SPECIAL REPORT: THE ZIM MAFIA

Most of us here in Zimbabwe live in, or on the verge of, bitter poverty. We strive to exist on worthless wages, and the little we do earn we can't spend because there's nothing in the shops. Each day is a crisis. We struggle to survive - and some of us don't succeed.

But there are exceptions. There are those who don't struggle. There are still some Zimbabweans who glide over our potholes in Mercedes comfort, who live in elegant homes tended by armies of servants, who feed themselves from well-stocked freezers, and who comfort themselves in times of stress by reciting the numbers of their Swiss bank accounts.

They are the Zim Mafia. They are members of a special clique - all of them politicians and officials from our ruling Zanu-PF party - who take advantage of their positions of power to rake in millions of US dollars.

Follow the money in Zimbabwe, and you find the guilty men. I've spent the last three months following the money. Here is my far-from-comprehensive run-down on the graft, corruption, double-dealing and sheer theft that is the mark of our rulers...

The Sweet Smell of Success

Ever wondered why there's so little sugar in our shops when we still make so much? Step forward Vice President Joyce Mujuru (left) and Minister of Policy Implementation Webster Shamu. Under their guidance, Scania truck-loads of sugar daily leave the premises of Starafricacorporation en route for Malawi. Some 150,000 tons of sugar exit Zimbabwe that way every week, passing through the Nyamapanda border post with Mozambique, on their way to Malawi.

My source at the border told me: "Those trucks are untouchable. We know not to stop them." So the trucks roll out and the money rolls in. And it ends in the pockets - or the handbags - of Joyce and Webster. A sweet little scam, safely operated by the very people who are supposed to look after our interests. Thank you, Ministers both.

Where have all the flowers gone?

The answer to that question is, Malaysia, thanks to the good offices of our old friend, Governor of the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe, Gideon Gono (right). Gideon doesn't like it to be known that he has a valuable farm in Mazowe, east of Harare, from where he quietly ships out flowers to Malaysia, earning an estimated US$3m a week - an incredible figure, but apparently accurate.

Of course, Gideon, as our top banker, is better known for his skill in money management, both on the official markets and the unofficial. He has been known to manipulate the bank rate to his own and other ministers’ advantage.

This week he issued three well-known foreign currency dealers with $Z20 trillion to buy foreign exchange on the black market, which will be used to purchase Nissan 4x4 vehicles for use by Zanu-PF, and only Zanu-PF, in the elections next year. Follow this trail, and it leads us to...

The man at the wheel

His name is Moses Chingwena, and he is the owner of a car dealership known as Croco Motors. Moses has close ties with Zanu-PF, and for some reason that won't escape any of us, he always wins the tenders to supply government vehicles. Moses is another with more than one string to his bow. His company is a major player in the illicit trade of Marange diamonds, currently being obtained from a mine seized illegally from African Consolidated Resources.

And before we move on from Moses we should mention his close associate Mirirai Chiremba, who makes up an unholy trio with Moses and Gideon Gono. Mirirai buys gold from illegal gold-panners, through a company called Carslone, formed by the RBZ for exactly that purpose. He also acts as a front for Gono's currency deals, and is the man who actually goes out onto the streets to distribute bags of cash to dealers.

Oranges and lemons

Last year our grandly named Deputy Minister of Information and Publicity, Bright Matonga (left), did something he'd rather not distribute any information or publicity about. He invaded an orange farm in Chegutu, 100 kilometres from Harare, called Chigwell, and owned by a white farmer called Beatie. Today those oranges are regularly exported by Bright to Zambia, along with tons of fertiliser - and then both products are imported back into Zimbabwe by the government. Bright takes a slice of the action in both directions of course.

He is also in an unholy partnership with another expansively named minister, the Deputy Minister of Youth Development and Employment Creation, Savior Kasukuwere. Savior owns several fuel stations in the name of his company Comoil, and together he and Bright sell fuel on the black market. And by the way, Savior has a younger brother...

Brothers in arms

...and that brother is Stan Kasukuwere, a member of Mugabe's secret police, who must be a favourite of RBZ governor Gideon Gono - we keep coming back to Gideon - because Gideon has just given him the contract to distribute 3,000 tractors and 5,000 ox-drawn ploughs throughout the country. I say "given" but one suspects a certain amount of money changed hands along with the contract. Stan is also in the black market fuel business, and another of his little wheezes is to buy cars from Singapore, and supply them to top government men, somehow escaping payment of any duty.

Cementing a friendship

Cement is probably the world's most boring commodity, but in Zimbabwe it can be as good as gold, and twice as valuable. Step forward please, Vice President Joseph Msika and former Army top man and politburo member Vitalis Svinavashe (right). Cement is now only available here on the black market, but Joseph and Vitalis top up their incomes by selling it, together with milk, to Botswana and Zambia. As a result they've earned so much that they have bought several houses in the best of our suburbs, and now control a large part of the property business.

