There’s an insightful article called “Toast Masters” by William Mervin Gumede published in Focus on Africa (October to December 2010).  It’s centred on how power, privilege and all things nice are entrenched amongst a minority elite.  This is something that I, and I believe many others, have always known, have experienced first-hand and have found quite depressing.

The last paragraph really got me thinking.  Apparently, in parts of deepest darkest Africa, there are pockets of democratic success that are enjoying the economic progress that comes with it.  “Bully for Africa” I thought.  How nice that we don’t have to look far across the ocean for examples of good governance.  (You know how the West likes to dictate to us).  I then thought that it would be even nicer if African leaders could be as jealous for their countries as they are for their positions, innumerable assets and vast network of family and friends.  Can you imagine?  One president reads how Botswana created room at the feeding trough for formally marginalised groups.  Irritated by the success of his neighbour, he decides to generously give the entire trough to the poor.  Or in another case, a certain prime minister might discover that his brother in Mauritius has given small businesses substantial access to finance.  Not to be outdone, the honourable one decides that entrepreneurs should not only get funding but they will receive free training, input subsidies and tax rebates. Wouldn’t that be marvellous! Gumede suggests that if the traditional elite adopted a more inclusive approach, it would result in widespread prosperity in society.  Maybe then the masses wouldn’t resent that their lives are controlled by a handful of people.

I went to Danhiko Project’s annual Paralympic Games for the first time. In attendance was the First Lady Grace Mugabe, the Project’s patron, several important looking Zimbabwean government officials, captains of industry etc. 81 clubs from all over the country attended, with athletes participating in a diverse number of sports including swimming, wheelchair basket ball, tennis, and a new sport to me, goal ball.

I have to admit to being impressed by what I saw. The cliché about disabled athletes being brave, spirited and determined is exactly that because it’s true. These are not people to be pitied, or looked down upon. Neither are they helpless. But in society that discriminates based on difference, that is what often happens.

There were a lot of journalists covering the story that day, as evidenced by the extensive coverage to be found in the Herald and on ZBC. It is unfortunate though, that the games, the participants and even the Danhiko Project were just a backdrop to a story framed as ‘what the First Lady did on Saturday’. For the majority of the time the cameras were on the First Lady and Government officials.

On the news in the evening what was shown was the First Lady giving a speech about how much she managed to raise for the games (any mention of corporate sponsorship was edited out, yet free advertising is what induces companies to sponsor events in the first place!), and footage of her and several government officials making merry on the dance floor.

What’s even worse is that for television the reporter who filed the story wasn’t even there. ZBC sent a cameraman and googled their way through a five-minute story.

To her credit, the First Lady did try to maintain the focus on the reason the event was held in the first place, for the disabled.

I have a friend, one of many, who is based overseas.  Like thousands of others, she left the country in 2008, at the time when Zimbabwe’s main export was people.  Whilst her adopted home has treated her quite well, recent phone calls have been distinctly nostalgic, with her expressing a longing to return home.  The last time we talked, it came up again.  She was dead serious about coming back.  Somewhat disturbed by the resoluteness in her tone, I asked, for the umpteenth time except more forcefully this time, “but why?”   I quickly pointed out that there was nothing attractive about leaving there to be here, of all places.  If she returned, it would be to a stagnant economy, with no job opportunities and a dodgy social situation.  Despite what many of us had hoped, there was nothing democratic about the change the movement had brought to the government, or life in general.  And unlike the gold rushes recorded in history, which turned out to be quite bountiful for various parts across the globe, sadly, our own diamond rush had not had the same effect.  (Indeed, all that glitters is not gold).  With all Zimbabwe’s issues, coming back would only be to poor prospects for an ordinary existence.

My argument was really sensible but my friend was determined to make me understand her feelings.  She began to make a list of several people who had returned.  This was true.  Certainly, in my own personal circles, I have also observed a slow but steady trickle of Zimbabweans who have come back, to live here, for good!  But why?  It didn’t make sense to me so I put it down to the fact that there are an inconceivable number of people who have a sick desire for the type of punishment that only Zimbabwe can mete out.  Perhaps those who had returned had been enticed back by the minor changes we had experienced; after all, people no longer endure shortages of basic commodities.  But it is no secret that we continue to suffer the effects of shortages in common sense.  Thus, I told my friend that there was (and still is) a lot that needs fixing in health care, schooling, infrastructure, politics and … and … and.

Despite my very logical arguments against her returning, I was rather taken aback by her response, quiet as it was. “But it’s home”.  It reminded me of 2008, when she was preparing to leave to take advantage of her wonderful opportunity abroad.  Despite how bad things were back then, she had second thoughts about going.  Two years ago, I understood her hesitation.  Now that she was mulling over the idea of returning home, that same understanding dawned on me again.  With this realisation, it was my turn to quietly acknowledge, “I guess we are all certifiable.”

