber, stings like a bee and spreads disease at a fast and deadly rate. The Zanu PF youths wear green uniforms, attack opposition members with deadly ferocity and have contributed to more killing and maiming of innocent Zimbabweans than the army, police, war veterans and secret police combined. Imagine a bunch of journalists with such qualities.

What boggles the mind is that Professor Tafataona Mahoso, a former head of the journalism school, leads the MIC. He is the one who issued the directive for journalists to undergo the youth service training.

This follows immediately after a directive from the president for security details to invade Internet cafes in an effort to ferret out journalists who keep supplying foreign media with stories like this one which Mugabe and his government consider “falsehoods”.

Hundreds of Zimbabwean journalists have been killed, jailed, maimed or exiled for reporting truths about the Zanu PF government’s undemocratic rule, its atrocious human rights record and its plunder of what used to be one of Africa’s best managed economies.

When will it end?

TO READ MORE OF MY WRITING, PLEASE VISIT; www.torontosun.ca/News/Columnists/Madawo_Innocent/
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WATCH OUT FOR CODED LETTERS FROM ZIMBABWE

2006-11-05T13:54:00.000-08:00

Last week reports from Harare said President Robert Mugabe had angrily instructed his security people to raid Internet cafes in the whole country to smoke out all the “traitors” allegedly using the Internet to spread “falsehoods” about Zimbabwe.

This is by no means news, it is just that what the Central Intelligency Organisation (CIO) was doing clandestinely now has the weight of presidential powers and is being done jojntly with the police, the army and other security agents.

Now, the real target of Mugabe's order are Zimbabwean journalists based in the country, who bravely defy all odds to tell the world of the atrocities being perpetrated by the Zanu PF government.

The government banned most foreign media organizations from operating in Zimbabwe; however, because of the nature of Internet technology, it cannot effectively ban journalists and other concerned citizens from sending out information by e-mail.

But this crackdown will not only affect journalists. Its real victims are ordinary Zimbabweans who find it cheaper to use e-mails to exchange information and pictures with their relatives in the Diaspora.

Now they will experience the indignity of having their mail opened and read by faceless people who will then use the information in the mail to keep tabs on them and, inevitably, harm them.

However, one thing Mugabe and his party did well despite everything, was to ensure a very high rate of education among Zimbabweans. Education necessitates innovation and soon Zimbabweans will come up with a way to beat the system, if they haven’t invented it already.

Just watch out for coded mail from Zimbabwe. It should be fun to read. Get this: Mother in rural Gokwe writing to son in Toronto;

"Oh, by the way, son, Gushungo's rogue oxen broke into our cattle pen the other night and gored all of my cows. I just hope you and your siblings will be able to do something to make sure Gushungo makes sure his oxen do not keep goring my cows."

Translation: "Oh, by the way, son, those good for nothing Zanu PF youths came to our village and beat up everyone. I hope you and your others out there can do something to rid us of Mugabe and his overzealous party."

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THE DEMISE OF "DIE GROOT KROKODIL"

2006-11-01T08:49:00.000-08:00

I respect the adage "do not speak ill of the dead" but in the case of Pieter Willem Botha, the former apartheid president of South Africa, facts would seem like I do not wish his soul to rest in peace.

Those who know the history of Botha's rule in the 1980s will agree with me that the man simply known as "PW" by both his supporters and victims personified the evil of a racist regime.
During the peak of his rule, I was in high school in Zimbabwe. Due to colonial links between the two countries, what happened south of the Limpopo River affected us.

Zimbabwe had just won its independence from another white racist regime, that of of Ian Smith; however, because the new majority government of Robert Mugabe refused to kick the then jailed Nelson Mandela's African National Congress out of the country, Botha targeted
Zimbabwe's capital, Harare, with a ferocity that could only be equated to that of a crocodile.

Fittingly, Botha was already known in Afrikaans as "Die Groot Krokodil" (The Great Crocodile). He is said to have liked the nickname, which was uttered in endearing ways by his supporters and in utter fear by the persecuted.

I was school in 1986 when Botha's ferocity was unleashed with staggering effects around the world. Sweden's anti-apartheid prime minister, Olof Palme, was assassinated and the plane carrying Mozambique's president, Samora Moises Machel, was shot down. Fingers were pointed at PW.

In Zimbabwe, ANC offices and safe houses in Harare and Bulawayo were bombed, killing the comrades of president Thabo Mbeki (who is now South Africa's president).

Fed up with seeing his backyard in Zimbabwe bombed at will by Botha's "birds of fire," Mugabe -- considered the toughest among all southern African leaders -- dared to challenge PW to a military duel along the Limpopo. It never happened.

Gossip making the rounds in Zimbabwe at the time was that Botha considered the invitation but was told by his generals that the Zimbabwe National Army was a small but mean machine, fired up by former guerrilla strategists who could beat the best conventional armies. I know the ZNA is mean, but that's all I know.

I also know "PW" was hated with a passion in Zimbabwe. Mugabe, ever the master of name-calling, got us all fired up with a daily dose of derogatory Shona names he gave Botha: "Chimbwasungata" (Mad Dog), "Chisveta Simba" (Blood Sucker) and "Mudzvanyiriri" (The Persecutor).

Musicians, too, took their best shot at the man with a permanent sneer. Zimbabwe's best known singer, Thomas Mapfumo (Canadians might remember him. He performed recently in Calgary and Toronto) produced one of his all-time hits whose main refrain was "Botha, Gandanga guru, ngaaurayiwe" (Botha, the biggest terrorist, must be killed).

Calypso king Eddie Grant mocked Botha with Johanna Gimme Hope, a worldwide hit that likened Botha to a mean woman who runs a country with such cruelty that her victims were forced to look up to her for salvation. Michael Jackson sang The Man in the Mirror.

TO READ MORE OF MY WRITING, PLEASE VISIT; www.torontosun.ca/News/Columnists/Madawo_Innocent/
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SOYINKA CAN WRITE, BUT CAN HE READ?

2006-10-22T19:21:00.000-07:00

Friday night I went to hear one of my favourite writers, Nobel Winner Prof Wole Soyinka, arguably the best author to come out of Africa. He read from his latest book “You Must Set Forth at Dawn”.

Now, I have something to say about that. Not many people are multi-talented and much as Soyinka is an excellent writer, I did not enjoy his reading. His voice was flat; he missed certain words or phrases and had to go back several times.

It could have been his eyesight or lighting because he said so at some point anyway. Also, being the main attraction can become a disadvantage if you follow such immaculate under cards as the lovely Iranian Azar Nafisi (she of the internationally acclaimed bestseller, “Reading Lolita in Tehran”.

Be that as it may, I was really elated to be in the same room with my literary hero, Soyinka. I remember reading some of his earlier books when I was in school and wondering what he really looked like in person.

Then I saw his image on television a lot when he was being persecuted by the then dictator of Nigeria, Sani Abacha. So, it was fulfilling when I finally laid my eyes on that wispy white afro.

TO READ MORE OF MY WRITING, PLEASE VISIT; www.torontosun.ca/News/Columnists/Madawo_Innocent/
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http://www.jexcanada.com/
http://www.zimcanada.com/
http://www.canadiannewcomermagazine.org/

THE RETURN OF THE OLD GENERALS

2006-10-22T19:19:00.000-07:00

Zimbabwean journalism saw the return of two old generals this past week. My former boss and mentor at the real, but now defunct Zimbabwe Inter-Africa News Agency (Ziana), Henry Muradzikwa was called back by the government to head the perennially unstable Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (now known as the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Holdings).

His old colleague at Zimbabwe Newspapers Group, former Daily News Editor-In-Chief, Geoffrey Nyarota started his own Internet newspaper also this past week.

I do not know how long Muradzikwa will last at ZBC, given that none of his predecessors have lasted long enough to mean anything at an organization that is really run from Munhumutapa House.

However, one thing I know is that Muradzikwa is not a pushover. He gives as much as he gets and I believed him when he said: “It will not be business as usual” at Pockets Hill.

Nyarota is known for kicking political backsides and now that his new venture, http://www.thezimbabwetimes.com/, is web-based (thus no bombs on his press and no Mahoso and his gang lurking around), I personally expect some serious kicking.

Good luck to you gentlemen. You led the way for us before; let’s see if you still have it. We will be watching.

TO READ MORE OF MY WRITING, PLEASE VISIT; www.torontosun.ca/News/Columnists/Madawo_Innocent/
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http://www.zimcanada.com/
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JOIN ME ON AFRICAFILES.ORG

2006-10-15T16:52:00.000-07:00

Last week I joined AfricaFiles, a network of people committed to Africa through its promotion of human rights, economic justice, African perspectives and alternative analyses.

AfricaFiles was launched in 2002. My volunteer job with the group is to post current reports on Zimbabwe, particularly those highlighting human rights concerns.

So, why don’t you visit http://www.africafiles.org/ to read all about Africa? It is such a very informative ride, let’s enjoy it together.

TO READ MORE OF MY WRITING, PLEASE VISIT; www.torontosun.ca/News/Columnists/Madawo_Innocent/
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http://www.jexcanada.com/
http://www.zimcanada.com/
http://www.canadiannewcomermagazine.org/

MUGABE MUST HAVE ORDERED GAG ON SABC

2006-10-15T14:06:00.000-07:00

Recent events in the South African media may surprise many, not me. I knew a high profile gag on members of the press in a country considered a bastion of democracy in a continent fraught with dictatorships and tyranny was just but a matter of time. www.zwnews.com

For those slow to catch up with news from south of the Sahara, the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) has blacklisted a number of South African and Zimbabwean media personalities who had developed a habit of criticizing President Mbeki and his Zimbabwean mentor, President Robert Mugabe.

Among the blacklisted are independent political analyst Aubrey Matshiqi; the author of a book on Mbeki, William Gumede; and Business Day staff members Vukani Mde and Karima Brown. Others are Zimbabwe’s own media magnate Trevor Ncube and Catholic Archbishop of Bulawayo, Pius Ncube.

These commentators have been criticizing the Mugabe regime and of late, they have been snipping at Mbeki’s conciliatory policies towards Harare.

This is a very serious matter. South Africa is a respected country in the whole world and so is Mbeki’s administration. It is, therefore, such a let down to hear that the government-controlled SABC is being muzzled like that. What a shame.

Thank God, the judiciary in South Africa still works. This morning Johannesburg High Court Judge Zukiswa Tshiqi dismissed with costs the SABC's application to have the Mail & Guardian Online remove a report on the blacklisting of the analysts and commentators by the broadcaster.

"I don't believe that it is okay to suppress information or to hide information written in the report," the judge told the court.

When I got this latest development, I almost jumped up with joy, but then, I checked myself quickly. In Zimbabwe it started like that. The government muzzling the press and the judiciary intervening until the muzzle was placed on the men with the Victorian wigs. I have a feeling SA is going down the same road.

But, like I said, it is not surprising. This is Africa after all and here is how it works in African politics. “Respect Thy Elders” is a term taken so seriously and then perverted to give a picture of holiness to those elders. There is also, Ziva kwawakabva “remember where you came from”.

So, following this norm, Mugabe must have called Mbeki and say: “Hey Thabo, what is this I hear that you allow some loud mouths to trash me in your backyard?”

Mbeki: “Well Mdala, I am sorry but there is not much I can do. There is what is called democracy and freedom of speech here. I am kinda helpless.”

Mugabe: “Is that the renaissance nonsense you have been preaching? I can tolerate trashing from Madiba because he is my elder. Where is your ubuntu? I am your elder and need I remind you of your time in exile here. How many fires did I extinguish when they were about to consume your corrupt ANC backside?”

Mbeki: “I am on it Mdala.” And within no time, orders are flying all over SABC to ban so and so, from saying anything anti-Mugabe.

It is not the first time this has happened in southern Africa. In Mozambique they do not say anything bad about Mugabe, lest Chissano and his successors will be reminded who propped them when rebel leader Alfonso Dhlakama was on the verge of taking Maputo.

In Tanzania, respected fellow journalist and former president, Benjamin Mkapa has it on record that he will not be seen criticizing Mugabe and following the “Respect Thy Elder” rule, neither will his successor Kikwete and their media.

Other countries are just in awe of Mugabe they would not dare say anything other than sing his praises and we wonder why Mugabe is not leaving his throne?

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SEE THE ZIMBABWE POLICE IN ACTION

2006-10-10T15:34:00.000-07:00

If anybody ever doubted reports of police brutality in Zimbabwe, here is visual and audio proof, courtesy of my homeboy Lance Guma and his colleagues at SWRadioAfrica.

I do not want to take credit for the sterling work done by Guma and others, but I am sure they won't mind me spreading this further. I do not know how they got the footage and smuggled it out of Zimbabwe. Frankly, in the interest of protecting the innocent, I don't want to know.

Before you click on the http://www.swradioafrica.com/ link (scroll down to the article: ZCTU demo video of beatings and interviews) to watch President Robert Mugabe's boys inaction, here is some background.

Leaders of the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) and its allied worker and civic organizations, organized a peaceful demonstration, on August 13, to highlight the suffering of people under the corrupt economic regime of the Zanu PF government.

Well, go ahead and take a 15-minute break from whatever you are doing and see what our police department does well.

TO READ MORE OF MY WRITING, PLEASE VISIT; www.torontosun.ca/News/Columnists/Madawo_Innocent/
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http://www.thecanadian.ca/
http://www.zimcanada.com/
http://www.jexcanada.com/

If the links fail to open please let me know. __._,_.___

SHE WENT, SHE SAW AND SHE WEPT

2006-10-09T16:27:00.000-07:00

Yes, one Evelyn Brown of the Global African Congress (GAC), some obscure Pan-African organization based in Canada, is said to have wept for her beloved Zimbabwe.

The story, as told by the Zanu PF government-controlled newspaper, The Herald, last week, is that, Ms Brown was part of a team that traveled to Zimbabwe to see for itself the reported human rights violations by the government of Zimbabwe.

Suspiciously though, the group was hosted by the same government whose persecution of the innocent it had come to investigate. The government officials took the group supposedly to see houses being built by the government under the so-called Operation Garikai/Hlalani Kuhle.

