Zimbabweans are akin to Plato's “Allegory of the Cave”, a people dwelling in a dark cave analogy: a group of people living in a dark cave chained all of their lives and facing a blank wall. The only form of activity they see are shadows projected on the wall by objects passing in front of a fire behind them. The people in Zimbabwe are not seeing reality but only a shadowy representation of it.
As in Zimbabwe, the people deep inside of a dark cave have begun to believe whatever the government and ZANU (PF) tells them is true. The few brave men and women who have escaped from this vortex of propaganda, and have seen the real democratic world, are struggling to come back to the dark cave. They have seen life as it truly is and not as how it is said to be by Mugabe and his peddlers of misinformation.
The most successful economies and democratic societies thrive on tolerance and cultural pluralism, are not homogeneous, but embrace diversity. These progressive societies reward work with wealth and encourage entrepreneurialship which invariably creates businesses that are a source of vitality. There is honour in achievement and work. Economies are driven by citizens who only invest their hard-earned capital and impart their skills when guaranteed that their property, civil liberties, and business rights are protected by unbendable laws cast in stone.
ZANU (PF) criers have gone hoarse, bleating the mantra that sanctions hurt the ordinary masses and must be removed as a condition for the land audit to occur and for outstanding issues on the Global Political Agreement (GPA) to be resolved. The shutdown of extra-terrestrial radio stations, which give dissenting voices a platform, has now been thrown in as a pre-condition for ZANU (PF) to adhere to the rule of law. It is no coincidence that the mere suggestion of an election triggers a response that is tantamount to callous food depravation for poor rural voters. ZANU (PF) and its ministers have unilaterally sanctioned the rural poor for political expediency.
Joseph Made, the Minister of Agriculture, announced through the government tabloid Manica Post, that the government has banned food handouts by Non-Governmental Organisations (NGO). This heartless directive affects two million starving villagers whose crops failed due to the bungling government failing to supply fertiliser, seeds, and draught power on time. Or was it deliberate? ZANU (PF) is now introducing the Juche (North Korean) style food-for-work programme and if its past programmes are the barometer, a ZANU (PF) card and voter registration card are prerequisites for food aid.
Skilled exiled Zimbabweans who eventually want to return from the Diaspora will find it difficult to function in a dark cave again. The leaders of the dark cave will prosecute anyone inside the cave who does not believe that what they are told is true.
After independence, the international community and the populace were first told that the killing of innocent civilians in Matebeleland during Gukurahundi was an internal operation against armed bandits known as dissidents. 20 000 innocent women and children of Ndebele ethnicity were brutally murdered by men led by Robert Mugabe.
A decade later, Mugabe announced that land from whites would be taken and given to landless peasants in order to redress a colonial imbalance. Instead, land was taken from white farmers and given only to ZANU (PF) officials, with Mugabe grabbing as many as twelve farms for his family. The few handpicked smallholder farmers who support ZANU (PF) received plots that are predominantly in marginal agricultural regions.
The Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment Act, announced by Kasukuwere, a minister responsible for the dreaded youth militia, is now in place to strip, not only from whites, but Asians (maIndiya) and other non-indigenous business owners, of their companies. Mugabe is embarking on his winner-take-all campaign to reward his loyal followers, whom he relies upon to buttress his unpopular regime.
If, as a nation we are to split hairs over what constitutes an indigenous citizen, then Mugabe’s disputed foreign parentage becomes a genuine topic for national debate. It is glaringly obvious to any anthropologist or genealogy novice that Mugabe’s nephews with last names like Zhuwao are of Mozambican origin (Machukunda), and yet are in the forefront of dispossessing genuine Zimbabweans of their birthrights.
Zimbabweans must understand that a vindictive law that makes a wealthy person poor, will never reverse poverty—nor make the indigent prosperous.
The credulous Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) leadership, which should never have abandoned its own democratic policies and popular stratagem of removing tyranny via the ballot, has been outmaneuvered by a cunning dictator. Mugabe is now stronger, thanks to the political immaturity, gullibility, naivety and avariciousness of the MDC leadership-“Makateyewa nedovi segonzo”- lured to a trap with peanut butter like a mouse.
The MDC leadership is being treated like mushrooms in the Government of National Unity (GNU). Mushrooms are kept in the dark fed cow manure and grow only to be eaten later by the same persons who were feeding them bovine excrement.
Soon it will be difficult for real revolutionaries to distinguish friend from foe, as the MDC leadership’s posture is a clone of that of the tyrants. They now enthusiastically sing from the same verse of the same hymn.
The few fearless and probing persons with the gumption to seek the truth, have sneaked out of the dark cave and discovered a different world in which people live with plenty of light, freedom and contentment. The time has arrived to enlighten and free the rest of the people still yoked to the prehistoric and abusive leadership of the cave.
Phil Matibe – www.madhingabucketboy.com
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Land Audit 2010 – The Politics of Entitlement and “Chegumi”
Zimbabwe needs an agrarian reform programme that transfers technologies, imparts skills, and economically empowers real farmers—both smallholder and commercial—in an equitable manner that reduces poverty, corrects a colonial wrong, creates food self-sufficiency and security of tenure.
In July 2009, a five-member Presidential Land Resettlement Committee appointed by Mugabe completed its land allocation audit and once again unearthed widespread evidence of corrupt allocations and the use of violence by senior politicians and military officers to evict landless smallholder farmers, the very people Mugabe claimed the fast track land policy sought to assist.
The 2010 land audit is essential if as a nation, we are to permanently bring to a close the contentious issue of land reform that must not be allowed to become a burden for future generations. Zimbabwe must attract investments and focus on other means of production and infrastructure development with land ownership being the cornerstone for such national endeavours.
Chegumi means “ten percent” in the vernacular and is a religious term referring to tithing, which has unfortunately been selfishly bastardised and converted into corrupt ZANU (PF) vocabulary. As part of its well-oiled propaganda machinery, church hymns, and other religious passages, have also fallen foul to manipulation and Mugabe is equated to the “son of God” by his party’s politburo.
It is only those with a total lack of conscience and insatiable greed who demand chegumi for performing their duties as civil servants. This alien culture of dishonesty has gone unchecked in government since independence and has now morphed into a more primitive and sinister policy of entitlement within the ruling class.
The current fast track land acquisition programme—2000 to present—is the fourth land allocation programme since independence; the same persons and their families who have been looting national assets all along are raiding the farms again for self enrichment. The poor are getting poorer while the robbery on productive farms has made Zimbabwe’s food security precarious.
On 10 January 2010, ZANU (PF) announced that, “We fought the armed struggle to gain political power and economic power and we believe we have a right to this twenty percent we are asking for. War vets are some of the poorest people around despite the work that they have done for this country”.
Compounded with the Indigenisation and Empowerment Act, which proposes the transfer of fifty-one percent of all ownership into the hands of a few handpicked shareholders, state theft of businesses becomes law in Zimbabwe. War veterans now feel entitled to owning twenty percent of all national assets, which includes all land, minerals, natural resources, dams, schools, government jobs and taxes.
The war veterans’ entitlement statement is tired and lacks honour. What do the millions of villagers who gave logistical and moral support to freedom fighters during the war get? Do they not deserve a share of the national cake? Did ZANU (PF) go to war in a vacuum, only to hold the whole country at ransom and demand to be paid for “our liberation”?
What kind of a society are we creating if ownership of land or property in Zimbabwe requires war credentials?
Herewith, a plethora of self-enrichment and “war veteran” payment schemes since independence: VIP Housing Scheme, VIP Farm Leases, VIP Car Scheme, Scholarship Fund, Farm Input Scheme, Tractor Schemes, Hunting Concessions, Exclusive Prospecting Orders (EPOs); created by like-minded “revolutionaries” for their own compensatory benefit for participating in the war of liberation:
War Victims’ Compensation Fund
In 1997, the fund had been looted to the tune of Z$450 million (US$44 million at the time), by senior officials in ZANU (PF). Government, for the benefit of former war combatants, whose military service between December 23 1972 and February 29 1980 had resulted in “physical disabilities”, set up the compensation fund for what officials called “post-traumatic stress disorder”.
Reward Marufu, Grace Mugabe‘s brother, who cited "ulcers and a scar on the left knee" became a beneficiary. He was rendered one hundred percent disabled through injuries sustained during the war of liberation. He was awarded ZW$822 668 (at the time US$70 000.00) for his injuries, the highest single claim ever disbursed under the fund.
In 1996, Police Commissioner Augustine Chihuri was listed among those who allegedly defrauded the War Victims Compensation Fund and assessed to be ninety percent disabled after being diagnosed with "dermatitis of both feet".
Air Marshal Perence Shiri, the Commander of the Air Force of Zimbabwe was paid ZW$90 249 for "poly-arthritis and mental stress disorder".
Vice President Joyce Mujuru also qualified for compensation on account of alleged “poor eye-sight and mental stress”.
By the time the massive fraud was exposed, seventy thousand applicants had defrauded the Ministry of Labour and Social Services of more than ZW$450 million, a staggering figure in 1996.
On 14 November 1997, genuine war veterans protested upon discovery that the War Victims Compensation Fund had been looted by ZANU (PF) leaders and their acolytes. Mugabe, cornered by his lieutenants, was forced to commit to giving every war veteran a once‐off payment of Z$50,000 and a monthly pension of ZW$2000.
