Five Years On...

UDI - 11th November 1965

2009-11-11T14:00:00.003Z

Still in the UK, and life still goes on. Amazing ! I'm thinking of the wonderful life we all used to have in Rhodesia - and I'm also thinking of the wonderful life I have here, today. A life surrounded by family & friends. That's all any of us really want, isn't it ? (Of course, sunshine would help).

To those who are celebrating anything at all today - have a great day.

2008-06-26T17:57:00.002Z

Please disregard my last post. LOL ! I've scrapped the other blog I started. I just couldn't seem to get into it. So I guess I'll just have to start posting here again (where I should have been posting all along !) Back with something interesting, clever & witty soon. Yeah...right.

New Blog

2008-04-20T19:39:00.001Z

Ho...hum. I've started a new blog - Zimbo Abroad. If you're interested, click on the link.

Zimbabwe Elections

2008-04-05T09:12:00.008Z

Photo from http://news.monstersandcritics.com/africa/features/article_1397472.php/In_photos_Zimbabwe_Elections?page=4 - some great election photos - take a look.

I am, of course, following the results of the Zimbabwe elections with great interest. These results affect all Zimbabweans, whether we are are living there or not.

Rob, at The Bearded Man, is providing quite an extensive coverage.

Will Bob go quietly ? As usual, in time, we will see - Zimbabwe time.

Moving On

2007-12-07T20:02:00.000Z

When I heard of the death of Ian Smith, I felt that we had, indeed, come to the end of an era. Rhodesia is no more. Of course, I have known that for many years in my heart - after all, I had been living in Zimbabwe until the end of 2001. I saw the change, and the disintegration of our society and of all that we, as Rhodesians, held dear. But, with Smithy's death, it seems so final. I found myself thinking "that's it. The end. Kaput. We have no more ties."

These thoughts have been very upsetting to me over the last couple of weeks. And then, it seemed, the more I thought about it, the more liberating it became. It is the end...yes...finally. I can lay Rhodesia (and Zimbabwe) to rest and move on. You know that great song by Stevie Wonder ?

Like a long lonely stream

I keep running towards a dream

Moving on, moving on

Like a branch on a tree I keep reaching to be free,

Moving on, moving on.

There's a place in the sun

Where there's hope for everyone

Where my poor restless heart's, gotta run

There's a place in the sun

And before my life is done

Got to find me a place in the sun.

This song has never meant as much to me as it does at this moment. For the last 6 years, I have been living here in the UK. I am becoming very happy here. I should be completely settled here. But that is impossible when I have one foot here, and the other in Rhodesia. Straddling two continents can prove to be very uncomfortable ! It restricts movement entirely. One can either step back to the place where one started out, or lift the back foot and move forward to the future. Ian Smith's death is allowing me to do just that. Move forward. Just as he has been relieved of all the pain and anguish he suffered over our beautiful country, so have I. It is, finally, over.

I will not be updating this blog with any regularity in the future. To all my readers, and those who have been in contact with me since I first started my writing in 2000 (on my Zimbabwe - the Countdown Begins website), thanks for following along. I was offered great comfort, and encouragement as we went through some difficult times in Zim.

To all my fellow Rhodesians, God Bless you. I salute you. I hope you all join me in thanking God for the wonderful world we once knew.

It's time to move on.

Ian Douglas Smith 1919 - 2007

2007-11-21T18:28:00.000Z

Ian Smith passed away yesterday as a result of a stroke suffered at a nursing home in Cape Town.

Godspeed Smithy. Deepest sympathy to his family.

The Zimbabwe Situation

2007-11-01T18:16:00.000Z

I have just read this, and I am not at all surprised *sigh*. It's from Reuters.

Analysts say Mugabe, under international pressure to adopt democratic reforms or step down after 27 years in power, may use the law to handpick a loyalist as his successor and rule from the sidelines. The 83-year-old Zimbabwean leader, however, has said he will seek another term as president next year.

The constitutional changes stemmed from talks between the MDC and the government, which are being brokered by South African President Thabo Mbeki as part of a regional drive to resolve Zimbabwe's political and economic crisis. The compromise between the ruling ZANU-PF and the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) opposition cleared the way for parliament, currently controlled by Mugabe, to elect a new president should the incumbent fail to serve a full term. The 83-year-old Zimbabwean leader, however, has said he will seek another term as president next year.

The MDC has been pushing for an entirely new constitution that would guarantee basic freedoms and free elections.

Changes that watered down the bill included abolishing the president's power to appoint members to the lower house of parliament, which will have 210 members compared with the current 150, and a further expansion of the upper house to 93 members from 84, with five appointees.

© Reuters 2007

What are we doing tonight ?

2007-10-20T13:49:00.000Z

Any guesses ? The curry is bubbling away on the stove (no braai unfortunately - it's too cold). The house has been cleaned. The fridge is loaded with cold, cold drinks. From about 5pm we will await the arrival of the family. Nerves are shot !!!

Go, South Africa go.

TGIF

2007-10-19T09:28:00.000Z

Click on the logo to visit the New RBC.

Yes...TGIF - as Leslie Sullivan used to say on the RBC every Friday morning. It's been a rough week with sick grandkids (grandkids that I look after).

TGIF was my first thought as I got up this morning. Then I thought of Leslie - and you know how one thought leads to another - then I thought of Peanuts, his daughter, and wondered where and how she was. Then I thought of all the girls and guys (people I thought were really cool) who I used to hang out with - and then I thought about the "super cool" crowd. You know - the crowd we all longed to hang out with - and wondered where they are and what they're up to. And...it was funny to think that...like me...they are all pushing 60 (or are over 60), and probably all have wrinkles (like me) and grey hair under all that colour (like me).

How the time has gone. Youth has disappeared, and been replaced by "middle age" (there's no way I'm describing myself as "old"). But...with middle age...comes an incredible feeling of acceptance of self. We no longer have to strive to become one of the cool crowd, or act in a way that makes us attractive to others. We say what we like without worrying about what others think. I mean, who gives a monkey's anyway ? We can wear what we like, eat what we like - be whatever we want to be.

This is a really comfortable place to be. I like it !

Wondering in the Morning

2007-10-09T07:23:00.000Z

Some mornings, when it's grey, wet and miserable, and I'm out walking the dog on wet, grey pavements because there isn't enough room in the garden for him, and I look ahead and know that winter is on it's way, and it will be cold, wet and miserable...then I wonder what on earth I'm doing here, and how it got to this. Only some mornings...not every morning.

Today, though, is one of those mornings.

A Look Back over the Summer

2007-09-27T15:05:00.000Z

Never mind Five years On......it's almost 5 months on since I last posted.

(The photo above is our new puppy, a Jack Russell named....wait for it...Jack ! How's that for an original name. What's a Zimbo/Rhodie without a dog, hey ? We love him to pieces).

Summer is over, and we enjoyed as much of it as we could. It wasn't the best of the summers we've had since we've been here, but it certainly beats winter. I really suffer in the cold, and I never look forward to winter (a real wimp !)

We celebrated the birth of a new grandaughter in June. She is the cutest little thing, and we have enjoyed spending a lot of time with her. We also celebrated a wedding - our youngest son got married a few weeks ago - to a wonderful English rose, and we are so happy for them. He is really well settled here, and has no intention of leaving.

My other two children and their families are also very well settled and happy. They all think we did the right thing by leaving Zimbabwe and settling here. They have no regrets. And neither do I.

As the months, and then the years roll on, I seem to have distanced myself from Zimbabwe - not only physically...but emotionally too. It hasn't been intentional - it's just happened over time. It's just that...life goes on...and it goes on here. I can't live in the past (as I did the first couple of years here). I made myself quite miserable then, and it wasn't fair on my hubby and the family. He began to think he had done the wrong thing by bringing us here. But...no...he didn't do the wrong thing. It was the right thing, in all ways possible. I look forward to our future and retirement here.

2007-05-31T15:24:00.000Z

Mugabe, Mbeki & Tsvangirai were lost in the forest and were captured by Cannibals. The cannibal king told the prisoners that they could live if they passed a trial. The first step of the trial was to go to the forest and get ten pieces of the same kind of fruit.

So all three men went separate ways to gather fruits. Mbeki came back and said to the king, "I brought ten apples." The king then explained the trial to him. "You have to shove the fruits up your butt without any expression on your face or you will be eaten.'' The first apple went in.... but on the second one he winced out in pain, so he was killed.

Tsvangirai arrived and showed the king ten berries. When the king explained the trial to him, he thought to himself that this should be easy. 1...2...3...4...5...6...7...8... and on the ninth berry he burst out in laughter and was killed.

Mbeki & Tsvangirai met in heaven and Mbeki asked Tsvangirai, "Why did you laugh, you almost got away with it?" Tsvangirai replied, "I couldn't help it, I saw Mugabe coming with pineapples.

Without Honour promo

2007-05-10T07:59:00.001Z

This is Rob Ellis's Video Promo for his new book, Without Honour.

Without Honour

2007-05-08T15:08:00.000Z

I've added a link down on the right hand side (under Zimbabwe books) to Robb Ellis's (The Bearded Man) new book, Without Honour. It's well worth the read (and the price).

Rhodesian Story - The night Johnny went Missing

2007-05-03T12:16:00.000Z

I have published this story on another website a couple of years ago - but since it's mine I thought I'd reproduce it for you here. It's all true - I promise !

This little incident happened during the sixties.

My father, and a group of his drinking buddies, were on their way home from a bash at one of the hotels in Salisbury. There were 5 of them, in one old car, making their way along Widdicombe Road. It was an extremely hot night during October, and they were all complaining about the heat when one of them had a brilliant idea - Cranborne Swimming Pool was not too far away, and a swim would refresh them all. They thought it would sober them up a bit as well !

They made the detour to the pool, and switched off the car lights well before they got there. It was now about 2am. They parked quietly under the trees in the bush area across the road from the pool, and sneaked over to the six-foot wall surrounding it. They managed to help each other, by pushing and pulling, to get up and over the wall. It was a very dark night, but it wasn't long before they were all naked, and enjoying a quiet swim. They stayed in the pool for about half an hour, and then decided it was time to get dressed and sneak back over the wall. It was pitch dark - the sky was black with clouds, and it began to rain quite heavily. There was much quiet laughter as they were getting dressed. Suddenly, they noticed that Johnny wasn't out of the pool. They began to call to him, very quietly. There was no answer. At first they thought he was playing the fool, but after a few minutes, they were worried. Johnny had been REALLY well oiled, and they realised he could have drowned. They stripped off their clothes, dived in, and began swimming up and down, diving to the bottom and up again. After fifteen minutes of this, they began to panic, and were all completely sober.

They stood at the edge of the pool and stared down at the little pile of Johnny's clothing, and knew they needed help. There was nothing else for it - they had to go and fetch the Police. After telling their story at Cranborne Police Station, all hell broke loose. Someone drove off to get the Superintendent of the Pool to come and open up and get the lights on. The Sergeant on duty was livid, screaming and swearing at the, by this time, tearful men, who had lost their friend. Within ten minutes they were all back at the Pool, accompanied by a couple of policemen, the main lights were turned on, and the search began. It soon became clear that there was no sign of Johnny in the Pool. They searched the Baby Pool, and also the grounds, changing rooms etc. but Johnny was nowhere to be found !

The Pool was locked up again, and the group set off for Johnny's home, which wasn't very far away in Braeside. He was a bachelor, who worked for the Roads Department, and shared a house with a group of men. There they found Johnny, stark naked, sleeping in the large dog basket on the veranda. He was still very drunk. He had, in his drunken state, decided that he didn't want to swim after all, had climbed back over the wall and walked home (all completely naked). He couldn't get in the house - his keys were in his trouser pocket !

Of course they were all delighted that Johnny was safe and well, but the Police were not amused. The men got a fine, for entering the Pool - and Johnny was never allowed to forget it !

Sunny Day in Oxfordshire

2007-05-02T20:29:00.000Z

Today it was beautiful and warm - but so windy ! And the wind seemed to be coming from the north - cold...very cold in the shade. But...I made the most of it, and played in the garden all afternoon. My little English garden is coming along. Of course, it's not a patch on my Zim garden - yet !! I'm getting there. Gardening is so different here, and I have a lot to learn about the english plants. I keep thinking I'll just plant this or that, and then realise it's just too cold for them ! I'll have to do some reading. Some pics of what I've been up to.

The flowers and veg I've planted are doing well so far. But I'm watching temperatures all the time. If I see the night temps are going to plummet, I'll be out there with a blanket to keep the plants warm LOL ! Well....maybe not ! but I hope we don't get any cold nights. I think I may have been a bit premature in some of my planting.

I'm really enjoying getting my hands dirty - and I really look forward to the day we buy our own house here, and everything I do in the garden will be mine.

Combined Operations Headquarters regrets to announce.......

2007-05-01T20:00:00.000Z

I have been catching up on Zim/Rhodie blogs. Mark Taylor's (Just Visiting This Planet) post here really gave me food for thought. He mentions the fact that our boys (our troopies) who fought in the bush war were not offered any kind of counselling, therapy or support after the conflict was over, or in later years. Very sad but so very true. And, like Mark, I knew many ex-troopies whose lives were ruined by what they went through.

Over the years, I've often wondered if the women (wives/mothers etc.) could have done with counselling too. I'm sure we could have. We lived through years of stress, without having our husbands/fathers at home. As wives, we brought up children without fathers. We managed households and finances, and many of us held down jobs as well. None of that is easy to do under normal circumstances - but our circumstances were far from normal. We functioned and persevered - all the while waiting for that knock on the door -waiting to be told our loved ones had been killed or injured in the conflict.

I had that knock on the door. But thank the Lord, Baz was not dead. He was injured, and was casevacced to hospital. The vehicle he was driving hit a landmine as he was driving from Villa Salazar to fetch rations. The right front wheel (the wheel he was sitting over) detonated the landmine, and he bore the brunt of the explosion. The stress we went through (as a family) at that time was horrendous. I still go cold when I think of this incident.

How many other wives, mothers, sisters, daughters faced much worse than this ? Reading the Roll of Honour will give you an idea. Each one of those names on that list had a mother, a wife, a fiancee, a sister, a daughter. Most who lost loved ones were paid small sums of compensation - but counselling ? No. Never. None at all. We did what we had always done -we carried on and kept the grief and stress firmly locked inside. Not a good thing we now know - but there was no other option.

So...tonight....I am just sparing a thought for all the women left at home. The women then, and the women today - regardless of race, colour or creed. I'm thinking of their strength, their tenacity, their perseverance, and their compassion....and feeling very proud to be part of such a strong sisterhood.

Flickr

2007-04-29T19:54:00.001Z

I have been playing with Flickr.com all afternoon, and uploading some of my photos. I am even posting this blog in Flickr !!! I'll be uploading more photos as time goes on, but so far I've uploaded my last trip to Kariba and the Ume River in December 2001, and part of an Nyanga trip. Great fun !!

A Zim Dinner

2007-04-28T18:53:00.000Z

Would you like to come for dinner ? This is what we had this evening - steak, sadza and tomato/onion gravy.

We have this every couple of weeks - delicious !! We buy the mealie meal from a shop in Farmoor that sells a lot of African foodstuffs.

So we are sitting here...stuffed. Nothing like a plate of sadza to fill you up !

Do You Watch TV ?

2007-04-28T17:02:00.000Z

Me ?? Watch TV ?? No..not at the moment.

There is such great sports coverage that I don't get a look in ! And some people will sit and watch cricket and rugby all weekend !

I just thought I'd mention this in case you were wondering what I would like to watch !

Updated Links Lists & Categories

2007-04-28T10:35:00.000Z

I have updated my links lists on the right hand side. If any of you have any links of interest, or if you have a Rhodie/Zimbabwe blog/website, and would like me to add your link, please leave a comment and I'll get right to it ! I have also added a few personal links. I linked to my dear ol' Baz's website, and also to my own websites and my gardening blog. It's about time I actually got all these links in one place.

I am also putting all the posts in Categories, and have added a link to this on the side panel. This will take some time - Zimbabwe time in fact. And you know how long that is !!!

Spring has Sprung !!

2007-04-28T09:28:00.000Z

Spring is here in the UK, and I am really enjoying it. It's so great to feel the sun on your face, and discover it actually has some warmth in it !! That was one thing I really found strange during our first winter here. The sun would be shining brightly, but when you got outside, there was no heat whatsoever from it. It took me a while to get my head round that. Now...well I guess you can get used to anything.

The last few weeks have been very pleasant. I have been working away in our little hankie garden out the back. I was really missing gardening so much, that Baz and I decided to put some work into the garden so that I could plant a few things. We had not wanted to go to any serious expense for the last 2 years in this house. It's rented, and I just didn't feel we should spend good money improving someone else's property. But this year...we thought, what the heck !! and have been altering the back yard, and planting away (all with the owner's permission of course). So...I have been a busy, busy bee. There's nothing better than getting your hands dirty in garden soil, and looking forward to the fruits of your labour. Wonderful !!

Of course, in typical Zim fashion, I have planted a few veg in with the flowers - tomato, lettuce, green beans. What's a garden without a few veg !!

And also in typical Zim fashion - I'm growing an avo tree. I'll work out what to do with it later LOL !! If you would like to join me in growing an avo tree, I have posted a step-by-step in my gardening blog (with photos), on exactly how to do it. Don't forget to leave me a comment if you are going to join me, we can share progress.

Baz had his knee operated on last week, and is recovering well. He had the cruciate ligaments repaired - ouch ! But, being the determined barefoot boet that he is, he is exercising regularly, and ia already walking as though he never had the op ! He amazes me. They made 'em tough in Rhodesia.

It's time to look forward to summer - yahoo. During winter, we begin to think that we will never see it again. But it's approaching, and we'll be sure to take advantage of every warm minute. We've even started planning where we will go for a holiday !!

New Look

2007-04-26T16:04:00.000Z

Well...I've been fiddling about with the blog for the last hour. Time to give it some attention !! I may change the template again later (you know how women are, always moving furniture around). I'll be back later with a proper post. Off to fiddle a bit more.

Rumble in the Jungle

2007-03-26T21:09:00.000Z

I am always conscious of what's going on in Zimbabwe. My brother, sister-in-law & kids are there. My mother is there (until the British summer when she will come to me once again). I have many friends there. It is my homeland, and I keep myself up to date with all the news. I don't discuss it much here. As I mentioned before - I spent years discussing the situation until it made me quite ill. So I leave the commentary to those who are better qualified. But...I will say this....it seems that there is a rumble in the jungle. Bob has been getting a lot of bad press lately...and a lot of attention.

This article was very interesting. Mugabe - the Final Showdown Looms.

The Rhodesian Garden

2007-03-19T20:57:00.000Z

When I was a child, our garden was amazing. My father was a keen gardener, and though he couldn't do much with the very sandy soil with which we were blessed, there was always something going on in the garden. We lived close to the Makabusi River, and in the 1950's, this area was not very well developed.

In those early days, gardeners came and went on a regular basis. I remember Sixpence, Penny, Jackpot ! Phanuel, Brighton, and so many others. It seems they spent more time standing with the hosepipe in their hands than doing any actual work - and that was their downfall ! No matter how many times my father told the gardener to attach the hose to the sprinkler, it always ended up being attached to the end of the gardener's arm - and that would be the end of him. Then along would come the next one, and history repeated itself. On thinking back, I am quite sure we were dealing with really inexperienced folk who really didn't know what was expected of them in the garden.

