The Union of Great Zimbabwe

The Union of Great Zimbabweans. What a great idea when you take a glance at it, but when you stop to ponder the concept does it really stand up to the riggers of closer examination?

Great Zimbabweis forever ingrained in our memory as essentially the birth place of Zimbabwe. Our forefathers are intrinsically intertwined with this place be it as the mighty Matebele nation or the colonialists who visited Africa with the aim of colonisation on their agenda. It is the symbol of so much of our history and reminds us that Zimbabwe was once a monarchy too.

Today our borders encapsulate a diverse selection of tribes, people, nationalities and people. All walks of life thrive within a system that while disabled in many ways, is still a vibrant and colourful nation. The two largest tribes are the Shona and Matebele people. As a majority, the Shona currently rule the nation of the former Matebele kingdom, and British colonialist nation.

Zimbabwe in a sense is but a babe in arms as an Independent nation. Since April 1980 Robert Mugabe has clung to power at the helm of politics in Zimbabwe. It is for this very fact that we have seen the suppression of alternative political opposition on any front. From ZAPU to ZIMRA to ZUM, they have all faded into the woodwork, disappeared or been swallowed up. Even the MDC is in a power sharing agreement that is more of a farce than a happy hour in a brewery than a real progressive political coalition.

So it has been left primarily to Zimbabweans living in the diaspora to become adventurous and seek to step into the void of the political drought that faces the Zimbabwean people, the latest of which appears to be the Union of Great Zimbabweans.

Now initially when I first glanced at the name of the party, I mistakenly assumed that it was purhapse the launch of some form of historical information that charted the rise of people of influence within the young Zimbabwean Nation. People like the late Joshua Nkomo or Herbet Chitepo. Many names could be listed here as great or influential Zimbabweans and it was in this guise that I sort to see who had been listed.

To my amazement I was to discover that this was infact the launch of a new political party seeking to challenge the existing power base in Zimbabwe’s national elections.

A very noble idea indeed, if it could be pulled off, and there are strong elements of their ethos that I agree with, yet some things that I’ve read that I do not understand, and would seek to debate if I were to seriously consider supporting this virgin Union in a national election.

While young and seeking to establish credibility, there is a lot of ground that the party needs to cover to show that it is serious about its aims and objectives, and capable of rising to the challenge of running a country should it ever come to pass that they succeed in their quest to run for parliament.

My first question would be who is who and who are the figure heads running the show? Who would we be looking to vote for? What are their credentials and what leads them to think that we would vote for them? It is a key factor in any party that its leadership is strong, credible and popular. As yet there is no indication from the Unionas to who plans to run for office in which capacity and who the team supporting this individual are. Such a statement would go a long way in putting the party firmly on the map as a viable alternative to ZANU PF or MDC.

It is also vital for the Union to have established links within its structure with the core elements of the Zimbabwean infrastructure. Representation within its ranks of the police, army, workers unions, farmers unions, charitable organisations as well as key supporters within the world of the celebrity will bulk up its appearance and reputation. It is critical to show as mature and logical approach to governance and law, and having key people in place who are already recognised within these areas, and established reputations shows theUnion’s power to bring Great Zimbabweans to the table.

As with any party of course is the every present question of the parties manifesto. While there is a good indication of what the Union seeks to stand for, there is little information about its covenant on how it will govern should it be elected to power. A strong, well worded and frank manifesto is paramount if The Union of Great Zimbabweans aims to get anywhere. Ultimately I would say that most Zimbabweans are sick and tired of big promises, broken promises, and promises in general. We are not looking to have our loyalty bought, we do not seek to be mislead with wild suggestions of riches and glory should we choose to vote, we just want logical, honest, simple words that show the Unions intention to address the fundamental issues that affect each of us on a day to day basis. Things like job creation and security, health services, education, the economy, international relations, wealth creation, immigration and tourism, internal security and law, the constitution and justice system, and all those little factors that may sway us as the general public in the Union’s direction.

Everyone is well aware of the devastation of the nation of Zimbabwe, and I do love the slogan that the Union of Great Zimbabwean’s uses when it says that the struggle for freedom was not against white injustice but against injustice period. While I totally accept that colonialism was wrong and the system by which the United Kingdom gained ownership of almost half the world was in many ways cruel, harmful and completely biased, I do strongly believe that the world has moved on, become more aware of each other, the effects of our actions on others and how we can learn to live together. I believe that this is one of the biggest issues that Zimbabwe needs to face as a nation. We all need to admit that the past is not our present, and today’s generations need to learn to live together to prosper. Carrying the hatred of transgressions from yesterday is not only destructive, it is against the biblical principle of forgiveness and it is in the long term counter productive.

One of the hardest hurdles for this colourful Union to cross is going to be creating its vision of a united Zimbabwe. Not only are their racial tensions that have been bred into the very fabric of Zimbabwe’s population, but there are even deeper rooted tribal issues that seek to be addressed and rectified. This is one area of concern that I will watch with keen interest as the party develops its agenda. I honestly believe that the true nature of the party will lie in its ability to address these two tightly coiled snakes. The triumph will be when The Union of Great Zimbabweans becomes the snake charmer and learns to keep the serpents firmly under their control.

Human injustice has been a massive problem in the young Zimbabwean nation, and its ability to confront this issue will also be an important test in establishing the credibility of the Union. So many people have fallen foul of the current regime and will be looking to any opposition to bring some form of justice to bear on the people who have robbed them of loved ones, land, livelihood and their future. Justice for these people is a can of worms that needs to be handles with sensitivity and strength for fear of reprisals or a weak stance on which road the party will take should it come to power will be a big influencing factor in how it is perceived by large sectors of the population.

I was a little mystified by theUnion’s idea of Federalisation of the Zimbabwean nation. This is a huge step and would need a complete reworking of the Zimbabwean constitution, the whole way that we do things, and a carefully planned program of how to roll out the changes. In my mind this concept is very westernised, and not necessarily the best plan of action for Zimbabwe. Yes it is a great concept in the greater scheme of things, as people accept a covenant of agreement in not only how to live within the law but with consideration for the best interests of each other and the nation. The devil in this case is in the detail, and the reality of how this concept would be put into action. It is a totally different concept of governance in an African environment and may be perceived as Western influences within the Party which long term may only thwart the efforts of what essentially is otherwise a very admirable Union of people.

At the very heart of their argument for a Federation is the idea that individual constituencies should be allowed to prosper from the resources and wealth within that community. The difficulty with this concept is the diverse differences of each area, and the wealth within these areas. Take for example the dyke system. This is a rich area of mineral wealth, rich farming lands, an area that enjoys good climate and substantial rainfall. In contrast vast tracts of the Matebeleland province are arid, lacking in efficient water provision and poor in mineral wealth. As it stands the nation of Zimbabwe runs on a unitary principal, and while purhapse this was introduced in colonial times as a method of divide and rule, my argument focuses in what I said earlier when I talked about learning to bring people together in unity and bridge the gap caused by both the colonial and subsequent ZANU PF rule. The idea of divide and conquer needs to be replaced with a nurturing spirit of togetherness and unity.

Zimbabweans are beautiful people. We are a fine example for the African nation of how society can survive under extreme conditions, be happy, robust, resourceful and resilient. Our nation in my somewhat biased opinion is one of the finest on the African continent. The beauty of our country reverberates in ones memory bringing to mind brilliant images of nature at its very finest. The wealth of our nation is easily able to sustain its people and create sustainable prosperity for all. There is more than enough when well managed and carefully maintained to keep the majority of the population in gainful employment, a roof over the heads of all, and more food than we need.

There are a multitude of reasons for our people to feel proud. Patriotism and pride in ones nation is at the very core of identity and Zimbabwean people should take pride in their ability to survive with a smile on their face, even in the face of criminal injustices and the worst adversity in living history. Our people are peaceful and sociable in this I fully agree with The Union of Great Zimbabweans. Our social infrastructure is unique, wonderful and amazing to learn about. It will be the ability to use these strengths to its advantage that will set this new party aside from our choices in the past. Through the use of creative and new ideas, this party has the chance to open the door to a beautiful future for our people. This responsibility lies heavy in the hands of those who are moulding and laying the building blocks of what could potentially be the most exciting development in Zimbabwean politics in the last 30 years.

The Zimbabwean Dilema.

Why settle for second best? Why expect less than you deserve? Why be quiet when your rights have been infringed? Why go with the flow when it is more fitting to stand up against the tide of time?

This is a question I’ve asked myself so many times in life. If you stop to think about it, how often do we settle for second best, just because it is too much effort to rock the boat? I am also quite often amazed at how our reactions can be so disproportionate to the situation. I mean we are more likely to make an issue about a badly cooked meal than take issue with human rights abuses in our own home country.

As a child of Africa, I hear all too often the excuses of people, politicians, communities, and friends and even from time to time myself. We love to put the blame of our own short comings onto other people. I was prompted to think at how ironic it is that we are so quick to point a finger when reading a comment left on a face book page by a Facebook Individual whom likes to be called Young ZANU PF. I chuckled as I read this individuals bleatings about how Morgan Tsvangirai is now seeking to split from the coalition agreement in Zimbabwe. Like a sick sheep caught in a barbed wire fence who ever the person is went on and on about how ZANU PF would never be married to a puppet!

