How can one share what he has stolen from you. We tried it before with the GNU and who was running the show? It was Zanu PF! This time around if MDC takes up the posts then in a way they will be accepting the poll results. Let’s stand aside  to show the world that we are saying no to poll result and allow Zanu fail on their own. – Joshua

Some inspiration from DailyOm:

My train has pulled in for interior refurbishment. How about yours?

Our lives stretch out in front and behind us like train tracks, and we are the train, its passengers, and the engineer. The way you choose to live your life and the goals you are working toward are the route and destinations you have chosen. Like a passenger riding a train, you have the choice to get on and off, find new routes, pick new places to visit, or just stop and enjoy the view for awhile. Perhaps you like to move quickly through life as if you were an express train. Or maybe, like a commuter passenger, you like taking the same routes over and over again. You may even want to stop just riding along and choose a different direction you’d like you’re life to take. If you have examined the tracks of your life and are feeling unsatisfied, you may want to explore changes you could make to find a more fulfilling path to follow. Perhaps you’d like to slow down a little bit more and take a windier path rather than just traveling down the straight and narrow. Or maybe, you’d like to experience your life more as an adventure rather than just a ride that gets you where you need to go. Changing your route can sometimes give you a chance to “get on the right track.” You may even discover that the something new you’ve been waiting for is just around the bend.

Last Friday a group of us got together to have a drink and speak about our week, and the election. Just for the fun of it we composed a small and unsophisticated questionnaire which people gamely filled out. Here’s our favourite:

Wondering why all people in Matebeleland are not obsessed with Gukurahundi is like saying that there is no understanding an African who does not hate whites for human abuses committed during the colonial era. Duh! People move on and deal with pragmatic matters even if the issues retain historical importance. – Kubatana subscriber

Zimbabweans share their views on the election and the whether the MDC should boycott Parliament and Council:

I think boycotting will never change anything. They should accept the seats for the benefit of the party or else it will tear the party into shreds  like the previous senatorial predicament of 2008. Right now the winning  candidates are adamant about the issue. So let the fight go on whilst they are within.

I think the voters role has been tempered with, why is it most people in urban areas their name were either struck off on the role or their names interchanged from their wards. Was that not rigging?

Its a tough choice bakithi…if they boycott zanu pf will gladly run the country to the ground and juss ignore them..so I say join…we voted you into those offices.

I think they should boycott and give Zanu PF chance to do on their own.

Good day, No need to go into this shame government, let these devils rule on their own, they rigged the elections but can’t rig the economy. The precarious economic jigsaw of this country will soon bring them down, they won’t go anyway with this indigenization, the leadership is so obsolete and rusty and devoid of articulate ideas to steer this nation forward. To our soldiers who won, we ask you not to board this gravy train, let them perish with it, after all, they have a 2/3rd stolen majority in parliament.

I think MDC should take their seats in parliament and they should not contribute anything, they should just go there and sit so that they will have an insight on what Zanu PF will be planning.

Youth Program Manager: VSO Zimbabwe
Deadline: 16 August 2013

VSO is an International development organisation that contributes towards addressing poverty and disadvantage through the placement of International skilled professional volunteers with national partners.

VSO Zimbabwe is seeking a highly motivated and ambitious development professional who will raise the profile of VSO Zimbabwe and take VSO’s country programme to the next level in terms of youth programming. You will play a leading role in the delivery of VSO Zimbabwe’s youth programming. You will possess experience in a similar programme management role and have a strong track record of successfully and consistently working with youths across the cultural in development programmes.

Key responsibilities
- Lead the design and implementation of the youth programme of the VSO country strategic plan.
- Identify funding opportunities through developing strong working relationships with donors and partners.
- Oversee the development and implementation of the youth programme in Zimbabwe and ensure that annual targets for delivery and quality standards are established and met.
- Conduct monthly and quarterly reviews with key stakeholders and implement learning continually building on the success of the youth programmes.
- Lead in the recruitment and training of the youth programme team to enable their own professional and personal development and maximise their performance team.
- Support VSO Zimbabwe’s youth programme team in the development, management and monitoring of programme budgets (including ensuring value for money) to maximise impact in line with VSO country strategic plan.
- Manage the recruitment, selection and training of national volunteers for the youth programme and support on-going engagement of national youth volunteers.
- Work closely with the programme support team to induct, orient and provide on-going support to volunteers.
- With support of the SMT members, be responsible for the duty of care and safety and security of all volunteers under the youth programme and staff and deal with any emergencies that might arises.
- Develop and establish new networks with key stakeholders (donors/other agencies/volunteers/partners etc) to strengthen programme impact and ensure that volunteer placements are viable, effective and rewarding and maximise volunteer learning.
- Lead the design and delivery of appropriate monitoring and evaluation mechanisms, determine the impact and ensure continuous development and learning takes place.

The essential requirements for this post are
- Experience of designing and evaluating youth programmes
- Strong leadership experience in strategic planning and programme delivery
- Ability to develop clear and realistic plans to deliver agreed objectives within deadlines, involving key stakeholders in the process
- Ability to manage budgets and undertake accounting procedures and good writing skills
- Excellent networking, negotiation and communication skills
- A minimum of a degree in Social Sciences or in a related field
- Technical expertise in the area of youth programming
- Able to travel and work long hours, including work away from the home base, both within the country and occasionally internationally
- Zimbabwean citizen
- Clean, valid driving license

To apply
The successful candidate will be offered local terms and conditions. Interested candidates are invited to submit their application letter, CV and contact details by email to the attention of the Country Director using the following email address: info.Zimbabwe [at] vsoint [dot] org
Only short-listed candidates will be contacted and invited for interviews.