What is the job of an army anymore? Traditionally – defend a countries’ borders against invasion by another country. Fair enough role. But seems every army these days is fighting their own civilians.

India: (maybe not the army, but the government) vs. anti-corruption hunger striker. Gone are the days when he would be accused of being a Pakistani agent, enemy of the people, foreign sympathizer, etc. Now, it seems he can be nothing but a pissed off local boy. One of the common people fighting the government, which, while ‘elected’ does not seem to be ‘of the people’.

Syria: the army is busy in a war against Homs. Which is a Syrian city! Back when I was student, we read about how the Israelis ran rings around the Syrians and took the Golan Heights. Now, the Syrian tanks no longer have to go to the border to be surrendered. They just drive to a nearby town and surrender their tanks there!

Israelis too! The Israeli Air Force is busy flying missions against its own people. (If the Israelis will not let the Palestinians be a separate country, then the Palestinians must be part of Israel, and bombing Palestinians must therefore be bombing their own people.) Even if their ‘own’ people are next door in Egypt, and five Egyptian soldiers get killed along the way. And the Israelis seem no longer interesting in fighting a war against any army in any mountains or on any of their borders.

Libya: there is a case of the Libyan army fighting the Libyan people. Certainly no NATO jets seem to come under threat from the Libyan ‘Defense’ forces. And the Libyan Army seems to be losing, most likely lost, to the Libyan civilians.

The DRC: well, whatever. Who really knows what is going on there, even the DRC citizens and residents! To many countries on the borders. Each with their own cross border opposition forces. The Lord’s Resistance. The Interhamwe. The ZNA diamond mines. The Angolans. The Katangese. One of the best roads I drove on in DRC was built by the Zambians, so Zambians could get from one part of Zambia to another part of Zambia the quickest way!

Cote D’Ivoire: But since Laurent Gbagbo was winkled out of his country – which turned out to be a hole in the ground (underground bunker) in a military camp, (but he still thought of it as ‘his’ country, talk about living with your head up your ass!) – that army is not longer fighting its own civilians. And now that Gbagbo is gone from his hole in the ground, who is the army? Who belongs to the army, or who does the army belong to?

Sudan: finally! Now that South Sudan is a country, there really is an external threat across the border!

So here, it makes you wonder, if Tsvangirai is a threat to national security… who are invading us? The Chinese? Botswana? Or, what is ‘National’ security? Who exactly are the ‘nation’ (he is also a Zimbabwean, isn’t he?) he is making insecure?

So what is role of the ZNA? Why is it any bigger than 15000? Or even that big? The Foreign Ministry keeps us safe from threat of invasion – we are at peace with all our neighbours. Aren’t we? We even had to send the army two countries away to lose a war, in the DRC. And who was the enemy there, what foreign country was invading them? And threatening the ZNA diamond mines?

Which brings to mind a sight, going to the range (The Gun Range, Harare Shooting Sport Complex). To get there, enter though the entrance gate of the Cleveland Ranges, Arcturas Road. The military 1000 meter range. The president’s medal has been held every year, probably going back to Southern Rhodesia days. And since Zimbabwe, RG Mugabe has been handing it out to the best rifle shot in the military.

Suddenly, for the first time since I came here in 1971, and started shooting there in 1976 there is a gate and a boom and gate house and presentation platforms and flags and flag poles (and the HSSC sign has been pushed flat so no one can see it). All this suddenly at President’s medal time, for presentation and all the rest. Who is trying to impress who? Is the Army trying to make Bob feel ‘elevated’, or is Bob throwing money and works at the army to make them feel like they really have anything to do? Or are the Generals throwing stuff at the ranks to make them feel they are part of the ‘big bucks’ going around?

Another interesting bit I heard, from many conversations, some with people I trust very much.

The Army has let it be known (one source has senior army connections, but is not a soldier) that for the next elections, they will campaign (i.e. ‘count’ the papers) for Zim 1, but no one else. (Zim 1 is the losing party chairman).

All other Zanu PF MP candidates must do their own campaigning. They must pull their finger out and get out there to meet the people, see their constituency, make the political promises, etc. The army does not care for the old incumbents. They are quite happy to see a new crop of ZPF come in.

