It was the mid-1970s. The second Chimurenga was raging in the then Rhodesian country-side. Fireside talk in the villages was all about guns, anti-airs, bazookas and landmines. I was even nicknamed Chimbambaira (Landmine) because I used to blast apart the newspaper filled plastic bags that we used as footballs in the dusty plains of Manyene.
That morning I was with my grandfather. I was between 8 and ten years. We walked towards our fields, my grandfather occassionally stopping to examine the ground. The expert farmer he was, he could tell which type of weed was gonna be bothersome come the rains.
We reached a heap of grass and maize stalks (mashanga). My grandfather started pushing the stalks and grass aside until he retrieved what to me looked like a rather elongated lump of rust. He extended his hand towards me showing me the lump.
"Ndiro ranga riri gidi rababa vangu iri." he said. (This was my father's gun.) "Vaivhima negidi" (He used it for hunting.)
From his fireside tales I know that my great-grandfather, a man named Chikwiramakomo Punungwe had fought in the Chindunduma war (Chimurenga). The chief of the are where he lived (Mutekedza) was an ally to Mangwende of Murehwa and my great-grandfather was one of the men send to assist.
It is from these fireside stories that I know my great-grandfather was a great hunter who used magidi (muskets) to hunt.
Originally from Rusape Chikwiramakomo had been left without a mother by a raid presumed to be by the Ndebele. The story of how he ended up in Njanja area is getting lost in the mists of time. How the family consensus is that he was looked after by an elder sister named Dziyaidzo who got married in the area.
He became such a good hunter that he was offered wives by several families, including from the royal clan, to supply them with meat. My great-grandmother, VaNjaidza, was from the royal Mutekedza clan, the chiefs in the area.
Back to the 1970s, my grandfather crossed a barbed wire fence. He walked into the Savannah farmland, past dense clusters of acacia trees standing sentinel around ant-hills. He came to a large ant-bear burrow.
My grandfather threw the gun down the slanted hole. He took a stick and pushed it as deep as he could. His fear was that if the Rhodesian security forces searched our homestead and found it then he would be in serious trouble for owning a gun.
Little did I know then that a valuable piece of my history and heritage was disappearing down the hole. Nowadays days I often wish I had written down a lot of the things my grandfather told me about his father.
Now I know that as those little bits and pieces of facts disappear into the mists of time, so does my heritage and identity. As facts about who I am and where I came from disappear, so does my pride, confidence and sense of self-worth.
Saturday 22 October 2016
Wednesday 17 August 2016
Treatment of Dave Emberton Disgusting
Recently I came across photos of a well known former ZBC news anchor, Dave Amberton. He was handcuffed forlornly starring at the camera looking lost. Apparently he was being accused of stealing bacon from a Spar shop.
My puzzlement turned to disgust and anger when I found that he had been arrested while he suffers from dementia.
Having had relatives who suffered from the disease I know it's toll. One grand uncle was found walking 20 km from home. He was saying he was just going to open the kraal for the cows. Yet the kraal was only a couple hundred metres from his house.
People suffering from dementia can easily loose their sense of location, time and sometimes even forget who they are. No competent court would ever convict Dave. He should never have been handcuffed, let alone paraded in front of cameras as a criminal.
What is even more disgusting is that some people celebrated his plight because he is white. That is simply racist.
We may have extremely bitter memories from the time of colonialism but that is not an excuse to abuse a humble soul like Dave. Dave served Zimbabwe faithfully for a long time. He most likely would have faced abuse and ridicule from those whites who are hardcore racists for continuing to serve in a black run ZBC. Racism is ignorance.
We cannot repay him with ridicule over a disease that comes from old age. No ndaramba. I disagree with the treatment that Dave was given. It is just crass ignorance to arrest a person suffering from dementia.
I therefore would like to ask minister of information Christopher Mushowe to please pay Dave a visit and find out if he is okay. Can he please give him our regards and let him know that we are so grateful from the service he did for our country.
As for the Spar shop that is accusing him of stealing bacon, can they please contact me on punungwe@gmail.com. I will pay for that bacon, but that will be the last thing I will ever buy from that Spar.
My puzzlement turned to disgust and anger when I found that he had been arrested while he suffers from dementia.
Having had relatives who suffered from the disease I know it's toll. One grand uncle was found walking 20 km from home. He was saying he was just going to open the kraal for the cows. Yet the kraal was only a couple hundred metres from his house.
People suffering from dementia can easily loose their sense of location, time and sometimes even forget who they are. No competent court would ever convict Dave. He should never have been handcuffed, let alone paraded in front of cameras as a criminal.
What is even more disgusting is that some people celebrated his plight because he is white. That is simply racist.
We may have extremely bitter memories from the time of colonialism but that is not an excuse to abuse a humble soul like Dave. Dave served Zimbabwe faithfully for a long time. He most likely would have faced abuse and ridicule from those whites who are hardcore racists for continuing to serve in a black run ZBC. Racism is ignorance.
We cannot repay him with ridicule over a disease that comes from old age. No ndaramba. I disagree with the treatment that Dave was given. It is just crass ignorance to arrest a person suffering from dementia.
I therefore would like to ask minister of information Christopher Mushowe to please pay Dave a visit and find out if he is okay. Can he please give him our regards and let him know that we are so grateful from the service he did for our country.
As for the Spar shop that is accusing him of stealing bacon, can they please contact me on punungwe@gmail.com. I will pay for that bacon, but that will be the last thing I will ever buy from that Spar.
Saturday 30 July 2016
Why do eggs explode when microwaved?
Why do eggs explode when microwaved but not when boiled?
There are two fields of science involved thermodynamics (heat transfer) and electromagnetics (radio waves).
Let's deal with the thermodynamics first. Heat transfer happens in three ways by conduction, convection and radiation.
Conduction happens when heat is transferred from one part of a substance to another because of a temperature gradient.
Radiation happens when electromagnetic waves excite molecules inside a substance, causing the temperature to rise.
Convection happens when hot fluid, gas or liquid, moves from one area to another taking heat with it. Convection may be natural, such as hot air rising or forced such as an airconditioner blowing air into a space.
Conduction happens in a solid when there is a temperature gradient between two points. i.e. the heat energy is gradually transferred from the hot point to the cooler point. If there is no outside source of energy the hotter surface gets cooler and the cooler surface gets hotter until they are at equal temperature.
If you apply a constant temperature to the hot surface (through an external heat source) the cooler surface gets hotter until it almost reaches the temperature of the hot surface. It will not exceed that temperature.
When you are boiling an egg, you are heating it by conduction. First you are applying heat to the water. They water then boils at a constant boiling temperature. That temperature is applied to the outside of the egg. The heat of the water is then conducted into the egg cooking it. The temperature inside the egg will never exceed the boiling point of water. You won't get steam inside the egg. It won't explode.
Remember when boiling you are transferring heat to the egg by conduction by maintaining its outside surface at the boiling temperature of water.
When you are microwaving an egg, you are transferring heat directly inside it by RADIATION. The microwaves are heating the water molecules directly inside the egg. Therefore it is possible to heat the molecules to a temperature ABOVE the boiling point of water. Remember the boiling point of water is dependent on pressure (it is 100°C at sea level atmospheric pressure).
Let us also look at the pressure cooker. The pressure cooker cooks food faster by trapping steam inside a confined space thus raising the pressure inside. That raises the boiling temperature of the water inside that confined space. If your pressure cooker does not have very strong walls, it will explode or crack because inside it there is more pressure than the atmosphere outside.
When you are microwaving an egg, you are heating it by radiation from inside. The eggshell acts as a pressure cooker but a rather flimsy one. It will hold some steam inside making the temperature inside rise slightly above the boiling temperature of water. Once the pressure rises high enough it will crack the eggshell. When it cracks because the water inside is slightly above the boiling point of water at atmospheric pressure, it will instantly evaporate into steam. That steam explodes the egg.
Also keep in mind that the egg-white is firmer and holds less water than the york when boiled. So the temperature may rise higher in the york before the egg-white builds enough pressure to crack the shell and itself.
There are two fields of science involved thermodynamics (heat transfer) and electromagnetics (radio waves).
Let's deal with the thermodynamics first. Heat transfer happens in three ways by conduction, convection and radiation.
Conduction happens when heat is transferred from one part of a substance to another because of a temperature gradient.
Radiation happens when electromagnetic waves excite molecules inside a substance, causing the temperature to rise.
Convection happens when hot fluid, gas or liquid, moves from one area to another taking heat with it. Convection may be natural, such as hot air rising or forced such as an airconditioner blowing air into a space.
Conduction happens in a solid when there is a temperature gradient between two points. i.e. the heat energy is gradually transferred from the hot point to the cooler point. If there is no outside source of energy the hotter surface gets cooler and the cooler surface gets hotter until they are at equal temperature.
If you apply a constant temperature to the hot surface (through an external heat source) the cooler surface gets hotter until it almost reaches the temperature of the hot surface. It will not exceed that temperature.
When you are boiling an egg, you are heating it by conduction. First you are applying heat to the water. They water then boils at a constant boiling temperature. That temperature is applied to the outside of the egg. The heat of the water is then conducted into the egg cooking it. The temperature inside the egg will never exceed the boiling point of water. You won't get steam inside the egg. It won't explode.
Remember when boiling you are transferring heat to the egg by conduction by maintaining its outside surface at the boiling temperature of water.
When you are microwaving an egg, you are transferring heat directly inside it by RADIATION. The microwaves are heating the water molecules directly inside the egg. Therefore it is possible to heat the molecules to a temperature ABOVE the boiling point of water. Remember the boiling point of water is dependent on pressure (it is 100°C at sea level atmospheric pressure).
Let us also look at the pressure cooker. The pressure cooker cooks food faster by trapping steam inside a confined space thus raising the pressure inside. That raises the boiling temperature of the water inside that confined space. If your pressure cooker does not have very strong walls, it will explode or crack because inside it there is more pressure than the atmosphere outside.