This act of awarded unbudgeted-for gratuities was involuntary as much as the land reform was not a priority for ZANU (PF) until after the referendum. “Dhora radonha” the Zimbabwe dollar fell against the US dollar to 40:1 and thus began the precipitous decline of our economy without any sanctions.
The government, which did not have money for the payments, introduced a five percent War Veterans Levy and work stoppages and strikes ensued. Zimbabweans were already reeling from drought, fuel and other levies, over and above the highest income and corporate taxation in sub-Saharan Africa. Instead, ZANU (PF) started printing money, began a military adventure in the Congo, and embarked on farm evictions to appease its agitated supporters.
In 1995, the Cabinet overrode the Government Tender Board and gave the Harare International Airport contract to AHT, even though their price was Z$300 million higher than the others. Leo Mugabe, Mugabe’s nephew, was the shareholder.
Where did all this money go? Do we need an audit?
In 1997, the drought levy was converted into a permanent development levy. The government introduced a ten percent levy on tobacco earnings and a tax on people using company cars.
Government ministers that year bought themselves new Mercedes Benz vehicles under the pretext that these were to be used by foreign heads of state during the World Solar Summit held in Harare in September 1996. The same ministers then bought their old Mercedes Benz cars from the government for between ZW$6 000 and ZW$10 000, yet the market value of these cars was around ZW$250 000.
Today, greasing the palms of the Minister of Lands now produces an offer letter that gives a member of the party ownership rights to an agricultural business whose shareholders—not being ZANU (PF)—are evicted. To expedite allocation of fertiliser, tractors and fuel ministry officials are paid a percentage; this has become so much the standard that Zimbabweans now call it chegumi (10%).
Recently, the BBC news reported that one cabinet minister, who did not want to be named, defended the president's conduct of owning twelve farms as follows: "If it's true that Mugabe owned more than one farm, we mustn't forget he is the ‘father of the nation’. He spent over a decade in jail fighting for your freedom. Don't compare yourself, or even me, with him."
This statement strikes at the core of ZANU (PF)’s psyche and renders every person outside of Mugabe’s party mere mortals who are not entitled to a share of national assets and must only be happy with what he gives us. Creating a persona that makes him the “father of Zimbabwe” subconsciously carries psychological and cultural symbolism that reduces everyone else to childlike beings and unable to challenge “the father”.
It explains why there is a dearth of men without the testicular fortitude to challenge Mugabe in ZANU (PF): they are all children or those that are as old as he is, behave in bizarre acts of submission, and tremble before him in scenes reminiscent to prehistoric ritualistic cult worship.
Mugabe is but one of the nationalists who spent time in prison for political activities and is in no way the “father of Zimbabwean nationalism”. This blatant distortion of history is located in ZANU (PF)’s incessant spin, which waxes the image of their demigod, Mugabe, as an upright revolutionary untainted by sleaze and possessing no bone of corruption in his body. The present day ZANU (PF) is a far cry from the original revolutionary party of the 60’s, which was one of the custodians of our liberation.
Since independence in 1980, Mugabe and ZANU (PF) have arrested, detained without trial, tortured, raped, murdered and killed more innocent civilians than those killed during one hundred years of colonial rule. Furthermore, they have stolen from national coffers funds earmarked for the poor and for Zimbabwe’s development.
The original ZANU led by Ndabaningi Sithole—and not Mugabe—was ideologically different to the den of thieves and congregation of looting barons known as ZANU (PF) today.
The Chidyausiku Commission of Inquiry was set up by President Mugabe to investigate massive fraud connected with the War Victims Compensation Fund. Where is the report? Chief Justice Godfrey Chidyausiku is now a recipient of multiple prime farms, a thank-you present for enabling tyranny and ignoring the rule of law, which he took an oath to uphold.
The same clique in ZANU (PF) is getting richer whilst the rest of the populace and rural folk now face another year of food shortages.
It is an oxymoron to have “integrity” and “fairness” in the same sentence with Mugabe and ZANU (PF).
Phil Matibe- www.madhingabucketboy.com
In July 2009, a five-member Presidential Land Resettlement Committee appointed by Mugabe completed its land allocation audit and once again unearthed widespread evidence of corrupt allocations and the use of violence by senior politicians and military officers to evict landless smallholder farmers, the very people Mugabe claimed the fast track land policy sought to assist.
The 2010 land audit is essential if as a nation, we are to permanently bring to a close the contentious issue of land reform that must not be allowed to become a burden for future generations. Zimbabwe must attract investments and focus on other means of production and infrastructure development with land ownership being the cornerstone for such national endeavours.
Chegumi means “ten percent” in the vernacular and is a religious term referring to tithing, which has unfortunately been selfishly bastardised and converted into corrupt ZANU (PF) vocabulary. As part of its well-oiled propaganda machinery, church hymns, and other religious passages, have also fallen foul to manipulation and Mugabe is equated to the “son of God” by his party’s politburo.
It is only those with a total lack of conscience and insatiable greed who demand chegumi for performing their duties as civil servants. This alien culture of dishonesty has gone unchecked in government since independence and has now morphed into a more primitive and sinister policy of entitlement within the ruling class.
The current fast track land acquisition programme—2000 to present—is the fourth land allocation programme since independence; the same persons and their families who have been looting national assets all along are raiding the farms again for self enrichment. The poor are getting poorer while the robbery on productive farms has made Zimbabwe’s food security precarious.
On 10 January 2010, ZANU (PF) announced that, “We fought the armed struggle to gain political power and economic power and we believe we have a right to this twenty percent we are asking for. War vets are some of the poorest people around despite the work that they have done for this country”.
Compounded with the Indigenisation and Empowerment Act, which proposes the transfer of fifty-one percent of all ownership into the hands of a few handpicked shareholders, state theft of businesses becomes law in Zimbabwe. War veterans now feel entitled to owning twenty percent of all national assets, which includes all land, minerals, natural resources, dams, schools, government jobs and taxes.
The war veterans’ entitlement statement is tired and lacks honour. What do the millions of villagers who gave logistical and moral support to freedom fighters during the war get? Do they not deserve a share of the national cake? Did ZANU (PF) go to war in a vacuum, only to hold the whole country at ransom and demand to be paid for “our liberation”?
What kind of a society are we creating if ownership of land or property in Zimbabwe requires war credentials?
Herewith, a plethora of self-enrichment and “war veteran” payment schemes since independence: VIP Housing Scheme, VIP Farm Leases, VIP Car Scheme, Scholarship Fund, Farm Input Scheme, Tractor Schemes, Hunting Concessions, Exclusive Prospecting Orders (EPOs); created by like-minded “revolutionaries” for their own compensatory benefit for participating in the war of liberation:
War Victims’ Compensation Fund
In 1997, the fund had been looted to the tune of Z$450 million (US$44 million at the time), by senior officials in ZANU (PF). Government, for the benefit of former war combatants, whose military service between December 23 1972 and February 29 1980 had resulted in “physical disabilities”, set up the compensation fund for what officials called “post-traumatic stress disorder”.
Reward Marufu, Grace Mugabe‘s brother, who cited "ulcers and a scar on the left knee" became a beneficiary. He was rendered one hundred percent disabled through injuries sustained during the war of liberation. He was awarded ZW$822 668 (at the time US$70 000.00) for his injuries, the highest single claim ever disbursed under the fund.
In 1996, Police Commissioner Augustine Chihuri was listed among those who allegedly defrauded the War Victims Compensation Fund and assessed to be ninety percent disabled after being diagnosed with "dermatitis of both feet".
Air Marshal Perence Shiri, the Commander of the Air Force of Zimbabwe was paid ZW$90 249 for "poly-arthritis and mental stress disorder".
Vice President Joyce Mujuru also qualified for compensation on account of alleged “poor eye-sight and mental stress”.
By the time the massive fraud was exposed, seventy thousand applicants had defrauded the Ministry of Labour and Social Services of more than ZW$450 million, a staggering figure in 1996.
On 14 November 1997, genuine war veterans protested upon discovery that the War Victims Compensation Fund had been looted by ZANU (PF) leaders and their acolytes. Mugabe, cornered by his lieutenants, was forced to commit to giving every war veteran a once‐off payment of Z$50,000 and a monthly pension of ZW$2000.
This act of awarded unbudgeted-for gratuities was involuntary as much as the land reform was not a priority for ZANU (PF) until after the referendum. “Dhora radonha” the Zimbabwe dollar fell against the US dollar to 40:1 and thus began the precipitous decline of our economy without any sanctions.
The government, which did not have money for the payments, introduced a five percent War Veterans Levy and work stoppages and strikes ensued. Zimbabweans were already reeling from drought, fuel and other levies, over and above the highest income and corporate taxation in sub-Saharan Africa. Instead, ZANU (PF) started printing money, began a military adventure in the Congo, and embarked on farm evictions to appease its agitated supporters.
In 1995, the Cabinet overrode the Government Tender Board and gave the Harare International Airport contract to AHT, even though their price was Z$300 million higher than the others. Leo Mugabe, Mugabe’s nephew, was the shareholder.