There are many Zimbabweans who didn’t go when things got tough.  There are many of us who are still here, in spite of it still being difficult.  “But why?’ I don’t have a definite answer.  But I can appreciate why such a decision would be made, in the same way that I understand what makes Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe and know that that is what informs such a decision.  It can’t be pinpointed to a single thing or explained by anything tangible.  However, there’s certainly something we know, value, and dare I say, love, about this place.  It’s the thing that keeps us calling it home and that makes us feel at home.

In the end, the focus of our conversation turned to what my friend missed about home.  Turns out, they were some of the things that, being here, I took for granted.   Thinking positively, not only lifted the mood of our conversation but it also lifted my spirits long after I had said bye.  (There is truth in some of that pop-psychology mumbo-jumbo).

Of course, it didn’t take long for something to irritate me about life in Zimbabwe – irritation is a given.  But, I have become less focused on it and have found that what works better is to focus on the positive.  I have begun to compose a “But why?” list of my own – reasons for sticking around.  Maybe, having accepted and explored your own insanity, you could find stuff to add to this list too:

1.    A little bit of rustic, a dash of modernity; this is the absolute best place to start a family and raise children.
2.    With the influx of imported foods, I have a greater appreciation for our local produce.  There’s nothing as delicious and wholesome as homegrown Zimbabwean.
3.    The sunrise over the Matobo Hills will touch you in a special place.
4.    Its musical; the melodic chatter of a familiar vernacular language.  Just have a listen to the animated banter of a group of women.
5.    Some may find us docile but I’d say that we have a peaceful spirit that persists no matter how far we are pushed to the edge.

Following on from my Community gets involved in cleaning up Newlands Shopping Centre blog, I was pleasantly surprised to note that the following Friday morning of the 24th September 2010, the City of Harare was themselves painting the zebra crossings with a fresh coat of paint within the shopping area. I have no doubt that the communities work the previous week had got their attention and they felt they had to go out there and continue the good work that the surrounding businesses had already started. We now have a very fresh, clean looking shopping area in Newlands. Unfortunately this is not the case around the rest of the country and I am saddened every time I pass vacant areas of land and see copious amounts of plastic litter dumped right on the road. We need to do something about this continuing waste problem and get everyone to do their bit for their earth!

I recently found some interesting facts on the I Save Earth web site:

As we become more technologically advanced, we produce materials that can withstand extreme temperatures, are durable and easy to use. Plastic bags, synthetics, plastic bottles, tin cans, and computer hardware- these are some of the things that make life easy for us. But what we forget is that these advanced products do not break down naturally. Plastic bags are difficult and costly to recycle and most end up on landfill sites where they take around 300 years to photo degrade. They break down into tiny toxic particles that contaminate the soil and waterways and enter the food chain when animals accidentally ingest them. But the problems surrounding waste plastic bags starts long before they photo degrade.

When we dispose them in a garbage pile, the air, moisture, climate, or soil cannot break them down naturally to be dissolved with the surrounding land. Our planet is becoming increasingly contaminated by our unnecessary use of plastic carrying bags. Big black bin liners, plastic carrier bags carrying advertising logos, clear sandwich bags, vegetable bags and a variety of other forms used to carry our daily food items and other items are all polluting our environment. Just take a look around you. Plastic bags can be seen hanging from the branches of trees, flying in the air on windy days, settled amongst bushes and floating on rivers. They clog up gutters and drains causing water and sewage to overflow and become the breeding grounds of germs and bacteria that cause diseases.

We produce 6 billion tons of plastic a year. We use it for everything it seems. One reason why plastic was invented was to reduce ivory use. Plastic recycling is difficult, and not profitable, leading to only 3-5% of the plastic produced to be recycled.

Closer to home, social activist Peta Searle shared this information with Zimbabweans recently:

Over the years plastic has become the “clean, safe” and accepted method of packaging and carrying goods. The problem is that plastics are non-biodegradable. When they are carelessly thrown away, they collect around the city, choking drains, threatening small animals, damaging the soil and polluting our beautiful country. A study in Ghana showed that plastic wastes have virtually choked the drainage system in the urban centre’s of the country to such an extent that it takes only the slightest of rainfall to precipitate floods in major cities.

Plastic poisons and pollutes

Plastic is made from oil and coal, materials that are both unsustainable and non-renewable. Mining, transport, energy production and petrochemical processes all damage the environment. In this way, plastic production contributes to problems such as oil spills, toxic emissions, and global warming through the release of greenhouse gases. If you decide to burn plastic to try to get rid of it, there are also problems. Dioxins (any of several toxic hydrocarbons that occur as impurities in petroleum-derived herbicides, disinfectants, and other products) and furans (a colourless flammable toxic liquid heterocyclic compound, used in the manufacture of cotton textiles and in the synthesis of nylon) are two highly toxic chemicals created unintentionally during plastic incineration.