But cement pays best, and they are currently major suppliers of cement for Operation Garikai, which is the re-building of homes for those dispossessed in Mugabe's brutal slum clearance scheme known as Operation Murambatsvina. Also big in that particular business is our old friend Joyce Mujuru, with whom, you will remember, we began.

Diamonds are for ever

While I mentioned above that Moses Chingwena dabbles in diamonds, the real big names in this highly dodgy trade are two more Zanu-PF politicians, the Minister of Interactive Affairs, Chen Chimutengwende (left), and the MP Christopher Chigumba. This charming pair are believed to have robbed Zimbabwe of millions of US dollars by trading illicitly in the Marange diamonds in Manicaland, in the eastern part of Zimbabwe.

The gold rush

Political rivals they may be, but when it comes to the subject of gold, they are brothers in arms. I'm talking about retired General Solomon Mujuru, husband of Joyce, see above, and presidential hopeful and political strongman Emmerson Mnangagwa (right).

Emmerson is said to possess more gold than Gideon's Reserve Bank. He controls the gold-rich Kwekwe area, while he shares the spoils with Solomon in Kadoma and other gold producing areas. Solomon Mujuru, who leads the only opposition to Mugabe within Zanu-PF, is also big in diamonds. He is a shareholder in River Ranch Mine, a Beitbridge diamond mine which he took at gunpoint from the owners, Adele and Mike Farquhars. The Farquhars are fighting back legally, but not getting very far. And no wonder - the Attorney General, Sobusa Gula-Ndebele, is a close relative of Mujuru.

And so it goes. What I've presented here is doubtless only a small part of the tangled web of corruption, chicanery and graft as practised by our leaders. I've probably only scratched the surface. If you can add to our knowledge of the Zim Mafia, we need to hear from you. One day, perhaps in the not-so-distant future, there will be a reckoning; a day when we confront Mugabe and his assorted crooks, and make them an offer they can't refuse.

Comments

[james]

what an expose.
so with all this infor in puplic domain why are they not un jail
should we suffering Zimbabweans join that filthy gang called Zanu PF for us to have suger for tea.
i knw why they are not at that notorious Chikurubi prison, its because these people are all Shona speaking. if a Ndebele chap makes decent money he or she is whisked to the courts, framed by the Shona people.
but one day we will get them, mark my words.

[james]

what an expose.
so with all this infor in puplic domain why are they not un jail
should we suffering Zimbabweans join that filthy gang called Zanu PF for us to have suger for tea.
i knw why they are not at that notorious Chikurubi prison, its because these people are all Shona speaking. if a Ndebele chap makes decent money he or she is whisked to the courts, framed by the Shona people.
but one day we will get them, mark my words.

[mukuru]

It is well documented that many of the trails lead to zanu pf leaders , what about all the others who have contributed to the "gangster" economy. Mugabe has successfully exploited many people and their thirst for greed and then used their illicit dealings as markers to exploit. Why pick only on the shona- why not look at the greedy whites who started the lust for power. Look at the Bredenkamps, Rautenbachs, De Sa, Davy camps and you will find the same tentacles.

[itso]

THis is what I call journalism. Thanks for this piece. It is wonderful work but this is not about tribe but about corrupt people

[natasha]

Whereto Zimbabwe??? What will happen in the future. I see potholes every road I walk, no electricity and no food yet some people are doing all this to the money we so badly need. What about allegations that David Parirenyatwa, the Minister of Health only provides ARVs to top guys??

[Jackson]

To say the least this expose had made me more angrie and ...nhata dzevanhu manhi !!!!

[Mabhunumuchapera Karikoga Chinembiri]

Its a blame game without a quick solution.Tiri mhata tese for running away from the problem.

[Alecia Raniba]

Don't. worry Zimbabwe...You are not alone -Jamaica has, under the PNP Government joined Mugabe in corruption.

Except that NOW we seem to have a Saviour in the form of the NEW Government - the Jamaica Labor Party (JLP)and its Leader Bruce Golding.

The Peoples National Party under Percival J Patterson has closely emulated the behaviors of President Mugabe..cronyism was the order of the day and Mugabe was invited to Jamaica quite recently to be guest of honor - but they are ousted, if even by a very small margin - if Zimbabweans have the courage and a lot of money to back them, they can get rid of Mugabe and his cohorts too........

[Anon]

James, it is not a question of ethnicity or language - these people are crooks. The Attorney General and his family are Ndebele, some of the others are Shona-speaking.. so what? These people are crooks, it is as simple as that.

[Watcher]

These parasitic creatures are criminals and should be in prison or simply done away with but unfortunitly it's difficult and sometimes impossible to extract justice, if history has taught us anything it is that the meek do not inherit the earth!

[sean]

Pigs- I'd love to see them swing, as I enjoyed watching Saddam drop--- one day, one day.

[Babulous]

There is a special place in Hell already reserved for those people, and being tormented in extreme heat and darkness for eternity is not something to look forward to.

[Mwana Womhlabathi]

A fairly good report. I realise you have since corrected the name of the Oranges man on the pictures to Bright Matonga not Chen which is good.