The said operation is government’s feeble attempt to provide proper housing to more than 700 000 people it rendered homeless last year when it embarked on Operation Murambatsvina/Clear Filth, euphemism for ridding the urban centres of most of the opposition’s supporters.

So, we are told, Ms Brown openly wept after realizing that what she sees and reads in the western Press is totally different from what obtains on the ground."I am glad to be home. I am glad to be seeing all these good things," she said, according to The Herald.

Frankly, I want to believe that the reporter got it wrong. Ms Brown must have been crying that she had seen for herself how the western press actually down played the atrocious living conditions of the Zimbabweans, not the other way round.

I mean, the evidence was clearly there for her to see. She and her group were taken around by the enemy of the people who made efforts to show the group what it has done, which is nothing.

In Herald speak; Acting director of works for Harare City, James Chiyangwa said council organized people into cooperatives and sold them land on which to build. The cooperatives would build infrastructure such as roads, water and sewer reticulation. But because of economic problems, the city had decided people could service land on their own. In ordinary language; The group was shown bare land, which was intended to be sold to the displaced people (who have no jobs and no money) and then the people were supposed to develop that land on their own. Talk about giving a dead body a shovel to dig its own grave.

At this moment, Ms Brown, having realized that the people would remain poor and homeless for a long time if not forever, she broke down and cried.

The antics of Ms Brown and her group remind me of another group from Harlem called the 12th of December Movement. Those of my generation might remember Cde Chimurenga and sister Violet, the only two members of the group as far as I was concerned. A rather shifty two-some if you ask me. They always came to attend Zanu PF conferences and give solidarity speeches, on whose behalf I never got to know.

With thanks to my sister Eunice Mafundikwa.
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ARCHBISHOP PRAYS FOR PRESIDENT TO DIE

2006-09-26T18:48:00.000-07:00

On my way to work this morning I was listening to CBC Radio One when none other than our Catholic Archbishop Pius Ncube came on.

He was a special guest on the Current, a news magazine program and, of course, he was talking about the political and economic problems in Zimbabwe and, yes, he had strong words for President Robert Mugabe.

It has been more than six years since I last heard the Archbishop talk but I have always been up-to-date with his fiery attacks on Mugabe and his Zanu PF cronies.

Now, here is a guy who has his facts right, is consistent with his message about the injustices being perpetrated on the people of Zimbabwe and does not make apologies for his “naked” hatred of Mugabe.

During the Current interview, which was taped recently in Ottawa, Archbishop Pius was asked if it was true that he once said he was praying for Mugabe to die.

“Yes.”

Does he still feel that way and still pray that the president dies?

“Definitely”

As a priest, is that the right thing to do, you know, pray for someone to die?

“In this case, yes.”

Okay, I was driving so I did not take down his answers and justifications word for word, but the answers above are a summary of what he said.

He likened Mugabe to the Biblical Egyptian Pharaoh who persecuted the Israelites or, closer to home, Hitler who killed millions of Jews. After all Mugabe’s nickname is Black Hitler.

Personally, I agree with the Archbishop that Mugabe has shamelessly presided over the killing, jailing, maiming, exiling and starving of Zimbabweans. Most likely a lot of us are praying for Mugabe’s death, but being so open about it may not be such a brave thing.

After all, in Zimbabwe, if you wish death on someone, whenever they do die (an 82-year-old man can demise any day) fingers will be pointed at you.

My solution? Just pray, pray and pray hard for God to guide our nation out of its quagmire. If that comes out of Mugabe’s death, well…

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I SAID IT, DIDN'T I?

2006-09-25T18:19:00.000-07:00

Regular readers of this blog will remember that I predicted that President Robert Mugabe will not relinguish power and that presidential elections due in 2008 would be pushed off to 2010.

Well, if anybody doubted me, news from Harare this week that infact that is what is going to happen vindicates me, as it were. Need I say more??

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ZIM FARMERS GO TO GHANA, RESULT OF STUPIDITY

2006-09-25T17:54:00.000-07:00

Reports that Zimbabwean white farmers are finding new homes and land to till in Ghana and Nigeria are not surprising but outright sad.

Look, I am a black Zimbabwean and I know too well the arrogance and oppressive nature of some of the white farmers I grew up seeing and sometimes interacting with.

But if the truth be told, they were the driving force behind Zimbabwe's robust economy. All anybody needed to do was just teach them some virtues of respecting human rights. Chasing them out of the country was the worst mistake.

Now Zimbabwe, a country once known as the bread basket of Southern Africa, is now the begging bowl of the region, all because our leaders decided to play up their own stupid arrogance on the expense of 12 million people.

As a result, our people are starving when our farmers are now filling the stomachs of Ghanaians, Nigerians, Mozambicans, South Africans and so on. Stupid, stupid, stupid I say.

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MACKAY'S STATEMENT ON ZIMBABWE PRETENTIOUS

2006-09-15T12:46:00.000-07:00

The brief statement issued by Canada’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Peter Mackay, on Thursday to condemn the authoritarian government of President Robert Mugabe’s rampant human rights violations in Zimbabwe falls short in terms of its intended goal to show support for people in my home country.

MacKay’s statement followed this week’s arrest, detention and assault of dozens of Zimbabweans participating in a labour-organized peaceful demonstration against the government’s self-serving policies which have seen Zimbabwe’s economy plummet from being one of the top five in sub-Saharan Africa to be among the worst in just six years.

Six years in which hundreds have been killed, thousands have been tortured and jailed while millions have been forced into exile, including some Canadian-born white farmers whose properties were taken over or destroyed in an extra-constitutional land redistribution exercise authored and directed by Mugabe’s Zanu PF government.

And all Mr. MacKay can say is: "I am deeply troubled that the Government of Zimbabwehas once again denied its people their rights to freedom of expression and association as well as the right to peaceful assembly. Canada condemns the arrest of these peaceful demonstrators and calls for their immediate release. "Canada urges Zimbabwe to refrain from the use of intimidation, violence and repression and to respect the human rights and fundamental freedoms of its citizens, and we have conveyed our concerns to Harare," he said.

Canadians out there may wonder what the fuss is all about. The fuss is that Canada and Zimbabwe have a history of suffering together and supporting each other in politics and business, so much that a run of the mill statement like this becomes really pretentious.

Canada and Zimbabwe were both British colonies, once upon a time. Canada was one of Zimbabwe’s strongest western backers during its fight for independence and when self-rule came in 1980, Canada and Zimbabwe shared the brotherhood of Commonwealth countries.

Not only that. Canada became one of Zimbabwe’s biggest investment sources and it still is. Now, here lies the problem that Mr. MacKay and others in government may not see yet, but will soon.

Mugabe’s Zanu PF government is prepared to stay in power forever with the backing of a well-oiled machinery of the army, the police, former freedom fighters, a Hitler Youth-type militia and an overzealous support base backs it in this.

This machinery demonstrated its capability to plunder in 2000 when they invaded farms, destroying Zimbabwe’s primary economic sector, agriculture. The same machinery will not blink if an order is given to go after mines, industry and other sectors.

Then, the ripple effect, both in human and economic terms, will be felt in the neighborhoods of Toronto because Canadians own companies in Zimbabwe and some work there.

Canada and other leading democracies, Britain and the US particularly, have both national and international obligations to intervene in Zimbabwe more directly and urgently than just to issue out lame statements.

Canada has joined other western countries to impose travel sanctions on Mugabe and Liberal MP, Keith Martin has proposed a Bill to arrest Mugabe whenever he comes this way.

With all due respect, Mugabe is not a mouse that goes for a piece of cheese on a trap. He will never come here. He goes to countries that are more welcoming to him, like Cuba where he is visiting right now as I write.

Mugabe is an intelligent man who uses a strong arm to oppress the people of Zimbabwe and he needs the same strong-arm treatment applied on him. Mr. MacKay could start by engaging Zimbabweans directly to get the accurate picture, not to rely on news reports.

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MY PERSONAL 9/11

2006-09-11T19:46:00.000-07:00

As September 11 gives way to September 12, 2006 and official 9/11 commemorations come to an end, I too mark another milestone in my life, I turned one year older.

I am one of thousands of people in the world who were and will be born on a day now so infamous that one has to make sure they assume the right demeanor and adjust their tone before uttering it or anything connected to it, lest listeners misconstrue you to be reveling in the loss of that day.

In fact, I have no problem with my birthday being eclipsed by all the solemn attributes to the 3 000 innocent people who lost their lives to terrorism on that fateful day in 2001 and those so killed in similar tragedies before and after that day. It is the least I can do to honour them.

The last time I had a full-fledged birthday party was in 2000. Then came September 11, 2001, a sunny Tuesday in Harare. I was running around preparing for my journey to Texas, USA.

Every now and I again I stopped to field calls from family and friends who wished me a happy birthday. Around 3 pm, Zimbabwean time, I fielded a different call. A colleague asked if I was near a television. I wasn’t. I was driving.

“Go home immediately and watch TV,” he said in an eerily quiet voice.

I rushed home and switched on the TV just before the first tower collapsed. The calls I made and received after that had nothing to do with my birthday. They were all about what was happening in the US, who was doing it, why, how would it end and whether I was going to be able to travel to the US.

I have no doubt my story was repeated a thousand times around the world in one form or another.

After that day, it never felt necessary for me to party. Well meant congratulations and presents have been treasurable enough, thank you.

Today became a measured exception though. Colleagues at work threw me a small do in the office. Two delicious cakes, some non-alcoholic wine and appropriate presents from special friends. It was befitting the day.

In the end, when others worry about whether they will get all excited and drunk and ruin their special day, I prayed that the day ends without some devilish commemoration from, you know who!

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SOMETHING WRONG WITH ZIM'S INFO CHIEFS

2006-09-11T11:06:00.001-07:00

Can someone tell me what really is wrong with Zimbabwe’s information ministers? What do they really have against journalists? Do they understand our job at all?

Since the time of the professor from HELL, Jonathan Moyo, every information minister has been accusing journalists of all sorts of things.

Paul Mangwana -a learned lawyer, no less- accuses Zimbabwean journalists of working undercover to advance Western interests and denigrate President Robert Mugabe’s government.

Reports from Harare say Mangwana charges that some reporters have dedicated their careers to working with Zimbabwe's enemies to bring about regime change. Well, at least he knows there is need for regime change.

They are “willing soldiers in a war that is not theirs", he reportedly said.

Mangwana is holding the portfolio in an acting capacity following the death of substantive minister, Dr. Tichaona Jokonya who was on record threatening journalists with death for working for Western media. He called us “traitors”.

“The unfortunate thing about a traitor is that you are killed by both your own people and the person whom you are serving,” Jokonya warned us and we all shook with fear!!

It all started with Jokonya’s predecessor, Prof Moyo who came into the ministry in 2000 with such hatred of journalists that he literally drove many into jails and exile. Some have actually attributed some deaths of journalists to brutality authored and directed by the professor.

He actually made a public announcement that all journalists living Zimbabwe were spies and should be dealt with accordingly. Spies are almost always killed or at least jailed for long stretches of time.

I don’t know about my colleagues back home and elsewhere in the Diaspora, but I wouldn’t know how to spy even if I was offered the chance to.

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I HAVE HAD IT WITH JONATHAN MOYO

2006-09-06T22:07:00.000-07:00

I don’t know about y’all Zimbabweans out there, but I am really getting it up to my nose with Jonathan Moyo.

The professor keeps running his mouth (or is it his pen) about the flaws in the Zanu PF government policies and the persons of President Robert Mugabe and his officials, the latest victim being Zimbabwe Reserve Bank governor, Gideon Gono.

Now, hold it! Put those knives back in their sheaths before you stab me. I am not in anyway defending Mugabe and his cronies, far from it.

My beef with Jonono is that all that is happening in Zimbabwe may have its roots in Mugabe’s misguided economic (war veterans grants of 1997) and foreign (DRC war) policies and related cases of fiscal mismanagement.

However, when the professor got onboard the doomed Zanu PF train via the Constitutional Reform Exercise of 1999, he took the leadership of a propaganda machine that promised utopia to believers and condemned doubters to death, jail, and exile and never imagined suffering.

Talk about any aspect of the Zimbabwean society, Jonono had a hand in ruining it. In the five years that he was part of Mugabe’s government, he did more damage to the country than any of Bob’s other ministers combined.

Let me talk about the field I know best, journalism. Jonono single-handedly destroyed journalism in Zimbabwe. True, there was oppression and persecution of journalists during the times when Nathan Shamuyarira, Chen Chimutengwende, Mai Mujuru and others were at the helm of the Information ministry, but when the professor came along, oppression and persecution became simply HELL.

I will be surprised if any journalist in Zimbabwe can stand up and say they enjoyed professional freedom during Jonono’s time. The man was just terror, the bin Laden of Zimbabwean journalism.

If it were not for Jonathan Moyo I would not be here and I am sure I am not the only one who feels like this. Even those who may have been showered with favours by the good professor, I know for certain that they too were burdened by his attentions and demands and right now, a lot are embarrassed that they ever knew him.

Prof Moyo destroyed my beloved Ziana, ZBC, and Zimpapers and, even though they fought hard, he managed to extinguish all the fire in the independent and foreign press.

There is simply no more journalism worth talking about in Zimbabwe right now, all thanks to Jonono.

Prof, do not seek to be holier than thou. It doesn’t even suit you!!

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FRANCE DESERVE TO BE WORLD CUP CHAMPIONS

2006-09-06T19:36:00.000-07:00

Isn’t revenge so sweet? Those of you who watched the Euro 2008 Group B match between France and Italy will agree with me that the World Champions were outclassed by the runners-up.

It was total humiliation and there could never be any excuse. If the World Champions missed some key players like the villainous Metarazzi, France missed the retired inspirational captain, Zidane and Fabien Barthez among others.

Italy cannot even claim bad officiating because the referee today was perfect, making the right calls all the way. Italy was simply a Grade B team. Having seen their performance in their 1-1 draw with Lithuania, I knew they would not go far with France.

Les Bleus were just a class act. They took me back to 1998 when they won the championship. They were just so polished you could not fault any department and their goals were results of perfection by a team out to prove that they should be the world’s beaters.

