Another year, another Independence Day.  Although we’ve gone through quite a bit since our birth in 1980,  Zimbabwe is still finding her feet and there is plenty that she must learn.  I reckon that she is like a teenager.  Typically, headstrong and idealistic, obstinately pursuing impractical ideologies without thinking things through.  She is also prone to peer pressure and values the opinion of her African friends far too highly.  This relates closely to the adolescent angst she often displays.  It’s frequently provocative speeches, violent tendencies, recklessness and spurning the assistance of elders such as Great “Aunt” Britain.   In fact, in recent years she has also taken to mixing with the wrong crowd – those countries that other wiser nations are rightfully wearing of.

But I don’t want to make the mistake that some are guilty of when it comes to young people, by only focusing on Zimbabwe’s flaws.   After all, speaking the truth usually ignites rebellion from teenagers (and many an older person).  Our Independence Day is a time of celebration and to be grateful for the good things that we enjoy in this country.   For instance, everyday there are gorgeous sunrises caressing the Eastern Highlands and breathtaking sunsets over the Matobo Hills.  Despite all that we’ve been through we still have the zeal to live full and productive lives.  People continue to fall in love, beautiful babies are born every day, children laugh and play and once in a while we have cake as we sing “happy birthday”.

However, what really is exciting for me and certainly worth celebrating this Independence Day is Zimbabwe’s potential.  Right here and now, we really have all that it takes to make this country great.  So much more can be achieved given half the chance.

One day we will have an Independence Day where every citizen, of whatever affiliation, will celebrate true freedom from oppression and injustice and we’ll all enjoy the bountiful fruit that this land has to offer.  But until then, we’ll have a braai and share a cold one with family and friends, all in a relatively peaceful environment – a comfort that many people on this continent cannot take for granted.

The case of Munyaradzi Gwisai and five others who were charged with treason in February and released a month later is not over yet. They still face strict bail conditions which limit their freedoms, and will appear in court on Wednesday.

Read this email from one of the detainees for more information:

We wish to thank you all for the unwavering support you gave during our time of incarceration and now as we go towards trial for the malicious charges of treason. Without your support, we could have been fodder for an angry and intolerant system. we are happy to be out on bail and take part in the day to day struggles for social economic and political democracy in the world. Only our numbers can match the might of war mongers and dictators around the world. On Wednesday the 20th of April, we appear at the Harare Rotten Row court number 6 for further remand. We may be out but the bail conditions are extremely harsh and limit our capacity to fully enroll in the struggle for democracy. it is our hope that with your full support, we will be brought to final freedom. Any actions of support are welcome and we hope to meet you at 0800hrs in court next week.

The front page of The Herald today reads: Minister Arrested. My first thought? Who now.

According to The Herald:

National Healing and Reconciliation co-Minister Moses Mzila-Ndlovu (MDC) has been arrested on allegations of failing to notify police of a meeting held on Wednesday at a primary school in Lupane. . . . Mzila-Ndlovu, the deputy secretary general of the Welshman Ncube-led MDC, was arrested yesterday morning in Lupane on his way to Victoria Falls where he was supposed to address a national healing meeting.

The following statement from ZLHR shares a bit more information about the arrest, and the arrest of Father Mkandla, who was arrested for convening the healing service Mzila-Ndlovu allegedly didn’t tell the police about.

The Church under attack in Zim as police arrest pastor and MP

Police in Lupane have arrested a Catholic Priest, Father Marko Mabutho Mkandla and Bulilima West Member of Parliament Hon. Moses Mzila-Ndlovu for allegedly convening a meeting without notifying the police.

Father Mkandla, who is represented by Nosimilo Chanayiwa of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) and Nikiwe Ncube of Webb, Low and Barry Legal Practitioners, who is also a member of ZLHR was arrested on Wednesday 13 April 2011 and charged with contravening the country’s tough security laws.

Police charged Father Mkandla with contravening Section 25 of the Public Order and Security Act (POSA) after he allegedly convened a healing service at Silwane Primary School in Lupane, Matabeleland North without notifying the police.

The police also charged Father Mkandla with contravening Section 31(a) (i) of Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act for allegedly communicating falsehoods prejudicial to the State and violating Section 42 (2) of Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act, that is causing offence to persons of a particular race or religion.

Father Mkandla was also charged with contravening the Censorship and Entertainment Control Act for allegedly possessing pornographic material. Although the police record at Lupane Police Station showed that Father Mkandla was released on Friday 15 April 2011 and transferred to Bulawayo Police Station, his whereabouts were not known late on Friday.

On Friday 15 April 2011, the police arrested Hon. Mzila-Ndlovu. ZLHR lawyers attended to the Bulilima legislator and will attend to him again on Saturday 16 April 2011.

Meanwhile, an Associated Press story puts the two incidents together and helps make more sense of the whole thing. Except that none of it makes any sense. Arrest a priest for holding a healing service. Arrest the Minister of National Healing for attending it (and when he’s on his way to address another national healing meeting)? You can’t make things like this up, they’re so absurd.