Second correction, which could have been a typing error on the part of the writer, the retired Army General's surname is Zvinavashe not Svinavashe.

Thanx!

[BULAWAYO]

These shona people are busy killing the country with their corruption, as kjames said , i wonder if most of them are educated or they are just given big position coz of their last names.
Shonas have ruined the country to be frank, they need to vote their father mugabe out

[baba vaKudzai]

HAndizvo chete nagtibatsiranei kuburitsa zvose pachena

[jilly]

This the best I have seen Moses doing. Its is so great yet so sad. May God help Zimbabwe

[Emmanuel]

Brothers of Zimbabwe, do not cry. It is also the same phenomena in Uganda.What is left is to turn back to God and pray.

[Dedan Mashonganyika]

I like the xpose on this blog. However I
am pissed that there are penis-headed ndebeles who think zanu pf means shonas. There are a lot of mother-fucking ndebeles who are politicians and are among those people who are killing us with there thieving. Shonas by virtue of being the majority in this country are the worst affected yet some grade seven tribalists want to think shonaa are the problem. Sometimes you sympathise when some asshole-faced hardcore shonas retaliate but the problem is, not all ndebeles share the view yemhata dzinongotaura that all shonas are zanu pf and therefore responsible for the problems at hand.Give us an xpose yemhata like Dabengwa and Chihuri.

[VaMazibisa]

Saka mati nyika inganakawo here?

[john]

Wonderful work. Lets keep burning and doing what is right

[masterblaster]

You got to take the bull by the horns. Folks have to form trusted alliances and take it bacvk. Lock, stock and barrel, take it back. Do it with numbers and put these guys (her too) up against the wall, ON CNN!!!
How do they sleep at night. What happened to the zulu pride. Where are the decendents of Shaka Zulu. How can pride stoop so low as to starve their own.
Wow. I am awed. I did not thing shit came piled so deep. Keep it up gang. Make us want to kill you and then we will.

We're watching you, shit-pile(s) !!! Don't try and see where we are. Try and see where we should not be and whether or not that's where we are and from where we will killyou..

[Peter Pan]

That guy Chen Chimutengwende looks so squiff-eyed. The power must have gone to his tiny brain

[Despot Observer]

A Brilliant Exposure / Report!
Keep it up.
You will never see a report like this the local Zimbabwe Media.
Reasons : -
Fear; anxiety; infiltration; bootlicking; comradeship; bribery and corruption; incompetence; kickbacks; denial; threats; solidarity; cowardice; beneficiaries of evil and looting; devoid of moral principles and courage; complicity; promoters of cover-ups and insanity.

[Despot Observer]

A Brilliant Exposure / Report!
Keep it up.
You will never see a report like this the local Zimbabwe Media.
Reasons : -
Fear; anxiety; infiltration; bootlicking; comradeship; bribery and corruption; incompetence; kickbacks; denial; threats; solidarity; cowardice; beneficiaries of evil and looting; devoid of moral principles and courage; complicity; promoters of cover-ups and insanity.

[Vic]

There is only one answer to Zim and that is with the Christians! Zimbabwe is full of Christians and yet the Christians allow such corrupt practices to reign in our land. People, we need to pray! But not only that... we must get invoved in the affairs of the country by voting for righteous men and women to lead us. It's a lie from hell that Christians must not get involved in politics! The devil smiles when evil continues to rule in our country. So, to you my fellow Christians, we are the majority, we are the light, let's get rid of this darkness once and for all!!!

[CLARENCE BUTLER]

Criminals???? would uou prefer WHITE CRIMINALS, WE BLACK PEOPLE HAVE BEEN SWINDLED BY WHITE CRIMINALS,since KEMET(EGYPT), and you see AUSTRAILIA, HOW HONEST and fair they are, and and how the black population have prospered, New Zealand,

I suppose you want so-called democracy, where Black Faced white puppets assist their European masters in the stealing of the Black Mans resources, and enrich Europe,and other white people.

In The U.S. WE CALL THE AUTHOR OF THIS PIECE A HOUSE NIGGER, SO ALL YOU PEOPLE SHOULD LIKE WHAT HE SAYS, HE IS SITTING BY THE DOOR WITH THE OTHER DOGS, WAITING FOR MASSA TO COME THRU DE DOR.

[CB]

OH VIC,
I HATE TO THROW ANOTHER EUROPEAN MYTH INTO THE DUST BIN, BUT NOBODY EVER,NO EVER WALKED THIS PLANET NAMED JESUS CHRIST, THAT IS ANOTHER EURO LIE.

AND IF YOU FOLLOWED THIS MYTH, YOU WOULD BE JEWS, BECAUSE HE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A JEW, HE WAS NOT A CHRISTIAN, ALSO THE LETTER "J", did not appear on this planet until the 15th century AD.

[Dave verster]

Zimbo's were warned by Ian Smith that Mugabe and cohorts were nothing other that Gangsters...Zimbabweans ,,yoyu deserve what you voted for..you ignorant......????

