Remind me why we have this inclusive government again?

On Thursday March 17, police banned a Movement for Democratic Change “People’s Peace Rally” which had been planned for Saturday March 19. Speakers at the rally were to include MDC President Morgan Tsvangirai, who is also Prime Minister of Zimbabwe.

Initially, the MDC was defiant about the ban, pledging it would go ahead as planned, and appealing first to the Magistrate’s Court and then to the High Court, both of whom upheld the ban. The ban defied an earlier move by Zimbawe’s President Robert Mugabe to lift an unofficial ban on MDC rallies.

The MDC continued to put up posters advertising the rally – I saw some go up as late as Thursday and Friday. On Friday, the police warned the public not to attend the rally.

On Friday, we sent a text message to our subscribers asking them what the MDC should do about the ban. Over 60% of them advised the MDC should go ahead with the rally.

Along similar lines, several MDC supporters went to the rally despite the ban. Police fired tear gas to disrupt those who had gathered. Others were assaulted by alleged Zanu PF youth. According to the MDC, at least 15 were hospitalised as result. This is consistent with the feedback we received from people in town on Saturday, including:

• Harare is cordoned off by ZRP. No cars are picking or dropping people there.
• MDC T members are being beaten and looted their cash by Zanu PF in front of ZRP.

All of this begs the question, what should the MDC do in an environment in which on paper they are an equal partner in government, with a co-Minister of Home Affairs. But in reality, they are very much junior partners, and some criticise their presence in government as simply legitimising continued Zanu PF domination.

Interestingly, the vast majority (61.5%) of Kubatana subscribers who were answering this question urged the MDC to go ahead with the rally.

Other responses included:

• Take it to the courts – 9.6%
• Street protests – 7.0%
• Wait / reschedule – 7.0%
• Appeal to the region – 5.9%
• Push for new constitution / elections – 3.2%
• Use the media to build support – 3.2%
• Pull out of the GNU – 2.7%

Of course, like the suggestion that the MDC should “just go ahead with the rally despite the ban,” these other ideas also need investigating. If the Magistrate’s court and High Court uphold the ban, what recourse does the MDC have through the courts? If police disrupt a planned peace rally and participants are attacked, what hope is there for street protests? Morgan Tsvangirai had just come back from a four day regional tour – appealing to the region didn’t seem to make much difference. And if you can’t get your so-called partner in government to agree to let you hold a peace rally, how do you ever hope to hold free and fair elections?

There is the idea that the MDC should use the media to build support – if they haven’t been able to do this in the 12 years since they were formed, why will they be able to now?

There is the least frequently suggested idea, that the MDC pull out of the GNU. But that could very well be exactly what Zanu PF is hoping it will do. If the MDC pulls out, then Mugabe would be in his rights to call for new elections. He would tell the region there was nothing else he could do – he had tried his level best, but the MDC pulled out. And therefore, in order to restore legitimacy to the government and allow the people of Zimbabwe their sovereign right to elect their leaders, he had no choice to call for elections. Of course, if the MDC can’t even hold a peace rally, how could elections in this environment ever be free and fair?

Finally, there is the suggestion that the MDC respect the ban and wait or reschedule – which is what it eventually settled on. The MDC has said they will hold the rally this coming weekend instead.

A friend of mine said on the weekend that Mugabe’s got Tsvangirai by the balls. In the process, it’s the people of Zimbabwe who are really feeling the pinch.

On Friday, we shared the following question with our subscribers:

Kubatana! Gwisai+5 released last night after 26 nights in detention. Police say NO to MDC weekend peace rallies. What do you think the MDC should do?

We received a number of replies, including:

• MDC should go to the High Court urgently
• But these have been given a dispensation to hold these where does Chihuri come?
• go ahead with rallies as planned
• No turning back they should carry on with the rally we are prepared for anything, they are not the drivers of our life, we drive ourselves with what we want.
• I say go Mdc go
• Mdc go on  hold   rallies   shame   the  devil
• Egyptian, Tunisian, Libyan and Bahrain style in protest over ban.
• Reduce number of people per gathering.  use pamphlets & horizontal information dissemination e.g. neighbour 2 neighbour.
• The MDC should go ahead with the planned rallies, They are peace rallies NOT violent rallies.
• The MDC cannot be controlled by people who are bandits of Zanu PF or thugs. We should demonstrate like what they used to do.
• Viva Gwisai And Spirit Of Resistance To rapacious Hegemony. The MDC Should Defy Chihuri And Just Go Ahead.ZANU-PF Thugs Have Limitless Freedom Even To Beat, maim And Rape Innocent Citizenry, why Stop Noble People Friendly Rallies?
• MDC shd continue wth the raly bcz it benft the pple of ZM whom they serve and who vote for them not the ZANUPF POLICE.
• democracy is what we are fighting for. i support that gathering. peace, peace, peace, peace
• What police(zanu pf) z doing z purely madness.in as much as we symbathise w mdc, its gud tht they post-pone it 2 a later day,police wil b there 2 attack.
• As long as there is selective application of law targeted sanctions must remain in force. EU & USA must know that we are behind them.
• MDC should invite UN for peace keeping
• MDC should go ahead with its rallies as they are equal partners in government. MDC is not an opposition party. They are leading in Parliament
• Mdc must not give up now. They ought to be stronger than b4
• Freedom of expression is a human right.they shd proceed.
• There should go on
• Mdc leadership including mp’s, senators, national exec shd lead a public march next weekend to which everyone is invited. Destination: president’s office or parliament.
• Gwisai should lay criminal charges of abuse of duty on detaining police, prosecutor and magistrate and  MDC should do similar
• They shld go ahead.
• Demonstration is the best
• MDC should go thru the ruling from the High Court against this unlawful ban
• They should forge ahead with the program, this is war, never expect dictator to give peace in silver pluter! We need to clash with police, maybe ignite uprising. Alutor continur! God bless you!
• should go ahead and hold the rallies
• MDC shod u nothing! They normally do that.
• Go ahead with e rally. Hapana kusiri kufa.
• the meeting  must go on this our rights
• They  must   go  ahaed  with  the  rallies  at  the  weekend  without  any  fear   i  thank  you
• MDC should proceed
• I think the Mdc must postpon  and then arrange onother  Date venue because respect a full  tn avoid nonsense
• Mdc as equal patnas in govmnt shld send a clear msg 2 zanu pf that democracy is not a personal commodity , the rally must go ahead.
• Our campaign should be through the media only. Rallies not the best option to maintain visibility & PEACE
• Let us go into the streets & pray. Nan
• should go ahead as per plan
• Stay at home is what they should do!
• MDC shud go ahead with e rallies. Police and Zpf, by obstructin these rallies,show that they dont want peace in this country but want to use violence as a tool
• its difficult  because mdc is not given a chance even 2 do meetings.
• Pamberi nechimurenga.zanu police has no right at all to stop vana vezimbabwe to say anything abt e way they ar misruled.
• Go ahead with the peace rallies wth or wthout police consent. Masses wl be there to support and fight for their rights.
• We are going ahead.
• Ngavarege havo raly coz zanu pf ndeve violence mdc vangato rohwa kana kusungwa chinja gd leadr gd supoters
• Cant expewct them 2 behave diferently so just Do It
• We should go ahead this regime is selfcentred
• They should go ahead and face the scenario
• The MDC musnt giue up,we must fight on peacefuly until our objective is met.
• They are mad  and they wont win in a free election
• Seek court order as it is their ryt.
• Go ahead with their plans
• Dont confront police postpone meeting kuvanyadzisa
• They should protest.
• MDC stop the campaign and work on restructuring in the rural areas. The police is operating under instructions from Zanu PF. More MDC meetings will be disrupted.
• Go ahead
• They should go ahead with rally
• They should wait until granted the permission
• Go ahead its our Constitutional right
• MDC must attend ZANU rallies and be part of the speakers and audience