For young kids, the garden was the place to be. It was a world where we could forget that grown-ups existed, and we created wonderlands under the trees, and in the shrubbery. Huge jacaranda trees lined the driveway, and these were the highest trees in the whole road. How we never fell from the top of one of them, and broke our necks, I will never know. We were like wild monkeys, barefoot, swinging from branch to branch, calling out in Tarzan yodels to the kids in the neighbourhood - who would quite often be lined up outside our fence, watching our antics. We would climb for hours in the branches, kings of the castle, "I'm the King of the Castle, and you're the dirty rascal", never fearing for our safety, always sure of our grip on the pale bark. Come September, when nature performed her magic, the bare branches would be clothed in a coat of purple, and if you stood under the trees, the mauve reflection made your skin look purple too - and the fallen blossoms would stick to the soles of your feet. Kids always wanted to come and play at our house - it seemed we had the best fun ! (I think we were the wildest lot!)

In the back garden, we had mulberry, guava, granadilla, paw-paw and so many other fruit trees - also a large veggie patch - my father's pride and joy. My mother often commented that she was sure it would be cheaper to buy the veggies from the municipal market than to grow them ourselves. I remember one particular comment about a cabbage, which she thought had cost twice what the local cabbages were selling for ! This didn't go down too well with the old man, of course. He would get in from work in the evenings and go and examine the veggie garden, to see what Sixpence or whoever, had been doing that day. He grew almost every veg you could think of, some very successfully, but he always ended up giving a lot of stuff away. My mother left him to it. She had her hands full with four lively kids and a home to run.

The mulberry trees were an essential part of any Rhodesian garden ! What was a garden without a mulberry tree ? It fed the silkworms in the spring, and fed the kids in late summer. We could never wait for the purple mulberries to ripen. I have had many a tummy ache from eating mulberries before their time. But, boy ! when they were finally ripe, we would gorge ourselves. We would be stained dark purple, from the soles of our feet to the top of our heads. We ruined our clothes, walked mulberries all over the house, and spent hours scrubbing the soles of our feet in the bath - trying to get rid of the stains. Yummy - how delicious they tasted. It was heaven when my mother made mulberry pies. The mulberry season was always far too short !

The sand in our driveway kept us occupied forever ! It was great for making roads for the dinkies, also for playing hop-scotch or any other game that needed a large, marked surface - or it was just fine to sit on, and run your fingers through, and make patterns and shapes. It got REALLY hot during the middle of the day - and often burned our feet. I don't recall us wearing shoes much - we must have worn them for school - but I know they came off as soon as we got home. The soles of our feet must have been like tough old leather ! I'm still more comfortable bare-foot, even today !

When I look around at the children here in the UK, I often feel sorry for them. Some of them have just a few square feet of lawn, or a paved area, for a garden. Of course, there are so many parks, most of them well maintained, and the kids make good use of them. But I really wish they could play in a large Rhodesian/Zimbabwean garden - just for a day !! It's an experience, I'm sure, they would never forget.

Holidays Past

2007-03-18T17:49:00.000Z

Baz and I have been talking about what to do for a holiday this year. It will probably be somewhere in the UK. There is so much that we haven't seen - some very beautiful places. This got us talking about holidays at home, and the fun we had when the kids were young. I was looking through photos and decided to scan a few and share them with you. They are all taken on our various holidays through the years. When our children were young, most of our holidays were local - all around Rhodesia - and we were never without a tent or a caravan. We all love caravanning and camping, and have so many wonderful memories of the places we visited. I think we have stayed in almost every caravan park in Zim, and many more in South Africa.

A favourite destination was Hot Springs. My older 2 kids learned to swim in the hot pool. In fact, they were both there within a few weeks of their births, enjoying the hot water. Hot Springs was also a favourite when we were teenagers in the 60's, but I won't tell you about the wild times - you wouldn't believe what we got up to (and I don't want my mother to find out !!) I took the photo below of the hot pool in about 1996. Gosh - we loved Hot Springs !!!

Another favourite was, of course, Tshipise. I think most Rhodies have been over the border to Tshipise, and spent many a happy holiday there. Our trips to SA always included a few days stopover on the way there and back. Wow - it was hot there !! Sometimes it was too hot to walk barefoot near the pools !! During the war years, these trips were so special. As soon as we crossed the border, we would dash into the shops at Messina and stand there like hillbillies with our mouths hanging open. It was such a treat to buy all the luxuries we couldn't get in Rhodesia. I always bought toilet paper to take back. Can you believe that ? Haha. Remember ours ??? Wish - the Luxury You Can Afford ! It was like cardboard !

We have wonderful memories of our holidays in South Africa too. One of our favourite places is the Eastern Transvaal. We would make the long trip towing our caravan, and often stayed at Merry Pebbles in Sabie. That whole region is so breathtakingly beautiful. I'd love to visit there again. We loved the Wild Coast, and spent happy times there (also with a caravan, or sometimes a tent - no electricity). Here's grandson Jason at the Wild Coast, not far from Lusikisiki - (he's nearly 15 now and won't appreciate this photo !)

In later years, as the children got older, houseboats on Kariba were a firm favourite, and really made us appreciate our beautiful homeland.

I'll add more holiday memories when I scan more photos.

Shame on Me !!

2007-02-27T12:52:00.000Z

I have really neglected this blog lately, haven't I ? Yes...shame on me ! I always seem to find winter a very difficult time. I think I go into hibernation ! I guess the blood still runs very thin in my veins. I just want to curl up with a blanket as soon as the cold weather comes...and only appear again when the buds are starting to open in spring. Really though, it's been a mild winter, one of the best we've had. So I shouldn't complain. We did have a couple of days of good snow - 2 weeks ago. And we thoroughly enjoyed it !! Here's a photo of Baz and our youngest grandaughter. We set out for a morning walk in the stuff !! Crazy huh ?

On the home front - all is well....but we have to move again. Actually, we don't have to move, but we want to. Our lease is up here at the end of May. Yes...we're still renting. It's impossible to buy a house at moment, although we'd love to. Houses are very expensive in this area, and it's hard to raise the deposit. As much as I try to kid myself that we don't mind renting, we really do. We just feel as though we are throwing good money away every month !! Not much we can do about it though. So, I will nervously put our notice in at the end of March (we have to give 2 month's notice), and then hope and pray that we find something for the first of June or we will be out in the street. Living on the edge ?? LOL !!

We have actually been in this little house almost 2 years. Gosh...where does the time go ? This house is small, really small - and we have been suffocating here. It's not as though it's just Baz & I. If it were, this house would be enough. But, as you know, my mother is here with us for more than 6 months of the year. Grandchildren are here every day. I look after them till their parents fetch them. Baz works from home - he has one of the bedrooms as an office. So...it's almost always a full house. Storage is a major problem. If we didn't have the garage, we'd be in big trouble !! We are still in the Rhodie/Zim frame of mind where you never, ever throw anything away (even if it's broken) because you can (a) always fix it, (b) are bound to need it later or (c) pass it on to someone else who needs it !! We really need to change this attitude, and throw the blasted stuff out !!! But it's hard when you have had a lifetime of saving stuff because you couldn't replace it. When I think back to the stuff we saved in Zim (particularly during the UDI years)...incredible !! Every old nail or screw was carefully removed from anything we were tearing down to be used again another day. Frugal is a word that springs to mind !!

Our children are all well, thank goodness. And we are expecting another British grandchild at the end of May !! Can't wait - an event to really look forward to. They are all wonderfully settled here, and seem to be very happy. Our youngest son and fiancee have just bought a house. They are over the moon, and we're very proud of them. It's in Bristol, where he has been for over 4 years. They moved in 2 weeks ago, and we went to visit them last weekend. It's a lovely little house - perfect for a first home. They are getting married in September - another thing to look forward to !

Baz's business is still going strong. He works very, very hard at promoting it - and often gets discouraged, but somehow he manages to pick himself up and carry on. I am not working, so help him in the office, and look after home and grandchildren - barefoot in the kitchen - I know my place (yeah right !) Actually, I am always barefoot - old habits die hard.

Spring is on the way - the temps are slowly rising, and it won't be long before the buds are opening, and new leaves are uncurling on the bare trees. I love this time of year in England. It's a promise of the wonderful things to come. Of course, summer is my favourite time. I need heat to survive !!! Actually...I have to pinch myself at times. I just can't believe that we are still here...in the UK. I really thought we would be heading back to Zim when we got fed up with it !! But no...we are getting quite settled. Time really does heal.

Scatterlings of Africa

2006-10-06T12:57:00.000Z

I thoroughly enjoyed watching this, and if you're a Johhny Clegg fan, you will too ! Its the earliest video of this song - brilliant !

Harare Blog

2006-10-06T10:52:00.000Z

Take a minute to visit Ethan Zuckerman's Musings on Africa at his blog, My Heart's in Accra . I've linked to a very interesting post about Harare, and he also has a photo album of shots around Harare, taken last month. Interesting reading, and lovely Jacaranda's in the photos.

Silkworm Season

2006-09-18T12:15:00.000Z

The mulberry tree at the back of the garden had many uses. One of them was feeding my silkworms - year after year.

I don't quite remember when we got the first lot of worms - creamy, clingy little creatures, that munched their way through hundreds of leaves a day. We kept them in a battered, old shoebox, with holes pierced in the lid for ventilation, and watched in wonder as they grew larger and larger at an alarming rate. Every morning, we would lift the worms off the crackling, dry leaves, play with them for a while, and then put them back in their box, on a bed of fresh leaves. They would begin to eat immediately...crunch...crunch...crunch. We compared their sizes, learned to recognise individuals, and looked forward in anticipation to the day when they would begin to SPIN ! There was great excitement when it happened - "They've started spinning!" was the shout, and we would all gather to gaze in awe at the first spinner among the lot. He was usually tucked up into a corner of the box, quietly encasing himself - with a golden thread of silk, while the others carried on happily munching away, unaware of what was about to happen to them too. Finally, one by one, they would all slink off to attach themselves to the sides of the box, or to the underside of leaves, and they too would spin themselves into their tight yellow cocoons. I was always glad when this had finally happened. When you're seven, its no joke gathering mulberry leaves day after day. It starts off as a good thing, but it becomes tiresome eventually.

We tried to collect silk by finding a thread on the cocoon, and winding it onto cardboard - but we never did do anything with the silk. The first time we did it, we were left with a dry, brown pupa - and one of our friends told us it should be kept in flour, until it turned into a moth. So we filled an old saucer with my mothers self-raising flour, and gently laid the little pupa in it, hoping that we hadn't hurt it. And then we waited, for what seemed like ages for the cocoons to open. When they finally did, it seemed as though the box was full of plump, white moths - all flapping their wings madly, trying to attract other moths. They mated unashamedly - it was something to giggle over, but eventually we became quite blasé about the whole thing. With so many animals around, sex was no secret in the African sunshine. We all knew what "doing it" was all about !

The moths began to lay their eggs, all over the box, even on the lid (we had removed most traces of the dried leaves) - small pinpricks of white, hundreds - no, thousands of them. By this time, I remember we were all losing interest in the silkworm season. It always felt as though it had gone on too long - when in fact it had only been a couple of weeks ! Finally, one by one, they died, and were picked up, examined and thrown in the waste paper basket. The lid was placed tightly on the shoebox, and it was put away, thankfully, in the top of a cupboard - for another year - until the next silkworm season.

Back to normal transmission !!

2006-09-13T21:31:00.000Z

Well...that was a really bad dose of bronchitis. I'm still not 100%, but I feel a lot better than I did. I've been browsing other Rhodie/Zim blogs while I was ill, but didn't manage to work up the energy to post anything here. Sorry - if you're a regular reader.

I thought I would give you a few good Rhodie/Zim blogs to read until I get up to full steam. I read these regularly.

The Zimbabwean Pundit

The Bearded Man

I broke my Mop

Peta Thornycroft

Just Visiting this Planet

Laid Low

2006-09-01T19:26:00.000Z

I finally dragged myself off to the Doctor this morning, and I have bronchitis. So - antibiotics, and more rest, and I should be up and about in a few days.

Till then...........

Technorati Tags Zimbabwe Rhodesia Bronchitis

Coughing, Spluttering, and School Memories

2006-08-26T18:25:00.000Z

I have coughed and spluttered my way through the last week. A summer cold ? Whatever it is, I am sick of it, and wish it would go away. Until I get up the energy to think of something interesting to write about, I'll copy in a piece I wrote a few years ago.

School Memories

My first day at school was a nerve-racking affair. The school year started in January, and I had been awaiting the day with much trepidation. My school uniform consisted of a short cotton dress (made with the school material and following the school pattern), bloomers (they were huge), made from the same material, white ankle socks, shiny brown shoes and a HAT. It was a floppy cloth hat. How I hated it ! We had hats, which we were supposed to wear when we were outside, but I had always managed to discard mine as soon as I left the house. There I was, with the dreaded hat kept firmly in place by a piece of elastic that stretched under my chin. It hurt - I complained bitterly that it was too tight, but my mother ignored me.

I was 5 years old, and up to that time, I had kept myself amused. The thought of being away from home for the whole morning was awful. It was also frightening. What if my someone forgot to come and get me ? (I could have walked home, the school was only five minutes from the house and I always played in the bush nearby).

The school consisted of three long blocks of classrooms, one of which was for the infants (us!) A hall was being built, and was actually finished while I was in my second year. We (infants) didn't have a separate playground, but we weren't supposed to go near the bigger kids. School started at 20 to 8, and finished at 12 for the first year kids. We had a half hour break mid morning, when we would eat the sandwich we had brought. Mine usually had jam on, or sometimes a meat spread - but never anything fancy.

I remember lining up with all the others in my new class, and marching into the classroom. We had already been shown where to hang our hats (on the pegs in the corridor), and our little suitcases went under a long bench along the corridor wall. Some of my new classmates cried, and Billy XXXXXX (name has been disguised to protect his reputation!) wet his shorts. This happened after his mother had left, so he had to stay in the shorts all morning - but the damp patch was dry by break time. A few weeks later, we were playing kiss-catch, and Billy caught me. I wouldn't let him kiss me - I just kept remembering the wet shorts and it put me off. Years later, he was my boyfriend for a while. I never mentioned the episode to him, but I've never forgotten it.

My first teacher was wonderful. She was everything a teacher should be, and she kept us entertained with the most wonderful stories. It didn't take long and I really began to enjoy being at school. I always hated my hat, and I couldn't wait to get my shoes off when I got home, but on the whole, school became a really great place to be. I made great friends, some of whom have lasted till now - amazingly.

Our school day was very structured - there were set times for everything, and we all stuck strictly to the school timetable. We had assembly one day a week, when we would all march to a flat, sandy place in the shade, (until the hall was built) and would stand while the headmistress read out any notices and made announcements. We would sing a hymn before marching off to the classroom once again. Discipline was very strict, and quite a few of the boys often had their backsides caned. It didn't seem to do them any harm - and I really don't think it left any lasting damage (contrary to popular belief).

By the time I was in the second year of KG, we had to attend afternoon activities. These were usually ball and hoop games, or we learned the rudiments of rounders and played a form of tennis. We did not have to attend, but by the time we got to Junior School, afternoon activities were compulsory.

KG was a great place to be, in Southern Rhodesia, in the 50's. Right from the word go we were taught to respect our elders, respect each other, and respect other people's property. It was the start of a lifetime of training that taught boys to become Gentlemen, and girls to become Ladies. The valuable lessons learned during those early school years stayed with most of us - the value of honesty and fair-play, the importance of good manners, the consequences that result from our actions. All of these things, and more, were considered essential in the lifestyle of that time. I am very glad I was there, then, to learn these lessons.

Technorati Tags Zimbabwe Rhodesia School Kindergarten

Rhodesia is alive and well.....

2006-08-18T16:47:00.000Z

.......in the hearts of all Rhodesians. Of course, it is not there in reality. The Rhodesia we knew is long gone. (Even the Zimbabwe I knew is long gone!) It will never come back - and no matter what we do, we can't bring it back. I know there are many people out there who pine for Rhodesia - and their old way of life. I did. But there comes a time when you have to say goodbye. Not to memories, of course. They can keep you going. But it is time to say goodbye to Rhodesia. You can no longer live there and you never will again.

Unless of course........

.............you move over here, and settle just off the A57, not far from Shireoaks, and Worksop, in Nottinghamshire. There you will find the village of Rhodesia.

According to this little website Rhodesia is a small ex mining village near to Worksop in Nottinghamshire. The Village consists of just over Three Hundred houses, One Pub, Two Shops, a School, a Chapel and a Village Hall. Part of the Village is bordered by the newly restored Chesterfield Canal and is also adjacent to the A57. It was built in 1920 near to the established tiny settlement of Haggonfields to provide housing for workers from the nearby Shireoaks and Steetley Pits. The Village was named Rhodesia after the long time Chairman of the Colliery Company, Mr G. Preston Rhodes.

Brian Quarrington is the webmaster of the site (no, I don't know him at all). There are some lovely photos of the village, and a bit of interesting history.

So....Rhodesia is alive and well, and in Nottinghamshire.

I'm going up North in 2 weeks time, for the weekend, and Baz has agreed to take a detour throught the village. I'll have my camera with me. Now...if I'd known all of this before we came to the UK, I could have gone straight from Zimbabwe and settled in Rhodesia !

Technorati Tags Zimbabwe Rhodesia Nottinghamshire

Scottish/Rhodesia Connections

2006-08-18T15:28:00.000Z

Sections of the Abbey at Kilwinning

Read all about Kilwinning Abbey

During our holiday, I was constantly reminded of the Scottish/Rhodesia connection everywhere we went. Of course, the connection to David Livingstone and Robert Moffatt is obvious - but there were so many other reminders - particularly in the names of places and streets.

I rode on my bicycle to High School along Kilwinning Rd, Hatfield in Salisbury (not far away was Glamis Rd) - and there I was riding in the car on the original Kilwinning Rd, entering the town of Kilwinning, 40-odd years later. Other names I recognised and knew so well kept appearing as we travelled along, and all sparked wonderful memories of another time, another era, another life. The Rhodesias, (Northern & Southern), and Nyasaland, have many ties with Scotland. Our heritage is filled with Scottish surnames and traditions - many, many of our Pioneers came from Scotland.

A few suburb names that spring to mind are Montrose, Strathaven, Ballantine Park, Tynwald, Mount Pleasant, Burnside, & Glengarry (I'll add more as I think of them). Surnames are just too many to mention.

We are indebted to Scotland for so much - a mere thank you doesn't seem enough, does it ?

Technorati Tags Zimbabwe Rhodesia Scotland Kilwinning

The Death of Johannesburg

2006-08-17T09:36:00.000Z

Life is slowly getting back to normal. Slowly because I am taking my time, and pretending I'm still on holiday !!!! I have a lot of photos to upload, which I will get to in the next day or two, and tell you a bit more about our trip.

Today I want to mention a blog I discovered last night while browsing blogs (as you do). It really shocked me, and will shock any of you who know Johannesburg. It's worth a look. This blog is fairly new, and already has such a high volume of traffic. Read the comments too.

The Death of Johannesburg

Technorati Tags Zimbabwe Johannesburg South Africa

Roamin' in the gloamin'.......

2006-08-13T15:02:00.000Z

....on the bonny banks o' Clyde,

Roamin' in the gloamin'

Wi' ma lassie by ma side.

When the sun has gone to rest,

That's the time that we love best,

Oh it's lovely, roamin' in the gloamin'.

What a wonderful time we've had !!! I do love Scotland. I could have spent another couple of weeks there.

