A country whose politics makes a tradition of tragic deaths through suspicious automobile accidents can only have very little to claim as an “open society.”

Zimbabwe’s roads after independence are littered with deaths of prominent individuals who everyone knows had become a pain in the ass of the oligarchs. These were individuals expressing their version of the truth as opposed to the “official” line peddled by spin doctors and apologists of the political establishment. The dead men’s crusades would be perfectly in order in any country that is not North Korea.

That this continues to happen long after independence where Africa’s liberation struggle was short-circuited and chaos-riddled by ideological wars defined by the U.S.S.R and the U.S.A and went on to claim anyone from Patrice Lumumba to Amílcar Cabral to Thomas Sankara, to Zimbabwe’s own revolution that ate its own children from Josiah Magama Tongogara to Sydney Malunga points to a political tradition that is inimical to the very ideals the “new democrats” purport to espouse.

In Zimbabwe no accident that claims a prominent politician is an accident at all. It is just one of those things we have come to accept.

What is disturbing is that despite this, it still remains the chosen modus operandi of eliminating perceived opponents.

This cannot be belaboured here, yet the impunity is troubling.

Small wonder that many people here await the day not of healing political wounds but a day of retribution where those fingered in these acts of political assassination will have their testicles squeezed in the people’s angry court.

That Zimbabweans have an “insider” tipping prominent individuals that they are targets of assassination only makes this more disturbing because apparently there is very little or nothing these people can do to avoid what is increasingly their inevitable demise.

It’s only recently that one “powerful” Zanu PF don said of Energy Mutodi’s claim that the don wanted Mutodi killed: “If I wanted him (Mutodi) killed do you think he would still be alive?”

This morning I went to get my national ID so, eventually, I can register to vote, however this is easier said than done. Outside Market Square there are long lines of people, some had been there since 9 o’clock the night before, sleeping on cardboard boxes outside the office – just to get basic documentation!

The actual process only takes about 5 minutes per person; they take a picture, your fingerprints, and ask you to sign some papers, then you are done! Yet you still have to queue the entire day for those few simple processes. It seems an unfair waste of people’s time and energy.

Possibly the hardest is for people trying to get birth certificates. There are dozens of women with new born babies tied to their backs, standing in these horrendously long queues just to get a simple piece of paper for their babies. It is not so bad for families who can support and help each other, but single mothers really have it hard. Opposite me were two mothers, both with tiny babies, they had a friend with them to help, but to sit in that queue, on the dirty benches for hours on end with a child that young is unfair and insulting to the new mothers. If anyone should get privileges, it should be the mothers with their children, who are already suffering from post maternal stress, and need to rest, rather than stand in the cold for the whole day.

As Karl Max once said about the French revolution, “History repeats itself, the first time as a tragedy, then as a farce.” The month of June synonymous with tragedy for Zimbabwe this time has brought in a new dimension shaping the political discourse of Zimbabwe.  The farce, which many would have anticipated, is just another tragedy repeating itself. It is not farce when citizens prepare to run away from their homes and neither it is comedy when you hear threats of war when you decide to choose the leader of your choice. The past five years of has been a bag mixed fortunes with tears and joy. Shop shelves, which were once deserted all of a sudden became flooded with goods though most of them were imports but the nation managed to survive up to now. At least we managed to survive after the signing of the Global Peace Agreement (GPA) in 2008 to witness the unfolding of another tragedy. Well the GPA is now in its closing episode but it remains to be seen who will claim credit for bringing hope to this nation which was on the brick of collapsing. To some this proclamation of an election date is a farce but to those who suffered during the winter chills of June 2008 will tell you it’s a tragedy. If history is going to repeat itself let it not be in the form of another coalition government.

“Unilateral” is a word that must be trending in Zimbabwe’s Twittersphere today after President Robert Mugabe took the country back to 1965.

Despite all the “magnanimity” he seemingly had extended to Morgan Tsvangirai in the past weeks, he brews this shocker.

There’s been near-punch ups in the virtual world of the World Wide Web as peeved Zimbos trade barbs, stuff that a revolution would be made of were such energy channeled towards the source of that anger.

In today’s Herald the presidential spokesman is quoted as saying “the Head of State and Government and Commander-in-Chief of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces would not be persuaded to violate the laws of the country” by defying the ConCourt’s ruling compelling to hold elections by 31 July.

Of course this was after reports emerged that some political parties were petitioning the President of the Republic to oppose the declaration.

I am always surprised when Zimbabweans are surprised by such developments!

Perhaps people have very short memories, but this is the Zanu PF modus operandi, and for anyone to expect anything else from this party would be a case of inveterate naivety. The thing is, where do we go from here, what with SADC also expected to be the ultimate arbiter of this political circus?

One certain thing about this latest declaration is that it entrenches apathetic attitudes to electoral processes as some say if Mugabe can unilaterally call for polls despite Tsvangirai’s own earlier declaration that he holds the keys to elections, what is to stop him (Mugabe) from declaring himself a winner in the elections, or as he did in 2008 refuse to accept defeat.