Where did all this money go? Do we need an audit?
In 1997, the drought levy was converted into a permanent development levy. The government introduced a ten percent levy on tobacco earnings and a tax on people using company cars.
Government ministers that year bought themselves new Mercedes Benz vehicles under the pretext that these were to be used by foreign heads of state during the World Solar Summit held in Harare in September 1996. The same ministers then bought their old Mercedes Benz cars from the government for between ZW$6 000 and ZW$10 000, yet the market value of these cars was around ZW$250 000.
Today, greasing the palms of the Minister of Lands now produces an offer letter that gives a member of the party ownership rights to an agricultural business whose shareholders—not being ZANU (PF)—are evicted. To expedite allocation of fertiliser, tractors and fuel ministry officials are paid a percentage; this has become so much the standard that Zimbabweans now call it chegumi (10%).
Recently, the BBC news reported that one cabinet minister, who did not want to be named, defended the president's conduct of owning twelve farms as follows: "If it's true that Mugabe owned more than one farm, we mustn't forget he is the ‘father of the nation’. He spent over a decade in jail fighting for your freedom. Don't compare yourself, or even me, with him."
This statement strikes at the core of ZANU (PF)’s psyche and renders every person outside of Mugabe’s party mere mortals who are not entitled to a share of national assets and must only be happy with what he gives us. Creating a persona that makes him the “father of Zimbabwe” subconsciously carries psychological and cultural symbolism that reduces everyone else to childlike beings and unable to challenge “the father”.
It explains why there is a dearth of men without the testicular fortitude to challenge Mugabe in ZANU (PF): they are all children or those that are as old as he is, behave in bizarre acts of submission, and tremble before him in scenes reminiscent to prehistoric ritualistic cult worship.
Mugabe is but one of the nationalists who spent time in prison for political activities and is in no way the “father of Zimbabwean nationalism”. This blatant distortion of history is located in ZANU (PF)’s incessant spin, which waxes the image of their demigod, Mugabe, as an upright revolutionary untainted by sleaze and possessing no bone of corruption in his body. The present day ZANU (PF) is a far cry from the original revolutionary party of the 60’s, which was one of the custodians of our liberation.
Since independence in 1980, Mugabe and ZANU (PF) have arrested, detained without trial, tortured, raped, murdered and killed more innocent civilians than those killed during one hundred years of colonial rule. Furthermore, they have stolen from national coffers funds earmarked for the poor and for Zimbabwe’s development.
The original ZANU led by Ndabaningi Sithole—and not Mugabe—was ideologically different to the den of thieves and congregation of looting barons known as ZANU (PF) today.
The Chidyausiku Commission of Inquiry was set up by President Mugabe to investigate massive fraud connected with the War Victims Compensation Fund. Where is the report? Chief Justice Godfrey Chidyausiku is now a recipient of multiple prime farms, a thank-you present for enabling tyranny and ignoring the rule of law, which he took an oath to uphold.
The same clique in ZANU (PF) is getting richer whilst the rest of the populace and rural folk now face another year of food shortages.
It is an oxymoron to have “integrity” and “fairness” in the same sentence with Mugabe and ZANU (PF).
Phil Matibe- www.madhingabucketboy.com
Saturday, February 6, 2010
Bob Marley’s Song – Zimbabwe’s history repeating itself
Zimbabwe lyrics
Every man gotta right to decide his own destiny,
And in this judgement there is no partiality.
So arm in arms, with arms, we'll fight this little struggle,
'Cause that's the only way we can overcome our little trouble.
Brother, you're right, you're right,
You're right, you're right, you're so right!
We gon' fight (we gon' fight), we'll have to fight (we gon' fight),
We gonna fight (we gon' fight), fight for our rights!
Natty Dread it in-a (Zimbabwe);
Set it up in (Zimbabwe);
Mash it up-a in-a Zimbabwe (Zimbabwe);
Africans a-liberate (Zimbabwe), yeah.
No more internal power struggle;
We come together to overcome the little trouble.
Soon we'll find out who is the real revolutionary,
'Cause I don't want my people to be contrary.
And, brother, you're right, you're right,
You're right, you're right, you're so right!
We'll 'ave to fight (we gon' fight), we gonna fight (we gon' fight)
We'll 'ave to fight (we gon' fight), fighting for our rights!
Mash it up in-a (Zimbabwe);
Natty trash it in-a (Zimbabwe);
Africans a-liberate Zimbabwe (Zimbabwe);
I'n'I a-liberate Zimbabwe.
(Brother, you're right,) you're right,
You're right, you're right, you're so right!
We gon' fight (we gon' fight), we'll 'ave to fight (we gon' fight),
We gonna fight (we gon' fight), fighting for our rights!
To divide and rule could only tear us apart;
In everyman chest, mm - there beats a heart.
So soon we'll find out who is the real revolutionaries;
And I don't want my people to be tricked by mercenaries.
Brother, you're right, you're right,
You're right, you're right, you're so right!
We'll 'ave to fight (we gon' fight), we gonna fight (we gon' fight),
We'll 'ave to fight (we gon' fight), fighting for our rights!
Natty trash it in-a Zimbabwe (Zimbabwe);
Mash it up in-a Zimbabwe (Zimbabwe);
Set it up in-a Zimbabwe (Zimbabwe);
Africans a-liberate Zimbabwe (Zimbabwe);
Africans a-liberate Zimbabwe (Zimbabwe);
Natty dub it in-a Zimbabwe (Zimbabwe).
Set it up in-a Zimbabwe (Zimbabwe);
Africans a-liberate Zimbabwe (Zimbabwe);
Every man got a right to decide his own destiny.
Phil Matibe – www.madhingabucketboy.com
“Bob Marley Zimbabwe lyrics are the property and copyright of Bob Marley.”
Every man gotta right to decide his own destiny,
And in this judgement there is no partiality.
So arm in arms, with arms, we'll fight this little struggle,
'Cause that's the only way we can overcome our little trouble.
Brother, you're right, you're right,
You're right, you're right, you're so right!
We gon' fight (we gon' fight), we'll have to fight (we gon' fight),
We gonna fight (we gon' fight), fight for our rights!
Natty Dread it in-a (Zimbabwe);
Set it up in (Zimbabwe);
Mash it up-a in-a Zimbabwe (Zimbabwe);
Africans a-liberate (Zimbabwe), yeah.
No more internal power struggle;
We come together to overcome the little trouble.
Soon we'll find out who is the real revolutionary,
'Cause I don't want my people to be contrary.
And, brother, you're right, you're right,
You're right, you're right, you're so right!
We'll 'ave to fight (we gon' fight), we gonna fight (we gon' fight)
We'll 'ave to fight (we gon' fight), fighting for our rights!
Mash it up in-a (Zimbabwe);
Natty trash it in-a (Zimbabwe);
Africans a-liberate Zimbabwe (Zimbabwe);
I'n'I a-liberate Zimbabwe.
(Brother, you're right,) you're right,
You're right, you're right, you're so right!
We gon' fight (we gon' fight), we'll 'ave to fight (we gon' fight),
We gonna fight (we gon' fight), fighting for our rights!
To divide and rule could only tear us apart;
In everyman chest, mm - there beats a heart.
So soon we'll find out who is the real revolutionaries;
And I don't want my people to be tricked by mercenaries.
Brother, you're right, you're right,
You're right, you're right, you're so right!
We'll 'ave to fight (we gon' fight), we gonna fight (we gon' fight),
We'll 'ave to fight (we gon' fight), fighting for our rights!
Natty trash it in-a Zimbabwe (Zimbabwe);
Mash it up in-a Zimbabwe (Zimbabwe);
Set it up in-a Zimbabwe (Zimbabwe);
Africans a-liberate Zimbabwe (Zimbabwe);
Africans a-liberate Zimbabwe (Zimbabwe);
Natty dub it in-a Zimbabwe (Zimbabwe).
Set it up in-a Zimbabwe (Zimbabwe);
Africans a-liberate Zimbabwe (Zimbabwe);
Every man got a right to decide his own destiny.
Phil Matibe – www.madhingabucketboy.com
“Bob Marley Zimbabwe lyrics are the property and copyright of Bob Marley.”
Webster Shamu - A Fox Guarding the Henhouse
If an investor had a vibrant and profitable company, which of the ministers in the GNU would they entrust with their business and employ as the CEO?
Recently Webster Shamu, Minister of Publicity and Information, named former senior military officers to the state media statutory boards, sending an unambiguous signal to the global community that the military, and Robert Mugabe, remain in charge.
The Army officers listed below, who are now board members of media bodies in Zimbabwe, constitute a well orchestrated advance party for a pre-emptive strike against democracy. Their function is to soften the target –elections – encircle and lay siege to all media outlets, thus denying any opposition broadcasting space. They shall escalate the “pirate stations” mantra into open warfare until a few days before the next elections.
Major-General Gibson Mashingaidze, Brigadier-General Benjamin Mabenge, Brigadier-General Epmarcus Kanhanga, Brigadier-General Elasto Madzingira, Brigadier General Felix Muchemwa, Brigadier-General Livingstone Chineka, Brigadier-General Collin Moyo and Colonel Claudius Makova – this ethnically skewed assemblage of military officers reads like a command structure for a genocidal offensive.