We explored Ayrshire, Arran, Dumfries and Galloway (including the banks of the Clyde). What beautiful places we discovered. We meandered along country and coast roads, stopped where we wanted, explored castles, ruins and tiny villages, ate plenty of delicious food, met so many wonderful people. Did I mention I love Scotland ?

More thoughts and photos later. We're home - it wasn't long enough - and I have a mountain of washing to do !

Technorati Tags Zimbabwe Scotland Clyde Ayrshire

Holiday Time !

2006-08-02T18:53:00.000Z

Off to Scotland tomorrow - a day earlier than planned. We just can't wait. We will be leaving after lunch. I may have internet access - maybe not. It might be a good thing to have a complete break from the internet anyway. You all know how addictive it can become !

I am looking forward to peace and quiet - and not having to do anything I don't want to do. Selfish hey ? Yes indeed. I am going to be completely selfish for the next couple of weeks. I'm almost packed. Essential supplies include:-

a few good books (some of them I've read before)
art supplies - for sketching and maybe some painting
cameras
strong boots (good hiking boots)
a warm jacket (Scotland ?)
laptop (just in case) - if not, I can use it to download photos
knitting
caramelised onion chutney (3 jars from our local farmshop-I'm addicted to it)

Later !

Ignoring the Zimbabwe Situation

2006-08-01T18:18:00.000Z

I got an email earlier, from a Zimbabwean friend - who now lives in the US. She commented that she has been reading my blog, and is amazed that I am rabbiting on (as she put it) and reminiscing, and seem to be "ignoring what's happening in Zimbabwe".

Hmmm....no.....I am not ignoring what's happening in Zimbabwe. I keep myself well-informed every single day by scouring news sites, reading all the blogs on Zim, written by those within Zim and elsewhere. I am also in regular communication with my family still in Zim. In fact, I consider myself very well aware of the Zimbabwe Situation. I am often reduced to tears.

What does she want me to do ?

Rant and rave ? I did that for years, and it never got me anywhere. And there are a lot of fine people doing just that at the moment.
Return to Zimbabwe so I am part of the situation ? Been there...done that...got the medals. I will be helping no-one, least of all myself should I return home.
Create a website about the Zim Situation ? Been there...and done that too. At present my hitcounter on my old website stands at 88346 - so I think I have informed quite a few people in my time.
Send emails and write letters to MP's, Leaders etc ? Been there, and I'm still doing it.
Pray for Zimbabwe ? I do that regularly.

Can anyone think of anything else I should do ?

So...no...I am not sitting here in the UK with my head buried in the sand. This little blog is my way of keeping Zimbabwe alive in the hearts and minds of the readers. Others are reporting the terrible goings-on, and they are reporting in a far better way than I ever could or did. Many are lobbying for change. Let them do their job, and I'll do mine. At the moment, that's all I can do.

Technorati Tags Zimbabwe

Southern Rhodesia - Childhood Years

2006-08-01T12:08:00.000Z

Southern Rhodesia, in the early years of my childhood, was an amazing place to be. Salisbury, at that time, provided my family with a good living, and a wonderful lifestyle.

My earliest memories are of banana trees in the garden; butterflies on pretty flowers; the smiling, black face of Anna - and her sturdy arms; insects, fascinating creatures, to be captured and kept in jars; hot sun, burning the skin on the back of my hands; colours, so bright and vibrant; laughter, there was a lot of it; sounds of night insects; doves cooing in the late evening as they roosted in the trees outside my bedroom window; a rooster crowing, somewhere in a back garden; wall spiders, pressed flat on the walls above the bed - we were never afraid of them; chameleons, changing colours on my hand. These are early impressions, deeply etched in my mind. They lie forgotten most of the time, and then something triggers a memory, and I am transported back to childhood...to sounds and smells that bring comfort.

My days were filled with sunshine, and playing in the garden. I climbed jacaranda trees, right to the top, and sang "I'm the King of the castle, and you're the dirty rascal" at the top of my lungs to anyone passing by. I made roads in the hot sand, and ran my brother's dinky cars along them. I caught camel worms and made them fight with other camel worms. I ran barefoot through the bush, ignoring the warnings that a leopard had been sighted near the river. I played with the children from the compound - ate sweet potatoes cooked by their mothers on an open fire.

The nights were dark, with a music of their own - a haunting melody of insects singing harmonies with owls, and drums. The drums would beat for hours at a time, often way into the night, with a steady rhythm that lulled me to sleep - a comforting sound; reassuring.

There was no television then, and evenings were family time. We - the children - were all bathed and in our pyjamas early in the evening, and we would wait - often impatiently - for dinner to be ready. It was always a huge meal - with loads of vegetables (from the garden), and sometimes, dessert. It was a happy time of day. My parents liked to encourage us to talk about our day, about what we had done. Of course, we couldn't tell them everything ! We couldn't tell them that we'd been down to the Makabusi River and that we'd been swimming naked - again (this was between the ages of 5 and 12 - we were invincible). We couldn't tell them that we had been collecting snakes from the bush near the Maka, and had made a snake pit where we kept them all (also near the Maka). We couldn't tell them of the fires we'd made in the bush, to roast the vegetables we had stolen from the lands on the nearby farm.

An old wireless sat in pride of place on the sideboard. It was turned on every night just before seven. It crackled and whirred. After dinner, the family gathered each evening to hear the news - news from faraway places - always interesting to the grown-ups - but never to me. I had too much to do, too many games to play, pictures to colour, dolls to dress, and eventually books to read. The adult world was far removed from mine.

Weekends were the best time ever. There was always somewhere to go - Mermaids Pool, Mazoe, Lake MacIllwaine - and we usually took meat to braai, with bowls of salads, tins of beans, rolls and fruit. We swam and fished in rivers and dams. People came to tea in those days - usually on Saturday afternoons. Church on Sunday was usually followed by the traditional roast, with all the trimmings. I still don't know why we had such a hot, filling meal - in the middle of the day - in the hot African sun. Visitors often came for Sunday lunch.

I was safe, in a safe world, a magical world; a world of warm days and cool nights, where everything seemed just right.

Technorati Tags Zimbabwe Rhodesia Childhood Makabusi

Zim Wildlife & Mufushwa

2006-07-31T17:49:00.000Z

The weather has cooled at last ! I just can't believe that I am preferring the cooler weather. Never thought I'd see the day !! We had a really good weekend - surrounded by family. Had a great braai (BBQ) on Sunday, which was enjoyed with a few typical Zim dishes - sadza, mufushwa & also some of the sauces my mother brought from Zim. We had a good time reminiscing - and laughing a lot. Laughter is very good for the soul.

We were talking particularly of all the places that my youngest son & his fiancee (and her family) will be visiting during October. They are going to Harare, Bulawayo, Binga (on the houseboat), Vic Falls, Hwange - and anything else they can fit in. Neither she nor her family has been to Africa - they are in for a wonderful time. We, naturally, brought out all the photos. And for the first time in nearly five years - looking at the photos didn't make me sad !!

That's such an achievement for me. I feel great about it. It is a sign that I have accepted my life here, and I can look back with thankfullness over the life we once had.

Just thought I'd share some photos with you.

Technorati Tags Zimbabwe Photos Mufushwa Braai Blogs

Zimbabwe Blogs - Irritations & Graveyards

2006-07-28T07:01:00.000Z

I have been searching through the Technorati tags, and reading blogs where people have mentioned Zimbabwe. Some of these blogs are full of news, and really interesting, or homepages of folk who have left Zim (as this blog is) - but some of them are irritating me slightly. I'm talking about those blogs written by folk who have passed through Zim, or spent some time there as a Volunteer worker (or something similar), and, after this short time in my homeland - they seem to have all the answers to Zimbabwe's problems !! Grrrrrrrr !!! In a few taps on the keyboard and clicks of the mouse, they tell the world how they would go about putting it all to rights. They even know exactly what went wrong in the first place and who to blame.

I mean no disrespect to you if you are one of those people whose blogs have all the answers to Zimbabwe's problems. In fact, I am pleased that you actually care enough about Zimbabwe to comment. But please.....wind your neck in (that's a good expression that means slow down, shut up, you don't know what you're talking about). Six months, or a year in a country does not qualify you to make judgements.

Before we left Zim at the end of 2001, we went to Nyanga in the Eastern Highlands of Zimbabwe, to stand on the land (maybe for the last time) that once belonged to my husband's forefathers. The backdrop to the farm is a beautiful range of mountains. World's View lies far to the right. The farm was once filled with people - and much laughter. Generations were born there, in the old farmhouse, and generations died there too.

It was a really hot, dry day when we last were there. There was not a sound to be heard apart from the occasional buzz of an insect as it flew past. We walked slowly, in silence, relishing each memory of this wonderful place. We had been there many times over the years, even when it was deserted, and no longer operational. The house foundations, ruins of the reservoir, and the old cattle-dip are still there - the only reminders of the life that once was. Nature has reclaimed the land. It looks now as it must have looked when the first settlers (my husband's family) arrived to farm it in the late 1800's.

We wandered through the land, past the orchards that once were abundant with fruit, to the old family graveyard, further down the hill nearer the river. This area is untouched, unspoilt. Not a brick or stone has been removed. It is a sacred place, respected by all cultures. We sat on the hot ground at the edge of grandmother's grave and sobbed our hearts out. Grandmother has been lying there since 1956. She was born in 1888. Next to her lie her parents, Gerhardus and Christina Bothma. Others lie with them; baby Danie who did not survive malaria; Uncle Hoek who was gored by a buffalo. Eleven graves in two straight rows - dead monuments in stone - carved with the blood, sweat and tears of living people. This is our bitter heritage.

So...wait....wait before you pass judgement or offer simple solutions. Wait until you have walked in our shoes - not just for one mile - but for generations.

Technorati Tags Zimbabwe Nyanga graveyard Zimbabwe Blogs

Blogland

2006-07-27T17:20:00.000Z

Ho hum - not much to report today. When your life is stable and happy, it often seems a bit boring, doesn't it ? I mean, life goes on...and on ! And I'm not one of those unusual people that somehow attract drama to their lives - more's the pity. I wouldn't mind a bit of drama now and then.

So...today...I just wanted to list just a few blogs that I read whenever I get the chance. They mainly fall into 3 categories. I do read many more, but this will do for now.

Zimbabwe/Africa news blogs, or personal blogs by fellow Zimbabweans.

Art related - art being one of my passions.

Just plain interesting/entertaining - not often dramatic either. People and their lives, and all their normal ups and downs. That's what life is all about, isn't it ? These blog owners either write well, are very entertaining - or, something has happened in their lives, and I need to know what's going to happen next; rather like a soap opera !

I'll have to add a few of these to my blogroll when I get time ! And I need to get about the Internet more. There must be millions of interesting blogs out there, and I zoom in on less than 50 every week. Ho...hum.

Off to Scotland

2006-07-25T20:03:00.000Z

Saltcoats Town Hall

Last night I booked for our holiday in Scotland and I can't wait. We went last September, and did all the touristy things one is expected to do e.g. Loch Ness, Edinburgh Castle, the Highlands, etc. etc. This time, we are just going to relax and not allow ourselves to feel the need to visit the local attractions.

We will be spending two weeks in Ayrshire, near the town of Saltcoats. It is on Scotland's west coast adjacent to the lovely Isle of Arran on the Firth of Clyde. I think a trip to Arran will be on the agenda. Other than that, we will laze about, just taking time out from our busy lives.

Roll on the 5th August !!!

Technorati Tags Zimbabwe Scotland Saltcoats Holiday

Thunderstorms

2006-07-22T18:45:00.000Z

We awoke in the night to the most wonderful sound - thunder !! I haven't heard any serious thunder for a few years. It was music to my ears. And then the rain came pelting down - a real Zim storm. It was wonderful. It didn't last long, but it was such a great sound to fall back asleep to.

It has been too hot and too humid to even lift an arm for the last few days. We decided we really needed to make an effort to get moving, so at lunch time today we went to Cribbs Causeway near Bristol. (If we hadn't gone out, we would have sat in front of the sport on TV all afternoon).

Cribbs Causeway is a huge shopping and retail park - great fun for Mother & I - but Baz just trailed along after us (poor thing - he's very patient). It is a massive complex - and you can buy just about anything you want there. A shopper's paradise. There are cinemas, an ice-rink, a huge Mall (photo above) etc. etc. You name it, they've got it. We had a nice lunch and then pottered about for a couple of hours. We went through big storms on the way back, and got home to discover that we must have had some serious rain here. Wonderful. It is definitely cooler this evening, so we should be able to sleep more comfortably tonight. It's very hard to sleep when the temp. is over 20C and the humidity is approximately 90% - reminds me of Durban in midsummer before the days of airconditioning !

Technorati Tags Zimbabwe Bristol Thunderstorms

A Garage Door Erection

2006-07-19T18:43:00.000Z

Mother and I were in fits of laughter today !! This post, by the way, is a totally unrelated to anything I have ever posted before - but I just had to share this information.

This was reported in the Sun this morning (not a newspaper we normally read, but Mother is collecting the holiday coupons this week).

A BBC-Merseyside listener phoned into a talk show, and told the presenter about a slight problem he is having. It seems he went abroad, and had some surgery performed on his wee willy winkie. It was some sort of implant, to enable him to have an erection. Well...the problem now is....every time his neighbour opens the garage door (by remote control), our BBC-Merseyside listener has an erection !!

Can you imagine the family all sitting in the living room - father coughs, mother & children look round - and mother says "Oh...the neighbours must be home".

Poor soul.

Technorati Tags Zimbabwe Garage Erection Remote Control

David Livingstone - American, English or Turk

2006-07-18T18:37:00.000Z

I have had a passionate interest in David Livingstone ever since I was a young child. I first learned about him in school, in Harare (then Salisbury) when I was about 8 years old. Before that, I had often heard him mentioned - streets, schools, even towns bear his name. I remember we had to learn his biography for an exam in my last year at Primary school, and I got top marks !

It was only when I became an adult, though, that I realised the full impact he had on my life in Zimbabwe. His story is an amazing tale of faith, courage and a very strong will. I have read nearly every book I could get my hands on, over the years, about his life and travels, and am currently reading (again) a book I brought with me from Zimbabwe 5 years ago. (I brought a precious stash of books that I could not part with - and this was one of them). It is entitled David Livingstone - the Truth behind the Legend. It was written by Rob Mackenzie - a Zimbabwean - and first published in 1993. It's an excellent look at the man, first and foremost as a Christian Missionary, and then as an explorer and traveller. I am also re-reading (yes - at the same time) 2 other books -

Missionary Travels and Researches in South Africa written by David Livingstone and
The Personal Life of David Livingstone written by W. Garden Blaikie

All three books are fascinating, and by reading them together, I can cross-reference the events, and read Livingstone's own words about the event in his journal. We hope to go up to Scotland during August/September (we went last year and loved it), so I will make a point of visiting the David Livingstone Centre in Blantyre.

Interesting, (in the times that we are in) that these words are now to be found on his memorial tablet in Westminster Abbey:

"All I can add in my loneliness is, may Heaven's richest blessing come down on every one, American, English, or Turk, who will help to heal this open sore of the world."

Technorati Tags Zimbabwe Livingstone Missionary Books

A Walk Round the Village in a Heatwave

2006-07-17T20:41:00.000Z

We are in the middle of a heatwave - and I don't like it at all. It's not the heat as much as the humidity. Awful ! The temp. was 33C today. It should get cooler towards the end of the week, thank goodness.

Regardless, we press on - and went for a walk around the village today. Just thought I'd share this lovely cottage with you. There are so many very old houses in the area, and of course the churches are old and beautiful too. I need to take more photos to share with you.

Technorati Tags Zimbabwe Oxfordshire Heatwave Cottage

A Holiday to Zim & A Birthday Tea

2006-07-16T20:38:00.000Z

We had a very happy Sunday today. It was my eldest son's birthday during the week, and we had a birthday tea for him this afternoon. Happy Birthday Sean. Since we have been in England, I have made it a habit to have a birthday tea for each member of the family. It helps to keep us all focused on family, and together. And as we have a birthday in every month but September, I'm starting to put on weight. (That could be an age thing though).

My youngest son (the one who lives and works in Bristol) came home with very exciting news today. He has booked a holiday for himself, his fiancee, her parents and her brother, to Zimbabwe. They are going for 3 weeks in October. (The photo above was taken on our last trip to Kariba in 2001 - he's holding one of the tiger fish he caught). He has booked a houseboat on Kariba (from Binga), and will also be visiting family and friends. They are planning to go to Vic Falls, and stay with friends in Bulawayo. He's thrilled, and I am thrilled for him. Although he has settled down here very well, I know he misses his life in Zimbabwe. He was 19 when we came here - a real bushboy. He loved the bush and outdoor life. He was a brilliant horserider - he did very well at showjumping, loves fishing, camping etc. He had some wonderful friends in Zim. Of course, many of them have left, and a few of them are here in England. He is still in contact with most of them. So I am pleased, very pleased, and I know he will enjoy himself. His fiancee and her family are sure to have a wonderful time too. They have never been to Africa before. I told them I want photos, so they've promised to take loads.

Yesterday, mother and I went to Wantage Market, and did some shopping. We had afternoon tea in a pub ! It's the only place I could have a cup of tea and a cigarette at the same time. You can't smoke in restaurants. I really need to give up. It is SO frowned upon.

Technorati Tags Zimbabwe Kariba Houseboat

Air Zim, Peri-Peri and HIV

2006-07-13T18:50:00.000Z

I fetched my mother from Gatwick this morning ! I'm thrilled. She will be here till it starts getting cold again - and then she'll follow the sun back to Zimbabwe.

The plane from Harare arrived very late. It should have arrived at 7.30 but came in at 10.45 !!! It left Harare late, because.....drum roll.....there wasn't enough fuel in Zim to fly the plane non-stop to Gatwick. Mother said that the crew explained that they had contacted Zambia - no spare fuel in Lusaka - then they had contacted Malawi - sorry, no spare fuel there either. They finally managed to organise a refill in Nairobi. So - leaving late, and then over an hour stop in Nairobi, was the reason they arrived so late at Gatwick. It didn't matter to me. I would have waited all day for her. It was an Air Zim flight, and she never complains about the service she receives. The staff are always friendly and helpful to her - and it's not their fault there was no "blasted bloody fuel" her words, not mine (she was tired).

She brought some curry powder for hubby and sons, and also some peri-peri sauces (which they love and we can't get here) among other things. I didn't have the heart to say she shouldn't have. When I saw the prices - still on the bottles - I nearly collapsed. They cost Zim$500 000.00 each - yes, thats five hundred thousand dollars each ! Really - this sauce had better be good.

We caught up on all the news from Zim during this afternoon - misery and mayhem...nothing has changed. I was very saddened to hear of more deaths among my former colleagues. I was the manager of a company employing 50-odd staff before we left. My mother is still in close contact with some of them. Since the end of 2001, when we left Harare - 14 of them have died of Aids-related illnesses. Members of their families have died too. That's 14 out of 50 people employed at the same workplace - 28%.

The latest was a wonderful young man who worked in one of the branches in Harare. He is not just another forgotten Aids victim. He is not a statistic. His name was Collias - a quiet and unassuming man. He loved his family, and his job. He studied a lot. He always brought his books to work, and buried his nose in them during his lunch break. He told me he wanted a better life for himself and his family - that was why he was studying. He died last month, and his wife died a month before that. Mother reminded me that he was one of the unfortunates whose home was bulldozed when Mugabe decided to spring-clean Harare last year. He leaves behind two young children.