• MDC should  book another day and we won’t fail to descend the arena what so ever
• Go ahead
• Theresa Makone should defend MDC cuz Zanu is there to frustrate all efforts. JOMIC must also act on this. Our courts must also be approached to rule on this.
• Go ahead and hold the rally
• To show real democracy and unity, let them proceed with their peaceful rallies just like other parties.
• Proceed
• The MDC must resist being swallowed or neutralised they must to their democratic intentions which at certain points demands grabing enemies by the horns ,the shortest way is the way of war!
• They should proceed with the rallies
• Police is there to keep peace in a country not to be patriotic so MDC should continue with rallies. Enough is enough. Let’s fight for our rights guys.
• We have got no POLITICS 2 talk of. If this is 2 go ahead without Police authority i can foresee death.
• Pull out from inclusive govenrment.
• Go ahead as if nothing has happened
• The MDC should keep on riding Good lucky to Gwisai  and others.
• Thats a giant step towards victory and total democracy! MDC should organise demonstrations against oppression and continue to mobilise people using tools like Kubatana.
• The MDC should simply ignore the partisan police and go ahead with its program as planned.
• MDC should inform SADC
• They must go ahead
• Should go ahead so the Egyptian way will start
• Let Mdc take the POLICE COMMISSIONer to court. And ask for his removal.
• We know them. They are allowing this Anti-sanction thing  becoz they feel they own Zim. Let the MDC do door to door campain.
• For the safety of the people, mdc should stop tomorrow’s rally and find another date. Our police are playing games, they are partisan.
• Th mdc should just use th courts for safety of its vulnerable supporters one day th court records wil testify against the oppresers
• Mebbe go to court for adjudi cation
• Both MDCs shld unite,pressurerize for reforms to have internationally supervised, free & fair elections.
• Police belong 2 Z.A.N.U. How about if it even withdrawl frm the G.N.U.
• To go to high court
• defy the ban & go ahead with it!
• The MDC should just go ahead with rally and see what the police will do , maybe that will mark the beginning of the long awaited mass protests .
• Report it to the mediator Mr Zuma so that he shall talk. Why they calling for uplifting of sanctions. It is human rights violation versus sanction.
• Go ahead with its rally
• Proceed. Police are Napoleon’s pups. Pups cannot rule people. Truth must prevail. Time to rally.
• We should go ahead with the rally.
• They should go ahead
• The must proceed.
• What about  the notice given by  mdc  to the   court over the issue
• MDC must go ahead and do what is right to the people, and ignore barbarism from the police. we badly need peace rallies nation wide to foster tolerance.
• MDC must continue with its rallies
• Go ahead with the peace rally
• Mdct should continue fighting fr democracy through peaceful means as they did fr past yrs.
• For the seck of peace, they should postpone coz there wil be an anti-sunction pertition in Mutare.U Know what it means.
• mdc must show that it is the majority party not opposition.mutambo uyu ibhora rembabvu.they shld learn from egypt tunisia nd kenya.partisan zrp must not be obeyed
• Tsvangirai must make move
• Should go ahead with its planned rally.
• lets cnti wth our raliez shoez or shoez tirikuita chete
• Should fight to find its way through.
• I think the MDC should go ahead without the police approval.
• MDC should report this to the SADC mediator and also brief other regional leaders about the issue so that they get to know.
• They must go ahead with the rally.Mugabe has lifted the ban on MDC rallies
• We must do the egypt way.we must show them the people’s power by mobelizing people through the face book.
• Why gv up? lead us gv us hpe, power.
• MDC should persist on.
• The MDC must pressure for a co-commissioner general who represents MDC within the police force to avoid unnecessary detention by Zanu PF police.
• the mdc should go ahead with the rally dispite the ban the are saying the rally is closer to that of zanu pf,zanu pf should find another venue bcz they are the last to book to the the police posa doesnt say they have to ask 4 permition but to notify
• Go ahead and get arrested so th’t the int’nal comnt c’z hw  rude the dictator is, espclly Zuma.
• Lets go on coz thez pple alwayz a that a dog wl alway be a dog down wt them
• The MDC should go ahead. why is it the anti sanctions gathering was granted the green light? no to partisan decisions from the police