Do I hear someone calling for a re-take of the World Cup final and crown the deserving team? I second.

www.torontosun.ca/News/Columnists/Madawo_Innocent/
http://www.catholicregister.org/
http://www.durdesh.net/issue002/page24.pdf
http://www.canadiannewcomermagazine.org/
http://www.thecanadian.ca/
http://www.zimcanada.com/
http://www.jexcanada.com/

A SABHUKU CAN RUN ZIMBABWE BETTER - MAPFUMO

2006-08-19T15:12:00.000-07:00

Thomas Tafirenyika Mapfumo, aka Mukanya, should be happy.

Last Monday morning, just before sitting down to an interview with in Toronto, Canada, he received news from his Oregon base. He and his family’s political asylum application had been accepted by US authorities.

“That is great news,” I said.

“I should not have been forced to do it. No Zimbabwean should be forced to seek refugee protection abroad. It is humiliating,” Mukanya responded, betraying a controlled anger with President Robert Mugabe’s dictatorship.

“I fought for that country in my own way. We all fought for it, and yet some people are now claiming everything, including the right to oppress us, suppress our views and just burn our country,” added the typically defiant Mapfumo.

The man considered by many as Zimbabwe’s best known musical export is also hailed as one of the unsung heroes of Zimbabwe’s liberation war.

In the 1970s when others were crossing over into Mozambique and Zambia to participate in a guerrilla uprising that brought independence in 1980, Mapfumo used his music to fight the “people’s enemy on his turf”. He was thrown in jail for it.

After independence, Mapfumo was soon throwing salvos at the Zanu PF government which fast turned into a corrupt regime and slowly degenerated into the dictatorship it is today.

“I really feel sad about what is happening at home,” said Mukanya whose latest album, Rise Up was banned in Zimbabwe because it highlights the problems inflicted on the people of Zimbabwe by the government.

“Educated people are supposed to know better but they have degrees of destruction,” he said in reference to Mugabe and most of his ministers who are university graduates. “Yet, tikaisa sabhuku anotogona kutonga nyika zvirinani 'if we put a mere village headman in office in Zimbabwe, he may do a better job'.”

The aging music guru believes that Zimbabwe’s problems would best be solved through dialogue between Mugabe’s Zanu PF and Morgan Tsvangirai’s Movement for Democratic Change (MDC).

However, he said on his last visit to Zimbabwe, Tsvangirai invited him for an exchange of views.

“For hours we talked with Tsvangirai and I believe he has very good and workable ideas which he is ready to share with Mugabe, but the old man does not want to share anything,” he said.

Mukanya also lamented that despite that there are an estimated 3-4 million Zimbabweans in the Diaspora, they are not doing anything to force change in Zimbabwe.

“There are enough of us out here to cause change in Zimbabwe through lobbying, advocacy and other means, but typically, we are not united,” he said.

TO READ MORE OF MY WRITING, PLEASE VISIT; www.torontosun.ca/News/Columnists/Madawo_Innocent/
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http://www.zimcanada.com/
http://www.jexcanada.com/

MUKANYA, STOP CROUCHING AND DANCE SOME

2006-08-19T14:23:00.000-07:00

If you were not at El Mocambo, Toronto on Friday night, I know you want to me to tell you what Mukanya was up to and I will tell you, of course.

For more than 2 hours, Thomas Mapfumo, the Lion of Zimbabwean music, did what he knows best. He took his sizeable (I mean really sizeable) audience back to the good old days with such yesteryear hits as “Chipatapata”, “Chiruzevha Chapera”, “Corruption” and many more until he fittingly closed with “Bhutsu Mutandarika”.

When I got to the El Mocambo Club -seeing the small crowd- I was fearful that Mukanya might do what those who claim to know him better accuse him of doing, that is, play just a few minutes and take off complaining that he was such a big name who only performs to big crowds.

Well, none of that happened, in fact Mukanya performed as if he was in front of 60 000 fans in The National Sports Stadium back in Harare.

I am not about to give excuses for Mukanya, but the small crowd could have been that he performed to a large non-paying crowd on Monday and the thrifty among us took advantage. After all most of us are still on social assistance!!

I have some advice though for Thomas Mapfumo: Mukanya, people do not like it or enjoy it when you crouch down, right to the floor to sing. Are you in agony, they want to know.

Also, audiences want to see you dance all the time, not shuffle a little and then stand up there and watch them with what most construe as a bemused or disapproving stare while Loveness, your backing singer and dancer, is literally killing herself with fancy footwork.

Just thought I should say this and hope that when you come next time there will be a more upright Mukanya to listen to, watch and dance with.

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GIRL CHILD NETWORK WINS AWARD

2006-08-17T12:03:00.000-07:00

Zimbabwe’s Girl Child Network (GCN) has won the first ever United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)’s Red Ribbon Award for addressing gender inequalities that fuel the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

The award was presented to GCN founding director, Betty Makoni by Her Royal Highness, Princess Mette-Marit of Norway on Wednesday night at the 16th International AIDS Conference in Toronto, Canada.

AIDS is not something that one can raise a glass to in a toast, particularly when one considers how much it has devastated our country.

However, an award like this is a cause for some form of celebration, if only to congratulate Ms. Makoni and her staff and sponsors for assisting more than 20 000 girls most of who call the network and its members, home and family respectively.

The GCN oversees more than 300 clubs where girls are sheltered and shielded from imminent HIV infection and eventual death, usually as victims of their blood relatives like fathers and brothers.

Ms. Makoni, makorokoto, amhlope – rambai makashinga. The world is watching and applauding.

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MAPFUMO IS BACK, REALLY!!

2006-08-15T18:01:00.000-07:00

He is here, he is performing and you just don’t know what you are missing.

Yes, the Lion of Zimbabwe, Thomas Tafirenyika “Mukanya” Mapfumo is in Toronto (the meeting place). He is here on the invitation of the organizers of the International AIDS Conference but he will also perform independently on Friday at the El Mocambo on College and Spadina in downtown TO.

But that is in the future. On Monday night he headlined the Strength of Africa Concert, which is part of the AIDS Conference’s side shows. I am not much of a music critique, but I will tell you this; the man had the several hundreds of revelers crammed at the small Harbourfront Theatre all dancing and singing along.

I know that many people had dismissed Mapfumo as a washed up old man. Well, the old man went ol’skool on Monday night and it was just fantastic.

You should have been there to witness the frenzy that followed after he hit the note “Zvandaive ndiri mwana mudiki, Mai vachandida…” Zimbabweans, Canadians and other people at the concert were soon dancing chinungu.

And that dancing girl, Loveness, she is just something!

But for someone resident in Toronto, it would be outright shameful if I were to finish this story without mentioning Soul Influence, the locally based Zimbabwean acapella troupe.

The girls are beautiful, soulful and their melodious voices just melted my heart. Lead singer, Dorothy Gettuba, not only does she claim ownership of the stage, she engages the audience with her teasing animation. The boys! Well, that bass, the tenors, what a fitting way to start off a concert that was rocking all the way until it ended and we had to go home reluctantly.

While Mapfumo is an experienced performer reclaiming his position at the top of African music, especially with his new album, Rise Up, there is a great future in Soul Influence. And I am glad to here that they have a new album in the works and possibly a DVD.

I will definitely be at El Mocambo on Friday night and I have purchased my copies of Mapfumo’s Rise Up and Soul Influence’s first album. If you haven’t bought yours, what are you waiting for?

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FAECES IN MUGABE'S FOOD??

2006-08-10T11:00:00.000-07:00

Here is a big stinker forwarded to me by a sister, Eunice Mafundikwa, who seems to know how to make me laugh until I am hurting all over.

The story below is actually an abridged version of a news report in the Financial Gazette in Zimbabwe, written by Kumbirai Mafunda. If it were not for Eunice, I would have missed it, and in that order, if it were not for this blog, some of you would have missed it.

A typographical error that replaced a "v" with a "d" on a menu item during President Robert Mugabe and his family's flight to the Far East last Friday, left a (for lack of a better word) horrible taste in the mouth.

President Mugabe and family were on a flight to China when they were handed a menu card where an item should have read Chimukuyu and Dovi (dried beef in peanut butter source), which is one of Mugabe's favorite dishes.

But there was a disastrous typo when a 'd' replaced the 'v' on 'dovi' to read dodi (faeces). Yummy, huh!!

The typo was discovered by Mugabe's young son, Robert Jr. See what happens when you insist on children reading everything carefully?

The national airline on Tuesday reacted to the embarrassing stinker by suspending four employees, Masi Gambanga, the cabin services manager, Victoria Munzara, the acting flight services officer, Chipo Sikireta the secretary to the senior flight operations manager and an unnamed worker who is employed in the reservations section.

Was that really necessary? I don't really think this stinker of a job was deliberate and I am certain the meal did not actually have poop in it.

I read a lot of Mugabe's speeches and despite that they would have gone through a lot of editing by many staffers and the president himself, fellow journalists will agree with me that we would find a typo here and there, but were those staffers suspended? Of course not.

I think transport minister, Chris Mushowe just over-reacted when he ordered the suspensions. But, thats just me!!!!!!!!

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ZIMBABWEAN BEATEN BY TORONTO POLICE

2006-08-09T14:04:00.000-07:00

Some things we read about or see on television and we think, ah, they would never happen to us, or who ever was involved, deserved it.

I confess that I had thoughts like that when I saw Rodney King being beaten by four white police officers in Los Angeles more than a decade ago.

Well, I think differently now because a similar incident -not so much in scope and scale- happened closer to home.

Last month a Zimbabwean friend of mine found himself on the receiving end of two white Toronto police officers’ batons and booted feet, for trumped up charges, so he claims.

The case is now in court but my friend gave me permission to write about it as long as I do not reveal his name.

According to him, on the eve of Canada Day he received a call from his sister in the US about a family emergency back in Zimbabwe. He had to get in touch with the family rather urgently and he needed a long distance phone card to do that.

It was around midnight but he figured he could dash to the nearest convenience store and buy a card right then and so he went out, bought the card and started back to his apartment.

“I was walking along this lane when two people, a man and a woman, approached me rather aggressively. I tried to avoid them but they kept coming my way until I almost bumped into them. To avoid that I pushed the woman, who was closest to me, aside and passed them,” he said.

The couple turned to follow accusing him of assaulting the woman. Just then, a police car came round the corner and he flagged it down to seek protection from the increasingly aggressive couple.

The police car stopped and two officers got out. One came over to my friend while the other officer approached the couple.

“I was still explaining to the officer what had happened when the other one came towards us and informed me and his partner that the couple had accused me of demanding drugs from them,” my friend said.

He claimed that the officers, who had already released the couple before hearing his side of the story, started beating him up and kicking him. They looked at his identification papers and when they realized he was a refugee, they increased the beating.

‘What do you want in my country?’ one officer is said to have asked repeatedly as the other one added that they would make sure my friend was sent back to Zimbabwe.

When they were done, the officers called for an ambulance and the paramedics treated the guy right there but left him with the officers who then took him “downtown” for booking.

“At the station they claimed that I had resisted being arrested and they had to use force that was why I had cuts on my face and other places,” he told me.

He was charged with assault with intent to buy drugs and he spent the long Canada Day weekend in the slammer. He has a lawyer and his case is going through the court process.

Watch this space for updates to the case.

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ZIMBABWEAN SCULPTURE ON TORONTO ISLAND

2006-08-09T12:15:00.000-07:00

Torontoans love to have fun in the sun at the park. Among the most popular destinations are the islands on Lake Ontario. So, on Monday, my family and I and our dear long suffering friends, the Njobos and the Mlambos went off to wind down the long weekend on Centre Island.

As the kids frolicked in the sand and splashed in the numerous pools on the island, and our women shyly waded into knee-deep water, Njobo and I were wandering around looking for nothing in particular.

Our aimless walk-about was actually rewarded in a big way. We had a "stoney" surprise. We bumped into one of the several stone sculptures prominently positioned on the lush lawns.

“This looks very Zimbabwean,” said Njobo as we approached the magnificent figure of a beautiful African woman with a child made out of shiny black marble.

“Only those stone carvers back home can produce such an exquisite piece of art,” I agreed as we knelt down to read the small card nailed next to the sculpture.

And, lo behold, it was indeed a Zimbabwean work of art by one John Mutasa. What excitement that induced in us. All of a sudden what was beginning to look like a boring afternoon for the two of us was now exciting.

We searched around like kids on an Easter egg hunt and found at least two more sculptures by an M. Mamvura and there could be more. We were so proud to be Zimbabwean and we proudly showed our kids their heritage.

I don’t know about Njobo and others, but I have already declared to myself that I own part, no! parts of Centre Island on behalf of Zimbabwe, thanks to SaMutasa naVaMamvura and others.

Now, when anyone asks me where they can go and spend an afternoon, I direct them to "our" Centre Island and I make sure they undertake to marvel at our sculpture.

TO READ MORE OF MY WRITING, PLEASE VISIT; www.torontosun.ca/News/Columnists/Madawo_Innocent/
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IF YOU HOUGHT TSVANGIRAI WAS WASHED OUT

2006-07-30T19:25:00.000-07:00

The campaign for the Zimbabwe presidential election expected in early 2008 is on.

No, there was no formal announcement by anyone but events in Harare in the past week suggest the fight is on and, once again, it is going to be President Robert Mugabe of Zanu PF and Morgan Tsvangirai, representing a coalition of the opposition parties.

Isn’t Mugabe supposed to retire in 2008, you may ask. And, oh, who chose Tsvangirai as the candidate for what opposition coalition?

It is no rocket science really.

Mugabe has been making the same moves he has made over the last 26 years to announce, indirectly, that he is not gonna let anyone or anything make him lose Zimbabwe house to any opposition leader, particularly Tsvangison.

He has put loyal army personnel in key positions in most strategic institutions, he has since announced an intention to pay war veterans more money and millions of taxpayers Zimkwachas have been allocated to strengthen the National Youth Service (Green Bombers) which we had been made to believe was being disbanded.

To top it all, the president has employed his oldest and most effective trick. Berate his ministers. Call them useless and corrupt and even initiate their arrest and trials. Remember the likes of Kumbirai Kangai in 2000, Chris Kuruneri in 2004 and now Brighton Matonga and possibly other ministers, are in the firing line.

