Zimbabwean Journalist Forward Maisokwadzo has become the first person to receive the European Network against Racism Foundation’s (ENAR) award for outstanding achievement across Europe. It is a tribute to his three years of hard work in preparing Bristol’s bid to be part of a national network of cities recognised as providing a comprehensive, coordinated approach to the welfare of people moving to the city from other countries, and community cohesion.

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I recently came up across a scholarly article on a peace and conflict site and found it interesting to share. Safeguarding citizen participation through Government of Unity (GNU) or is democracy being violated? The introductory part of the article reads:

There has been a recent trend in Africa where disputed electoral results are settled through the institution of Government of National Unity (GNU) formations, mostly popularized by incumbent political leaders who are reluctant to accept electoral defeat. This has led to situations where political opponents are forced to co-exist in government while at the same time creating apathy and despondency among the electorate who feel short changed by the total disregard for their will and the imposition of leaders who should have existed from the leadership positions in government through electoral defeat.

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The Graduation Ceremony of students who got scholarships in the US under the US Student Achievers Program (USAP) was held yesterday. This event was a true personification of Ambassadors Ray’s latest book title, ‘Where you come from matters less than where you’re going”. It is true in the sense that students are academically talented with most of them being head boys and head girls in their former schools, but face financial challenges in furthering their education.  Some have lost both parents, others are heads of their own households and three of them are physically disabled. Despite such backgrounds USAP has afforded them the opportunity to study at top US colleges and universities including Harvard. This resembles the title of the Ambassador’s book; in that one day you may be somewhere great and tell a different story altogether.

The event was graced by the Prime Minister, Morgan Tsvangirai and Ambassador Charles Ray. The PM encouraged the students to exhibit the Zimbabwean characteristics of ‘hospitality and hard work’ and to return home. In that same vein the Ambassador urged the students to return to Zimbabwe with these words, “And do return. Zimbabwe needs you and your talent, your open minds and your news ideas, to realise its potential”.

After the SADC Summit in South Africa this week, the media carried differing interpretations of the results of the meeting. Reports were seen to concentrate more on which party proved best, who got embarrassed, or whom the SADC team least liked. Analysts however, have said that the ordinary Zimbabwean emerged the winner from the recent SADC Summit. Read the story here

Helen Zille the leader of the DA in South Africa believes that uprisings are no longer necessary. She says that there is more power in the vote! An excerpt of the speech reads: “One day, May 18 will be regarded as a turning point for our democracy. It will be seen as the day that South Africa started to move beyond race, the day our democracy progressed to the next level,” said Zille at Frischgewaagd in the North West.

She said she chose Frischgewaagd to celebrate Youth Day because it was the first ward with no white voters where the DA won in the recent local government elections. “We are celebrating June 16 here because this election result represents a watershed, not only for the DA or for Frischgewaagd, or even the North West – but for South Africa,” she said.

“Because we now live in a constitutional democracy, we do not need uprisings to bring change. We all have the power of the vote. And you, here in this far corner of this province, have used your power to bring the change you want to see.”

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When you lose someone you love through an accident in which they are not at fault, the only consolation one can get is justice prevailing and the law catching up with the offender. In as much at it wont bring back the life of your lost one, you at least are guaranteed that such offenders will not walk free and continue to do the same offence and hurt other families too. Justice in Zimbabwe has been torn down over the years. The who’s who of the country seem to walk free from every court case.

The death of Shingie Chimuriwo left a gap in the world of women activism and a bigger one in her family. Shingie died on the 16 March after being involved in car accident with a drunken driver, who instead of stopping at an intersection, flew over it and hit her car on the driver’s side. The case was taken to court, and because this drunken driver is some high profile person in Harare, was merely fined USD400 and set free.

Driving under the influence of alcohol is an offence in Zimbabwe. And if one is found drunk and at the drivers wheel, the law should take its course, resulting in arrest. Worse still, if that drunken driver decides to drive and cause an accident that leads to loss of life or lives, the law should act and they should be charged with culpable homicide. Having such traffic offenders paying fines and getting released will only create a criminal infested country. Of which as Zimbabweans, this is not a scenario we would want.

If the Police are able to enforce laws such as the Criminal and Codification Act and arrest people then why shouldn’t the other laws be implemented in the same way? Imagine if one is to be charged for driving and talking on the cell phone, then we would expect a worse charge for those who cause accidents that lead to loss of life?

Read stories of the occurrence of Shingie’s death written by her husband, Fungai the founder of Zimbojam, Part one and Part two.