We read a recent article by Ian Scoones about how the tide is turning in Zimbabwe; the political context in Zimbabwe remains highly uncertain, but there are unexpected shifts – partly as a result of the relative success of the “unity” government, and partly as a result of failures in the opposition, both to offer a convincing alternative and to develop a clear set of alliances.

What is wrong with Ian Scoones? Or is he just fucking stupid? The “unity” government is that of the Prime Minister, Morgan Tasvangira and his MDC, the president, Robert Mugabe and his Zanu PF, and a deputy whatever Mutambara/Ncube and their MDC. If they are ‘relatively successful, who then is the ‘opposition’ to have failures within? Secondly, what does he mean by opposition? MDC T has the most seats in parliament. It is therefore the ruling party. Zanu PF has the second most, therefore is the lead opposition. MDC M/N has the fewest, therefore is the second opposition. Is he trying to say/imply that parliamentary majority is an irrelevance, compared to pure power (even illegitimate)? Or is he just a stupid, non-scholar, who uses words as he sees fit without any regard to reality.

The Women’s Trust in 2007-2008 ran the Women Can Do It! Campaign, which saw many women contesting Parliamentary seats. The campaign, which ran smoothly and was synonymous with the song, ‘Ndi mai vanogona’ spread to all corners of the country. On the 2nd of May, The Women’s Trust launched the SiMuka Zimbabwe Campaign that encourages women to take part in elections with three main objectives. The campaign wants women to register to vote, to vote and to vote for other women. The campaign’s promotional materials include four different coloured t-shirts, which convey various messages in three languages Shona, Ndebele and English to accommodate every Zimbabwean.

Simuka Zimbabwe is not only for the new voter but for women who have voted during the past elections too. To these women, the campaign encourages them to check that their names still exist in the voters roll. The Director, Memory Kachambwa during the launch clearly pointed out that the campaign has various strategies to target the different women in the country. It is with interest to note that Simuka Zimbabwe is of a dynamic and broad spectrum as it not only encourages voter participation but goes a step further to give a wake call to men and women of Zimbabwe to get up, wake and rise ‘n’ shine.

A booklet is available that empowers women to make better informed decision when voting. The words of founder and Board Secretary Luta Shaba sum up all what Simuka Zimbabwe seeks to achieve, “If you have seen what you want then go and shop for your leader.” The Women’s Trust through their campaign continue to try and develop a critical mass of women who can articulate issues and effect changes.

It’s become all too predictable that each time Zimbabwe approaches an election, arrests of anyone from reporters to politicians to drunks hits the stratosphere, and this year is coming as no surprise.

But there is a disturbingly comical element to it that you have to ask why the cops apparently always sleep on their jobs seeing that some of these “crimes” border on the ridiculous.

For example, we have Tongai Matutu, the MDC-T legislator for Masvingo Central who faces incarceration for allegedly calling Mugabe a dog some eight years ago. Eight years ago? Surely something must be wrong with this picture.

The Ndebele say “icala kaliboli” literally meaning a crime does not rot as comeuppance will be visited on the offender when they have long forgotten about it.

But then, one has to ask why it would take eight long years for the “wheels of justice” to catch up with Matutu if it is not some arcane and nefarious motive in a country already known to punish people who laugh at the presidential portrait?

This is a country where defenders of the Republic readily beat their chests proclaiming a strict observance and adherence to the rule of law, but it’s a cruel contradiction then that for a country that claims to scrupulously uphold the rule of law, the same justice has been very slow in being applied, effectively denying citizens their right to expeditious legal processes! After all, is it not a well-worn aphorism that “justice delayed is justice denied?”

Early in the year, we had Douglas Mwonzora being arrested for having called Mugabe a goblin back in the excitement of 2008.

Mwonzora has also previously faced arrest where he is alleged to have defrauded someone of ZW350million in 2005!

Law abiding and “fair minded” citizens seeking protection from the Attorney General’s office would no doubt ask why these things are happening now and question the competence of that respected office.

Some would proffer that perhaps someone has been sleeping on the job, but that would be incorrigible naivety as we already know it goes beyond the oft claimed backlog of court cases made worse by shortage of magistrates!

Then there is also Chimanimani West MP Lynette Karenyi who was convicted for “holding an unsanctioned meeting” last year. Last year really?

One could go on and on with this, but it does point to the futility of engaging the Cheka in any political jousting and as long as this continues it makes one shudder to think what crimes, real or imagined, will be “excavated” from the vaults to “let them have it” as the elections loom large!