Technorati Tags Zimbabwe Air Zimbabwe HIV Aids

Chickens on the Kitchen Windowsill

2006-07-10T17:32:00.000Z

It has rained on an off for the last week. I have been very busy - which is good !

I'm still trying to make something of the little patch of garden at the back of the house - I think I mentioned this before. I'm also trying to declutter the house a bit. Where does all the junk come from ? When we arrived here nearly 5 years ago, we had 2 suitcases each (okay - I confess, I had a few family heirlooms in one of mine !) We now have a household full of furniture, a garage full of bits and pieces, and even stuff stored in the attic !!! How did that happen, and why did I let it ? I swore I would never allow myself to hoard again. But I have, I am - and I've had enough of it.

Before we came, I got rid off almost everything we owned. I dumped it, gave it away or sold it. It was hard to do, but eventually I became quite stern about it - and hardened myself. My mother agreed to look after the one or two precious things that I could not part with, and she has been bringing them over in dribs and drabs every summer. (Which reminds me - I'm fetching her on Thursday - woohoo !) I had servants in my former life, so I was not the one who had to clean and dust all the knick-knacks that graced my home. I was determined that I would NOT start collecting items that I would have to clean. Guess what ?

I had always thought I was not a materialistic person - I still believe that. People are far more important than things - but, once again, I have more things around me than people ! It can't go on. So...I am bagging up clothing that will not get worn - off to the Charity shop with it. I have also rearranged the furniture this week - and have added to the stuff in the garage in my attempt to declutter the house. The garage is next on the list. Can you believe that we can't even get the car in there ? I have a cupboard full of silver (brought over, bit by bit, with Mother) - the house is too small to display it, and it would then have to be cleaned. What to do with it ? I think it can stay where it is for now - we might get a larger house when this lease is up. Seriously though, we just have too much, and it can't go on. It ALL has to go.

But...I seem to have developed a penchant for ceramic chickens. I now have five of the little cluckers on the kitchen windowsill !

Technorati Tags Zimbabwe Home Chickens

Change and Home

2006-07-06T14:41:00.000Z

The oppressive heat and humidity of the last week has gone, thank goodness. We had wonderful refreshing rain, on and off, all last night. And more rain is forecast for the next few days. There was thunder during the night - what a wonderful sound. We don't get many thunderstorms here - in fact, most of the rain is more like a gentle drizzle. I love thunderstorms - wish we had more of them.

I have been thinking a lot lately of "change" and how it affects each one of us. Most of us are not very comfortable with it. We don't want it - would rather go on as we always have - even if it's uncomfortable to be where we are. We would rather stay in the comfort (or discomfort) zone we know, than move on to another. We would rather hang on to the familiar patterns, and stay in the well-worn ruts of our current life than embrace anything new. I've had to fight this for a couple of years, and I think I'm finally beginning to win the battle. Moving here to the UK was one of the hardest things we have ever done, as individuals, and as a family. Nothing was familiar. We really did feel like strangers in a foreign land. Before we came, I would have said I was a very adaptable person - I always thought I was. But once I was here, I wanted to cling to the familiar. Looking back, I have been fighting the changes at every turn. It's only been the last year that, at last, our life here is becoming familiar. (I think I am carving out new ruts !!LOL!!) But...it's beginning to feel more comfortable. It's beginning to feel like home.

Technorati Tags Zimbabwe Home Change

Attack on Trudy Stevenson

2006-07-03T19:45:00.000Z

I have just read about Trudy Stevensons attack. Awful ! Despicable ! Intolerable ! I am so shocked, and yet I am not shocked at all. Does that make sense ?

You can read all about it here at newzimbabwe.com. The photo is from their website. Poor Trudy. She is a strong woman, who has been through a lot the last few years. She'll be in my prayers tonight - along with all the others !

Technorati Tags Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe Stress

2006-07-03T13:05:00.000Z

My mother arrives from Zim next week. I can't wait. She went back home in February this year after spending last summer and Christmas here with us (so she's only been gone a few months). She's arriving at Gatwick, so we'll be up at 4.30am to fetch her. Its a good 2 hour drive (by the time we're parked and in the terminal) and her flight will be in very very early. I'll get all the latest news then. I find, when she comes over, that for the first few weeks she is full of the stories of price increases, horrors, electricity cuts, fuel queues etc. etc. She is always really stressed, and checks the latest news from Zim regularly. By the time she has been here a month or two, she calms down, and only then begins to relax and enjoy herself. This year she will only be here for a few months when it's back to the stress again. I sometimes wish she weren't going back. But I have to remind myself that I'm not her only child. She is torn in two between my brother and myself, and tries to spend as much time as she can with each of us. Difficult for her, I know - especially all the travel backwards and forwards. She's not getting any younger - and the stress she is under is really worrying me. I know how I felt before we left Zim. The situation was unbearable at times. So many good people, black & white, are still suffering terribly. As I sit her I have to remind myself of that fact. I just don't feel the stress anymore.

Living in Zim, I never imagined that England could get so hot. I've learned differently. The summers since we've been here have been very pleasant - apart from the heatwaves. The temperature shoots up into the 30's and I feel as though I'm wrapped in a wet, steamy blanket. I'm just not used to humidity. Zimbabwe is not humid. We are in the middle of a heatwave at the moment. It was a really hot weekend - couldn't move at all without breaking out into a pool of perspiration. It's difficult to get enthusiastic about anything when you feel like limp rag ! I can hardly believe that I want cooler weather than this ! (Never thought I'd hear myself say that). I was quite used to summer temperatures over 30C - and the temps on the Zambezi River were always near the 40's. I found them no problem. I guess we are getting used to the English weather. We should be acclimatised after nearly five years here.

On Saturday, we watched our youngest grandson playing football in a tournament at Grove Rugby Club. It was great fun, and he is a brilliant goalkeeper. He played about 8 matches (in the searing heat), and in one of them, he saved 9 goals !! What a star ! Speaking of football (or not), it was a great disappointment this weekend. I think everyone here felt that England would beat Portugal. By the time it got down to the penalties - we were all on the edge of our seats. What an anticlimax ! In the Southern Hemisphere the rugby season is underway - so of course, we watch every match we can. Baz has been a South African supporter for years, and we have always followed Provincial Rugby, so we have a busy few months ahead of us !

Technorati Tags Zimbabwe Stress Weather Football

English weather & the garden

2006-06-29T08:21:00.000Z

It's a beautiful day. The weather here has been superb for the last week - and we are promised a very warm weekend. I was sitting out in our tiny back garden this morning - quite early - having my first cup of tea, and feeling great. The sun certainly lifts the spirits. Luckily, here in Oxfordshire, we get quite a lot of it. The days are long - the sun is setting at about 10pm at the moment.

I have a back garden that is the size of a large handkerchief. Well...that's a slight exaggeration - the size of a large tablecloth. Half of it is concrete, and the other half is lawn. You step on to the concrete area from the dining room door. I suppose you could call it a patio ! I am really trying to make something of this little area, without spending too much money on it. We are renting the house, so I can't see the point of planting shrubs and other longer lasting plants, when I will not be around here long enough to enjoy them. So it's been annuals for the last few years - and pot plants, lots of them ! I long for the day when I own a little bit of land, and I can garden away to my heart's content. That's one of the things I really miss about Zim. But I really can't complain. Some of the things I have are :-

a loving family
a roof over my head
good food to eat
decent clothes to wear
money to spend (not a lot - but enough)
the freedom to say anything I want
the freedom to travel anywhere I want
a decent health service if I am ill

The people I left behind in Zim don't have many of these basic rights. I am going to make a long list of all the things I have to be grateful for, and put it in a prominent place. When I want to start moaning, I can read the list !

Technorati Tags Zimbabwe Gardening Weather Patio

Barefoot Boet from Zim !

2006-06-21T08:57:00.000Z

Life is very busy at the moment. My hubby's business if finally going somewhere - at last. He has worked so hard for so long, and it's paying off.

When we arrived, he worked at odd jobs while he went for interviews in Sales/Marketing Management. He worked long hours, and I know he was very worried - wondering if he had done the right thing in bringing us all to England. He knew he wanted to start his own business, but as any business owner knows, it's very difficult if you have no contacts. And we knew very few people here. For the first couple of years, while he was working for someone else, he spent a lot of time attending networking/business meetings - trying to build up a network of associates. It worked. But then we had such a setback.

We had been here only 2 years when he became very ill, and it was discovered he had an abscess in his right lung - the size of a tennis ball. It was straight to hospital, tests, tests and more tests. They thought he had lung cancer - and it was an extremely stressful time for him, and all of the family. They finally diagnosed his illness - he had TB ! They assumed it was caught in Zimbabwe. (So we did leave Zim with something !)Treatment started, and he was so ill. The treatment was awful - and affected him so badly. There were days that he couldn't even get out of bed. It took almost a year before he was well enough to work full time again. It shook us all very badly. People here in the UK moan a lot about the National Health Service, but I have nothing but praise for the way in which his disease was handled. He was seen by wonderful Consultants; the hospital staff were marvellous - in fact, he couldn't have had better treatment anywhere.

When he started to recover, he began his own business. He is a Motivator. He is the most positive person I know - and he knows how to spread his enthusiasm around. It infects everyone who deals with him. For years he has wanted to reach others and instil in them a belief in their own self-worth - motivate them. So that's exactly what he is doing. He runs courses, seminars and workshops on all aspects of Motivation & Self-improvement. In the last year the business has started to move rapidly. He appeared in 5 episodes on BBC2 in a documentary called "The Armstrongs". This has brought a lot of good exposure. Just last week, he was featured in an article in the Oxford Times "In Business" magazine entitled Changing on the Inside. You can read the article if you click on the link. His first book came back from the printer's this week - time to celebrate !! Things are looking good.

Not bad for a barefoot boet from Zim.

Technorati Tags Motivation England Zimbabwe TB Tuberculosis

Summer Weekend

2006-06-19T13:00:00.000Z

We have all had a great weekend ! It was Father's Day yesterday, and we also had a birthday tea for daughter-in-law - all in all, a very good day. It's so nice to see all the kids together and happy. That's what life's all about isn't it ?

The weather here is glorious at the moment - long warm days, cool nights - just wonderful. I've discovered there is nothing quite like an English summer. For me, it's the best season of the year. It makes being away from Zim a bit easier to bear. But....(there's always a downside), it's crazy season on the roads. They are always packed - holidaymakers everywhere. My son, daughter-in-law and little Megan went to Bournemouth for the day on Saturday. They went specifically to take Meg to the beach, and let her play in the sea. Although they enjoyed it, they said they were packed like sardines along the beach - not my idea of fun !! And parking is always such a proble in the summer. You can never find a place to park !!! The car parks are always full, and we usually end up walking miles, carrying all the kit. But I'm grateful that there is so much to see and do.

The oldest grandon, Jason (13) went with his parents to Portsmouth on Saturday to take part in a Skateboarding competition. He is such a keen skateboarder, and very good at it. You can read all about the competition here. Its the NASS comp - apparently a great event (what do I know!) He placed 6th, which is really good as most of the other skaters are adults. So he won a free pass to the Finals in Birmingham, and a few other goodies ! Well done Jas.

My mother will be arriving from Zimbabwe in the next few weeks. She has spent every summer here with me since we got here at the end of 2001. She is living in perpetual sunshine - Zim summers, and then British summers. How lucky can you get ? That would be my ideal life (if we didn't have to earn a living). I can't wait for her to come. She's a great companion and friend (as well as a brilliant Mother!) She lives with my brother in Zim. He said he wasn't leaving - and he hasn't. It takes guts to stay there when you can leave if you want to. His business is doing well, but it always a scramble for him to find forex. I'm so glad we are out of all that. But, on the other hand, he still has a great life - between Kariba, his game farm, and work. He's got the balance just right.

Technorati Tags Skateboarding England Zimbabwe Kariba NASS Summer

Odd Jobs !

2006-06-17T21:42:00.000Z

When we first arrived, we took the first jobs we could find - all temporary - as we began to panic that the money would run out !! Looking back, maybe we could have been a bit more selective in the jobs we did. We all worked long and hard.

My youngest son was working on the assembly line at the BMW factory in Oxford. The pay was good, but he was working 12 hour shifts (manual labour), and he could hardly keep his eyes open at night. He got home by 7.30pm, ate his food, and went to bed - only to be up again at 5.30 the next morning. (This for a boy who never even had to make his own bed!) He kept that up for nearly a year before he found the job he was looking for. He became a recruitment consultant in Bristol. He has changed company a few times since then, but is still in the same field. He has been applying himself, and advancing quite rapidly - and is now Headhunter (whatever that is). He earns a really good salary, company car etc. and is still in Bristol - that's about 1.5 hours from us. I'm very proud of him.

His life has changed dramatically since we left Zim, but he has coped and adapted, and he loves it here. Last year, he got engaged to a wonderful English girl. They plan to get married next summer. He's travelled quite a bit in the last 4 years (all paid for by himself) - and as he said - if we were still in Zim he would never have been able to do half the things he's done since we came here.

A Happy Camper and a Happy Mother !

Technorati Tags Grove England Zimbabwe BMW Work

Meg Starts School

2006-06-16T18:14:00.000Z

This is my youngest grandchild, born here in the UK !!! She's 2. She started Nursery school on Wednesday - and this photo was taken a few minutes before walked up there. It's about 30 paces from my front door in Grove Village Hall. She's only attending 2 days a week for now. She loves it !

Technorati Tags School England Zimbabwe

Nesting

2006-06-16T15:52:00.000Z

In the last 4.5 years, we have moved house 6 times ! Am I fed up of moving ? You bet I am !! Sick to death of it. But...the houses we have lived in have been sold, or the owner's were moving back in etc. etc. So, it was back to the boxes, sorting & packing and starting all over again. We have just renewed the lease to the house we are in at the moment. We've been here a year, and thank goodness we'll be able to relax for another year. (I don't throw the packing boxes away - just stack them in the garage !) We so desperately want to buy a house...and we're hoping we'll be able to manage it towards the end of this year. Keep your fingers crossed. I really feel the need to put down roots; to have a bit of space that bears my mark. A home of our own will do that for us - and I think we will all feel much more settled. The children are saving madly too. It's not easy - but then...nothing worth struggling for ever is.

Speaking of houses - the prices here in Oxfordshire are very high ! Rents are very high too. I have seen houses in the north of England going for half the price of similar homes here in this area. But we all love it here, and don't want to leave Oxfordshire. We are renting a very small house - small lounge/dining room, 3 bedrooms, tiny bathroom, small kitchen - and we are paying £750 a month for it ! It has a good size garage, which we use for storage, and a little back garden where we can have a braai (barbecue), or sit out in the summer sun (which, at the moment, is wonderful and warm).

The village we live in is great - no complaints there. The people are lovely, and it's a nice place to be. We will try to buy a house here if we can. The grandchildren are at school in this village, and are doing well. Daughter and son-in-law are renting a house about 10 minutes walk from me, and my elder son and family are only 5 minutes away in the car (a good 20 minute walk). My younger son is living and working in Bristol but we see him every second weekend (more about him later).

Technorati Tags Grove England Zimbabwe Moving

So much to say......

2006-06-13T19:09:00.000Z

.....I don't even know where to begin ! I am living in the village of Grove, near the market town of Wantage in Oxfordshire. Wantage is the birthplace of King Alfred the great. He was born here in AD847. The statue of him (on the left) stands in the Market Place.

When we arrived here almost five years ago, we came to Wantage because my brother-in-law and family were here. They were running a Country Club, and they organised a small flat for us. The flat (apartment) was part of the Country Club complex. We were so lucky to have accommodation sorted out for us.

During the first month, we began looking for a house to rent. It had to be furnished, because we only brought what we could fit in our suitcases. Everything we owned was sold in Harare before we left. We all felt the urgent need to find work ! We didn't have much money, and knew it wasn't going to last long. It was quite a stressful time. Also, we arrived at the end of October - the beginning of winter, and our clothes just weren't warm enough. We thought we had brought enough warm clothing, but we hadn't - so that meant shopping for coats etc. during the very first week.

I tried to open a Bank Account, and they wanted copies of old Bank statements from Harare. Did I bring any with us ? No - of course not. The Letting Agents wanted references from previous landlords etc. Did I bring any ? No ! It seemed as though we were hitting one brick wall after another.

Eventually, after my mother faxed my old Bank statements, the account was opened, and we met a wonderful Letting Agent - who took a chance on us, and we managed to rent a furnished house. There were 7 of us, hubby & I, daughter, son-in-law and 2 grandkids, and my youngest son - who was 19.

Within the first month we had the kids attending school, and we had all found jobs - yes, all of us. I don't understand the poeple here who say there is no work - and then they sit on their backsides and receive State benefits. Some of the jobs we had were so awful - but we needed the money, so we did them. We never, not once, received any financial help from anyone (including the Government). I have seen Zimbabweans coming over here, begging bowls in hand, whining that they have lost everything etc. etc. and they expect handouts from the minute they arrive. It really infuriates me. (That's not to say there are some in genuine need, and of course we would help them if we could). Fellow Zimbos have made their homes all over the world - without Government assistance. And if it takes scrubbing floors, or parking cars to do it - then get on with it !! It wasn't easy to get started here - not at all. But we had to eat.

Back later !

Technorati Tags Zimbabwe England

Looking Back

2006-06-12T13:57:00.000Z

Yesterday I managed to upload all of the news pages from my website, and for the first time in almost 5 years, I read them all. Well !!! I don't even recognise the woman that wrote those words. She was so stressed, and at times, even appeared to paranoid. Was that really me ? Was that the real me ? I find it so hard to believe. I seem to have lost myself somewhere back there.

On coming to the UK - I was really unhappy for the first couple of years. I still felt as though I was weighed down by an incredibly heavy burden. I lived life in a grey fog - never seeming to see any light at the end of the tunnel. Looking back, and reading my posts, I can see all the symptoms of severe stress. I wonder how many other Zimbabweans are still suffering in that way. My brother & sister-in-law still in Zim ? I think they are. Always living with uncertainty and the threat of their livelihood being taken from them - six years later ! Thank God I have escaped all that.

I feel I am a different person - totally. I'm back to the person I used to be 10 years ago. I laugh a lot, get excited about the future - even plan it ! Incredible.

Do I have regrets ? Of course I do. But I have learned to look forward with eagerness to our future. It has taken five long years to get to this, and I'm enjoying every minute of it.

Do I want to go back to Zim ? No, not at the moment. My life here is giving me everything I need - (OK a win on the lottery wouldn't go amiss). Will I ever go back to Zim ? Maybe, one day, for a holiday. We had the chance to go back for Christmas 2 years ago. My brother was going to pay our fare, and take us on his houseboat on Kariba for 2 weeks. I was very grateful for the offer, but I turned him down. I just wasn't ready to open all the old wounds - and, if I'm being honest, I was frightenened I would want to stay there, and not come back to England. And I had to come back to England because my kids and grandkids are here ! So...no regrets there. I'm glad I didn't go. We will go, one day, maybe in a couple of years. Maybe we'll just be able to enjoy it as a holiday destination, who knows. There is such a big world out there, so much to see. I think I would rather spend the money travelling to places I have never been before.

I just wanted to post these thoughts, and will tell you more about England, and what we've been up to, later.

2006-06-11T21:37:00.000Z

Well, I have just managed to upload all the news posts from the website - but still have a lot of photos to insert, and a few other files. I'm sure I'll get it finished over the next few days.

