An assessment of the range of political parties we have to choose from shows that whichever way one looks at it, Zimbabweans are screwed!  It’s mediocre politicians all around, positing ludicrous policies whilst they happily take part in scandalous shenanigans.  So come next trip to the ballot box, we’ll just have to elect the lesser devil into power.  Question is, whose political thrust will be easiest to endure?

Missionaries

They’ve courted our vote for years, promising new and exciting things if we give them a chance.  They’ve positioned themselves as the party for the ordinary Joe, preaching right, opposing wrong and taking up the people’s cause.  To their credit, they’ve managed to gather a large following, many of them eager youths. Unfortunately, they have also shown signs that they will give us more of the same.  We have seen them in government and they haven’t proved themselves very different.  In fact, it’s quite predictable how things will turn out should they have complete rule.  I foresee that after they have been in office for a few years, they’ll have us lying on our backs once more, as we go through the motions of the same old same old.

Who’s On Top?

This party is small but feisty and able to play ball with the big boys.  Despite their size, they have many tricks up their sleeve and the ability to turn the heat up on events.  They are well known for rousing the political scene. The downside is that leadership issues remain unresolved.  As things stand, it appears to be a party of wrangling cowboys.  So one wonders, at election time, will we be voting for a party with a guy on top or maybe a reverse cowgirl?

Standing Up and Shaking

The little parties of Zimbabwe politics are unstable.  However, they make sure that everybody gets some and this keeps things entertaining.  Usually, as elections are coming, these groups remind us of their existence by becoming rather vocal.  Occasionally, they will make the news, either for infighting or swinging, that is exchanging (political) partners they get into bed with. For this reason, nobody truly knows what (and whom) they actually stand for.  Most people are therefore, uncomfortable about engaging with this bunch.  After all, can you really vote easy when there isn’t something solid to lean against, and you’re balancing on one leg with the other leg dangling precariously somewhere else?

Violated in Every Way

The lover who turns on you is the best way to describe this party.  Things began beautifully and we were happy bedfellows.  Today it is dramatically different and the good times are but a distant memory. It’s a case of no matter what position you choose for yourself, you will never be satisfied.  In fact, you will suffer abuse.  The party of selfish lovers have years of experience in bondage and sadomasochism.   They’ve made us perform demeaning acts, brainwashed and drugged us senseless, used and used us some more. Still, in spite of this, the results of the vote will have them firmly back in power, and power is what rape is all about.

With such a political landscape, it is understandable that Zimbabweans feel disillusionment, indifference and fatigue when it comes to voting.  Thus, when the outcome of the elections are known, by far the largest population of voters, as always, will be those who have opted not to pick a favourite position for being screwed over.

Two weeks ago, we read about jingles, written by the losing party to be put on national radio, saying “the people would rather have the military to rule them than an IMF stooge” (or western stooge, or whatever, the rhetoric is too stupid to listen to in detail).

Two days ago, we read that Air Commodore Kennedy Remigio Zimondi, director-general of military sports in Ministry of Defence, and third from the top in the chain of command in the Air Force of Zimbabwe, has been arrested on two counts of fraud/corruption, of $5000 and R235 000, and is facing a further count of fraud. So this is a senior military man, who is corrupt (or at least alleged to be, lets be fair).

How stupid do they think Zimbabweans are? How stupid can an organisation be?

And here I must pause to ask myself, what organisation? Zanu PF, the military, or the old ZANLA high command that has conducted the military coup? The one that has run Zimbabwe (into the ground while lining their pockets very well) for the last decade?

But what is the military for anyway? Defence? From whom? And if so, why are they not on border, and only on the border? Why are they so big, why so many (or is it a Zanu PF charity)? The defence of the country is done by Foreign Affairs, who see to it that no one wants to invade Zimbabwe. Talks, treaties, negotiation, good relations with our neighbours, etc. After all, even the Americans have not invaded Libya, and Libya has oil. We have … 80 percent unemployment.