When you are microwaving an egg, you are heating it by radiation from inside. The eggshell acts as a pressure cooker but a rather flimsy one. It will hold some steam inside making the temperature inside rise slightly above the boiling temperature of water. Once the pressure rises high enough it will crack the eggshell. When it cracks because the water inside is slightly above the boiling point of water at atmospheric pressure, it will instantly evaporate into steam. That steam explodes the egg.
Also keep in mind that the egg-white is firmer and holds less water than the york when boiled. So the temperature may rise higher in the york before the egg-white builds enough pressure to crack the shell and itself.
Wednesday 27 July 2016
My Heritage
People change their minds about their beliefs all the time. Some convert from Islam, Hinduism and so on to become non-religious. In Zimbabwe is not considered good unless they profess some allegiance to Christianity. Never member that most of those 'Christians' still primarily live according to traditions and perform traditional rituals regularly.
I am atheist.
By the way atheism is lack of belief in anything supernatural, be it gods, a god or spirits. Those who believe in something supernatural usually believe everything supernatural with their publicly displayed belief based on what makes them look good to society.
Privately they may follow the belief they think is more powerful or yields better material results. That is why you find priests and preachers visiting n'angas at night!!
Being atheist does not mean you are against religion of belief systems. All it means is that you just don't believe all those things yourself. To me that boils down to not wasting my time and other resources on any of them.
Given that Christianity is a missionary (preaching based) religion, of course lots of people convert to it. Otherwise preachers would not be doing a good job.
Most of the converts are from other belief systems. Most people who go to church every Sabbath or Sunday, perform the rituals of multiple religions regularly. Most of those attacking me for being atheist included!
Some even perform rituals of their own invention. I am talking about people like Robert Gumbura who managed to convince tens of women that having orgies was part of Christianity! And David Koresh who did the same thing in America.
Very few families raise children to be atheists so there a few people who convert from atheism to a religion, but it does happen. However all this does not change that religion, and the various books that come with it, have a history. If you remove the spiritual aspect, that history gives you the physical activities of people of the time.
In short that history gives people living this very day, a heritage. Based on that heritage people can make claims to a whole lot of things including land. As we speak today, a country exists solely on the basis of people making a claim to their heritage, Israel. Israelis are claiming territory on the basis of the activities of their ancestors like Abraham, Moses, Jacob, David, Solomon, Joseph among others.
Let us ask ourselves, can all the bible waving pastors like Makandiwa and Magaya go and claim even a single square metre of land in the Middle East based on the activities of Abraham, Moses, David and Solomon? No they can't. I there dare claim Israel as theirs because they follow the bible they will be kicked out like dogs by Netanyau and his security. If they dispute what I am saying they can go try it today.
Where can they claim their own space and land? Is it not here in Zimbabwe. Now if I may ask how did they get be present in this part of the world. Is it not because Nehoreka, just like Moses moved with his people. Is it not because Chaminuka, Muguni, Tovera among others moved with their people.
Is it not because Munhumutapa Gatsi Rusere with the help of a warrior general called Nengomasha fought for this territory. The very same way Israelis fought Philistines and others to have the land they claim as theirs today.
Now if I may ask, if you are to claim your heritage which history helps and identifies you, a history of a warriors called Samson, Goliath and David. Rather is it not the history of general Nengomasha, Nehoreka, Tovera and the Munhumutapas. Now if you are being told to call them demons, and you agree, how are you going to claim your living space and land? Others claim that god gave their ancestors promised land. What do you claim god gave you, if your very first act of belief is to deny your own heritage, identity and history.
My pride in my chiKaranga heritage has got nothing to do with spirituality. It has got everything to do with my identity and therefore the claim to the living space that my ancestors created for me. If I am to call myself 'mwana wevhu' I have to know how I came to be entitled to that 'ivhu'. I have to know how vaBarwe of the Makombe clan fought fiercely against the Portuguese to defend this territory for me.
Those who ridicule and insult my heritage, calling it insulting names like ungodly, savage, backward, primitive are doing so for the purpose of claiming my living space for themselves. If I give up my heritage I am eventually going to find myself called a squatter in my own land. I will be called a problem on my soil.
If I go to the land of those claiming mine, they call me an illegal immigrant and a problem. Now if I am a problem everywhere, where do I belong. If I say I belong here in Zimbabwe, what basis do I have for that if not my history and heritage.
It is for this reason that I, mwana wemu Barwe, Humba, Makombe, Nyanguru, Nyakupfuya, Chirimanemuromo, will never ever agree with anyone that my heritage is backward, demonic or whatever other insult they wish to throw.
My heritage, including the activities of my ancestors whatever their beliefs where, is the ultimate source of my identity and pride.
I am atheist.
By the way atheism is lack of belief in anything supernatural, be it gods, a god or spirits. Those who believe in something supernatural usually believe everything supernatural with their publicly displayed belief based on what makes them look good to society.
Privately they may follow the belief they think is more powerful or yields better material results. That is why you find priests and preachers visiting n'angas at night!!
Given that Christianity is a missionary (preaching based) religion, of course lots of people convert to it. Otherwise preachers would not be doing a good job.
Most of the converts are from other belief systems. Most people who go to church every Sabbath or Sunday, perform the rituals of multiple religions regularly. Most of those attacking me for being atheist included!
Some even perform rituals of their own invention. I am talking about people like Robert Gumbura who managed to convince tens of women that having orgies was part of Christianity! And David Koresh who did the same thing in America.
Very few families raise children to be atheists so there a few people who convert from atheism to a religion, but it does happen. However all this does not change that religion, and the various books that come with it, have a history. If you remove the spiritual aspect, that history gives you the physical activities of people of the time.
In short that history gives people living this very day, a heritage. Based on that heritage people can make claims to a whole lot of things including land. As we speak today, a country exists solely on the basis of people making a claim to their heritage, Israel. Israelis are claiming territory on the basis of the activities of their ancestors like Abraham, Moses, Jacob, David, Solomon, Joseph among others.
Let us ask ourselves, can all the bible waving pastors like Makandiwa and Magaya go and claim even a single square metre of land in the Middle East based on the activities of Abraham, Moses, David and Solomon? No they can't. I there dare claim Israel as theirs because they follow the bible they will be kicked out like dogs by Netanyau and his security. If they dispute what I am saying they can go try it today.
Where can they claim their own space and land? Is it not here in Zimbabwe. Now if I may ask how did they get be present in this part of the world. Is it not because Nehoreka, just like Moses moved with his people. Is it not because Chaminuka, Muguni, Tovera among others moved with their people.
Is it not because Munhumutapa Gatsi Rusere with the help of a warrior general called Nengomasha fought for this territory. The very same way Israelis fought Philistines and others to have the land they claim as theirs today.
Now if I may ask, if you are to claim your heritage which history helps and identifies you, a history of a warriors called Samson, Goliath and David. Rather is it not the history of general Nengomasha, Nehoreka, Tovera and the Munhumutapas. Now if you are being told to call them demons, and you agree, how are you going to claim your living space and land? Others claim that god gave their ancestors promised land. What do you claim god gave you, if your very first act of belief is to deny your own heritage, identity and history.
My pride in my chiKaranga heritage has got nothing to do with spirituality. It has got everything to do with my identity and therefore the claim to the living space that my ancestors created for me. If I am to call myself 'mwana wevhu' I have to know how I came to be entitled to that 'ivhu'. I have to know how vaBarwe of the Makombe clan fought fiercely against the Portuguese to defend this territory for me.
Those who ridicule and insult my heritage, calling it insulting names like ungodly, savage, backward, primitive are doing so for the purpose of claiming my living space for themselves. If I give up my heritage I am eventually going to find myself called a squatter in my own land. I will be called a problem on my soil.
If I go to the land of those claiming mine, they call me an illegal immigrant and a problem. Now if I am a problem everywhere, where do I belong. If I say I belong here in Zimbabwe, what basis do I have for that if not my history and heritage.
It is for this reason that I, mwana wemu Barwe, Humba, Makombe, Nyanguru, Nyakupfuya, Chirimanemuromo, will never ever agree with anyone that my heritage is backward, demonic or whatever other insult they wish to throw.
My heritage, including the activities of my ancestors whatever their beliefs where, is the ultimate source of my identity and pride.
Sunday 17 July 2016
The Import Ban is a Scam
It looks like Zimbabwe is trying to blackmail South Africa into giving it credit lines.
Never mind that, Zimbabwe has got far much more to loose from a trade war with South Africa.
Zimbabweans have little buying power and as such it is not as important a market for South Africa as the Zimbabwean government would like to imagine.
Yes Musina has grown from Zimbabweans buying there but it is still a very small town by South African standards. Louis Trichardt is actually bigger.
The fact that such a small town can serve as the buying centre for almost the entire country of Zimbabwe is testimony of just how much the Zimbabwean economy has shrunk. An entire country should need a very large city to serve it not a small town.
Zimbabwe should not overestimate its hand. South African business can afford to ignore Zimbabwe and concentrate on the much richer mining markets north of Zimbabwe.
The South African businesses making a lot of noise are only the small shops in Musina, not the real big players.
Anyway given the way the import ban harps on about dairy products like yogurt, powdered milk and cheese, that is a very strong indication that the ban may actually be a ruse to try and make Zimbabwe a captive market for a few politically connected companies.
Most of the politicians will not be affected by the import ban as they either just give themselves the licences, or smuggle in the goods.
It is my considered view that the import ban is intended to eliminate competition for the companies of the political connected.
After all politicians using regulatory power to interfere with markets and line their own pockets is not new to Zimbabwe.
The legendary trillion percent inflation was caused by the government printing cash. Politicians had first access to that cash. At one time a woman, who one politician described is his 'casual intimate girlfriend' was found with her car boot full of crisp new notes that had not yet been officially released.
To benefit from printing cash the politicians running Zimbabwe imposed an artificial official exchange rate which they used for government transactions. Foreign currency was strictly allocated and politicians had first access.
Here is how it worked, if the official rate was say US$1 to ZW$30 and the black-market rate was US$1 to ZW$3000. A politically connected person could be easily allocated foreign currency.