The trick works wonders. Ministers get arrested, ambitious party cadres campaign hard in the hope to fill vacated positions and the masses say; “Ndiva Mugabe chete vanogona”. Before you know it, its another 6 years of Gushungo rule.

On the other hand, Tsvangirai is getting smart by the day. He knows that more than anything, his only chance at grabbing Zim House from Cde Handiende is to lead a united front of all opposition parties.

Contrary to earlier reports that he would boycott a church organized coalition building meeting, he turns up and once he got the chance to stand on the podium, he invites his biggest rival, Arthur Mutambara of the other MDC faction, for an embrace.

My God! It worked like magic. Mutambara was soon gushing that he would have no problem deferring to Tsvangirai. Anybody still thinks Tsvangirai is not intelligent?

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MDC LAWSUIT COULD DAMAGE COMMUNITY

2006-07-30T14:21:00.000-07:00

MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE, A COMMUNITY IS VIEWED THROUGH THE CONDUCT OF ITS LEADERS AND OPINION MAKERS. IT IS IN THIS LIGHT THAT I HOPE THE FOLLOWING STORY WILL SERVE AS A CAUTION TO THOSE OF US IN IT AND A WARNING TO THOSE WHO MAY FIND THEMSELVES IN A SIMILAR SITUATION.

So, here goes:

Something very disturbing is happening among us, the Zimbabwean community in Toronto. A fight of sorts between politicians and journalists, no less.

A fight that has a potential to damage personal reputations and community harmony in a foreign land.

The vice chairman for MDC Toronto, Mr. Andrew Mudzingwa is suing journalist Mrs. Mazvita Irene Mlambo for alleged damaging statements published on the MDC Toronto Yahoo Group.

According to a letter of intent to sue, sent to Mrs. Mlambo by Mr. Mudzingwa’s lawyers, Levine, Sherkin, Boussidan – Barristers, the MDC leader was particularly ticked off by Mrs. Mlambo’s assertions, on July 1st, 2006, that he was “involved in fistfights at parties” and “pilfering funds and benefiting himself”.

The letter stated that Mr. Mudzingwa will seek “general damages, special damages and aggravated damages together with interest and costs arising from your actions”. The journalist was given seven days from July 25th, 2006, to make “a clear and unequivocal apology and retraction” if she did not want the lawsuit to proceed.

Mrs. Mlambo is seeking legal advice.

Under normal circumstances, this matter would be stuff that makes interesting reading and the writer and readers alike would gleefully follow the whole saga as it unfolds. Except, this is really a sad example of how we, as a people excel at throwing pot shots at each other and rubbing each other with mud.

In fact, I am as much part of this saga as the two antagonists and I will explain how.

Sometime in January, in my capacity as a journalist, I asked a Mr. Cornellius Msimbe of MDC Dallas, what he thought of the split of the party in Zimbabwe. My idea was to find out how MDC members in the Diaspora were affected by the split and how they were reacting to it.

Mr. Msimbe contacted Mr. Andrew Manyevere, the chairman of the Toronto MDC to find out who I was. Despite that we lived as neighbours in Dallas and that my wife, was in his executive, Mr. Manyevere said he did not know me and he went on to call me such names as “prostitute”, “unclean” and “enemy of the people of Zimbabwe”. He went on to state, in the MDC Toronto Yahoo Group, that he was going to launch an inquiry into my activities.

A concerned MDC member forwarded Mr. Manyevere’s statement to me. I did the responsible thing, I e-mailed Mr. Manyevere seeking explanation – I never got it.

I also wrote to his executive, through vice chairman, Mr. Mudzingwa, seeking a clarification of my crime and why an Inquiry was being launched into my activities – I never got a response from him either.

Many, within MDC Toronto, urged me to sue for the same reasons that Mr. Mudzingwa is suing Mrs. Mlambo –defamation and possibly worse. I did not do that out of respect for Mr.Manyevere as an elder and also because I knew that I was far from being a “prostitute”, “unclean” or an “enemy” of anyone.

But then, sometime in June, Mr. Mudzingwa used the same MDC Toronto Yahoo Group to praise certain journalists at my expense. He implied that they knew journalism better than me because I wrote about faults in MDC Toronto.

Again I was urged to sue, but I did not even so much as react, again because of respect for Mr. Mudzingwa’s views and also because I know my trade and my work speaks for itself.

However, Mrs. Mlambo did not take kindly to Mr. Mudzingwa seeking to divide journalists and particularly for the MDC’s top leadership’s propensity to target me. She did not have to do this, but somebody had to defend our profession and she stood up for us.

Mr. Mudzingwa may feel that he has a right to sue Mrs. Mlambo and surely nobody can begrudge him that.

However, I just need to remind Mr. Mudzingwa that when he accepted his position in MDC, he should have known that all sorts of things will be thrown at him and a lot of his decisions and judgement willbe questioned, sometimes in not so charitable language. He, as a community leader should learn to accept some of these criticisms as a source of inspiration in his leadership role.

At stake, more than anything, is our reputation as Zimbabweans. We stand to lose more with this unnecessary fight than we can gain, individually or as a community.

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AFRICENTRIC NONSENSE

2006-07-24T05:20:00.000-07:00

So, the Toronto District School Board believes it has found a solution to the problem of black children lagging behind in schoolwork.

The "solution" is a program called Africentric Curriculum to be launched in November with 10 social study units that it's hoped will interest black children enough to do better in class.

Among the units will be lessons on Canada's first black politicians and prominent black artists.
The "gem" of them all is a math unit on racial profiling, where students will grapple with data on how and why Toronto police "treat black people more harshly than whites."

This exercise is "not to get students all worked up about racial profiling" says University of Windsor education professor, Andrew Allen.

It is "to allow them to use data about who gets stopped by police to come up with their own conclusions and develop a critical view of the world."

Really, professor? Further, is the aim here to help black students catch up with their schoolwork? I don't think so.

What I see in all this Africentric nonsense is institutionalized racial profiling.
Studying statistics on how many black people are arrested and how "badly" they are treated by the police as compared to white criminals does not make a black student understand and suddenly be able to balance a math equation.

What I get from all this, and no doubt many students will too, is a scare tactic, perhaps to vividly warn black children of how the system allows police to mistreat people like them.

Shouldn't the fact that some Toronto police officers, who are supposed to "serve and protect" all of us are known to treat black people harshly, make it necessary that they attend lessons to deal with the data showing how they are doing a disservice to the black community?

And how does learning about the first black Canadian politicians and leading artists, in a two-week "Africentric" (whatever that means) program, help a student solve a physics or chemistry problem, or write a legible English composition?

If the idea is to address the problem of non-inclusion of black achievers in the formal curriculum for all Canadian students, the solution is simple, rework the curriculum and include the kind of heroes and achievers that black children will identify with.

Why is there an assumption that white or Asian students will not or should not be inspired by black luminaries?
And why should we assume that black students will not be inspired by achievers of other races?

There are deeper problems in the black community that began a long time ago when some people had a "bright idea" to treat blacks as sub-human.
Over the years, remedies have been made to a large extent and continue to be made.

However, amid all the efforts made to ensure equal treatment of all people, there come others -- including black people who should know better -- who get carried away with the idea of pleasing us and end up harming us instead.

When white children fail or lag behind in school, does the TDSB send them to some Eurocentric program to inspire them?

Of course not. They get tutors. They go to summer school. They do extra lessons until they improve.

This is what should be recommended for black students.

Their parents should be notified to help, either by giving their child extra home schooling on the particular subject they are failing or engaging tutors to help out.

Granted, many black families cannot afford such services as tutors. Therein, you see, lies the real problem -- economic inequality.

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NYERERE A SAINT?

2006-07-18T16:12:00.000-07:00

Controversy with a potential to divide the Catholic Church is brewing in the most unlikely place, Africa, following the nomination of former Tanzanian president Mwalimu Julius Kambarage Nyerere for sainthood.

The late African statesman's nomination last year by bishops of the diocese of his native Musoma district is already causing a re-look at the Catholic Church's criteria of declaring someone a candidate for sainthood.

Catholic doctrine states that apart from living strictly by the tenets of the church's teachings, an individual has to have done outstanding faith-guided deeds for humanity when they were living and caused documentable miracles after their death.

It is these merits that Nyerere's supporters have to publish with testimonials to prove the late politician is worthy of joining the exclusive class of people holier than most mortals. That is going to be an uphill struggle.

Not because Nyerere was a politician, as some people are already implying. What will prove difficult is to follow the rules of the process of beatification and fulfil them as expected. Nyerere was known to have been attending Mass and following all the steps of Catholicism on a daily basis and he often fasted.

Fr. Michael Meunier, a Toronto priest who worked in East Africa in the 1990s and is a proponent of the beatification of the late president, recounted to me a story of how a few years before his death, Nyerere was being honoured for his work. Nyerere was said to have not touched the food he had been given because it was during Lent. One of his hosts suggested that when Nyerere meets with God in Heaven, he would confidently declare that he accomplished the work he was put on earth to do.

"Nyerere replied that only Jesus Christ has the right to stand before the Lord and say He accomplished His work. He said when he gets before the Lord, he would only say 'I tried,'" said Meunier. The question is what did he try and how did it turn out vis-à-vis his proposed beatification.

Compared to such candidates as the late Pope John Paul II and Mother Teresa of Calcutta, Nyerere's case will be rather arduous to prove. He attended Mass every day, fasted and did other Christian things, but thousands more unknown people could have done that and even have surpassed him.

As a politician he is as revered as the likes of Nelson Mandela of South Africa and he led his people to self-rule as well as democracy by the time he retired in 1985. However, it is in that process of becoming a national leader and continental statesman that he made decisions and actions that would make his beatification controversial.

Upon leading Tanzania out of British colonial rule in the early 1960s, Nyerere introduced his own brand of socialism, Ujamaa (familyhood), a policy of communal agriculture modelled on Mao Zedong's collectivization in China — minus the brutality.

Ujamaa failed dismally and by the time Nyerere resigned from the presidency and declared "I failed" in 1985, Tanzania had been reduced from Africa's largest exporter of agricultural products to the largest importer of the same.

Tanzania still has not recovered from that disastrous policy and is now rated one of the world's poorest countries. Nyerere is considered father of Pan Africanism and is one of the leaders who came up with the idea to start the Organization of African Unity.

He was personally instrumental in the formation, funding and successful execution of the independence movement that swept east and southern Africa from the late 1960s right up to 1994 when South Africa became democratic. However, during all that time, Nyerere was suppressing the need for multiparty democracy in his own country.

He also took his country to war with Uganda to drive out the brutal dictator, Idi Amin, but in his place, he re-imposed another dictator, Milton Obote, whose authoritarian rule had caused Amin to come to power in the first place. He was also instrumental in the coup that brought France-Albert Rene to power in The Seychelles.

Of the freedom movement protégés he supported actively, President Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe has turned out to be a dictatorial monster in the same mould as Idi Amin. Admittedly, Nyerere cannot be penalized for actions of the Obotes and Mugabes, but his own actions in it all will make his candidacy for beatification very hard to defend.

In my view, Nyerere was an African scholar-turned-politician who played his part to free the people of Africa admirably. He led his people with the compassion only a true Christian could do, but his desire to produce a perfect community in the region also caused him to make some mistakes. Will these mistakes stand the test of beatification? I doubt it.

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SIMBA HAD US ALL SINGING "NDIJESU CHETE"

2006-07-15T20:39:00.000-07:00

Little Simbarashe Edmore Jowa was laid to rest in Brampton on Saturday. As the last shovelful of dirt was thrown onto the mount that is to be the permanent mark of what was once a vivacious young boy, I felt renewed pain in my heart. The kind of pain all parents feel.

For Simba’s parents and others who have lost children, it is the pain of finally realizing that “my son, my daughter” is really gone.

For the rest of us, it is the pain of knowing that it could have happened to us. It is the kind of pain that comes because you want to take some of the pain off Edmore and Nyaradzo’s hearts, but you know you cannot.

I did not know Simba or his parents. In fact, when I first heard the sad news on CTV on Monday night, I was not paying attention, so all I heard was that two kids were rescued from some creek and one drowned. It was sad news but I was removed from it.

Then the following morning I bought the Toronto Sun newspaper and there his picture was, beaming like all kids of his age always are. The name “Simbarashe” hit me hard. He could only be Zimbabwean. As I read the story and recalled what I had half seen on TV the previous night, my heart sank.

I had just left my own seven-year-old son at home. He is as active as Simba must have been. I imagined someone calling me with the sad news that my son has been in an accident. Just the thought scared me and my heart went to the Jowas immediately.

Today, as I joined hundreds of other Zimbabweans, Canadians and other nationals celebrating Simba’s last day among us, I marveled at how Simba managed, in death, to bring us together.

My wife and I met a number of people we had last seen years ago in Zimbabwe, some of them relatives we did not even know were here in Canada. No doubt other people had similar experiences.

Simba’s departure even brought out the best of speakers to rally the Zimbabwe community together and urge more unity and full integration into the Canadian society, so Simba’s living peers could live longer and prosper, closer and around his final home than to move away.

Simba, to me you are a seed that we planted today here in Canada. God took you away from us for a purpose and that purpose is to unite us all the children of Zimbabwe.

Rest in Peace Big Guy and we shall always sing your song, “NdiJesu Chete.”

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SOMEONE IS KNOCKING SENSE INTO ANNAN

2006-07-09T15:17:00.000-07:00

I said it, didn't I? That it was totally irresponsible for Kofi Annan to let an openly pro-Mugabe former Tanzanian president, Benjamin Mkapa to mediate in Zimbabwe's crisis.

It made me believe rumours that Annan is actually coverting the presidency in his native Ghana. He, by the way, is leaving his United Nations Secretary-Generalship in December and may find himself without a position of influence, hence the idea that he may be eyeing John Kufour's throne and that he wants to stake the support of the Bad Boys of Africa Group (BBAG) for which Mugabe is an integral part.

Anyway, it was heartening this weekend to read that pressure is being applied on Annan's UN to be directly involved in efforts to talk sense into Mugabe to relinguish power in Zimbabwe.

Reports from Washington say diplomatic movers want UN Under Secretary for Political Affairs, Ibrahim Gambari to be called on to help advance the mediation process. Gambari, the UN’s top political officer, actually has the backing of the United States, Britain, Denmark and Japan among other democracies.