• As a democratic party they mst postpond to save lives of the people
• Play cards low reschedule and plan print media peace initiatives.
• MDC is party of Government so they should carry on
• Go wel ahead with rallies as planned expose these wicked activities both locally and internationally advise Theresa Makoni to make the loudest noise even if it means getting her arrested especially when members a arrested as a fix
• Adres the issue to higher level
• The MDC should carry over because they have been already given the authority by the president.
• MDC must go to court.
• make a massive campain to have a free chance to say out their thoughts wthout hesitation to hell wth e police
• Also zanu pf ralies must be banned.
• Mdc must hold the raly wthout fail
• They should remain calm and see whats their next MOVE.
• Mdc should go on with the rally Harare central was won by Mdc-t  they have every right to do whatever they want in that area .
• Must go a head
• MDC is part of the government Zanu Pf should not hold the country at ransom,al political parties hv the right to do rallies where they want weneva they want.
• out of GPA.
• Why not approach the courts to nullify the illegal ban illegalising the legal intentions.
• M d c to wait for priminsters riturn home
• the MDC must make a yr action plan n program and book in the program to the police in each district.
• Keep on fighting victory is certain.
• Zimbabwe Rebulic Police or ZANU REPULIC POLICE  thats clear to us Zimbas. MDC should not allow them to be partisan.It gives us questions why they in govt
• The rally  must  continue and proceed as planned , no matter what.
• they sd continue.the jeny to caanan waz not easy.
• They should take the police for task.use the democracy/majority rule.
• Go ahead with the rallies with or without clearance
• Take the issue to court and proceed with the rally
• The MDC must demonstrate about this to the police.
• the mdc shld jus kno that zanu pf z lyk a dying hors. al people shld the4 b alert o its kics. the strugle 4 ril democracy cant b stopd. zimbas a redy 2die 4 it!
• They should not broadcast on the local news
• Go ahead with the rally.
• WHY NO2M.D.C. T.2HOLD A PEACE MEETING WHEN OTHER MDC FACTION IZ  HOLDINGMEETINGZ NEEDZ TOGO2 THE S.A.D.C.TRIBUNAL.
• M.D.C  must go back to  SADC, though SADC is a toothless dog.
• We are on a dilema,definately if we go ahead with the rally our leaders will be arrested,and our nums will fell short come elections for speaker.In Hre we have no problem we know our party and what is going on,lets take these rallies to rural areas pliz they want more educational politics thank you.
• GO AHEAD WITH THE RALLY AS PLANNED LETS HOLD THE BULL BY ITS HORNS  SHUMBA MHONDA
• MDC T NGAITE RALLY ON SAT NEKUTI IRI HURUMENDE YEMUK0MBEREDZWA UYEZVE MORGAN NDIYE HURUMENDE YACHO HAFANIRWI KURAMBIDZWA NEPOLICE
• Continue with weekend peace rallies zvichachinja madhongi achikuma madhadha achitamba tsiva
• MDC should accept to keep peace.
• THEY,SHOULD,SEEK,ASSISTANCE,FROM,SADCC
• It should ask e police to do its rally under police security
• IT’S GOOD NEWS ON THE  RELEASE OF THOSE SIX    ACTIVISTS. MDC MUST   FILE THEIR REPORTS TO  THE FACILITATOR OR TO DISENGANGE FROM THE   SO CALLED GNU.
• Mdc as a ruling party must mobilize all provincial, Districts leaderships to have a one day rallies nationwide.address
• MDC SHOULD DO WHAT THEY THINK IS RIGHT AS LONG AS ITS LEGAL.
• to avoid disturbances it should call off the rallies.to gwisai god is with you
• M.D.C SHOULD IGNORE EVERYTHING CAUSE ZANU PF IS NEED A WAR BUT OUR PRESIDENT MORGEN THEY DONT LIKE TO KILL PEOPLE LIKE ZANU PF RESUME PAMBERI NA TSVANGIRAI
• They have to force because the ZANU PF is having anti-sanctions rallies nobody is stopping them
• The MDC Must Go Ahead With The peace rallies.we have been waiting 4 a long time now.we are fadeup with the dictator’s diabolic tendencies.
• I THINK MDC SHOULD PRINT THE PAPERS CONTENING THE INFORMATION THAT THEY WANT PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT BUT IT SHOULD BE IN DIFFERENT LANGUAGES.THOSE DISTRIBUTE THE PAPERS MUST NOT WEAR CLOTHES WHICH SHOWS THEIR PARTY BECAUSE SOME PEOPLE AFFRAID TO ACCEPT IT AS THEY DO NOT WANT THEIR MOVEMENTS TO BE KNOWN
• The MDC has been silent for sometime ,such that they had given the police enough to do what they want .the ban and unlawfuly detention of mps and our activist should stop! We should just go ahead with the planed peace rally .we should come out in numbers head on with those few unprofessional unformed force to show our greavances