What does this mean? Only the big guy stands a chance. The rest, very vulnerable to the Jonathan Moyos. In some ways ‘great’. A new crop will mean a new party. ‘Safe’ seats in parliament will flow away and Zim1 will have a whole new struggle. Head of administration verses the government. Who wins will be he (or she) who has power (in most cases, those with the guns). But, the party (the losing party) needs a good clean. Many incumbents are busy jigging the monkey. Chombo I most think of (because he screws around in my area of interest, local government). A nobody, with power, who is making good money out of it – and not even in his area. If he has to service his home constituency, he will find life far more difficult. But many other’s too – the really old guys with liberation war credentials.

On the other hand, what will this do to the party, which itself really has nothing but liberation war credentials? And the party (and Zim1 himself) is the face of legitimacy the military coup regime hides behind. Without it, they are naked as the ‘coup of the ZANLA high command’. And many do not even have liberation war credentials. Who is Brigadier General whatever his name is? Where was he in the struggle? What is his history? How has he serviced his constituency (assuming he can find the balls to take off his uniform and stand for election)? They are really just a gang of friends with power (i.e. guns). In the eastern DRC and Great Lakes region, they would be termed warlords. Power, but no legitimacy.

What is their plan (or Zanu PF’s for that matter) for moving Zimbabwe forward?

Had an good and interesting few weeks. Good places to go (Matopos), good meetings (different people), good meals (chocolate pudding), good conversations (some senior people), good listening (very outspoken, very un-Zimbabwean), and good information (some people just ‘know’ things), and some very trustworthy (old acquaintances).

So some of the things said, and realised, bear repeating.

“Why did you leave the MDC?” “Because it used to be a movement.” And it is claimed,by the questioner, that it still is. But I really do not think so anymore. So many contrary indications.

I remember as the Caucus assistant secretary for the MDC City Councillors, when Mudzuri was Mayor (exectuive, not ceremonial). That is, I was allowed to do all the work. I took the minutes of the MDC councillors meetings (i.e not the City of Harare meetings, but the meetings of the political party at that level meetings). I realised, and we all said, “Makwavarara, she is a problem”. So I wrote letters to the party. All the levels, all the bosses. Femai, the Province Secretary. Chaibva, the shadow Local Government minister.

And I was told, “Ah Laban, you are fighting the wrong enemy”.

Then, Muduzuri was fired (as we all were in the end), and Makavarara took over as Mayor. Murambatsvina followed, and the official MDC response, “Ah, we did not know!”

So, they are a bunch of liars. That is to say, politicians (since all politicians are liars). Moreover, the aim is, as any political partie’s should be, to gain power. The enemy is not ‘corruption’, the enemy is Zanu PF (the other big political party). I was fighting the wrong enemy. But then, I thought the MDC was a movement. They will tell us, in their round about political way, Once we are in power, we can then stop corruption”. This may be true, but one must not forget, they are politicians (and therefore liars).

And then out comes the Mail and Guardian with the front page headline, “Tsvangirai At TheTrough”. So it seems I am not the only one who believes they have left their movement roots, and become a political party. Seeking power, not change. Perhaps a change in who benefits from power, but not a change in the benefits.

So, how is it a movement anymore? They are just a bunch of chefs. New chefs. The Ceremonial Mayor of Harare earns a big salary every month, someone said. Ministers all have new cars. And deputy ministers. And permanent secretaries. And nice cars at that (but even then, they cannot make them last more than a couple of years without major pay offs for repairs). So it would certainly seem the new chefs are not part of a movement for a change of the system. Just a change of the beneficiaries. And Budiriro remans with unhealthy water.

So, while the time has come to criticise them as one would any lying political party, (the joke about nappies and political parties in not a joke) I will still support them as making a change – any change, will lead to less concentration of power. And I will continue to predict, “two years”. Two years and Zanu PF (the losing party, the former ruling party) will be ‘the other’ big political party. This will be good. But certainly not the answer. Two political parties is a step towards the answer. But the answer is DEMOCRACY, not the MDC. So I will continue to work for popular involvement at the local government level. Perhaps not so far as Obote, who banned political parties, but I like his thinking. Along the right lines.

Kenny Road runs from Avondale Shops on King George Road west to Kensington shops on Connaught Road. A street of suburban homes between two choice shopping and community centres.

