Hats off to Zane E. Lucas for his adaptation of the musical, Rent. I went to the matinee last Saturday and have to say that I was blown away by both the talent on the stage, as well as Zane’s direction. I’ve heard rumours that audiences tended to thin out after interval but not on the afternoon I went. This surprised me because the majority of the audience were old age pensioners (OAPs) who I thought would be shocked out of their seats. Instead they held their ground and took great and particular delight in Angel’s performance, Zimbabwe’s best ever high kicking drag queen. The singing was strong all round, and I’m pleased to see that Josh has got some competition as leading male actor in the form of Zoran Zec. More please Zoran. And more please also from Erin J. Housam who wowed me with her piece, Over The Moon. She Must win an award for one of the best cameos I’ve seen on stage in Zimbabwe.

One small bug bear … some of the band looked decidedly bored by the whole affair. I saw a guitarist sucking on what looked like a bottle of Energade but it didn’t do anything to perk him Up. The band, when they’re visible and on stage, are a part of the performance, so best keep them in the dark if they can’t match the energy of the actors.

Rumours of a revolution in Zimbabwe have been greatly exaggerated. Filled with hope but little practical knowledge, several unidentified groups took to Facebook in an attempt to replicate the Egyptian revolution here. These attempts have failed because as Ghandi says ‘Revolution has had no blueprint, and all the blueprints that were written before a revolution never proved true.’

In my recent interview with Professor John Makumbe, this is what he had to say about the failed Facebook attempt:

It failed because everybody knew it was organised from the Diaspora, and the Diaspora has no business organising people in Zimbabwe. It is when people organise through cyberspace in Zimbabwe so that the cyberspace communication is reinforced by clandestine on the ground assurance that things will happen. People are very keen to do it, but they will not do it without knowing someone who is going to be part of it, or someone who is organising it, or someone to whom they will cry if things don’t go well. And it must be someone local. Not someone toying with cyberspace in the Diaspora from the comfort of one bedroom with a large screen television in the hope that they can mobilise the poor people to hit the streets. From there no!

JCI Zimbabwe is inviting nominations for the 2011 Ten Outstanding Young Persons of Zimbabwe (JCI TOYP) program. The program formally recognizes young people between the ages of 18 and 40 who excel in their chosen fields and create positive change, raising the status of socially responsible leaders in this world. Nominations are being invited from individuals, professional bodies, associations, religious groups, Non Governmental Organisations, interest groups, the academia and quasi government institutions, in ten areas.

Each nominee must be entered in one – only one – of the ten categories below:

1.    Business, economic and/or entrepreneurial accomplishment
2.    Political, legal and/or governmental affairs
3.    Academic leadership and/or accomplishment
4.    Cultural achievement
5.    Moral and/or environmental leadership
6.    Contribution to children, world peace and/or human rights
7.    Humanitarian and/or voluntary leadership
8.    Scientific and/or technological development
9.    Personal improvement and/or accomplishment and
10.  Medical innovation

Young men and women may be nominated in one of ten categories. The honourees will be selected by a panel of distinguished judges. Up to ten honourees will be selected from all nominations received, regardless of category entered, and will be announced and honoured with JCI TOYP trophies at a National Ceremony set for July 30, 2011.

Nomination forms must be submitted physically to any Innov8 Bookshop around Zimbabwe, by email to jcitoyz [at] gmail [dot] com on by filling out the online form by May 6, 2011. Once chosen as one of the Ten Outstanding Young Persons of Zimbabwe, the honourees will be entered into the JCI International Ten Outstanding Young Persons of the World competition where they will compete at international level against entrants from over 100 countries where JCI is represented. The top ten international winners will receive an all round trip, accommodation plus registration to attend the 66th JCI World Congress in Brussels, Belgium, 1 – 5 November, 2011.

For more information, questions or concerns, contact: Tinashe Nyaruwanga (Program Director) Phone: +263 772 750 133 Email: tinasheny [at] gmail [dot] com or jcitoyz [at] gmail [dot] com

Lloyd Ngwenya (JCI Zimbabwe National Public Relations Director) Phone: +263 774 302 442 Email: lngwenya [at] zol [dot] co [dot] zw

Given the political posturing and harassment which seems the norm in Zimbabwe these days, it’s easy to wonder what difference any of us can make.

But two pieces of recent news have left me encouraged by the opportunities for small change, at least, and have renewed my conviction that speaking out does matter.

Firstly, Parliament has reconsidered sections of the General Laws Amendment Bill following concerns raised by the public and during the Portfolio Committee review stage. Specifically, sections that would have changed procurement regulations to reduce the power and autonomy of local authorities, and changes in copyright laws which would have restricted the ability to copy and share national legislation have come under scrutiny. As such, Parliament has agreed to rewrite the legislation to omit the problematic sections.

I was also encourage to see a recent report from the Voluntary Media Council of Zimbabwe (VMCZ) which demonstrated the power of their complaints mechanism.

According to VMCZ:

MISA-Zimbabwe filed a complaint with the MCC over a Redds advertisement carried in the Standard Newspaper of 06 March 2011. The advertisement showed the posteriors of four women each holding a bottle of Redds. MISA-Zimbabwe said the advertisement objectifies women. After a complaint was lodged with the MCC, Delta beverages withdrew the advertisement and apologised to MISA-Zimbabwe.

Speaking your mind, voicing your concern really can make a difference.

Subscribe to the Veritas and SAPST mailings to stay informed about events in Parliament, and use the VMCZ complaints mechanism to air your concerns about the media.

Since attending a SAPES Seminar last year where Jonathan Moyo presented on the topic NGOs, Donors and Zimbabwe’s Transition, I’ve harboured a deep suspicion that he is in fact an evil genius the likes which have only previously been seen in comic books as the antagonist to some super naturally inclined being, and mere mortals, like myself, don’t stand a chance against his superior intellect. Today Professor John Makumbe confirmed my suspicions:

I think he is insane. He has the capacity and the intelligence to expose the reality of ZANU PF, but he goes beyond that and makes ZANU PF more evil than it actually is. Instead of accepting ZANU PF, you are revolted by it as a result of what Jonathan Moyo has done to it. He has transformed it into a monster, literally. He is an intelligent guy, a brilliant guy…but anything he does, if he’s doing something good he will do it so well, if he’s doing something bad he will [also] do it well! When he loves, I think he loves fully, and when he hates, he hates totally. That’s Jonathan.

I never forget when he became Minister of Information and Publicity and the journalists were screaming… and he said ‘you ain’t seen nothing yet!’ and for sure, he banged them left right and centre.

If he is not managed, Jonathan Moyo will very easily ensure ZANU PFs demise … complete demise.

Obviously, I’m intrigued. If you are reading this Mr. Moyo, won’t you grant me an interview to either confirm or deny my suspicions?