Yet that should be motivation enough for Zimbabweans who have heeded the call to register and also check the voters roll to exercise their franchise to the fullest and show the power mongers who is in charge, or else attempting to kick Zanu PF in the butt will equate to just another fool’s errand.

Look who’s laughing now. Democracy, what democracy?

Dear Harare Westerners

I just got my “marching orders” from the Clerk of Parliament Mr. A. M. Zvoma who reminded me that my time is up as my term of office as Member of the House of Assembly for Harare West constituency will expire at midnight on 29 June 2013 when Parliament shall stand dissolved by operation of Section 63 of the Constitution which states that:

“63 Prorogation or dissolution

(2)Subject to the provisions of this Constitution, the President may at any time dissolve Parliament.
(4)Parliament, unless sooner dissolved, shall last for five years, which period shall be deemed to commence on the day the person elected as President enters office in terms of section 28(5) after an election referred to in section 28(3)(a), and shall stand dissolved:”

It’s funny how 5 years fly so fast, it seems like yesterday when I was sworn in on 27 August 2008, to serve you Harare West. It is a privilege and honour that I enjoyed.

A message of appreciation from Hon Jessie Majome’s Facebook page should be a reminder to all those Zimbabwean legislators who have been thinking that it is by their birthright to be in Parliament. Such privileges have been abused by so many to an extent that they think that being a Member of Parliament or Senator is somehow related to chieftainship. Well as noted by Hon Majome after Parliament has been dissolved she will be jobless and it is the people who would bestow that privilege back on her so that she can have another term in office. The reality of being jobless to many MPs is still in the cloud, which is why some are still dreaming of an extension of the inclusive government. Its hard to leave an all expenses, paid hotel life and the unproductive time spent heckling in Parliament at the expense of the electorate and facing the daunting task of convincing these same people to grant you another opportunity to represent them again. The realities of being reduced to be another ordinary member of society will make some develop health complications as fear of rejection builds up.

Well suck it up and understand that what goes up really comes down and give others a chance in the next elections.

Research consultant: ActionAid
Deadline: 12 June 2013 (4pm)

ActionAid is an international non-governmental organisation working with people living in poverty in 40 countries to end poverty and injustice in the world.

The Assignment
AAIZ requires the services of experienced Researchers/ Consultants to carry out research on the capacity of selected rural and urban Local Authorities to supply or deliver quality basic services to their residents in a gender responsive manner.

Background
To date AAI Zimbabwe works with eight (8) Community Based Organizations (CBOs) in selected Community development programmes called Local Rights Programmes (LRPs). AAIZ has set up LRP partnership structures in selected poor rural and urban communities

Purpose
To generate evidence to inform program and policy initiatives aimed at increasing women’s and youth’s influence in the decision-making processes that affect the delivery of basic services that address their rights and needs. This would be based on an in-depth study of selected local authorities i.e. 4 rural district councils and 2 urban councils.

Objectives
The objectives of this Research are:
1. To assess and document the levels of awareness of women in the planning, budget formulation and monitoring processes of local authorities
3. To analyse the effectiveness of communication platforms used by selected local authorities
4. To assess the perceptions of residents on the quality and gender responsiveness of services being delivered by the selected local authorities
5. To carry out an analysis of key underlying factors and constraints affecting local authority service delivery
6. Map stakeholder’s involvement and responsibility in local governance at local, national, regional and global levels

Research Approach
The research approach and tools to be used in the consultancy should be participatory and Consultant should ensure that the analysis in the final report reflect the perspectives of women, youth, residents associations and other key stakeholders involved local governance.

The consultant is expected to have the following qualifications and experience
1. Technical expertise in Gender and/or Social accountability and/or Citizen’s Empowerment
2. A minimum of 5 years research or consultancy experience in local governance related work that reflects an in-depth and practical knowledge of the ways in which local authorities function
3. Proven experience in facilitating similar processes with a traceable strong record in designing and leading researchers and ensuring timely submission of deliverables
4. Well-developed qualitative and quantitative data analysis skills with a track record of translating complex data into effective, strategic and well-written reports
5. Research team should be fluent in Shona, Ndebele and English.

Duration
The assignment should completed in twenty days

Applications
Interested Researchers/ Consultants should submit proposals showing:
- Understanding of the purpose and objectives of the assignment
- Proposed research approach and tools
- Estimated cost of the proposed Research

The proposals should be accompanied by detailed CVs of the principal Researchers/ Consultants.

Completed proposals must be submitted to:
The Human Resources Department, ActionAid International, 16 York Avenue, Newlands, Harare

Or emailed to: Jobs.Zimbabwe [at] actionaid [dot] org

Actionaid International Zimbabwe values all applications but unfortunately is only able to respond to short listed candidates. Whilst all applicants will be assessed strictly on their individual merits, qualified women are especially encouraged to apply.