Driving home from work on Monday evening I see a young woman being harassed by two guys. I reverse back down the road and ask her if she’d like a ride. But she says she ok.

Get a phone call at work. A woman asks for advice. She’s come across a mentally unstable woman walking around. She had no clothes on. So the good Samaritan took her home for a shower, some food and a set of clothes. But now what, she asks me?

A student from Bindura emails us about intimidation. The last line of his email reads: I am a classmate to Collen doing Masters of Peace and Governance degree and we feel insecure already.

Time for the MDC to catch a wake up call
When we voted for the Councils and mayors we had faith that we would at long last get a go ahead Mayor and councillors; who would be honest and practise fiscal restraint. In many instances this has not been so. I am totally disgusted that Mayor Masunda and Chombo and others defend the purchasing of two luxury vehicles valued at $350,000. This is utterly ridiculous for a country that puts out a budget half the size of that of Pick and Pay, South Africa and in a country where millions are mired in poverty. This penchant for expensive vehicles is tantamount to looting and stealing from tax and ratepayers. Is there no wisdom at all anywhere? Is there no restraint at all? I and my company are long standing tax payers and rate payers and I am rapidly reaching that stage where I feel that someone should start a campaign to withhold all taxes and rates until government in all forms catches a wake up and decides to use our money wisely. Most of what we see is absolute greed and selfishness. Personally I say zvakwana, zvakwana. Have you all forgotten that slogan? We need a law that puts a cap on ALL motor vehicles purchased for ALL public officials. When everyone has a home and a job and when every child goes to school and when every sick person can be treated only then will we be happy to treat you to luxury vehicles! – NM, Harare

Buy Zimbabwean
The fact that the majority of goods consumed in the country are imported has created a crisis in Zimbabwe. Make sure at least half of what you buy is a local product and you will CREATE a job or jobs. You will help save my job and I will help to save your job and the government will collect taxes and sort out the water and power issues (hopefully).  We have the power to help each other. Let’s create jobs here and not in South Africa or China by buying Zimbabwean products. Before we blame others for our state, let’s do our bit by buying Zimbabwean products. – SC, Harare

Post-independence Zimbabwe
Believe it or not, the challenge of mind-set change is still a facade and far outcry in post-independence Zimbabwe! Grotesque levels of corruption, poor health service delivery, hatred, policy shelving, duplicity of politicians, violence, citizens’ apathy and absence of rule of law continue to spell a bleak future for our country. Statesmen and policy makers where are you? – RM, Harare

As the summer of 2012 continues to be windy and dry almost everyone is now wondering what the Gods have in store for Zimbabwe this season. In the midst of jostling for political power and dishing out of farm inputs not much attention is being given to the weather patterns. The Meteorological Department Services recently indicated that the country is likely to face yet another dry season characterized by erratic rains. These predictions are slowly proving to be true as we are almost reaching midway of the summer season and very little rainfall has been recorded countrywide. March 2013 has been set as the month for holding the next elections in Zimbabwe. March is a month familiar with elections. During the month of March in 2008 the country experience food shortages, violence and hyperinflation. Elections in Zimbabwe bring nightmares to many, even worse when the rains have been erratic. Election fear and hunger will characterize the 2013 ballot. My spiritual fear leads me to think that maybe drought is a curse bestowed on elections in this country.

From the diary of Chris Magadza:

Chris Magadza, Zimbabwean poet and academic, shares his experiences during a research road trip with a group of students.

Saturday
Leaving for Hwange with my Master’s class of four; an eight-hundred-kilometre drive. As the vehicle is not an off-road 4×4, I have to take the Bulawayo route, otherwise we could cut the trip by going via Binga, reducing the journey by some 300 km. Arrived 4:30 p.m., averaging 110 km per hour, including fuelling and toilet stops. Caught doing 135 km per hour!  Traffic officer demurred to my age and advised safe driving. Sometimes it pays not to shave.

Sunday
Went on the Dopi Loop in the morning recording animals, temperature, humidity and coordinates; Nyamandhlovu viewing platform in the afternoon. First time students had seen any wild animals. A noticeable number of newly born and yearlings, elephant babies among the herds. Many pictures with my new GE camera; can take good pictures at more than 200m.

Monday
Student Z had generously urinated all over the toilet seat and on the floor. When I shouted at him, he just smiled. Went the Central road transect towards Robin Camp for 48km counting animals; more elephants seen than any other mammalian species; evidence of elephant damage on vegetation quite visible? One horned kudu at Guvalala Pumped Waterhole and magnificent sable bull. Visited Painted Dog Project Centre. Greg almost as short as me now after his air-crash operation! Had to wait an hour before evening shower since Student Z had emptied all the hot water to have a full bath.

Tuesday
The three male students slept until 11 a.m., in spite of an assignment given the evening before. So much for supposedly post-graduate ecology students; definitely the worst class I’ve had in my teaching career. No wonder everyone refers to University of Zimbabwe students now as ‘vana vechikoro’ . . .  schoolchildren.

Wednesday
Male students kicked out of bed by cleaning lady at 10:30 a.m. Left for Harare at 11:30 a.m. Home 8:30 p.m. Young police officer asks for my driving license at the Gwayi roadblock. ‘Do you think at my age (almost 73) I would be driving a university vehicle without a driver’s licence?’ He then demanded to see it. He walked round the vehicle and then ordered me to park off road and walked off with my licence. After a minute, I went to ask why he was detaining us. He signalled me to a young lady officer who was already writing something down.
“What are you writing?” I asked.
“A ticket” she said menacingly.
“What for?” I asked.
“Your left-side rear-view mirror is missing.”
“What does the law say about rear-view mirrors?”
“But you have a missing mirror.”
“How many mirrors must I have?”
“That is the law”
“The law says I must have a rear-view mirror. If you would like to check, there is a rear-view mirror mounted in the car.”
“But you must have all the mirrors the car was made with.”
“I drive a car Reg. AAM 9735 that was made with no left-hand side rear-view mirror. Is that an offence?”
“Just go, but someone will arrest you.”

Driving against opposing night traffic when most drivers don’t dim their headlights is quite nerve-wracking. It’s fine not being able to dim your headlights, or having no signals, or lights for that matter!

Thursday
Dorothy rang: Borrowdale vleis fight; the greed and corruption of Zimbabwean politicians makes one feel you are perpetually swimming in urine; all for double storey, multi-multi-bedroomed mansions, as well as the biggest Mercedes in the world – possessions that in no way contribute to the economy of the land. Have to give talk at Harare Rotary but can’t remember venue.

Friday
Eventful start; nearly run over by own car, knocked down by door trying to stop it rolling back; stopped by smashing Irene’s potted plant, fortunately large enough to stop the car. Have to write to Vice Chancellor explaining why the Red Bishop and Masked Weaver need reeds to breed; he has been ordering the them cut down as well as a host of trees, some planted more than 50 years ago by founding professor of Botany Arthur Boughey, according the Bentham-Hooker systematics scheme. Also, must prepare annual report for WEZ for Saturday AGM.

Source: Poetry International

The Paris Review: Raymond Carver’s OkCupid profile, as edited by Gordon Lish.