Five Years On.....

2006-06-11T10:22:00.000Z

.....well almost. It'll be 5 years come October. Hmmm..what to say?
First of all, I need to explain the reason for this blog to those of you who know nothing at all about me.

My website "Zimbabwe - The Countdown Begins" has been running since June of 2000. I started it to track the run up to the Zimbabwe elections in 2000. I thought it would be a a way to vent my feelings (for a few months), but it ended up with such a response that I carried it on for 2 years. It was a blog of sorts, with daily updates and news from a very troubled part of the world.

We came to the UK at the end of 2001, and I have done very little with the website since then, although it is still running. As of this moment, it has had 87 459 hits. Not bad (I wish now that I'd been selling something on it LOL !) Anyway, I still get wonderful emails from the people who followed my site regularly, and also from others who come across it by chance. They all want to know what life is like for us now. Are we happy here in England ? Any regrets etc. etc. I thought the only way to answer everyone was to start a blog on our life here (a bit late I know - should have started it 5 years ago).
I think I would also like to transfer all the previous news pages from the website to this blog - if I can figure out how to get them to post in order - before this post (technical help needed here). That way I wouldn't lose them - who knows how long the website will remain open. It is a free site, and I suppose they could close it.
So...that's the plan. I'll update as often as I can.

2004-09-03T21:34:00.000Z

Well, I can’t believe its over 2 years since I updated this website. Incredible ! How time moves…and heals ! Yes, I am still alive and well, living in the UK, and coping. In fact, I love my life here. It was so hard for the first two years – I was ready to up and run (back to Zim) at a moments notice. I didn’t think I would ever settle down. But amazingly…I have. We have a great life here – financially it is always a bit tight…but emotionally, physically etc. it couldn’t be better. My children and their families are all here, living near us. My mother has come over from Zim every summer since we have been here, and stayed for the English summer. She is with us now, and will be making her way back to my brother in Zimbabwe during November. My brother and his family are still in Harare, facing the daily hassles that we used to face. How he continues, I don’t know…but he is made of stern stuff, as most Zimbabweans are. They continue the struggle – for me it has faded somewhat. Its still important, but thank goodness I have other interests. The obsession I had with the Zim Situation was unhealthy.

So...life goes on.

God Bless all. I will update occasionally as long as this site remains open.

2002-03-28T22:33:00.000Z

I have just uploaded an article written by the leader of the Movement for Democratic Change - Morgan Tsvangirai. This man has been through a lot ! as have ALL the members of the MDC. Please read it if you have the time. Happy Easter to All !
Back later.

2002-03-19T22:30:00.000Z

Thanks for all the emails, and good wishes for our future. I really appreciate it. I haven't had a chance to answer each one - but I will.

We are all fine - a bit depressed at times (but I suppose that is normal). One day I'm up, the next I'm down. Annoying that I allow it to happen.

England is fine. Seeing all the daffodils coming up really lifts the spirits - a foretaste of things to come. Roll on summer. Actually, it hasn't been half as bad as I expected it to be. The most difficult part for me is trying to move on !! How do I just cut off the major part of my life, and pretend that I don't want to be there, in the sunshine - with all the loving, friendly folk I know ? I can't. If we had left two years ago (before the trouble started), we would have left with such happy memories, but the last couple of years has clouded all the happy times, and left such a bitter taste. In time, I hope, these grim thoughts will fade, and we will remember all that was good, and wonderful, about our country and it's people. I cling to that hope.

On the home front, we seem to be settling down. The house we are renting in Oxfordshire has just been sold - so we have been house-hunting again for the last two weeks. We are limited in our search because there are 7 of us - and so we need 4 bedrooms ! But, luckily, last Saturday, we found a house that is suitable. A small problem with it though, it's unfurnished, so we will be scouring the second-hand shops and newspapers for odd bits and pieces. We should be settled in the new house by the end of May. We are taking a year's lease (yes, we mean business).
We are all still gainfully employed, thank goodness - and our prospects are looking good. So, we have a lot to be thankful for, and I am thankful. It may sound trite, but we have each other, peace of mind and a future ! What more could we ask for (a win on the National Lottery would be nice).

Now on to more serious stuff.

The elections are over, and though most folk are really disappointed, the outcome was not unexpected. We all knew he had it in his power to rig, intimidate, control the outcome - and he did. I have heard from family and friends, and the violence continues. The fear continues, as well. Many more folk are leaving as I type this. A lot waited for the outcome of the elections before making up their minds - and now they have decided. The MDC supporters are feeling the full force of ZanuPF's might - retribution for their disloyalty to Mugabe and his regime. Farmers and their workers still suffer. Another farmer was murdered this week ! It continues. It's awful, horrendous - and yet it continues. And the world watches.

Smart sanctions (sanctions on a personal level against Mugabe and certain members of the ZanuPF) were applied a while back, and the world bodies continue to debate what they should do. It is absolutely shocking that no severe action has been taken up to now. I have been saying this for 2 solid years - when is someone going to DO something to stop this tyrant, this dictator who has ruined so many lives, and continues to reign supreme ? When ? What will it take ? Murders ? Rapes ? Beatings ? Intimidation ? The worst record of Human Rights abuses on this planet ? No, we've had all those. Genocide ? No - we've had that too. So what will do it ? What will motivate the world into action against a thoroughly evil man and his followers ? I don't know the answers. If anyone does, please let me know.

Where to from here ? We press on - what more can we do ? I am trying to write a record of the last two years for publication - wish me luck (I have to find some-one willing to publish it !) I am using this website as a reference, but including more personal feelings, and stories from folk that I recorded and tucked safely away - stories of such horror that my eyes still fill up when I read them. The last 2 years has changed me - changed so many Zimbabweans. We thought that we were safe, thought that our way of life was carved in stone, thought that freedom of speech and association was our right. None of that was true. Will it ever be true again ? I have learned so much that I hope will stand me in good stead for the future (whatever the future may bring). I have learned to appreciate the simple things, the pleasures and treasures that we all take for granted. I have learned never to judge a book by its cover (I met so many wonderful people in the last 2 years who I would never have met, had it not been for the Zimbabwe situation). I have learned that black & white CAN live and work together side-by-side, both striving for the same goals. So many more positive lessons. I hope I don't ever forget them. I have also learned that evil DOES exist, and needs to be fought against at every turn. It should NEVER be accepted as the norm, NEVER be tolerated, NEVER be allowed to win.

2002-01-10T22:28:00.000Z

Hi there friends.

I have had so many emails from so many people since I managed to get the mailing list out last week. It is really wonderful to be in touch with those of you who have been following the website over the last (almost) 2 years. Thanks so much for your continued support.

We, (the family as a whole), arrived in England eight weeks ago. It seems now that we had been coming to this all along. We had fought against it over the months, (who wants to leave the sunshine and life of Africa ?), but I guess we knew, in our hearts, that it would come one day. To say I was devastated to leave is an understatement. I, with my eternal optimism (really believing that things would come right in the end), am having a really hard time coming to terms with this. I suppose I feel like a deserter, and it leaves a very bad taste ! I continually think of all the wonderful Zimbabweans who are left behind, and who have no choice in whether they go or stay, and I feel so sad for them. I am STILL hoping that Mugabe will be ousted and that peace will be restored.

At the moment we have no plans. Not good, I know – but I think we all just need a time of R & R – a time to think over all that has happened, and where we are going from here. This does not mean that we are living the life of Riley – far from it. We arrived here with very little money, two suitcases each, and are being very frugal (awful word). We have all found temporary jobs – maybe permanent jobs will come later, and we have rented a furnished house. We are all together – the family – which is a good thing . We stayed with relatives when we first got here, but have at last managed to move out and set up on our own.

How do I feel about being here ? – many of you have asked that. I don’t really know yet. Zimbabwe had become intolerable. The genuine risk to life and limb was becoming greater by the day, and it seemed that there would be no light at the end of the tunnel. There is STILL no light – or peace – or prosperity.From a monetary point of view, every single dollar that we owned was depreciating by the day. The week I left, a pound (500grams) of butter cost Zim $ 1228.00 – yes, unbelievable isn’t it ? There is no value in the money in Zimbabwe. This is nothing new to Africa, and has happened over and over in African states to the North. It leaves those at the lower end of the salary scale very impoverished. From a safety point of view, I was feeling VERY unsafe. I had got to the point where I could not utter a single word against Mugabe or ZanuPF. Men that I worked with, and had trusted over the years, turned out to be “vipers”, back-stabbing bastards is the only way to describe them. (Sorry about the language). I have since learned that they seriously tried to get me into trouble (going back months), so it is a good job we left when we did. I will expand more on this later.

A little story here about my neighbour in Zimbabwe – I’ll call him John. He was the General Manager of a large company, well liked and respected by all who know him. One of the men who worked for him was a known thief, but my neighbour could never prove it. The thief knew that John was on to him, so he reported John to the Rhodesville Police Station, and accused him of making derogatory remarks about our President. John was arrested, detained for the day, and charged. He has denied making these remarks (anyone who knows him knows what a gentleman he is, and knows he would NEVER have said the things he is accused of). Our thief then produced 8 – yes, 8 witnesses from the factory, who all claim they heard John say the awful things. John appeared in court, twice, and the case was remanded until 2 weeks ago. John and his wife packed up their belongings, left everything they own, and fled. He has been told that he will be sent to jail if found guilty – and, with 8 witnesses, he WILL go to jail. I know all this to be true because John and his dear wife are sleeping on a mattress on my dining room floor. They are hoping to get some money out of Zimbabwe – by foul means or fair– but until then, we struggle along together. Their lives have been ruined. They are both over 60 years of age.Back later.

2001-12-31T22:27:00.000Z

Happy New Year

It's the last night of the year 2001. Who can believe it ? So much has happened, and so much time has passed since I started this website. It began in Zimbabwe - and it began because I had no way of releasing my frustration with the situation in my homeland. I could NOT shout it from the rooftops, as many of you can (there is NO freedom of speech in Zim). I could NOT let others know what was happening and give away my identity (that would have, and eventually did, cause so many problems in my life. So the only way was to start the website as a secret - sounds silly doesn't it ? At first only my immediate family knew what I was doing, and I had their full support. But, eventually, a lot more folk found out it was my website, and this really got us all worried. The government of Zimbabwe allows NO criticism of any member of the ruling party - ZanuPF. There is a very real threat of being beaten, jailed, or even murdered if one should stand up against them. This has been happening since the beginning of last year on a large scale - but was also happening way before that. Most people learned to keep their heads down and their mouths shut. The brave members of the community who have placed their lives at risk by speaking out against the situation in Zimbabwe are suffering great stress and abuse. This continues even now. By June this year (2001), it was just becoming too dangerous to continue with the website. I had to stop updating and lie low for a while. My family and friends were so concerned (and whatever happens to me affects them too !). I had no choice. Members of my staff at work, who may have been ZanuPF supporters began asking questions about the 'Lorraine' who was running the website, and 'Is it you ?' became a common question. As the months progressed, we realised that we had to get away for a while, to assess our lives, and to really think about where we were headed as a family. We could find no other solution but to leave Zim, and take stock - which is exactly what we are doing right now. We are in England at present, doing some serious thinking ! Do we go back and try to continue ? Do we wait till after the Presidential elections ? Do we stay put here in England. I had thought that once we were away from it, the future would be cut and dried but it's not !!! There are still so many decisions to be made. I ask you to bear with me while we make them.

In the meantime, I wish you a Peaceful and Prosperous New Year - wherever you may be. Value your freedom - there are so many who don't have it. Value the government that allows you the freedom to express yourself in any way you choose, and to associate with whomever you choose. And most of all, value your family & close friends ! They could be lost to you in an instant.

Happy New Year to you All !

2001-12-29T22:27:00.000Z

Yes, it's me again - after all this time ! I don't know where to start, or how to go on - but I mean to. I will be back updating these pages regularly in the New Year.

I am in England at present, I need the peace of mind and the feeling of security right now. From here ? Who knows ! Who knows anything ! We needed a time away from the situation to view it objectively, and decide what our future will be. I DO feel like a deserter, but I have enjoyed so much 'PEACE' in the last few weeks. Maybe I won't ever WANT to go back...maybe I can't stay away - time will tell. In the meantime, I have managed to 'get connected', get a PC, and will be updating as often as I can. Back later

2001-06-17T21:26:00.000Z

Hi Folks. Well, we are well and truly in the middle of winter – beautiful clear blue skies every day, and freezing nights !!! I wish summer would hurry up and come back. We get so used to the hot weather here, and we complain bitterly during our 2 months of cold !!! Never satisfied, are we ? Firstly, I would like to apologise to those who have emailed me, and never received a reply. Something happened (don’t know what) and I lost a load of emails. Then my computer bombed, and I had to have it fixed – it seems to be OK now. So, if you emailed and I didn’t reply, please email again ! Thanks. I seem to spend my life at hospitals lately ! My youngest son had a ligament reconstruction done (in his knee) a few weeks ago and is still hobbling around the house, and my daughter (the one in Bulawayo who had the head-on in February) had emergency surgery to remove plates in her ankle. The ankle is tied together with bits of all sorts, including two metal plates, and it has become infected. So, it was hospital again !!! She is still in the hospital, in great pain, and should be out by the end of this week. I hope it comes to an end soon !!! On to some news. The latest thing to hit us is an ENORMOUS fuel price increase. The country was stunned last week when the government announced a 70% increase in the price of fuel. We had a few hours notice of the increase, so of course none of us had a chance to fill up (had we been able to find any fuel, that is). So many people are SO angry about it. The average worker can’t afford to live as it is, and now to have this, it seems that we are to be continually punished for our government’s mismanagement! There is a lot of unrest, and this may blow up into something big. The ZCTU (Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions – representing 90% of the work force in this country) has protested most strongly about the increase, and has given the government until the 2nd July to reverse it. If they don’t, the ZCTU is calling for a nation-wide general strike, to go on indefinitely. Motorists now pay $76,29 at the pumps for a litre of leaded petrol, while unleaded petrol now costs $77,42 a litre. Diesel is now pegged at $66,39, Jet A1 at $57,03, paraffin at $50,00 and bulk paraffin at $59,27. Bus fares have doubled, and of course, all oil related products are beyond the reach of most folk. We will see a lot more folk walking to work. It is shameful to see a government causing so much distress to its people. (PS We are still queuing for fuel-sometimes for hours). The farm invasions continue, and have, in fact, intensified since the death of Chenjerai (Hitler) Hunzvi. Read the latest farm invasion report HERE. How our farmers carry on I will never know ! They continue to do their best under the most trying of circumstances. I hope and pray that their resilience will be rewarded in the end, and that one day, when we have a new government in power, the land reform programme will be conducted in a lawful manner. I think they are clinging to this hope. ZanuPF grows desperate in its attempts to intimidate before the presidential election next year. The cockerel is crowing with a vengeance. Some weeks back, we had a Mayoral election in Masvingo, and it was won buy the MDC candidate, in spite of massive intimidation on the part of ZanuPF. Two weeks ago, we were due to have a similar election in Bulawayo, but, on the eve (literally) of the election, the Registrar General called it off indefinitely, claiming there were too many discrepancies in the voters roll. Bulawayo folk were really angry. We all know that ZanuPF has no hope in hell of winning fairly in the city of Bulawayo, and they know this as well – hence the cancellation. Well, the MDC took it to court last week, and one brave Justice overturned the RG’s decision, and said the election must go on ! A date will be announced soon, and I will let you all know what’s happening. As most of you know, we, Zimbabwe that is, is in the news this week with the solar eclipse. We actually have TOURISTS coming here again !!!! They are a very rare species here, and we welcome them with open arms. Our north-eastern areas will see the full effect of the eclipse, and all hotels in the area claim to be fully booked. This is good news, and I hope our visitors will spend a lot of FOREX. We really need it. We also need the folk to have a great stay, and go home and tell others about it. We have been assured that there will be fuel available this week, so lets hope this is true. I will be in the city centre on the 21st, the day of the eclipse, and I will try to take photos of it. I think I will need a special filter for my lens – anyone know how I should photograph it (digital camera) ? Please email and let me know. How do I feel lately ?? Some days I am so angry I could burst – other days I am downhearted and depressed. Then one of the young men that work for me will come along and say something wonderful and inspiring about us and our future, and I am filled with optimism again. It’s a roller coaster ride, and I’m not enjoying it. I wish the days and weeks away, longing for this time next year, when the presidentials will be over and we will know where we are headed (as a family and as a nation). One of my young supervisors, a man of 26, an ardent MDC supporter (far wiser than I for all of my 50 years) keeps saying to me "Don’t let it get personal – we are trying to change a SYSTEM !!!" He’s quite right, and I have learnt a lot from him (we’re never too old, are we ?) It is the system that stinks here, and it includes the people that would cling to this system. We have to ensure, when the new government comes in, that they, too, do NOT continue with this present system. It is a system of oppression, suppression, violence, nepotism, corruption – I could go on and on, but I’m sure you get the idea. Democracy does not come easily to Africa !

2001-06-09T21:25:00.000Z

Saturday 9th June 2001 Hello all.

It’s good to be back. Thanks to all of you for your continued interest and support of this website ! Where to begin ?