It is always refreshing to read “news” from a different perspective and not just the traditional reliance on “traditional” news gatherers and writers informing us about what is making the world turn or burn.

In the age of information clutter with the rapid rise of the so-called information society where anyone with a mobile phone can access hundreds and hundreds of news websites, getting stories from a “street” perspective can not only be attractive for readers seeking a shift from our prosaic and predictable political stories, but could well give fresh insights for citizen journalism theorists.

This is what kalabashmedia.com sets out to do.

In their blurb, Kalabash Media, which launches today 13 May at 1500hrs, says its work is a collaborative effort of “social media enthusiasts” who “write the news from their different perspectives,” and as we already know about Zimbabwean journalism, the polarisation that emerged in the past decade has only seen citizens frown at some news outlets.

And journalists themselves from different stables have fashioned themselves as not kindred spirits but rather virtual adversaries.

Virtual adversaries indeed, what with the polarisation being taken to cyberspace bulletin boards!

So, an initiative like kalabashmedia.com could be refreshing despite what some critics would readily say putting journalism practice in the hands of untrained practitioners and only spells disaster.

But as the blurb has it, theirs is “a group of urbanite contributors with a knack for telling their stories and reporting on events with a fresh twist. From the Streets to the Web.”

It reminds of the Rising Voices project run by Global Voices online where communities pushed to the periphery of dominant news agendas are given a chance to tell their own stories.

kalabashmedia.com could just be another cousin of the weblog where folks post their musings about virtually anything, yet the very idea that they are fashioning it as a news site only ups their relevance especially at a time when dozens of news websites on Zimbabwe can be found with some purported to be hosted by professional journalists rather reading like products of chaps who took in generous amounts of calabashes!

kalabashmedia.com promises that “You will think, you will laugh…and if not….Frowning faces make for good headlines!” and in a country where there is a lot of anger issues, kalabashmedia.com seeks to make light of these circumstances albeit in a rather “newsy” sort of way.

It could well be something that will provide space for locally relevant crowd sourced content, moreso as the country heads for another “watershed” election. We will sure need the “people’s voice.” (Pun intended!)

Demagogues get elected because their jingoism and populism is magnified by a media beholden to them, and when they assume office they proceed to dismantle the very institutions that got them elected so as to perpetuate their rule. Kunda Dixit, Jury Member of the Unesco/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize from 2000-2005. – Extracted from Pressing for Freedom – 20 Years of World Press Freedom Day*

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Mahathir (Mahomad) says we will bury you, I said, “you are 87 years old. You shouldn’t be talking about burying people. You should be thinking about your own grave.” Anwa Ibrahim, Malaysia opposition leader. – From the Financial Times, May 4, 2013*

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To expect the country (Italy) to pay its debts as it did decades ago is to expect an 85 year old man to drink the way he did at university. – Christopher Caldwell, Financial Times, May, 4, 2013*

When: Thursday 9 May 2013
Time: 5.30 – 7pm
Where: Book Cafe, 139 Samora Machel Ave/6th Street, Harare

On Thursday 9 May the popular arts hub, THE BOOK CAFE once again offers a platform and opens its doors for a free public discussion on THE ARTS & DISABILITY.

An initiative of the budding organisation ‘SIGNS OF HOPE’ the discussion brings together Zimbabwean musicians, singers and actors to examine the question “How do artists view and engage with the disabled through their art?”

Gone are the days when people with disabilities were secluded in private corners and excluded from social, educational and political activities. In Zimbabwe, like anywhere in the world, huge strides have been made as the nation produces excellent lawyers, teachers, activists, artists and sportspeople with disabilities who are excelling in their fields and making a difference in society. Compared with the western world however, we are still far behind, in terms of facilities and general perception of people with disabilities, and their inclusion and participation in nation building. Everyone has a role to play in society, and the discussion aims to raise awareness among the public in general and artists and arts practitioners in particular, about how the arts can contribute to attitude change in society, the gender perspective, and where the links might be.

Speakers include the acclaimed songwriter and guitarist Victor Kunonga who is active in this arena, working on projects with the St Giles Rehabilitation Centre; afrojazz singer/songwriter Dudu Manhenga, and Daniel Maphosa of Savannah Trust, working in theatre development. Masimba Kuchera will speak from the perspective of people with disabilities, and the discussion will be moderated by Thomas Deve.

The discussion is free and all people are welcome. Artists are specially invited to participate and gain a deeper awareness of the issues concerned.