From a citizen reporting from Mwenezi, and a reminder to vote out this sort of violent arrogance on 27th June.

. . . . Several campaign posters featuring the President’s image were promptly stuck on Mr Ngorima’s front door and many of the nearby trees. He was threatened with his life should Colonel Hungwe return and find that the posters had either been defaced or removed . . .

Read, watch or listen to any of the Zimbabwe government’s mouth pieces and you will feel yourself drowning in a sewer of distortion, bias and brazen untruth.

There must be a lexicon of words and phrases to describe this level of manipulation and blatant fabrication and distortion. I’d appreciate it if readers would share them with me because at the moment I’m struggling to find words adequate to express my disgust.

Anyone familiar with the work of WOZA (Women of Zimbabwe Arise) will know that this group of grassroots activists has practiced and preached the doctrine of non-violent protest for years now. Most recently they gathered in Harare on May 28 to commemorate Africa Day and to protest against the political violence being perpetrated in the weeks leading up to the Presidential run-off election of June 27. In near silence they walked together, holding up placards calling on SADC and others to act on the crisis in Zimbabwe.

Riot police quickly mobilised and arrested 14 of the protesters. It took 17 days and great persistence to gain the release, on bail, of 11 of those arrested. Leaders, Jenni Williams and Magodonga Mahlangu are still in custody on the spurious claims by the State that these women intend to orchestrate Kenya-style violence ahead of the presidential run-off election on June 27. And pigs too may fly!

It is exactly this kind of fabricated nonsense that exposes the rest of the government’s propaganda for what it is. An abuse of public funds and a mockery of the cruel reality we live here.

Previously I wrote that I believe HIV/AIDS warrants exceptional status largely because of the complex mix of biomedical, economic, judicial, ideological, political, and socio-cultural factors at work. I’m not changing my stance, but I am annoyed how exceptional status comes to be interpreted and misused.

The Zimbabwean government has directed NGOs to suspend field operations. Seems the directive, like the country, is subject to inflation. At first the order targeted programmes believed to be using food distribution as a way to advocate political change. Next, the order grew to no food aid at all. Next, the word food was inflated to mean humanitarian. Now the directive, unlike the country, is subject to deflation, but not in a good way. The government has indicated that HIV/AIDS organizations are allowed to operate . This is a case of using the exceptional status of HIV/AIDS for political gain. Almost as if the government feels it can deal with bad press associated with letting people starve. However, HIV/AIDS is so exceptional that it would be too much to deal with bad press about people loosing access to HIV/AIDS-related services.

Worse is that the reinstatement is partial and shortsighted. Social and Welfare Minister Nicholas Goche stated the suspension on NGO operations “Does not prohibit those on ARV [antiretroviral] therapy and those benefiting from home-based care programmes to continue accessing drugs and therapeutic feeding from clinics and hospitals.”

It’s a troublesome choice of words – drugs and therapeutic feeding. Is work around HIV/AIDS only about feeding people drugs? Do people get therapeutic feeding only from home-based care, clinics, and hospitals? What about the other ways people need assistance and support to cope, be informed, and heal? The path has emerged such that the government has taken away rights as political citizens. Now the government, given its selective reinstatement of HIV/AIDS work, is largely rendering those infected and affected by HIV/AIDS to be clinical, biomedical, therapeutic citizens only.

Someone recently was commenting on Zimbabweans’ so-called patience. She said that it’s as if the challenges of the past few years have taught us that we have a deep reserve of resilience, and given us a confidence that we can survive just about anything. There is a resignation that goes with that, but also a deep reserve of strength. The worst may yet be on its way. But:

People are just waiting patiently, hopeful that there will be change. People are not really worried about the intimidation. The army are trying to create civil unrest but the people are just waiting patiently. The actions being taken by the powers that be show weakness. They are trying to provoke people. This patience Zimbabwean people have may be seen as a weakness but it is really a strength. They won’t be able to squash us. Nothing remains the same. It’s a revolution in its own way. It’s a question of time. Those alive by then will see the fruits of our patience.

Zanu PF activists clearly came campaigning in my neighbourhood last night. I came home to find their posters littering the streets. I tore one out of my hedge and crumpled it up with an irritation that was less about the poster itself and more about my outrage with what this regime has done to Zimbabwe.

“This is your era. This is your time. The people must be empowered,” reads the slogan on the poster. Yeah, right. Whose time is it Bob? It’s not WOZA’s time – Jenni Williams and Magodonga Mahlangu are still being held at Chikurubi Female Prison – their 21st night in custody rapidly approaching.

It’s not you’re time if you’re poor or hungry or struggling to make ends meet. And it’s even less your time if you’re all of those things and yet still dare to have an opinion of your own. A 12-year old boy from Epworth came to our office yesterday looking for assistance. He is now orphaned – his mother, who had long been in an up and down battle with AIDS, had her legs broken for refusing to go to a Zanu PF rally. In her already weakened condition, and too poor to get medical attention, she didn’t survive the attack. He and his mother were barely eking out a living before. And now?

And it’s certainly not your time if you disagree with the current regime – take these stories from the Lowveld:

Bikita West
The manager of Bikita Minerals, Nigel Macphail and his girl friend Susara Van Greunen were severely assaulted by some 60 ZANU PF militia at there mine offices on the 12th June. It seems that there were two reasons why they were assaulted, the first being that they were MDC supporters and the second reason was because Susara took workers who had been beaten by the same militia the day before to Masvingo Hospita, for treatment of wounds inflicted on them. Nigel had been told that they were not to assist the injured workers. The owners have also been given 10 days to pack up and leave the mine. The Bikita police had prior warning of the impending attacks, but were ordered not respond. The Masvingo Province Governor Mavhaire who is a staunch ZANU PF and is on the Board of Directors of Bikita Minerals also new of the impending attacks but refused to intervene. The mine is situated 80km to the East of Masvingo on the Birchenough Bridge Road.

Bikita East
Some 20 armed militia attacked and burned part of the Mutari Holiday Resort complex on the banks of the Save River. The resort is run by the MDC winning candidate Mr Mililo, the winning MDC councilor for that ward with some employees were severely beaten and a lot of bedding and equipment was stolen Mr Mililo fled to South Africa a week ago when he received death threats from the militia.

Mwenezi West
In the Maranda communal area on the night of the 12th June, two people were bludgeoned to death by militia after being forced to swear allegiance to ZANU PF and 50 others were badly beaten. The police did respond at first but were prevented and threatened by the militia, they have asked for reinforcements so that they can safely investigate this attack.

Mwenezi East
On the night of the 13th June, Chris Muzenda’s house was burned to the ground, he was not there at the time and the report indicated that no one was injured. He was guilty of being an MDC supporter and assisted with the elections on the 29th March.

But of course, it is our time – our time to stand up and say we’ve had enough. Our time to demand something better.