How do you bring people together in the immediate aftermath of a revolution? Meet the Bedouins, the arty skate gang which commandeered an abandoned mansion in Tunisia to promote peace in the wake of the upheaval. More from the Guardian

I was biking up the road the other day and had to slow and detour. The City of Harare was painting white centre lines and lane markings, and traffic was discombobulated. While negotiating around this mess, I had time to think. Why is this new regime in the City painting road markings?

Well, the immediate answer is obvious, to guide traffic! But, the real question – why did the previous regimes not paint, and allow what was painted to deteriorate to invisiblity – and why can this new one now do it? The obvious answer (it is the answer to everything) …  Sanctions!

That knee jerk answer is a) a lie, b) a cover for total incompetence. On the second point I know, as we have succeeded in turning MacDonald Park Pool (Cambridge Road, Avondale) from a green pond where a Hammerkop fed on frogs, into the bestest public pool in Harare, that makes more on gate takings on a Saturday than it does to shut it and hold a wedding on the grounds! And how did we do it? No sanctions busting involved. The chlorine gas comes from the atmosphere (the air we breath) which does not respect borders. The labour came from the community, where we also borrowed a pump. The paint came from Astra (a local company). Etc. No sanctions busting involved!

On the second point, we know there have NEVER been sanctions against Zimbabwe. It is a lie, so often repeated that even the ruling party (that is, the new ruling one – with the majority of seats in Parliament, not the old ruling/losing party – that brought us democracy) talks about ‘removing sanctions’. It is easy to see which ‘ruling’ party has the better verbal gymnasts and brains.

So, back to the original topic – road paint and sanctions. Why is the new regime able to overcome sanctions and paint road markings, while the previous regime was only able to… well, did they do anything?

The new regime at least tries to give the people some of what they want – while the real agenda is to take power, now that they have legitimacy. The old regime has only one agenda, hold on to power, now that they have lost legitimacy.

I recently had the opportunity to interview Rosemary Siyachitema, the Executive Director of the Consumer Council of Zimbabwe. A few days previously I had seen a headline in Newsday shockingly titled ‘CCZ urges Price Freeze’. Having lived through the pre-dolarisation price controls I couldn’t wait to take Ms Siyachitema to task for being so irresponsible. As it turns out the headline was misleading.

Upenyu: I read an article in Newsday titled CCZ Urges Price Freeze which was an advisory from you about the size of the consumer basket. Zimbabwean still have vivid recollections from price freezing in the past. Is this what you meant to say?

Rosemary Siyachitema: That is not what I was saying at all! I said I saw no reason why prices should increase considering that prices in Zimbabwe are already high. Saying that does not mean that there should be a price freeze. In this environment we see that prices keep increasing yet salaries are not moving at the same pace. I never said anything about price controls; I think there should be some kind of balance in our economy. You can’t keep asking consumers to tighten their belts. My other issue is that what kind of person do we want to create in Zimbabwe? A poor one or somebody who is able to survive? The way we are going we are creating poorer and poorer people. We are not bridging the gap we are creating poverty.

Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) recently launched their publication titled “Zimbabwe’s Constitutional Drafts – Comparison and Recommendations”. In the foreword ZHLR notes that constitution-making is not a new phenomenon in Zimbabwean history, and that since independence Zimbabwe has had one constitution and three major draft constitutions. During the launch, ZLHR Director, Irene Petras said her organisation hoped that those involved in the COPAC process would use the publication as well as the SADC Protocols as guidelines for the constitutional draft.

The publication reviews key provisions of the three major constitutional drafts and seeks to set out critical issues which should be addressed in any constitution under various thematic areas.

Guest of honour, Human Rights defender Beatrice Mtetwa, also noted that Constitution making has become a habit in Zimbabwe. She deplored the conditions in which the current process was taking place, and said that if a constitution did result it would only serve as a transitional document.

The COPAC process has been marred by reports of violence, intimidation and coaching. These charges are largely levelled at ZANU PF and some factions of war veterans. Despite the appearance of heavily influencing the views included, ZANU PF has increasingly distanced itself from the current process.

A Central Committee report tabled by President Robert Mugabe at the party’s conference in Bulawayo last year, resolved that “ZANU PF reserve[d] the right to dissociate itself from a draft constitution which seeks to undermine the cardinal goals of our national liberation struggle and our national culture and values.” It is likely that this decision was informed by a critique prepared for ZANU PF COPAC Co-Chairperson Munyaradzi Paul Mangwana by Goodwills Masimiremwa and Jacob Mudenda, both of whom are technical experts seconded by ZANU PF to oversee the Constitutional process. The critique was allegedly leaked to an online news publisher. Subsequently the first four chapters of the draft Constitution were leaked and published in the Herald.

The critique alleges that the Constitutional drafters are misdirected, and are drafting a constitution informed by their individual values, characterised by reference to constitutions of other countries they admired. Further, Masimiremwa and Mudenda state that the drafters have not been given the National Report to use as a reference, thus the draft does not accurately reflect the views canvassed during the outreach programme. The issues of contention include the rights given to LGBTI persons, abolishment of the death penalty, expanding citizenship by birth to include citizenship by descent and allowing dual citizenship.

The 24 hour information blackout is a protest against the anti-piracy laws, the Stop Online Piracy Act and the PROTECT IP Act in America.

Part of the story published on its wikinews site Wikipedia says,

The English version of the online encyclopedia Wikipedia will go offline for 24 hours in protest against American anti-piracy laws, the Stop Online Piracy Act and the PROTECT IP Act (PIPA). The blackout will start at midnight EST (05:00 UTC) on Wednesday. The action was confirmed on Monday night with three Wikipedia administrators closing one of the most commented on policy discussions in the history of Wikipedia. According to the Wikipedia page where the issue was debated, 479 users supported a blackout only for users in the United States (with other readers seeing a banner instead), while 591 supported a global blackout.

The Zimbabwe AIDS Prevention Project, a Department of Community Medicine, University of Zimbabwe project has funding to conduct a PMTCT program in Mashonaland Central Province. The Program is aimed at strengthening health facilities as well as increasing ANC uptake through enhancing community level knowledge of PMTCT. PATH is funding the program through Population Council, South Africa.

We are therefore looking for candidates to fill in the position of Driver (Based in Mashonaland Central)

The successful candidate will have previous experience working as a driver for a project that required urban and rural driving experience.  Drivers will need to ensure that their vehicles are in proper working condition, are serviced according to schedule and should report any faults to the office administrator or project coordinator as they arise. Drivers will be responsible for logging all mileage and fuel usage. Drivers will be responsible for the safe passage/travel of the project staff.

Duties and responsibilities:

• Reporting to the Programme Coordinator the driver will be responsible for driving the project staff.
• Transporting specimens and equipment as per the standard operating procedures.
• Maintaining vehicle log books, recording mileage and fuel usage.
• Reporting vehicle defects to administration staff and keeping a schedule of vehicle maintenance.

Qualifications and Attributes:

• 5 Ordinary Level Subjects
• A clean class four driver’s license; a mature person, who is well organized;
• Ability to work independently but within a team framework.
• Fluent in English and Shona.
• Defensive driving certificate.
• GCP certificate an added advantage.

Please send your application including detailed CV, copies of qualifications to the  Zimbabwe Aids Prevention Project-University of Zimbabwe, by post, e-mail or hand delivery using the following contact details:

The Programme Coordinator (Arise Project)
ZAPP-UZ
92 Prince Edward Road
Milton Park
Harare

e-mail: hr [at] zappuz [dot] co [dot] zw

Applications to be submitted on or before 20 January 2012.

Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be notified.