[tendai]

firstly this response goes to james who wrote on Wednesday, 19 December 2007 at 07:39
my brother being shona or ndebele is not sufficing causes for concern, the economic derail has been pointed out and all you can note is tribal grounds.let me cut it short grow up! when gukura hundi came you were not born and you cant be seen holding historical gradges

right facing the core of the issue "econonomic masarcer by wana be political machos of this world" may all these named species respect us and do the right thing for once we are tired

[Isaac]

MDC parliamentary caucus calls on the finance and budget committee to urgently convene a meeting and invite the governor to name these cash barons.

It is criminal that those who are in the employ of the state, charged with the duty to service the people, can be so cruel to inflict such intense suffering on the very people they were entrusted to service.

We specifically call upon the chairperson of the parliamentary finance and budget committee, Hon David Butau MP to immediately convene the committee and invite the governor.

Priscilla Misihairabwi-
Mushonga,
MDC Parliamentary
Spokesperson.

You see i quoted this from the edition on Dec 28 2007 Zw Independent, and now on the on the ground, the useful Zimbabwe Republic Police are in hot pursuit of the same above named Hon.David Butau MP, to 'question' him in connection with 'improper' dealings in cash. The Chief Spokes-person of the Police has even come out on the one and only state controlled television broadcaster to issue that warrant of arrest for the above MP. What a scheme! I'm sure until the coming elections or even after, the poor Hon. Butau may fail to convene any caucus of the Parliamentary Finance and Budget Committee, otherwise only God knows what could happen to the poor self-Saint Central Bank Governor Dr. Gideon Gono before he's granted the 'protection' to make his CONFESSION

Evil is Evil. Perpetrated by a white-man to a black-man or by a black-man to a 'HOUSE NIGGER',Shona to a Ndebele or however.
What a shame!

[Gordon]

For us in Zimbabwe, the suffering is now unbearable.We are now praying hard in this very big jail. God will one day receive our prayers.

[Steve]

It is disheartening to learn about such a level of betrayal from the very pple tht we entrust and look up to for guidance and leadership.If ths is true, i wont wish anyone any harm or hell but sobre thinking and wish they could simply be humble enough, honest and couragious to shun their ill dealings and get Zimbabwe back to where we want our great grand children to find it.Name calling is a waste of time and energy LET'S ALL HAVE ZIMBABWE AT HEART AND BE AS PATRIOTIC AS WE PREACH.
i love zim

[SICHELESILE]

To my Fellow Zims lam a ndebele person & will tell evryone this we are victims of political persecutions & abuse from the time of the whites to the present government we have been made to hate each other tribal for the benefit of those in power there is no reason why a shona person cant speak ndebele or v/verse we should be telling the world in Zim we hve such a number of ethnic dialects & be proud of them as andebele l shld tell the world we hve for example a shona dialect & strive to put it on top of the world map just as a shona person shld do with ndebele & not greet each other in the wrong dialect & the conversation ends before it begins Thats why the Zanu-pf cronies will rule forever & steal every last cent l propose we open a dialogue web site and vent our angers so we can understand each others rage whether misplased or true maybe that might unite us at the end then we can have a sense of direction as Zimbabweans and not sporadically attack each other undermining the important issues THERE IS NO ZIM TRIBE THATS MORE IMPORTANT THAT THE OTHER WE ARE EQUAL FROM THE MAJORITY TO THE MINORITY OR EVEN THE WHITE ZIMS THEREFORE WE SHOULD HAVE EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES IN ZIM

[famous sound]

I appreciate your work journalist, well bob and his illegal government should just hang like sadam. wE REALLY NEED, to form new unions to educate our fellow Zimbabweans, about this rotten egg, ag... that instead of voting Zanu out we stand up and remove it by the barrel, these guys claim they conquered by the barrel hence they rule by the barrel, lets unite as Zimbabweans, and remove this shit. Zanu cronies are not patriotic at all, they are dirty, Bob and Gono, are whores for real, how can they fail to account for 65 trillion, and when it disappeared where they asleep? I have no faith in this government to hold even a 1% free and fair election, what more to manage an economy, lets chuck them out before they kill ag... sorry i mean murder, oh no exterminate all of us, i mean our children, mothers, wives, daughters, sons and hei vazukuru. Cheers.

[fargo]

GONO must go he is a let down to the nation go Gono go Gono

[kuda]

justice shall prevail. saddam went, mobuto, idi amin, hitler, soon it'll be mugabe. ndebele or shona lets be strong. this too shall pass.

[Shadow]

Only God can help now, i pray for the power to chenge this nation for we Zimbabweans have become docile, the ordinary people are dying of Aids , Hunger,Stress ,etc and only the Big cats get access to arvs,cash and good education for their kids, Lord Gracious Hear us.

[Peter Maputi]

It shall be well.

