While standing in queues at either Fourth Street or by Copacabana I’ve often wondered what combi ranks are like in other countries. I was in Cape Town a few days ago, and had occasion to use the combis there.  I was surprised to find that the combi rank was not in some out of the way place, out of view of tourists and visitors to the city, but rather on the roof of a train station, right next to a busy main road. I was even more surprised to find that rather than the pushing and shoving that makes the Zimbabwean combi experience unpleasant, people stood in short orderly queues waiting for their combi to come. No pushing or shoving or shouting or being pulled by whindis. We still have a lot to learn.

So this Sata[n] guy is now Zambian president. But we can see where this is going. He is the “opposition” guy who during this presidential bid slammed the “opposition” guy of another country, and we obviously wondered what his priorities were, whether he had run out epithets for Rupiah Banda, the then Zimbabwean Zambia president. And we obviously have to ask what this will mean about Tsvangirai trying to rally or engage other SADC leaders in his long stand-off with Mugabe. Can we expect Tsvangirai to have Sata’s ear? Maybe he will have it [the ear] for a bit of wringing like they do those bratty kindergarten kids, for that’s exactly how the new president was behaving in the run-up! But then it must be remembered this Sata guy was being advised not to stand for election because of his apparently failing health.

It’s already being asked about the political implications of voting for a guy whose “tenure” on earth is already under close scrutiny not by his opponents but his physicians! But then the history of post-independence African politics has plenty of these ailing old men who imagine themselves to be agile Herculeses imagining they can withstand the rigours of the rough political terrain known in these rather cruel parts. Recall that old fool Kamuzu Banda falling and failing to use his reflexes that had been slowed by old age and hitting his mouth on the hard earth? He still insisted he was raring to go, “the people still want me,” he said, like someone we know, despite plenty evidence to the contrary even among his very own comrades!

I ain’t no clairvoyant nor a tsikamutanda, but Zambians – and indeed the world – are obviously watching this Sata guy and will soon be asking themselves why the heck they voted for a sick guy for president.

Zimbabwe International Film Festival arrives is on – 30 September – 7 October. Screening venues include Harare Gardens, Alliance Francaise, and the Embassy of Spain Cultural Centre.

Films include:

• An African Election (Ghana, 2010)
• Mama Africa (South Africa, Finland and Germany, 2011)
• The Redemption of General Butt Naked (USA, Liberia, 2010)
• Blood in the Mobile (Denmark, Democratic Republic of Congo, 2010)
• Kinyarwanda (Rwanda, 2011)
• A Small Town Called Descent (South Africa, 2011)
• Sinking Sands (Ghana, 2011)
• Viva Riva (Democratic Republic of Congo, 2010)

Download the programmes here

According to NewsDay, the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe has reversed its recent directive which had dramatically restricted the activities of property sellers:

In a major climbdown the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) has indefinitely suspended the implementation of recently introduced policy measures requiring proceeds from disposal of immovable property valued at $50 000 or more to be paid in tranches.

Read more

Perhaps you connect to the Internet using Nokia Siemens Networks (NSN), you own a Cisco Systems router, or Netfirms is your web hosting company. According to a new report by Reporters Without Borders (RSF), these companies and many other technology heavyweights are collaborating with dictatorships that jail bloggers and censor the Internet – and they deserve to be sanctioned. More from IFEX

Watch, Be Inspired and Learn: a series of short films to inspire and entertain

Kubatana.net has compiled a series of short clips and interviews with change makers from around the world. This DVD includes motivating ideas and stories that will encourage you to think, act and help shake things up!

Amongst others we bring you:

* Wael Ghonim on how Facebook helped the revolution in Egypt
* Patrick Awuah on educating a new generation of African leaders
* Chris Abani tells stories of shared humanity
* Joseph Lekuton tells a parable from Kenya

and … at home

* Comrade Fatso & Chakvondoka ft. Outspoken share their feelings about trying to make a living in MaStreets
* Amanda Atwood shaves her head illustrating a personal act of solidarity
* Women of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA) show how street action can be necessary to draw attention to what’s wrong

ACTION: If you would like a copy of this free DVD email your name and postal address to products [at] kubatana [dot] net with Watch and Learn in the subject line.

Please note, if you’ve already requested this DVD via SMS, thank you for your request! We’ve made a note of your address and your DVD is on its way to you.

Either way, once you’ve received it, please remember to Share It.

Thanks

The Kubatana team