It made me wonder, does the person who has the audacity to think that he or she speaks as the voice of the entire youth movement of the ZANU PF, have any idea of what life in the real world is like. We are all too familiar with the ZANU PF Mantra of “Blame it on the White Man”. It is only a fool that believes that even in this day and age, colonialism is still to blame for the wanton destruction of the thriving economy that was Zimbabwe pre 1997. As the Government of National Unity comes under threat of failure once again, we are reminded how for 17 years post Independance ZImbabwe was called the bread basket of Africa. Now it is the laffing stock of the world, a complete failure as a nation, totally unable to even feed its own people!

No, a coalition is not a marriage, which is the single significant thing that Young ZANU PF managed to point out on Facebook. A coalition is infact an agreement in law that two political parties make in order to resolve a situation arising from no one clear winner emerging from a national election. An agreement to represent the people of a nation and hold their best interests at heart. An agreement to work together to solve differences and overcome obsticals in order to forge progress. An agreement that cleary ZANU PF nor MDC T were capable of sticking too. An agreement I believe that neither party ever intended to adhear to.

But as is always the case for Zimbabwean politics, one person will stand up, make a big noise and it is left to the educated masses to sit back and laugh at the absurdity of what’s been said. Does any representative of ZANU PF not realise that they are indeed puppets of their indomitable leader? Do they not realise that at his hands, during the hours that his team were on watch the nation we all love and cherish was sold down the drain?

Can any one of them say that they are proud to be the party responsible for bringing Zimbabwe to its knees? Do any of them imagine that the rest of the world real cares what they have to say when it comes down to pointing the finger at someone else? Morgan Tsvangirai is just another excuse for these people to not accept responsibility for their own failings. We are seasoned veterans of the prolific list of people accused for the failures in Zimbabwe. We can predict with almost certain accuracy what will be said by whom, who it is that will be accused and why the ZANU PF could not possibly be to blame.

But what was possibly the most ironic point of this Facebook comment was the fact that the rant came on a post that had been made to congratulate David Mwanaka, a black Zimbabwean farmer that has made a success of his time in the UK. So while every other person is there wanting to acknowledge the deeds of a successful indigenous business man, who has overcome many odds to become successful in a country not even his own, the ZANU PF or at least its Youth Representative as this profile would have you believe choose to berate the Zimbabwean Prime Minister. This is a perfect example of how the Zimbabwean ruling regime will use any instance to launch into its propaganda tirade seeking to discredit any Zimbabwean that does not fall in step and tow the line.

So in thinking about this I am brought back to my original question, why do we so easily settle for second best. In the case of millions of Zimbabweans, we have settled for far less than even second place. It almost seems we are prepared to stand by and watch as our country is plundered and we are stripped of our rights, liberties, land, homes, businesses, livelihood, and even our very existence.

Do we not have the right to hold our politicians accountable? Do we not have the right to seek a better life for ourselves and our families? Do we not have the right to seek to be more than we are and not rest on our laurels? Why has Zimbabwe waited all this time? No allow me to correct that question. Why do Zimbabweans still stand back and appear lame? Is it not our time to demand justice? Is it not the time to bring down the walls of ZANU PF and demand answers? Should we not rise up together, white, black, coloured, regardless of race, creed, religion, and say “This is our time!” “Together we stand as one, together we are unstoppable, together we demand an end to this tyranny!”

Is it possible for Zimbabweans to overcome their differences and unit in such a manner? Do Zimbabweans even want to see freedom come to Zimbabwe? Do we realise that without some form of reconciliation between the people of Zimbabwe, we will always fall foul of politicians and evil men? While I truly believe that power lies in the hands of the people, I have come to believe that for far too many that are able to make a stand, they are in a place where they are far to comfortable to rock the boat. It is easier to live abroad as a refugee than face the daunting task of rebuilding a devastated and broken nation back home. It is a bridge too far to give up the fat cat lifestyle and resort to building bricks out of clay and mud to reconstruct the battered Zimbabwean economy. Perhaps it is easier to sit from afar and watch the rantings of a mad man and his cronies without it actually affecting us in any tangible form.

So many people have been affected by the decisions of an imperfect regime in Zimbabwe. No one can blame a man who recognises that he is wrong and puts his hands up to accept the responsibility of his actions. The people of Egypt accepted that while it wanted rid of Hosni Mubarak, he was a man capable of making mistakes. The problem with Robert Mugabe is the fear of prosecution for crimes against humanity within his own nation, and for this reason his people, us, Zimbabweans of every description will continue to suffer, carry the scars and mourn the death of our once great nation. Until that time we all join together and demand change, this is our lot, and we can continue to expect to suffer the foolish rantings of a party lost in transition.

Freedom is Coming Tomorrow

For many years people couldn’t believe that social structures like Slavery, The Berlin Wall, The Iron Curtain, Apartheid and many other political theologies could fall apart and complete regime change could be lead from within. Yet history has shown us that establishments of power do not last forever, and every regime has a season during which it enjoys power, and a season during which the people living under its power rebel and rise up against the dictatorships that reign omnipotent over its people.

Rebellions, often called illegal are formed by common people, community leaders, people who are able to excite people through their words, calls for freedom, people that show a clear understanding of the path we follow to freedom. These are mighty people of the people, heroes of the uprising, and leaders of our future political establishment. They are people that call for change, are persecuted for their beliefs, actively protest from the roof tops, from behind the bars, from where ever they are able to inspire people.

The problem for regimes today is the power of social media and the ability for people to communicate through channels with relative ease in comparison with uprisings of yester-year. Society is now far more tech savvy and armed with the capability to read choice blogs, participate in online forums, and gain access to online organisations that give modern leadership a powerful ability to coordinate and spread their message of unified uprising in protest of dictatorships unlike ever before.

As a child I was moved by a film shot in South Africa called Sarafina. A story about a young girl who’s passion and belief inspired a youth movement in South Africa during the rule of the racist regime that dominated the mass of African people, and prevented them from having a voice, representation or any form of access to democracy. In mass protest, the school youth of the townships began mass demonstrations against the regime, chanting the words, “Freedom is coming tomorrow!” The rebellion met with swift and decisive action by the political establishment, but it was too late. The call had gone out, the world had awoken to the brutality of a distasteful regime, and favour began to swing in favour of the masses. Ultimately regime change was born as the power of the people came together in one voice.

The same can be said for the fall of the Berlin Wall, when Germans of all races, creeds and persuasions realised that a world could be changed by simple determination of a people to stand up against a regime and say NO. There were isolated instances of wall guards trying to protect their patch of the wall, but overwhelmingly it was common place for even the guards to join the people and smash down the division that caused families to be split by politics, friendships to be torn apart by the evilness of the establishment, and people to live in fear instead of happiness and prosperity.

This trend is common place throughout history. It surprises me that leaders and politicians haven’t learnt that when it comes to oppressing a people, you can only last for a certain length of time before the people become sick and tired of living under your oppressive institutions. We’ve watched it happen extensively through Eastern Europe, South America and are now seeing it happen with frequent and alarming consequences in the Arab states that for years have always tended to live under the dominance of one man.

From the uprising in Iran a few years ago protesting against the illegitimate re-election of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, to the complete removal of Hosni Mubarak in Egypt recently, to the current uprising in Lybia, we have really come to understand the power of people and where the real power lies. Yes a regime may protect itself momentarily against an uprising by retaliating against the leadership of the uprising, or in isolated pockets where the people begin gathering, but it is common place for soldiers to quickly loose taste for shooting unarmed, peaceful demonstrators. It is only when demonstrations fall into violence, lead to disruption of law and order and become excuses for looting and theft that regimes can legitimately use force to control the masses, sighting the loss of property as an excuse for the use of force. But largely peaceful demonstrations en-mass are a signal in the loudest words possible to the regime in power that your days are numbered.

I keep writing about this movement of people power, as for the first time in my life since I realised that I am Zimbabwean as much as any other person born in Zimbabwe, be he black, white or of any other race, that I see a future hope for my nation. Though I choose to live abroad and do not physically participate in the politics of the land, I do consider myself a son of the soil. I never fought a Chimurenga nor did I participate in the struggle to bring Independence to our country, I was but a boy at the time, and Zimbabwe is not a nation of child soldiers like some African Countries. Zimbabweans are peaceful, educated, resourceful people, and for the first time we are faced with the potential of regime change, not through a war, but through people power.

I am excited because something I have been talking about for a number of years now is coming to pass. This is a remarkable time in history for our world. Nations are grabbing onto the opportunity of bringing real change to their nation through the removal of the established houses of power, and taking charge of their own destinies. I truly hope that Zimbabweans gather together for once in their lives, put past discretions aside, forget petty issues, drop the stupid jealousy, and meet each other as equals on the street, participants of the destruction of an institution of hypocrisy, and bring down the regime of Robert Gabrial Mugabe and his illegitimate cronies.

As a member of One Million Zimbabwean Voices, I honestly believe with all my heart that the nation of Zimbabwe deserves a chance to be great again. We are one of the most powerful, richest and prominent nations in Africa, and have been brought to our knees by greed and corruption on a grand scale. It is criminal that the world has stood by and watched a nation become a failure in such a way, but this is the way of the world, and at last people are beginning to see that our reality is that if we don’t do it ourselves, these illegitimate institutions will continue to prosper and get fat while its people suffer and starve.

I believe that the only way we will bring about this change though is by joining together, irregardless of colour or creed, and demonstrate our way to regime change, just as in Egypt, just as in Lybia. IF these people can do it then so can we. I do not wish to see Zimbabwe as a colonialist state as Robert Mugabe would have you believe. I do not have a hidden agenda in calling for people to rise up against what I consider an evil dictatorship. I only have the best interests of my nation at heart. We all deserve the right to feel free in our land. We all deserve the right to be prosperous in our nation. Each of us should be entitled to make wealth and employ people, start businesses, own homes, farms, and land and bring prosperity to our land, wealth to our people, and stability and leadership to our region. This must be achieved together, in union, with one purpose, one voice, and one call. “Freedom is coming to Zimbabwe.”

