Months before elections, the MDC has yet to articulate its election manifesto, giving rise to speculation among observers that besides removing Mugabe from power, the party may genuinely be bankrupt of any ideas on how to move the country forward from its political and economic stalemate. In contrast, Zanu-PF has underpinned indigenisation and empowerment as its central election plank, and is going all out to boost its charm offensive among voters.

From www.timeslive.co.za

The City of Harare (CoH) hit on a great way to save us rates bills by making money in another way. They rent out public spaces (our parks) to weddings. At $300 a time, it is cheap for the wedding party, and makes money for CoH.

However, it annoys the neighbours. Mainly the noise, at very high volumes, until the early morning hours. And then, the next renter is setting up very early (the same day) for the function they have rented it for that evening, which again goes into next morning. There were seven weddings in April 2011. Over four weekends. Which means the CoH was making good money, but the residents of the residential neighbourhood were not getting much rest on their weekends away from work.

Aside from the noise, the events are simply dangerous.

Parking is all conducted on the residential streets, verges, driveways, in the park on the grass and flowerbeds, even the street itself! I once observed the wedding party arriving, all in very high spirits right up to the moment the Mercedes did not stop as the 4WD pickup in front of her stopped and a loud crunching sound was heard with smashing glass. This is a residential neighbourhood – what if a residents child had been the one the Mercedes did not stop for?

The noise, both hooting in joy and rapture, and the PA system with the music. A wedding may be a once in a lifetime event for some lucky people. But if you live nearby, it happens seven times a month. And not just at times in the weekend, but for up to 24 hours of the day. A great party, but not everyone is happy for them, after a while.

In addition, while there is a function, or setting up for the function – the public, the residents of the area, the rates payers they are saving money for – are not allowed to use their park!

Toilet facilities? Who needs them? If there is no toilet available, just sneak off behind the bushes, plenty of them in a park! But when you are one of the one hundred and fifty people at the seventh wedding of the month, it rather smells behind every single bush. It smells in front of every bush for the month after. And sanitary?

So, the residents around Florence Chisholm Park got together. Or were mobilised, by one persistent resident. Meetings were held in the Park (from February 2011) with Staff Members of the Harare Gardens and correspondence was had with the Director of Public Safety. They heard and understood. They made promises (in April 2011). They would look at the rules. They would enforce the regulations. They would phone. They would stop taking bookings (but they were already completely booked up to the end of 2011 – 8 months in advance!). They would try to move them to Harare Central Gardens. Other residents complained. And held meetings. And were given promises. And the CoH staff went to observe the weddings.

And what happened? They parked in the street. The noise was too loud (and late). But, additional ablutions appeared (from one port-a-loo to six!).

And since January 2012 (a year later), there have been no weddings. It is now a residential neighbourhood again. And weddings are still being held, but elsewhere. So, residents can make a difference. Your voice can be heard. You can get what you want. It may take a long time, requires some persistence, and a volume of complaints, but results can be obtained.

The just ended 21st February Movement gala held over the weekend was yet another opportunity to ponder over media reforms in the country and commitments made in the GPA about this and other issues pertaining to easing the stranglehold on media plurality. For starters, it recalled the abuse of the national broadcaster by political elites who remain the same people who made commitments under the GPA to ensure equal representation. The gala “pungwe” which stretched well into Sunday midday indeed rekindled the debate over where does Zimbabwe draw the line between State/public media?  Then Deputy Minister of Information Jameson Timba is on record saying Zimbabwe has the capacity to have more than 10 broadcast stations at the least, and this is exactly the same stuff that gives relevance to complaints why viewers who are expected to pay licences have to endure watching the gala when in fact they can switch channels. And not SABC channels as presently is the case with many who cannot afford DSTV but their own. It is no wonder then that MISA-Zimbabwe is being taken to task about its programmes concerning community broadcasting: the media czars know too well that this is a sector they cannot “forfeit” to the masses as this just what the democratic processes demand, and as one of their own said not so long ago, it would be equal to legislating oneself out of power!

About the gala, someone asked who finances these pseudo-Woodstocks, if space is bought from ZBC, how much the Machesos are paid, how much the organisers sell a pint of lager, and just how this whole business works for viewers to be subjected to that mass buffoonery as adults both on and off the stage play make believe singing songs of praise when everyone knows better. But these are questions that have been rationalised into the psyche of many here, and a wisecrack actually noted that the naivety of doctors of spin knows no bounds: the numbers of these gyrating gala guests do not necessarily translate into votes! If only. And this in light of the President’s speech reminding the people from that region that it was time to claim the vote lost to the MDC-T in previous polls.

Also worth mentioning were these stupendous promotions being run alongside the gala and an interesting caveat apparently betrayed the whole farce: the promoters had the right to suspend the competition without warning, meaning they could take the money and run, after all this was the military running the show, so hey, they could do as they pleased! We will obviously watch the space to follow-up on the winners of those holidays for two and incredible spending money.

Thanks to Flora Veit-Wild for a tremendously beautiful rendition of her relationship with Dambudzo Marachera.

Dambudzo Marechera unlocked many doors for me and let me peek into the marvellous world beyond. He gave me intimations of hell, but also the strength to resist.

Read the whole piece on the Mail & Guardian.

Source: Dangerous Minds

“The first thing John Updike used to do when he received a new book was to smell it. To run his hands over it. Try experiencing that on a Kindle.”
- Chipp Kidd (book cover designer)