Christmas decorations are up in most supermarkets indicating that the festive season is just around the corner and that mindless spending on food, drink and gifts can begin.

Had I the financial means I would add onto my Christmas shopping list Hugh Masekela’s song ‘Send Me’ and mail a copy of the track to every politician in office. This idea was inspired after reading Tawanda Chisango’s glowing review about the track’s rich Afro Jazz sound and moreover, its positive message. Describing the song as “spiritually uplifting” my immediate thought was that it would surely have some impact in reviving our seemingly lifeless statesmen to some noticeable action.

Primarily, I am hoping that the mere title of the song ‘Send Me’ will remind politicians that they have mandates to fulfil, as given by their constituents. All too often, it happens that public servants develop amnesia once elected into office and they forget that national, and not personal, development is paramount. In bestowing ‘Send Me’ as a gift perhaps our elected office bearers would remember that they were indeed sent, by us and for us. Maybe then we could get a bit more from them than ribbon cutting or the signing of yet another memorandum of agreement with ambiguous benefits for the masses.

Chisango writes: “The song is about someone … who is asking … to be sent so that they may be there when all the problems have been solved”. I imagine how nice it would be to have elected officials who actively find solutions to problems (or challenges, if we must use the more politically fashionable term), and not the more usual case where the politicians are the problem. Masekela’s song could inspire those in office to stop the tirades and the finger pointing in a westerly direction. After all, the purpose of putting politicians in power is not so that they can list the problems obvious to us all, but that they can find solutions to them.

But to fix a problem, you have to know that it exists and to do this you have to be in touch with the situation on the ground. Chisango explains that the person in the song is willing to go everywhere to assist the situation – to the railways, taxis, shebeens, buses, and the whole country. I admit that this is a tall order for our honourable representatives, who typically only visit their constituencies during election periods when they are garnering votes. How does one keep in touch with reality when they are surrounded (and shielded) by beefy bodyguards, heavily tinted car windows and nine-feet thick concrete walling? However, I believe that a new political norm is possible where statesmen actually live in the real world, amongst their constituents and assisting to better all our lives.

Although Masekela’s song is centred on being sent to tackle the HIV/AIDS pandemic, its message makes it relevant to all difficult circumstances that require the intervention of a champion or advocate. Elected officials take note. Being ‘honourable’ is not only a title that comes with the job; it indicates that there is a job to be done. The honour comes from being chosen and sent as a reliable campaigner for the people, to confront every difficulty no matter its size or its source and to improve circumstances for all of us.

You can download Send Me here

Internet fever has gripped so many people in Zimbabwe in the past month. There is now a scramble for those phones that can make one get connected. I’m telling you business is now booming downtown in Harare where cheap phones are found. These phones come in different sizes, shapes and weights. Some are even duped to think that the bigger the phone the faster it can get you on the Internet. On the other side it seems the companies in the business of cell phones services and the Internet are out to make a killing by charging exorbitant prices.

As a means of sharing information and communication, I think the Internet as a medium for communication is good, be it on your phone, laptop and desktop machine at home or work. Since the world is now a global village business transactions are now mostly carried out on the Internet. By just walking around town you can see people with phones in their hands trying to get a feel of the World Wide Web. When my mom heard about the Internet she also wanted to have it on her Nokia 1200.

My biggest worry is not about the Internet charges or how expensive the phones are. It’s about the dangers to children of the Internet on phones. A lot of information can be passed around via the Internet and my recent visit to an Internet café reminded me of this notice which was hanging on the wall advising customers that viewing of illegal sites is prohibited. This automatically struck the back of my mind trying to figure out if companies offering internet service especially to phones have put measures that restrict access to illegal sites and downloading of illegal content from the net.

The Internet can be a wonderful resource for kids. They can use it to research, communicate with each other, and play interactive games. As any comprehensive source of completely uncensored and often times erroneous information, the Internet is not an expert teacher or insoluble source of information. Nor is it really designed for children. The Internet is just another facet of socialization for the new generation; as always, common sense and a level head are the best safeguards but as a responsible parent you wouldn’t expect your 8-year-old kid to be level headed. With hopes of better prospects outside the country, young people may be tempted by online human traffickers. I know after reading this article some people may ask “How safe is the Internet for our children?”  Well the answer to that I am still trying to look for myself because just like my fellow countrymen we are still to appreciate the Internet on our phones.

Research shows that the majority of domestic Internet users in developing countries like India, South Africa, Kenya, Philippines and Pakistan access the Internet from a mobile phone rather than a PC. Zimbabwe as a developing country with over 6 million cell phone users, the chances are that 50% of these users will be accessing information via the Internet. By just looking at these statistics the Internet will be good for communication, business and socializing because imagine someone from Mukumbura reading today’s paper on the phone.  So lets welcome this intervention with open arms and use it to the benefit of our country.

Cyrano De Bergerac’s love, Roxanne, has at last acknowledged him.

“Let the world go burn! She knows I live! Oh, for an army to attack, a host! I have ten hearts; I have a hundred arms; I feel. Too strong to war with mortals – Bring me giants!”

Support Childline Zimbabwe this Christmas. If you shop at Spar, consider donating your change, also known as a credit note, Childline. All proceeds will go to making Christmas better for children in need. Participating Spar supermarkets have donation boxes available where you can deposit your credit notes.

Giving this year’s Lozikeyi Lecture, the Minister of Education, Arts, Sport and Culture Minister David Coltart quoted Picasson on the role of art: “We all know that Art is not truth. Art is a lie that makes us realise truth”.

Impressively Coltart used the lecture to make a powerful argument against censorship, and in favour of artistic freedom of expression. In particular, he argued against the banning of Owen Maseko’s art on Gukurahundi, and described the ban on a more recent piece, in the interest of “public morality,” as “patently ridiculous.”

Whilst he didn’t go so far as to argue that the Censor Board itself be disbanded, or reconstituted, he was none the less far more outspoken about the issue than the MDC-T’s co-Minister of Home Affairs, Theresa Makone was on the same issue. For his troubles, Minister Coltart is now being threatened by war veterans who are insisting that he retract statements he made in the speech, suggesting that Gukurahundi was akin to genocide.

Read the full lecture here – it’s worth it!

Having so bollocked the Zimbabwe International Film Festival for their delays in releasing their 2010 festival programme earlier this year, I figured I’d better jump to when I saw the Women Filmmakers of Zimbabwe send through the catalogue for this year’s International Images Film Festival for Women.

The theme for this year is Women of Decision, and films are on in Harare from 19-27 November, and Bulawayo on 1&2 December.

Have a look at the programme here and make a plan to get inspired.