African Potential in Social Media

I have written a number of times about how Zimbabwean’s should unite and focus on a targeted theme of revival within our country through a unified call for change. I have been very much encouraged by the private mail I have received from many corners and people who would prefer not to be as outspoken on the issue of regime change in Zimbabwe, but I am furthermore encouraged to see how other African nations are using the power of social media networks to unite the people in Diaspora to bring about change within their own government.

I genuinely believe that a responsible approach to the demand for change in Zimbabwe is needed, and it will only come from those of us who are in Diaspora to engage, co-ordinate and drive forward an agenda of change. Engaging with each other and talking on the same wave length can only bring about a general consensus that will pave the way for a charismatic leadership to take shape and promote our cause.

I recently became aware of group of Nigerians advocating for their government to provide more reliable power infrastructure. Their movement aims to highlight the problems caused to Nigerian people by the lack of a constant power supply in Nigeria and raise awareness of the situation globally. An unreliable power supply cripples industries and hinders advancements in health care and industrial growth they claim on their website.

This group have had a magnificent impact globally, and while their campaign may not be political, their tactics have brought international recognition to their plight and has people talking about their movement and situation all over the world. Through international attention, their situation has gone global and the international media are gearing up for a peaceful protest in October in Lagos, Nigeria. At this time the Nigerian government will fall under the spotlight as the international media comes to town to see how the government tackle the issue of their people demonstrating for change.

Ok fair enough, the impact of their efforts is uncertain granted, but I find it very exciting that a nation have proved my point, that through a combined effort, a unified approach, using the opportunities before us, and the tools we have such as social media, petitions, worldwide demonstration and public pressure, the attention is brought to town, and while change has not yet happened, I am optimistic that change will eventually come to Nigeria as their government realise that they have an entire world calling for them to deliver.

“Africa’s future is up to Africans,” President Obama told us when he visited Ghana on July 11. It is true that so many of us have come to this conclusion and I cannot stress enough how important it is for us to realise this sooner rather than later. The time of waiting for America and the world to sort our problems out has past. International politics are changing in ways that will mean foreign governments are more engaged with matters at home than engaging in international rescue operations.

“You have the power to hold your leaders accountable, and to build institutions that serve the people,” Obama said. Ok, those are strong words, and maybe what he is talking about is that we as a nation need to start talking with one voice and demanding better from our leaders. Perhaps if we as Zimbabweans are willing to unite and call for Mugabe to go, we will gain international support. Maybe what the new order are looking for is for us to take the initiative and paving the way for change to happen.

In whatever way Mugabe leaves, I don’t think that we really care anymore if he is brought to justice for his crimes. I guess there are those who are hurting enough to want to see him pay for his crimes against humanity, and maybe those that believe he should repay what he stole, give back what is not his and be stripped of what he has, but if this is our ultimate goal, how can we expect the man to willingly submit? To be fair I would tend to believe that most of us would just be happy for him to step aside and live out his days in whatever manner he chooses, as long as he does not interfere in politics in anyway shape or form. I do believe that there are people within the Zanu PF regime that very much fear prosecution and put pressure on Mugabe to remain in power to hide behind his frills in a manner of speaking. Truth be told, I do not believe that holding anyone to blame for the mal-governance of our nation is only going to prolong the ransom that Zanu PF holds over our nation.

It is for this reason that I say we need a responsible and reasonable call for change to take place. An unreasonable call for change is only going to prolong the course of change until such time as those who are suitable well fearful for their future are no longer in the picture. However a realistic route to repatriation through a process of reconciliation where people are mature enough to see beyond the past and look towards the economic stability and national security of the country is a course of change that becomes feasible.

The Internet is a powerful tool in empowering people. International and world opinion changes by what they see in the media, but more and more blogs, social media and interaction between people from all walks of life mean that we are more and more able to understand and engage with each other. This blog has opened a door to a whole world of people who may or may not agree with what I say, but who are willing to discuss my opinion and engage in meaningful dialogue. From Iran to China I have spoken with people who read and follow what I have to say. It is the power of this medium that Africa needs to use to its full potential.

Good governance begins with me. A statement that I resoundingly echo as I read it. By making the first step in the direction of engaging with others, by taking an interest in the thoughts and feelings of those around us, we are able to engage in a change. Good governance is the new key words in the cyber world of politics, as so many people analyse the leadership and expectations of their government. Engaging with the grass-roots is the key to becoming powerful and is what most analysts have credited the Obama campaigns success to. His support of online tools to engage with middle America is what gained him huge popularity. The youth of today live through social media. I have watched as two children sitting right next to each other would rather text each other than engage in conversation. The reason is simple. It is easier to say in words the things you are too shy to say in person.

Capture the power of this medium and you can start a whirl wind. And this is where our potential power lies. I firmly believe that Zimbabweans can achieve their greatest goals, and that we will overcome. Rome was not built in a day, and people engage through a dialogue that takes weeks if not years before real substance is gained. Focusing our attention at this early stage in the right direction is our ultimate goal. We will gain recognition, engage with other people and build credibility for our cause. In this way we can only gain support and this ultimately will bring us to our goal. Like every Zimbabwean I know, we want a prosperous, viable, free and fair Zimbabwe to call home once more.

MDC Boycott. Good Idea or Begining of the End?

So the MDC have boycotted the parliamentary cabinet in Zimbabwe in protest of the treatment of one if its key members of its own cabinet Roy Bennett who is currently on Police bail awaiting trial on charges of amassing arms of war.

The authorities in Zimbabwe have dropped its somewhat dubious and unsubstantiated claims that Roy Bennett was initially involved with an attempted assassination of Robert Mugabe by pouring oil on the road to Mutare. I mean who ever heard of assassinating a premier by oil when Mugabe travels in a hundred thousand pound armoured vehicle capable of protecting him from a rocket strike. This is a well known and common fact to all Zimbabweans who are familiar with the longest presidential protection procession of any leader in the world.

It is also a well known fact to anyone who has followed the legal situation in Zimbabwe that the charges that have been trumped up against Roy have failed to stand previously when the authorities tried to convict a local arms dealer on the exact same charges three years ago. After a year of repeated arrests, detention and scrambling around by the public prosecution a court date was finally set for the 13th October 2009, but on arrival at court, the police were forced to bail the public prosecutor out of a tight corner by re-arresting Roy on the pretext that the case should appear in the High Court due to its seriousness, when the reality is that even at this late stage the Public prosecutor does not have one single witness against him.

The truth in fact is that Bennett has always been a thorn in Zanu PF’s side. Senior officials who are responsible for calling for the harassment of the MDC politician fear that his appointment to cabinet will open the doors to official calls for those responsible for the destruction of his personal holding, the beating of his wife causing the loss of his unborn child and the confiscation of his business assets, all paid for in cash and approved by the government after independence in 1980, to be brought to justice.

Since the high court called for the permanent stay of the criminal proceedings against Justina Mukoko in September this year, the Zanu PF elite have been nervous as to what other trumped up charges brought against those that are deemed a threat to Zanu PF, will be turned out of court and dropped. If this were the case with Roy Bennett there would be nothing stopping his appointment to cabinet and that is something that Zanu PF cannot allow at this time.

And so MDC-T reaches a standoff with Robert Mugabe’s Zanu PF and has opted to boycott the cabinet in protest of this prolonged campaign of disruption against its elected officials. Personally I can understand their frustration, but in entering into any agreement with Mugabe, it was always destined to be an unequal yoke that bound the two together. There is no way that Mugabe intends to play by the rules, and it has been one uphill battle after another for anything to be achieved as laid out by the GPA.

I read a speech recently given by Arthur Mutambara, leader of the breakaway MDC-M who claims to be an equal member of the Inclusive Government, seeing himself as part of a threesome that works to bring prosperity to the nation. I had to smile to myself at how deluded Arthur must be if he really believes that he has won the bride on equal terms and now lies in bed as an equal with Morgan and Robert. While Arthur is clearly able to play both sides of the table as he leads the party that gives weight to any law that one or the other wishes to pass through parliament, he most certainly is not an equal, as Mugabe will merely brush him aside when he has fulfilled his usefulness. Both MDC parties really need to wake up to the reality that neither Mugabe nor his Zanu PF see the MDC as credible partner going forward.

Personally I have come to the conclusion that until Mugabe is removed from office there will never really be any change in Zimbabwe. Over the last three decades Mugabe has entrenched himself into a fixed place of power, where even a potentially credible threat to his establishment can easily be thwarted by skilful manipulation of his press, secret police, the army and the hierarchy of officials gathered close to the core of his government. It is a widely accepted fact that the ZBC and Herald newspaper are a propaganda machine for the Zanu PF, and it is only those that live outside of the country that get a true and viable reflection of the goings on within Zimbabwe through the international and external press agencies reporting from or about Zimbabwe.

The average Zimbabwean on the ground in Zimbabwe does not understand that sanctions are applied only against specific people within the Zanu PF leadership. They are told that the failure of their crops is due to lack of money due to illegal International Sanctions. When food aid is distributed, it is not done from the WHO or World Food Program, it is done of the back of military vehicles, with the message this is food from your leader to help you survive. No mention is made to the fact that it is infact from the very West that is meant to have caused the crops to fail in the first place.