Along this road, people have converted two houses (with a swimming pool) into restaurants and bars. They are ‘Actor Café’, at 7 Kenny Road, and next door ‘Number 9 Pub and Restaurant’. You can see the houses behind hedges, and they are well advertised on the street, so they are easy to find. However, they are illegal.

In October 2006, number 7 applied for a license as a ‘meeting house’. Council refused (meeting of the Environment Management Sub-Committee of the City Council, on 31 October 2006, Item 27 of the minutes) for the following reasons. 1) a site inspection revealed that a restaurant was already being run there! 2) the residents were opposed.

A restaurant is legally a ‘shop’, and this area is not zoned for commercial activity. So commercial activity already prohibited, aside from the fact that they had set up and were running an illegal entity before they even applied. Not to mention they applied for a licence as a ‘meeting place’ when they obviously fully intended to keep running a restaurant.

The first letter in my possession, dated 22 November 2006, reads; To; Mr. Mange He Ho, 7 Kenny Road. From; Psychology Chiwanga, Director of Urban Planning Services, City of Harare. Re; (7 Kenny Road), Avondale, says – there was a meeting to consider the application and it was refused for two reasons.

So, proper procedure had been followed, proper notice given, everything completely open and transparent. We all know it is not to be.

The second letter in my possession is from the Kenny Road residents to Mrs. Vhutuza, Urban Planning, City of Harare, dated 9 July 2009. It complains that nothing has been done. The residents are aware it is illegal, and yet the restaurants are quiet clearly there, and making a lot of noise as they expected (reason for objecting to it in the first place, three years ago).

So the city responds, 28 July 2009. Again, from Psychology Chiwanga, Director of Urban Planning Services, City of Harare. He points out that inspections were carried out, 13 July 2009, and indeed, these revealed both properties had been turned into restaurants, without approval.

Not only without approval, but he takes care to point out that approval could never be given! They are in ‘Residential Zone 1A(i)’, where commercial use is prohibited. And they fall into a zone where a Blanket Enforcement Order has already been issued (and published in the press).

Copies of this letter were sent, for appropriate action to be taken, to:

Secretary, Liquor Licensing Board
Officer in Charge, ZRP Avondale
Director of Health Services

Now, in August 2010, it is all thrust at me! In my wanderings in my area, I can clearly see that the restaurants are open and advertising. Taking in customers. Doing ‘normal’ business, quite openly and dishonestly.

To start, we have one restaurant (two now) operating for, at least, four years. They applied for a license (not even the correct one) when they were already operating as a restaurant, in 2006, and were refused (as the law requires).

So they have been operating illegally, taking in money and one assumes not paying tax etc, for at least four years.

The authorities (Police, City, Liquor Licensing, Health) are aware of it, have investigated it and seen it to be illegal, have communicated with each other on it’s illegality, and have done nothing. For four years!

Is Zimbabwe a country where the rule of law prevails? Certainly not in this case. It is illegal in terms of health. It is illegal in terms of zoning and use. It is illegal in terms of license (several – Liquor, Restaurant/Tourism tax, probably more). Do the police know of this and stop it? Yes and no.

I see Theresa Makoni, Co-Minister of Home Affairs, is reported to have made recent remarks, “the police are now executing their duties professionally”. Is this what constitutes “professionalism” in her opinion? There has been letters sent (does the post office not work?) by one authority to another. Can one authority not write? Or another not read? We assume they can, therefore the information must have been passed. Yet, quite obviously, the law is being broken, and nothing is being done.

While this might be the neighbours’ problem – they suffer from the loud noise until sun up, parking in the street, a security problem, etc., What about all the rest of us? We have a Health Ministry that really does not care about Health. Or they would not let an unlicensed establishment operate. We have a Liquor Board that does not care if, or who, alcohol is sold to. Aside from the loss of revenue – which they would not get as it can never be licensed – they have no control of what is actually happening. We have a municipality, with it’s own police force (for which they are constantly asking to be given power of arrest), that will maybe clamp your car for not paying the parking meter, but will allow two restaurants to run (taking in a LOT more money than a parking ticket) for four years!