Let's work with an amount of US$100. At the government exchange that would be ZW$30000. On the black market you could be bought for just US$10. Thus someone could get US$100 from the reserve bank, take just US$10 of that go to the black market, buy ZW$30000 go and pay it to the reserve bank as the official equivalent of US$100. They would pocket the US$90.
This practice was called 'burning' money and is primarily what caused hyperinflation in Zimbabwe. Politicians used their regulatory authority to force an exchange that they knew was not practical. They then used the disparity between the official exchange rate and the black market rate to skim money out of government coffers.
I think the same thing is happening with the import ban. Politicians are trying to use regulatory authority to create a captive market for themselves, eliminating competition.
They can give themselves the licences ensuring that only their goods reach the market.
It is for this reason that I think the whole import ban thing is a scam.
Never mind that, Zimbabwe has got far much more to loose from a trade war with South Africa.
Zimbabweans have little buying power and as such it is not as important a market for South Africa as the Zimbabwean government would like to imagine.
Yes Musina has grown from Zimbabweans buying there but it is still a very small town by South African standards. Louis Trichardt is actually bigger.
The fact that such a small town can serve as the buying centre for almost the entire country of Zimbabwe is testimony of just how much the Zimbabwean economy has shrunk. An entire country should need a very large city to serve it not a small town.
Zimbabwe should not overestimate its hand. South African business can afford to ignore Zimbabwe and concentrate on the much richer mining markets north of Zimbabwe.
The South African businesses making a lot of noise are only the small shops in Musina, not the real big players.
Anyway given the way the import ban harps on about dairy products like yogurt, powdered milk and cheese, that is a very strong indication that the ban may actually be a ruse to try and make Zimbabwe a captive market for a few politically connected companies.
Most of the politicians will not be affected by the import ban as they either just give themselves the licences, or smuggle in the goods.
It is my considered view that the import ban is intended to eliminate competition for the companies of the political connected.
After all politicians using regulatory power to interfere with markets and line their own pockets is not new to Zimbabwe.
The legendary trillion percent inflation was caused by the government printing cash. Politicians had first access to that cash. At one time a woman, who one politician described is his 'casual intimate girlfriend' was found with her car boot full of crisp new notes that had not yet been officially released.
To benefit from printing cash the politicians running Zimbabwe imposed an artificial official exchange rate which they used for government transactions. Foreign currency was strictly allocated and politicians had first access.
Here is how it worked, if the official rate was say US$1 to ZW$30 and the black-market rate was US$1 to ZW$3000. A politically connected person could be easily allocated foreign currency.
Let's work with an amount of US$100. At the government exchange that would be ZW$30000. On the black market you could be bought for just US$10. Thus someone could get US$100 from the reserve bank, take just US$10 of that go to the black market, buy ZW$30000 go and pay it to the reserve bank as the official equivalent of US$100. They would pocket the US$90.
This practice was called 'burning' money and is primarily what caused hyperinflation in Zimbabwe. Politicians used their regulatory authority to force an exchange that they knew was not practical. They then used the disparity between the official exchange rate and the black market rate to skim money out of government coffers.
I think the same thing is happening with the import ban. Politicians are trying to use regulatory authority to create a captive market for themselves, eliminating competition.
They can give themselves the licences ensuring that only their goods reach the market.
It is for this reason that I think the whole import ban thing is a scam.
Tuesday 12 July 2016
The Importance of Our Heritage
Would anyone object to naming a child Chaminuka today? Most likely yes. Such a name would be seen as un-Christian and praising a spirit.
Would the same person object to may given name Jupiter? Definitely not. They may actually see my name as being progressive and associated with modern science and astronomy.
The people who claim to be in touch with Jehovah and spiritual world actually know little beyond what they have been carefully fed and brainwashed with in a few scripture texts.
First let me make it clear the purpose of the brainwashing has nothing to do with spirituality or helping anyone find a higher calling. Its simple main purpose is to make people loose their identity by loosing knowledge of their history. History always has two parts, the physical (what actually happened) and the mythological (how people interpreted those happenings as being influenced by divine power).
The physical and mythological history is often intertwined. Both are not entirely accurate by the do help people keep their identity and pride in what is their own.
This is ours. Our forefather nhingi used these magical powers to lead us there. We are proud of it. Our ancestor nhingi was promised this land by that deity Mwari so you guys butt out of our land.
Those who loose their identity end up with nothing they can call theirs. Nothing to be proud of and no claim to a physical presence in any part of the world. A country exists today because people say Jehovah gave it to them. In making that claim they recount the physical history of their fore father's Abraham, Moses, Joshua, Jacob and so on and attach mythology to it.
If you go to the extent of denigrating and insulting your own mythology, it means you have to reject the physical actions of your own forefathers and the land to which they led you.
If you accept that Moses parted water leading people to a promised land then you accept the descendants of Moses claiming that land today.
If at the same time you do not accept that Nehoreka parted rock leading his people to their own promised land, it means that you do not accept the claim of those who are the descendants of Nehoreka to that land.
Now coming to the point of asking about Chaminuka. I wanted to juxtapose it with my own name Jupiter. Most people think it is merely named after a planet.
If anyone finds the name Chaminuka unacceptable for spiritual reasons then they should definitely have even bigger issues with the name Jupiter. It is the name of the king of the Roman gods.
Naming a planet after that god was a way of making sure his name will be called out forever.
While others are denigrating and insulting their heritage, others are naming new discoveries for theirs. That extends to this very day and moment. The NASA probe that is circling Jupiter right now is named Juno. Juno was the queen of the Roman gods.
See what I mean by others expounding their heritage while you insult your own. See how others perpetuate their identity while we are busy burying our own. If we do not want even a road to be named Chaminuka how will we remember how we came to be in this part of the world and therefore can call its soil our soil.
Europeans are naming things after spiritual entities in their history, while we object to the naming of things after our own heritage. Surely if we continue down that path we are well on our way to loosing our heritage and claim to this land.
Would the same person object to may given name Jupiter? Definitely not. They may actually see my name as being progressive and associated with modern science and astronomy.
The people who claim to be in touch with Jehovah and spiritual world actually know little beyond what they have been carefully fed and brainwashed with in a few scripture texts.
First let me make it clear the purpose of the brainwashing has nothing to do with spirituality or helping anyone find a higher calling. Its simple main purpose is to make people loose their identity by loosing knowledge of their history. History always has two parts, the physical (what actually happened) and the mythological (how people interpreted those happenings as being influenced by divine power).
The physical and mythological history is often intertwined. Both are not entirely accurate by the do help people keep their identity and pride in what is their own.
This is ours. Our forefather nhingi used these magical powers to lead us there. We are proud of it. Our ancestor nhingi was promised this land by that deity Mwari so you guys butt out of our land.
Those who loose their identity end up with nothing they can call theirs. Nothing to be proud of and no claim to a physical presence in any part of the world. A country exists today because people say Jehovah gave it to them. In making that claim they recount the physical history of their fore father's Abraham, Moses, Joshua, Jacob and so on and attach mythology to it.
If you go to the extent of denigrating and insulting your own mythology, it means you have to reject the physical actions of your own forefathers and the land to which they led you.
If you accept that Moses parted water leading people to a promised land then you accept the descendants of Moses claiming that land today.
If at the same time you do not accept that Nehoreka parted rock leading his people to their own promised land, it means that you do not accept the claim of those who are the descendants of Nehoreka to that land.
Now coming to the point of asking about Chaminuka. I wanted to juxtapose it with my own name Jupiter. Most people think it is merely named after a planet.
If anyone finds the name Chaminuka unacceptable for spiritual reasons then they should definitely have even bigger issues with the name Jupiter. It is the name of the king of the Roman gods.
Naming a planet after that god was a way of making sure his name will be called out forever.
While others are denigrating and insulting their heritage, others are naming new discoveries for theirs. That extends to this very day and moment. The NASA probe that is circling Jupiter right now is named Juno. Juno was the queen of the Roman gods.
See what I mean by others expounding their heritage while you insult your own. See how others perpetuate their identity while we are busy burying our own. If we do not want even a road to be named Chaminuka how will we remember how we came to be in this part of the world and therefore can call its soil our soil.
Europeans are naming things after spiritual entities in their history, while we object to the naming of things after our own heritage. Surely if we continue down that path we are well on our way to loosing our heritage and claim to this land.
Monday 11 July 2016
The Politics of Patronage
For a long time is has been an open secret that the Zimbabwe government has been living hand to mouth using import duties and other taxes collected at Beitbridge, said to be the busiest border in Africa.
Apparently the recent import ban was an attempt to increase the flow of revenue by also charging fines on the import of basic commodities by travellers.
This was like trying to make the goose lay eggs faster by squeezing it around the neck. The import regulations have led to protests that have virtually stopped the revenue stream. And this has happened at a time when the government is seriously strapped for cash, failing to pay civil servants.
While it has managed to pay police and soldiers this month, it would be overly optimistic to think they can pay next month. Especially given that the other revenue stream, collecting spot fines, is facing serious resistance.
At this point my guess is that it is too late for them to save the situation. The only way they could have prevented the crunch from developing was cutting expenses a year or two ago. Even the signs are that they are unwilling to cut expenses.
The Zanu-PF government is a patronage system. In such a system asking anybody to get off the gravy train is treated as a major slight of priviledge, even an insult. Given that the patronage is meant to buy political loyalty, anyone kicked off the gravy train will seek to exact revenge, by showing political disloyalty. That ensures they become immediate political rivals.
This rule of thumb has held true for all expulsions from Zanu-PF. From Didymus Mutasa, Temba Mliswa through Joice Mujuru to even political nonentities like Acie Lumumba, they have become rivals. The only joke being that most of the rivals are also each other's rivals.
Inevitable because no real difference of principles is involved, the political discourse of patronage based rivalry is focused on personal attacks and insults. Those still within the patronage system create a cult around the leader and protector of it.
It is from this sad situation, that we find that Zimbabwe politics of today revolve around attacks on, and defence of Mugabe. There is noone who espouses solid principles that they are prepared to stick to Mugabe or no Mugabe.