How then are Morgan and Arthur meant to fight on equal terms while trying to win an election? When games of intimidation and electoral violence are played, even when away from the polling stations, how can any viable opposition party rally its supporter without fear of watching them being beaten and tormented for not supporting the national Zanu PF party?

It is disturbing that the GNU has hit the rocks less than a year from its inception but for any Zimbabwean watching from the side lines it is of no real surprise that we are at this situation. For many of us it is just the expected results of a period which Zanu PF saw as an opportunity to fool the world into granting aid deals to a government desperate to line its pockets.

It is worrying that the political situation could deteriorate further especially in view of the situation which prevailed before the formation of the inclusive government. The greatest concern is the destabilisation that may occur to efforts to recover the economy which the MDC had been undertaking. A total collapse of the GNU could provide Mugabe with all the ammunition he needs to never again agree to a power sharing agreement sitting the failure of the GNU for his dogmatic dictatorship of Zimbabwe.

There are genuine fears that the situation could slide back to desperation. The country had been gradually moving towards stimulating investor confidence but these latest developments will have a devastatingly negative effect on the so-much needed foreign investment. On the political front, a brutal reaction by Zanu PF hardliners cannot be ruled out. The arrest and re-detention of Roy Bennett could be regarded as a warning shot over the bows of the MDC. The Zanu PF is a brutal regime determined to cling to power under any circumstance at any cost necessary to achieve its goal.

Our nation stands on a precipice poised to either spiral into an abyss that all likelihood will spell yet more despair and frustration for the people of Zimbabwe under the evil dictatorship of this one party government lead by Robert Mugabe. The only alternative that remains is for any opposition to rid Zimbabwe of Mugabe and the Zanu PF regime. I can only foresee this happening with international support for regime change within Zimbabwe, and that is going to mean that any leadership really serious about changing the future of Zimbabwe will need to gain the approval of the SADAC member states and support of the West in their bid to remove Mugabe.

The real future of the GNU is uncertain that is for sure, but one thing is definite. You cannot boycott the agreement and expect to remain a respected member of the organisation. No one enjoys being forced into a corner, and Zanu PF will certainly not react well to MDC’s attempt to force them to meet their demands. The sad truth that I think the MDC will find moving forward is that this move has damaged their ability to be taken seriously, and while I fully understand their reasons for the boycott, you cannot be involved only when it suits you and expect to be a full player in the team. I have a horrible feeling in the depth of my stomach that this ploy can only backfire to the detriment and hopes of a nation of desperate Zimbabweans.

Zimbabwe and 2010!!! How ready are we???

As 2010 looms, it is time for the Zimbabwean people to unite and become focused on one goal. The united call for the removal of Robert Mugabe and the Zanu PF one party state system of Government in Zimbabwe. Our call for free and fair elections, democracy and freedom of speech has never before been more needed by our nation, and never before have the Zimbabwean people been in such a powerful position to make this call felt all around the world.

I hear you all laughing out loud and muttering under your breath, but allow me a moment of your time, and humour me and read on. I write as I do today having looked back through history at many popular struggles throughout the world. In many ways, it is not uncommon for people who are ruled over with a hard line mantra to eventually buck the trend and begin to demand change. This happened with the African American Movement in the US, the Chinese Freedom Movement in China, the freedom movement in India, the Tibetan Independence movement and so many more that I could write a book just naming them.

The one common trend that sticks out clearly in each of these cases is firstly the fact that the uprising while fraught with difficulties and hardships, were mostly peaceful and calm on the part of the protesters. The governments at the time are the ones that over reacted with the use of force in most cases and through this action brought about a change in opinion worldwide. Secondly each of these movements had strong leadership and stuck to the cause, even when the leadership that they once so diligently followed was gone. Thirdly is that no matter how long the struggle, change was inevitable and when public opinion falls on the side of the oppressed it is inevitable that change will happen.

Let’s take for example the case of Martin Luther King. An obvious parallel for our current situation some might say, but I tend to disagree. Yes it is a large chunk of the population of Zimbabweans around the world that want Mugabe out. Yes it is a call from a people oppressed and cruelly prevented from prospering and being given the freedom of choice and the rights that all humans should enjoy by way of our acceptance of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Yes it is a call from a marginalised group of people who have had much taken from them with little thought to the process by which this has happened and with no thought to the long term detrimental effects on the economy. As was the case with Martin Luther King, any form of protest against the Mugabe regime so far has met with swift and decisive action on behalf of the power he commands over the military and police, let alone his terror squads. Yet there are differences in the struggle. The Zimbabwean situation is a struggle against a corrupt and desperate junta that cling to power to prevent being held accountable for their failure and abuse of power. Generally people are resistant to change because they have a fear of change. This cannot be the case in Zimbabwe, and the fear is of another kind. Furthermore, and more importantly however what is lacking in the Zimbabwean stuation is our Martin Luther King. Strong leadership with a voice of reason and passion has yet to call out to the people of Zimbabwe.

Martin Luther King was the leader of the African American civil rights movement, a clergyman, a respected speaker, a passionate man, and a dedicated leader. He excited in people a sense of moral justice and a yearning to be a part of the movement of change. Even in his death, he deplored the use of violence, and brought about a change in the law and outlook of American people through careful use of pressure at the right moments in the right places and never with the use of violence against the establishment.

In China the death of Hu Yaobang sparked the Tiananmen Square protests in 1989 which culminated in the deaths of hundreds of civilian protestors. One of the most famous images of the 20th Century emerged from this peaceful standoff led mainly by students and intellectuals who gathered to mourn the pro-democracy and anti-corruption activists death. 1 million people gathered in a movement that lasted seven weeks before the military were finally able to clear the square, calling for everything from free market reform to those who called for an end of communism. As the tanks rolled into Tiananmen Square one man had the courage to stand before the tanks and bring them to a complete stop, an image that has captured the attention of the international media and world populous alike. This single demonstration brought about the collapse of a number of communist governments around the world as public opinion changed towards communism and the human plight of people living under these authoritarian governments.

These protests have brought about change for the greater good through the use of pressure and peaceful demonstration. While change did not happen overnight, a slow, constant campaign of pressure, protests, public speeches, brought about a realisation in the public at large that people had a right to put their message across. Change became acceptable because the public embraced it rather than see the prolonged acts of violence carried out in their name. And while some have lead to a complete change in the way people are treated, others are still a work in progress.

If we look at two recent examples of where public pressure and the use of the media, international events and public opinion have begun a process that in time will see the next wave of changes occur through our world as we know it.

Firstly was the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games and how the whole event was hijacked by the Tibetan Monks as a way to highlight their plight in a way that had not been possible for them before this event. The Olympic Games did something for China that no other event could ever have done. It brought the international media to their doorstep. The Tibetan Monks were not foolish when they began an protest just as the Olympic Torch began its tour around the world. It was well known that the reaction from the Chinese government would be decisive, swift and merciless. It was this reckoning that meant that the Tibetan Monks were able to pull one over on the Chinese Officials. The international condemnation of their reaction threatened to derail the whole Olympic Games, and many people were quite willing to stay away in boycott of the games because of this reaction. It was only a monumental effort of the IOC, and the major leaders of the world that brought everyone back in line and agree to participate in the event.

The recent protests in Iran show how times are changing. When people take to the streets in protest in one of the most secretive nations of the world, where people live under a cloak of fear for being persecuted by the secret police for their public protest against the Ayatollah Khomeini, then you know that times are really changing. While the uprising was contained and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was sworn in for another term as President of Iran, it is with quiet wonder at what cost it happened. How long will it be before he is ousted from power through an internal uprising. It would be in the West’s interest to try and support a challenge to power in Iran to oust the existing infrastructure and rid the area of a dangerous loose cannon, and in this protest they have uncovered a deep loathing within the nation of the seat of power in the country. This is something that surely will play into their favour as the game unfolds. It interests me to see what will happen in the years ahead as Iran continues to be a thorn in the side of the West.

But what is interesting more than anything is that an Islamic nation revolted so spectacularly against their leaders. The sudden outbreak of public opinion and the outcry of the people must have shaken the establishment to the very core of its foundation. Never before has such an impassioned call for change been seen in an Arabic nation, let alone a challenge against a supreme leader. Such actions must be a real cause for concern among leaders in Islamic states, as they realise that their people are human too and can tire of the incessant fool hardiness of a government protected by power and lavish lifestyles while their nation and people struggles on, trying survive and make a life for themselves under oppressive international sanctions.

Ok so where does all this lead. Well if you follow the common trend, you’ll see that peaceful protest does in time bring about change. There are some fundamental things that need to be established before this change can be brought about though, and it is not something that will happen overnight, so it needs passion, commitment and a thick skin. Morgan Tsvangirai has already proved that to stand for change in Zimbabwe will mean that you will engage in a hard and painful line. But what we don’t really realise is that Zimbabwean’s are in a rather unique position to make things work to their advantage. It is now that Zimbabwean’s should really be grouping together with a common voice, common language and be sly and cleaver about their approach to changing public opinion in their favour.