A friend of mine recently experienced a night in remand prison in Mutare. In the same cell as her was a woman who had been on remand for 4 months. She could not raise bail of $20. My friend paid the $20 bail.

Here’s some information from the Southern African Parliamentary Support Trust:

Thematic Committee on Human Rights

The Thematic Committee embarked on fact-finding visits to Mutare Central Prison, Mutimurefu Prison (Masvingo) and Whawha Prison to assess the conditions under which the prisoners were kept. The fact-finding visit was an eye-opener to Senators as they witnessed for themselves the deplorable and inhumane prison conditions. Below are some of the common highlights of the Committee’s findings;

• Uninhabitable conditions characterized by overcrowding and dilapidated infrastructure

• Plight of inmates with HIV and AIDS

• Erratic water supply

• Inadequate food provisions and poor diet

• Plight of Children of inmates

• Tattered uniforms and bed linen

• Shortage of learning materials (e.g. textbooks etc)

The Mutare Central Prison also houses refugees from five different countries including the DRC, Ivory Coast and Congo. These refugees asked Committee Members to talk to their embassies so that they could be returned to their home countries. The Committee also heard that a number of people have been on remand for a long time. The prison officials cited fuel and transport constraints as some of the reasons for the delay in getting the prisoners to court. In addition, the Committee heard that the prison also houses some mentally ill inmates.

Easter is almost upon us, where did the time go? It seems like we’ve only just taken down the Christmas tree! On the home front the kids and I are busily preparing maps of the garden for our Easter egg hunt, cards for the Easter bunny, cards for everyone who will be joining us for Easter lunch, a birthday card for cousin Stoff whose big day is tomorrow, a welcome home banner for granny who has been in Edinburgh for 6 weeks welcoming the newest addition to the family. Welcome Sean Thomas – although I had hoped you’d give your mother as hard a time as my first baby gave me – colic for 3 months, bags under the eyes and a trigger-happy temper, usually directed at dad. I am all artsy-fartsied out! We’ve done the paper mosaics, the painting, the pointillism (or something like it), the wax and paint, the fabric – I don’t have an original thought left in my head.  All this before I put the menu together. Both my husband and I are hospitality trained so the competition to be inventive is fierce when we decide to entertain. This doesn’t happen often, typically only 4 or 5 times a year; just imagine the production!

Can I also mention, before you think what a weed I am, that parallel to this artistic and culinary explosion, that the gate has stopped working. Beeper, electrics, lights and all. The roof over the spare bedroom collapsed (bringing down the fascia boards and the gutters and breaking several tiles – which, I discover are no longer in production, and I am blithely told to re-do the whole roof, it’s only about $30,000 – pocket change!). Then I drove over Daniel’s bicycle (one fairy wheel badly damaged, mom’s reputation irreparable – oh the accusation in those eyes!). And my oven has stopped working (I suspect sabotage).

Sometimes everything seems to go wrong and it is hard to keep your focus on the things that are really important. So I will try to keep my eyes on the prize – a gathering of friends and family, my children’s squeals of delight as they find their eggs, and a feast to mark the end of Lent – which I have started with a plate full of treats from friends down the hallway. I am eyeing the Cadbury’s Easter egg lasciviously … but I shall force myself to finish my cornflakes first. Must be my Catholic upbringing.

What does it mean to be Zimbabwean? If propaganda and political rhetoric from Our Dear Leader and his cohorts are to be believed it means winning a medal at some sporting event while, say, swimming or playing cricket for Zimbabwe. For those of us who are under achievers, or lazy, it means being black. I cannot help but feel that Zimbabwe is further away from resolving its racial issues than it was at Independence. Being born-free, and a member of the generation that attended private school without there being a quota system that mandated my presence, being Zimbabwean meant simply a love for my country and the things that make it unique. That is not to say that we weren’t aware of the cultural difference between races – we were.  But back then, it was ok to discuss them, to explore our individual identities within the context of our group identity as Zimbabweans, now it’s considered racist.

I think Zimbabwe is far from being post racial. I think there are those of us who in our heads, there are friends who I hang out with, who are definitely post racial in their outlook, but I think we’ve still got a lot of issues to deal with. There’s no doubt about it…racial issues and class issues. I’m not sure, but I think the last ten years have in some ways dragged us backwards, and in others have dragged us forwards. Dragging us backwards, there does seem to be more racial tension here now than there was when I was growing up. It’s definitely because of all the hate propaganda, the political propaganda that gets spewed in the state media. In how it’s dragged us forward, I think it’s made those who believe in Zimbabwe have to fight for it, be they black white or coloured, and that’s hopefully brought people closer together. At the same time Zimbabweans in the Diaspora, black, white: all these middle class kids who’ve gone abroad, connecting with their Zimbabweans identity. They grew up here and wanted to go away as quickly as possible, and then they go over there and try to find their identity and realize what connections they’ve got back here. There are interesting things that come out. You’ve got white kids in London who’ve got an mbira punk band and things like this that you end up appreciating what you have when you’re far away [from home].
- Comrade Fatso.

Read the full interview with Comrade Fatso here.