“Controlled hysteria is what’s required. To exist constantly in a state of controlled hysteria. It’s agony. But everyone has agony. The difference is that I try to take my agony home and teach it to sing.” — Arthur Miller

Comments attributed to First Lady Grace Mugabe that Mr. Morgan Tsvangira’s looks gave First Gentleman Robert Mugabe nightmares just show how low-brow the politics of State House can become.

Critics have long said our politics is not issue based, and Mrs. First Lady seems to confirm that.

It highlights she not only has very low regard for Tsvangirai (she doesn’t have to: Tsvangirai wants to take her husband’s job!), but most importantly perhaps, the low regard she has for her audience.

The favoured phrase for many people would be “don’t insult our intelligence.”

Imagine expecting to swing votes by telling voters that you need a more photogenic fellow at State House! That would help in international photo opportunities!

You are simply implying that your audience has no clue about the real issues that seek to address their impoverished livelihoods, but such has been the nature of Zimbabwean politics, recalling the rather unpalatable comments by one “nationalist” and “national hero” that if a baboon stood for Zanu PF in elections, you vote for that baboon.

Surely Zimbabweans deserve better.

Zanu PF posters for the July 31 election have been put up on the Makoni South Constituency Parliamentary Information Centre notice board. Whilst clearly it’s tempting advertising space, surely that’s the kind of space that should advertise equally for all parties, or none. A public service. Oh, like the public broadcaster, ZBC. Right.

Let everything happen to you: beauty and terror. Just keep going. No feeling is final.  – Rilke

As Zimbabwe prepares for the 31 July election, a subscriber in Raffingora shares this unverified report of political violence in  Mashonaland West.

A Zanu PF war vet by the name Yondo has beaten a supporter of a independent candidate Mai Chombo today, 11 July at Raffingora Business Centre. She was accompanied by other war vets, whose names are Kangachepe Kufaingano and Mutokoti Vongai.