Firstly, Zimbabweans need to see beyond colour. Racial integration is something that I personally think will be a sticking point in Africa for many years to come and this is a sad fact. It is unfortunate that the international community don’t really like this attitude of blame everything on your past and never seek for ways of changing your future. Robert Mugabe has successfully run a propaganda campaign that blames the white man, colonialism and the West for every problem that Zimbabwe has. Many fall in line and accept this party mantra as the truth and fail to realise that without the white man, the west and to an extent colonialism they would not be where they are today. Now please before you begin to throw verbal abuse and shout me down, I accept that colonialism was a pathetic attempt by the white man to own the world, to oppress the native people of the land and to rape and pillage the land for their own gain. Yes I understand that it marginalised a people into poverty and bread a deep routed hatred of the Colonialist approach to things. That is a pain that will be carried long into our future as the hatred is passed down from one generation to another, and that is why I feel that we will struggle with this issue long into the future. Society needs to somehow find a way to teach our children that the faults of yesterday’s generation are not the burden and responsibility of this day’s generation.

What colonialism did do however was build an infrastructure that with good governance and business acumen can be built on and grown into a viable and prosperous nation. What Zimbabwe as a nation must come to terms with is that to be successful and productive in today’s world, business and trade will have to take place with the white man, and the it will be the white man that will seek to invest in the infrastructure and future of any new Zimbabwe. Until our government realise that alone we cannot survive, and stop infuriating the West and begin to work with them we are doomed as a nation. This stigma of I am black and you are white is something that we really must address as a we seek to rebuild our nation. Martin Luther King didn’t want a land void of white men, he just wanted the right to live with the same rights and opportunities as a white man. Nelson Mandela didn’t want to punish a nation for the faults of a government, he sought to heal and reconcile his nation through integration and breaking down of racial barriers. The sins of our past are our lessons for tomorrow. And accepting this we learn to grow as people and as a nation.

From within a united front a strong message can take shape that we as Zimbabweans demand change. As this message takes shape and we begin to apply pressure where it is needed I believe earnestly that a strong and diligent leadership will emerge and take shape to guide us in our call for change. 2010 approaches us with speed, and an international platform that we can use to present our case to the international community beckons us on our doorstep. The World Cup will arrive in South Africa next year, and with an estimated 2 million Zimbabwean’s living in South Africa can you imagine the power in our hands right now?

Picture this. A protest of 100,000 Zimbabweans takes to the streets on the day of the opening match in central Johannesburg and sits down in silent protest at the government of Robert Mugabe and the failure of the SADCC nations to do anything about his corrupt regime. Our message will capture and fill every network around the world. Johannesburg will be brought to a standstill, and the plight of the Zimbabwean people, the disgrace of the SADCC nations failure to help them and the deborchery of the Zimbabwean Government will be seen by the whole world. The fact that the people of Zimbabwe peacefully found the need to call out to the world to ask for their assistance as every political avenue in the African Arena has failed will bring the plight of the Zimbabwean people into the home of every football fan in the world. Every news channel will carry and lead with the story. Researchers will be pulled to dig the dirt and reveal as much as possible on the main story of the year. The high light of the World Cup 2010 will always be associated with the day that Zimbabwean’s from every walk of life sat down for the right to freedom and good governance.

This is not all. It is estimated that around a million Zimbabwean’s live in the UK. There is possibly another million in various other places around the globe. Living in Diaspora they call it. Whatever fancy term you wish to link to it, picture this. Christmas eve 2010, 10,000 Zimbabwean’s gather at strategic places in cities all around the globe. New York, London, Madrid, Rome, Sydney, Wellington, Johannesburg, Cape Town, Washington, Toronto to name a few. They hold carol singing ceremonies with speeches that are prepared to back up the call for pressure and removal of Robert Mugabe’s regime across the world, simultaneously, with invitations to the press. If you think about it 10,000 people will fill Time Square in New York. It’ll fill Trafalgar Square in London. Peaceful protests wishing love, peace and goodwill to all men, yet putting our message across in the most powerful terms possible.

We don’t need to take up arms. What we do need is passionate people, with vision and a calling. These are just two ideas that we can use that will spring board a call to change into the Interantional agenda of many nations. What we have to do is take on the oppressive institution of Robert Mugabe and the Zanu PF by challenging the world to take up our plight and back our corner. If we call for every man woman of voting age to write to their leader on our behalf. If we were to create petitions around the world for people to sign, all saying the same thing, all signed by people from every nation that Zimbabweans have fled to, all calling for the UN and other halls of power to drive change in Zimbabwe, then we, yes the humble peaceful people of Zimbabwe can bring about change in our nation. There are many challenges for us to overcome. There will be highs and lows as we seek to overcome, but ultimately I believe that we have what it takes to make a change. We just have not learnt to use that power effectively and to our advantage.

I understand that not everyone will agree with me. I also understand that in order to reach this kind of unification that we must all buy into a common idea, with common goals and a strong agenda. What I have come to realise is that without doing something ourselves we will only be in the same situation in 20 years from now. It may well be under another leader, or a different party, but we will suffer the same historical line that so many other African nations have taken before us. It will only be us who will make a change in Zimbabwe. Just as the UK and other nations face tough decisions over things like spending and economic policies for the next 50 years, it is up to us as a people to make the tough decision of whether we wish to see change and are willing to step up to the mark to make it happen or are willing to let the tide of time make the change for us. I do believe that we need to dialogue between each other and thrash out the pro’s and con’s of our ideas, seek these common goals, find an agenda we can all follow and take up the challenge of changing our nation ourselves.

The costs and effects of Life Under Mugabe

It is all very well for the world to call for the removal of Robert Mugabe from power within Zimbabwe, but has anyone stopped to consider the effects of life under Robert Mugabe, and the void that would be left in his sudden removal? It is one thing for an invading force to remove a dictator such as we have seen through history when the Allied forces divided up Germany after the removal of Adolf Hitler, or when the American led coalition finally rid Iraq of Saddam Hussein. In these instances we saw the world pour massive amounts of aid into a war torn region to bolster up its people, give the interim government a chance to begin the rebuilding of their nation, but even with all this help, we have watched two nations slowly tear themselves apart before beginning the long walk to reconciliation, reconstruction and recognition on the international stage.

Fair enough, my two examples are slightly different in that they exist under totally different circumstances, both having come out of long and damaging wars, both being divided by powers from within, and both having the lime light of the international community shone directly on them as their situations took centre stage in world politics. I do not believe that Mugabe will ever command such an effect to create a media storm around his removal, but one does begin to wonder what will happen in the absence of the despot. How will the nation begin to rebuild itself without the immediate attention of a world eager to make sure that more of the same does not happen again? Is there any hope that Zimbabwe will reach a point of free fair elections without the presence of Robert Mugabe, or are we headed towards yet another African leader hell bent on lining his own nest as quickly and lavishly as he can?

How do you begin to deal with a nation of mind washed youths who have apparently been beaten into submission and taught to believe that Robert Mugabe is their saviour? How do you take a disillusioned young man who is suddenly faced with a world absent of the pillar of power that he has been taught to believe will be his salvation and bring success to his efforts and teach him that life without Robert Mugabe is a better place? While Zimbabwe is one of the most well educated countries of the African continent, that generation of well informed scholars has either fled their nation for greener pastures, or long given up on the hope of a better life under Robert Mugabe. But the question still stands that without Mugabe is there anyone who currently shows the world that there is hope under their leadership for a better Zimbabwe. Many of the people that you speak to who used to believe that the MDC stood for change now comment that the MDC seem as bad as Mugabe, quietly accepting their place at his table knowing that while they can they are reaping the rewards of being in government in Zimbabwe.

The sad reality for many is that Zimbabwe will more than likely never really reach its once glorious position as a power house of the African continent. Its army are said to be overwhelmed with soldiers suffering from HIV. Its police force is riddled with corruption and operates as an extension of Robert Mugabe’s private army, crushing opposition where ever it springs up across the country. Many of its rank and file will be worried about the possibility of life without Mugabe at the helm, for fear of prosecution for their crimes. The existing hierarchy within government have perpetrated extensive criminal acts through the seizure of land, human rights abuses, murder and corruption, theft and embezzlement of state funds and live in a manner of making hay while the sun shines. You have to wonder how they will react under life without Mugabe. Will there be internal strife in terms of a power struggle within this Hierarchy or have they already worked out between themselves who will take over when Mugabe dies? And will it be a natural death that will remove Mugabe?

How many of his very own people hold things over him as he approaches the end of his days, and is he ever nervous that his past transgressions will come out of the closet to haunt him? Will this haunting be behind closed doors, away from the glare of the media spot light? Is he really as untouchable as he seems and are his days numbered? Obviously there will come a time where breath will leave his body, but it is very intriguing to contemplate the future of Zimbabwe without Mugabe.

There will certainly be a very long road to recovery for anyone to walk down in the rebuilding of Zimbabwe post Mugabe. First of all the spirit of the people will be of prime importance for any leader taking the stage in his absence. The nation as a whole will rejoice at the removal of the dictator from power, be it by force or be it by natural causes, there will be much cause for celebration and jubilation among the Zimbabwean people. But after that initial rejoicing, the realisation of the task at hand will return to face everyone. Change for the man on the street will not be something seen for a long time for the average Zimbabwean, as it will be a huge undertaking for any new leader to initially prove to a sceptical world that they are not more of the same. Life for most Zimbabweans won’t change until real investment returns to the shattered state, and one wonders how in this time of Financial Down Turn any meaningful investment can be rallied to support the new leader. With vast tracts of land promised to the likes of the Chinese in mining rights, mineral rights and various other rights, one wonders what else a new government can offer to a world hungry of cheap raw materials.