Back to the military. How many planes can the Air Force fly? How many transporters, fighter jets, helicopters? Last I saw helicopters flying, they were shooting diamond panners in Chiangwa. This is not an Air Force job (at least, not the traditional/formal Air Force). But perhaps I am the stupid one. The role of the Air Force is to make money, as demonstrated by their leaders.

And the ground forces? How many armoured cars can drive? How many trucks? How many artillery pieces, rocket launchers, anti-aircraft guns, etc. can even fire? How much AK ammunition does each soldier have? It makes me wonder, what is the role of the armed forces, what are they supposed to do, what do they believe they can do? Besides rule the country in place of Mr Mugabe or some western stooge. And do they really believe they can do that?

The small amounts of the corruption arrests make people wonder, what did Zimondi do, and to who, that made him get thrown to the dogs? (Those ‘internal security dogs of “Animal Farm” fame). Because we all know they are all corrupt, so why pick this one individual to get arrested?

This year the World Bank forecasted that the economic growth rate in Sub-Saharan Africa would reach 5.3%.  Adding to this positive projection, the Economist published an analysis conducted over the ten years up to 2010, which states that six of the world’s ten fastest growing economies were in Sub-Saharan Africa. For the period 2011-2015, the analysis forecasts that Mozambique, Tanzania, Congo and Zambia will be ranked in the top ten fastest growing economies in the world.

Zimbabwe stands a very real and frightening chance of being left behind by her neighbours. While the core philosophy of Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment is to restructure our economy and restore sovereignty to the previously disenfranchised majority, the proposed regulations fall far short of this aspiration. The Research and Advocacy Unit recently released a report titled “Racketeering by Regulation”. Noting political and selfish interests behind the regulations, the report says:

… simplistic interpretations placed upon the laws by the press have fed into the notion that white owned and foreign businesses will soon be dispensed as largesse to the ZANU PF faithful.

… Over the Regulations hover the spectre of the land invasions and the tacit threat that, if a business has not suggested a means by which 51% of the business can be transferred to indigenous Zimbabweans, the business will simply be seized in the same manner that land was taken from white farmers.

The regulations in no way make provision for the key ingredients required for creating wealth and prosperity for all Zimbabweans, being more concerned with expropriating existing capital. Myopically, Mr. Kasukwere failed to craft regulations that create a policy environment conducive to the creation of new wealth, and most especially encouraging entrepreneurship by young indigenous Zimbabweans. RAU’s report is aptly titled. The regulations create an environment that can only foster greater corruption and patronage by those in power.

Our Dear Leader and his government need put in place the right policies and provide the right environment and incentives for capital and businesses to come in, and for the creation of new business by indigenous persons. Government cannot punish foreign investors that already have a presence in the country with one hand, and beg for new investment with the other. It is contradictory and self-defeating. The survival of ZANU PF itself beyond the next election also depends on the success of their present and future policies regarding indigenization and investment. It is an oft-repeated fact that Zimbabwe has a significantly young population that is largely unemployed. It is this section of our society that is eagerly awaiting the disbursement of riches from foreign owned firms.  Only when tangible solutions to poverty and unemployment are delivered will the Third Chimurenga become more than another convenient political rallying point.

The Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) really needs to put a stop to their Zanu-fication:

Wednesday, 22 June 2011

Voluntary Media Council of Zimbabwe (VMCZ) statement on the barring of ZBC crew from covering an MDC-T rally in Gweru

The Voluntary Media Council of Zimbabwe is concerned by reports that rowdy youths allegedly belonging to the MDC-T barred a Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) news crew from covering the party’s rally at Mkoba Stadium in Gweru over the weekend, accusing the broadcaster of reporting negatively about their party.

The Voluntary Media Council of Zimbabwe (VMCZ) condemns in the strongest terms the barring of the reporters from executing their mandate of reporting accurately and objectively to society.

It is an issue of serious concern that the youths, and anyone for that matter, should interfere with journalists who are only undertaking their professional duties be they from the private media or state media houses.

The VMCZ is also of the strong view that political parties need to revisit their understanding of Section 20 of Zimbabwe’s Constitution, which guarantees freedom of expression and access to information. It is this section that makes the right of the Zimbabwean public and all media professionals to receive and impart information a fundamental human right and not a privilege.

