Moyo was in full knowledge of the looting & servitude that is going on at ZBC but he chose the protectionist route of shielding the perpetrators by sending them on ‘PAID LEAVE’ under the guise of avoiding undue influence. Secondly, these hefty salaries did not even alarm them on taking office because they gave indication that the woes at the broadcaster were known for a long time. The only assumption for their laid back approach based on the turn of events is that these amounts of loot are not material enough to trigger speedy reactions. And those salaries are most likely far much lower than the value of diamonds they are smuggling at ZMDC etc. Thirdly, a minister for the people does not wait for an embarrassing hunger strike to salvage starving souls that are his direct mandate in his office. I wont praise the exposure of the grand theft at ZBC because everyone knows that Muchechetere and his entire junta guard were appointed as revivalists of a stumbling regime in 2008, their project is done now. It is not a secret even to a grade one child that this is an old offloading strategy of this incumbent government. Announcing these figures is just an incidental and deceptive strategy for them to appear dead on to service delivery yet they are still in the business of expending people and protecting the crown. I view this whole approach as corrupt & populist and trying to correct these parastatal wrongs using corrupt means is just as cancerous as corruption itself in Zimbabwe

The US president Barrack Obama will be attending Nelson Mandela’s funeral accompanied by 3 former US presidents – Bush, Clinton and Carter. His Excellency Robert Gabriel Mugabe, the president of Zimbabwe, will also be attending along with 3 former presidents of Zimbabwe – R. G. Mugabe, R. G. Mugabe and R. G. Mugabe.

The Institutional Capacity Assessment by the Department of Social Services (DSS) noted that Zimbabwe was in a crisis situation where the ratio of Social Workers to the population of service users is wildly out of proportion. In Zimbabwe the ratio of children to Social Workers was in the order of 49 587:1 social worker. This is in stark contrast with other countries in the region: South Africa: 250:1 social worker / Botswana: 1 867:1 social worker / Namibia: 4 300: social worker

ZimAsset is not a plan; it’s a wish list. It doesn’t address the basic crisis Zimbabwe’s economy is in. – Eddie Cross

ZimAsset sets a very tight timetable + ambitious goals. Not encouraging that Deputy Minister of Finance is running 1hr late for his presentation on it. – Amanda Atwood

Zimbabwe is unable to access IMF & World Bank because we’re not in good standing. It’s not sanctions. If you don’t repay, you can’t borrow. – Dr Kadenge

The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe has moved to quash reports of a return of the Zimbabwean dollar: “The Reserve Bank wishes to unequivocally put it on record that such reports have no basis whatsoever. As monetary authorities, we wish to assure the business community and members of the public that there are no plans to reintroduce the Zimbabwean dollar in the near future.” – Acting Governor Dr Charity Dhliwayo

Power cuts? Oh well. No water? What’s new? What is it about us Zimbabweans asks @kay__sweets. Do we really not care?

As the countdown to year-end begins lest we forget the bumpy road we traveled throughout the year in 2013.

We are now in December, it’s summer, and the heat is unbearable but political tensions have cooled down. There’s been a lot to write home about but very little to be proud of. The year ends under a dark cloud of poor service delivery. We spend most of the day without electricity while condemned to consume unsafe rations of water from local authorities.

In 2013 we saw the sailing in of a new constitution but questions still remain unanswered on whether to decentralize or to go the devolution path. The year was full of drama especially coming from the August House as some of the elected legislators were caught with their hands in the cookie jar of the Community Development Fund. This didn’t come as a surprise as their intentions were clear from the first day that they took office. And for their efforts spent on heckling and trading insults in Parliament, they were rewarded with hefty ‘sitting allowances’; very expensive cars and some even demanded residential stands as exit packages.

It was a competition to break the world record in flying hours as political parties in the inclusive government globetrotted to drum up support for their different causes at the expense of the ordinary taxpayer.

As the political game turned out to be nasty in 2013 we were subjected to hurling of insults and obscenities. Fellow countrymen and women especially from the Civil Society were accused of unpatriotic behavior and prison became a second home for human rights defenders.