The line between retirement and active service for Zimbabwe’s senior military officers is blurred by political gibberish and veiled in a smokescreen of secrecy, thus rendering the distinction between friend and foe impractical.
Some of the officers unilaterally appointed by Shamu have been fingered by their victims as the perpetrators of the most heinous crimes during last year presidential elections.
Who is Webster Shamu? He is a man who has never worked outside of ZANU (PF), or government, since Independence. He is a gravy-train passenger who has survived and derived his livelihood from parliamentary privilege. He has spent the last decade wallowing in oblivion as the editor of the ZANU (PF) tabloid, the People’s Voice. He is the loyal errand boy for Mugabe and performs his boss’s tasks with satanic enthusiasm. In return for cowardly behaviour, he has been rewarded with the post of Minister of Information and Publicity.
Webster Shamu worked for the Rhodesian Broadcasting Corporation, African Service during the greater part of the liberation war. He then joined ZANU and became the ZANU (PF) liberation war disc jockey. He broadcast propaganda and other Marxist mantra from the Voice of Zimbabwe radio station in the comfort of Maputo, Mozambique, away from the war front.
He set up a Maoist style re-education camp in Mashonaland West Province as the ZANU (PF) provincial chairman. Rape, torture, and murder all became synonymous with how those camps were operated by the notorious “Top Six” who were on speed dial with “Matemai” – Shamu’s totem affectionately used by his followers.
Shamu, the pseudo-revolutionary, now displays the very contempt for free press as was once the norm with his erstwhile master P.K. Van Der Byl of Rhodesia. Shamu recently attacked independent radio stations by saying they are, “illegal, extraterritorial pirate broadcasts which violate our sovereignty in the name of media freedoms.”
Shamu forgets that it was radio stations like these during the war of liberation that gave the populace relief, hope, and alternative news to the draconian Law and Order Maintenance Act of Rhodesia. If Zimbabwean broadcasting laws today allowed for independent radio stations, these so-called pirate stations would die a natural death. It is important in 21st century politics for a vibrant political party to have access to a website, internet radio station, terrestrial radio station, television station and other electronic media services. ZANU (PF) utilises and monopolises state broadcasting facilities for the propagation of its own dogmatic policies.
Shamu is part of the furniture in a burning house—ZANU (PF). He is totally unpredictable, a pathological liar, ruthless and irrational. However, he displays an affable public side that confuses the gullible povo around him—gentleman by day and efficient lord of war by night. He has perfected the art of murder, rape and political mayhem and proudly boasts of being the ZANU (PF) franchise holder for brutality.
By performing game changing human culling tactics during the run-up to every election, from a distance on behalf of Gushungo, Shamu secured his permanent place as one of Africa’s worst leaders in post-colonial history. Whereas most human beings are averse to inflicting misery and pain, Shamu is in his element when leading his devotees, who are always inebriated, supplied with copious amounts of cheap alcohol and smoking ZANU (PF) export grade mbanje “weed”.
“If they know those Natives have all those shortwave sets, there is nothing to prevent Moscow from giving them all types of information that we do not want the Native to hear about." - In 1952, the South African Minister of Posts and Telegraphs, Albert Hertzog, told Parliament that the cheap radio set being introduced by the British authorities in their African colonies was problematic.
It is 2009, and Webster Shamu wishes to return Zimbabwe media to the dark ages, keeping her citizens unaware and uninformed and denying any freedom of speech by asking newspapers not to “betray” Zimbabwe, by Zimbabwe Shamu means Mugabe. Mugabe is not a “god”, Mugabe is not Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe is not Mugabe, critising him is every Zimbabwean’s patriotic duty. Mugabe is a mere “elected” public servant, a mortal who like all humans is fallible and susceptible to flaws. When left unchecked through totalitarian media censorship Mugabe morphed into a tyrant. Freedom of speech is enshrined in our constitution and no one, absolutely no one, can take that away from us.
Curiously, I find myself agreeing with the Minister’s statement: “Thank God, technology now makes publishing placeless.” I couldn’t have said it more completely.
“Tsuro nenungu mumwena mumwecheta abayiwa ngaabude”
Chapter 47 – “The Man Who Tried to Kill Me”, Madhinga Bucket Boy by Philemon Matibe - www.madhingabucketboy.com
Recently Webster Shamu, Minister of Publicity and Information, named former senior military officers to the state media statutory boards, sending an unambiguous signal to the global community that the military, and Robert Mugabe, remain in charge.
The Army officers listed below, who are now board members of media bodies in Zimbabwe, constitute a well orchestrated advance party for a pre-emptive strike against democracy. Their function is to soften the target –elections – encircle and lay siege to all media outlets, thus denying any opposition broadcasting space. They shall escalate the “pirate stations” mantra into open warfare until a few days before the next elections.
Major-General Gibson Mashingaidze, Brigadier-General Benjamin Mabenge, Brigadier-General Epmarcus Kanhanga, Brigadier-General Elasto Madzingira, Brigadier General Felix Muchemwa, Brigadier-General Livingstone Chineka, Brigadier-General Collin Moyo and Colonel Claudius Makova – this ethnically skewed assemblage of military officers reads like a command structure for a genocidal offensive.
The line between retirement and active service for Zimbabwe’s senior military officers is blurred by political gibberish and veiled in a smokescreen of secrecy, thus rendering the distinction between friend and foe impractical.
Some of the officers unilaterally appointed by Shamu have been fingered by their victims as the perpetrators of the most heinous crimes during last year presidential elections.
Who is Webster Shamu? He is a man who has never worked outside of ZANU (PF), or government, since Independence. He is a gravy-train passenger who has survived and derived his livelihood from parliamentary privilege. He has spent the last decade wallowing in oblivion as the editor of the ZANU (PF) tabloid, the People’s Voice. He is the loyal errand boy for Mugabe and performs his boss’s tasks with satanic enthusiasm. In return for cowardly behaviour, he has been rewarded with the post of Minister of Information and Publicity.
Webster Shamu worked for the Rhodesian Broadcasting Corporation, African Service during the greater part of the liberation war. He then joined ZANU and became the ZANU (PF) liberation war disc jockey. He broadcast propaganda and other Marxist mantra from the Voice of Zimbabwe radio station in the comfort of Maputo, Mozambique, away from the war front.
He set up a Maoist style re-education camp in Mashonaland West Province as the ZANU (PF) provincial chairman. Rape, torture, and murder all became synonymous with how those camps were operated by the notorious “Top Six” who were on speed dial with “Matemai” – Shamu’s totem affectionately used by his followers.
Shamu, the pseudo-revolutionary, now displays the very contempt for free press as was once the norm with his erstwhile master P.K. Van Der Byl of Rhodesia. Shamu recently attacked independent radio stations by saying they are, “illegal, extraterritorial pirate broadcasts which violate our sovereignty in the name of media freedoms.”
Shamu forgets that it was radio stations like these during the war of liberation that gave the populace relief, hope, and alternative news to the draconian Law and Order Maintenance Act of Rhodesia. If Zimbabwean broadcasting laws today allowed for independent radio stations, these so-called pirate stations would die a natural death. It is important in 21st century politics for a vibrant political party to have access to a website, internet radio station, terrestrial radio station, television station and other electronic media services. ZANU (PF) utilises and monopolises state broadcasting facilities for the propagation of its own dogmatic policies.
Shamu is part of the furniture in a burning house—ZANU (PF). He is totally unpredictable, a pathological liar, ruthless and irrational. However, he displays an affable public side that confuses the gullible povo around him—gentleman by day and efficient lord of war by night. He has perfected the art of murder, rape and political mayhem and proudly boasts of being the ZANU (PF) franchise holder for brutality.
By performing game changing human culling tactics during the run-up to every election, from a distance on behalf of Gushungo, Shamu secured his permanent place as one of Africa’s worst leaders in post-colonial history. Whereas most human beings are averse to inflicting misery and pain, Shamu is in his element when leading his devotees, who are always inebriated, supplied with copious amounts of cheap alcohol and smoking ZANU (PF) export grade mbanje “weed”.
“If they know those Natives have all those shortwave sets, there is nothing to prevent Moscow from giving them all types of information that we do not want the Native to hear about." - In 1952, the South African Minister of Posts and Telegraphs, Albert Hertzog, told Parliament that the cheap radio set being introduced by the British authorities in their African colonies was problematic.
It is 2009, and Webster Shamu wishes to return Zimbabwe media to the dark ages, keeping her citizens unaware and uninformed and denying any freedom of speech by asking newspapers not to “betray” Zimbabwe, by Zimbabwe Shamu means Mugabe. Mugabe is not a “god”, Mugabe is not Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe is not Mugabe, critising him is every Zimbabwean’s patriotic duty. Mugabe is a mere “elected” public servant, a mortal who like all humans is fallible and susceptible to flaws. When left unchecked through totalitarian media censorship Mugabe morphed into a tyrant. Freedom of speech is enshrined in our constitution and no one, absolutely no one, can take that away from us.
Curiously, I find myself agreeing with the Minister’s statement: “Thank God, technology now makes publishing placeless.” I couldn’t have said it more completely.