So much has happened in the last two months. It seems as though, we, as a country, have moved from one crisis to another, each one more frightening than the last. We had the invasions of businesses by the war vets. This lasted for well over a month, and of course, all business owners were wondering if they would be next. This was led by Chenjerai Hunzvi (since deceased – more about him later) and Joseph Chinotimba. Huge sums of money were extorted from business owners, supposedly to settle labour disputes ! It was an awful time for all of us. The ruling party stood by and WATCHED as managers and owners were abducted from their business premises in Harare, taken to ZanuPF headquarters, grilled for hours and often beaten, and were then made to pay hard cash. I think it all came to a head when the MD of Care International, a Canadian citizen, was harassed and the Canadian High Commissioner went down to help him. When he got there, he was jostled about and was not allowed to interfere. He ended up following the car that had taken the MD to ZanuPF HQ, trying to rescue his compatriot. The Canadian Government sent a strong message of condemnation about the same time as the South Africans and Danes did. The whole process was then called to halt. ZanuPF suddenly appeared to wake up (they were actually not sleeping at all) and made a fuss of taking control of the situation, and war vets were arrested. But of course, it was too little, too late. This seems to be the general rule. Where is their foresight ? They don’t have any. They seem to see no further than next year’s Presidential election. Their international reputation is in tatters but they continue on this downward path of self-destruction. We have, in the last six weeks, seen three top ZanuPF men die. There are simple explanations for their deaths, but it is uncanny that all three were deeply involved in the violence of the last year and a half, and now all three are facing their Maker (and have an awful lot of explaining to do). It began with the death of Border Gezi in a car accident. He featured in the pre-election violence, and the aftermath. Then, a few weeks later, came the death of Moven Mahachi, the Minister of Defence, also killed in a car accident. With the first death, the population was shocked, but by the time Minister Mahachi’s death was announced, there was an eerie silence. Then a week later came the death of Chenjerai (Hitler) Hunzvi, reportedly suffering from cerebral malaria, but medical sources informed the nation, via the press, that he had HIV relate illnesses. It doesn’t really matter what he died of, does it ? Now, the population is convinced that the hand of God, or the ancestral spirits, has come down and put an end to the three men. All three have been declared ‘National Heroes’ which entitles them to burial in our ‘Heroes Acre’ the cemetery at Warren Hills. It also entitles their dependents to all sorts of allowances, pensions, payouts etc. – which come from the taxpayer’s money (my money actually). Whilst I sympathise with the family of the Ministers, I object most strongly to having to contribute my hard-earned money, especially when I know what these men have done. But, I firmly believe that all of us, no matter where, no matter who, (either in this life or the next) will, one day, be called to give an explanation for our actions, and be made to pay retribution for our deeds. Chenjerai Hunzvi’s state funeral was on Friday, and Mugabe told the packed stadium to continue with Hunzvi’s work as a tribute to Hunzvi!!! Yes !!! He said land invasions must continue, in fact they must intensify. ‘Fate has been most unkind to us, hitting us where it hurts the most and at a time when our land-based third Chimurenga (revolution) is at its most crucial historical juncture,’ he said. ‘This should never deter us but instead should propel us to fight even harder to intensify the campaign and ensure that the sacrifice of our fallen heroes is not in vain,’ Mugabe said. The land redistribution issue is being treated as a military campaign, a revolution, a ‘chimurenga’, but instead of hurting an enemy, it is hurting our own people. History will record the folly of our leaders, and their betrayal of their people. We have a track record here in Zimbabwe, of being betrayed, first by other nations, and now from within. When will it end ? Mugabe also said that the ‘whites’ should not be allowed to become complacent. Complacent is one thing I am not ! Does he imagine, for one minute, that we are content, and think we are on top of this awful situation in which we find ourselves ? I have uploaded pages 3 pages, one on each of the deceased government ministers, with links to various newspaper articles on them. You can link to them below. Hunzvi Mahachi Gezi Our government and our leaders are coming under more and more pressure from the International community, and this is a good thing. We MUST return to the rule of Law as soon as possible. People have gone through ‘hell’ here, and the perps need to be brought to book. When I started this site, I said I watched in ‘horror’ at the events taking place – I am still watching in ‘horror’. We all know that the violence will continue, and even escalate, as we near the presidentials, and we look forward with trepidation. At the same time, we can’t wait to get it all over with, and get this country on the road to recovery. Mugabe and ZanuPF are losing popularity by the hour, and I, for one, feel confident that he will be ousted, if the elections are allowed to be free and fair. But this will not happen (the free and fair bit), and the intimidation is already full swing. Some folk are living a nightmare, constantly. It is disgraceful. And then we get people like Andrew Young, the former Mayor of Atlanta, coming here and saying there is no lawlessness in Zimbabwe. To you, Mr Young, Sir, I say with all due respect, you may be black, but you are NOT and NEVER will be, an African. You are an American, and you have no idea of the trauma suffered by our people. Until you have had YOUR backside burnt on an open fire, or an electrical wire inserted in YOUR penis, all because you are an opposition supporter, keep your comments to yourself !!! You enjoy the protection of your government – we here in Zimbabwe, do not ! The Donor community has had enough of us, and apparently we have been told that there will be no more funds for the land redistribution programme until Mugabe has gone. The donors say there can be no help until Zimbabwe is returned to the rule of Law and there is transparency, which, they feel, will not happen under Mugabe. According to reports in our Financial Gazette, they are waiting for a change in the Administration here. (So are we all).

2001-06-06T21:24:00.000Z

Wednesday 6th June 2001

Hello friend and foe !

I would like to copy in here the last paragraph of the last news page (page 7). I wrote this statement 2 months ago, at the end of March.

Complacency is our worst enemy, we must continually fight against it. We must NOT accept negative change ! We need to be kicking and screaming against it ! I will NOT accept that this is to be our lot in life ! I am holding on to the hope that Mugabe will be ousted in the Presidential elections (or be forced to back down even before then). It is all I have to cling to. There is no life-raft coming along to rescue us from the troubled waters; no soft landings here ! I do not for one moment think that ZanuPF will allow their power to be taken from them without a fight, so I anticipate an increase of the terror tactics we have seen since this time last year. We have to save ourselves, we have no-one else to turn to, and it is my hope and prayer that all Zimbabweans will stand firm in our resolve to fight back, and make a better future for our children.

On reading this a few days ago, I realised that I am going to carry on with the website no matter what the consequences may be. If I plan to stay here in Zimbabwe, and I DO, then I need to let you all know what is happening here. No more can we allow things to be brushed under the carpet. We need TRANSPARENCY in everything, or we can never go forward as a nation (and we still have SUCH a long way to go). We, here in Zimbabwe, have seen so much horror since the begining of the year 2000, that we have no choice but to see it through to the end. Why give up now, when we have been through so much ? The end is not far off, and then we will know, one way or another, what to do !

So…the updates will continue, come hell or high water ! It is the only way I have of coping with our situation. Please give me a few days to get back into full steam !!! and then I will be updating on a regular basis. Thanks to all of you who continue to email. It's very much appreciated.

2001-03-31T22:20:00.000Z

Saturday 31st March 2001

It’s Saturday morning – cool and overcast – looks like we are in for MORE rain !I have been working frantically to transfer this website to the new server. I am not finished yet, there are a lot of photographic pages that have not been moved, but the NEWS pages should be fully operational by this evening. This website has been a part of my life for so long, that I feel quite panicked at the thought of the new server, and whether the new site will function properly etc. I also feel a strong obligation to those of you who visit regularly. You have supported me for so long by reading my reports and then emailing. Your friendship means so much to me and I thank you.

So…o…o…o …from tomorrow morning – Sunday 1st April – the address of the website will be….(drum roll) http://members.fortunecity.com/lorraine8/

My new email addresses are lorraine_in_zimbabwe@hotmail.com lorraine_inzimbabwe@email.com

If you are a regular, please write the above down. Once this site has been closed by Freesite, you will have nowhere to link to, to get to the new website. I am going to plead with Freesite to let me have one page so that I can redirect visitors, but it may not happen. Thanks.

I would like to ask you to bear with me at the new site. You may find that links are not working properly – but please remember that I am hard at it, changing all the links etc. There are also quite a few graphics that are not showing – I am getting help with those. I was only given a weeks notice to move the website, and it has seems like a mammoth task ! Probably a piece of cake for those of you who are experienced !!!

Now, on to some news. A man has been arrested in connection with the murder of Gloria Olds, Martin Olds mother (Martin was murdered by war vets in April last year). She was 72 years old, living alone on her farm. She was not a threat to anyone; she was murdered because she was a white farmer. The Provincial Governor of Masvingo Province, Josaya Hungwe addressed about 1000 people at the Masvingo civic hall. He said that a total war would be declared if the people did not vote for ZanuPF. He told them, publicly, and I quote,

"If you do not vote for ZanuPF in the coming mayoral election, people are going to be killed. I want to tell you that some one is going to die. I want you to repeat what you did in Bikita. We lost the seat to the MDC and we corrected our mistakes and we regained it. I would like the people of Masvingo to make history by voting for ZanuPF. "

Utterances of this kind are not uncommon. We are growing used to them. Last year we had Mugabe, when he opened the Pungwe Water Project in Mutare, saying, "Those who try to cause disunity among our people must watch out because death will befall them." I used to get so angry when I heard statements like this, but I have realized that ZanuPF knows no other way but violence. Violence brought them to power; they maintained their hold on the country by violence – remember Matabeleland in the 80's; thousands were murdered and as yet no-one has been made to answer for their deaths – and they continue to use violence as their only means of retaining power. For them, there is no other way. There was an outcry, as I expected, over the MDC’s boycott of Joseph Kabila’s speech in Parliament. ZanuPF had a field day ! The war in the DRC is costing this country so much. I cannot believe that we CONTINUE to plough our money into the DRC while we, here in Zimbabwe, stand by and watch every sector of our economy struggling to survive. ZanuPF condemned the MDC boycott as "shameful". Where is THEIR shame at the death of Gloria Olds, or the other innocent members of our society who have been brutally murdered ? Where is their shame at the mass terror campaign which they continue to wage against their own people ? Where is their shame at the poverty they have caused ? We have yet to hear from them – we have yet to hear that they regret even one death ! Shameful indeed !

I want to mention the state of our roads here. They are falling apart. There are potholes everywhere – from small dips to huge craters (and I’m talking HUGE – some of them over two feet deep and spreading across the width of the road). I admit we have had a lot of rain, and the council is trying to get them repaired, but they don’t seem to be making any headway. Every journey is a challenge – Will I hit a pothole ? Will I get stopped at a police checkpoint? Will I get car-jacked? Will I hit stray chickens or goats – or pedestrians? Will I run out of fuel? I would make an excellent rally driver!

I was in a fuel queue the other day. It was a short queue, and I only had to wait an hour to get my tank filled. Believe me, an hour is not a long time to spend waiting, and I considered myself very lucky. I spent the hour observing the queue, and the people in it. There were folk in the latest Mercedes, and there were folk in an old Datsun (held together by wire). There were young people, and very old people – all the colours of the rainbow. There were even two gardeners pushing lawnmowers (I had a good laugh at that but didn’t have my camera on me!) People smiled politely at each other, some got out to chat to friends further up in the queue; some read books or did their knitting. Businessmen paced up and down impatiently – they were losing time and money. By the time I had been in the queue for 45 minutes, and was nearing the front, there must have been over 100 cars behind me.

It struck me how we have come to accept the changes that are taking place in Zimbabwe. No…not changes for the better – there are none of those – changes in our lifestyles, our priorities, our outlooks, our plans for the future, our allegiances, our habits, even our purses ! Complacency is our worst enemy, we must continually fight against it. We must NOT accept negative change ! We need to be kicking and screaming against it ! I will NOT accept that this is to be our lot in life ! I am holding on to the hope that Mugabe will be ousted in the Presidential elections (or be forced to back down even before then). It is all I have to cling to. There is no life-raft coming along to rescue us from the troubled waters; no soft landings here ! I do not for one moment think that ZanuPF will allow their power to be taken from them without a fight, so I anticipate an increase of the terror tactics we have seen since this time last year. We have to save ourselves, we have no-one else to turn to, and it is my hope and prayer that all Zimbabweans will stand firm in our resolve to fight back, and make a better future for our children.

2001-03-28T22:19:00.000Z

Wednesday 28th March 2001

Had to put in these two interesting articles.

R.W. Johnson National Post JOHANNESBURG - As international pressure builds on Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe to cease his human rights violations and observe the rule of law, the dread possibility now exists that the ailing 77-year- old President will, in a desperate attempt to retain power at any costs, seek to emulate the "re-peasantization" tactics used by Pol Pot in Cambodia. Ever since last June's elections, Mr. Mugabe's ruling Zanu-PF party has waged a low-intensity war aimed at destroying the opposition Movement for Democratic Change. In the Harare townships -- which went massively MDC -- this has led to widespread and indiscriminate assaults by the army and police. A similar, though less publicized, campaign is underway in the countryside, where particular ferocity has been used to try to root the MDC out of areas it penetrated in June. Every night for more than a week, MDC officials have been paraded on Zimbabwe TV to renounce their party, explaining that they understand that really the MDC is a party for whites and they are now rejoining Zanu-PF. The reality is, such MDC activists are told they and their families will be killed if they do not renounce the party. Having done so, their next task is to identify all other key MDC members in their district -- and then go house to house, leading the whipping and beating of such people until they, too, renounce. Already there have been many hundreds of such public renunciations. Even these measures may soon be dwarfed by the retribution the Mugabe government seems to be planning for the MDC-voting masses of the Harare townships. The Harare city council was put under direct government management two years ago as a result of gross corruption and the government has since refused to hold the local elections there to which the constitution commits them. Using its continuing powers, the government has announced it will demolish the estimated 145,000 backyard shacks that have long been an integral part of township life, providing accommodation for an extra million people and rental incomes for those in whose yards the shacks are built. As if to show it is serious, the government has brought in the bulldozers and destroyed several thousand unofficial township shops -- the "tuck shops" on which many township residents depend. The idea seems to be to create massive insecurity among the whole township population, driving people into the countryside and forcing them to rely on the farm plots Zanu-PF will offer them from land taken from white farmers. For some months, it has been possible for blacks to buy certificates giving them ownership of little parcels of land on white farms. The take-up has been small, however, for the certificates have no validity in the eye of the courts or the farmers who still have title to the land -- which is in any case often already occupied by self-styled "war vets." Those who have paid money for such certificates have generally gone away disappointed once they have visited "their" plots. In effect, the government seems to have decided to force town-dwellers en masse toward taking up such land grants and thus pouring into the countryside and out of the MDC-controlled towns. For if the back-garden shacks really are destroyed, the million people thus rendered homeless will have little option but re-ruralization. Many house-dwellers in the townships, thus deprived of the rents from the shacks in their back-gardens, may also be pushed in the same direction. If implemented, this would involve a massive de-population of urban areas and a forced "re-peasantization" of the kind attempted by the Pol Pot regime in Cambodia. This prospect is so dire, many commentators wonder whether even the attempt to achieve it might not lead to an explosion of violent protest great enough to allow the government to decree a state of emergency -- under which it could ban the MDC and detain its leaders without trial. Already the European Union and United States are discussing possible sanctions against the regime and the Commonwealth is preparing to send a fact-finding team to Harare. But Mr. Mugabe has now again asked for help from the International Monetary Fund -- despite having earlier denounced the IMF as imperialist -- and it is possible he will attempt to blackmail foreign donors into resuming aid in return for holding his hand on "re-ruralization." Donors would not normally allow themselves to be drawn into such tactics but these are not normal times in Zimbabwe.

Thanks Joanna - and another one from the Star in Canada.

In Zimbabwe, change is just a word . . . Rosie DiManno COLUMNIST IN ZIMBABWE, two decades removed from independence and white supremacist rule, 70 per cent of the country's rich arable land is owned by a 1 per cent white minority population. That's 60,000 whites in a nation of 12 million blacks. How did they get the land? They homesteaded it less than a century ago. They seized what they wanted, the best of Zimbabwe, and declared it their own. They planted themselves, ignoring traditions of tribal land that had been communally farmed ever since the Shona and Ndbele had migrated into the region in the dawn of African settlement. The tribes were not compensated for their land. The indigenous people were ousted by British and South African colonizers - individuals staking claim to spectacularly vast estates, thousand-acre farms - relegated to the most miserable of village plots, barren tracts that barely supported subsistence farming. By what right? Because they were white, they were civilized, they had the backing of a great imperial power. This was the reality of Rhodesia, as Zimbabwe was known before independence in 1980. When Rhodesia became a pariah state, isolated by Great Britain and the rest of the world, the racist government of Prime Minister Ian Smith further subjugated the black majority. Only South Africa supported Smith, with money and arms, through two decades of brutal warfare against a guerrilla army, until even Pretoria grew weary of the fight and threw in the towel. Recent history, the ugliness of it, cannot be thrown out, holus-bolus, when addressing what's happening in Zimbabwe now. Mugabe is corrupt. His ZANU-PF party is corrupt. How fitting that party headquarters in Harare are located on Rotten Road. The country is bankrupt and teetering on the verge of complete collapse, with a debt of $105 billion. But that doesn't automatically cast the Movement for Democratic Change - the first vigorous opposition Mugabe has ever faced, and narrow losers in last June's first democratic parliamentary elections in 20 years - on the side of the angels. The problem with MDC is this: Despite being led by trade unionist Morgan Tsvangirai, despite taking 57 seats in the election (most, but not all, of its candidates were black), despite appealing hugely to an urban black electorate, this is still a party designed for and by whites. When I visited MDC party headquarters in Harare last June, the only black face visible was the security guard outside the front entrance. Within, it was a sea of pale political strategists, organizers, media spinners and volunteers. Described as a coalition of trade unionists, intellectuals, business people, religious groups and Zimbabwe's white population, MDC prospered largely by liege of the Commercial Farmers Union, which represented 4,500 farmers, only a handful of them white. Media coverage of the elections - and in particular dispatches filed by British reporters, stories picked up all around the world - did a good job of demonizing ZANU-PF, but then they had a lot to work with. When one of the party stalwarts is a wildly anti-white nutbar who called himself Hitler and had been investigated for allegedly torturing MDC supporters, ZANU-PF did a good job of shooting itself in the head. Four white farmers were slain in the weeks leading up to the two-day vote. One of those farmers had been a grotesquely abusive bully who'd served in the Grey Scouts - a vicious and vilified reconnaissance unit that fought to the bloody end during the Liberation War - and had been in trouble with police for shooting suspected poachers on his property. Yet he, along with the three other white victims, was eulogized and sanctified by the British press. While the violence and intimidation tactics adopted by the pro-ZANU War Veterans Association was thoroughly documented, little was made of the abuses inflicted by MDC supporters, including eight party organizers who appeared in court on the same day, charged with fomenting violence and intimidating voters. The war veterans had good reason for taking unilateral action against land owners. They'd fought for all those years, in hideous circumstances, for independence. And, except for Mugabe's cronies, they got nothing for it. No land, meagre pensions, dwindling respect from a new generation of blacks, especially those living in the cities. And still 60,000 whites owned 11.86 million hectares of prime farmland. Naturally, Mugabe made land redistribution its main election issue in an appeal to rural voters. So the war vets squatted. Ignoring court orders for their forcible evacuation - police refused to move against the well-armed squatters - the vets hunkered down on pieces of some 1,500 white-owned farms. Most are still there. In the past year, Mugabe and ZANU-PF have continued to wage war against MDC. One tactic, according to reports, has been to buy off key MDC officials by bestowing on them land and privilege. A steady parade of MDC members have gone on TV, of late, to renounce the party and proclaim their return to ZANU-PF. Newspaper dispatches claim these epiphanies have also been obtained through violence and threats to MDC supporters and their families. Which may be true. But I have no faith in the reporting of non-Zimbabwean journalists. It's been further suggested that Mugabe is ushering in a Mao-style - some prefer the Pol Pot analogy - ``re-peasantization'' program, by threatening to abolish 145,000 backyard shacks in the Harare townships, where up to a million black Zimbabweans live. Forcing them into the countryside would undercut MDC support in the capital, where the party enjoyed much of its electoral success. Mugabe is himself facing presidential elections next year and Tsvangirai - who didn't win a seat in the parliamentary election - intends to run against him. The thing is, foreign observers continue to predict colossal violence will be unleashed in Zimbabwe. Some sound as if they would welcome such a purging, as if the bloodying of Zimbabwe is worth the crushing of Mugabe and ZANU-PF. But Zimbabwe didn't convulse in protest and bloodshed during the elections. It was an almost stunningly peaceful, orderly experience. Some were disappointed by that. It didn't serve their purpose. In geopolitical terms, some still consider black lives cheap and expendable. Tell me what's changed?

Thanks to the sender of this article.