Lets hope Mugabe allows Gambari to do his job.

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ITS ALL OVER - MEET YOU AT SOUTH AFRICA 2010

2006-07-09T14:27:00.000-07:00

Its all over till we meet again in Africa. Yes, God willing, I will be in South Africa in 2010 to cheer Zimbabwe this time around and so it should be.

They were not at this year's World Cup so I had the luxury of supporting any other team without feeling guilty and I chose England despite the political hatred between Tony Blair and Robert Mugabe. Well, they are the politicians, they can deal with it.

When England was booted out, I went for France but we all know they came out second best just a few minutes ago.

The just ended World Cup came a few months after I inagurated my blog and I just thought of trying my hand at soccer analysis/armchair coaching. I used my own brand of sports commentary, that is masking my inability to play by pretending, to those who don't know, that I am some kind of pro.

To my surprise, I attracted myself a little fan club, including some serious soccer followers who gave me tips and some of the wayward predictions I made.

Most importantly, my rather zany interest in the beautiful game rubbed onto some of my friends who otherwise did not even know or care about soccer. Patricia, an American, got so interested that she supported Ghana all the way.

I got feedback from a lot of readers of this blog some patting me on the back for coming up with a not so serious way to comment on sports yet others laughed at my lack of foresight.

But the best of all was that Saleem Samad, editor of Toronto-based South Asian newspaper, Durdesh, offered me a weekly column for my "unusual sports commentary". Mind you South Asia is not really a soccer region, so the gesture means a lot to me, thanks Saleem.

So, after all is said and done, I am happy with myself and I will be glad to keep bombarding you'll with my version of commentary on my favourite sports, soccer, tennis, athletics, swimming and basketball.

By the way, my Nadal lost to Roger Federer at Wimbledon. Venus Williams had already bowed out in the early rounds. I feel like I am betting on dead horses all the way, but i will not stop.

Canada is due to host the FIFA Under 20 World Cup next year. So, watch this space.

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A SOLDIER TO RUN ZIMBABWE'S BROADCASTING COMPANY

2006-07-05T18:12:00.000-07:00

Those who read this blog regularly will know that I said it before. Mugabe is preparing to stay in power until he drops dead. And typical of any dictator, he is putting his trust in soldiers, men and women who take orders and ask no questions. Men and women he knows as long as he keeps them happy, they will not turn their guns on him.

Is it surprising then to hear from Harare that he intends to appoint one more army man, former Airforce of Zimbabwe commodore, Mike Karakadzai to run the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Holdings (ZBH). A media insitution of all organizations.

He now has almost all key economic institutions run by active or former soldiers, now information dissemination is going to be done at the point of a gun.

Remember that recently there was a call from the Zimbabwe government for all journalists to undergo national service (read Zanu PF indoctrination). Now, Karakadzai is likely to require that television and radio journalists undergo military training.

How will it all end?

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PANT! IT'S THE SCANTY PANTY RAPIST

2006-07-05T17:27:00.001-07:00

A friend forwarded me this story and I am reproducing it as is. It is not for the faint-hearted!!!!!!

By SUN REPORTER

A man from Nkalokazi in Highflats has been found guilty of attempted rape after he was caught raping a pair of panties.

Dlokodla Xaba (35) was found guilty by Induna Muzi Mkhize after a woman (27) laid a charge of attempted rape against him after she caught him raping her panties in a tree behind her house. The woman also said he harmed her dignity.

The woman said she left her clothes on the line. Among the clothes were her panties. When she realised that one pair was missing she started looking for them. She found Xaba hanging them in a tree and raping them.

"When I asked him what he was doing, he told me that it had been a long time. He told me that he loved me but that I was ignoring him, so he raped my panties to satisfy himself," said the woman.

Xaba pleaded not guilty and said he did not rape anybody as it was just a panty. "I did not want to commit a crime. I thought it would be safe if I had sex with her because I love her, but she did not want to fall in love with me. I have been asking her to marry me since last year. when I saw her panties hanging on the washing line it turned me on. I do not think I can be charged for this. It was only panties," pleaded Xaba.

But the Induna said Xaba degraded the woman's dignity by taking her underwear and raping it.

Well, what can one say.

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ANNAN BETRAYS ZIMBABWEANS

2006-07-04T12:49:00.000-07:00

A little bird whispered it in my ear recently but I shooed it off because I was not in the mood for gossip. Besides, I could not imagine a world diplomat of Kofi Annan's caliber thinking, let alone applying, to become a member of the Bad Boys of Africa Gang (BBAG).

BBAG is the grouping of Africa's leaders who get into power on a popular ticket and then refuse to go - read Zimbabwe's Robert Mugabe and Uganda's Yoweri Museveni among others.

My rumour-mongering little bird swears on everything in the world that it heard that Annan, who is due to leave the United Nations in December, is eyeing the presidency in his native Ghana and he knows that to get that post, he will need the full support of the BBAG, so he will do anything to please them.

Boy, how I wish I had not shooed off that rumor-mongering bird. It could have warned me of what happened in Banjul, The Gambia on Saturday, July 1st, 2006. On that day, when all of Zimbabwe's suffering 13 million citizens and our worldwide sympathizers were pinning hopes on "level headed" Annan to rescue us from the Tyrant of Harare, Baba VaChatunga, what does the world's top diplomat do; he fakes a meeting with Bob (all of 30 minutes) and comes out to announce that he won't mediate in Zimbabwe's problems. He is leaving that to former Tanzanian president, Benjamin Mkapa.

Mkapa, honestly Annan? With due respect to a fellow journalist (Mkapa is a journalist actually), this is the same guy who recently wrote an article declaring his unwavering support for Mugabe.

Mkapa, drew parallels between Mugabe and Tanzania's first president, Mwalimu Julius Kambarage Nyerere neglecting to mention that Nyerere is still revered, years after he died, because he owned up for making a mistake with his ill-conceived brand of socialism that left his country on the verge of starvation. After apologizing publicly, Nyerere gave up power voluntarily. Mugabe is refusing to do that.

Mkapa extols Mugabe's struggle against colonialism. Well, nobody disputes that. It is the present that he is messing and whatever good he did in the past is now being erased by his wayward leadership. Now for Annan to come to Banjul (where another dictator, Yayah Jameh is refusing to go) and tell the world that Mkapa will mediate between Mugabe and the opposition - that’s really a joke in very bad taste.

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NIAGARA FALLS versus VICTORIA FALLS

2006-07-04T12:06:00.001-07:00

Last weekend I was taken in with the holiday spirit gripping everybody in Canada, for Saturday, July 1 was Canada Day. Modern Canada is 139 years old.

On that day, our first ever, Canada Day, my family and I took off to the world famous Niagara Falls. We were not disappointed. The Falls are a natural wonder and the beautiful facade of five star hotels flanking the Falls make it a double spectacle for those like me who marvel at both natural creations and technological advancement.

However, I must admit. Coming from Zimbabwe, home to the Mighty Victoria Falls, Niagara seems like a cute puppy while the Mosi-oa-Tunya - "The Smoke that Thunders" is like Cliford, the Big Red Dog, all scary and adorable at the same time.

Although I have always disputed the recorded history that Dr. David Livingstore, the famous British world explorer of the 1850s, was the first ever to see the Victoria Falls, I still believe his description of them remains the most apt.

Upon stumbling at the spectacle nature had thrown in his path through the jungles of Africa, Dr. Livingstone is said to have uttered: "Scenes so lovely must be gazed upon by angels in their flight."

You only need to go there and see for yourself. Actually, my advice to anybody thinking of visiting both wonders, is to visit Niagara first and finish with the Victoria Falls.

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I BLAME MYSELF FOR ENGLAND'S DEFEAT

2006-07-03T20:16:00.000-07:00

I know you have been waiting for it. You want to see me cry crocodile tears for England. Well, go ahead and laugh because I have actually been mourning England's loss to Portugal.

But, now that I am done mourning, what is left in me is anger. I am angry at myself really. See: I let myself be talked into going out of town on Canada Day, July 1, the day of England's quarter finals match with Portugal. That meant that I would not be available to watch the match and direct the boys since I declared myself their Long Distance Armchair Coach.

Also, being the team's self-elected Talisman, I erred by not wearing my England T-shirt on that trip out of town. So, it was not really surprising when someone sent me a text message that we had lost. I am sorry guys, I take the blame!!!!!!!!

But, Sol, Ashley and young Walcoat, come August, I will be on my couch every Saturday to cheer you on as we (Arsenal) challenge for the Premier League Championship. And talking of Arsenal, call me fickle, but I am now with France all because of one Thierry Henry.

I know my prediction scores for World Cup have been going down. It was a 50 for the quarter finals and now I tip Germany and France (if you are reading this now, you may already know that I mised the mark on Germany because it was beaten 2-0 in the last two minutes of extra time) to slug it out on July 9 with France taking the cup.

As for my England T-shirt, I have decided to wear it whenever France is playing until after the competition. What I will do with it after that, I do not know yet.

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MY PICK FOR THE LAST FOUR

2006-06-27T18:09:00.000-07:00

My score went down this time around. Out of eight of my choices of teams to advance into the quarter finals of the World Cup, I scored a 62.5. Well, it's still a pass. Germany, England, Argentina, Portugal, Italy, Brazil, Ukraine and France are through to the quarter finals.
I did not count on Portugal, Ukraine and France being part of the decisive stages, but hey, you win some and lose some.

How did it happen that Ghana had to face Brazil in the second round? Why couldn't they be drawn to meet Ukraine or Ecuador or Sweden? Anyway, its now water under the bridge. Africa will revenge on home turf, I tell you.

So, who is gonna be in the semis? My pick in highlights: Germany (home advantage will count here and the score will be 1-0 or win on penalties) vs Argentina, England (luck of the draw, nothing else, a one goal margin or penalties) vs Portugal, Italy (experience, three goal margin in full time) vs Ukraine and Brazil (its not Stade de France, but Brazil will exact revenge with a 3-0 win) vs France.

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I TOLD BECKHAM TO BEND IT AND HE DID

2006-06-25T11:25:00.000-07:00

I may be thousands of miles away from Germany, but I guess telepathy worked.

Remember my instruction to Beckam and the rest of the Queen's boys to make sure I don't retire my expensive England shirt yet? Well, Beckham bent it like only he can. It was a classic Becks curling free kick that hit the mark.

Most importantly though, I get to wear my shirt for one more week and with our next opponents being Portugal, I will definitely wash it after we go through to the semis on Saturday ready for two more big matches and big-time celebrations come July 9th.

But, Mr. Sven Erickson, how about a sampling of young Walcoat?

Wimbledon is here and guess who is still around, none other than Andre Agassi. They, of course, do not tip him to win. They all believe Roger Ferder will triumph again. I say it is going to be my man RRRafael Nadal.

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MINISTER WHO THREATENS DEATH IS HIMSELF DEAD

2006-06-25T10:14:00.000-07:00

In Shona they say: "Wafa wanaka" (loosely translated - It is no use blaming the dead).

Human decency requires that I pay my condolences to the Jokonya family for the passing of the late Zimbabwe Minister of Information and Publicity, Tichaona Joseph Benjamin Jokonya, who was found dead in a hotel tub in Harare on Saturday morning.

However, we must move on and in that regard my concern is for my journalist colleagues back in Zimbabwe. They must be wondering - with much consternation - who is next?

Before Prof Jonathan Moyo, the worst authoritarian propagandist since Hitler's era, the question was more pleasurable because even though they were all from the same tainted Zanu PF cloth, they (Nathan Shamuyarira, Witness Mangwende, Joyce Mujuru, Chen Chimutengwende) had considerable respect for the noble profession.

When Jokonya replaced the 'Mad Professor', early last year, we all were hopeful that his international exposure as Zimbabwe's representative at the African Union and the United Nations would compel him to respect human rights in general and freedom of the press in particular.

You, valued readers of this blog, will recall that a couple of weeks ago Jokonya, on what was to be his last press conference, threatened death to Zimbabwean journalists working for western media.

“You know what the end of a traitor is?” he asked the assembled journalists then.

“The end of a traitor is always death. The unfortunate thing about a traitor is that you are killed by both your own people and the person whom you are serving," he warned.

Well, thank God none of the journalists are dead yet and one hopes Jokonya's replacement will not act on that 'writ' - but we should never count on it. Ever since the Information minister's office moved from Liquenda House to Munhumutapa, closer to President Robert Mugabe and his CIO, the treatment of jourmnalists has been deplorable to say the least.

Anyway, is it gonna be Mugabe's spokesman, George Charamba or Jokonya's insufferable deputy, Brighton Matonga or somebody completely out of the current circle of journalist-haters?

Is the new minister going to take us to the pre-Mad Professor era or will he/she perpetuate the torment of the press?

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MY WORLD CUP SECOND ROUND WINNERS

2006-06-23T16:10:00.000-07:00

If I was writing a World Cup prediction exam, I would have scored a 75 percent, so I am happy with myself and so I will give you another prediction.

Of course, I am talking about which teams advanced to the second round. Remember I tipped the groups as follows; Group A: - Germany and Ecuador
Group B: - England and Sweden
Group C: - Argentina and Ivory Coast/Holland
Group D: - Mexico and Portugal
Group E: - Italy and Ghana
Group F: - Brazil and Japan/Australia
Group G: - France and South Korea/Switzerland
Group H: - Spain and Tunisia/Ukraine.

But, I am sure you will agree with me that the fact that Ivory Coast is not among the last 16 is only because in Group C, any team could have gone through. As for South Korea, the whipping boys of the group, Togo traded them in to a very unconvincing France. Tunisia - well - they are used to it and for Japan - I dont know why I chose them in the first place.

So off to the knock-out round, starting tomorrow, Saturday June 24, 2006. Here is how it will go, my winners are highlighted; Germany vs Sweden - Ecuador vs England - Argentina vs Mexico - Holland vs Portugal - Italy vs Australia - Brazil vs Ghana - Switzerland vs Ukraine and France vs Spain

The romantic performances by Ecuador and Ghana will certainly end in the second round. The two teams are still learning and the experience of their opponents will count this time around. the same goes for Ukraine.