“Tsuro nenungu mumwena mumwecheta abayiwa ngaabude”
Chapter 47 – “The Man Who Tried to Kill Me”, Madhinga Bucket Boy by Philemon Matibe - www.madhingabucketboy.com
Robert Mugabe:The Proverbial Drunken Uncle
At every African funeral, family fissures are brought to the forefront by an uncle. Family members with an axe to grind provide copious amounts of alcohol to that loud uncle who is then tasked with the duty of raising unsavory issues. In his drunken stupor, the uncle harangues in-laws, interjects, jeers and often makes salacious revelations—usually regarding the deceased’s debts or extra-marital affairs. Once the funeral is over, the uncle sobers up and invokes plausible deniability by conveniently blaming sorghum beer for his diatribe.
Robert Mugabe missed another golden opportunity—after his decade long of self- imposed CNN embargo—to show the world that he is not a delusional schizophrenic despot. Mugabe used the CNN platform instead as a pulpit for hate speech. The truth behind his land grab is now common knowledge. Admonishing Zimbabwean whites, maligning the opposition, blaming the West for Zimbabwe’s ills, and incessantly cursing imaginary imperialists is outmoded rhetoric.
The USA, EU, UK, Australia, Canada and indeed any nation has the sovereign right to deny entry, trade or association with any individual or nation which these governments deem threatening to world peace and regional tranquility.
There exist no economic sanctions against the Republic of Zimbabwe by any member of the United Nations. The onus is on Mugabe to prove to the world which economic sanctions he refers to. Which UN resolution or an act of Congress or Parliament, from which country, imposed economic sanctions on the people and Republic of Zimbabwe?
The International Monetary Fund has released US$409 million dollar to the Ministry of Finance, President Barack Obama of the U.S. announced a U.S. $73 million aid package when Tsvangirai visited the White House, and Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany offered €20 million euros (US$28 million).
Prime Minister Brown followed this up by announcing an increase in British aid to £60 million ($100 million), five million pounds ($8 million) of which is new money for food security and educational supplies and textbooks. Australia announced this month that it would also contribute an extra A$8 million (R51m) in aid to Zimbabwe to fund emergency food supplies, agriculture projects and help reinvigorate education.
In August the World Global Fund donated US$37 million to fight HIV, Malaria and Tuberculosis, Botswana gave US$ 70 million and South Africa released 300 million rand (US$31 million or €23 million) for agricultural aid to Zimbabwe.
Yet at the same time Mugabe’s ministers and his inner circle are driving around in German built luxury cars, chatting on 3G smart phones—what sanctions?
Mugabe accused Britain and the United States of seeking to oust him by imposing economic sanctions; the effects of which he said were worsened by years of drought. “The sanctions are unjustified, illegal … they are meant for regime change, they are meant to address that illegal principle.”
Mugabe uses the same sovereign right to admonish persons with whom he has political disagreements or opposes ZANU (PF) policies. Specification of entrepreneurs and business owners is now the weapon of choice for misappropriating private property.
Mugabe unilaterally pulled Zimbabwe out of the Commonwealth, saying, “Zimbabwe quits and quits will be,” likening the Commonwealth to George Orwell’s Animal Farm. Only last week Mugabe offended the entire SADC legal fraternity by withdrawing a High Court judge, Justice Antonia Guvava, whom it had seconded to the legal regional authority in 2005. Through his equally noxious Minister of Justice Patrick Chinamasa, he described the SADC Tribunal as “just like someone sitting under a tree” and purporting to be “dispensing justice”.
The Tribunal is being punished and maligned by ZANU (PF) for its legal ruling which would have compelled Mugabe to account for the multiple farms he and his light-fingered cronies have amassed under the guise of righting a colonial wrong.
Why are travel restrictions, asset freezes and personal sanctions imposed on Robert Mugabe and his associates in the first place? All Mugabe has to do is to revert to the rule of law, and his wife Grace will be shopping at Harrods for Christmas.
Robert Mugabe needs to urgently refrain from redundant vitriolic hate speech, which does nothing to close the Grand Canyon of differences that exist between his failed authoritarian decree and democracy. The time for hate speech belongs to the archives of cold war geopolitics and stale colonial history. Zimbabwe needs all the help it can get to extricate herself from the dire economic quagmire which Mugabe has created through hatred and archaic policies
Chikomo, shata divi asi rimwe rutivi rutambire pwere – a small hill must be difficult to climb on one side, but the other side must be a playground for children – even the most evil man must possess redeeming features – Shona proverb.
The drought cannot be blamed for the failure of Zimbabwe’s food production, drought is a permanent feature in Southern Africa’s rain pentads and should be planned for in the government’s forecasts. Zimbabwe has experienced four major droughts (in 1982–1984, 1986–1987, 1991–1992, 1994–1995 and 2002-2003). During some of these drought years, Zimbabwe produced its highest yield of tobacco, flowers and other non food crops for export, which offset the importation of food. The government’s Grain Marketing Board (GMB) even managed to export grain during two drought years.
Zimbabwe’s population has risen from just over 7 million at Independence in 1980 to more than 13 million in 2009, yet overall cereal and grain production has declined.
The rain patterns of Southern Africa are influenced by the same weather system – the Inter Tropical Convergence Zone – ITCZ. Why then are all our neighbouring countries expecting bumper grain harvests and Zimbabwe, in the middle, blames successive droughts?
Zimbabwe needs a leader who wages war against poverty and corruption, a leader who believes in the rule of law, and a leader willing to sacrifice all to attain sustainable prosperity for his countrymen. Instead we have been given a leader who is the “drunken uncle,” showing up at important events to humiliate other family members and bring shame on the family name.
Phil Matibe – www.madhingabucketboy.com
Robert Mugabe missed another golden opportunity—after his decade long of self- imposed CNN embargo—to show the world that he is not a delusional schizophrenic despot. Mugabe used the CNN platform instead as a pulpit for hate speech. The truth behind his land grab is now common knowledge. Admonishing Zimbabwean whites, maligning the opposition, blaming the West for Zimbabwe’s ills, and incessantly cursing imaginary imperialists is outmoded rhetoric.
The USA, EU, UK, Australia, Canada and indeed any nation has the sovereign right to deny entry, trade or association with any individual or nation which these governments deem threatening to world peace and regional tranquility.
There exist no economic sanctions against the Republic of Zimbabwe by any member of the United Nations. The onus is on Mugabe to prove to the world which economic sanctions he refers to. Which UN resolution or an act of Congress or Parliament, from which country, imposed economic sanctions on the people and Republic of Zimbabwe?
The International Monetary Fund has released US$409 million dollar to the Ministry of Finance, President Barack Obama of the U.S. announced a U.S. $73 million aid package when Tsvangirai visited the White House, and Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany offered €20 million euros (US$28 million).
Prime Minister Brown followed this up by announcing an increase in British aid to £60 million ($100 million), five million pounds ($8 million) of which is new money for food security and educational supplies and textbooks. Australia announced this month that it would also contribute an extra A$8 million (R51m) in aid to Zimbabwe to fund emergency food supplies, agriculture projects and help reinvigorate education.
In August the World Global Fund donated US$37 million to fight HIV, Malaria and Tuberculosis, Botswana gave US$ 70 million and South Africa released 300 million rand (US$31 million or €23 million) for agricultural aid to Zimbabwe.
Yet at the same time Mugabe’s ministers and his inner circle are driving around in German built luxury cars, chatting on 3G smart phones—what sanctions?
Mugabe accused Britain and the United States of seeking to oust him by imposing economic sanctions; the effects of which he said were worsened by years of drought. “The sanctions are unjustified, illegal … they are meant for regime change, they are meant to address that illegal principle.”
Mugabe uses the same sovereign right to admonish persons with whom he has political disagreements or opposes ZANU (PF) policies. Specification of entrepreneurs and business owners is now the weapon of choice for misappropriating private property.
Mugabe unilaterally pulled Zimbabwe out of the Commonwealth, saying, “Zimbabwe quits and quits will be,” likening the Commonwealth to George Orwell’s Animal Farm. Only last week Mugabe offended the entire SADC legal fraternity by withdrawing a High Court judge, Justice Antonia Guvava, whom it had seconded to the legal regional authority in 2005. Through his equally noxious Minister of Justice Patrick Chinamasa, he described the SADC Tribunal as “just like someone sitting under a tree” and purporting to be “dispensing justice”.
The Tribunal is being punished and maligned by ZANU (PF) for its legal ruling which would have compelled Mugabe to account for the multiple farms he and his light-fingered cronies have amassed under the guise of righting a colonial wrong.
Why are travel restrictions, asset freezes and personal sanctions imposed on Robert Mugabe and his associates in the first place? All Mugabe has to do is to revert to the rule of law, and his wife Grace will be shopping at Harrods for Christmas.
Robert Mugabe needs to urgently refrain from redundant vitriolic hate speech, which does nothing to close the Grand Canyon of differences that exist between his failed authoritarian decree and democracy. The time for hate speech belongs to the archives of cold war geopolitics and stale colonial history. Zimbabwe needs all the help it can get to extricate herself from the dire economic quagmire which Mugabe has created through hatred and archaic policies
Chikomo, shata divi asi rimwe rutivi rutambire pwere – a small hill must be difficult to climb on one side, but the other side must be a playground for children – even the most evil man must possess redeeming features – Shona proverb.
