Happy birthday, Bob!

It better be a happy birthday. He's spending three trillion of our dollars on it

Yes, he's made it through another year. Zim 1, as our gallant security lads know him, is 84 on Thursday. He's holding his birthday bash on Saturday, down in Beitbridge, in Matabeleland South province, the gateway to South Africa. Hundreds are going, but so far my invitation must have got lost in the post.

The cost of the festivities is conservatively estimated at three trillion Zim dollars, but don't worry, our government won't be spending actual government money on it. Instead everything that is needed will be "donated".

Thus the Ministry of the Environment and Tourism will donate game meat. The Ministry of Energy and Power is getting the necessary fuel from the National Oil Company of Zimbabwe. The Agriculture Ministry is coming in with maize meal from the Grain Marketing Board. And yes, the National Distiller, Detla Beverages, has already trucked in three loads of beer. All donated, you understand. But wait a moment, where are the necessary thick juicy steaks coming from?

The answer is, from the farmers of Matabeleland. They expected to decimate their herds in the cause of celebrating the great leader's birthday. And I am sure they do so with willing hearts.

Who's going to be there? Well, the usual suspects - ministers, mob leaders, security chiefs, bureaucrats, time-servers... Many villagers are expected to walk miles, in order just to gaze at the mountains of food. And there too, of course, will be members of that strange organisation, the 21st February Movement.

This, for those who don't know, is a Soviet-style youth movement named after that Great Date of Zimbabwe History. Curiously, the 21st February Movement does nothing much for eleven months of the year, but bursts into activity this week. Ten child members from each province, all of whom were, or claim to have been, born on February 21, will be turning up on Saturday to present hour after hour of laudatory songs and poems. About what? Can't you guess?

One other group of guests should be mentioned. Because the celebrations are in distant Beitbridge, many Zanu-PF stalwarts are planning to travel on the Friday, and spend two nights there. They will need companionship and entertainment.

Therefore certain young ladies will also be travelling to Beitbridge, where, during those quiet evenings, they will no doubt provide witty conversation and agreeable company for their fellow guests.

Comments

[emily]

happy birthday Bob
but you should have done what Castro has done for his people
just step down

[Toby Smith]

I don't want to be flippant, but isn't it ironic that the country with the world's lowest life expectancy (37) should have a President whose age is more than double that figure? What a shame that his life, his presidency, and his total and utter contempt for his people just keeps going on and on.
Happy Birthday Bobby - may it be your last.

[Nelson]

The elections of 29 March 2008 have thrown the divided Zanu PF into
unbridled chaos and confusion, presenting hard-pressed Zimbabweans with our only chance to reclaim our lost dignity and to realize our vision of a new Zimbabwe and a new beginning.

Zanu PF is in total chaos. The regime's fat cats and party heavyweights have lost the primaries. In Manicaland, Masvingo, Harare and Mashonaland Central, the regime is in total chaos. Disgruntled party functionaries have filed nomination papers against candidates imposed by the Zanu PF's Presidium headed by Robert Mugabe.

Zanu PF heavyweights Samuel Mumbengegwi, Joseph Made, Shuvai Mahofa,
Dzikamai Mavhaire and Stan Mudenge, dismally lost in party primaries but
they have filed their papers after being imposed as party candidates,
confirming that the regime is in total disarray in its last hours.

The MDC has won uncontested in several wards throughout the country after Zanu PF failed to field candidates in those areas, including Mashonaland Central. So weak and confused is Zanu PF that it decided to field two candidates against President Tsvangirai. Zanu PF is represented by Robert Mugabe and Simba Makoni. Professor Mutambara, in his wisdom, has decided to buttress one of the Zanu PF camps against the MDC and President Tsvangirai.

This election is between Zanu PF and the MDC, Zanu PF with two Presidential candidates against the MDC's only candidate, President Tsvangirai.

The people of Zimbabwe need to be vigilant. Zanu PF is taking people for a ride by trying to export their internal confusion to the whole nation.
Zimbabweans have nothing to do with the dearth of internal party democracy within Zanu PF. That is a Zanu PF and not a national affair. Looking at the history of Zanu PF, anyone claiming to be loyal to it is simply claiming loyalty to the regime's values of graft, violence, murder, plunder and mismanagement.

Zimbabweans seek fundamental and genuine transformation, not cosmetic
reform. This election is not just about change of faces. It is more about change of content and substance, change of direction in the way we transact our politics. In short, it is about giving birth to a new culture and a new beginning to make a new Zimbabwe possible.

This election is about the track record in the struggle for food, jobs,
dignity and freedom.

Even though the electoral conditions are not perfect, Zimbabweans have a
perfect opportunity to exploit the confusion within the regime to make a
loud statement for a new Zimbabwe.

In our view, the schisms and fissures in Zanu PF are divine and God-given. All Zimbabweans take this as a rare opportunity to archive the regime and all its surrogates.

The MDC has a leadership that is alive to the people's aspirations. The MDC has a leadership for change, a leadership for jobs, a leadership for food and affordable health care and education and transport. Ours is a team to deliver the birth of a new Zimbabwe. In our President, House of Assembly, Senatorial and local government candidates, we have a team ready to govern as shall be evidenced by the launch of our manifesto and policy programme document on Saturday in Mutare.

*A New Zimbabwe, a New Beginning. Now is the time!!*

* *

*MDC Information and Publicity Department*

[Nelson]

PTUZ activists abducted*
* *
The Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions has been informed that a number of
activits from the Progressive Teachers Union (PTUZ), including general
secretary, Raymond Majogwe were abducted this morning by Zanu PF youths and
were reportedly taken to the party offices along fouth street were they are
being tortured. Reports we are getting is that some of them may have been
beaten seriously. All their telephones have been taken away from them.
The PTUZ, an affiliate of the ZCTU, was distributing flyers on the State of
the education system in Zimbabwe and were demanding that authorities act on
the collapse of the education system.

At the time of this writing, lawyers are trying to have access to them.

*MDC arrests*
**
In the past week:
1) Sandra Shikirivhaho (ward 7 councillor Bindura) was beaten by Zanu PF
thugs and resulted in her hospitalization.
2) Fanuel Nyandoro (District Chairman MDC Masvingo), Francis Ndlela (MDC
member) and Gilbert Sango (Youth Chairperson) all of Masvingo have been
arrested.
3) Davison Panganayi and Tenderayi Mapiye (MDC activists) have been arrested
and detained for distributing fliers.
4) In Marondera the son of Mr. Tenfera (MDC activist and Election agent for
aspiring candidate Iain Kay) was cornered outside a shop and bated by Zanu
PF youth. He eventually hit one, resulting in his arrest and detention. He
was accused of assault and stealing 100 million from on of the ZPF youths.

*Comment*

The usual pattern is emerging, and not surprisingly, as it has always been
the regimes modus operandi before any election. Arrests, detention, torture
and trumped up charges against all those opposing the corrupt regime. Also
denial of food and legal assistance for those arrested.
Reliable sources report that the CIO have been given explicit instructions
to "deal with" all activists (including unions, civic society etc) and the
Tsvangirai formation of the MDC, in the run up to the election.

"I will never leave you, I will never forsake you" Hebrews.

[McPaul]

To give Mugabe his due, at the ripe old age of 84years he has still managed to hang in there. Lets hope he continues his long life, it will eventually enable him to stand trial before the International Court in the Hague for the atrocities in Matabeleland. Maybe when Jacob Zuma becomes the next president of South Africa he will be the first one to put the boot in. No doubt he is not to happy about the slaughter of his Zulu cousins, the Ndebele.