Maybe the option of cheap labour will be of interest to the lesser contentious nations of the world like Russia and parts of Eastern Europe, but with the West frowning heavily on the use of cheap labour I can’t see that being much of a leap forward for the Zimbabwean economy, and they would also be competing against the giants of rock bottom labour in India and China where doing it for next to nothing has already got a well established market. With the massive effect of brain drain, there is a huge hole in the people power within Zimbabwe, and one does wonder if without real jobs and the creation of sustainable and viable projects how many of the professional Zimbabweans will want to return in the early stages of a new nation under a new government. I tend to think the majority of us would love to return, but the reality of job security and value for living, many of us will choose to remain where we are for now.

I do wonder about agriculture in Zimbabwe. For Zimbabwe agriculture is the future, but it would appear that vast resources need to be put into teaching the new land owners to maximise the output of the land they now own. Massive investment needs to be pumped into the infrastructure of the agricultural industry and with much of that support coming from the west, one wonders if Zimbabwean’s are going to be willing to open their doors to that kind of invasion of the land they have just won so bitterly, even if the majority of it is now owned in one way or another by the elite of the nation. Will the new leadership have the ability to see beyond colour and realise that only through international co-operation can the agricultural sector be kick started into effective growth patterns. Is there a sense of understanding hidden below the table that will rise up once Mugabe has gone and oust those fooled into the ideology of Mugabe to make way for a democratic growth of the nation, based on the realisation that, “we can’t go it alone!”

The fundamental truth is that in as much as they probably hate to admit it, Zimbabwe needs the white man and the west more than they need it. The African Zimbabwean has for so long dreamt of living a comfortable life style. They have persevered so much, been patient for so long, and deserve some quality of life. I think personally as a Zimbabwean most of us don’t care who wins the war of words. Most of us are not really interested in who’s the boss in the seat of power, as long as they are fair, equal and worthy of our trust. For the average Zimbabwean man, woman or child we would be more than willing to work side by side, be it white, coloured or black. Prosperity and contentment is all we seek, and while life without Mugabe will be a difficult one for the large part until things come together and the world can see we want to be a part of the international community on an equal basis, our government is democratically elected by the people and representative of the interests of its people, then the doors will open for our dreams to come true. Many challenges face us before that day, and huge uncertainties lie before all of us, but I have faith that Zimbabwean people might carry the scars of life under Mugabe with them, but given the chance, given a good leader, given opportunity and the tools to do it, we will rise above.

Mugabe, Zimbabwe and Amanpour – Not the greatest Trio.

I was interested to watch CNN’s interview with Robert Mugabe on Thursday. I believed that Christiane Amanpour would give an interesting and telling interview with one of the most despised political leaders of the 21st century. Yet I was left feeling thoroughly disappointed and feeling somewhat let down by a reporter that looked clearly out of her depths, and almost hesitant to even go there while facing the notorious dictator.

It would seem that in American politics Amanpour wields a powerful wand that has created this aura of respect that in my humble opinion is totally unfounded. I would love to see Mugabe before a more seasoned International Political Reporter like Stephen Sackur or be grilled by the world renowned Jon Snow. Then you know that the truth of Zimbabwe’s crime and corruption at the top.

Amanpour clearly had not researched the content of her questions to Robert Mugabe, and when she floundered in deep water before a man with more degree’s than most educated people in our world she looked out of place and sounded completely out of her depths. Had she bothered to look into the complexities of the Colonial issue in Zimbabwe, and realised that right from the moment that Zimbabwe was finally given its Independence in 1980 that the land had been promised to the people of Zimbabwe she would clearly have been better prepared to understand that there was a whole lot more to the land issue than Mugabe just simply bullying the white farmers off their land.

Furthermore I was horrified at her complete lack of research into a very public and very well documented Operation Murambatsvina. Everyone that has worked following the Zimbabwean story knows that “Operation Drive-Out Filth” in her words was aimed at Robert Mugabe’s opposition supporters that were grouped in make shift ghetto’s in and around Harare and had nothing what so ever to do with farm workers. These two blunders made Amanpour look a decisive armature in my book, and left me very disappointed at an opportunity that rarely presents itself to corner Robert Mugabe into facing up to his crimes and realising the error of his ways.

Even when she did manage to land a left hook by pressing the question home about Roy Bennett, a question that clearly flustered the self styles dictator in front of her, she totally failed to press home her upper hand allowing Mugabe to wriggle out of even presenting a reasonable answer to her question. Perhaps Amanpour should stick to American politics for which she has the time and passion for real research and presentation. And maybe the CNN should really think twice about its position as a world leader in presentation of the news and fulfil its role responsibly by allocating people who have the time and inclination to do the job properly.

But over and above the let down of Amanpour’s inadequate interview, what did I really expect from an interview with a man who has lived under a cloud of deluded fabrication for so long that the truth is clearly as murky to Robert Mugabe as the lies he spins to cover his inadequacies and failures. I knew as did every Zimbabwean that we would hear more of the same old line of his nationalist mantra. I knew as did every individual that is familiar with the ranting of the deluded leader that he would point a finger at the sanctions placed on him and his cabinet as being the root cause of all Zimbabwe’s woes. For the CNN to give politicians like Mugabe the type of platform for such antiquated raving without any real form of challenge is both wanton neglect to do its job responsibly and is part and parcel of the reason that Mugabe is able to return to Zimbabwe a hero before his supporters, having told the West once more it is to blame.

Mugabe is no fool. He does not agree to do anything without it first being beneficial to himself and second without ensuring that he will come out of it in a position of power. Perhaps it was a careful analysis of Amanpour’s style that prompted Mugabe to realise that she would be a soft target, easy to overcome and quick to sweep aside when facing his critics back home. (I am not sure that you will find many of those.) We all know that Arch Bishop Desmond Tutu is a verbally outspoken critique of Robert Mugabe’s rule, and even he was plundered by the Presidents tirade of abuse live on CNN.

I felt myself wondering what the purpose for Amanpour’s question to Robert Mugabe about citizenship and whether or not a white man could be a Zimbabwean. A vague and somewhat insufficient answer left me pondering whether my birth in Zimbabwe counted for anything. A white born city boy, whose family were not from British ancestry, had never farmed any colonial land, would be considered to owe Zimbabwe a debt. Mr Mugabe allow me to set you straight. You may have it in your head that I or any of my family owe you a debt of sorts, but there is nothing in this world that I will give to you but the contempt of my mind and the mistrust of my heart. I owe you nothing. I am a white man. I am a Zimbabwean. You may take my land, you may even take my home, hell you can take the money I have saved in my bank account, and if you’re really so desperate you can even have the shirt on my back though I doubt it will fit you. But there is one thing that you will never take from me, and that is my pride to stand here today to be counted and named as a Zimbabwean, and as long as you live you can never change that fact.

Mugabe’s interview read like a long list of denials, almost like a naughty school boy trying desperately to hide his indiscretions from the head master who is about to beat his backside mercilessly. He denied the country was in an economic meltdown. He denied that his people were living in Poverty and suffering from malnutrition. He denied that legitimate white farmers were being forced from their land. He denied that his party had lost the 2008 national elections. He denied that opposition supporters were harassed during the runoff election. He denied that the new power sharing government was failing. He denied that opposition leaders were still to this day being harassed by the police and defence forces. He denied his economic policies had wrecked the country. He denied he feared defeat again in the 2011 elections failing to say if he would run or not. My goodness Mr Mugabe that is an awful lot of denials. The problem is you have been caught with blood on your hands, red handed you could say, and this is before an international arena that are not as gullible as your supporters to believe every word that spills from your mouth. We don’t for one moment believe your drivel of words trying to hide your indiscretions so perhaps you best lower your pants and assume the position.

Unfortunately Arch Bishop Desmond Tutu is more the man than you will ever be, and having won the Nobel Prize for Peace, I am sure that his words describing you as a basket case will carry more weight that you attempting to declare him a little man. The international community laugh at your feeble attempts to throw dust up to create a sand storm of uncertainty. We are all able to read the black and white print that clearly spell out the limits of sanctions against yourself and your allies. We, unlike the people you are able to convince in Zimbabwe know that sanctions don’t for one moment affect the trade ability or normal day to day ability of your government to run your country properly. So if it is the fact that you are tired of Grace whining in your ear about her inability of being able to spend Zimbabwe’s millions on her shopping sprees in the style of New York and London, then please have the courage to stand up and ask to have sanctions removed because you cannot tolerate her incessant complaining. We might after all be more willing to consider your request based on your honesty.

With all seriousness, it is easy for me to have a cheap dig sitting here without you before me to listen to my sarcasim, but the reality of the situation is that no matter how hard you try to create a smoke screen to hide your corruption, you can’t. You stand before the international community in the UN and tell us that there is a direct violation of the principal and practice of democracy in International Relations because of these illegal sanctions we place on you from the west. I call on every nation that has placed sanctions on Robert Mugabe and his Zimbabwe to never lift them till the day Mugabe dies. Mr Mugabe, you ask what it is that we would see you do? Let me present you with a list. One resign. Two stand before an international court of human rights and admit your crimes. Three forfeit your ill gotten gains and let your family fend for themselves. Three die in the cell in which you belong. We as Zimbabweans do not forget the crimes that you have perpetuated against our beautiful nation in your own name. It is not the sanctions imposed on you that destroy our country but your greed and malice which you deal out against anyone who speaks out against you. It is your inability to stand up for what is right and good. It is your failure to be an honourable man. You bring shame on the house of Nehanda. You bring disgrace to the door of the house of Kagivi. Through your malpractice and poor leadership you have broken the back of the Monomatapa and the kin of Lobengula regard you with hatred.