The drought cannot be blamed for the failure of Zimbabwe’s food production, drought is a permanent feature in Southern Africa’s rain pentads and should be planned for in the government’s forecasts. Zimbabwe has experienced four major droughts (in 1982–1984, 1986–1987, 1991–1992, 1994–1995 and 2002-2003). During some of these drought years, Zimbabwe produced its highest yield of tobacco, flowers and other non food crops for export, which offset the importation of food. The government’s Grain Marketing Board (GMB) even managed to export grain during two drought years.
Zimbabwe’s population has risen from just over 7 million at Independence in 1980 to more than 13 million in 2009, yet overall cereal and grain production has declined.
The rain patterns of Southern Africa are influenced by the same weather system – the Inter Tropical Convergence Zone – ITCZ. Why then are all our neighbouring countries expecting bumper grain harvests and Zimbabwe, in the middle, blames successive droughts?
Zimbabwe needs a leader who wages war against poverty and corruption, a leader who believes in the rule of law, and a leader willing to sacrifice all to attain sustainable prosperity for his countrymen. Instead we have been given a leader who is the “drunken uncle,” showing up at important events to humiliate other family members and bring shame on the family name.
Phil Matibe – www.madhingabucketboy.com
The Imposition of New Personal Travel Restrictions and Asset Freezes for Enablers of Tyranny
May every reader who believes in justice, freedom, and democracy, please Copy & Paste the attached letter and send to their respective Foreign Offices in the free world:
The Honourable Hillary Clinton
Secretary
The United Sates of America Department of State
2201 C Street,NW
Washington, DC 20520
20 September, 2009
Dear Madam Secretary:
Re: The Imposition of New Personal Travel Restrictions and Asset Freezes for Enablers of Tyranny
I write to you as a politically exiled Zimbabwean and a resident of the USA.
Madam Secretary, acquiescing to the plea by elements of Zimbabwe’s ruling party, ZANU (PF), would be an egregious failure that grants common criminals the liberty to roam the streets of the USA—and indeed those of the free world—with impunity. This presents a clear and present danger to the lives of Zimbabwean political refugees and renders their asylum status hollow.
The purveyors of tyranny and perpetrators of some of Africa’s most heinous crimes against humanity seek rights to the very freedoms which they themselves deny us. Ordinary Zimbabweans are blatantly threatened with grievous bodily harm and certain death for exercising their God-given civil liberties.
Madam Secretary, Zimbabweans in exile in the USA and elsewhere prevail upon your conscience to bar our tormentors and persecutors from further inflicting mental torture by being permitted to extravagantly splurge their ill gotten wealth. They derive monies from looted state coffers and spend it on luxuries in the high streets of western cities.
The renewal, reinstatement and imposition of fresh travel restrictions and asset freezes to tyranny’s “dream team” and its enthusiastic enablers gives concrete impetus to permanently dealing a mortal body blow to the enemies of democracy and violators of international humanitarian laws in Zimbabwe.
The undersigned beseeches your esteemed office to impose further punitive measures on members of Zimbabwe’s ruling elite, whose latest pernicious actions and failure to meet their commitments to the Global Political Agreement (GPA) further threatens peace and democracy in Zimbabwe.
An overwhelming economic embargo—to include targeted sanctions such as arms embargoes, flight bans, travel bans and freezing of financial assets—must be enforced to achieve democracy without inflicting unnecessary hardship on the general population.
Freezing the bank accounts of the enablers of tyranny and preventing or restricting foreign travel to the ruling elite, will only impinge on 500 members and their families. Zimbabwe is a nation of 12 million people, the majority of whom have no foreign bank accounts and are denied passports for travel.
Madam Secretary, please pay no attention to apologists who blame personal asset freezes for Zimbabwe's difficulties, obfuscating the fact that Mugabe and his cronies maimed, raped and killed innocent civilians during the elections. The wider ramifications of ZANU (PF)’s actions foment regional instability and cause further misery through the outbreak of cholera, famine and poverty.
In a democratic ideal it is unconscionable for an individual to lose an election and cling to the Office of the President. The dearth of sufficient multilateral steadfastness, compelling Mugabe and his military to relinquish power after emphatically losing the people’s mandate, resulted in Zimbabwe’s current untenable political quid pro quo.
The time has now come to show cast-iron resolve.
Sincerely,
Phil Matibe
Cc: The Chairperson – Senate Foreign Relations Committee
The Chairperson – Congressional Black Caucus
The Ambassador – The United States Mission to the United Nations in New York
The White House Press Secretary – The White House
"An army of sheep led by a lion will defeat an army of lions led by a sheep
The Honourable Hillary Clinton
Secretary
The United Sates of America Department of State
2201 C Street,NW
Washington, DC 20520
20 September, 2009
Dear Madam Secretary:
Re: The Imposition of New Personal Travel Restrictions and Asset Freezes for Enablers of Tyranny
I write to you as a politically exiled Zimbabwean and a resident of the USA.
Madam Secretary, acquiescing to the plea by elements of Zimbabwe’s ruling party, ZANU (PF), would be an egregious failure that grants common criminals the liberty to roam the streets of the USA—and indeed those of the free world—with impunity. This presents a clear and present danger to the lives of Zimbabwean political refugees and renders their asylum status hollow.
The purveyors of tyranny and perpetrators of some of Africa’s most heinous crimes against humanity seek rights to the very freedoms which they themselves deny us. Ordinary Zimbabweans are blatantly threatened with grievous bodily harm and certain death for exercising their God-given civil liberties.
Madam Secretary, Zimbabweans in exile in the USA and elsewhere prevail upon your conscience to bar our tormentors and persecutors from further inflicting mental torture by being permitted to extravagantly splurge their ill gotten wealth. They derive monies from looted state coffers and spend it on luxuries in the high streets of western cities.
The renewal, reinstatement and imposition of fresh travel restrictions and asset freezes to tyranny’s “dream team” and its enthusiastic enablers gives concrete impetus to permanently dealing a mortal body blow to the enemies of democracy and violators of international humanitarian laws in Zimbabwe.
The undersigned beseeches your esteemed office to impose further punitive measures on members of Zimbabwe’s ruling elite, whose latest pernicious actions and failure to meet their commitments to the Global Political Agreement (GPA) further threatens peace and democracy in Zimbabwe.
An overwhelming economic embargo—to include targeted sanctions such as arms embargoes, flight bans, travel bans and freezing of financial assets—must be enforced to achieve democracy without inflicting unnecessary hardship on the general population.
Freezing the bank accounts of the enablers of tyranny and preventing or restricting foreign travel to the ruling elite, will only impinge on 500 members and their families. Zimbabwe is a nation of 12 million people, the majority of whom have no foreign bank accounts and are denied passports for travel.
Madam Secretary, please pay no attention to apologists who blame personal asset freezes for Zimbabwe's difficulties, obfuscating the fact that Mugabe and his cronies maimed, raped and killed innocent civilians during the elections. The wider ramifications of ZANU (PF)’s actions foment regional instability and cause further misery through the outbreak of cholera, famine and poverty.
In a democratic ideal it is unconscionable for an individual to lose an election and cling to the Office of the President. The dearth of sufficient multilateral steadfastness, compelling Mugabe and his military to relinquish power after emphatically losing the people’s mandate, resulted in Zimbabwe’s current untenable political quid pro quo.
The time has now come to show cast-iron resolve.
Sincerely,
Phil Matibe
Cc: The Chairperson – Senate Foreign Relations Committee
The Chairperson – Congressional Black Caucus
The Ambassador – The United States Mission to the United Nations in New York
The White House Press Secretary – The White House
"An army of sheep led by a lion will defeat an army of lions led by a sheep
Dirty Dozen: The 2010 Land Audit Must Start with Mugabe’s Gushungo Farms
Under Mugabe’s rule, all Zimbabweans are the ultimate losers. The current fast track land acquisition exercise simply supplants a once stubborn minority racial elite with a deceitful clique of the political elite. This “land reform” is an opportunistic political manoeuvre, which merely transfers “ownership” from one affluent clique to another.
The once productive farms that belonged to “Mr Colonial Settler”, taken under the pretext of correcting a colonial wrong, are now the private properties of revolutionaries and pseudo revolutionaries. The hordes of youths, who performed the farm evictions-(jambanja), with orders from their revered “chefs”, are now watching from the fringes. Their comrades in arms, the chefs, now overindulge on the spoils of the “revolution”. Soon the youth will become restless; they are unemployed and disproportionably swell the hungry ranks of the landless poor.
A comprehensive land audit for Zimbabwe will bring to finality the land inequity question and lawfully align the nation on a conclusive agrarian reform program.
The ZANU (PF) chain of command, has now taken all the best irrigable farms in areas such as Mvurwi, Mtepatepa, Mazowe, Enterprise, Concession, Darwendale, Banket, Middle Sabi, etc., which have the finest agricultural land, accompanying agricultural equipment, and infrastructure. The poor landless farmers, already eking a living from marginal lands, are allocated bigger plots in moisture deficient areas like Chiredzi, Mwenezi, Ngezi, Gutu, Gokwe, Rutenga, etc., regions that cannot sustain rainfed agriculture.