We endured threats of election every day during the life span of the inclusive government and by grace the year 2013 brought an end to these threats. In politics its either you win or lose and the most difficult part is moving on. Up to now the debate on “credible” or “free and fair” rages on but a few still have the energy to engage.

A new government took office but the challenges have remained the same.

The announcement of the national budget was postponed owing to the liquidity crunch and as if that was not enough to kick start a new five-year term in office we got a taste of another Operation Murambatsvina some urban dwellers bracing for government’s clamp down on the so-called illegal structures.

Terms of Reference for Consultancy Service: Impact Assessment of Zimbabwe Women Lawyers Association (ZWLA)
Deadline: 22 November 2013 (17:00 UK time)

Womankind Worldwide is an international women’s rights charity working to help women transform their lives in Africa, Asia and Latin America. We partner with women’s rights organisations who are challenging discrimination and violence.

We are tendering for proposals to undertake an Impact Assessment to examine the impact achieved for women and girls by our local partner the Zimbabwe Women Lawyer’s Association (ZWLA) over a period of 10 years.

The Impact Assessment will examine and provide strong evidence on the impact achieved, i.e. positive, negative, intended and unintended, on direct and indirect beneficiaries, analyse ZWLA’s contributions and identify specific factors that have enabled or disabled positive impact to occur. The Assessment will also review the relevance of our work, assess effectiveness, efficiency, sustainability of ZWLA’s programmatic interventions and organisational development processes and document lessons learnt and best practice.

Please use this link to see the Terms of Reference, which include the application process.

Please send your electronic applications to Mariela Magnelli at: Mariela [at] womankind [dot] org [dot] uk

Poetry by Freedom T.V. Nyamubaya, featured on Poetry International.

A Mysterious Marriage

Once upon a time
A boy and girl were
Forced to leave their home
By armed robbers.
The boy was Independence
The girl was Freedom.
While fighting back, they got married.

After the big war they went back home.
Everybody prepared for the wedding.
Drinks and food abounded,
Even the disabled felt able.
The whole village gathered waiting,
Freedom and Independence
Were more popular than Jesus.

Independence came
But Freedom was not there.
An old woman saw Freedom’s shadow passing
Through the crowd, leaving by the gate.
All the same, they celebrated Independence.

Independence is now a senior bachelor.
Some people still talk about him,
Others take no notice.
A lot still say it was a fake marriage.
You can’t be a husband without a wife.
Fruitless and barren, Independence staggers to old age.
Leaving her shadow behind,
Freedom has never returned.

Mysterious Marriages Continued

After the mysterious disappearance
Freedom still not found
We can’t say she is dead
No evidence of her whereabouts
Police tired of investigating
Probably they need a bribe
For something to start happening.

Now we hear of the newly weds
I’m not sure who married who
Whether Morgan married Robert
Or Robert married Morgan
Maybe they married each other

Somebody is optimistic
These days anything can be legalised
If only you fight for it

A couple of years ago there was a similar marriage
Zipra and Zanla got married
And became Mr and Mrs ZIPA
ZIMBABWE PEOPLE’S ARMY
The two were madly in love
But their parents hated each other
The next thing we heard was an out-of-court
settlement
The reason being simple: They spent most
Of the time trying to outwit each other

As the elephants continue fighting
The grass and twigs suffer heavy casualties

In Mt Darwin, Mashonaland Central, it was a question of choice
Do you want long sleeves or short
This is not about buying at Edgars
It’s a hand cut off voting for your choice
Freedom is not allowed in this country

In Mutoko, Mashonaland East, suspected youth sell-outs
Pay between two goats and a herd of cattle to base managers
Or risk disappearing
This is usually after their buttocks have turned to minced meat

In Chegutu, Mashonaland West, as we speak
One white couple three children two dogs one cat and a maid
Spent the whole day frog-jumping in their underwear
For not accepting the rule of looting
That normally happens just before harvest
In Matabeleland nobody wants to talk about it,
Gukurahundi,
Some people may have to change their names
When freedom comes

In Mutare
Helicopters hover over diamond panners in Chiadzwa
2000 dead. Nobody gives a damn
Diamonds are for members of the politburo only

Whether its Robert or Morgan
Each can be two sides of the same coin
Freedom may remain a myth
Until we claim it

Here’s an important contribution to the discussion on democracy in Zimbabwe. Vince Musewe is an economist and author based in Harare – his contact email address is at the end of his article.