2001-03-27T22:17:00.000Z

Tuesday 27th March 2001

Hi to all ! I have been so busy lately - and have a lot of work ahead of me. Freesite (the guys who provide this site) are closing down their services, and I am having to move the whole site before the 1st April !!!! I am frantic ! and working very late every night to get it moved before they shut down. I will email all those on my mailing list to let them know the new address as soon as I can. I have another email address which I will put up on the new site. It is lorraine_in_zimbabwe@hotmail.com if any of you want to try it. The old email address will be running till the weekend. Very inconvenient, I know ! Zimbabwe is beautiful at this time of the year. The mornings are cool, days are warm. We have had so much rain everything is green and lush. I can't keep up with the garden ! I do seem a lot calmer of late - I think the Bulawayo trip really did get my mind off Zimbabwe & it's problems. That's not to say I am not concerned about us ! Never that ! I am just as frustrated as ever with our situation ! The war vets are now taking it upon themselves to start interfering with things that don't concern them at all. A group of them marched into the Harare Children's Home (yes - the home for orphaned and abandoned children) and they harassed the staff and children. It was a terrifying experience for all concerned. They then came back the following day and started their harassment all over again. No one seems to know what they wanted, and nothing has been done about it. We have Joseph Kabila, the President of the DRC visiting us at the moment. He addressed Parliament today, and the streets were thronged with folk trying to get a look at him. It disrupted the traffic ! I listened to his speech in Parliament, and heard him say that the Zimbabweans who died in the DRC did NOT die in vain !!! Piffle !!!!! That is exactly what they did - DIED IN VAIN !!! I would like to copy in an email here that I received from the MDC. "MDC Press March 26, 2001 "Now Zimbabwe is posing as a champion of democracy of the DRC. We are persuaded to ask: for whose benefit is the war in the first place? "We are not talking of individual deals and all the diamond mines that Zanu PF cronies have been promised. We need answers as to how the country as a whole will benefit from that war. There has been utmost secrecy and non-disclosure on the part of the Zanu PF government on salient issues about our intervention in the DRC. What will ordinary people have to show for our country's three years of engagement in this war? "There are some facts we know. Families have lost their fathers - breadwinners at that. Others have lost their beloved sons and daughters - we are with them in their grief. We share their sorrow and cry the same tears they cry. The level of arrogance and insensitivity shown by the Zanu PF government heightens our anger. To this day we still do not know how many of our sons and daughters lost their lives in the battle front. Why is that a secret? "We need to know the economic impact of the war and the multiplier effect in the economy. Last year alone we heard that the government was spending at least one billion a month in the first six months of the year. We want to know what the total expenditure in the war has been. "On 29 August 2000 Finance Minister Simba Makoni told Parliament that $260 million was spent on the war in 1998, $3,9 billion in 1999, and $6 billion in the first half of 2000. These figures were viewed with scepticism, as many believe that as much as US$1 million a day is being spent to sustain this war. It goes without saying that while the rest of the population is starving, losing their jobs, and the fuel crisis threatens even more jobs, the government continues to pour more resources into the DRC for the benefit of a few individuals. "Most importantly, we would like to know the value of the economic benefit from the war. Surely no material gain can justify such a high expenditure both in human lives and capital resources. Are the fruits of the war coming to Zimbabwe, or to individuals? Will ordinary soldiers' efforts, their sweat and blood bear fruit to their families and children and all ordinary Zimbabweans, or are these soldiers just sacrificial lambs to fatten the stomach's of the few? "We demand answers as to what equity and property rights, title deeds and interests have been acquired by the Zimbabwean government in mines, farms and other interests in the DRC. "Section 96 of the constitution of Zimbabwe clearly states that the Zimbabwe Defence Forces shall be used only for the purposes of defending Zimbabwe. The intervention in the DRC war was clearly illegal if we consider that parliament did not approve the deployment. The fact that Mugabe willingly sent troops to the DRC without Parliamentary approval illustrates his total disregard for Parliament. "The MDC undertakes that under its government there will be responsible assignment of our forces, bearing in mind the urgent need to priorities our expenditure. These shall remain those that benefit the country as a whole, such as health, education and agriculture." Back later Sorry I had to cut and run, but there was lightning overhead and I refuse to lose another modem. Now, where was I ? Yes, Kabila is visiting. He made his speech in Parliament and guess what - not one MDC member attended ! How's that ! I think they are going to get a serious rollicking for it, but I support them wholeheartedly. They object to Zimbabwe supporting the DRC, spending millions of our weak dollars every month on a war that has nothing to do with us. Any sane Zimbabwean will agree that we should NOT be in the DRC. We are fighting to survive here in Zimbabwe. Corruption cases and investigations continue. It seems that every Tom, Dick & Ngoni has taken a bribe (in a big way) for something or other, or has stolen the funds, trusts, etc in his care, and it is all surfacing. This is good news for those of us who REFUSE to allow ourselves to be corrupted, but it doesn't really help to know we are among a den of thieves. The bribery system is really bad here. You can get anything you want, I have discovered (even forex), if you are prepared to pay the official concerned. I refuse, and I know there are many others who stand with me on this here in Zim. There has got to come a time when we say NO, NO MORE ! The cases challenging the election results are being heard at the moment, and already a few of them have been dismissed. The winning ZanuPF candidates who have testified claim they knew nothing of violence & intimidation during that period. Unbelievable ! So appeals are being made, and will be heard in the Supreme court as I expected. I am following these cases closely, as to me they will reflect how independent our judiciary actually is. We'll see. Discontent seems to be growing by the day. Prices are now unbelievably high. I will put in some grocery prices after I do my shopping at the weekend. Everyone is grumbling - even staunch ZanuPF members must be suffering with the cost of living the same as everyone else. As I drive along Samora Machel Avenue (Jameson Ave.) to work each morning, I have noticed a growing number of folk, adults and many schoolchildren, walking ! The bus fares are so high, that they have no choice. The lack of fuel doesn't help either, as our public transport system is in a shocking state. Trains have ceased to run altogether, but I have heard that a consignment of diesel has come in and a limited service will be offered shortly. I just need to mention our health care system here. When my children had the accident, they were taken by passing vehicles to a Gweru hospital. My husband & I got the message about the accident at 6 pm, and we rushed off to Gweru in the middle of a horrific storm. The roads were so bad that it took us almost 5 hours to do what should have been a 3 hour trip. When we got to the clinic, the whole family was lying in ICU, doped up to their eyeballs to relieve the pain, but they had received no treatment whatsoever. I was horrified, and of course I went ballistic. I discovered that there were no x-ray facilities working in Gweru, and even if there had been facilities, there was no-one capable of treating the injuries. Well, I can't describe the night we had. It was too awful, knowing that they all needed immediate attention, and they JUST DIDN'T GET IT ! This was a medical emergency. We arranged for ambulances at daybreak the next morning and we transported the whole family by ambulance to Bulawayo. By this time, my daughter and son-in-law were nearly demented with the pain from their injuries. The ambulance crew were marvelous and we got them through to the hospital in Bulawayo by 10am. The whole experience was very traumatic for all of us. To see your children screaming in agony, and know that there is no immediate help for them is something I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy. It is very alarming to think that they would have died had their injuries been life threatening. It scares me ! While I was away for the 4 weeks, 3 members of my staff lost family members. These people were all taken to government hospitals, and died ! No, they were not suffering from HIV. The staff members were given no reasonable explanations as to the causes of the deaths of their loved ones; they just accepted this, and took the bodies home for burial. I am appalled ! They gave me detailed explanations of the events leading up to the deaths, and I can honestly say there was neglect in all three cases. An interesting article follows. This was emailed to me. Hon Phil Goff Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Media Statement EMBARGOED UNTIL MIDNIGHT MONDAY 19 MARCH 2001 GOFF VOICES CONCERNS OVER FIJI & ZIMBABWE TO COMMONWEALTH WATCHDOG Foreign Affairs Minister Phil Goff has expressed New Zealand's concern about events in Fiji and Zimbabwe to the Commonwealth's watchdog on democracy, the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG). Mr Goff has written to the Secretary-General of the Commonwealth Secretariat Don McKinnon on the eve of CMAG's latest meeting in London. "I have told Mr McKinnon that New Zealand is disappointed that the opportunity to immediately return to Fiji to a constitutional and democratic government has been lost and with it the chance of a government of national unity which may have been able to help reconcile differences within the community. "New Zealand is concerned that the former interim administration declared illegal by the Court of Appeal has effectively been legitimised and appointed as a caretaker government. The most constitutional approach would have been the reconvening of Parliament and letting it decide who should govern until elections are held. "The path chosen by President Iloilo appears to give only lip service to the Court of Appeal ruling and at best is on the outer edges of constitutionality. "I have told Mr McKinnon that New Zealand is not yet ready to life sanctions against Fiji. Suspension of the sanctions will need to await clear evidence of early elections and an unequivocal commitment by the caretaker government to a democratic outcome at the ballot box. "I hope that CMAG is able to send a clear message expressing concerns about the doubtful constitutionality of the caretaker government. The Commonwealth should emphasise that Fiji's return to full membership of the Commonwealth will depend on it's successful return to a constitutional democracy," Mr Goff said. The minister has also expressed to Mr McKinnon his concerns about the situation in Zimbabwe. Mr Goff supported CMAG's concerns already expressed over ongoing violence, loss of life, illegal occupations of property, failure to uphold the rule of law and political intimidation in the run-up to Zimbabwe's parliamentary elections. "There have been further reasons for profound disquiet in recent months. Reported human rights abuses include serious threats to Opposition MP's, apparent tolerance of violence, murder, intimidation and a growing climate of fear. "I am concerned by reports of interference with the independencies of the judiciary and the reticence of law enforcement authorities to investigate or act upon intimidation directed at citizens who are not supportive of the regime. "The independence of the press has also been compromised by the failure to protect newspapers which dare to be critical of the government while there has been the expulsion of British and South African journalists. "CMAG should call for an immediate end to these abuses. New Zealand supports the early dispatch by the Commonwealth Secretariat of a fact finding team to Zimbabwe. CMAG should then meet to review its finding and formulate the next steps for commonwealth action. This might include assistance to Zimbabwe to move away from the disastrous political and economic course which it is following or sanctions such as suspension from the Commonwealth if it does not." Mr Goff said.

2001-03-22T22:14:00.000Z

Thursday 22nd March 2001

At last ! Time for a short update.

I have had a very busy week at work (it’s not over yet), and have had to catch up on what has been happening around Zimbabwe. It doesn’t look very promising. It seems the whole country is grinding to halt. I think we will need a miracle to rescue us from total disaster.

A major crisis is the fuel situation. I am always saying that it is critical – well…I believe it has got beyond that. We, as a country, have not had any diesel for weeks, and it does not look as though we will be getting any in the near future. This has impacted on every sector of our society. The latest to suffer is the National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ). There is NO diesel to maintain our train services, and so thousands of travelers are stranded as the NRZ has suspended all but 2 of its passenger services. It is only running the Bulawayo/Chriedzi and the Bulawayo/Vic Falls trains. It has also suspended all of the goods trains except the Beit Bridge/Bulawayo train. This is a shocking state of affairs. The fuel shortage has affected businesses the length and breadth of the country. Wankie Colliery, Zimbabwe’s sole supplier of coal, has announced that it is going to scale down its operations, as is Ziscosteel. The list goes on and on. There has been a call for the Minister of Mines & Energy, Sidney Sekeramayi, to resign. Hear, hear !!!Our government is continually being criticized for its failure to come to grips with the economic decline, and the elusive way it handles the crisis. It needs to pay at least US$ 30 million before its major supplier, Kuwait based Independent Petroleum Group (IPG) will resume fuel supplies. This figure does not include the billions of Zim dollars still owed to other suppliers, including Sasol in South Africa. It seems our creditors are beginning to wake up to the fact that they could lose their money !!! (and probably will).A team from the IPG is in Zimbabwe at the moment. Simba Makoni, our Minister of Finance, has actually admitted that the government is cash strapped and is frantically looking for foreign currency (along with the rest of us). That brings us to the next major crisis – foreign currency or the lack of it !!!

The forex situation is desperate – we can’t get any, anywhere. I personally know someone who paid Zim$113 per US$ the other day. Over 100 to 1 is common now on the ‘parallel market’ – funny, this used to be called the black market. On the official market the price is pegged at 55 to 1 – that’s if we could get some. Imports are becoming impossible – how do we pay ??? Local manufacturers are also feeling it as they cannot import the goods they need to manufacture. Each sector affects another, and each is watching the other as it slowly dies. No sector has the economic strength to pull another back from the brink of disaster. We all dance to the government’s dirge. We protest - and we are killed, maimed or deported for our protestations. We are told in today’s Daily News that Simba Makoni, our Minister of Finance has just had a meeting with the IMF requesting emergency funding to push Zimbabwe out of its economic crisis, but the IMF is not putting its hand in its pocket this time.

Another interesting article in today’s paper (the front page, in fact), is the story that our Foreign Affairs Minister is accusing Britain of a plot to overthrow our President. He described Britain as a ‘racist nation with sinister motives’. I have never heard such utter rubbish in all my life. Our Zanu PF ministers continually make the most irrational and ridiculous statements. The mind boggles !!!

On to the war vets. They continue to disrupt farming activities countrywide, and they are now interfering in civil society as well. Joseph Chinotimba has been appointed the new leader of the Harare Province of the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association (yes – quite a mouthful). I think his appointment has gone to his head ! On Monday, he stormed into a management meeting of Trinidad Industries here in Harare, and ordered the management to re-instate 30 workers who have been retrenched. The audacity ! All over the country the war vets have been closing down district councils, saying the workers are supporters of the MDC. They actually closed down 2 schools at Sawmills in Bulawayo this week, saying the teachers were teaching the students MDC slogans. Half of the teachers fled for their lives and haven’t been back at the schools since. This is allowed to happen. They continue to intimidate and physically beat up farmers and their workers, and it is allowed to happen. They have the backing of our president, so who can stop them – and at this present time, no-one is even trying.

Our biggest problem of all is, in fact, our president. It is time for some straight talking here. He really has to go. He is responsible to, and for this nation. He is causing its downfall. Everything that is going wrong in this country is his fault, and it’s about time he was called to answer for his shortcomings. There can be no hope for us as long as he is the president of this country. He has allowed the havoc on the farms; he encourages it. He has condemned our judiciary because they failed to toe his line, and he is doing his utmost to get rid of them. He has made it plain to all those who oppose him, black or white, that they will be made to pay, and he encourages his henchmen, the war vets and other thugs, to mete out the payment. His main concern is that he holds onto power at all costs, and he is destroying a country and its people in the process. How long ??? How long will we have to wait ????

2001-03-19T22:11:00.000Z

Monday 19th March 2001

Hi folks. Its good to be back home and back online ! I am at home once again after a month in Bulawayo tending to my children. They are all well on the road to recovery, and I felt I could leave them at last. It has been the most worrying time, but it made me realise where my priorities lie, and also gave me a chance to realise how thankful I am for all the good things I have.

My son-in-law came off traction today (a fractured pelvis and fractures of the acetabulum, also facial injuries);my daughter is confined to a wheelchair (fractured foot, ankle, and tib/fib)- she could walk on crutches but for the fractures of her shoulders & arms ! The children are fine, the youngest also came off traction today, his was a clean fracture of the femur. They are very, very lucky !!! We all realise it, and are indeed thankful ! None of their injuries will cause any permanent damage, and, with time, they will all be back to normal.

As for the situation here, nothing has changed and it has grown steadily worse in the 4 weeks that I have been away from home. I do have a lot to catch up on ! but will try to spread it over the next few days.

One awful thing that happened while I was in Bulawayo, was the murder of Gloria Olds (2 weeks ago). She was the mother of Martin Olds, a Bulawayo farmer who was murdered by war veterans. The farming community (and most of the district) was devastated. She was shot 15 times to her body. She was an old woman, defenceless - but it doesn't make any difference !

The Matabeleland farmers are going through a bad time at the moment with the war vets. Please read the latest CFU Farm reports.

We have no fuel whatsoever in Harare. Diesel has been unavailable for weeks, and a lot of businesses have come to a standstill. My husband & I managed to get fuel at the weekend in Bulawayo - enough to get us home - but there is nothing at all in Harare.

I have to admit that I rarely bought the paper while I was away, and I'm afraid the "Zimbabwe Situation" was the furtherest thing from my mind. I was back at work today for the 1st time in 4 weeks, and a member of staff commented "Bulawayo must have done you good, you've come back and you're not even angry about anything". Well.... that statement was a real eye-opener for me. I sat and had a good think about how angry I have actually been for so long. I started discussing it with other members of staff, and realised that it isn't just me that feels this way - they are ALL angry. We have become an angry and frustrated people.

I have emptied my email bin which was overflowing and bouncing all the messages back I believe. I do apologise. To all those who did manage to contact me, thank you so much for your prayers. I will be answering everyone as soon as I can.

2001-02-28T22:09:00.000Z

Wednesday 28th February 2001

I am still in Bulawayo, and will be for some time.

My children are slowly recovering from what was a horrific accident. Bones can mend, thank God ! There were no head injuries or internal damage, so we have much to be thankful for. I will be here until they are all back at home, which will take weeks.

There is such a lot going on here at the moment, and I hope to be able to update you all in the next few days. This is just a brief stop at an Internet Cafe. My thanks to all those who have emailed. My mail bin keeps filling up and it will then bounce the emails back to you. I am trying to empty it at the moment by answering as many as I can in half an hour (and then I'm back to the hospital). God Bless you all and thanks for thinking of us.

Please check out the Zim Newspapers that are on line, and also John Robertson's reports to keep yourselves informed. If you go to M-Web Zimbabwe, there are links to all the papers etc. Back as soon as possible.

2001-02-14T22:05:00.000Z

Wednesday 14th February (Valentines Day – Yes…I got red roses !!!)

Time for another update.

The business community was in an uproar on Monday over the Reserve Bank’s announcement that all forex taken in by any bank has to be sold to the Reserve Bank. This means that no one else in Zimbabwe has any access to foreign currency. This announcement was made at the end of last week, and has caused the business community sleepless nights since then. The forex is needed to bail out the corruption-ridden Noczim (our fuel supplier), and also to pay Zimbabwe diplomats based abroad. Word has it that the diplomats have not been paid for months ! Many businesses started buying up local stock immediately, and a rush was reported on all imported goods. No…I didn’t rush out and stock up…but I am worried. Then, yesterday, we had a further announcement that the banking community has heavily criticized the announcement by the Reserve Bank, and they communicated their displeasure to the RBZ governor in no uncertain terms. The Reserve bank has backed down, and announced today that this measure will be in place only for a few short days, until the 15th February 2001 (this Thursday coming). Although this latest statement has brought some relief, I can feel a very strong undercurrent of anger and dissatisfaction growing. Some of my staff asked me what it would mean if we could no longer get foreign currency (as a business). I explained as best as I could that this would stop me from importing the goods I need to keep the business going. This would then result in me having to close some of the branches and retrench some of the workers (this would be a last resort). I stressed the importance of tightening of the belts, reducing wastage etc. and it is finally hitting home. My operations Manager had a meeting with all staff members at 5.00 p.m last night, and he too explained how serious our situation is. The staff questioned him in detail, on how the lack of foreign currency would affect us, and he explained in detail. They were stunned at the fact that they actually COULD lose their jobs through no fault of their own (nor Management). I had quite a few men coming up to me throughout today, saying that they will do their best to pull their weight through the next few months. It was very encouraging…but my heart was breaking for them. They are facing the very real threat of retrenchment - and they have finally realized it. And the awful thing is, those who have already been retrenched recently (throughout Zimbabwe) have no chance of finding another job in the near future (maybe even the long term future). I am really trying to bring all my experience into play here, to keep the business going. Our major stock item is paper – (A4 white bond – no, we don’t sell it, we print on it). I get it from suppliers who import it from South Africa. As at yesterday morning, I could only get my hands on 400 reams. I have been promised more by the end of this week. The business will use those 400 reams in 2 days. Without paper, I will have to close the doors. This is how serious things are at the moment. I manage 8 Branches, 2 in Bulawayo, and this involves a lot of manpower. Any advice from experts in business management would be most welcome. I don’t have all the answers, and I will appreciate hearing from anyone who thinks they have any good ideas.