• Put it plainly clear to Zuma that he has failed as mediator. Engage SADC, AU & UN. Psyc up the mass use fliers, posters, media at their disposal. Push 4 elections anytime under whatever conditions MDC will win. They must stop confusing people participating like what they did in 2008 we are in mess because of that 2008 pre-election indecision. Evrone knows thy are winning evn ZANU. Now is the time.
• Pull out of GNU
• Although it is very unfair in order to avoid violence due to the Zanu Pf meeting within the vicinity I think MDC should postpone the meeting to next week to avoid chaos.
• MDC should remain in inclusive Govt, but deny election until new constitution conclusion and make sure it support free and fair election. Thank you.
• The MDC should never lose hope. Change is around the corner.
• go ahead as planned
• take the ministry of home affairs to court it is their right
• MDC is our only hope of real change. Let’s finish new constitution that supports a free and fair election first. We defeated them last March 2008 but we had no chance of addressing any rally, so don’t worry we’ll do it.
• MDC Should take police to courts
• MDC go on with peace rally for the nation of Zimbabwe God is watching.
• It should just go ahead and hold rallies across the country cos they cant arrest everyone. They should also take the police to court. Wht is Makone doing abt it?
• Negotiate for free & fair elections
• I think MDC should find another venue e.g. Zimbabwe grounds
• They shud go ahead with d rallies. 1. Police a only notified & a not d authorisers. 2. MDC hv once won d case. Any 1 against d judiciary shud be arrested
• My opinion is that, if it is MDC alone denied permission to do these rallies, then the police should be taken to court for justice’s sake.
• Continue
• Application to hold rallies is biased MDC shd step up tk out the obstacles “tp 28″
• MDC should fight back not to be used by ZANU in the name of INCLUSIVE GVT.
• go ahead with rallies coz police wil never say yes
• Lets get into the streets and demonstrate as Zimbabweans
• As MDC lets speak with 1 voice. lets take advantage of zanu pf’s boring sanctions campaign n tel d nation the truth. Rallies must go on
• MDC should go ahead. Zanu held their madness. Why.
• We shld get out of the unt gvt
• They should seek permission through the courts.
• MDC must take it to the street to demonstrate against unfair practice by the police
• I’ve nothing that i can tell the MDC to do bcoz MDC went into the inclusive Gvt with the constituton of the rulling party. Therefo the rulling party’s constitution remains intact therefo i hv no advice to the MDC because the MDC has bn weaked with the ruling party’s constitution
• Theresa Makone should resign her post in protest of being not empowered to administer the police. P.M must quiz Mugabe.
• Mdc should take the police to court
• Silence is no option! The MDC should demand its rights and so should the people of Zimbabwe, whatever the cost. We’ve had enough of these bullying tactics!
• People see the best of MDC T through the inhuman actions of Zanu-PF Let them campaign for MDC T
• They should just carry on with mission.
• Jstce at lst pple shld prcd to do d rallies
• cal for international assistance
• Show of defiance
• Don’t worry about rallies MDC is winning from Mudzi.
• The ban of the MDC Star Rally by police shows that this country is indeed in crisis.
• Can’t help imagining this ukaputsirwa midziyo, kuurairwa hama ukarohwa kana kuremadzwa nemunhu weZanu PF ukaenda kunoreporter kuPolice unosungwa. Ukada kuti unorapwa kuchipatara vanorapa arova.
• It should stop pretending as if all is well. The MDC must stop plans for their upcoming congress as this presents ZPF with a chance to infiltrate as it has already.
• Stay focussed, keep populace up to date by frequent press releases, not press conferences. People must be told we’re a God fearing party! Rebrand to Christianity.
• MDC must continue with peace rally. Hakuna akakosha kudarika mumwe. Zvido zveruzhi ndizo zvakakosha. People of ZW vakamirira rally mangwana.
• All progressive forces must say NO police ban and come in their thousands to the rallies. It’s time we say enough is enough anti-progressive elements.
• We should just go ahead with the planned peace rally. We should come out in numbers head on with those few unprofessional uniformed forces to show our grievances.
• The media is now used by government to advance their policies and make people vote for them. Let’s remain focussed and strive to achieve our goal. Ngatishinge varume.
• MDC should lobby for no even Zanu PF rallies until given their opportunity. All parties equal but MDC is loved by many.
• Pray God is the answer no fighting.
• Go ahead with peace rally.

