Andile Mngxitama, editor of New Frank Talk wrote a telling piece in the Mail and Guardian [25 April-May 5, 2011] titled “SA’s poor must shun the polls.”  Its basic thesis is that as South Africans got to the polls, “there is no benefit in voting for a hollow democracy that serves only the rich and elite.” His beef is that the ANC has little to claim for the people’s vote, and so does the main opposition the Democratic Alliance as the poor are still wallowing in poverty, years after the coming of democracy despite all the promises by the ANC.

It read like an analysis of the Zimbabwe situation. When analysts here call for the boycott of elections – usually because of political violence – Zanu PF is always quick to spring and label such calls as emanating from enemies of the revolution etc. It is interesting that as we will sooner or later have our own election, Zimbabweans are obviously asking themselves if it is worth the effort this time because of all the undelivered promises since 1980.

Yet others have said rather with an idealism that Mngxitama will do doubt dismiss that bad governments are chosen by people who do not vote. Still our history has shown since 1980 that even if people come out in their numbers to vote, they still manage to vote in a very bad government! The logical thing then would be not to waste one’s vote and simply stay away!

In our past elections voter apathy has ruled the day without any overt calls from any civic groups to stay away from the polls yet the people  are surely tired of voting for politicians only that they continue looting national resources. It is interesting in itself that calls to boycott elections have been directed at parties contesting against Zanu PF not the voters themselves who no doubt hold the leverages of power in any functioning democracy.

The other week Minister Obert Mpofu came to the rescue of debt-ridden Highlanders football club in Bulawayo, and the obvious question that emerged from the average dude – excluding the beneficiaries of the largess no doubt [something about looking the gift horse in the mouth] – was that where does a minister get that kind of money when these government officials have always complained to Biti that they are getting a pittance in the name of salaries. Even with the increment of ministers’ salaries a couple of months ago, would anyone be able to afford such magnanimity?

It is pedestrian to say it is abnormal for an African government minister to be poor, yet it has to be asked for how long will the people of Zimbabwe be used as doormats and blindly continue voting for men and women who have no regard for African laws of modesty but flaunt their obscene wealth, sagging bellies, ready-to-explode cheeks, right in front of impoverished voters.

The tragedy of it all perhaps is that we still find jobless energetic men and women in our midst doing the rounds coercing residents to join long queues under the cruel African sun to vote, claiming that those who are exercising their right not to vote are doing so at the bidding of forces hostile to the land reform project!

It’s EASTER and according to NEWSNET the only news that we can expect is TOMANA, Shamu and the rest of the apparatchiks ‘”celebrating” EASTER bashing other “religious types” as they only manage to look ridiculous wearing flowing garbs their consciences are screaming to get out of. The other worthy news becomes the “abysmal performance” of some R’n'B artist some of us do not give hoot about but is still expected by Karikoga other such types to “sell ZIM tourism” to the rest of the world. The guy invited to be part of a long list dubious of “performers” (check this out to read about Akon for a few laughs) “snubbed” local fans was no doubt ridiculed by NEWSNET form our “national news” and of course we have to ask if he will be pointing his “chums” to Zimbabwe as a destination of easy money after being “exposed” by NEWSNET. Anyone who expects better ought to be steaming through the ears, be it Tsvangirai, Biti and other women and men of goodwill because as we can all see, there are many who imagine that this country’s woes are going to be solved by a bunch of spoilt post-independence free-spirits dancing the night away to some crappy, neo-liberal, pseudo-Woodstock “make-love-not-whatever-crap”.

When the world realizes that an equilibrium can exist and those few at the top can come crashing down with the will of the many then this world, this humanity can be saved. [James Blood, American anarchist]

Yet I figure the few at the top will surely never realise that equilibrium, which could then mean rather ominously that we are in for the long haul. Dictators, like any other foolhardy human, those adrenalin junkies, drag racers for example, who court death as a form of fun, see Gbabgo and others before him and say, that will never happen to me. We heard it from “analysts” who have said the Maghreb events cannot be supplanted in sub-Sahara Africa, but then we know the human spirit is full of surprises, and James Blood could be right after all.