Plastic wastes choke seas across the globe. This form of pollution is one of the biggest environmental problems we face, and it’s only getting worse as plastic production continues to grow.

What can we do about the plastic problem?

Reduce, re-use, and recycle!

Plastic bags are everywhere and they don’t disappear when we throw them away and where is away. God gave us an earth to line on and every little speck of it is our responsibility, so I ask you again, when you throw it away where is away? Away is out of sight, out of mind, but global warming is all of our responsibility and it is time you played your part. So make the effort, only good can come of it. Reduce, reduce, reduce the use of plastic bags. Have a box in your car and load the groceries from the trolley into the boot. Carry a green bag to load up the groceries. Don’t put all the vegetables in to plastic when you have it weighed, bring your own big bag and weigh the vegetables separately and put them all in one packet. The more people who bring their own re-useable non-plastic bags to the shops, the less plastic bags are needed. If you already have plastic bags, you could re-use them several times yourself. Thick plastic bags are easier to re-use, and they are also easier and more profitable to recycle.

Campaign!

Campaigns to change the law about plastic bags have been very effective in many African countries. Botswana launched a plastics petition campaign, asking that shops only stock plastic bags thicker than 60 micron. Stronger, thicker plastic bags are re-useable and easier to recycle than thin bags. Shoppers should pay for the stronger bags, so that they would be more likely to re-use them than throw them away and manufacturers should make sure that plastic bags are made of materials that can be recycle more easily. The result is that several large shop chains now sell thicker re-useable plastic carrier bays.

The Eritrean government has also taken a firm line on plastic bags. Since January 2005, those who import, produce, distribute or sell plastic bags are fined, and Kenya may soon follow suite.

If you have to dispose of your plastic, throw it in a hole and bury it don’t burn it. Dioxin a gas released from the burning of plastic is highly carcinogenic and will affect an unborn baby. Appeal to your councilors to dig a deep hole in your neighbourhood where plastic can be disposed of and most importantly reduce and reuse.

Meanwhile we need to lobby to our governments to take strong action against toxic plastic products. I encourage anyone in local groups or organisations involved in this issue to join the expanding coalition – making strong connections in Zimbabwe is the next step. So get involved! It is our world that we have to keep clean and beautiful for ourselves, our children, our grandchildren and generations to follow.

Let’s make Zimbabwe beautiful.

Some of the feedback we’ve received from members of the Kubatana community:

I’m very much worried about the so called ZESA load shedding especially in the area I live, Hatfield. Usually the cutoff is at 5.30pm and will be back at around 10pm and will also be off as early as 4.30am. We hardly use electricity. To my surprise the bills are just too much as we hardly use electricity. One wonders why such load shedding is like that in this area which is along the airport road. This road is usually used by government officials, diplomats, tourists, and investors. How can we have tourists and investors to this country when they are driving in the dark from the airport? This will obviously turn most of our potential investors and tourists away. Their first sight to the country of hope is just darkness and they will feel they will be throwing their money in the dark. My suggestion to this load shedding is that, cut offs should be done during the day, lets say from 9am to 4pm. Lets market our country for potential investors in light. I feel ZESA authorities should look into this matter with broad minds which are full of sales and marketing ideas. Lets market Zimbabwe to rebuild our economy.

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I am getting very agitated with the way Ruwa Local Board is managing the service delivery in the otherwise very quiet and potentially well managed surburb. For starters the board has simply resigned on the water provision aspect, they sit back and relax while the residents go for months on end without water. Awhile ago they used to provide water from a couple of boreholes located on the USAID side but those days are way behind us. Residents resorted to sink wells in their yards but due to the poor rainfall last season the watertable is now miserably low and all you get from the well is mud . . . is this not precipitating a cholera outbreak!!!! To add insult the board has the audacity to dispatch water meter readers for the drops that drip out of the taps once in a blue moon. The drips are so brown from the rusted pipes that you do not even dare use them for flushing the toilet because you will stain it forever. The refuse collection side is even more disappointing. They have a known schedule that the residents know and early in the morning on the particular day all households bring out the refuse outside their yards to be picked up . . . this is a mirage, the refuse is never collected for weeks on end. I just wish the Board could use their municipal police to announce in advance that they will not be picking up the refuse anytime soon and it stays hidden in the yards. I am so fed up of officials who sit in the office and do nothing except grow big tummies from the rates that we fork out every month.

The banning of SMS messaging in Mozambique is but one of several signs that both SMS (short message service) and the internet are changing the way media creates a national conversation in African countries, writes Russell Southwood on Pambazuka.

Read this very interesting article on the use of new media here but take note that Kubatana did not provide the MDC with an interactive voice response system for its phone in information service.