Never, has so much been owed by so few to so many.

My name its Vincent Tichafa Musewe, I am an African who by God’s design, was born here in Zimbabwe so that after I am gone, this place will be a better place because I have lived. After all that is true leadership.

I therefore must share with you my idea of Zimbabwe. It is not what I see today.

We must revive our economy as a matter of urgency but more important, we must tell a new story about our beautiful country. We must invest a new narrative, a new paradigm so that out of our bosom, may be born a new beginning where all Zimbabweans regardless of race can live up to their full potential.

We must hurry and be gripped by the creation of those circumstances we desire most without being cowered or being afraid. After all, fear is a mental construct.

We must create a country where all are free to pursue their dreams without limit; a country whose unimaginable wealth can be utilized to eradicate poverty and lack; a country whose resources are applied to the benefit of all and not to the benefit a few men and women simply because they have access to arms of war.

My ideas and inspirations in creating a new Zimbabwe are based on one undeniable truth; that any nation that does not create freedom and liberty for its citizens to live up to their full potential will in turn, never attain its own full potential. The people must come first and their happiness and development must therefore be nourished, protected and preserved so that our country can truly become what we imagine it to be.

The dignity, security and prosperity of every Zimbabwean enshrined in our constitution were not fashioned to be applied at the whim of our leaders, but these are non negotiable rights for everyone born Zimbabwean. It is a non negotiable instrument that cannot be returned to sender. We must demand that this government meets its obligations.

In my opinion, no economic blue print no matter how clever and intelligent it may sound can ever create the conditions necessary for progress until the values of those that lead us change. Economic blue prints hardly excite me simply because we have had so many of them. Let us therefore be careful and not be complacent because the days are dangerous.

To our politicians:

I do not care how many degrees you may have; how many doctorates and academic accolades you may lay claim on, if I see young Zimbabwean girls in South Africa or in Harare becoming prostitutes to make a living so that they may feed their children back home.

When I see small burnt children at a hospital that cannot treat them because there are no medicines, I don’t care what car you drive.

When I hear that Zimbabweans are fighting off animals for fruit so that they may have something to eat, I do not care where you live or what designer suit you are wearing.

I care less for the sophisticated English words you may use in justifying your entitlement to power when I know that my brothers and sisters in the Diaspora must take three jobs so that they may survive and also look after their siblings at home.

When pensioners who worked for half of their lifetime cannot buy food, I am not impressed by the way you walk or talk.

I care less for the balance in your bank account when I hear that a large number of young mothers are dying from cervical cancer or that two million Zimbabweans will go hungry this season. When I see desperate youth wonder how each day will turn out because they are unemployed.

What use are your degrees in history, philosophy, rocket science, medicine, politics if those degrees lead to wide spread poverty, depression and hopelessness? What use are they when we know we in Zimbabwe have some of the largest mineral resources on earth including vast fertile soils yet we are facing an economic calamity? They are useless.

Never, in my opinion, has so much been owed by so few to so many.

The Zimbabwe I seek to create will have none of this.

Unfortunately I do not see this Zimbabwe I dream of coming tomorrow. I know, however, that it is buried deep down within my soul and it was born the day I was born in Highfield. God willing, it will surely come to pass in my life time.

All we need is now is hope and a strong belief in our potential but this hope must be underpinned by action; action to do what we can from where we are with what we have to create the circumstances we deserve.

We must accelerate the creation of a new Zimbabwe that is not limited by the imagination of those that only seek personal benefit but a Zimbabwe of unlimited potential underpinned and fashioned by the free spirit of the people of Zimbabwe.

It will take a while but I am convinced that one fine day, in the steal of the night it will come.

Don’t give up!

Vince Musewe is an economist and author based in Harare. You may contact him on vtmusewe [at] gmail [dot] com