Australia, Mexico and Portugal are perennial non-achievers and this year will not be any different for them.

As for France, they have not yet recovered from whatever they are suffering from. They have all the stars, the experience and all that, but still, something is wrong. They squeezed into the second round, and their luck will run out just there.

Let the knock-outs begin.

Hey, tennis lovers, Wimbledon is just around the corner, Monday to be precise. watch out for my man, RRRRRRafael Nadal and my girl, Venus Williams, don't count her out yet.

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OF THE MAVS, OILERS AND ENGLAND

2006-06-21T12:13:00.000-07:00

Well, what can I say? That Dwayne Wade guy is just something. He got us. I wish he had that flue for long or that his injured knee had stayed injured until the end of the series. I mean it in a sporting way of course. What a party pooper he is.

Anyway, I still maintain my distant love with Dirk and the gang. Getting to the finals was a big achievement on its own, so I am happy with that.

The Oilers too did not make it in the house of champions. They were turned away at the door, but again, they did more than expected and all Canucks are happy.

As for me, I still have my England at the World Cup. Word of advice to Sorenson and the boys. “Guys, no more chancy win. I bought an expensive England shirt, which I have not worn enough yet. I do not want to store it away by this weekend.” We may have lost Owen but in Rooney, Crouch, Gerrard and Lampard, we have all the firepower to reach Berlin.

Oh, Nadal, get ready for Wimbledon.

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MUGABE TO CONFISCATE PASSPORTS?

2006-06-16T05:59:00.000-07:00

Okay, things are really getting out of hand in Zimbabwe. One person intimated to me last week and I thought it was just a baseless rumour. Then today, another person from a different part of the country and who does not know my first source, told me the same thing.

My two, very reliable, sources told me that President Robert Mugabe’s government is planning to confiscate all passports and keep them at the Registrar-General’s office at Makombe Building in Harare.

No official justification is being given yet. However, Mugabe personally complained in a recent speech that many Zimbabweans are deserting the country (remember – “ko munoti Zimbabwe yacho ndeya vaMugabe vega here?”—“Do you think Zimbabwe is mine alone?”)

The country is bleeding. A combination of bad politics, backed by a militarized socio-economic system, has driven a sizeable chunk of Zimbabwe’s professionals and generally those of the productive demography out of the country.

It is not inconceivable then, that our dear leader and his people may have decide to curb the exodus by taking away citizens’ means of international travel.

After all, this is the same government that has decreed that passports will only be issued a year after one has applied. Further, there is going to be an exit visa, if it is not already in force.

Ha-a, veduwe, chiiko chapinda mumusha?

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SOWETO UPRISING

2006-06-16T05:57:00.000-07:00

Who could ever forget the picture of a grieving junior high school student, Antoinette Pietersen, running down a street of Soweto alongside a tearful Mbuyisa Makhubu who was cradling the lifeless body of Antoinette's 12-year-old brother, Hector, who had just been shot by Apartheid South Africa’s brutally racist police?

Yes, I am talking about the massacre of South African children, about 200 of them, who had dared protest against the imposition of Afrikaans as the language of instruction in black schools.

This happened 30 years ago, today June 16th. The South African Consulate in Toronto is hosting a cultural event to commemorate Youth Day on Sunday, from 11 am to 4 pm at the Mel Lastman Square. Lets all go and listen to survivor, Charles Mtombeni while we eat pap, biltong, boerewoers (sp) and dance to kwaito, umbaqanga, marabi and kwela.

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GO ENGLAND, MAVS AND NADAL, GO

2006-06-16T05:52:00.000-07:00

SOCCER - I admit, they did not play as well as I would want. Peter Crouch and Frank Lampard worsted chances, but the tallest man on the pitch finally delivered. Then, it was Steven Gerrard’s turn in injury time. Need I say it? Well, it was a typical 20-yard drive only Gerrard can deliver and we are in the second round.

The not-so-good performance is a good thing as far as I am concerned. It puts the necessary pressure on the team as it prepares for the tough matches ahead. I told you from the beginning and I repeat it now, “we are going all the way to Berlin.”

BASKETBALL – I am not gonna be denied the NBA championship. I have already budgeted to by a fan’s replica cup with “Dallas Mavericks” engraved on it. So, Avery, Dirk, Terry; I am angry at you for letting Shaq and them level up the series. The loss in Game 3 particularly was inexcusable.

Now, you boys need to deliver on Sunday and wrap it up on Tuesday. I do not feel like coming back to the American Airlines Centre to whip your behinds.

TENNIS – My man, Nadal is on the roll at Queens (he is in the quarter finals). This is just warm up for Wimbledon, of course, and he is one man I know is gonna deliver.

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MOBUTU SEEN IN TORONTO

2006-06-15T12:53:00.000-07:00

MOBUTU SEEN ON THE STREETS OF TORONTO

I knew I was not dreaming or hallucinating but I still pinched myself to be certain, and the pain was real, so I looked again and he was there. None other than Mobutu Sese Seko.

Of course, the former dictator of Zaire died a few years ago in exile after being deposed by current Democratic Republic of Congo president, Joseph Kabila’s father, the late Laurent Kabila. If people really meet after death, I wonder what those two say to each other.

I was approaching a bus stop along Carlton Street in downtown Toronto when I saw, among the dozen or so people waiting for the bus, a young man of the same build and even looks as a young Mobutu soon after taking power in Zaire in the 1960s.

The young man was resplendent in Mobutu trademark gray flannel pants, a matching checkered shirt and old-fashioned scarf round the neck (despite the high temperatures). To complete the impersonation, the young man topped it all with a leopard skin hat in the same triangular shape only ever worn by Mobutu. The only thing I did not see as I got on the bus, was an imitation of the staff that Mobutu and other African politicians of his era used to carry around as a symbol of authority.

I had to rush, so I did not have the time to talk to the young man, but I am certain he has a hell of a story to tell.

Anybody know this guy? Please give me his contact.

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MUGABE’S PROPAGANDA CHIEF THREATENS JOURNALISTS WITH DEATH

2006-06-13T06:17:00.000-07:00

Just picked up this unbelievable piece of news from Zimbabwe. A news alert I received this morning stated that Zimbabwe’s Minister of Information and Publicity, Dr. Tichaona Jokonya has threatened Zimbabwean journalists working for western media with death.

Addressing a press conference in Harare on Monday, Jokonya asked: “You know what the end of a traitor is?”

Of course, everybody knew, but to be certain his audience, of mostly journalists, understood beyond any doubt, he answered himself thus: “The end of a traitor is always death.”

“The unfortunate thing about a traitor is that you are killed by both your own people and the person whom you are serving," he said.

This is the latest in a series of threats against journalists by government officials since Prof. Jonathan Moyo was in charge of the ministry.

Such threats should not be taken lightly because they have long proved actionable by the Zanu PF government using its proxies of death; i.e. the army, the police, the CIO, the Green Bombers and the war veterans.

Since 2000, many Zimbabwean journalists have died, been maimed, exiled and jailed all because they were deemed traitors by a government that should, itself, be charged as a traitor regime.

What shocks me is that this threat comes from a man whose background is in diplomacy at the very senior level. Jokonya was Zimbabwe’s permanent representative at the United Nations. What a shame!!!!!!

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GOOD SPORTING WEEKEND

2006-06-12T16:55:00.000-07:00

I really had a good sporting weekend, thank you. My World Cup Soccer team, England won their first match of the competition, always a moral booster.

My favourite NBA basketball team, the Dallas Mavericks, is leading the Finals 2-0.

My best tennis player, Rafel Nadal, won the French Open Championship.

What more can a man want, as far as sports are concerned, that is.

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MDC TORONTO - WHATS UP WITH THE RESIGNATIONS?

2006-06-09T16:31:00.000-07:00

I am becoming careful what I say about MDC Toronto. The last time I said my piece of mind as a Zimbabwean with a right to express concern on the goings on in a political organization that supposedly represents all Zimbabweans, I was labeled a prostitute, unclean, enemy of the people and an inquiry was supposed to have been launched to investigate me.

Well, in these times of terrorism and other evils, a person with the kind of labels bestowed on me is wise to seal their mouth lest the next thing you know all security departments in Toronto are on you.

However, my journalistic stubbornness is gnawing at me. I just want to say once again:
There is something going on in the MDC Toronto executive.

Recently, the Secretary-General and her deputy resigned. People who criticize or seek answers are still being told to “shut up”. Surely an explanation is needed. Would somebody please tell me what is going on?

Talking about terrorism, a lot is going on, here in Canada, in Iraq and elsewhere. One thing clear though is that “GOOD WILL ALWAYS TRIUMPH OVER EVIL”.

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WORLD CUP SOCCER - MY ENGLAND SHIRT

2006-06-09T16:25:00.000-07:00

Well, the World Cup has begun in earnest. I bought my England supporter’s shirt and I will wear it each day my team plays. Naturally, I am elated that both Wayne Rooney, Steven Gerrard and David Bekham are fit and ready to play. I can’t wait for Saturday.

It looks like Group A has already been decided. It is going to be Germany and Ecuador. If things change, then I pledge to … well, nothing because I really do not care if any of the teams in the group advance or go home.

I must admit though that there is just something gratifying in seeing an underdog team turn the tables.

Here is my prediction for the teams that will advance from the other groups:

Group B: - England and Sweden
Group C: - Argentina and Ivory Coast
Group D: - Mexico and Portugal
Group E: - Italy and Ghana
Group F: - Brazil and Japan
Group G: - France and South Korea
Group H: - Spain and Tunisia.

BASKETBALL – Go Mavs.
TENNIS – Nadal, Nadal, Nadal.

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US$1 MILLION OFFER I WONT ACCEPT

2006-06-09T16:15:00.000-07:00

I am as poor as a church mouse and I welcome any financial help. But when someone I have never heard of e-mails me offering more than US$1 million for helping them repatriate some money from another country into Canada, then I would rather die poor.

Some of you might already know what I am talking about here. There is an old scam that usually originates from west African countries, particularly Nigeria, and it comes in a letter similar to the one I received and I reproduced below.

I want to warn you all to forego this “wonderful gift” and stay poor, at least you will keep the little you have. If you entertain any such offers, conmen will wipe you clean.

Enjoy the letter:

Mrs Mariam Sankoh
Tel: +225 06 29 12 08 12
BP 2114 Abidjan 12 COTE D'IVOIRE.

Assalamualaikum.

I am Mrs Mariam Sankoh, the wife of former minister of agriculture of the Republic of Sierra Leone and also diamond and gold merchant. Honourable, Paul Chieck Sankoh who died in December 4th 2002 in free town, Sierra Leone, as a result of political crisis in Sierra Leone.
I am writing you in absolute confidence primarily to seek your assistance to transfer of our cash of eleven million, five hundred thousand united state's Dollar($11.500.000dollars) now in custody of security and finance company here in Abidjan Cote D’Ivoire West Africa to your private account pending on our arrives to your country.

SOURCE OF MONEY:-
My late husband, honourable Paul Chieck Sankoh, a native of FALABA DISTRIC in the northern province of Sierra Leone, owned a large field of diamond and gold plantation before he became minister for griculture and later died in the peak of the civil war between the rebels force of Major Paul Koromah and the government.

To transfer this boxes containing the money to you through diplomat courier services in your name to your country. To make a good arrangement for a joint business investment on our behalf in your country and you will take care of the investments until my son finish his studies in UNITEED KINGDOM.

Once you receive one of the boxes, you will put hand inside the box and send money for me to claim the remaining two boxes. Then when you receive the box from the diplomat you will lodge the money little by little to your bank account until me and my son arrival your country.
Most importantly, the security company officials do not know the exact contents of the boxes, because it was declared as family valuable documents.

The whole documents issued after deposit is in my son’s name and under his care. Our assurance is that your role is risk free, I accord this transaction the legality it deserves and for mutual security of the fund, the whole approved procedures will be officially and legally processed with your name as the bonfire beneficiary of the above mentioned boxes. In return, me and my son have agreed to offer you 10% of the transferred sum, while 5% shall be set aside for incidental expenses (internal and external) between the parties in the course of the transaction, and the remaining 85% is for the family investment.

Lastly, I plead with you to keep this transaction strictly and confidential. Please try to reach us as soon as you get this letter. Thanks and hope to hear from you soon. You can reach me through this private email address :(http://ca.f880.mail.yahoo.com/ym/Compose?To=mariam200100@yahoo.com&YY=11410&order=down&sort=date&pos=0&view=a&head=b)God bless you.

Mrs Mariam Sankoh

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WORLD CUP - MY MONEY IS ON ENGLAND

2006-06-04T12:01:00.000-07:00

Okay, its World Cup time again. Zimbabweans love their soccer and we will all be glued to the small screen and watch every one of the 64 matches if we could.

This is the time when temporary divorces are declared because "Dad" can't be bothered about anything else because it is World Cup time. The time when employees take vacations to go nowhere but to their favourite couch to slouch and watch soccer. If one cannot get a vacation then they will simply feign illness on the days their favourite team will be playing.

Anyway, since this is my blog, I want to tell you which team I will support and why.

If Zimbabwe or Canada were at the World Cup, I would support them as numbers one and two in that order, but they are not there.

Now, if I were to go the patriotic way, I would support Angola because they are the nearest to Zimbabwe. Next, I would support Ghana because they are our legitimate in-laws (politics aside - this is soccer). Then I would support Ivory Coast for they are the most exciting African team so far and I tip them to go beyond the first round. If I have to, I will also support Togo and Tunisia in that order.

Oh, I could also go the Third World way and support the likes of Ecuador, Trinidad and Tobago, Paraguay or be safe and go along with the obvious favourites, Brazil or Argentina or even France because they have Thierry Henry, the best striker in the world in my book and, of course, he plays for my favourite English team, Arsenal.

However, I put my little money on England. In my view England will win it this time. Their organization, player depth and grounded manner remind me so much of France in 1998. They are a really rounded team this time with every department well represented.

In Goal Paul Robinson beats the best on offer. The back line of Rio Ferdinand, Ashley Cole, Sol Campbell, John Terry, Gary Neville et al, is as rock-steady as they come.