It is a sad thing. There will come a day when you will die and leave this world with nothing but the hairs upon your body and the spirit within your soul. You will stand before your god naked and ashamed, scorned and mocked by a multitude of angles. No one will morn your passing. There will be great rejoicing when the breath leaves your lungs and your body lies lifeless. History has already forgotten Sadam Hussein. His name is not even mentioned, and if it is it conjures up images of evil in much the same way that the name Mugabe will for a millennium of Zimbabweans after you.

We have watched time after time as crimes have been perpetuated on your behalf, or people been struck off the hit list as they became a threat to you. When Maurice Nyagumbo came close to exposing you during the Sandura Commission we saw a familiar military vehicle accident. When the UN in 2002 singled out Emmerson Mnangagwe and Vitalis Zvinavashe as being key players of the rape and plunder of the Congo on your behalf. Yes we noted in your own Land Reform and Resettlement Program National Audit that three cabinet ministers, four provincial governors, two leading businessmen and members of the Mugabe family had all obtained vast tracts of land illegally and inappropriately, frequently having evicted peasant farmers to whom the land have been redistributed in the first wave of land grabs.

Oh I could carry on with a list and produce a document hundreds of pages long if we were to really sit down and document the criminal extent of your life as leader of the Zimbabwean nation Mr Mugabe. Even the war veterans whom used to support you in their thousands now quietly sit and contemplate the true nature of life under Mugabe, and the truth is that you have to be pretty foolish to cherish a man so hell bent on destruction. At no time can we look back and admire your work as a leader. We cannot draw any parallel with it other than to teach a world of future leaders what not to do to land up as hated and disrespected as you. There is a difference about acknowledging you to be polite and acknowledging you out of respect, of this you are well aware, as you were taught the lessons of being a gentleman. However somewhere along the way you lost your right to be called a gentleman, and gained the right to be considered a devil instead.

Robert Mugabe is on record as saying he was appointed by God and it is only God that will remove him from power. While this may well be true, he forgets that he will be judged one day, and as long as that will happen I take satisfaction in this fact. One day I will be standing at that day of judgement, and I will cheer for every time that he is found lacking and wanting before his maker, cast down and committed to a life of destruction and debauchery to which he belongs. On that day those whom have died at his hands will know that his time has come and his regret will be greatest.

Is Zimbabwe’s Power Sharing Government Legitimate?

It puzzled and concerned me as I read a report on the website Earth Times that poses some interesting and potentially dangerous questions about the power sharing agreement made between Mugabe’s ruling Zanu PF party and the opposition MDC party. A Legal practitioner with a background in constitutional issues, Sheila Jarvis, pointed out that the paperwork signed by Parliament six months ago is totally different to the paperwork that was signed by Robert Mugabe himself.

Rule of law in Zimbabwe dictates that in order for an act to be passed it has to be approved by parliament and the President together. According to Sheila Jarvis, “It is impossible, legally, to have an act in two different versions – one version approved by parliament, and another by the president!”

“Until the entire bill is approved by the legislature and signed by the president it will remain as nothing,” she said.

This set of comments came to light as the MDC seem to have discovered that only half of the 36 page document approved in parliament was sent to the president’s office for signature. Apparently the Attorney General’s office did not bother with the missing pages because the “Weren’t important and the office wanted to save on paper.” Since when has paper been an issue for a government department when it comes to approving an act of parliament?

While the MDC has registered its concern about the flawed process, the worrying factor is that Sheila Jarvis points out in her interview that the missing text could give Mugabe absolute control over the management of future referendums, including one on the new constitution  in 2010.

What really concerns me is one simple question. What does this revelation do to the validity of the Act that empowers MDC as a fully fledged partner of this power sharing government? Is this just another ploy of the existing regime to thwart the efforts of the MDC? Does this mean that all their hard work goes to the dogs?

Admittedly we can all stand back and say that the power sharing government has not been at all what any of us expected or hoped for. But let’s be honest, it is not easy to be in Morgan Tsvangirai’s shoes. I have heard and read a lot of critisism of the MDC and Morgan in recent months, but he is a mere man in a lion’s den. And these are not the type of lions we read about in the parable of Daniel in the Lion’s Den.

With both hands tied, even Morgan Tsvangirai questions the commitment and support of this process from others involved in making the transition to a free and fair democratic society. In his speech to his supporters in Manicaland this weekend, Hon Tsvangirai said he believed that there were people working against the spirit of the people of Zimbabwe.

If this is the case, and there are fundamental flaws in the legal process that gives the GPA its powers then where are we really headed? It’s all very well for Hon Tsvangirai to say that the party refuses to be seduced into other ways of solving the crisis in Zimbabwe, but what will happen when faced with an election the MDC realises it is powerless?

In some ways I admire the MDC for even agreeing to work with the Mugabe regime. They took on a massive challenge, and knew that the competition would not play fair. They have been hood winked, and thwarted and yet have still made progress in some ways. The Zanu PF pour criticism on the fact that the MDC have not succeeded in lifting the sanctions placed on Mugabe and his cronies, and I smile when I read this.

It’s not MDC’s job to clear Mugabe’s name. Let the man come out himself and convince the world he is worth of forgiveness. Yes forgiveness. Not for being a part of the struggle to free Zimbabwe as it deserved to be freed. But forgiveness for bringing a nation to its knees and destroying the livelihood and prosperity of a people. Why should the MDC struggle to get sanctions against the Zanu PF dropped? There are far more pressing issues at stake.

There is no easy answer for Zimbabwe, and I think I agree with the sentiment that so many seem to echo when I read their blogs and reports. Zimbabwe will never come right until such time as the central power house of Mugabe and the Zanu PF is broken and removed to allow freedom of choice and pure democracy to reign in Zimbabwe again. Mugabe did not win the war of Liberation on his own. Many people fought and sacrificed far more than he did. A nation of black people fought to be allowed to choose their leaders, provide a home for their children and own land for prosperity. This is not the result Zimbabwe has enjoyed under Mugabe. It would seem life is harder today than in 1980 when Mugabe took his place at the helm.

I can only watch as others far from home do, and read the reports and feel dismay at the chance that all the progress we thought we had made is now in jeopardy. I hope for the sake of Zimbabwe and the world beyond that the progress gained thus far is not blown out of the water by a megalomaniac dictator hell bent on keeping control of “His Zimbabwe!”

Forewarned is forearmed – ZANU PF’s seige Mentality exposed and laid bare before the people.

The recent carefully orchestrated violent disruptions of the Constitutional conference by a rented ZANU PF rowdy mob in Harare should not be viewed as an isolated incident of thuggery. Instead, it is part of a comprehensive ZANU PF strategy that has been developed over time and has been deployed with reckless abandon coupled with a characteristic nauseating indifference to human suffering.

It fits neatly within the ZANU PF’s horrendous scheme of imposing its will on the people without any grain of remorse. History abounds with examples of the manner in which this Party has trampled upon the rights, hopes and aspirations of its people with impunity.

The realities of today’s onslaught on innocent civilians are just snippets of ZANU PF’s grand plan – to cow everyone into submission while positioning the Party as the supreme body in the day to day affairs of the state.

One Party state mantra

Such deluded warped logic was nurtured in the pre-independence era when Robert Mugabe steadfastly toiled around with the folly of one party state democracy. He was so obsessed with the one party state mantra to the point of intoxication. This explains the brutal manner in which the war against dissidents in Matebeleland was executed soon after the country attained independence in 1980. The plan is simple; deal ruthlessly with any potential opposition and eliminate their challenge to the political establishment.

To begin with, ZANU PF does not envisage a situation where another political Party will ever rule Zimbabwe other than itself. In fact, it has never entertained the idea of multi-party democracy. As a party, it is allergic to the idea of two competing political parties co-existing in harmony. That is why the only credible opposition party in post independent Zimbabwe, PF ZAPU, was later swallowed through the unity accord in 1987, bringing to an end, a sad chapter in the history of our beloved Zimbabwe.

Matebeleland Massacres

Before the signing of the Unity Accord, ZANU PF had visited the people of Matebeleland with the notorious fifth brigade which embarked on a brutal military campaign against innocent civilians that left over 20 000 either dead or unaccounted for. Such merciless mass killings have prompted some human rights groups to call for the indictment of Mugabe for crimes against humanity.

Although Mugabe has regretted the pitiless killings, referring to the darkest post independent period in Zimbabwe’s history as a moment of madness, he has however, in trade mark hawkish fashion, never offered an apology or compensation to victims or surviving family members of those who perished. Not even a healing process through a truth and reconciliation commission is conceivable in ZANU PF’s scheme of things, preferring instead to hide behind the flimsy excuse that doing so will ‘open old wounds’. What hogwash? It is perfectly acceptable for the modern day politburo to constantly talk about the wounds caused by colonialism but it seems wounds created by our own people against each other are not to be mentioned at all!

Sadly, the Matebeleland massacres hardened Mugabe’s tenacity and such bloodshed has been used as the yardstick to define and redefine ZANU PF’s modus operandi in pursuance of its narrow selfish agenda vis-à-vis the national interest. ZANU PF brooks no impediments. Whatever stands in their way they uproot. In a nutshell, it is either you are with them, or against them. Pure and simple. It is on the basis of such an intolerant dogma that the anti-people crusade was wheeled into motion.

