In our newsletter yesterday, we shared a story from the Mail & Guardian about the new Freshlyground video “Chicken to Change” which Bev Clark blogged about last week.

According to TimesLive:

Top local band Freshlyground have added a cheeky spin to the music video of their latest single, Chicken to Change, as they challenge Zimbabwean president Robert Gabriel Mugabe’s leadership. In the song, lead singer Zolani Mahola sings about what a noble “supernova” Mugabe was, but then says that somewhere along the way, he fell.

One subscriber shared some of her reflections in response:

First impulsive comment: Freshly Ground will never be allowed into Zimbabwe now or ever for as long as the chicken hasn’t changed!

Reflective Comment: Powerful metaphor that speaks for all silent Zimbos . . . WE NEED CHANGE! It’s a pity we can never be bold enough to CHANGE THE CHICKEN . . .

An after thought: The non-chicken party may consider adopting this as their counter jingle to the chicken jingles we so tired off listening to on national radio. It surely would top the charts!

In response to our email newsletter yesterday, here are some comments on the state of affairs in the City of Harare:

The roads at Warren Park D area are terrible especially from the Pfukwa Shopping centre down into 139th  Street. The roads have been like that (pot holes) for more than ten years now and one wonders what is happening? Is it because the people who stay there are not human like any other people, say those who stay in Borrowdale? Or is it because the cash people from that area pay for amenities is value less (Zim Kwacha) as compared to the USD paid by those who stay in Borrowdale? Please . . . the City Council should follow in Jesus Christ steps for not being a separator of people because– nobody is superior to others. Zimbabwe is an Independent country so there should be fair play and EQUALITY FOR ALL !

I totally agree with the sentiments expressed on this network regarding services offered by the city fathers. Although they have bought trucks to collect refuse in most suburbs the individual homes are not being provided with polythene bags that help to hold the litter before the trucks arrive which come once a week. This could be done by giving the housing assistants the polythene bags as they deliver the monthly accounts especially in high density suburbs. The other way would be to tender refuse collection to communities in the suburbs who are able to determine as and when collection should be done rather than once a week. Monitoring can then be done by health committees within the same suburbs. Reports on how each sub –contractor is performing will be sent to the respective officials for further monitoring and recommendation. This will ensure that each suburb is in charge of its health issues.

Tommy’s story all began in Lesotho where he lived with his birth parents. Shortly after Tommy was born his father moved to Johannesburg to work on the mines. When Tommy was ten months old he and his mother travelled from Lesotho to Johannesburg to visit his father. On arrival in Johannesburg Tommy’s mother discovered her husband with a girlfriend.

She attempted to stab her husband and his girlfriend, which led to her arrest. Tommy was then left at a shebeen for three months until a woman eventually phoned Thea who ran an orphanage called TLC. Tommy was taken in by Thea and TLC.

Tommy was constantly sick and his doctors had done various tests but were unable to come up with a diagnosis. He was admitted to hospital. The doctors said that he had three weeks to live.

Tommy was then diagnosed with HIV at the age of three. This changed Tommy’s life as he was put on ARVs. Tommy now had the chance to be a “normal kid”; he finally had the chance to go to school. He had previously been unable to attend school because he had been too ill. “I had a lot of catching up to do and I thank God every day for my medicines because they are the only way I can live a normal life.”

Tommy found it extremely frustrating to go to school with people who are completely ignorant about AIDS and HIV. Who would have thought that in this day and age teachers would be advising their students not “share lunch boxes with people with AIDS”. They advised his fellow students to “cover their mouths with a shirt when you are around people with AIDS.” Tommy is currently a prefect at Randor School and is involved in talking to children at various different youth centres about living with HIV. He shares his story with other youths his age in the hope that it may help them.  Tommy believes that he can help and teach others from his experiences.

Human rights lawyer, Beatrice Mtetwa, pictured above, was honored for her outstanding contributions in defending human rights, people’s freedoms and promoting peace in Zimbabwe at a recent event held by the NGO, Restoration of Human Rights Zimbabwe.

A subscriber sent us these important questions about the Constitution making process currently underway in Zimbabwe.

• Zimbabwe is writing a new people driven constitution. Of fundamental importance is the outcome. Indeed meetings are convened and several irregularities have been recorded. In Masvingo province, for instance, the so called war veteran (Jabulani Sibanda) had intimidated the en masse. How indigenous and people driven is this document going to be under those circumstances? Is this programme going to reflect the needs and aspirations of the populace? Is this not going to be Zanufied?
• Is this not going to be a negation of the negation?
• WHAT WILL BE THE OUTCOME GIVEN THE ENVIRONMENT UNDER WHICH THE PROCESS IS BEING EMBARKED?

“That wire mesh is really glass,” he told his child.
She looked at him with disbelief.  “It is,” he smiled.

“Feel it… no, not like that, silly… not with fingers.
Fingers are for touching, probing… fingers pick, point,
accuse.  Feel it with both hands pressed, as if in prayer
- one on either side of the mesh.  Now, gently, move….

She looked at him, his little girl, with bold surmise,
and something atavistic flickered in her eyes.