[ken]

May God intervene and take to hell those who have no respect for the welfare of others

[Rosm]

Thank you to SICHELESILE for finally giving us something to work towards, but my fear is that it is too much to ask. Look around the world. Sadly, Zimbabwe's suffering is less than a pin prick in the world's combined cultural history and it is all fuelled by racism. There is nothing more limiting than self-importance, narrow-mindedness or self-righteousness. I believe that education is the answer: the more you understand, the less you fear, and the less you hate. There is no quick fix. Don't look for short-term solutions. Promote education for ALL. Violence breeds violence; hate breeds hate; education and tloerance breed education and tolerance. Let us not prey for ourselves but for the future of the earth.

[huddy]

you can say what ever you want about all the others but please leave our governor alone. he is our only hope. LONG LIVE GONO

[Tanznania]

Bull#$! This is not what his Execllency had in mind people when he empowerd his race. Gono is not a visionary, he is not thinking about the future however he is Intelligent but myopic. Cde Robert Gabriel Mugabe is working on higher things Not only is he considering social, politics, economics: culture makes up a language is his discourse to futher emancipate black people. Gono's class is richer than the country with all the povo on the outside while he misleads the people. U have witnessed the prostitutes he created in his policy for the country, Dorothy but how many are they now? Gono has iniquities to answer to. The farmers who benefited in the land policy are grateful they can make larger margins of profit through exports not building our own economy and feeding the people. The foreign benefits while the country is empty. Poverty and hunger. We can change the destiny of our country with what we have through collective reasioning and uniting as a Patriotic Front. Great Zimbabwe is our History The President reclaimed our symbolic bird from Germany: this action is to let us remember precolonial days and what monuments enshrined the economic state of that period. Its our legecy lets build pon it. Our foundation to build what will never fall.

[Ian Smith]

The british,with american help,and the communists who helped mugabe and hundreds of other stalinists finally got their wish in 1980. Now look at Zimbabwe,a giant Gulag filled with the dead and those about to die thanks to mugabe and all the blacks who empowered him to run his Empire of Terror. 20,000+ dead Ndebele cant be wrong along with many democratic Shona and the white farmers who just wanted to farm. Where are the white devils now that one needs them. The only solution is war! Death to mugabe and all his ilk!!!!!!!!

[NGNGEZWE MLALA]

Why a lot of Zimbabwe thieves are Shona? Is this tribe cased or what? or is a sickness in them?

[Harare Resident]

A famous man who who kept our economy the best in Africa despite a war once said: never in a thousand years will a black man "RUN THIS COUNTRY". So true are those words. As we have found out, if you have been is jail then it's quite easy to be head of state, but it's another story to have the brains to do the job properly Another zanu pf clown said "EVEN IF A BABOON RUNS FOR ELECTION AND HE IS zanu pf YOU MUST VOTE FOR HIM" well we did and look what happened!!!!!!!!!!!!!! May God strike these theives down before we all die by their greed.

[frank]

ka1

[jason pawuma]

Regrettably, some so-called Ndebele- affiliated have this idea that the Shona are corrupt or that they constitute a cohesive "tribal" group or category. No such category exists- in fact, it's in the tribalist's imagination that Shona people exist. If anything, Shona is a Bantu dialect, just as Ndebele/Zulu, etc. That should tell us something. Unless we grow up and relinguish the nonsense that is tribalism, there is no hope for us. Even more tragic, are threats towards the elimination of groups suspected as Shona. Such a move would be folly of the highest order, to say the least!

[Gilo]

Zimbabwe will become a Kenya soon after elections. The good of it is that not the Shona and the Ndebele will fight each other. All people will stand to fight Mugabe and his cronies.

[PROPHET G]

Anger and insults are not the answers.All the political leadership will never succeed without God's approval as is said in the book of Romans.Real prayers are now needed not only prayers.But only righteous people,it wont make any impact if politicians and sinners claim to have their prayers being answered by God.Isaiah 1vs 16.God asks for people to wash their blood hands first before they seek him.

above all we as blacks have been given the chance to own all the wealth,but it is up to the same people to acknowledge that God gave the Hebrews their land but most refused the offer and died along the because they kept on regretting why they were saved from Pharaoh's cruelty.It will come to pass.True Christians can stand up and challenge God.Remember Jacob fought the Angel.Lets all have the faith and the rightful mind to approach our county's challenges

[Jay]

To all that have commented. Whilst there are a lot of accusations towards race and colour, that is not what needs to be concerned about. Yes it is a problem, and yes it needs to be eradicated, however, I am young, I was born after independence, I know of a world in Zim at one stage where all people no matter what origin shared class space, break meals etc. We are going back to the racial hatred that was fought over. Can we not move on from there? What was done in the past is history.

As for Rich and corrupt people, Europeans and whites are also in the mix and should not be spared from the wrath of the law. However the people we look at and up to to run the country and help us poor people on the ground should be more responsible. You have made your millions, you can survive comfortably off that. Why not let the bulk of Zimbabweans now have a life!!!

[dhodhi]

Its not a tribal issue in Zimbabwe its an economic issue so lets open our minds and think straight on how to solve the situation

[John]

We need more special reports like this one. Its a gem.

[dhubwilishas]

what we need to do is vote them out my fellow zimbabwean leaving in poor conditons no electricity no water no money in the banks
yearday a top souce of the presidental guide and pernament secretary for president george charamba told me that mugabe has alredy won the elections in zimbabwe.