Since most ordinary people will not be within reach of the patronage system, they largely loose interest in the politics. This creates apathy. There is no cause for ordinary people to be loyal to.
Apparently the recent import ban was an attempt to increase the flow of revenue by also charging fines on the import of basic commodities by travellers.
This was like trying to make the goose lay eggs faster by squeezing it around the neck. The import regulations have led to protests that have virtually stopped the revenue stream. And this has happened at a time when the government is seriously strapped for cash, failing to pay civil servants.
While it has managed to pay police and soldiers this month, it would be overly optimistic to think they can pay next month. Especially given that the other revenue stream, collecting spot fines, is facing serious resistance.
At this point my guess is that it is too late for them to save the situation. The only way they could have prevented the crunch from developing was cutting expenses a year or two ago. Even the signs are that they are unwilling to cut expenses.
The Zanu-PF government is a patronage system. In such a system asking anybody to get off the gravy train is treated as a major slight of priviledge, even an insult. Given that the patronage is meant to buy political loyalty, anyone kicked off the gravy train will seek to exact revenge, by showing political disloyalty. That ensures they become immediate political rivals.
This rule of thumb has held true for all expulsions from Zanu-PF. From Didymus Mutasa, Temba Mliswa through Joice Mujuru to even political nonentities like Acie Lumumba, they have become rivals. The only joke being that most of the rivals are also each other's rivals.
Inevitable because no real difference of principles is involved, the political discourse of patronage based rivalry is focused on personal attacks and insults. Those still within the patronage system create a cult around the leader and protector of it.
It is from this sad situation, that we find that Zimbabwe politics of today revolve around attacks on, and defence of Mugabe. There is noone who espouses solid principles that they are prepared to stick to Mugabe or no Mugabe.
Since most ordinary people will not be within reach of the patronage system, they largely loose interest in the politics. This creates apathy. There is no cause for ordinary people to be loyal to.
Engagement with the West Will Not Help
Judging from finance minster Patrick Chinamasa's words the Zimbabwe government is desperate to engage the British. Apparently they believe that will unlock money
That the Zimbabwe politicians think that all that's needed to fix Zimbabwe's economy is engagement with the British, suggests one of two things. Either they don't have they slightest clue what they did wrong in mismanaging the economy. Or they don't want to own up to their mistake and want people to just sweep their thievery under the carpet.
Certainly, They haven't cut down on expenses. The executive is more bloated than ever. They haven't tackled corruption. People who have been dogged by corruption scandals for years still enjoy poltical power.
Instead of holding people to account the government has been 'taking over' debt accumulated from political corruption, a move meant to block creditors from claiming their dues through the courts.
The British right now are too pre-occupied with Brexit to really bother about Zimbabwe.
That the Zimbabwe politicians think that all that's needed to fix Zimbabwe's economy is engagement with the British, suggests one of two things. Either they don't have they slightest clue what they did wrong in mismanaging the economy. Or they don't want to own up to their mistake and want people to just sweep their thievery under the carpet.
Certainly, They haven't cut down on expenses. The executive is more bloated than ever. They haven't tackled corruption. People who have been dogged by corruption scandals for years still enjoy poltical power.
Instead of holding people to account the government has been 'taking over' debt accumulated from political corruption, a move meant to block creditors from claiming their dues through the courts.
The British right now are too pre-occupied with Brexit to really bother about Zimbabwe.
If they would care to look what they would see is a government that refuses to be accountable for misusing money. A government that focuses on blame shifting.
For example in most countries are announced years in advance, to give businesses the time and opportunity to plan.
What does Zimbabwe do, they draft a statutory instrument overnight on 17 June, by 18 June they are confiscating people's goods.
Can Minister Chinamsa or any other government official who cares, tell us, that does that amount to policy consistency? Shipments that had already been planned before 18 June ended up being stuck at the border for weeks. If the transporters are strict they will be charging demurrage meaning the business person is going to run heavy losses just over the government's policy inconsistencies.
There inconsistencies have driven investors out of Zimbabwe. Companies like Stewart and Lloyds, Biddulphs, Stuttafords to name a few have shifted base to South Africa. Some have closed shop completely.
The policy inconsistencies have also prevented Zimbabwe industries from competing for their fair share of business in the region.
When Zimbabwe Sugar Refineries was opening up export markets for sugar in the mid-2000s what did the government do? They banned exports and introduced price controls to boot. Where is ZSR today?
Yet the simple long term solution sugar shortages would have been increasing production by accelerating production in areas like Muzarabani which already had a nascent sugar industry. Now that too is no more.
The bottom line for Zimbabwe is that engagement with the West without a change in the irrational, haphazard, inconsistent and ignorantly implemented policy framework will not improve Zimbabwe's economy.
The bottom line for Zimbabwe is that engagement with the West without a change in the irrational, haphazard, inconsistent and ignorantly implemented policy framework will not improve Zimbabwe's economy.
Import ban probably in breach of trade agreements
At the height of the hullabaloo about the import ban, I pointed out that Zimbabwe was a member of SADC and COMESA, and it was unlikely the ban was within the trade agreements of those bodies.
It looks like South Africa thinks SADC protocols have been broken.
One key political development coming out of the ban is that Zimbabwe could see itself loosing the political support of the region that has been key to the survival of the Zanu-PF government.
Everyone in government including Mugabe himself has witnessed the amount of blame and flak that Mbeki has taken over his quiet diplomacy policy. As part of that policy Mbeki is said to have fended off a British idea to invade Zimbabwe (which again has been talked about).
Indeed at one point a SADC troika over Zimbabwe was setup. That Troika's stance was key to moderating international attitude towards Zimbabwe. If the troika had prevaricated or given the go ahead, mark my words the Zanu-PF government would have been deposed just like Gadhafi in no time at all. Believe me Western government have got the money and power to do it any time they wish.
It looks like South Africa thinks SADC protocols have been broken.
One key political development coming out of the ban is that Zimbabwe could see itself loosing the political support of the region that has been key to the survival of the Zanu-PF government.
Everyone in government including Mugabe himself has witnessed the amount of blame and flak that Mbeki has taken over his quiet diplomacy policy. As part of that policy Mbeki is said to have fended off a British idea to invade Zimbabwe (which again has been talked about).
Indeed at one point a SADC troika over Zimbabwe was setup. That Troika's stance was key to moderating international attitude towards Zimbabwe. If the troika had prevaricated or given the go ahead, mark my words the Zanu-PF government would have been deposed just like Gadhafi in no time at all. Believe me Western government have got the money and power to do it any time they wish.
The most resistance that Zanu-PF can give, is probably go back to the bush, but in this era of drones and night-vision such a guerilla war would be impossible. Not to mention that the support of ordinary rural people that was key in the 1970s would not be so forthcoming this time round.
If you call a pungwe today what do you say you are fighting for? Kuti takatadza kutonga saka tiri kuda kudzokera kunotadza kutonga futi? Kkkkkk.
It shows just how key regional support is for Zimbabwe. If the powers in Harare had any sense, they should be treating that support like a very rare egg.
If SADC leaders were fed up with the Zanu-PF government like say Ian Khama, I have no doubt Zanu-PF would have an extremely hard time holding onto power.
It is a sign of the pathetic ignorance, shortsightedness and greed that the Zimbabwe government seem to have embarked on a path to antagonise a key regional supporter and power with a poorly thought out, hasty import ban.
A ban which in its original form even defeated common sense and international standards by banning goods that travellers intend for personal use, something which is absolutely ridiculous.
If you call a pungwe today what do you say you are fighting for? Kuti takatadza kutonga saka tiri kuda kudzokera kunotadza kutonga futi? Kkkkkk.
It shows just how key regional support is for Zimbabwe. If the powers in Harare had any sense, they should be treating that support like a very rare egg.
If SADC leaders were fed up with the Zanu-PF government like say Ian Khama, I have no doubt Zanu-PF would have an extremely hard time holding onto power.
It is a sign of the pathetic ignorance, shortsightedness and greed that the Zimbabwe government seem to have embarked on a path to antagonise a key regional supporter and power with a poorly thought out, hasty import ban.
A ban which in its original form even defeated common sense and international standards by banning goods that travellers intend for personal use, something which is absolutely ridiculous.
Saturday 2 July 2016
The situation at Beitbridge: Totally avoidable
One things that is very clear is that the situation at Beitbridge has been caused by the very bad and unreasonable attitude of the Zimbabwe government or whoever is acting its behalf. It could have been avoided completely if the actors in the Zimbabwe government like minister Mike Bimha had been professional and reasonable.
The world over travellers are allowed to carry goods for personal use through borders. That is why borders have got a traveller section and a commercial section.
The simple reason for that is not to inconvenience travellers. Travellers do not need to know the details of statutory instruments, tariff codes, trade agreements and other legal jargon. That is why travellers are not required to make use of clearing agents.
Yet we have been having Zimbabwean officials threatening to impound busses because their passengers should not be carrying goods belonging to this or that tariff code. Really?!!
Despite all the noise about banning certain goods, there is nowhere I have seen a clear and concise list of the goods that are banned or allowed. Not a single newspaper advert listing the products banned, not a single website or even a flyer.
How then, are people expected to know what is banned and what is allowed? When they arrive at the border? Kana ndimiwo, is that reasonable?
I am not a lawyer, but I know that one of the fundamental tenets of law is 'the viewpoint of the reasonable person". Surely it cannot be reasonable to expect someone who wants to buy a few things off a supermarket shelf with the change from the bus-ticket at Park Station to know what is listed on a top secret list of banned goods at Beitbridge.
Moreover as I have always stressed, it is not Mai Chipo with her two cartons of cooking oil from Musina who is destroying the economy. It is people who consider themselves above and not subject to the laws that they themselves make.
Believe me even with this ban in place, a minister several truckloads of the very same goods that the minister decided to ban, will be allowed through the border without even being searched. I have travelled through Beitbridge so many times, and the issue of trucks of the bigwigs is well, well known. They are not searched.
