Back in the 1980s and 1990s the Zimbabwean government loved slogans so much it came to define the nature of the politics of deceit favoured by the rulers. “Health for All by Year 2000,” “Housing for All by Year 2000,” “Clean Water for All by Year 2000,” “Education for ALL by Year 2000″ all clogged the public sphere. This was before the UN’s global commitments of the MDGs which were only adopted  in 2000. Indeed Zimbabwe must have been way ahead by then! But it turns out it was all in the name of winning votes because many years later, things remain the same if not worse.

The following photo-essay documents Westlea, a “new” suburb that is yet another pointer of how far the country has lagged behind in providing “housing for all.”

Find water where you can

A child plays outside his ‘house’

A ‘gated’ residence

Safe water?

The African Union (AU) is the backbone of Pan Africanism as reflected upon its formulation values and the dictates of its objectives that promote democratic practices, good governance and protecting human freedoms and rights in compliance with Internationally accepted standards. An African renaissance is only possible when the whole continent unites against bad political and economic practices and promotes institutions that ensure that the governed are the ultimate beneficiary of every country’s resources. These goals have taken far too long to be achieved even in the greater part of Africa because of our leaders’ hypocrisy and greediness. But in recent years, the long overdue dream of our forefathers has taking shape, in different forms but the root cause of all being the awareness that has arisen within the masses of people.
I should mention that it was very easy then for presidents and key political people in Africa to go up on big podiums and preach the gospel of Pan Africanism and at the same time reign with a heavy hand in their home country and still be regarded as Pan Africanists. In this computer age, tyrants and dictators in Africa are, and will continue to find it very difficult to use the same tactic of hiding behind the weakening membrane of sovereignty to terrorise their own people in the name of bringing ‘home grown’ solutions.

They use very sweet and noble words like ‘our solutions for our problems’, ‘no to imperialistic solutions’ but in most distressed and panic ridden states in Africa they are being used as shields to cushion the heavy hand from inquisition. In old days these were working disclaimers for them but the global village has now put them in the spotlight. In as much as they may try to re-engrave their self-torn names on the continental walk of fame, their true selves are always haunting and outweighing their verbal efforts. Gone are the days when presidents and security chiefs could afford to be two faced shielding their dark and ugly sides while upholding and celebrating an artificial image of good governance. Gone are the days when their own citizens would live in abject fear and repression, find ‘peace’ in those appalling conditions and never know what others out there are enjoying and how much freedom they are missing out on.

The tyrant’s evil deeds are now a click away from the world eye and blessed is this our generation; no matter how much they may try to victimise us from the urban centres of Harare to the deepest parts of the country and many others, the world is now in the know and there is not a single panacea that our murderers and their masters could now administer to redeem their battered images from the mud they dragged themselves in.

Reading Marko’s blog on Gukurahundi reminded me of a quote I saw yesterday:

If there is a God, He will have to beg my forgiveness.
- A phrase that was carved on the walls of a concentration camp cell during WWII by a Jewish prisoner

It is interesting that politicians will say anything they imagine will win them the people’s vote.

Retired Colonel Tshinga Dube is quoted in The Herald telling a rally that “the Gukurahundi should not be used to block the revolutionary party’s (Zanu PF) efforts to bring development to the people of Matebeleland.”

That would be laughable if it wasn’t reference to an event some have labeled genocide.

“I know most of you are still grieved by the past events. This is painful but we must discuss it. If you elect us we will talk to the Government and solve this issue,” Tshinga Dube pleaded.

I wondered if Moses Mzila-Ndlovu was listening.

Indeed politicians take people for granted and the very fact that Dube actually said once elected into parliament he would engage government on this matter smacks of the condescending attitude that has become the hallmark of politicians claiming to have answers for problems unique to Matebeleland.

To his credit however, Dube did acknowledge that “people are not happy and of course we cannot just say it is over.” But then that’s exactly what the minister of defence has always insisted: Gukurahundi is over, deal with it!

So last Sunday morning the plane due to depart for Johannesburg was delayed. I looked for the SAA plane that was meant to be on the tarmac but saw instead two really shiny black Mercedes with a couple of support vehicles. Remember Morgan’s claim that he drives a second hand Benz? Well it doesn’t look like it, unless second hand means 5 minutes in the hands of some other pompous official. The head honchos of Zimbabwe’s other elite political party, the MDC, slipped into their cars care of some VIP treatment and sped off. Of course they couldn’t get to the airport on time in Joburg – they’re Puffed Up Politicians who keep other people waiting.