[CD]

To the Ndebele boys, here is history, when you moved into Zimbabwe, you stole cattle, stole women and took them into your tribe. Vengeance for that only hit you in the 80s. Since then you have sat on your asses waiting for Shonas to give you mana. Fuck that. In Zim, if you sit on your ass waiting for mana from the Shonas or from jesus, I can tell you it's not happening. Second thing is look around the world. Wherever there are several tribes, it is often the majority that will rule. Deal with it. All I ever hear from you guys is complaints about how we take your jobs. Fucking hell, we have the same access to education, but half the time all you want is booze by 10:00 a.m Grow up. We need unity here and you need to start working for your keep. Why can't rich Ndebeles fix Bulawayo? Because you are waiting for Harare? Sorry boyz, it's not going to happen. We are fixing Harare first and if you understand me, it's on-going.

As the post from the US clearly said, the writer of the article is totally blindfolded and writing the usual crap we see on CNN. I don't dispute that we are facing great difficulties, but let's say the truth. I am Zimbo and in Zims and I am working for my keep. If the situation is too fucked up for you, then fuck off to the diaspora. Certainly if you are riding barely 5 O Levels, then you are seeing fire. There are a million opportunities. Use them. And finally for every Zimbo out there complaining from outside, I want to tell you it don't work. You have to be part of the solution. I am back here paying taxes and setting up my businesses and one thing I can assure you is you are not going to come back and just slide into the system when things turn around. I will have blocked up my sector, because I am paying the reparations prices while you chill out there. This problem is ours together and we have to fix it, rather than go on about how evil so and so is. Each person you employ is one less on the street. In one phrase, our failure is our lack of unity!

Love Zims for life and will never quit on my country. If we don't fix it, nobody will!

[Dry]

I agree with you dhubwilishas Zimbabwe does not need cowards like you in diospora. Ndimi vatengesi imi come back and let build our Zimbabwe together. Remember if the situation get better you will never catch up with us. We are now tried and tested.Ndimi mukodzera inflation imi kana mauya once in a year (december)mochinja mari pa black market. Remember again that your Wife or husband here is now in a second or a third marriage and he or she is marrying using your money. Come back and serve your marriages you cowards.Ecomonic scavegers remember home is best.

Aluta continua::::

[mukoma Solo]

thanks CD for calling a spape a spade. These minority wants to act as if they are the ones rulling. they are always complaining, and to be honest the are the ones who are causing all these confusion in our country eg The MDC issue. I tell you if it wasnt these Ncube guys, MDC would be rulling now. I doubt if they ever understand the word "competition". we all went to the same schools, same colleges and why complain. Why you guys dont succeed is you are too stingy "makaomera". Loosen up you pockets. Most of the domestic violences happen in your provinces. Wake up, there is more blessing in giving than receiving.
Im in Zim and will always

[nduru]

Its funny when you think of it and reread the article there is no mention of Shona/Ndebele etc. Before you can take any action The enemy can divide and conquer simply on tribal issues and just by how distorted the post has become.

Maybe Byo/ Matebeleland should rejoin South Africa and redraw the border as it was before colonisation. Where will all these Shona's want to live?

So judging from CD and Mukoma Solo's comments its obviously ok to go without running water, sewage, garbage collection, electricity.

And to all you christians prayer without action is futile! You can see an army coming towards you with malicious intent and you pray for Gods deliverance? Really?. This is not the old testament. You should rather pray for courage and be ready to fight!!!! God will only come down for judgement day and wont be seen till we've all died once.

This article is about corruption and plundering so what are you going to do about it? Its not about white men because they steal a piece of the cake but still keep the ingredients coming in so that they can steal from the next cake. Its not about the Ndebele's as they have been always marginalised and thats not changing anytime soon.

Its personal and it seems to hinge a lot on the minister of everything, Mr. Gono since min. of land don't do tractors or supply them to farmers, council doesn't do water, Min.of Energy doesn't do fuel/Zesa etc. Its all run by the govnr now.

LONG LIVE SOVEREIGN ZIM

[charliechips]

The government is always peing us in the face coz they dont practice what they preach. Top read about the different corruptions that our beloved country is being immersed in, kit is very pathetic. They talk about economic turn around whilst they are sabotaging it.

These guyz they are very selfish and they really know how to eat the hound dog.

[SAM]

Peace Magents, no fighting SHONA and NDEBELES we have a common ENEMY in ZANU PF.let us vote and get rid of corruption.