Political parties are strongly urged to restrain their supporters to refrain from attacking journalists and media practitioners and for the supporters to tolerate divergence of views that exist in the Zimbabwean society.

It is against this background that VMCZ urges all political parties in Zimbabwe and Zimbabweans in general, who have a problem with a media story as is published by print or broadcast media in Zimbabwe to approach the VMCZ Media Complaints Committee to seek redress. Email info [at] vmcz [dot] co [dot] zw

All reported cases are dealt with under the VMCZ Code of Conduct which regulates the operations of the media in the country.

Last year there was uproar about the Zimbabwe Ministry of Education’s new policy of allowing expecting teenagers parental leave from school. This year the National Aids Council has proposed the introduction of condoms into schools as a way of fighting HIV/AIDS. This has also been met by a public outcry. Even organisations purporting to represent the best interests of young people are in denial about teenagers having sex.

Newsday quotes Programmes director for Justice for Children Trust, Caleb Mutandwa as saying: “I think for us as an organisation, seconding the placement of condoms in schools will be difficult to support. Most children in schools are young and the majority of those at secondary school are still below age, below the age of 16. What will they need them for?”

Youth Forum senior programmes officer Terrence Chimhavi also agreed, citing a lack of curricula designed to teach adolescents about contraceptives. He added, “Instead they should be taught about the disadvantages of engaging in sexual activities and be taught about how to abstain.”

The reasons why adolescents engage in sex are numerous and complex, but surely the most terrifying is economic. Intergenerational sex, where young girls have sex with older men for money, is a well-documented phenomenon. Several reports have concluded that consensual or forced sexual relations between vulnerable girls and older men – is driving much of the AIDS epidemic in southern Africa because many of the men are HIV-infected. According to UNAIDS, four out of five new infections in Zimbabwe in the 15-24 year old age group in 2005 were among girls. More specifically at risk of infection within the group are adolescents, as evidenced by the MOHCW (2000) study in which girls in the 15-19 years age group had an infection rate about five times that of males in the same age group.

It is no longer enough to say that good girls or boys don’t have sex before marriage.  Our traditional systems are collapsing, the high number of illegal abortions and the disturbing media reports of children who have been sexually assaulted by relatives should be adequate evidence of this. If we are to raise an HIV-free generation we have to look at the problem objectively, without being pious or self righteous. Our children need a sex-education curriculum that is unprejudiced and presents them with all their options, not just abstinence. They need greater access to reproductive services without being stigmatised by healthcare workers. Policy makers and non-governmental workers need to address the economic reasons young girls are having sex, and to stop living in denial. It is irresponsible to prescribe solutions that they personally do not practise.

In 1976 thousands of black school children in (Soweto) South Africa took to the streets to protest against inferior education and they demanded their right to be taught in their own language. This was a protest against an oppressive regime. Since its initiation by the Organization of African Unity, June 16 of every year is a day a day set aside to honour those who were killed and for the courage shown by the students who took part in the protests. This years commemorations are being held under the theme, “All Together for Urgent Action in Favour of – Street Children”

It’s almost thirty-five years down memory lane after the tragic events in South Africa and the African child still struggles to access basic education. The economic down turn being experienced in most African countries has resulted in more parents failing to send their children to school. Access to education is no longer a necessity but a luxury to those who can afford it. With unemployment rates at above 90% the Government of Zimbabwe introduced BEAM – the Basic Education Assistance Module to cater for children (especially orphans) from disadvantaged backgrounds at primary and secondary level but more funding is still needed to ensure that all the children at primary school can have access to free education.

The withdrawal of education grants has left students at higher institutes of learning in   a dire position. Students now live a pathetic life on campus and very few can afford two meals per day. When students try to have their voices heard most of them end up being threatened with expulsion or incarceration. Student bodies in African countries continue to be persecuted each and every time they try to show signs of discontent with government policies.

So for how long will the African child continue to cry before s/he can be heard?