You are cordially invited to

“100 HUNDRED”

Exhibition Launch

at Alliance Française

Thursday, 28 November at 5.30pm

Old Mutual Theatre at Alliance Française, 328 Herbert Chitepo Ave, Harare

Village Unhu & Alliance francaise are again pleased to present another exhibition titled ’100 hundred’ of paintings, graphics and multi media sculptures.

’100 Hundred’ simply meaning ten times ten, for the exhibition simply meaning a hundred works for a hundred each.

We are glad to feature works by, to only mention a few, Gareth Nyandoro, Wallen Mapondera, Shannon Murphy, Thandazani Dhlakama, James Jali, Moffat Takadiwa, Mattheus Nyaungwa, Misheck Masamvu and many others.

All this we hear about legalising makorokoza (panning) and reaching out to the West by relaxing the indigenisation project are just a heap of junk to cover up Zanu Pf’s desperation & failures. I do not want to see it as a coincidence that by the time Bruce Wharton is surprisingly proclaiming that the 31 July election was free and fair, Patrick Chinamasa was addressing western delegates with equal stun that he is giving them a reprieve on the indigenisation drive. It is absolutely nonsensical for anyone to believe that the planned formalisation of panning in Zimbabwe does not have a link with the recent public outcry that the Chinese are bullying us over our minerals using illegally acquired licenses to dig trenches in our rivers and fields. This is awfully far from empowering Zimbabweans because it is just a way of igniting anger and division over land degradation, invasion and destruction of our national heritage.

In fact, the only reason why the government is doing this is to cover their backs over the huge amount of corruption that is backpacked by the whole mining scandal. After all, if they are struggling to craft and enforce enough laws to protect the mining workers in formal companies now, what guarantee do we have that panning related deaths will not escalate if they legalise the looting of our minerals?

All this points to one thing in Zimbabwe, the desperation and pride in our nation’s leadership is forcing them to deliver our country on a silver platter for a song to other nations and drag all of us into their mess. The convergence of forces of merciless capitalism and totalitarianism in Zimbabwe right now is not by any measure crafted to bring empowerment to the commoner as noisily proclaimed, but instead expand the empire of tyranny.