ORBERT AND JOHN NKOMO ARE AT IT IN BYO .Buying everythin for themselves corruptly

[ADMIRE]

I AM VERY HAPPY WITH YOUR EXPOSEOF THOSE ZANU PF ELIES.I LIVE IN THE UNITED SATES AND I WAS HOME LAST YEAR AND IT WAS SO DEVASTATING AND EMBARSSING TO SEE THE COUNRTY THAT I LOVE IN SHAME AND ITS A DISTRESS THAT WE KNOW THE PEOPLE WHO MAKING THIS HAPPEN.I SAW THE WHIPS ,CRIBS AND THE LIFESTYLE THEY LIVE.I REALLY LIKE YOUR REPORT BUT NEXT TIME DO SOME MORE DIRTY ON MUGABE,CHIYANGWA,MUJURU MUSIKA AND CHIHURI.THANK YOU VERY MUCH.GOOD JOB

[si ten]

Amazing article, we know the officialdom of the Mugabe tyranical army hold the keys to the supply and demand situation in Zimbabwe, only it is the "loot and resupply" keys. History has been noted here, one day lets hope this record will be used against these dogs.

[ree]

MY FIRST COMMENT IS THAT THIS WHOLE ARTICLE IS SHALLOW AND BIASED. THE WRITER SHOULD HAVE INCLUDED THE FEW WHITES WHO KEEP CASH AT THEIR HOMES AND SELL FUEL ON THE BLACK MARKET. THEY ALSO SELL CARS IN US DOLLARS. They spend thier weekends at expansive restuarants at the SAM LEVY VILLAGE. FUNNY ENOUGH, YOU NEVER SEE WHITE FOLKS SUFFERING WITH THE BLACKS, SO WHO IS BEHIND THE SUFFERING OF ZIMBOZ AND THE ECONOMIC COLLAPSE? Then to JAMES who raised THE TRIBAL ISSUE[SHONA/NDEBELE], my father is SHONA whilst MOTHER is NDEBELE SO MY OPINION WILL BE THE BEST on this issue. Back in the 80s we used to also discuss these tribal issues and we realised that it all came from the way of thinking that we had that made the NDEBELES be what they are today. The Chronicle newspaper would always write stories of NDEBELES stealing cattle, bicycles, killing each other over issues of infidelity by their women and over small amounts of money, especially IMPONDO[$2]. Where as, the Herald newspaper would always have stories of SHONA people stealing BIG MONEY and cars. Its high time these small minded NDEBELES start THINKING BIG and also see the opportunities SHONAS see and also make big wealth instead of complaining all the time. Pator Matthew Ashimolow[SP] has also said people should stop discussing other people with money BUT should start discussing ways of making money.I also want to let NDURU understand that this situation that Zimbabwe is in has taught us to DEPEND on GOD OUR FATHER and not on MEN as taught in communism. Also if you read the BIBLE well you would understand that you should aim for LIFE and NOT DEATH.
CORRUPTION is also a way of veiwing or thinking. White business people give each other gifts, that is seen as having a spirit of gratitude BUT when black people do it, its corruption. White people have golf tournaments where they meet and agree BIG BUSINESS DEALS were NO proper tender procedures are followed in awarding of the jobs to be done, IS THIS NOT CORRUPTION? The BIBLE[in Genesis27] talks of Isaac requiring a gift[meal] from Esau before he could bless him. It also talks of the 3 wise men being able to go in and see Jesus because of the gifts they gave to Joseph. According to JEWISH CULTURE, the wise men would not have entered because they are from a different culture.
THINK BIG, your article has made me realise that I can make money through flowers, selling sugar to Malawians and cement to Zambians.
LET US ALL POSATIVE AND GOD FEARING PEOPLE VOTE FOR PRESIDENT R.G.MUGABE AND ZANU-PF. LONG LIVE ZIMBABWE, LONG LIVE PRESIDENT R.G.MUGABE.

[Dilly]

It saddens my hear to hear these stories. I believe that Zimbabwe WILL see better days again, but we must realize that we can't keep the poverty-mentatlity. Yes, thigs are utterly terrible, but how can we join as a community to make change. the people in power don't do anything worth-while, so it is up to us to truly work together and become individual bread-baskets. Zimbabwe's people can weave themselves together again! Power is in the hands of the people... Strength is an interesting thing. Perservance as well. Zimbabwe- you have endured, you have what it takes to rise up and be men and women of honor. Take a stand for what is right. words and actions of death don't have to break your spirit. May God bless Zimbabwe!

[moses]

Wow! It's just really hard to hear all these stories; i guess we should all stand together and pray to God for some change. We all know that this current government has no real interest for it's people. My suggestion is that 'we' as a people stand together: we are suffering; we are affected by the greediness of those in power. We are surely in slavery in our homeland... its us the Zimbabwean people that face the ruthless monsters of our day. We should stand up and fight for our freedom and protect our pride. Yeah we sleep on empty stomachs when they count their profits in their famous bank accounts. Thats really sad you know, but what can we do about that? I think we should bring back the true name we have known to be- The bread-basket of Africa. we can and should make a differnce. We are the courageous pple and the world knows it. We can make a difference. Our world cant possibly help us. We can with God bring back hope to our Zimbabwe- a land of peace for you and I.
Keep strong Zimbabwe.
A fellow Zimbabwean

[hudhu]