When did the dignified fair play policy of a “one-man one-farm” turn into “one-man multiple-farms”? Why is it that only senior ZANU (PF) officials from the same ethnic group, are allocated all the prime farms, which are not subdivided into minimum sizes?
Mugabe via Gushungo Holdings now owns 10 601 hectares (25 760 acres) of the most fertile farms and rich land in the highest rainfall areas in Zimbabwe thus becoming Zimbabwe’s biggest landlord:
1. Foyle Farm, Mazowe—former owner Ian Webster—area 1 000 hectares, now Gushungo Dairy Farm – “The Agricultural Rural Development Authority (ARDA) has now proposed to ‘buyback’ Gushungo Farm to save the Mugabe family from appearing at variance with government's policies”;
2. Iron Mask Estate, Mazowe—taken by Grace under the pretext of creating an orphanage, former owner John Matthews—area 1 046 hectares—now defunct;
3. Sigaro Farm, Mazowe—Deed of Transfer 8170/2000, 873 hectares, former owner Joe Kennedy, home of National Tested Seeds, Zimbabwe’s largest producer of agricultural seeds and Africa’s first ISO certified seed producer—now derelict;
4. Gwebi Wood Farm, Mazowe—former owner an indigenous Zimbabwean, Washington Matsaire, CEO Standard Bank, exporter of passion fruit, area 1 200 hectares—unutilised, burnt to the ground;
5. Gwina Farm, Banket—Deed of Grant 11120/00, former owner Vernon Nicolle, 1 287 hectares. Ben Hlatshwayo, a high court judge who chaired the commission, which drew up the constitution that was rejected in a referendum in 2000. He had evicted Vernon Nicolle, and was himself unceremoniously evicted by Grace Mugabe to make way for her son from her first marriage, Russell Goreraza. The Nicolle’s were the largest single wheat producers with the biggest private irrigation and grain silo infrastructure in Zimbabwe, unutilised;
6. Leverdale Farm, Banket—former owner Piers Nicolle, 1 488hectares, now derelict;
7. Highfield Farm, Norton—area 445 hectares, where he keeps five camels—gifts from Gadaffi all nearby farms were acquired by Mugabe to create a “security buffer zone”. Mugabe now occupies 4 050 hectares on all the farms below the banks of Lake Darwandale.
8. Cressydale Estate, Norton—Deed of Grant 676/79 former owner Skea;
9. John O’Groat Farm, Norton—former owner Skea;
10. Tankatara Farm, Norton—former owner Skea;
11. Clifford Farm, Norton—former owner Skea;
12. Zvimba—Mugabe owns 60 hectares, his traditional home, where villages nearby were demolished and villagers evicted to make way for Mugabe’s expanded homestead.
Gushungo Holdings corruptly utilises the services of ARDA, itself a technically insolvent state agricultural parastatal, to manage Mugabe’s vast farms at taxpayers’ expense but for the financial benefit of the Mugabe family. Mugabe by virtue of his status does not pay taxes. Twelve tax-paying farmers have been dispossessed of their productive agricultural businesses to make way for a single non-farmer, non-taxpayer, Robert Mugabe.
Zimbabwe must separate the business of an individual, Mugabe, from that of the nation. The land ownership map of Zimbabwe now resembles the old colonial Land Apportionment Act of 1930 and the Land Tenure Act of 1969 map, with the previous white farming areas replaced with ZANU (PF)’s political nouveau riche—who are not even farmers.
Nepotism allowed the Robert Mugabe family to misappropriate a further 10 260 hectares (24 932 acres) of land earmarked for resettlement from farmers he terms, “the offspring of colonial settlers”. Mugabe’s brother-in-law, Reward Marufu, got Leopards Vlei Farm, Glendale, 1 294 hectares and Kachere Farm, Mazowe, 880 hectares; Mugabe’s sister-in-law, Rose Marufu, got Wooller Farm, Glendale, 436 hectares; Mugabe’s sister, Sabina, got Mlembwe Farm, Makonde, 1 037 hectares, Longwood Farm, Makonde, 924 hectares, and Gowrie Farm, Norton, 430 hectares; and Mugabe’s nephew Leo Mugabe got Diandra, Darwandale, 815 hectares, Nangadza, Mhangura, 1 200 hectares, and Journey’s End, Makonde, 3 000 hectares; and nephew Patrick Zhuwao got Marivale Farm, Mazowe, 244 hectares; all are amongst the country’s largest multiple landowners. On some of these farms, the farmer was killed and the workers’ houses were burnt to compel the landless workers to vacate the properties.
How can one man, in a land hungry nation, take for himself twelve farms, evict twelve farmers, and displace over 14 000-farm workers and their families in the name of land reform? A single family, Mugabe, collectively misappropriated twenty-four farms totalling 20 861 hectares (50 692 acres) of prime land. Farms meant for resettling landless Zimbabweans, now belong to Gushungo and most lie unutilised. All this plunder to nourish the insatiable greed of a few spoiled relatives, who were already privileged by their relation to Mugabe.
Today, January 2010, the eviction of 10 000 villagers from the one million acre Nuanetsi Ranch in Mwenezi is underway, to make way for Mugabe’s business partner and preferred white associate—Billy Rautenbach.
Why do persons who claim to be the liberators feel they are entitled to all the land and yet have compensated themselves for their war contributions ten times over?
The culture of the haphazard farm invasions, evictions, seizures of private businesses and property, will not end when the last white farmers are off the land. A new wave of acrimonious dispossessions will commence, whereby indigenous will be evicting indigenous on a flimsy political raison d'être. Mugabe’s lieutenants have now plagiarised and perfected their commander in chief’s template for multiple farm ownership.
What does correcting a colonial imbalance mean? Did colonial settlers take all the land, now owned by Gushungo, from Mugabe’s family in the 1890’s? Land must be returned to its rightful indigenous peoples, not to an ethnically skewed political party elite. A once proud food self-sufficient agrarian society has been reduced into a beggar nation.
A recent survey by the General Agricultural Plantations Workers Union (GAPWUZ) revealed that the conditions of service for the farm workers on Gushungo Holdings and other acquired farms now owned by ZANU (PF) officials are no better and in most cases worse than the conditions of the previous farm owners.
How does Grace Mugabe, a mere pool typist in the President’s office, without formal agricultural training whatsoever, become Zimbabwe’s largest agricultural landowner?
"Let me keep my Zimbabwe", said Mugabe addressing the 2002 Earth Summit, September 2 in Johannesburg, South Africa.
“True, some land was bought by a few Cabinet Ministers. They bought the land. No minister, to my knowledge acquired land which was meant for resettlement”, said Mugabe in an ABC interview with Jonathan Holmes in March 1998.
“I will never, never, never, never surrender, Zimbabwe is mine”, Mugabe said addressing the ZANU-PF National Annual People’s Conference in Bindura on 19 December 2008.
Mugabe and his associates seem to believe in the politics of entitlement and ZANU (PF) treats Zimbabwe as a private fiefdom. Mugabe also sanctioned the evictions of fellow indigenous farm owners to appease a restive wife and punish his political enemies.
He claims to be an altruistic revolutionary; the ultimate selfless freedom fighter who supposedly sacrificed all to participate in the liberation of Zimbabwe, therefore his disgraceful excessiveness is morally repugnant and criminal. To deviously acquire farms and cunningly become the new absentee landlord, the enthusiastic occupier of the very farms that create a new land imbalance, is predatory and disingenuous.
As Mugabe preaches the virtues of land reform, the one-man one-farm policy, he blatantly hoards the same vestiges of colonial rule meant for redistribution to the landless. The very corrupt practises he conveniently and loudly despises within earshot of credulous followers, he himself illegally practises behind closed doors.
The current fast track land programme is a ruse to steal agricultural businesses from one sector of the economy and only unfairly enrich a particular clique—ZANU (PF).
Does land in Zimbabwe only belong to ZANU (PF) and its “war veterans”? Is Mugabe above the law? Is Mugabe a landless peasant who deserves to be allocated twelve farms? Has Mugabe’s seizure of twelve farms helped in decongested communal areas?
Land is the nucleus for sustainable development and the year 2010 gives Zimbabwe an opportunity to embark on an all-inclusive, sustainable agrarian reform exercise that is transparent and irreversible. My desire is to return home to a country and tolerant society that no longer focuses on its colonial past but embraces progress with values that submits all its peoples, regardless of political affiliation, to the rule of law.
The land audit, will determine, as with Bob Marley’s lyrical words on Zimbabwe’s Independence in 1980, “Soon we will find out who is the real revolutionary”.
Phil Matibe – www.madhingabucketboy.com
The once productive farms that belonged to “Mr Colonial Settler”, taken under the pretext of correcting a colonial wrong, are now the private properties of revolutionaries and pseudo revolutionaries. The hordes of youths, who performed the farm evictions-(jambanja), with orders from their revered “chefs”, are now watching from the fringes. Their comrades in arms, the chefs, now overindulge on the spoils of the “revolution”. Soon the youth will become restless; they are unemployed and disproportionably swell the hungry ranks of the landless poor.
A comprehensive land audit for Zimbabwe will bring to finality the land inequity question and lawfully align the nation on a conclusive agrarian reform program.