When there was this huge business moguls shindig east of the country [wise men eh?] a few weeks ago about constructing a billion-dollar economy in the next two decades, news copy was awash with glowing editorialising about these men and women pitching their blueprint for a fabulously rich Zimbabwe. If the country’s political gladiators set aside their differences surely the USD1 billion economy was not a psychedelic reverie. With the right political will and economic genius from the private sector, Zimbabwe would be the biggest economy south of the Sahara.

The Vee Pee Mujuru was hailed for speaking with the level headedness that appeared to have surprised many: this is the commitment the country needs from its political leaders, the business heavies heaved. All the contradictions that have emerged in this country about promoting investment on one had and threatening – and indeed going ahead with – company takeovers were set aside or conveniently forgotten, after all what was to be gained by raising those concerns when there was an economy to be [re]built, money to be made, jobs created, detractors shamed, etc. Yet the very issues that were identified as inimical to the creation of a billion-dollar economy have been revisited on the country with doubled resolve. Which investor wants to put his money where cops gas mourners, throws teargas into churches, deny political parties and law abiding citizens right to assemble, bans free thought rallies etc.

We already know that some major potential investors are from countries where liberal democracy rules the day and companies are only too aware that choosing countries that do not respect human rights risk a boycott of their business. So how do we have it both ways such that we liberally and violently suppress prayers for peace and at the same time lobby international investors who come from backgrounds that respect human rights to pour in their multi-millions to create jobs and build that billion-dollar economy? Obviously these are questions that are not of concern to the authorities who unleash such brute force on “peace-loving Zimbabweans,” but you sure feel sorry for those heavy weights who pitched this billion-dollar economic utopia that while they obviously mean well, the very folks to whom they pitch these grand plans throw spanners and gonyets into the works. But for what exactly? Such a pity, living in the city is like living in the time of Frank Nitty.

The AAG executive has resigned after founding president Phillip Chiyangwa made unilateral appointments, ZBC reported on Monday. Isn’t it lovely when these folks cut from the same cloth have each other by the neck? We are watching to see how the BEE gravy train will be steered from this point onwards.

Econet is celebrated in Zimbabwe as one of THE brands that have made a permanent presence in people’s everyday life, every businessman’s dream no doubt. But the service we are getting is only serving to give that Strive guy a very bad name as  many know him as the face of Econet from the days when the now VP Joice Mujuru was one of many opposing the late VP Joshua “Father Zimbabwe” Nkomo to give the young man [Strive] an operating license.

Ever since subscribers rushed to buy those simcards after Econet hit the nation with broadband excitement and then the demand to register the lines by POTRAZ, there has been a lot of furious anger aimed at Econet and with good reason. I bought a line a few months ago, had it registered as demanded based on the threat that failure to do so I would be switched off on the 31st of March 2011. But what do you know, despite having registered the “line,” the morning of April 1 found me without any form of communication as I had been switched off. Thinking this was an April Fools gag, I made my way to the Econet offices only to find hordes of fuming subscribers who all had the same story to tell: they had been switched off despite having registered their lines as duly demanded. And the arrogant people that Strive employs have not been very helpful, you just have to ask if that man knows this is what Zimbabweans who have given his wealth are going through.

Zimbabwe being a land of conspiracy theories, whispers galore that this is no inadvertent glitch: some dark forces have interfered with people’s only communication tool through these mass disconnections which are causing mass hysteria as every Nhamo, Themba and Sihle is now on Facebook thanks to Econet broadband. And the dark forces, only being too aware of what social media has wrecked in the Maghreb, well, one cannot be too careful!

The haughty types at Econet told us on Friday 1 April 2011 we would be reconnected by the end of the day, and we were not. Monday 4 April 2011 we were again told we would be connected by the end of the day, we were not. Are these people taking our peace loving nature for granted, someone in the crowd wondered aloud? I am not sure whether this was directed at Econet or the dark forces! Elsewhere there would be a mass public campaign to boycott Econet the company Strive built.