They are not stopped at the umpteen roadblocks inside Zimbabwe as well. Any official who dares do their job properly and inspect such a truck, will get a single threatening phone-call, and they will never do it again. Otherwise they will be indirectly 'disciplined' for doing their job.
Those are the people killing the economy.
I also wonder whether the government officials involved ever properly do their work when come up with some these regulations. Otherwise they would know that Zimbabwe has signed various trade agreements that they need to adhere. You cannot just ban goods from your trade partners ignoring agreements that you have signed. Last time I checked, Zimbabwe was a member of at least SADC and COMESA.
This kind of bumbling happened at the time Zimbabwe introduced road tolling as well. Officials forgot that they were part of agreements by which they tolled trucks by selling route based coupons at the border. Now all foreign trucks do not pay at toll gates because they would have already paid for using that route at the border. Zimbabwe had to back track on that.
Now it looks like they have forgotten that they are part of SADC and COMESA. If they wish to withdraw from those agreements they are very free to do that. But they should do what the British are being asked to do over Brexit - send the proper notifications.
Once you are out the other party does not have to honour the agreement as well. Like the British are finding out, what was a win-win situation may become a lose-lose one. They lose, you lose too.
Given the state of Zimbabwe's economy it much more likely to suffer from not adhering to past agreements than the countries surrounding it.
Wednesday 29 June 2016
Brexit: Brinksmanship gone awry
Imagine you are by the cliff-side. Playing a game. In your game you rush at the cliff. At the very last minute you dig in your heels. Bringing yourself to a halt just in before you tumble over.
Then this one time pebbles called Nigel Farage and Boris Johnson get themselves under your heels. Before you know it, you are over the edge. That is what we call brinksmanship gone awry, or Brexit for short. That was the game david Cameron played.
And when he clutched at straws he grabbed Jeremy Corbyn's lapel! It remains to be seen whether the cloth will tear and leave Corbyn standing or if he is toppling over with Cameron.
Surely if Edward Heath is hearing what the Brits are going to get by getting out the EU he is spinning like a top in his grave. He worked so hard to get them in.
The question to be asked is exactly what is Britain going to get by leaving? The main pillars of Leave campaign were 1) stop contributing to EU budget 2) stop immigration especially from Eastern Europe 3) tell the EU to continue giving Britain access to the free market or simply trade under WTO rules.
As long as Britain wants to stay in the single market the Guardian quoted a European diplomat as stressing that "participating in the single market meant accepting EU rules, including the jurisdiction of the European court of justice, monitoring by the European commission and accepting the primacy of EU law over national law". That conditions include free movement of people so migration won't stop. It also means contributng to the EU budget.
To me that doesn't sound like leaving the EU. It sounds a lot like staying with less rights. If the British do drigger article 50, ultimately it would mean staying without the rights of a full member. If they don't, they have significantly weakened their negotiating power. They may even loose some of the concessions they had previously negotiated.
If you ask me Brexit is brinksmanship gone awry. The fact that nobody including the Leave campaigners had a plan on how to leave the EU suggests that even they didn't really want it. The first sign that Boris didn't want to handle the hot potato he personally cooked was when he wrote to David Cameron in the dead of night asking him not to leave.
In my view, British politicians, including Boris Johnson, are going to try and wriggle their way out of triggering article 50. So people, relax. Take your seats. Bring your pillows and take a nap. There is going to be no Brexit
Then this one time pebbles called Nigel Farage and Boris Johnson get themselves under your heels. Before you know it, you are over the edge. That is what we call brinksmanship gone awry, or Brexit for short. That was the game david Cameron played.
And when he clutched at straws he grabbed Jeremy Corbyn's lapel! It remains to be seen whether the cloth will tear and leave Corbyn standing or if he is toppling over with Cameron.
Surely if Edward Heath is hearing what the Brits are going to get by getting out the EU he is spinning like a top in his grave. He worked so hard to get them in.
The question to be asked is exactly what is Britain going to get by leaving? The main pillars of Leave campaign were 1) stop contributing to EU budget 2) stop immigration especially from Eastern Europe 3) tell the EU to continue giving Britain access to the free market or simply trade under WTO rules.
As long as Britain wants to stay in the single market the Guardian quoted a European diplomat as stressing that "participating in the single market meant accepting EU rules, including the jurisdiction of the European court of justice, monitoring by the European commission and accepting the primacy of EU law over national law". That conditions include free movement of people so migration won't stop. It also means contributng to the EU budget.
To me that doesn't sound like leaving the EU. It sounds a lot like staying with less rights. If the British do drigger article 50, ultimately it would mean staying without the rights of a full member. If they don't, they have significantly weakened their negotiating power. They may even loose some of the concessions they had previously negotiated.
If you ask me Brexit is brinksmanship gone awry. The fact that nobody including the Leave campaigners had a plan on how to leave the EU suggests that even they didn't really want it. The first sign that Boris didn't want to handle the hot potato he personally cooked was when he wrote to David Cameron in the dead of night asking him not to leave.
In my view, British politicians, including Boris Johnson, are going to try and wriggle their way out of triggering article 50. So people, relax. Take your seats. Bring your pillows and take a nap. There is going to be no Brexit
Monday 27 June 2016
The Government and Politicians Need to Spend Money Locally
Desperate for revenue, and desperate to revive the local economy, the Zimbabwe government has taken the ridiculous step of banning importation of basic items by travellers. They hope this will stimulate local buying.
It is not going to work. The simple reason being that the foreign buying that takes huge sums of money out of the economy, is not done by travellers on buses and cars.
Rather it is very high worth individuals and politicians who make the purchases and spending decisions that take huge sums of money out the country. The bottom line is these high worth individuals, including all levels of political leadership, are not economically patriotic. I would go as far as calling them economic traitors (vatengesi).
They are the ones who take their considerable spending power out of the country, starving the local economy of cash.
For example, recently five ZIMRA managers are said to have imported luxury cars worth US$120'000 each. On top of taking spending power out of the country they also smuggled the cars into the country denying government sorely needed revenue.
This week ZIMRA tried to 'stimulate' the local economy by banning wheel barrows. A wheelbarrow costs R350, or about $20 dollars. Even if ZIMRA were to stop the importation of six thousand wheelbarrows, that is about ten magonyet of wheelbarrows, the value will not match one of the single luxury cars imported by the managers.
Mind you we are talking about just five junior ZIMRA managers. What about senior management. What about other parastatals, government departments and the management of those.
Recently the ZBC was reported to have flouted tender regulations to buy imported cars worth 1.7million dollars. What difference does importing a wheelbarrow costing 20 dollars make when such a large amount has already been taken out of the country?
Even those high worth individuals who regularly globe-trot are doing considerable damage to the Zimbabweans economy. If you sleep in a hotel, it means that hotel can employ people like cleaners. If it were a Zimbabwean hotel, that would mean jobs for Zimbabweans. If it's a hotel in Singapore, it means jobs for Singaporeans.
I hope, therefore, people will understand my logic when I say banning individual travellers from importing items for personal use is meaningless. It is a useless measure in terms of reviving the local economy. As long as politicians and rich individuals who control large sums of money are not patriotic. As long as they continue to spend millions on luxury vehicles, other junkets and foreign holidays, they will continue to draw huge sums out of the economy.
Banning small traveller imports is like trying to get a fallen man to get up by taking a small stone out of their hand while leaving a huge boulder resting on their back.
Economy yeZimbabwe yakagarwa matunduru ne mashefu. Haisimuki.
It is not going to work. The simple reason being that the foreign buying that takes huge sums of money out of the economy, is not done by travellers on buses and cars.
Rather it is very high worth individuals and politicians who make the purchases and spending decisions that take huge sums of money out the country. The bottom line is these high worth individuals, including all levels of political leadership, are not economically patriotic. I would go as far as calling them economic traitors (vatengesi).
They are the ones who take their considerable spending power out of the country, starving the local economy of cash.
For example, recently five ZIMRA managers are said to have imported luxury cars worth US$120'000 each. On top of taking spending power out of the country they also smuggled the cars into the country denying government sorely needed revenue.
This week ZIMRA tried to 'stimulate' the local economy by banning wheel barrows. A wheelbarrow costs R350, or about $20 dollars. Even if ZIMRA were to stop the importation of six thousand wheelbarrows, that is about ten magonyet of wheelbarrows, the value will not match one of the single luxury cars imported by the managers.
Mind you we are talking about just five junior ZIMRA managers. What about senior management. What about other parastatals, government departments and the management of those.
Recently the ZBC was reported to have flouted tender regulations to buy imported cars worth 1.7million dollars. What difference does importing a wheelbarrow costing 20 dollars make when such a large amount has already been taken out of the country?
Even those high worth individuals who regularly globe-trot are doing considerable damage to the Zimbabweans economy. If you sleep in a hotel, it means that hotel can employ people like cleaners. If it were a Zimbabwean hotel, that would mean jobs for Zimbabweans. If it's a hotel in Singapore, it means jobs for Singaporeans.
I hope, therefore, people will understand my logic when I say banning individual travellers from importing items for personal use is meaningless. It is a useless measure in terms of reviving the local economy. As long as politicians and rich individuals who control large sums of money are not patriotic. As long as they continue to spend millions on luxury vehicles, other junkets and foreign holidays, they will continue to draw huge sums out of the economy.
Banning small traveller imports is like trying to get a fallen man to get up by taking a small stone out of their hand while leaving a huge boulder resting on their back.
Economy yeZimbabwe yakagarwa matunduru ne mashefu. Haisimuki.
Tuesday 24 May 2016
Zambia's maize output. Who is responsible?
Recently an article in the media claimed that Zambia was expecting a harvest of 3.3 million tonnes. The tonne of the article was as if this achievement was solely or mainly done by ex-Zimbabwean white farmers.
According to the Zambian ministry of agriculture about 350 new commercial farmers have settled in Zambia in the past decade. Of these about 150 are are Zimbabwean and about 200 are South African. Therefore if Zambia's success with maize was solely attributable to commercial farmers less than half are from Zimbabwe.