The ZANU (PF) chain of command, has now taken all the best irrigable farms in areas such as Mvurwi, Mtepatepa, Mazowe, Enterprise, Concession, Darwendale, Banket, Middle Sabi, etc., which have the finest agricultural land, accompanying agricultural equipment, and infrastructure. The poor landless farmers, already eking a living from marginal lands, are allocated bigger plots in moisture deficient areas like Chiredzi, Mwenezi, Ngezi, Gutu, Gokwe, Rutenga, etc., regions that cannot sustain rainfed agriculture.
When did the dignified fair play policy of a “one-man one-farm” turn into “one-man multiple-farms”? Why is it that only senior ZANU (PF) officials from the same ethnic group, are allocated all the prime farms, which are not subdivided into minimum sizes?
Mugabe via Gushungo Holdings now owns 10 601 hectares (25 760 acres) of the most fertile farms and rich land in the highest rainfall areas in Zimbabwe thus becoming Zimbabwe’s biggest landlord:
1. Foyle Farm, Mazowe—former owner Ian Webster—area 1 000 hectares, now Gushungo Dairy Farm – “The Agricultural Rural Development Authority (ARDA) has now proposed to ‘buyback’ Gushungo Farm to save the Mugabe family from appearing at variance with government's policies”;
2. Iron Mask Estate, Mazowe—taken by Grace under the pretext of creating an orphanage, former owner John Matthews—area 1 046 hectares—now defunct;
3. Sigaro Farm, Mazowe—Deed of Transfer 8170/2000, 873 hectares, former owner Joe Kennedy, home of National Tested Seeds, Zimbabwe’s largest producer of agricultural seeds and Africa’s first ISO certified seed producer—now derelict;
4. Gwebi Wood Farm, Mazowe—former owner an indigenous Zimbabwean, Washington Matsaire, CEO Standard Bank, exporter of passion fruit, area 1 200 hectares—unutilised, burnt to the ground;
5. Gwina Farm, Banket—Deed of Grant 11120/00, former owner Vernon Nicolle, 1 287 hectares. Ben Hlatshwayo, a high court judge who chaired the commission, which drew up the constitution that was rejected in a referendum in 2000. He had evicted Vernon Nicolle, and was himself unceremoniously evicted by Grace Mugabe to make way for her son from her first marriage, Russell Goreraza. The Nicolle’s were the largest single wheat producers with the biggest private irrigation and grain silo infrastructure in Zimbabwe, unutilised;
6. Leverdale Farm, Banket—former owner Piers Nicolle, 1 488hectares, now derelict;
7. Highfield Farm, Norton—area 445 hectares, where he keeps five camels—gifts from Gadaffi all nearby farms were acquired by Mugabe to create a “security buffer zone”. Mugabe now occupies 4 050 hectares on all the farms below the banks of Lake Darwandale.
8. Cressydale Estate, Norton—Deed of Grant 676/79 former owner Skea;
9. John O’Groat Farm, Norton—former owner Skea;
10. Tankatara Farm, Norton—former owner Skea;
11. Clifford Farm, Norton—former owner Skea;
12. Zvimba—Mugabe owns 60 hectares, his traditional home, where villages nearby were demolished and villagers evicted to make way for Mugabe’s expanded homestead.
Gushungo Holdings corruptly utilises the services of ARDA, itself a technically insolvent state agricultural parastatal, to manage Mugabe’s vast farms at taxpayers’ expense but for the financial benefit of the Mugabe family. Mugabe by virtue of his status does not pay taxes. Twelve tax-paying farmers have been dispossessed of their productive agricultural businesses to make way for a single non-farmer, non-taxpayer, Robert Mugabe.
Zimbabwe must separate the business of an individual, Mugabe, from that of the nation. The land ownership map of Zimbabwe now resembles the old colonial Land Apportionment Act of 1930 and the Land Tenure Act of 1969 map, with the previous white farming areas replaced with ZANU (PF)’s political nouveau riche—who are not even farmers.
Nepotism allowed the Robert Mugabe family to misappropriate a further 10 260 hectares (24 932 acres) of land earmarked for resettlement from farmers he terms, “the offspring of colonial settlers”. Mugabe’s brother-in-law, Reward Marufu, got Leopards Vlei Farm, Glendale, 1 294 hectares and Kachere Farm, Mazowe, 880 hectares; Mugabe’s sister-in-law, Rose Marufu, got Wooller Farm, Glendale, 436 hectares; Mugabe’s sister, Sabina, got Mlembwe Farm, Makonde, 1 037 hectares, Longwood Farm, Makonde, 924 hectares, and Gowrie Farm, Norton, 430 hectares; and Mugabe’s nephew Leo Mugabe got Diandra, Darwandale, 815 hectares, Nangadza, Mhangura, 1 200 hectares, and Journey’s End, Makonde, 3 000 hectares; and nephew Patrick Zhuwao got Marivale Farm, Mazowe, 244 hectares; all are amongst the country’s largest multiple landowners. On some of these farms, the farmer was killed and the workers’ houses were burnt to compel the landless workers to vacate the properties.
How can one man, in a land hungry nation, take for himself twelve farms, evict twelve farmers, and displace over 14 000-farm workers and their families in the name of land reform? A single family, Mugabe, collectively misappropriated twenty-four farms totalling 20 861 hectares (50 692 acres) of prime land. Farms meant for resettling landless Zimbabweans, now belong to Gushungo and most lie unutilised. All this plunder to nourish the insatiable greed of a few spoiled relatives, who were already privileged by their relation to Mugabe.
Today, January 2010, the eviction of 10 000 villagers from the one million acre Nuanetsi Ranch in Mwenezi is underway, to make way for Mugabe’s business partner and preferred white associate—Billy Rautenbach.
Why do persons who claim to be the liberators feel they are entitled to all the land and yet have compensated themselves for their war contributions ten times over?
The culture of the haphazard farm invasions, evictions, seizures of private businesses and property, will not end when the last white farmers are off the land. A new wave of acrimonious dispossessions will commence, whereby indigenous will be evicting indigenous on a flimsy political raison d'être. Mugabe’s lieutenants have now plagiarised and perfected their commander in chief’s template for multiple farm ownership.
What does correcting a colonial imbalance mean? Did colonial settlers take all the land, now owned by Gushungo, from Mugabe’s family in the 1890’s? Land must be returned to its rightful indigenous peoples, not to an ethnically skewed political party elite. A once proud food self-sufficient agrarian society has been reduced into a beggar nation.
A recent survey by the General Agricultural Plantations Workers Union (GAPWUZ) revealed that the conditions of service for the farm workers on Gushungo Holdings and other acquired farms now owned by ZANU (PF) officials are no better and in most cases worse than the conditions of the previous farm owners.
How does Grace Mugabe, a mere pool typist in the President’s office, without formal agricultural training whatsoever, become Zimbabwe’s largest agricultural landowner?
"Let me keep my Zimbabwe", said Mugabe addressing the 2002 Earth Summit, September 2 in Johannesburg, South Africa.
“True, some land was bought by a few Cabinet Ministers. They bought the land. No minister, to my knowledge acquired land which was meant for resettlement”, said Mugabe in an ABC interview with Jonathan Holmes in March 1998.
“I will never, never, never, never surrender, Zimbabwe is mine”, Mugabe said addressing the ZANU-PF National Annual People’s Conference in Bindura on 19 December 2008.
Mugabe and his associates seem to believe in the politics of entitlement and ZANU (PF) treats Zimbabwe as a private fiefdom. Mugabe also sanctioned the evictions of fellow indigenous farm owners to appease a restive wife and punish his political enemies.
He claims to be an altruistic revolutionary; the ultimate selfless freedom fighter who supposedly sacrificed all to participate in the liberation of Zimbabwe, therefore his disgraceful excessiveness is morally repugnant and criminal. To deviously acquire farms and cunningly become the new absentee landlord, the enthusiastic occupier of the very farms that create a new land imbalance, is predatory and disingenuous.
As Mugabe preaches the virtues of land reform, the one-man one-farm policy, he blatantly hoards the same vestiges of colonial rule meant for redistribution to the landless. The very corrupt practises he conveniently and loudly despises within earshot of credulous followers, he himself illegally practises behind closed doors.
The current fast track land programme is a ruse to steal agricultural businesses from one sector of the economy and only unfairly enrich a particular clique—ZANU (PF).
Does land in Zimbabwe only belong to ZANU (PF) and its “war veterans”? Is Mugabe above the law? Is Mugabe a landless peasant who deserves to be allocated twelve farms? Has Mugabe’s seizure of twelve farms helped in decongested communal areas?
Land is the nucleus for sustainable development and the year 2010 gives Zimbabwe an opportunity to embark on an all-inclusive, sustainable agrarian reform exercise that is transparent and irreversible. My desire is to return home to a country and tolerant society that no longer focuses on its colonial past but embraces progress with values that submits all its peoples, regardless of political affiliation, to the rule of law.
The land audit, will determine, as with Bob Marley’s lyrical words on Zimbabwe’s Independence in 1980, “Soon we will find out who is the real revolutionary”.
Phil Matibe – www.madhingabucketboy.com
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