And the common people on the street? Who pays taxes, is supposed to respect the authority of the people in uniform, upholds the laws of Zimbabwe as they are written and decided in parliament? Well, you are getting taken for a ride. You are being abused. You are being horribly wronged. For everyone who pays their tourism tax – stop doing it! There is obviously no need. We have the real life example of establishments, who do not ‘appear’, getting away with it for four years. Everyone who applies for and gets licenses, and pays their regular license fees – don’t do it! There is no need! People get away with it for four years. The people who drive on the left hand side of the road – don’t bother. It may be ‘the law’ but who cares? People break the law for four years (in a big way, it is difficult to hide two houses, and they advertise!) and no one arrests them.

The rumour is (and it is a rumour, there is no evidence at all), they are paying someone ‘powerful’ / in government / influential, etc. Well, whoever they are paying, he (or she) should be in jail. Aside from the fact that they are stealing our money (you and I pay taxes in an open and honest manner, that goes into a public purse, while ‘others’ make a living without anything going back to the public purse, so we are asked to pay more taxes), he/she giving us a health risk, aiding the misuse of alcohol, (very possibly increasing the AIDS epidemic), destroying the authority of the police (and other uniformed services by extension), and more ramifications that their pocket (which gets bigger everyday) is not concerned about. They are selling your soul/health/good life/education/safety for their personal gain.

But that is okay; it is only the neighbours problem.

I hear some treason trials are starting in Zimbabwe today. This is just ridiculous! How can anyone go to jail (or face death) for watching a video? Or more correctly, trying to see a DVD? Almost as fantastical as a Harry Potter movie (which is also in the news).

The people who should be on trial for treason are senior leaders of armed and uniformed groups (which are paid for by the Zimbabwe tax payer) who tell the tax payer who they will, and who they will not, take orders from. As if that body was their personal property, and they are a warlord living in anarchy.

If they will not take orders from the person the tax payer appoints to represent them, they should say so and leave the job – the one they cannot do. To say who they will and will not take orders from, and then stay in charge of that body of armed men, is treason. So dangerous to the country that the punishment for that crime is still hanging.

Last month I went to the MPOI (Mass Public Opinion Institute) panel discussion on security sector reform. Interesting, but some panelists did not speak on the security sector at all. One of the most interesting/disturbing/amusing panelists was Mr. Goodson Nguni, of Zanu PF. Wow, are some of them racists!

All his presentation – supposedly Zanu PF policy on security sector reform – was, “we will not let the whites take over”. I must assume these are all whites in general, as I know of no white involved in security, and there were only two whites in the room, myself and the panelist Mr. Matyszak. The implication, I assume, was that the MDC was a white party. Which was something I did not know. When I was a member, I was of a very small minority.

And secondly, two months ago, while painting MacDonald Park pool, I was asked by the local area (Zanu PF) Chairman if I would consider being the local area Zanu PF Treasurer. So I am left to wonder some more. On the one hand, I am being asked to join them in a senior position (take over their money), on the other hand, their stated aim is not to let the whites (and I am quite sure I am one) take over. So I am forced to consider – amongst all the multiple political parties, and splits, and mergers, etc. are there now two Zanu PFs? The Zanu PF (Rational) Party, and Zanu PF (I am completely out of my tiny little mind) Party? Not that I joined either.

The audience also found some humour in his presentation. There was a lot of sniggering going on. A couple of people stood up and walked out, and from their asides as they were leaving, and the sniggers in response, they found something amusing!

A woman a couple of seats down asked me why I did not respond. I just shrugged. First, it did not need any response. Second, while I may be a racist, I do my best to avoid racial discrimination. And I was there to hear about security sector reform, not engage in a racist debate with a rabid racist. I thought the RF was gone? As a racist (which I think we all are), I notice what colour skin you have. Just as, as a sexist, I notice if you are male of female (I love females!) and as an ageist, I notice how old you are. Discrimination involves taking some action for or against someone depending on their predisposition (skin colour, sex, age). So the Zanu PF policy, as pronounced by Mr. Nguni, is racial discrimination. It involves taking action (keeping them out) based on a skin colour (white). This is a bit disturbing. As a Zimbabwean, I am to be kept out of my national security! However, I console myself by believing that he is only one of the Zanu PFs out there. And the Zanu PF in my area, judging by my area chairman, considers me a Zimbabwean.