Then the mid. Oh, my God. Just Imagine a midfield marshaled from the centre by Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard and from the wings by skipper David Beckham and Joe Cole.

In front, forget Wayne Rooney and even Michael Owen. Peter Crouch is on fire, young Walcoat wants to prove a point, Jenas and others are also hungry to prove their potency. And, of course, Gerrard and Lampard hammer them in just like the best of strikers.

It is going to be England all the way in my living room.

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BENNETT ASYLUM DENIAL – SA GOVT POLITICKING

2006-05-27T08:39:00.000-07:00

So, South Africa has denied Roy Bennett political asylum. I see politicking in this case, if not outright racial discrimination by President Thabo Mbeki’s African National Congress (ANC) government.

From what I know of the United Nations’ definition of a Convention refugee or person in need of protection, Roy Bennett fits the bill of a consistently persecuted person.

The former Member of Parliament for Chimanimani personifies persecution of the opposition by the ruling Zanu PF and all its proxies. Right from President Robert Mugabe himself, his Security Minister, Didymus Mutasa and his Central Intelligence Organization (CIO), the army, the police, the government-leaning war veterans, the Zanu PF youth brigade (the Green Bombers), they have all had a go at Bennett.

Since he signed on and started campaigning for the Chimanimani seat in 2000, Bennett has suffered abuse ranging from verbal harassment, physical assault, imprisonment, destruction of property and seizure of the said property.

Yes, the trumped up charges, earlier this year, that he was part of a conspiracy to assassinate Mugabe (which is the primary reason he fled to South Africa), were dismissed. But does this disqualify him as a Convention refugee? I do not think so.

His problems have been well documented and publicized that it will be a waste of space and reading time to repeat them here.

This decision by South Africa has shown clearly that Mbeki and his government are really in support of the Zanu PF government, no matter how bad it gets. This explains Mbeki’s shilly-shallying over the issue of regime change in Zimbabwe. Its all about comrades in the armed struggle owing each other favours and Mbeki seems to be paying his dues.

The danger though is that this decision could be used as a precedent to deny other vulnerable asylum seekers because I cannot imagine anybody else being granted refugee status when Bennett has been denied.

I wish you good luck in your appeal, Roy, you need it.

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MUGABE PREPARING TO RULE BEYOND 2008

2006-05-19T21:22:00.001-07:00

If anybody ever doubted that President Robert Gabriel Chatunga Mugabe intends to stay in power at least beyond his much anticipated retirement in 2008, then news from Zimbabwe yesterday must have ended those doubts.

According to the weekly Zimbabwe Independent, Mugabe’s government is expected to soon implement a plan to have veterans of the liberation war incorporated into the national army.

This means salaries and other benefits for the more than 40 000 ex-combatants and its 1997 all over again.

For those who do not know, it was August 1997 when the former fighters were awarded Z$ 50,000 each in one-off gratuities plus more than Z$ 2,000 monthly allowances and free medical coverage for life.

That madness of 1997 turned Zimbabwe’s economy for the worst and it has been downhill since.

We all know that Mugabe is intelligent and still very alert. So are his advisers in this matter, former Zipra (Zimbabwe People's Liberation Army, the armed wing of late Vice President, Dr. Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo's ZAPU - Zimbabwe African People's Union) Military Intelligence boss, Dumiso Dabengwa, former Zanla (Zimbabwe African National Liberation Army, the armed wing of Mugabe's ZANU - Zimbabwe African National Union) Supreme Commander, Solomon Mujuru, and former Zimbabwe National Army Commander, General Vitalis Zvinavashe.

Mugabe, these three men and others around them, know what happened in 1997 and subsequently. Consequently, they know what will happen to the economy if they incorporate war veterans into the army.

They, of course, do not care because the ultimate goal is the absolute protection the zealots among them (who are the majority) will ensure for Mugabe to stay in power.

These guys are masters in intimidating the nation and like bees around their Queen; they sting to death without remorse. For this reason, Mugabe will have no problem bankrupting the country to stay in Zimbabwe House a little more than we are ready to allow him.

One guy who might gain financially, if you ask me, is folk singer, Steve "Dhongi" Makoni, if he re-releases his 1990s hit song “Handiende” (I will not leave). Is Dhongi still around anyway?

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BUSH'S IMMIGRATION POLICY NEEDS CAREFUL CONSIDERATION

2006-05-16T07:47:00.000-07:00

Well, after procrastinating for very long, United States President, George W. Bush has laid out his immigration policy. The pundits were already on his case before the cameras were turned off, poor guy.

Anyway, my concern is not whether the proposed border controls are good or not or whether his poll rating will go up or down into the teens. My concern is with the 12 million so-called illegal immigrants in the US, a significant number of who are my homeboys, Zimbabweans.

After all is said and done, Bush’s bill, if it passes in the Senate within the next few weeks, invites illegal immigrants to come forward and register themselves under an amnesty that allows them to stay and work in the US.

This is what most people in this situation have been waiting for. But I advise caution and thorough reading of the fine print and getting definite answers to ambiguous clauses and terms.

On the face of it, Bush is saying, you come and register yourselves, get an electronically traceable identity card that makes authorities track you wherever you go, whatever you do and with whom. How far will that go in so far as infringement of people’s rights and freedoms are concerned?

Bush wants immigrants to apply for temporary work permits. What is the cut off point in terms of the number of years one has been in the US? If one is out of the range, then what?

Immigrants will have to pay penalties for being in the US illegally. How much are these penalties? What of those who have been paying taxes (a majority of illegal immigrants actually pay taxes) but have not benefited from social services due to their status? Is that going to be taken into consideration?

Criminal background checks: those traffic tickets, the DUIs, domestic violence, shoplifting, how many will be excluded? Not that I advocate any criminal behavior.

Immigrants also have to consider, how many years will the temporary work permit allow, bearing in mind that when the permit expires, you will be required to go back home and reapply. The question really is, do you still have a home to go back to and even if you have, will you be allowed back to the US a second time around?

Worse, there are people who had gotten themselves into marriages of convenience and other extra-legal arrangements to stay in the US, how will their cases be handled? There are many more questions to ponder over and get answers before one takes their position in line to apply under this amnesty. Once again, the advice is caution.

Fortunately for those who fall under the Safe Third Country protocol between Canada and the US, among them Zimbabweans, Rwandans, Mexicans, Colombians, the border up north is still open. It might not be for long though.

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WORLD MEDIA ALWAYS FAILS AFRICA

2006-05-07T11:28:00.000-07:00

UNESCO has declared May 2006, the month to reflect on the media and poverty and here is my own reflection.

Poverty is synonymous with African countries, their chronic hunger, diseases, civil strife and wars.

The word conjures, in our minds, pictures we see on television all the time. Babies wilting of hunger in Ethiopia and Niger, bone-dry farmlands in Sudan and Kenya, ghost-like people ravaged by the AIDS disease in South Africa and Zimbabwe and gun-totting youths in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Liberia.

It makes for good pictures on television, correspondents from the world’s leading media organizations pitching their best “piece to camera” with the scourge of Africa playing out behind them or the best feature writers showing off their wordsmith prowess on major international publications, all the way to Pulitzer Prizes.

Then Bill Gates, Sir Bob Geldof and Angelina Jolie lead another phalanx of the best in media to showcase their goodwill and financial efforts to eradicate poverty on the forsaken continent.

Then, in the wink of an eye, deafening silence.

The babies have been fed nutritional supplements. Their hollow eyes dance excitedly as they drink from plastic mugs donated by well-wishers from thousands of miles away. What else do they need, right?

Wrong.

Just like the television pictures which suddenly vanish from our screens, the nutritional supplements soon run out and nobody knows whether the wilting baby ever grew to be a man or a woman.

This is the folly of the media reporting on Africa’s poverty. It is the dramatic images of suffering we chase and send our best to cover. There is never a follow up and this is where the media fails the continent.

Out of the media spotlight, the usual culprits, corrupt government officials and their cohorts, come out from behind their “champions of the poor” shields and their vulture instinct is back.

The food is diverted to their favored and already well-fed relatives. The money and resources donated by western benefactors is re-channeled to “more important” projects and programs; that is, arms to fight their own people, planes to fly over their dying subjects and such other “essentials”.

Without the media lurking around, experts’ advice on the best drought mitigating farming methods, the need to ensure democracy, the need to prevent and eradicate disease and the virtues of peace and power-sharing, are ignored.

Until the next round of drought, pandemics, wars and other vagaries of Africa, the continent (or whatever part of it that is not in distress) is truly dark.

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DO NOT JUST TAKE THAT MEDICINE, ASK YOUR DOCTOR

2006-04-30T20:29:00.000-07:00

Recently, in the course of my work, I got in contact with someone who was later diagnosed to have tuberculosis (TB). My colleagues and I had not suspected anything, I mean the person did not have visual symptoms. In my case, I met the person two or three times and they did not cough or spit and I can’t remember if we shook hands.

Anyway, soon after the diagnosis, the person was taken to an isolation centre for treatment. Letters from the City of Toronto’s Health Department were sent to all those who had been in contact with this person. The department’s instructions were for us all to be tested for the disease.

Now, those of us from Africa, Asia and such other places prone to all sorts of hard to cure diseases, were vaccinated with Bacillus of Calmette and Guérin (BCG), a vaccine against tuberculosis that is prepared from a strain of the attenuated (weakened) live bovine tuberculosis bacillus, Mycobacterium bovis that has lost its virulence in humans by specially culturing in artificial medium for years. The bacilli have retained enough strong antigenicity to become an effective vaccine for the prevention of human tuberculosis.

BCG causes the TB skin test to come out positive even if you do not have a single germ that causes the disease. So, aware of that, I told the doctor that the skin test would not work on me. Why not go straight to the chest X-Rays?

“Well, we still have to do it because that is what they (health department) want,” says the doctor. So we do the test and sure enough it is positive. I go for the chest X-Rays which come out normal, in other words - no TB.

“So, doc, now that I am clear of this thing, I guess I go on with my life, right?”

No, he says. “Because you tested positive on the skin test, they (health department) want you to take medicine.”

“But doc, you know that was because of BCG.”

“Yes, I know but they still want you to take this medicine because you still have a 10 percent chance of contracting TB and if that is the case this medicine will kill the germs, if not, it will prevent it anyway,” he says.

What the heck, I can take the silly medicine, what harm can it cause, so I think to myself but to the doc I ask: “What is this medicine and how do I take it?”

“It is called Isoniazid or INH. You take it with a vitamin once everyday for nine months.”

“Huh??”

“Yes, that’s what it is.”

“Tell me doc,” I ask, “this kind of medicine would obviously have side effects. What are they?”

“Well, you could have hepatitis. Your liver and kidneys would be damaged.”

“And you say these people (health department) want me to take this medicine?”

“Yes. It is recommended to everyone in your situation (meaning a BCG positive, but TB negative).”

That didn’t make sense to me at all and it still doesn’t. I shudder to think what happens to those in my situation who have no presence of mind to ask the implications of taking this “treatment”.

Of course, I refused to take the medicine which had already been ordered for me. The doctor had to do the right thing (read cover his butt). He informed the health department that I had refused to take the pills. Calls were made back and forth and we reached a compromise.

I will go to the doctor whenever I have a fever, a chest raking cough and night sweats. (Who doesn’t go to a doctor when they have any of those?) Also, I should voluntarily go for chest X-Rays once each year for three years.

That to me sounds better than have my liver and kidneys damaged by medicine I clearly do not need.

However, if I had not asked, I could be taking it right? I feel a chill down my spine.

YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.

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ZIMBABWE STOCK EXCHANGE BEST IN THE WORLD?

2006-04-20T19:05:00.000-07:00

A journalist friend attended an economic conference in New York recently. On her return, she told me something that excited me initially and then made me sad.

A resource person at the conference was talking about stock markets. Somewhere in her presentation (the resource person that is) mentioned something about the Zimbabwe Stock Exchange (ZSE) being the, currently, best performing in the world.

It was just said in passing but knowing that I am from Zimbabwe, my friend could not wait to tell me about it. The ZSE, performing better than the likes of the London Stock Exchange or the New York Stock Exchange? That could be a stretch, especially with the way the Zimbabwe economy is now. However, I would not dismiss that possibility completely.

Had a chat about it with a former bank manager back home. Her take? The runaway inflation which is officially pegged at 913 percent but is widely viewed in market circles to be beyond the 1 000 percent mark.

"The Zimbabwe stock is generally good and with constant hope that the political situation may change any day, there is a lot of speculation by investors.

I must say too, that the ZSE I know had always been viable anyway, even in the way it was run. I remember that in the late 1990s and around 2000 and 2001 when I used to cover the ZSE, it was a small but very viable market. Each day investors in such economic giants as London and Johannesburg waited impatiently for reports on trade on the ZSE.

In fact, guys at the Johannesburg Stock Exchange came to Zimbabwe twice to learn the ins and outs of the stock market from none other than the ZSE. Zimbabwe actually happens to have some of the world's best financial and economic minds.

Most of the companies that trade on the ZSE have links to British, American and South African companies, among such other strong economies, even now.

However, two things to note here: First, the good performance of the ZSE serves to show that Zimbabwe, with good economic management, can be the gem of Africa. Secondly, for any person who might have thought all is lost in Zimbabwe, there may still be a flicker of light at the end of the tunnel, we just need to reach out for it and we will fan it into brightness.

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THE GRAMMAR HAS IMPROVED

2006-04-19T06:36:00.000-07:00

The grammar in messages posted daily by MDC Toronto's chairman, Mr. Andrew Manyevere, has improved quite noticeably. This is a good thing for all of us.

More still needs to be done, especially on the messages themselves. Many people, including myself, think that a message each day is a little annoying, especially if the message is a kind of an old song. Believe me, Mr. Manyevere, many people are deleting your messages before reading them. Hanzi nevakuru "Akuruma nzeve ndewako".

The point is: We know Mugabe and his cronies have ruined our country. We do not want to hear about that any more, unless it comes as background to solutions. We want you to come up with strategies and programs to solve the problem. We want to read about what you are doing or what we should all do to change the situation back home.

In his independence speech, Mugabe called on the 3 million Zimbabweans in the Diaspora to come back home and help him improve the country.

This is our chance to tell him why we left our beautiful home and tell him what we want him to do before we go back.

