Even when the GNU was inked in 2008, progressive, cerebral and visceral analysts – and even pseudo-intellectuals – greeted the marriage of inconvenience with the same cynicism that Zanu PF game planners are considering the outcome of what many see as this rushed election.

Reasonable men and women wondered how Zanu PF- a nationalist and rightwing party – could capitulate to any demands placed on the table by the MDC, and this based on previous pronouncements that they did not see any reason why in their opinion people with no liberation war credentials could be allowed to rule the country. And now we have Khaya Moyo and Chihuri speaking the language of Chinotimba we pretend to be surprised, only because another election is looming despite popular opinion that this will be the death of us as the conditions for a credible elections are palpably absent.

In this newest discourse on the future of the country, the issue then becomes what has to be done to have a consensus that the country can go head and have elections, not to mention the referendum. Based on what we already know about the Zanu PF collective and the congenital and abysmal attitude to democracy and the people’s right too choose a government of their own, it would be safe to say that what has been missing in this crisis is outside leverage to make Mugabe bend.  Yet we also already know Mugabe’s attitude toward outsiders “interfering”  in the internal affairs of “his” country.

What choices then do Zimbabweans have on the face of these apparently intractable contradictions as defined for the whole nation by Mugabe and Zanu PF? You get Jonathan Moyo saying the MDC will never win an election, and you have to ask what informs such careless statements: who is voting, the people of Zimbabwe or Zanu PF? Obviously Zanu PF will never vote for the MDC, and in an election where only Zanu PF elements vote, you can guarantee an MDT thrashing – much like the June presidential run-off farce – but for God’s sake it does not work that way and you somewhat understand why Zanu PF would insist on having these elections, because they figure there wont be any MDC supporters to vote thanks to the patriotic efforts of Jabulani Sibanda and Chinotimba!

But then it has to be asked for how long Mugabe and Zanu PF are going to ride roughshod over the wishes not only of Zimbabweans but standards set by the international community which has – albeit feebly – tried to steer this country to placid waters? Imagine the progeny of Zanu PF hawks embracing the same militancy half a century after Zimbabwe’s independence and telling us that no one without liberation war credentials is fit to rule! You then understand the belligerency Africa has seen in its many troubled spots where obdurate nationalists and despots are responded to by matching militancy from frustrated opponents who decided the ballot was just but a fart in the wind as far as the nationalist despots were concerned.

Another thing that has brought the rather unnecessary stretching of this crisis, some contend, is the mediation by SADC and how useless the whole exercise has been since the Mbeki years. International relations and diplomacy efforts only work when local parties involved in negotiations see themselves as equals, after all this is what has brought to an end some of the continent’s most atrocious human crises. Zimbabwe however offers an example that negotiations can drag for centuries as long as one party to the negotiations obsesses about entitlement to political power despite the good intentions of mediators to make repair the limping country.

Meanwhile, with this insistence on elections by Zanu PF, we do not have to brace ourselves that the victory Zanu PF is already claiming will be disputed: we already know that the mediators will persuade the MDC to accept a Zanu PF victory while those who voted for change and the international community who question the outcome will be told once again to go to hell. And where does that leave the ordinary man, woman and child? Well, just blame the MDC for not being tough enough on Mugabe and Zanu PF, yet you still have to empathise with those so-called MDC hardliners who were – and still are – against this marriage that has inconvenienced us all when we could be using our brains to understand better things other than how Zanu PF the party Simon Khaya Moyo so much extols lost the bush war plot, how this neo-patrimonialism crap came to make supposedly good man bad.

I saw and wept the other day at the response to Gabon’s run-off election where results were torn in front of television cameras by an official from the party that was sensing sure defeat, and you understand Zanu PF’s thesis that they will never accept an electoral outcome that does not favour them as a culture from the Dark Ages where the rule and the will of the people has no place in their definition of self-rule and self-determination. The question obviously becomes, why hold elections if you are not going to accept the results? Chinotimba answered that already in a Newsday interview:

That’s how we do things in Zanu PF!

The following is a short story written by Robert McLaren the national director of CHIPAWO. Founded in 1989, CHIPAWO is an arts education Trust that is all about sharing. Children of all backgrounds and abilities from age 4 and schoolchildren of all ages learn to sing, dance, play music, act, make videos and work together, communicate, develop confidence and life skills, build through criticism and so much more – in short, arts education for development and employment. If you would like to make a donation, or support the work of CHPAWO, please contact them here.