As to how much commercial farmers contribute to Zambia's maize output the WFP says only 10%, or only 330 thousand tonnes. According to the WFP small-holder black farmers are responsible for 90% of Zambia's maize output. It supports these farmers through its P4P (Purchase for Progress) programme that is partly funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. The P4P programme guarantees that small-holder farmers have a market for their produce.
Before Mugabe messed up agricultural marketing policies, small holder farmers were responsible for 70 to 80 percent of Zimbabwe's maize output.
The main reason for Zambia's success is that smallholder farmers are guaranteed an income from their produce through purchasing support of output.
In contrast Zimbabwe's government run Grain Marketing Board has been systematically failing to pay for deliveries on time. Some farmers have gone for years without being paid. The government itself has been wrongly focusing on funding inputs rather than output. The net effect of providing free inputs while failing to ensure output is paid for, is that people have resorted to simply selling the inputs to get at least some money.
Output support is nothing new. Most Western countries subsidize agriculture heavily. In February this year farmers in France (http://www.france24.com/en/20160215-france-angry-farmers-blockade-vannes-protest-falling-prices) protested low prices, demanding that the EU help France subsidise their output through a 'European Storage Plan'
In short Zambia's agricultural success is testimony of the benefits of getting more land into the hands of small holder farmers. It makes a very strong case for land reform rather than against it.
Zimbabwe's failure is not on land redistribution but interference in the market through price controls, restricted marketing options for farmers (you can only sell to state bodies which don't pay). Those crops that are not subject to excessive marketing restrictions are enjoying some success in production.
According to the Zambian ministry of agriculture about 350 new commercial farmers have settled in Zambia in the past decade. Of these about 150 are are Zimbabwean and about 200 are South African. Therefore if Zambia's success with maize was solely attributable to commercial farmers less than half are from Zimbabwe.
As to how much commercial farmers contribute to Zambia's maize output the WFP says only 10%, or only 330 thousand tonnes. According to the WFP small-holder black farmers are responsible for 90% of Zambia's maize output. It supports these farmers through its P4P (Purchase for Progress) programme that is partly funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. The P4P programme guarantees that small-holder farmers have a market for their produce.
Before Mugabe messed up agricultural marketing policies, small holder farmers were responsible for 70 to 80 percent of Zimbabwe's maize output.
The main reason for Zambia's success is that smallholder farmers are guaranteed an income from their produce through purchasing support of output.
In contrast Zimbabwe's government run Grain Marketing Board has been systematically failing to pay for deliveries on time. Some farmers have gone for years without being paid. The government itself has been wrongly focusing on funding inputs rather than output. The net effect of providing free inputs while failing to ensure output is paid for, is that people have resorted to simply selling the inputs to get at least some money.
Output support is nothing new. Most Western countries subsidize agriculture heavily. In February this year farmers in France (http://www.france24.com/en/20160215-france-angry-farmers-blockade-vannes-protest-falling-prices) protested low prices, demanding that the EU help France subsidise their output through a 'European Storage Plan'
In short Zambia's agricultural success is testimony of the benefits of getting more land into the hands of small holder farmers. It makes a very strong case for land reform rather than against it.
Zimbabwe's failure is not on land redistribution but interference in the market through price controls, restricted marketing options for farmers (you can only sell to state bodies which don't pay). Those crops that are not subject to excessive marketing restrictions are enjoying some success in production.
Thursday 24 March 2016
Diaspora money won't change anything as long as mismanagement remains
In 2002 I held a very well paying international job. I was paid a four figure amount in US dollars at a time when such salaries could only be imagined. In terms of ability I was a top performer in doing my job, one of the reasons why I had been quickly plucked from Harare to international postings for that organisation. The benefits included flights home twice a year for my family.
It was a good job, but I had one problem. I loved my country. I was an oasis of patriotism.
I therefore saved up as quickly as I could, so that I could invest back home. In 2003 I setup a business, invested in an existing family farm and moved back to Zimbabwe.
To this day I regret that move. When I moved to Zimbabwe the exchange rate was around 54 Zimbabwe dollars to 1 US dollar, a figure which seemed unbelievable then. I trusted that there was no way the government would allow things to get worse.
I converted a lot of money to Zimbabwe dollars, moving money from international accounts I held to Zimbabwe. What a stupid fool I was.
In between 2003 and 2008 when I left Zimbawe again, my money disappeared. Up to now I cannot explain to a non-Zimbabwean how my money disappeared. They simply can't comprehend what happened in Zimbabwe. How we ended up with ludicrous quadrillion dollar notes, that were worthless.
First three zeros were removed and then another nine were removed. Even after the removal of twelve zeros, we still had to print quadrillion dollar notes. That means the true figure of our currency's worthlessness, was probably nonillion or decillion.
In practical terms a figure of 1 million Zimbabwe dollars (worth about 19 thousand US dollars in 2002) would have been reduced to one millionth of a cent in 4 years after the removal off twelve zeros. And, of the new zero adjusted currency, you needed a quadrillion dollars to buy a single loaf of bread.
By the time I left Zimbabwe again in 2008, I left holding a paperbag with couple of trousers and shirts, wearing a jacket with torn elbows. From flying home whenever I wished, in less than five years I had been reduced to begging relatives for busfare just to make my way across the Limpopo.
The thousands of US dollars I had moved to Zimbabwe had simply disappeared from my Barclays Bank account as Gono juggled with zeros.
Fortunately I had had the sense to process a skills based worked permit around 2006. I was able to land a good job within a month and slowly start building my life again.
And then Obert Mpofu gets a brain wave and decides he wants to come and ask people like me for a billion American dollars. Kwaaaaaaaaaa! Seka zvako mwana wekwaPunungwe.
There is no way I, Jupiter Charles Punungwe, am going to invest money where politicians give themselves the right to take my money whenever they wish for their travels and luxury expenses.
If others want to, they can go invest. I do not touch hot fire twice. As they say in my Shona language, "Rega zvipore wakabva mukutsva". Loose translated it means "He who says let it cool, has been burnt before."
If Obert Mpofu needs to be reminded, they took our money from FCAs. Do I also need to remind him of the way they printed and 'burnt' the Zimdollar resulting in us loosing life savings and investments.
I had education policies with Old Mutual and First Mutual that would have taken care of my children's education till university. As I am writing this I am scrounging around trying to raise money to pay school fees next term.
The actions of the Zimbabwe government have resulted in people loosing trust in it. The people who squandered that trust are still very much ensconced in positions. Not a single one of them has been held to account. Occasionally a lot of noise is made about small fry, like Cuthbert Dube and Happison Muchechetere, but the big fish, the blue whales of corruption are left alone. Burping with distended stomachs full of loot.
Mr Obert Mpofu, listen very carefully. The main reason why people are not willing to put money in your government's jurisdiction is they don't trust you. Look what you have just done in Chiadzwa. Do you think that engenders trust?
Personally I was foolish once, I won't be foolish again. That is a promise.
We have a government which places taking foreign trips ahead of paying the salaries of civil servants. We have a government that re-directs much of the little tax they collect to Dubai and China. We have a government that tells ordinary people 'rambai makashinga' (persevere), yet they do not want to forgo their multi-car and foreign holidays luxury lifestyle. We have leadership that takes holidays abroad while hunger looms at home.
Whatever money is raised is simply going to be swallowed by the very same bottomless pit of corruption and entitlement that swallowed Zimbabwe's once good economy.
Mr Mpofu let me give you some very simple advice. The problem you have is not money. The problem you have is mismanagement of money. Giving you money is like looking after goats in a forest full of hyenas. Kusaira mbudzi musango rine mapere. Instead of a lot of fat goats people will simply end up with a lot of dead goats.
Secondly you must get rid of the notion that people in the diaspora have got lots of cash to spare. We don't. Most of us are struggling to make ends meet, especially given that we have to look after relatives who can't find work in Zimbabwe.
We are supporting multiple families, some of whom cannot support themselves because of the government's economic mismanagement. Why should we stop supporting our families and relatives in order to support the government. Why should we top-up the pockets of politicians wallowing in luxury, enjoying foreign holidays, million dollar parties and the like. They control government and they take whatever they want from government coffers.
After all their profligate and uncontrolled spending is the root cause of the economic situation.
It was a good job, but I had one problem. I loved my country. I was an oasis of patriotism.
I therefore saved up as quickly as I could, so that I could invest back home. In 2003 I setup a business, invested in an existing family farm and moved back to Zimbabwe.
To this day I regret that move. When I moved to Zimbabwe the exchange rate was around 54 Zimbabwe dollars to 1 US dollar, a figure which seemed unbelievable then. I trusted that there was no way the government would allow things to get worse.
I converted a lot of money to Zimbabwe dollars, moving money from international accounts I held to Zimbabwe. What a stupid fool I was.
In between 2003 and 2008 when I left Zimbawe again, my money disappeared. Up to now I cannot explain to a non-Zimbabwean how my money disappeared. They simply can't comprehend what happened in Zimbabwe. How we ended up with ludicrous quadrillion dollar notes, that were worthless.
First three zeros were removed and then another nine were removed. Even after the removal of twelve zeros, we still had to print quadrillion dollar notes. That means the true figure of our currency's worthlessness, was probably nonillion or decillion.
In practical terms a figure of 1 million Zimbabwe dollars (worth about 19 thousand US dollars in 2002) would have been reduced to one millionth of a cent in 4 years after the removal off twelve zeros. And, of the new zero adjusted currency, you needed a quadrillion dollars to buy a single loaf of bread.
By the time I left Zimbabwe again in 2008, I left holding a paperbag with couple of trousers and shirts, wearing a jacket with torn elbows. From flying home whenever I wished, in less than five years I had been reduced to begging relatives for busfare just to make my way across the Limpopo.
The thousands of US dollars I had moved to Zimbabwe had simply disappeared from my Barclays Bank account as Gono juggled with zeros.
Fortunately I had had the sense to process a skills based worked permit around 2006. I was able to land a good job within a month and slowly start building my life again.
And then Obert Mpofu gets a brain wave and decides he wants to come and ask people like me for a billion American dollars. Kwaaaaaaaaaa! Seka zvako mwana wekwaPunungwe.