The first time I realised that my hair was not my own was when I was twelve. The school holidays were a week away and as such, my very conservative headmistress relaxed the school rules on hair. All my friends arrived for the last week of school with long braids or relaxed hair. Being a conformist then, I wanted straight hair too. But my father, being of the Bob Marley ‘black and proud’ generation forbade it. My pouting, pleas and final resort to the blackmail of crying did nothing to move him.

‘You are an African princess’ he said, ‘you must be proud of who and what you are.’ I wasn’t comforted.

Regardless of geographical location or history all women of African descent have at one time or another succumbed to the notion that good hair is long and straight. Quoted in a New York Times article on the good hair debate Associate professor of Black Studies at the University of California at Santa Barbara, Ingrid Banks said:

“For black women, you’re damned if you do, damned if you don’t, if you’ve got straight hair you’re pegged as selling out. If you don’t straighten your hair, you’re seen as not practicing appropriate grooming practices.”

That our hair is a political statement, and that in its natural state it is not considered desirable is probably one of the few things that we all have in common. So we struggle with extensions and weaves, hot combs and relaxers, in a never-ending battle to be seen as beautiful. The multitude of women on the streets of Harare with an imitation of Rihanna’s straight asymmetric-cut weave is proof of that.

It seems that beauty, as defined by the cosmetic companies that services the industry, has everything to do with being less black. Even here in Zimbabwe, amid indigenisation and empowerment, black women do not feel beautiful without some enhancement that takes away something of what makes them African. And through all of that not once have we stopped to ask ourselves “what is beautiful for me?”

“Will someone please find a wife for our PM“, screamed a recent headline in the nation’s leading family weekly newspaper.  I asked myself why the PM’s love life warranted placement on the front page ahead of stories about the appalling state of the public health care system, blatant corruption by state officials at every level, even our untold suffering under illegal sanctions.  However, because the senior writer was clearly desperate to show that it was in the nation’s best interest that the PM settles down to conventional family life, I gave the issue some consideration.

I think the state should sponsor the running of a Zimbabwean version of The Bachelor.  The PM’s situation is of national concern so requires national intervention!  Think about it.  We have all the right ingredients to produce an impressive adaptation of this reality show.

1.    We have a very eligible bachelor in the PM, and like other Bachelors from the show, what he lacks in looks he more than makes up for in his sizeable means.

2.    It is clear that physical appearance is about the only criterion used to select The Bachelor’s potential soul mates.  Our country has innumerable good-looking women so bringing together 25 for our PM to choose from should be pretty easy.  (Have you seen the beauties that are Zanu Pf Harare Province Models?)  Of course, all the ladies must be 100% local and must have high standards of cleanliness.  We are, after all, a nation renowned for valuing all things indigenous and for rejecting filth and squalor.

3.    Spectacular dates set in wonderful places are a distinct feature of the popular TV show and our local version shall not disappoint.  With many exquisite properties across the land now in the hands of the majority, the new owners will happily lease them out for our production.  Thus, with great sites for the dream dates, the PM can then court his bevy of beauties at braais, galas and rallies, hosted in scenic places, countrywide.

4.    The TV series always includes fantasy dates where The Bachelor takes each finalist separately to one of two exotic locations.  I’m sure our friends around the world would only be too glad to facilitate a tour of Pyongyang, a relaxing retreat in Malabo or a shopping trip to sunny Baghdad.

And as the process progresses, the PM will remorsefully distribute red roses (or maybe red cards, computers or farms), eliminating one broken hearted bachelorette after the other.  But in the end, just like in the reality show, The Bachelor will find true and everlasting love and he’ll seal his commitment with a dazzling diamond – a Chiadzwa stone, perhaps.

Then Zimbabwe can get on with addressing its other problems.

Worth a read to amuse you on a Friday afternoon . . . go to Ivor Hartmann’s blog.

More than two years into Zimbabwe’s so-called “inclusive government,” events like this comment from a recent Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights update are telling:

The Officer Commanding Harare Central District, Chief Superintendent G. Gwangava, is attempting to unlawfully and unprocedurally block a Peace Rally set for Saturday 19 March 2011, organized by the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC-T). Legal action is underway to ensure the rally goes ahead as planned.

The MDC is a partner in the inclusive government. The Prime Minister of Zimbabwe is the President of the MDC. The MDC shares responsibility for the Ministry of Home Affairs which , theoretically at least, oversees the police. But Police Commissioner Chihuri reports directly to Robert Mugabe, and human rights and civic freedoms are barely any more respected than they were two years ago.

Read the GPA again and remind me about the Zimbabwe it was Supposed to have fostered?