ANGEL SAVES CHIPAWO LIFE

If you read the heading carefully you will see that it does not say “Angel saves CHIPAWO’s life”. That would imply that the angel did something to help CHIPAWO out of a sticky situation. No, this angel actually saved the life of a member of the CHIPAWO family.

What happened was this. There is a young lady, a graduate, who works for CHIPAWO as the Programmes Officer, whom for the purposes of this news item we shall call Patience. She was the one who went to India a few months back to teach children Zimbabwean dance and culture. She was also involved in the recent road accident and had her leg in plaster for some weeks. Currently she and her sister are living with me as their family was illegally evicted with many other families from a huge apartment complex by the landlord.

About three weeks ago Patience began to complain of pains, weakness and loss of appetite. I was away and when I returned and heard her symptoms I thought at first that she might be anaemic. She went onto iron tablets and for a day or two this seems to have brought about a marked change for the better.

However on Thursday last week, I was called to fetch her from the office as she was not well. She was shivering with cold and very weak. The next day her family took her to Parirenyatwa Hospital. This hospital is the main referral hospital in the country. If we had abided by the treatment that was dished out to her there, she would be dead today.

Patience and her family spent the whole day at the hospital. The first doctor said it could be malaria. The second said it wasn’t and pronounced with great helpfulness that it was ‘fever’. Even as a layman, I know that fever is caused by an illness and that there are many different types of fever. The ‘fever’ was treated but the cause was not investigated. She bought the prescribed pain-killers and antibiotics and came home.

By next morning it was clear that she was in serious distress. She was panting and could no longer walk. I did not know what to do. I could see she needed professional attention. So I decided to take her to a local private Medical Centre.

Though at one stage in Zimbabwe most working families had some kind of medical insurance, few have today. With the economy slowly stabilising and people trying to scrape together enough to pay the basics, medical insurance is only gradually becoming a possibility again. CHIPAWO had in place a comprehensive group medical insurance scheme for its staff until the big crash earlier this year. Now it has nothing.

Patience’s family had no insurance and so that was going to mean cash on the nail – up front. Whereas Parirenyatwa is affordable by almost all, the local private medical centre can only be accessed by the relatively well-off.

The first down payment was the consultation fee – US$30. But Patience at last began to receive proper medical attention. Meanwhile I phoned her mother and arranged to meet her and bring her to the medical centre. Before we could get back, I got a call from the doctor at the centre, saying that she needed X-rays and a pelvic scan. I told him we were on our way.

When we got there the doctor gave us the alarming news. The patient had septicaemia. He said she had an infection caused by a suspected abdominal abscess. The infection had spread to the blood stream and now was affecting the whole body. At this point one began to fear the worst. She needed to go for two X-rays and a scan urgently.

The bill at the medical centre was US105. The ambulance  would be another US$40. When I said I would take her in Nzou (the legendary 1983 Ford Cortina station wagon), the sister pointed out that Patience really was very sick. So the ambulance it had to be. The two X-rays and the scan were going to come to over US$200 but since it was Saturday and we would arrive after 12 noon there was going to be a surcharge of another US$60.

The cash I happened to have with me – or available for that matter – would cover the costs at the medical centre and the ambulance but there was no money for the X-rays and the scan. What to do? We needed money and we needed it quick.

CHIPAWO had nothing. It was too late to raid the bank and in any case CHIPAWO staff were busy at the National Arts Council’s Jikinya Primary Schools dance competition finals, where CHIPAWO children had been contracted to perform. I seem to have very few friends who are able to help in such circumstances. Those I have were not available.

That is when I phoned the CHIPAWO angel. She is a highly-educated professional, who has supported CHIPAWO, attended CHIPAWO functions and generally shown her appreciation of CHIPAWO’S work over the years. I managed to get hold of her. She was on her way out but agreed immediately, asked me where the medical centre is and drove over with the money. I told her she was an angel. I meant it in both meanings of the word. An angel can be a benefactor as in angels of a particular theatre that they support with yearly donations.

After handing the money over and as she drove away she said: “Don’t bother to pay it back. I know CHIPAWO is poor. Take it as a donation.” I called after her: “CHIPAWO is rich – but not in money.” Laughing, she said “Whatever!” and drove away.

The scan and X-rays revealed that indeed there was a problem in her abdomen. She was immediately sent off to hospital – Parirenyatwa again as it happens. But this time to a specialist who had been well briefed by the young doctor at the centre. She was operated on at 1am this morning and seems to be making a good recovery . Let us hope for the best – and thank the ‘angel’ and the staff of the centre that I believe really did save a CHIPAWO life.