There is no way I, Jupiter Charles Punungwe, am going to invest money where politicians give themselves the right to take my money whenever they wish for their travels and luxury expenses.
If others want to, they can go invest. I do not touch hot fire twice. As they say in my Shona language, "Rega zvipore wakabva mukutsva". Loose translated it means "He who says let it cool, has been burnt before."
If Obert Mpofu needs to be reminded, they took our money from FCAs. Do I also need to remind him of the way they printed and 'burnt' the Zimdollar resulting in us loosing life savings and investments.
I had education policies with Old Mutual and First Mutual that would have taken care of my children's education till university. As I am writing this I am scrounging around trying to raise money to pay school fees next term.
The actions of the Zimbabwe government have resulted in people loosing trust in it. The people who squandered that trust are still very much ensconced in positions. Not a single one of them has been held to account. Occasionally a lot of noise is made about small fry, like Cuthbert Dube and Happison Muchechetere, but the big fish, the blue whales of corruption are left alone. Burping with distended stomachs full of loot.
Mr Obert Mpofu, listen very carefully. The main reason why people are not willing to put money in your government's jurisdiction is they don't trust you. Look what you have just done in Chiadzwa. Do you think that engenders trust?
Personally I was foolish once, I won't be foolish again. That is a promise.
We have a government which places taking foreign trips ahead of paying the salaries of civil servants. We have a government that re-directs much of the little tax they collect to Dubai and China. We have a government that tells ordinary people 'rambai makashinga' (persevere), yet they do not want to forgo their multi-car and foreign holidays luxury lifestyle. We have leadership that takes holidays abroad while hunger looms at home.
Whatever money is raised is simply going to be swallowed by the very same bottomless pit of corruption and entitlement that swallowed Zimbabwe's once good economy.
Mr Mpofu let me give you some very simple advice. The problem you have is not money. The problem you have is mismanagement of money. Giving you money is like looking after goats in a forest full of hyenas. Kusaira mbudzi musango rine mapere. Instead of a lot of fat goats people will simply end up with a lot of dead goats.
Secondly you must get rid of the notion that people in the diaspora have got lots of cash to spare. We don't. Most of us are struggling to make ends meet, especially given that we have to look after relatives who can't find work in Zimbabwe.
We are supporting multiple families, some of whom cannot support themselves because of the government's economic mismanagement. Why should we stop supporting our families and relatives in order to support the government. Why should we top-up the pockets of politicians wallowing in luxury, enjoying foreign holidays, million dollar parties and the like. They control government and they take whatever they want from government coffers.
After all their profligate and uncontrolled spending is the root cause of the economic situation.
Thursday 17 March 2016
Zuma's relationship with the Guptas is a very bad case of mental colonisation.
Zuma's relationship with the Guptas is a very bad case of mental colonisation. Frankly speaking I do not see what Zuma's sees in the Guptas apart from a subconscious need to please and earn plaudits from some-one who is not a black African.
Zuma is conditioned to believe that he has to do things to please a non-African boss. All reports surrounding the Gupta saga talk about Zuma and ministers trotting to the Gupta residence is if to receive instructions. I have not heard it mentioned even once that the Guptas go to Zuma's office, home or even Nkandla. It is him who trots to them like a faithful servant always.
It is as if the Gupta Saxonwold compound is the headquarters of South Africa, not just another home in the country. Why Zuma, president of the entire country, has to be trotting there every now and then, like a faithful poodle, is beyond my comprehension.
It seems to not have dawned to him that he is the boss of the country. Zuma's family and friends seem not to understand that Zuma is the president of a democracy supposed to act through and with the elected representatives of the South African people.
Even Duduzane has no reason to be approaching ministers to discuss government business. South Africa is not a kingdom and he is not a prince. He should not be meddling in state affairs as if his father is a king.
Having him summoning ministers to meetings is like having Sasha and Malia summoning John Kerry and Ashton Carter to give them instructions on behalf of Obama.
I do not know if the ANC have been watching developments in Zimbabwe. They are a classic example of what happens when friends and family are allowed to usurp government functions.
After Grace Mugabe entered politics and started tussles with elected officials, it sowed serious divisions in the party itself. To be blunt, she destroyed Zanu-PF. The party will never ever be the same again.
The same could be said about the relationship involving the ANC, the Guptas and Duduzane. This past week serious accusations have been flying. Elected members of the ANC, government ministers on the one side and the Guptas, Gupta functionaries and Zuma's family (so far Duduzane) are on the other. But mark my words it won't be long before Edward joins the fray.
The monkey business that is on-going has seriously eroded the ANC's stature and gravitas in the eyes of the public. That is bound to translate to losses in votes at some point.
Zuma is conditioned to believe that he has to do things to please a non-African boss. All reports surrounding the Gupta saga talk about Zuma and ministers trotting to the Gupta residence is if to receive instructions. I have not heard it mentioned even once that the Guptas go to Zuma's office, home or even Nkandla. It is him who trots to them like a faithful servant always.
It is as if the Gupta Saxonwold compound is the headquarters of South Africa, not just another home in the country. Why Zuma, president of the entire country, has to be trotting there every now and then, like a faithful poodle, is beyond my comprehension.
It seems to not have dawned to him that he is the boss of the country. Zuma's family and friends seem not to understand that Zuma is the president of a democracy supposed to act through and with the elected representatives of the South African people.
Even Duduzane has no reason to be approaching ministers to discuss government business. South Africa is not a kingdom and he is not a prince. He should not be meddling in state affairs as if his father is a king.
Having him summoning ministers to meetings is like having Sasha and Malia summoning John Kerry and Ashton Carter to give them instructions on behalf of Obama.
I do not know if the ANC have been watching developments in Zimbabwe. They are a classic example of what happens when friends and family are allowed to usurp government functions.
After Grace Mugabe entered politics and started tussles with elected officials, it sowed serious divisions in the party itself. To be blunt, she destroyed Zanu-PF. The party will never ever be the same again.
The same could be said about the relationship involving the ANC, the Guptas and Duduzane. This past week serious accusations have been flying. Elected members of the ANC, government ministers on the one side and the Guptas, Gupta functionaries and Zuma's family (so far Duduzane) are on the other. But mark my words it won't be long before Edward joins the fray.
The monkey business that is on-going has seriously eroded the ANC's stature and gravitas in the eyes of the public. That is bound to translate to losses in votes at some point.
Sunday 13 March 2016
Stop it! Zimbabwe government should not grab schools' money
No sooner had I spoken about Zimbabwean roulette than the imbecilic and nincompoopish practice reared its ugly head.
In my blog post I mentioned that when the Zimbabwe government get desperate for cash that they will grab anyone's money or property. No sooner had I spoken than it happened. This time the desperadoes are targeting money invested by parents in the education of their children. According to The Herald the ministry of education was demanding that schools hand over money from parents to the national treasury. The money should not be kept in accounts administered by the schools themselves as is current practice, the government decreed.
Schools in Zimbabwe are allowed to be funded by parents through SDAs (Schools Development Associations). These are bodies funded by levies administered by a parent's association in conjunction with the teachers of the school. The money comes from parents of pupils currently enrolled at the school.
Remember FCAs
In the mid-2000s something similar happened. The government then decreed that all money earned by exporters should be kept in FCAs (foreign currency accounts). Due to the hyperinflation then rampant, people were keeping foreign currency as cash rather than banking it and having it converted to Zimdollars. The decree said people should bank their money as foreign currency and it would be kept as foreign currency.
One morning all holders FCAs woke up to find that their foreign currency had been emptied from accounts and been replaced by worthless and unusable Zimbabwe dollars. The government simply declared that it needed the money and took it.
To this day organisations and companies like the Miekles hotel group have not recovered their money. Some of them fought and won court battles but the government simply responded by passing laws that it cannot be sued or have its property attached.
Where does the money go?
Even a blind worm deep underground knows that once in the hands of the treasury Mugabe's wishes and insatiable hunger for cash take precedence over the original purpose of the money. Of course his number one wish is trotting the globe with a huge entourage of cling-ons.
This particular decree was made at the same time as a Mugabe trip to attend a 'cultural event' in India that even the prime minister of India did not bother to attend. Mugabe had to call off the trip and beat a hasty retreat from India.
I do wish the monumental wastage of money that took place organising the trip could also simply be called off.
What kind of mentality is it that leads a government to take money from schools in order to fund lavish lifestyles of politicians. What happened to conscience?
Sunday 6 March 2016
Zimbabwean Roulette
The Zimbabwe government has been chasing away investors, both foreign and local. Investing in Zimbabwe, has become a very dangerous gamble simply because of government actions unpredictability.
When stranded for cash, the Zanu-PF led government has not hesitated to act outside the law to effect quick grabs of cash and assets. They do not seem to care about the long term consequences of such abrupt and illegal actions.
That has made investing in Zimbabwe worse than playing Russian roulette using a six-gun with five loaded chambers!
If you put your money and assets in there, you never know when the Zimbabwe government will get so desperate for cash that they will make a grab for your assets.
Some people have called this policy unpredictability. These actions have nothing to do with policy but the notion rife among government officials that they must 'benefit' from the exercise of power. This boils down to grabbing any cash and assets they can.
Most of the time this simmers on as low-level misuse of government property. Actions such as using government workers, materials and machinery to build private buildings are common. Misuse of government fuel in private vehicles and farming operations is rampant.
Now this is frequently boiling over to the grabbing of private assets. This happens when government coffers run but there is a desperate need for cash.
Cases in point, among many, include the taking of money from FCAs (foreign currency accounts) during the heydays of inflation. Add to that during the price controls days big supermarket chains like Makro and Jaggers had their shelves emptied of goods, ostensibly for overpricing, only for the same goods to end up on the more exorbitant black market, pilfered by government officials.
The most recent case is the sudden grab of assets from diamond mines in Chiadzwa. The government told mining companies to leave immediately, leaving all assets such as bulldozers, excavators, trucks and other machinery behind. It seems the Zanu-PF government intend to take this machinery it does not own and continue to mine themselves. According to some accounts, officials were even demanding keys to safes and vaults.