In developing this thesis, I will constantly replenish readers’ memories with a few illustrative examples from historical archives. Such cases clearly demonstrate that the disruptions that characterised the constitutional conference in Harare are not in any way, one-off skirmishes that can simply be attributed to the so-called remnants of the old regime who are failing to realise that the only constant thing in life is change itself. Such incidents fit neatly into ZANU PF’s long standing selfish, broad based anti-people crusade that has been deployed with alarming regularity by the unpardonable and morally bankrupt foot soldiers who have unashamedly declared their amenability to manipulation

More worryingly, the rowdy mob was led by youth minister, Saviour Kasukuwere and Mugabe’s nephew, Patrick Zhuwawo, who constitute the young generation of trusted subservient apologists of the geriatric leader. Their deplorable complicity in the chaos that engulfed the constitutional conference venue is a harbinger of worse things to come especially, given their two allies’ special relationship with a leader who boasts of degrees in violence.

The 2000 Constitutional Process

In 2000, ZANU PF contemptuously subverted the will of the people by shamelessly foisting on the nation, a discredited constitution that was hijacked at the crafting stage, in pursuit of self-serving interests. We were told ad infinitum, that ‘the people had spoken’. But what the people actually said, inexplicably, got lost in translation.

Quite refreshingly though, the people’s response to such blatant manipulation of the constitutional reform process was unequivocal. En masse, the people resoundingly rejected the doctored version, by voting ‘NO’ in the referendum.

Such an overwhelming response against the ZANU PF government’s preferred position sent shock waves within the rank and file of the Party. Mugabe in particular, was visibly stunned by such an open rejection and has never forgiven the people for such a basic lesson in humiliation. He masked his anger by sounding misleadingly magnanimous in defeat in a public address. It was a classic case of calm before the storm. Without warning, thugs that fondly refer to themselves as war veterans struck.

 Farm Invasions

The war veterans’ response marked the beginning of farm invasions, chaos, the suspension of the rule of law and worse still, state sanctioned violence. There was a bloodbath and we are all aware of the shear extent of the madness. The ZANU PF propaganda was that the ‘NO’ vote was sponsored by white commercial farmers who opposed the provision in the new constitution which empowered the government to compulsorily acquire land, a stipulation that would leave the affected parties with no recourse to any legal challenge.

At one point vice president, Joseph Msika and the then minister of Home Affairs, Dumiso Ndabengwa, the two lone voices of reason, called for an end to the mayhem by acknowledging that as a demonstration, the farm invaders had underscored their point. It was now time for an orderly land reform programme, the two men argued.

This appeal was made in Mugabe’s absence, since he was away on one of his usual Vasco Dagaman trips. Unfortunately, the two gentlemen were not preaching the original ZANU PF ‘gospel’. This is understandable because the two gentlemen are not themselves original ZANU PF anyway.

And not surprisingly, when the ‘dear leader’ returned, he ordered the invaders to stay put, marking the beginning of the end of serious commercial agricultural productivity. In doing so, Zimbabwe has embarrassingly scored a first. It has earned itself the dishonourable reputation of being the former breadbasket of Southern Africa that made a remarkable overnight transformation into a miserable begging bowel. It sounds exaggerated but that is the sad reality.

We are now importers of maize from Zambia and South Africa, the two countries that have been sensible enough to welcome former Zimbabwe white farmers. To be honest, the two countries are reaping the rewards of their leaders’ prudence. In our case, we have of late been busy stock-pilling our harvest of thorns owing largely to our leader’s narrow-mindedness. I do not remember any period in our country’s history, ever importing food from Zambia. But, that is in the past now.

No fair minded person has ever been against the land reform programme. The bone of contention has always been about the manner in which the land has been distributed, which has left the country facing human induced famine. What started off as a vindictive war against white commercial farmers, degenerated into a senseless onslaught on the country’s food security. Food shortages, hunger and starvation are now common place. No sensible person can honestly say that the land snatch that we have witnessed by Mugabe’s henchmen was undertaken in the interests of the people or the country as a whole. Nor can we pretend that in doing so that the wounds of the past have been healed. The sad reality is that the greed of a few has only deepened the heartache and suffering of the masses in Zimbabwe.

Persecution of White Judges

Closely linked to the racially motivated war against white commercial farmers was the onslaught on white judges, accused of working against the land redistribution programme. One by one, the white judges were forced into early retirement including the then Chief Justice, Antony Gubbay who was hounded out of office.

This paved the way for Godfrey Chidyausiku, Mugabe’s preferred choice, to be appointed Chief Justice. According to critics, the partisan manner of Chidyausiku’s appointment left the judiciary heavily compromised. It exposed the once impartial judiciary to political manipulation, which threatened its long standing and cherished independence and neutrality. With Chidyausiku’s appointment, the judiciary was effectively Zanunised.

Elections in 2000 and 2002

By any stretch of imagination, both the parliamentary and presidential elections held in 2000 and 2002 respectively, could never have been conducted in peace, especially after the rejection of the ZANU PF sponsored constitution in an earlier referendum in 2000. ZANU PF was seething with anger and someone had to pay for such an open defiance.

The violent land invasions that were now in full swing had set the tone for a vicious campaign that was to follow. Unprecedented levels of pre-election and post-election violence drove many hapless individuals out of the country into foreign lands. The rural areas were declared no-go areas for the opposition MDC. Most of the MDC parliamentary candidates were virtually unknown to the electorate, for fear of persecution. This was a brutal campaign by a Party that is in the habit of negating the will of the people willy-nilly.

However, people refused to be intimidated though, and the MDC got 57 seats in parliament, a remarkable performance for a party that was barely six months old and unable to campaign due to state sponsored violence. In the 2002 presidential elections, the violence intensified since the stakes were high.

Nevertheless, Morgan Tsvangirai narrowly lost by a mere 400 000 votes. Independent observers were convinced Tsvangirai won the election but Mugabe’s men had again subverted the will of the people through rigging. The MDC leader declared the election result the biggest electoral fraud in history. Once again, Zimbabwe was stuck with an increasingly unpopular leader for another six long years.

Still smarting from a mauling in the urban areas which overwhelmingly voted for the MDC in both the parliamentary and presidential elections in 2000 and 2002 respectively, Mugabe’s thugs launched a sting operation intended to intimidate the electorate into accepting the results of the stolen presidential election.

It was a pre-emptive attack in which soldiers laid siege on unsuspecting city dwellers in Chitungwiza and Harare’s poor suburbs. Such unprovoked brutality is beyond comprehension to say the least. An undeclared state of emergency was imposed against civilians whose only ‘crime’ was the exercise of what is indeed their inalienable right to vote for a leader of their choice in a purported democratic country.

Operation Murambatsvina

As if that was not brutal enough, ZANU PF callously declared war on the people in urban areas through the indefensible operation Murambatsvina which left many homeless in the middle of the winter season. It prompted the UN special envoy, Mrs Anna Kajumulo Tibaijuka, to declare the operation grossly disproportionate and inhuman because of the heartless manner of its execution.

Lives were lost, property was destroyed and people were displaced. School-children, the sick and the elderly, suffered the most. The wanton destruction of people’s shelters and livelihood sources was akin to a scorched earth military style policy only conceivable in a war situation. And yet this was an ‘elected’ government unleashing mayhem against its own people.

Threat to De-register Humanitarian Aid Agencies

As hunger and starvation ravaged the countryside, the government saw it fit to suspend the activities of NGOs engaged in the distribution of food for humanitarian purposes. In its wisdom or the lack of it, the Mugabe government even had the audacity to threaten NGOs with deregistration if they continued handing out food to the starving masses.

These NGOs were accused of spreading opposition politics under the guise of food distribution. ZANU PF’s paranoia had hit new levels. As a Party, they failed to comprehend how the MDC had made inroads in the rural areas, once considered ZANU PF strongholds.

March 2008 Harmonised Elections

Still fresh in everybody’s mind is the manner in which ZANU PF once again subverted the will of the people in the March 2008 harmonised general elections. It took more than a month for the Electoral Commission to release the presidential election results which Mugabe clearly lost. It is believed that during that month long period the results were doctored in order to rob Tsvangirai of clear victory.

Tsvangirai refused to participate in a rerun, citing violence perpetrated against his supporters. Logically, Mugabe should have been deemed duly elected President of Zimbabwe since he was unopposed. Simple common sense! Anyway, common sense is something that is not normally associated with ZANU PF.

There is not a chance of such an association ever being remotely possible in the not-so-distant future, not even by mere coincidence. Mugabe pushed ahead with an unnecessary one man show and declared himself the winner, a result that should have been pretty obvious even before anybody had cast a single vote.

It is within the context of ZANU PF’s unashamed endemic disregard of the people’s will that the recent chaotic scenes at the launch of the constitutional reform process ought to be considered. ZANU PF has a notorious reputation for not respecting the will of the people.

Only ZANU PF supporters, including the myopic war veterans, are licensed to cause mayhem with calculated malice and never face the consequences of their heinous actions.

According to the ZANU PF violence manual, anyone who rapes, tortures, maims, injures or kills, in the name of the Party, is a ‘principled’ defender of the gains of the liberation struggle. That’s the ZANU PF way.

The scepticism with which the National Constitutional Assembly (NCA) has greeted the government led constitutional process has at last been vindicated. Within the context of last Monday’s ZANU PF sponsored chaos; the NCA’s parallel constitutional process is not only desirable, but justified. At least the civil society is on the side of history.

Ladies and gentlemen, least you forget, we have been on this treacherous path before, please, be warned: TRUST ZANU PF AT YOUR OWN PERIL! This deceitful Party is selling us another dummy. Beware! Forewarned is forearmed, goes the old wise saying. Extract of an article published by Kenneth Mawomo at Hat News.