I couldn’t help being struck by the irony of those queues at Parirenyatwa and one or two probably junior or student doctors struggling to attend to all those who needed them and the nice, competent young doctor at the private medical centre, lounging against a piece of furniture chatting with the sister after he had finished attending to Patience. A day’s waiting for poor medical delivery for those who do not have the money and instant attention and excellent care for those who do! And what would have happened if there had been no angel?

In truth, those who have, have and those who have not, have not.

PS Patience was operated on at 1am that night. The operation was successful. She is now out of Intensive Care and recovering well. Hats off to Parirenyatwa after all. The nursing care has been exemplary.

The Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) cordially invites you to attend  a public debate on the topic “Prisoners right to health in Zimbabwe challenges and opportunities”

The public meeting will be held at the Book Cafe on the 30th of November 2010.

The meeting will start at 1730hrs through to 1900hrs.

This morning, Newsday reported on the infamous National Youth Service programme, in particular plans to incorporate its graduates into the civil service. The youth service, according to ZANU PF politburo member Jacob Mudenda was established . . .

“to teach the youth political direction. The youths have always played an important role in campaigning for the party. They should also be given jobs.”

With the collapse of the education system and the flight of anyone who is able to the diaspora, Zimbabwe seems to be left with mindless thoughtless zombies. These same zombies, who’s unemployment level is over 90%, are primed for exploitation, whether they themselves recognise it or not.

With the revival, or at least debate about revival, of National Youth Service Centres (no mention has been made about reform) it appears that ZANU PF is readying itself to campaign for the undeclared, yet to be funded 2011 elections. The issue of the ‘people-driven’ constitution, all the rage a few months ago, has been forgotten and given a back seat, even by civil society and MDC-T, who were the biggest proponents of that pointless exercise.

The negotiated settlements, were thrown out the window giving ZANU PF, with it’s militarised institutions the upper hand.

The people of Zimbabwe should be afraid. The GPA doesn’t matter, the Government of National Unity is anything but, and politically naïve opposition parties have learnt nothing from the past twelve years.

As we commemorate this year’s 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Based Violence, I want to think of some of the Zimbabwean women I have met in the course of the year. I will try and give you a snapshot of their lives. These are women who I dare say, will not be celebrating much this year except perhaps being alive.

Martha* is a courageous woman. She was assaulted two weeks ago in Mudzi where she had gone to follow up Sarudzai*, a victim from 2008. When Martha got to Sarudzai’s homestead she was told that Sarudzai had not been back since 2008. I do not know where Sarudzai is living now. I do not know whether she is still alive. I do not know how she is faring. As for Martha, she has recovered from the assault that she was subjected to. She smiles and puts a brave face on it because as she says, this is not the first time. She has had it worse before. My attitude towards the violence she has been subjected to is not as blasé as hers seems to be. I get upset, I get angry and then I am afraid. Afraid for her because, one of these days, they will accomplish what they have spent the last 10 years trying to do. Beat her into silence. Beat her into submission. Beat her to death because with Martha, I am sure death is the only way they will silence her.

Rutendo* knows the pain of displacement only too well. At 64, she had to suffer the pain and humiliation of being gang-raped by boys young enough to be her grandsons. The trauma of that experience lives with her still. None of her close relatives know about her ordeal. She never went back home after that night. Now she goes from relative to relative, living from day to day, wondering when she will die. She wonders if she could be infected but she has not been able to go for tests. It’s a lot for her just to wake up and go about the business of living. Rape is not an event. It lasts a lifetime.

Chipo* is a 33 year old woman. In September, she had not seen her children since December 2009. She could hardly talk about her children without breaking down. They now live in the rural areas with their paternal grandparents and Chipo does not have the money to go and visit them. Her oldest son will sometimes beg some kind adult and call Chipo. He will beg her to come and get them. But Chipo has not been able to get her life together. You see, Chipo was brutally beaten and raped. When that happened, her husband decided he could not live with a woman who had “tasted” other men. He told her to leave. Chipo tried to hang on to her two children, but without a home, it was difficult. She made the decision to take the children to their father because at least he still had somewhere to live. She had nothing. Rape is not just about the woman; it is about the woman, her husband, her family and her children. They too are victims.