Guys I am in Zim, some of the comments you make really worry me. Have you heard of whites talking of tribes? What they simply did to Africans when they came was use divide and rule tactics. Mugabe learnt that it works and still uses that same tactic. Why don't we forget about tribes for once and stick to being Zimbabweans and vote whoever out of the system is not performing and replace them with people who deliver results. Look at Kenya right now people are suffering on the streets and Kibaki and Odinga have met at the parliament and were actually talking together in the house. It is us on the ground who suffer the most and turn against each other to make some people rich. I am sorry to say this but I would rather vote for a white person than my own keith and keen because I have learnt that if a white man wants to be corrupt he first makes sure the povo are happy and have enough food so that they wont question things too much. Look at us right now we are suffering not because of sunctions at all but because of bad decisions. Yes land reform was not a bad idea but it was done the wrong way. As the youth it is time to form our own party that can tackle Zanu PF out of the way. But for the time being whoever is coming into power needs to change things like running of the police and army those two should be separate from Zanu PF at all costs. Professionalism lacks in all African Governments. For goodness sake late tribalism out of the way and let us stand as Zimbabweans against the monster driving all the capable people out of the country.

[HappyDays]

Dance, laugh hard, enjoy the spoils of you ‘hard’ work. Enjoy your big dinner party’s puppet masters, in your aristocracy where you can brag about your affluence with the population bleeding to death at your expense. The answer is there is no way out of this turmoil, no divine intervention, nor can we entertain ourselves with the hope of a real remedy because your feudal stronghold is so tightly clamped it has even put out your own spark of life. You may wish to change your ways and justify your existence, and if not many of us will continue to bleed to death, but you will have your nightmares, guilt and I’m sure Satin is pacing the doors of hell waiting for you. Even though we humans all do wrong and make mistakes in our lives you know you are doing a blatant wrong by drinking from Satin’s cup. I may die in this bed we have made but you will eventually burn in it- so ride your wave and be aware a puppet show does not go on forever.

[Peter Macklyn Zimbabwe Resident]

Who is this prick Clarence Butler thinks God gave all the recources in Africa to the black man. the white man told them the recources were there and then bought them, hence Africa has roads, cars, electricity etc. This guy should get this racial problem off his back and get a life. Don't forget, the reason he is black and is in America is because a black man sold his relations to an Arab who sold them as slaves. Those of you there should be thankful you don't have to put up with all the genocides, murders, starvation etc that your freinds the black rulers have created. Just look and see how not to run a country remember "NEVER IN A THOUSAND YEARS" how true!!!!!!!!!

[roberto]

a day of reckoning cannot be too far off...when that day comes ...let each and every one of these criminals...be tried according to the laws of zimbabwe.... this includes all those who broke the law by stealing or occupying farms illegally...for the right to ownership of property is enshrined in the zimbabwe's constitution. The president swore to uphold that constitution when he was elected. The fact that Mugabe actually ordered people to illegally occupy farms means that he himself must be the first person brought to trial...Mugabe must be impeached in the first place...and in the second put on trial for being directly responsible for the deaths of well over 20 000 people. Pray God that Mugabe does not die before we get the chance to make him pay ( with his life) for the crimes that he has committed.

Ndabazonke

[eczoe]

What a story!People lets do away with tribalistic way of thinking,chakaipa chakaipa chete regardless of who did it.All these demarcations and discriminations are all in the mind brethren.If some unscrupulous people are symphoning our wealth at the expense of the majority they are doing wrong and i dont see how their tribal backgrounds can be used to qualify their selfish behaviour.Only the feeling of inferiority leads one to play the blame game along tribal lines.
Let us not think that way.Inga munhu munhu wani.tese tine 5 senses wani?Ngatisiyanei neNhongwa(the art of just finding fault for the sake of it).Ivo vari kuba ava should be dealt with severely.Some of us cannot even afford a loaf of bread,imagine!NehuShona hwedu tiri kungoonawo moto so please cut the crap.

[HappyDays]

I am a proponent of what you say Eczoe as we must not delude ourselves with general accusations of what people may think is stereotypical behavior of various tribes or races. Blaming the actions of ancestors is equally useless, the old world created a lot of problems we are now dealing with so we have to burn these bridges and the best way to do that is to change your internal conversation. Furthermore, it’s easy to point out the darker side of humanity especially when pointing the blame on another however it is just the disposition of the idividual who has become a victim of their own greed or juvenile mind set. These issues must be put to rest before everything comes crashing down and malignant intent is engendered. These people have a battle to hold all of their disjointed thoughts in their mind, within time he or she will become so affected by them it will ruin their internal conversation and wreck the personal lives of not just themselves. If we are to survive this we all need to let bygones by bygones moreover cultivate our primitive mindset otherwise the ship will continue to sink.

[mazenge sunduza]

they should all be hanged

[Jilo]

This article ranks to me as the best that you ever did moreso because I am in the government and I know for a fact that this is what is happening.
Its devastating that we let Mugabe do this. Sometimes I yearn for a Kenya situation to happen here. Blood should be spilled for the nation to heal itself...the ballot has shown that it cant bring us democracy. Cry my beloved Zimbabwe