I suggest that for starters Zimbabweans in the Diaspora seek the right to vote. You, MDC executives in the Diaspora, should lead this campaign.

There are a million other things you could fight for actively and with great support from both Zimbabweans and sympathizers all over the world. With such programs underway, then you can bash Mugabe all you want.

ONE MEMBER OF THE MDC EXECUTIVE RESPONDS

2006-04-17T17:53:00.000-07:00

One of the Toronto MDC executive members responded to my “fabrication” and you can read it in the comments section. But, I have also responded.

Owen, your response is, of course, predictable. There is no way you could agree with me when I am criticizing your executive.

However, the fact that you admit that membership of the party in Toronto numbers over 100 now and only a third of them turned out vindicates me. It shows that something was not done to make sure at least half of them came. Maybe it was bad timing – planning a protest on a holiday.

Let us all wait and see if your message, which I really did not understand, will bring a response or reaction, for the better, as it should.

Yes, there is something wrong with an executive of a branch of a serious political party, with the majority of its members being unemployed refugees from an impoverished country, getting into a habit of organizing barbecues.

It is one thing to have cookies and soft drinks during your meetings, and yet another, to collect money from each other and go on night-long get-togethers. It is simply wrong. As political leaders, what are you saying to those who want to follow your party, what are you saying to our hosts and benefactors? Think about it. You have not even started solving the problems that brought you together as a branch, so what exactly are you getting together for?

There are political groups from other countries in Toronto, do they do it like that? Even in Zimbabwe, we hosted Thabo Mbeki and his ANC comrades in the 1980s and 1990s. We also hosted the likes of the late John Garang of the SPLA. Did they celebrate their suffering? No.

The Zimbabwe national anthem is in the three main languages, English “Blessed Be The Land Of Zimbabwe”, Shona “Simudzai Mureza WeZimbabwe” and IsiNdebele “Kalibusiswe Ilizwe leZimbabwe”. There is no compromising about it. You cannot substitute a national anthem, no matter what.

My point, Owen, is simple; you and your executive are representing a nation of about 14 million people at the highest possible level of politics in exile. Everything you do or say, we as Zimbabweans, our hosts and others in the same situation as us, are watching and we all want you to do better.

We look at you as future leaders of Zimbabwe, act that way.

TO READ MORE OF MY WRITING, PLEASE VISIT;
www.torontosun.ca/News/Columnists/Madawo_Innocent/
www.catholicregister.org
www.canadiannewcomermagazine.org
www.thecanadian.ca/

MDC TORONTO - YOU NEED TO BE SERIOUS

2006-04-16T10:44:00.000-07:00

Yes, the Toronto MDC branch held its protest on Saturday, April 15, 2006 and as far as I am concerned, it was a big flop.

Any protest is supposed to have a well articulated ( in words and action) message to a well defined audience which is forced to take notice and must react. Did this happen on Saturday? No, and here is why;

First, due to poor preparation, only about 40 Zimbabweans turned up at Queens Park. Of that number, about two-thirds were the Toronto executive and their Niagara counterparts.

Yet, there are thousands of Zimbabweans in Toronto, most of who are members of the party. They would have really loved to come and take part, if only they knew exactly what they would be taking part in, where, why and for what. Members were never let in on preparations for this protest.

In fact, I remember one dedicated MDC supporter who e-mailed the executive suggesting a few things that could make the protest a success. That member was dressed down. He was told the executive had checked the membership register and since his name was not in it, he was not welcome to the meetings and, subsequently, the protest. The e-mail circulated among Zimbabweans, and with the kind of rebuke the member received, other people simply shied away.

To set off the protest, the executive led the protesters in singing “Ishe Komborera Africa” (God Bless Africa), can you believe it? Zimbabwe discarded the continental anthem 11 years ago. It has its own anthem called “Simudzai Mureza WeZimbabwe.” (Lift Up The Zimbabwean Flag). What kind of patriotism is that?

Then came the message, well, I can only describe it as muddled. I could not tell whether it was a history lesson or what?

After all this sham, what does the Toronto executive do, host a barbecue. Yes, its the second time this has happened. What are you now Toronto MDC, a social club?

I see political immaturity in the Toronto MDC executive. There is a lot of self-serving and self-importance on the expense of a serious party which represents a lot of Zimbabweans.

What Mr. Manyevere and his colleagues need to realize is that you are representing us all and whatever you do at Queens Park, in the name of MDC reflects on us all as Zimbabweans. If we do not take ourselves seriously, nobody will.

Maybe you should learn from the enemy, Zanu PF itself. When Mugabe and others were leading their party in exile, they represented us all with dignity. It is now your turn, take a leaf from them.

I suggest again that you seek advisors, consultants and other people to help you.

TO READ MORE OF MY WRITING, PLEASE VISIT;
www.torontosun.ca/News/Columnists/Madawo_Innocent/
www.catholicregister.org
www.canadiannewcomermagazine.org
http://www.thecanadian.ca/

MDC TORONTO - YOUR MESSAGE IS INCOHERENT

2006-04-13T10:28:00.000-07:00

This Saturday the Movement for Democratic Change's Toronto chapter is "launching its first ever peaceful protest".

The organizers are calling for as much support as they can get from Zimbabweans and sympathizers in Toronto. Protesting is a good concept for anyone to draw attention to their problems; however, undertaking the protest successfully can be a challenge especially if the theme, message and preparation for the protest are not up to scratch.

I have tried to understand the theme and message of the MDC Toronto protest but I have since failed. There are so many issues the branch wants to bring to the world's attention, through badly written rantings of the branch's leaders.

We are in a part of the world where English is the first language and as Zimbabweans, we pride ourselves with our good command of the Queen's language. It is, therefore, a disgrace when people who claim to represent us at the highest level of politics in exile cannot string a single coherent sentence in long and winding streams of thought disguised as political messages. (See MDC messages attached below).

Toronto MDC, you need to do better than that. In fact, good leaders are those who acknowledge their weaknesses and/or limitations. Your weakness as a branch, or should I say the executive of the branch, is an inability to formulate a coherent message and to put it across in a language that is not only understood by your intended audience, but will attract even the uninterested.

There are advisors, consultants, spin doctors or wordsmiths, you need them badly. Back to the protest, the protestors would want Mugabe and his government to go.

Then they want the same government to stop or ensure a number of things, from stopping looting diamonds in the DRC to ensuring a free press and judiciary.

The question is: Do you want Mugabe and his cronies to go now or you want them to correct the anomalies you cited? Suppose they offer to be a truly democratic government and address all your concerns as you listed them, are you going to let them stay?

If it were me I would simply say, Mugabe has misruled Zimbabwe for a long time, he should just go and we will fix the problems ourselves.

Then there are other themes that really amount to demands that the EU, UN and others must intervene to ensure democracy in Zimbabwe through free elections, constitutional reforms and even peacekeeping - what peacekeeping?

What if these organizations all say we have actually intervened and here is what we have done on elections, constitutional reforms and other issues? My point here is that the MDC protesters' message is rather cluttered. There are too many issues to address.

They may all be important but you do not catch attention by overloading the message. I am also reliably informed that a petition will be handed to Prime Minister Stephen Harper and the Governor-General, Michaëlle Jean. I really want to see this happen.

Lastly, it is really a bad idea to allow everyone to talk to the press, especially if you give them a shopping list of messages.

TO READ MORE OF MY OWN RANTINGS, PLEASE VISIT;

www.torontosun.ca/News/Columnists/Madawo_Innocent/
www.catholicregister.org
www.canadiannewcomermagazine.org
www.thecanadian.ca

*****ATTACHED MDC MESSAGES*****

Last call on every Zimbabwean to turn up for our DEMO on April 15, 2006 which is an answer to the congress resoolution of March 2006 Congress when we have to seek change the none violent way through protests. Lets me emphasis that the protest is like a cry from and by Zimbabweans running down the meaninglessness of Zimbabwe independence. We all agree that Zimbabwe has probably seen its worst in the fall down of economy. If we remain quiet then our being under torture for political beliefs in the country, will mean nothing to the world too because it will appear as though what happens in Zimbabwe meet with the joy of those who have had temporary reprieve from terror of Mugabe. Is this true though? No! Never!!

But why keep silent? What ever explanation story you and I can can make, silence is a betrayal of a condition we did not approve of hence our being out of it, therefore it can only be regarded an excurse, which soon looses its hold on world opinion and therefore run down Zimbabwe Diaspora credibility. Yet our story only suffer from lack of a passionate witness from among ourselves victims of the system, otherwise publicity on Zimbabwe goes on as a troubled country. We as part of Zimbabwe Diaspora are changing the paradigms for the PROJECTION of our country political condition's deterioration and the lack of integrity from Zanu Pf government in their governance.

It is for this reason that we will stand before God to take our oaths that Zanu Pf government is a disaster to our country, our people, our culture and a betrayal of our human sacrificed struggle for our freedom. Its a prayer from those oppressed that the world watch our mother, fathers, sisters, brothers, daughters and sons and grand parents as they walk streets of our cities in protest against Mugabe and his regime.

Tell your friends in Canada, tell every Zimbabwean irrespective of political affiliation, because even though the Demo is led by MDC party structures in Canada, it is on the tragedy of Zimbabwe blinded by the admission that independence in such circumstances could be classified as WORTHY of celebrating at all. On the contrary it calls for LAMENTATIONS and REGRET.

***

Come join us, we from Zimbabwe and tell this story laudly.Ffirst PRESS RELEASE! PRESS RELEASE! PRESS RELEASE!
Movement for Democratic Change (MDC)
INDEPENDENCE PROTEST: ZIMBABWE
The Movement for Democratic Change of Zimbabwe, Toronto chapter, along its sister Diaspora districts in the UK, USA, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand, launches its first ever peaceful protest in Toronto, Canada, on the 15th April 2006 a few days before Zimbabwe’s independence day celebrations due 18th April, 2006. The protest starts at 1:30PM. and the registered venue is Nathan Phillips Square on the City Hall grounds.
The protest demands:
1. That the corrupt Robert Gabriel Mugabe Zanu (PF)-led government: –
(a) Must go!
(b) Must stop illegal detentions from arbitrary arrests;
(c) Must stop torture, intimidation, terror and dehumanising women by the partisan security organs, CIO, PISI, ZRP, ZNA, youth militia, etc;
(d) Must stop corruption; seize illegal depleting mining of diamonds in the Republic of Congo;
(e) Must stop muzzling of the Press and Media;
(f) Must stop coercing, intimidating, patronising the judiciary

The Zanu (PF)-led government must:
(i) Allow peaceful protests; political gatherings; freedom of association; and free speech;
(ii) Guarantee security of everyone;

2. A free and fair election to restore meaningful independence in our country, Zimbabwe.

3. Intervention of the UN, EU, AU, the Commonwealth, and the Church to:
(a) Policing of the elections; Verifying of the voter’s roll;
(c) Peacekeeping well before, during and after elections for a reasonable time period.

4. A people-driven Constitutional reform.

5. Voting as a must by all citizens including those in the Diaspora.

6. The Honourable Prime Minister Stephen Harper and the Governor-General Her Excellence Michaëlle Jean need to demand action from the United Nations, Commonwealth, European Union and the African Union on immediate solutions.
Contacts: Mr. Andrew Manyevere: http://mail.yahoo.com/config/login?/ym/Compose?To=amanyevere@mdczimbabwe.org (905-492-0490 or 647-839-6612); Johannes Mutyanda: http://mail.yahoo.com/config/login?/ym/Compose?To=jmutyanda@mdczimbabwe.org (519-208-0117); Mr. Andrew Mudzingwa: http://mail.yahoo.com/config/login?/ym/Compose?To=amudzingwa@mdczimbabwe.org. (416-439-2781)

Dear party members,
See above the text of our press release which make up the focus of our demo.

The purpose of this communication is to guide any nature of media answers by members if approached by media personnel or you deem it necessary to entertain their question during the demo otherwise refer media to officials designated. See our cause for concern and follow the thought process without going off the mark. Mischief could have it from media personnel and they refer to ben manashe issue, as if it has anything to do with the demo or such issues as the home trouble of division etc, courtiously refer such to the chairman. Our success shall come from discipline, discipline of restraint, and to follow out text and refer when it is necessary. This is what is called organized party.

Obey our security personnel orders during the demo process and do not do anything that will betray the trust of the masses who devote thier everything including life to make sure that the party remains alive on the ground.

Call anybody including even those who are members of other political parties for this demo, because the demo has to do with CHANGE THROUGH DEMOCRACTIC PROCESSES and concern itself with devastation our society has endured through injustice promoted by poor leadership under Zanu Pf.

Come all in your big numbers and we share the making of History.

Manyevere M Andrew.

SAD DAY FOR ZIMBABWEANS IN THE DIASPORA

2006-04-12T08:05:00.000-07:00

We all followed with keen interest the case of an unnamed Zimbabwean asylum seeker winning a stay of removel from UK last October, a victory all of us in the Disapora celebrated.

It is with some kind of deja vu that we learn today that the celebration might have been premature and that our brothers and sisters in the UK may have their cases revisited and some might find themselves sent home.

I am, of course, referring to the story; "UK wins Zimbabwean asylum appeal".

Zimbabweans with some form of legal status in whatever country they are exiled, may just shrug, but those still going through the process of seeking asylum in UK, US, Canada, Australia and elsewhere, this is bound to have a big impact on their psych.

I know fellow Zimbabweans who were banking on brandishing news articles of the victory in October in front of immigration officers and judges, as authoritative proof that sending them back home would be a violation of human rights.

I am reliably informed that some here in Canada and the US were actually given stay of removal on the basis of the October decision in the UK.

Refugee judges in the UK, US and Canada, particularly, and other countries too, somehow tend to use cases in each other's courts as precedents and I will not be surprised if immediately an immigration judge in Toronto or Houston will use today's decision in the UK to order an unfortunate Zimbabwean sent back home.

Well, we have a number of representative organizations in all these countries, here is an opportunity to fight for what is right.

We all know that Mutasa and his CIOs are itching to lay their fingers on anybody who is deported to Zimbabwe. What will happen to those people, we all fear.

MDC branches in the Diaspora, this is a cause to fight for.