Someone else who knows the impact of violence on children is Bertha* who is 44 years old. Her youngest child was 1 month old when she was subjected to brutal beatings and rape. Bertha is convinced that the days she spent sitting outside exposed to the relentless June cold in 2008, as punishment for her and her husband’s political beliefs are what killed her son. I met Bertha just two weeks after she buried her son.  Bertha says her remaining children are so traumatised by the violence they witnessed that every time they see strangers approaching their home, they run away into the bush. One such time her son saw a man they recognised from the 2008 beatings of her mother. He was walking along the road that passes by their home. They thought he was coming for them and they ran off into the bush. Her 7-year-old son fell and broke his arm. Two year after the violence, these children are still traumatised. As for Bertha, she is still trying to rebuild her life. Starting with rebuilding her home, which was burnt down for the 3rd time in August 2008. Violence breeds poverty. Violence leaves victims battling with trauma.

Should l tell you about Agnes*? She was beaten and raped until she lost consciousness.  Her husband’s grandmother found her still unconscious the next morning. She roused her and hid her in the bush. There she was to spend the next 5 days while traditional herbs were applied to try and heal her. You see in the violence, the men who were raping her tore through her vagina to her rectum.  Agnes lost her husband. When he came back, they went for tests and she was HIV Positive. He tested negative. He divorced her. That was in December 2008. Agnes has to live with HIV. She has to go to the toilet often and she is always worried that she smells. That is her daily reality. That and the recurrent nightmares and panic attacks. Did l mention that she has to carefully choose where she walks in case she meets one of her attackers?

I could go on, but l won’t. I am sure you get the picture.

The theme for this year’s 16 Days of Activism is Structures of Violence: Defining the Intersections of Militarism and Violence against Women.

The Centre for Women’s Global Leadership defines militarism as:

An ideology that creates a culture of fear and supports the use of violence, aggression, or military interventions for settling disputes and enforcing economic and political interests. It is a psychology that often has grave consequences for the true safety and security of women and of society as a whole. To embrace militarism is to presume that everyone has enemies and that violence is an effective way to solve problems.

I am sure most of us are familiar with the rhetoric that we have been fed with each successive election. Already this is being ramped up ahead of the rumoured 2011 elections. The Zimbabwe Peace Project in their October 2010 Report state that there have been 47,882 reported violations since 2008. These include rape, assaults, intimidation, discrimination, kidnapping, unlawful detention, arson and torture and displacement. There is clearly an ideology that seeks to create a culture of fear and which supports the use of violence for political and economic ends. Analysts have spoken about the militarisation of the State in Zimbabwe (appointment of the military to strategic institutions like Zimbabwe Prisons Service (ZPS) the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP), the Central Intelligence Organization (CIO), the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC), and parastatals such as the National Oil Company of Zimbabwe (NOCZIM), the Grain Marketing Board (GMB), National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) but have not really examined what it means for women.

The women I spoke about above were victims because they were wives, sisters and daughters and even daughters-in-law of political activists. Others were activists in their own right. Their bodies became canvases on which was inscribed in blood, the messages of hate and violence. Militarisation means increased insecurity and violence for women. It means exclusion from political life. It means a reversal of all the gains that had been made in the past 30 years. It means spending money on the military and quasi-military apparatus and not on the efforts to prevent the deaths of the 725 women who die every year while giving birth.

Section 23A of the Constitution gives everyone a right to participate in the political affairs of this country. Violence negates that right. It drives fear into whole communities. It divides communities. It breeds poverty, disability and death. It undermines the full realization of the human potential in our communities. 23 years after the signing of the Unity Accord that officially ended the military campaign that killed over 20 000 people, the after effects are still being felt. You see, once you lose your father, mother, brother or sister, they remain lost you forever.

But this is not just about the 3 or 6 months in the year where all reason is suspended as politicians fight it out on the community battlefield. A wise person once said, “What people tolerate in peace shapes what they tolerate in war”.  The problem is, with increased militarization, violence will become more and more entrenched and “normalized.”

*Names have been changed.

I believe in constantly evolving, growing, improving and innovation. One must learn to do things differently especially when you are in business. If it means doing your business starting from the inside out, outside in or whatever that’s ok as long as you keep and stick to good business ethics. I have one such Zimbabwean lady who is a perfect example of innovation. I would like to assume that this woman said to herself: Hang on, I need to be different from everyone selling the same product as me. My product needs to be bought so I can send my children to school. It needs to be seen by everyone. Everyone needs to know what I am selling. So let me make a polony stand.

If you go to this lady’s stall she has polony on display for all to see.