To me that amounts to using government authority to steal the private assets of miners. Fine the land based claims belong to Zimbabwe but why not let the miners take their bulldozers and machines? Why force them to leave their assets unsecured?
I know some would want me to include land on the list of assets illegally grabbed by the government of Zimbabwe. However it is important to remember that a war was fought by the people of Zimbabwe whose main objective was to recover land stolen by the British and handed over to the queen's subjects on racial grounds. The current government by and large have misused that objective, but I would be lying to the world if I claimed the people of Zimbabwe do not care about their land.
Everyone also knows that it is difficult if not impossible to do big business in Zimbabwe without regularly 'donating' to Zanu-PF functions. That is why events like Mugabe's birthday always manage to raise hundreds of thousands dollars. It is basically a shakedown to make people pay protection money for them not to be harassed by the Zanu-PF controlled state organs. If you are thinking mafia you are on the right track. Rambai makashinga with what you are thinking.
Often the cash is grabbed for useless things such as funding Mugabe's never ending trips outside the country. In 2015 alone he set foot in foreign countries more than 52 times, an evarage of more than a trip a week. Where does he expect a non-functional economy to get the cash for all that extravagance.
Their rhetoric and actions suggest that Zanu-PF is not even considering trimming down government size and expenditure to a size that is manageable for the severely shrunken economy. The reason is simple. Nobody wants to loose the 'benefits' of skimming government money into private pockets.
Some like Amos Midzi reportedly committed suicide over the issue of loss of these corruption 'benefits'. He had been kicked out over the ferocious Mugabe succession fight that is ongoing in Zanu-PF.
People kicked out over succession fights are promptly replaced with other benefit grabbers, keeping the gravy train bursting at the seams. Consequently the overburdened revenue streams are not given room to breathe, meaning that the need to grab cash from other sources including private assets is likely to keep growing.
Fewer and fewer investors are willing to risk their capital in this environment. Those who do are usually looking for very quick returns, and are likely to use any means necessary including tax evasion and revenue concealment to maximise profits.
They are also unlikely to invest in long term infrastructure. For example not a single additional road was paved in Chiadzwa. Even the highway passing near the diamond area has not been maintained let alone upgraded. Yet airstrips to fly out diamonds were quickly constructed.
When stranded for cash, the Zanu-PF led government has not hesitated to act outside the law to effect quick grabs of cash and assets. They do not seem to care about the long term consequences of such abrupt and illegal actions.
That has made investing in Zimbabwe worse than playing Russian roulette using a six-gun with five loaded chambers!
If you put your money and assets in there, you never know when the Zimbabwe government will get so desperate for cash that they will make a grab for your assets.
Some people have called this policy unpredictability. These actions have nothing to do with policy but the notion rife among government officials that they must 'benefit' from the exercise of power. This boils down to grabbing any cash and assets they can.
Most of the time this simmers on as low-level misuse of government property. Actions such as using government workers, materials and machinery to build private buildings are common. Misuse of government fuel in private vehicles and farming operations is rampant.
Now this is frequently boiling over to the grabbing of private assets. This happens when government coffers run but there is a desperate need for cash.
Cases in point, among many, include the taking of money from FCAs (foreign currency accounts) during the heydays of inflation. Add to that during the price controls days big supermarket chains like Makro and Jaggers had their shelves emptied of goods, ostensibly for overpricing, only for the same goods to end up on the more exorbitant black market, pilfered by government officials.
The most recent case is the sudden grab of assets from diamond mines in Chiadzwa. The government told mining companies to leave immediately, leaving all assets such as bulldozers, excavators, trucks and other machinery behind. It seems the Zanu-PF government intend to take this machinery it does not own and continue to mine themselves. According to some accounts, officials were even demanding keys to safes and vaults.
To me that amounts to using government authority to steal the private assets of miners. Fine the land based claims belong to Zimbabwe but why not let the miners take their bulldozers and machines? Why force them to leave their assets unsecured?
I know some would want me to include land on the list of assets illegally grabbed by the government of Zimbabwe. However it is important to remember that a war was fought by the people of Zimbabwe whose main objective was to recover land stolen by the British and handed over to the queen's subjects on racial grounds. The current government by and large have misused that objective, but I would be lying to the world if I claimed the people of Zimbabwe do not care about their land.
Everyone also knows that it is difficult if not impossible to do big business in Zimbabwe without regularly 'donating' to Zanu-PF functions. That is why events like Mugabe's birthday always manage to raise hundreds of thousands dollars. It is basically a shakedown to make people pay protection money for them not to be harassed by the Zanu-PF controlled state organs. If you are thinking mafia you are on the right track. Rambai makashinga with what you are thinking.
Often the cash is grabbed for useless things such as funding Mugabe's never ending trips outside the country. In 2015 alone he set foot in foreign countries more than 52 times, an evarage of more than a trip a week. Where does he expect a non-functional economy to get the cash for all that extravagance.
Their rhetoric and actions suggest that Zanu-PF is not even considering trimming down government size and expenditure to a size that is manageable for the severely shrunken economy. The reason is simple. Nobody wants to loose the 'benefits' of skimming government money into private pockets.
Some like Amos Midzi reportedly committed suicide over the issue of loss of these corruption 'benefits'. He had been kicked out over the ferocious Mugabe succession fight that is ongoing in Zanu-PF.
People kicked out over succession fights are promptly replaced with other benefit grabbers, keeping the gravy train bursting at the seams. Consequently the overburdened revenue streams are not given room to breathe, meaning that the need to grab cash from other sources including private assets is likely to keep growing.
Fewer and fewer investors are willing to risk their capital in this environment. Those who do are usually looking for very quick returns, and are likely to use any means necessary including tax evasion and revenue concealment to maximise profits.
They are also unlikely to invest in long term infrastructure. For example not a single additional road was paved in Chiadzwa. Even the highway passing near the diamond area has not been maintained let alone upgraded. Yet airstrips to fly out diamonds were quickly constructed.
Sunday 14 February 2016
The politics of ineptitude
Seriously speaking how can one fight with Mugabe's wife for his affection and attention. That is a battle you would have lost before the sheets are changed on the bed for the previous night's sleep.
First Joice Mujuru and now Emerson Mnangagwa all seem to be waiting for Mugabe to rule against his wife in their favour.
On the other hand Grace herself is not busy begging her husband to be protected against party veterans. She is busy working the grass-roots. There is no month that goes by without her holding a rally.
When veterans were seriously threatening her G40 group just before the Politburo meeting of Wednesday 10 February she did not wait for her husband to decide. She did not run crying to daddy. She went to the grass-roots. She organised and bused grass-roots party supporters to the venue.
Meanwhile the Lacoste group, just like Joice had done before them, had been busy making noises about wanting Mugabe to make a firm call. For godsake's do they seriously expect Mugabe to make a firm call against his wife's political ambitions.
He may not be encouraging her, but it is foolish to expect him to block her outright. Come to think of it, what justification is there for him to block her?
The wages of butt-licking is being unceremoniously dumped. Mr Mnangagwa can you please quietly join Joice Mujuru in the queue to collect your wages.
I certainly do not think Grace has the skill, charisma and depth of knowledge required to successfully lead Zimbabwe, but she certainly is beating her rivals at the political game by far. She certainly seems to understand that the key to leadership of the country does not lie with her husband but with the people.
That is why she does not run to her husband, but is taking care to be visible to the people. She is holding rallies all over the place. In marketing principles visibility is a key step in building brand recognition.
Meanwhile her rivals are not visible to the people. Even after being unceremoniously kicked from Zanu-PF leadership Joice is yet to hold a single rally to promote her own visibility. Nothing stops her from doing that except her own ineptitude. Tsvangirai has been holding rallies hasn't he? Nobody stopped him.
The desire to lead Zimbabwe cannot be a secret ambition. It has to be a public ambition. Leadership is a public endeavour. If you want to lead Zimbabwe, every member of society has to publicly know where you stand. Do not give us the unnecessary homework of trying to guess what you plans are. Do not behave as if we have to come to your farm, house or even bedroom to find out what you think. Tell us what you think very straight and forward.
First Joice Mujuru and now Emerson Mnangagwa all seem to be waiting for Mugabe to rule against his wife in their favour.
On the other hand Grace herself is not busy begging her husband to be protected against party veterans. She is busy working the grass-roots. There is no month that goes by without her holding a rally.
When veterans were seriously threatening her G40 group just before the Politburo meeting of Wednesday 10 February she did not wait for her husband to decide. She did not run crying to daddy. She went to the grass-roots. She organised and bused grass-roots party supporters to the venue.
Meanwhile the Lacoste group, just like Joice had done before them, had been busy making noises about wanting Mugabe to make a firm call. For godsake's do they seriously expect Mugabe to make a firm call against his wife's political ambitions.
He may not be encouraging her, but it is foolish to expect him to block her outright. Come to think of it, what justification is there for him to block her?
The wages of butt-licking is being unceremoniously dumped. Mr Mnangagwa can you please quietly join Joice Mujuru in the queue to collect your wages.
I certainly do not think Grace has the skill, charisma and depth of knowledge required to successfully lead Zimbabwe, but she certainly is beating her rivals at the political game by far. She certainly seems to understand that the key to leadership of the country does not lie with her husband but with the people.
That is why she does not run to her husband, but is taking care to be visible to the people. She is holding rallies all over the place. In marketing principles visibility is a key step in building brand recognition.
Meanwhile her rivals are not visible to the people. Even after being unceremoniously kicked from Zanu-PF leadership Joice is yet to hold a single rally to promote her own visibility. Nothing stops her from doing that except her own ineptitude. Tsvangirai has been holding rallies hasn't he? Nobody stopped him.
The desire to lead Zimbabwe cannot be a secret ambition. It has to be a public ambition. Leadership is a public endeavour. If you want to lead Zimbabwe, every member of society has to publicly know where you stand. Do not give us the unnecessary homework of trying to guess what you plans are. Do not behave as if we have to come to your farm, house or even bedroom to find out what you think. Tell us what you think very straight and forward.
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