The fuel situation has once again reached a critical stage. There are only 2 garages in Harare who are serving fuel today, and their queues were kilometers long by 5 am this morning. My Accountant put his car in the queue at 5.30am and it was still in the queue when I left work after 5 pm. We had left a driver in the car, to move it along, but the queue had not moved by lunchtime. On enquiring why the pumps had not been opened, he was told by the garage attendants that the garage management had heard there was to be price increase today, so they were not going to serve any fuel until they got confirmation of the new price. The Accountant took his place in the queue after we left work. I just hope he doesn’t have to sit there all night. I got home on fumes last night – I expected to run out all the way home. I planned to get the supper organised, and then go out and find a queue. I gave a lift home to a wonderful young man, who lives near me, and he joined us in watching the fuel gauge in anguish ! Not half an hour after I got home, he knocked on my front door, and introduced me to his mother whom I have never met. They then presented me with 25 litres of petrol. I was so overwhelmed, I nearly burst into tears ! When I asked her how much I owed her, she said “Nothing, just fill the container up again and return it when there is fuel”. She has restored my faith in my fellow Zimbabweans – and also become a new friend ! In times like these, we can’t have enough of them ! Thank you !

We have had so much rain in the last few weeks that everything is waterlogged. Some of the streets in the northern suburbs are under water. We had one of the worst storms of the season last night, we couldn’t even hear ourselves think ! So, of course I could not get on to the computer at all. At 6pm the electricity went off, and we assumed it was due to the storm (which was still raging at midnight). The power came back on at 8.30. We discovered in an announcement today, that it was NOT due to the storm at all – we are back to load-shedding ! So, it’s out with the candles once again. A friend asked this morning ‘Where else in the world would anyone put up with what we have ?’ I couldn’t answer ! I guess no-one would put up with this kind of thing in Europe or the US. But…this is Zimbabwe…and anything can happen ! Had any foreign government made the duff ups that our government has made, they would have been out on their ears years ago.

On to the issue of our Judiciary…pressure is now being put on two more Supreme Court Judges to resign. One of them, Justice Nick McNally has absolutely refused to bow to the pressure, and the other, Justice Ahmed Ebrahim has said he needs to consult with his family. ZanuPF has made it clear that they will NOT be satisfied until the full bench of 5 Justices is removed. They want more puppets in high places. This, as far as I can see, is an urgent matter on their agenda. The court cases contesting the results of 37 constituencies in our general election, began last week. You will remember that Mugabe banned these actions, and this banning was thrown out by the Supreme Court (2 0r 3 days before Chief Justice Gubbay was forced to resign). Should the MDC win the cases, they will find themselves with an almost 2/3 majority in the house !!! This will NOT be allowed by ZanuPF, and will, of course, be appealed against. These appeals will then be heard in the Supreme Court…hence the need for puppets on the Supreme Court Bench. After all, what good is a Supreme Court that will not sing & dance to every tune called by ZanuPF ! The forced resignation of Antony Gubbay has been strongly condemned by Law Associations in South Africa and Zambia. (At last, voices from across our borders !) Andres Van Vuuren, the Director of the Law Society of South Africa had the following to say, ‘It is with dismay that the Law Society of South Africa has learnt that the Robert Mugabe government has forced Zimbabwe’s Chief Justice to resign’. Van Vuuren said the matter had been compounded by impending government action against 2 other Supreme Court Judges. ‘The independence of the Judiciary is one of the cornerstones of a democratic society. Judges should be independent from government interference so that they can adjudicate on matters in a fearless and objective manner in any case brought before them’. Yesterday, Tuesday, while the cases were being heard in the High Court, hundreds of war vets and ZanuPF supporters tried to march on the High Court to disrupt the hearings. The Police set up road blocks and stopped them from entering the area ! So the hearings went ahead uninterrupted. I am following these hearings with great interest. The outcome could affect the balance of power in parliament, if Mugabe allows any results against ZanuPF to stand. I do not see this happening. These hearings could go on for months, and of course, the appeals will take even longer. The MDC candidates who are contesting the results, want the results to be declared null and void, and want by-elections held in the constituencies. This, if it goes according to plan, will cause a further reign of terror in the areas contested.

An MDC Member of Parliament, Mr Job Sikhala, has petitioned the UN Secretary General, Kofi Annan, to probe Mugabe for human rights abuses. Job, his wife, and a maid, were dragged out of their home at 4 am on the 5th February by 5 men. They were severely assaulted, and Mrs Sikhala is pregnant. The men responsible told Job that they were under strict instructions from the highest office in the land. The instructions were that he would co-operate with them, or they would kill him. He has sent a 3 page letter to Kofi Annan, who has, up to now, remained silent on the Zimbabwe situation. Dear Job, do you think you will get a response. I hope you do, but I’m not holding my breath.

A very serious situation is developing here (yes, another one). Men dressed in army uniforms, and driven in army vehicles, are entering the high-density suburbs under cover of darkness, and are beating and intimidating people at will. These men have not proved by means of identification, that they are army personnel, and it is the general opinion that they are thugs dressed in army uniform. This is happening on a nightly basis, and our Police Force is very conspicuous by it’s absence. So many have been beaten and ‘accused’ of being MDC supporters. Yes, many are intimidated, but many more are so very angry. Morgan Tsvangira has accused the government of pushing the country into civil strife by provoking the nation into violence to justify the reintroduction of the emergency powers regulation. The emergency powers regulations basically give Mugabe the power to do anything he wants. These regulations are a carry over from pre-Independence days, and Mugabe has conveniently kept them on the statute books. Morgan thinks that Mugabe want to push the nation into a state of low intensity civil war, provoking the nation to take precipitate action, so as to find an excuse to impose a state of emergency and clamp down on dissent. We have to be very careful at the moment, not to give Mugabe the excuse that he is looking for. Mugabe is losing his grip on the people of Zimbabwe, and this has him panic-stricken and completely paranoid. The result of this panic and paranoia is the attempt by him and those under him, to completely subjugate the masses. This could get very messy.

I have just read this article which you all need to read ! I am copying it in directly as it is written

Philip de Bruin - Johannesburg -

The Zimbabwean judiciary is a ‘bomb waiting to explode’. When it does – ‘and it will be soon’ - the whole country will be disrupted, and anarchy will reign. Top Zimbabwean legal experts were reacting on Tuesday to an open declaration of war on all the country’s judges, and on white judges in particular, by the leader of the Zimbabwean organisation for war veterans, Chenjerai ‘Hitler’ Hunzvi. Hunzvi, in an interview on Tuesday with the programme Monitor on Radio Sonder Grense, admitted that his organisation was behind death threats to judges. In a conversation with Beeld on Tuesday afternoon, his attitude was even more militant: ‘We won’t stop at threats. We will act. We will ensure that they [serving judges] are kicked out. All of them. They murdered our brothers during the freedom struggle by hanging them’. 'There Will Be Action' Responding to a question over what tactics he would employ to get rid of the judges, Hunzvi replied: ‘That is our secret. Wait and see. There will be action’. Hunzvi’s threats and confessions elicited immediate strong reaction from jurists in Zimbabwe. Their demands include beefed-up security measures to protect judges. Hunzvi is uncompromising in his demands for the ‘entire judiciary’ to resign, and for judges be replaced by people who fought in the ‘struggle for freedom’. His deputy, Peace Kiliwane, confirmed his statements: ‘We want all those judges out, immediately’. More Judges May Resign Hunzvi and his followers evidently have the support of Zimbabwe's ruling Zanu-PF party, since the country’s chief justice, Judge Anthony Gubbay resigned last week, a year prior to the end of his term, after being accused by officials of serving the interests of the white minority. More judges have also indicated that they would resign. The international legal community have rallied in support of the threatened Zimbabwean judiciary. UN special representative for courts Param Cumaraswamy condemned the latest events in the strongest terms. Similarly, the International Commission of Jurists and the South African Bar Council expressed strong criticism of Hunzvi and President Robert Mugabe. Zimbabwean Law Society president Sternford Moyo said in reaction to Hunzvi’s threats that security for judges should be increased immediately. He would also probe the possibility of a criminal prosecution against Hunzvi, since ‘making death threats is a criminal offence’. Law Society secretary Edison Musaboyane called Hunzvi ‘militant and unethical’. 'A Boiling Cauldron' ’The truth of the matter is that jurisprudence in Zimbabwe is a boiling cauldron waiting to explode. Hunzvi and his followers are allowed to say and do as they please, while the government refuses point-blank to act and restrict them.’ ’It is clear to us that Hunzvi will not rest before the entire existing bench is disposed of, but particularly the white judges. This may be coupled with violence, since the government allows Hunzvi and his followers to take the law in their own hands. ’It is tragic that an open vendetta against a bench with such integrity is allowed. If there is an explosion, the whole of Zimbabwe will suffer and it could result in anarchy.’

Very worrying !

2001-02-09T22:01:00.000Z

Friday 9th February 2001

I thought I would update again tonight.

It’s very cool here, and has rained on and off all day. Friends of my son arrived after lunch and said that streets in the northern suburbs are under water. We really have had a lot of rain this past week.

We are facing another fuel shortage, and this one is serious. By lunchtime today, most garages had run out. A friend, who is a garage owner, said he got fuel yesterday…it was finished by this morning…and he does not expect any more until late next week. He warned me that this shortage is going to be serious. I have a quarter of a tank of fuel – so let’s see how far I can make it stretch.

I wasn’t in town at all today, but those who were said there were queues miles long, and a lot of garages had run out altogether. These regular fuel shortages affect the business community very badly. They also affect all the buses etc. and make life more difficult than it already is ! During the last serious fuel shortage, there were just no buses, and folk were walking miles and miles to work. This means getting up before 4 in the morning in some cases, and then having to repeat the journey after work in the evening ! We all know that things are going to get worse before they get better !

Yesterday, I mentioned the court order demanding that the police remove war vets from farms in the Hwedza district. Well, the government has publicly announced that it will completely disregard the last 6 such orders. Vice President Joseph Msika told reporters late yesterday that police and security personnel would not be used to carry out any evictions of black ‘demonstrators’ on farms. ‘There is no turning back. No courts will be allowed to stand in the way of a just resolution of the land question,’he said. Mugabe has repeatedly supported often-violent occupations of the farms, calling them a legitimate protest against whites' disproportionate ownership of land. Since 1980, the land reform program has been plagued by corruption and mismanagement, with many prime farms being shared out by politicians and their cronies. None of us are surprised by this latest defiance of the law. It has really got me worrying though. How far will ZanuPF go, I wonder, in it’s blatant disregard of law and order ? It seems there is no limit.

I have mentioned many times, that the salute of the MDC (Movement for Democratic Change) is a wave with an open hand. The ZanuPF salute is a fist, shaken in the air. Well…the government is considering a petition to ban the open hand salute, according to our State television. The report said that a group of ruling party lawmakers and fundamentalist christian clerics (?) said the MDC salute gave ‘political connotations to normal greetings and farewells. Waving hands is an international symbol of happiness created by God and using it on political grounds is a total violation of human rights.’ What absolute tripe !!!!! and to bring God into it to justify their warped thinking…!!! State television said the petition was drafted by three ruling party lawmakers and clerics from the Emakhandeni Church of Christ, a fundamentalist group in western Zimbabwe. An MDC spokesman was quoted as saying that the move was part of a ‘continuing clampdown on government opponents’.

A report by the Independent Audit Committee, (IAC) which is in the possession of the Zimbabwe Indpendent newspaper, says that our Electricity Supply Commission (ZESA) is corrupt to the core, and that there are millions of dollars missing. As far as I’m concerned, this comes as no surprise whatsoever, and just another in the long line of corruption cases that are surfacing regularly. At the centre of the investigation, where the loss of millions through theft and fraud is described as ‘business as usual’, are the top brass at Zesa including former transmission director Francis Masawi, executive chairman Sidney Gata and former boss Simbarashe Mangwengwende. The Zesa top brass has been on a collision course with the government-appointed audit committee after management ordered it to halt investigations into theft and fraud running into millions. Unnamed government officials and the Central Intelligence Organisation were also quoted by Gata as being privy to the rackets. The report has revealed that a number of middle and senior managers at Zesa were involved in fleecing Zesa of millions. The report has been sent to Mines and Energy minister Sydeney Sekeramai. We law-abiding citizens have watched for years, as certain members of our government, civil service, parastatals etc. have got wealthier and fatter…on a civil servant’s wage ? Give me a break !

It seems that it eventually does ‘all come out in the wash’! It’s just a matter of time.

One thing about all these revelations – there must be a lot of people out there quaking in their boots! The government has come under attack from the president of the Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce (ZNCC), Danny Dube. He said it should concentrate on it’s core business of running the country, and stop interfering with the business community. Well-said Danny. I think this is the first time I have heard the ZNCC speak out so clearly ! (Correct me if I’m wrong). Dube, a banker, told business executives at a lunchtime meeting in Harare the ZNCC was taking a new direction and would not ‘sit while things get worse and worse’. He said: ‘We will be more pro-active and stop reacting to things which have already been decided, yet affect our operations.’ He was referring to the new monetary measures introduced by Dr Leonard Tsumba, the governor of the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe. The business community described the measures as ‘largely meaningless’ because they do not tackle the exchange rate issue. He said the ZNCC was apolitical and, therefore, did not support the MDC or Zanu PF. Dube said: ‘Governments come and go, but the business community remains. Zimbabwe is currently facing hard times because of the bad economic situation. The country is facing its worst economic nightmare since independence. Inflation, interest rates, fuel shortages, impending food shortages, as well as lack of donor support because of poor international relations and arrogance have all characterised the country's policies’.

There are really loud rumblings of dissatisfaction over our forex situation. We just can’t get any! Businesses have been waiting weeks for forex from the banks, and they have now been told that they will have to apply directly to the Reserve bank. Any forex that comes in will go firstly to our fuel and energy suppliers…if there’s any left over, it will be shared out among the business sector. Just a brief insert here from the British Telegraph. I have not seen this reported anywhere else, so will try to find out if it is fact or not.

Printing threat to paper that opposes Mugabe The future of Zimbabwe's largest independent newspaper as a daily publication was thrown into doubt yesterday when a state-owned printing company abruptly announced that it was ending a deal to produce it. Last month, the Daily News's own press was wrecked by a bomb. The National Printing and Packaging Company came to its rescue by agreeing to share the printing with a smaller company. Natprint's withdrawal from the deal means the Daily News is expected to be reduced to three issues a week and may no longer be viable. Criticism of President Mugabe has made the Daily News Zimbabwe's biggest-selling newspaper and a target for constant harassment. - David Blair, Harare
If this is true, it will be a great pity ! Anybody out there have a spare printing press ? I will really miss my daily copy. Please spare a thought for our farmers. They are still going through very hard times with the war vets on the farms. How they manage to keep going, I will never know. Please read the latest farm reports from the Commercial Farmers Union. I sometimes forget to give them a thought, then I read the reports and am always jolted back to reality.

2001-02-08T21:57:00.000Z

Thursday 8th February 2001

Sorry for not updating in the last few days (and I am really getting behind in answering emails). I am recovering from a bout of flu – still at home – and will be back at work on Monday.

It has been quiet at home, but I have managed to keep up with all the news. It has rained on and off the whole week. In fact, my garden is quite waterlogged, and the dogs are full of mud ! Bath time for them, I think.

In the early hours of Tuesday morning, a huge explosion (well, it sounded like an explosion !) awoke most of Harare. No one seems to know what it was, or where it came from. The Police even announced, via the newspapers, that they don’t know what it was.

There is still no idea as to who planted the bomb at the Daily News press. Investigations are continuing. I wonder if we will ever get to hear who the culprits are ? There is a lot of speculation, and some very definite ideas, but nothing official yet. We wait !

The war veteran saga continues. Yes, they are still on the farms, causing problems for everyone concerned. There is an interesting development from the High Court. A newly appointed High Court Judge, Ms Rita Makarau, has just ordered our Police Commissioner, Augustine Chihuri, to evict war veterans and Zanu PF supporters from commercial farms they have forcibly occupied in Hwedza since February last year. She said ‘It is ordered that all persons illegally occupying farms in Hwedza commercial farming district and all persons occupying farms through them be ordered to vacate the farms forthwith. The deputy sheriff for Marondera is empowered to enlist the assistance of the Zimbabwe Republic Police if the assistance is considered necessary to enforce the eviction orders.’ The government did not oppose both the application and the order. Our papers reported that ‘There was no legal officer from the Attorney General's Office, which normally handles such cases on behalf of the government’. I wonder why no one appeared from the AG’s office. Do they know that the order will not be complied with anyway, so feel it is a waste of time to even bother turning up ?

This brings me on to the Judiciary. Antony Gubbay, our Chief Justice, has been forced to resign. This is now common knowledge, and the Judiciary is furious about it. (Well, not all !). Several Zimbabwean judges have begun to seek employment elsewhere, it seems, as a direct result of ZanuPF’s siege on the Judiciary. The move by the judges became known just as ZANU PF announced that Vice President Simon Muzenda would tomorrow chair a caucus meeting of ruling party legislators in Harare to consider, among other issues, a resolution for the ‘removal of all the judges of the Supreme Court’. This is so typical of ZanuPF. If it gets in the way – remove it ! And the Judiciary has certainly been getting in the way lately – BY UPHOLDING THE LAW ! ‘The greatest fear in some of us is that we might end up being eliminated physically,’ one judge said. Another judge said he had ‘frightening information’ on the government’s attempts to dilute the present character of the judiciary, under incessant attack by President Robert Mugabe and Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa, for refusing to bend the law to suit ZANU PF’s whims. The judge said he and colleagues, with whom he had shared this information, no longer felt secure remaining on the Zimbabwe bench. He said he could not yet share the information with the media. ‘It seems that for one to be accepted as a fair judge you have to discard the book of rules and pass judgments in favour of the government and the ruling party. This is skewed reasoning on the part of some political upstarts who have now completely discredited themselves by doing more talking than thinking,’ the judge said. Mugabe, Chinamasa and Information Minister Jonathan Moyo have made no secret of the government’s intention to ‘revamp’ the operations of the judiciary, which they brand colonial’. One senior judge said he understood that part of the measures being mulled by the government include appointing more judges of appeal to the Supreme Court to ‘neutralise the influence of the present justices who are perceived as anti–ZANU PF’. ZANU PF’s chief whip Joram Gumbo said tomorrow’s caucus meeting had been called specifically to discuss last week’s Supreme Court judgment that overruled Mugabe’s decree which sought to nullify court challenges by the MDC against 39 parliamentary seats won by the ruling party in the June ballot. Trying to muzzle the Judiciary ! Am I surprised ? Not at all. It is just the next step in a carefully controlled plan on the part of ZanuPF.

What exactly does the ruling party want ? I’ll tell you what they want ! They want a Judiciary – no, a nation – of mindless idiots, who will do nothing but kow-tow to their every whim, and keep them in the style to which they have become very accustomed! Well, they are NOT going to get it.

I want to copy in an article from the Financial Gazette here.

ZIMBABWE’S ruling ZANU PF party is leaving nothing to chance as it fights for political survival with everything it has — public funds, propaganda and violence — ahead of a crucial ballot that could end its 21-year reign. But the multi-pronged onslaught could yet unravel in the face of an economic meltdown which has brought bread and butter issues to the fore, reports Assistant News Editor ABEL MUTSAKANI. Sensing defeat in presidential elections due next year, ZANU PF has launched an onslaught against disgruntled voters by loosening the national purse strings and ordering a fresh crackdown on civic society spearheading growing opposition to the party. And where everything else has failed, the former socialist guerrilla movement that has ruled Zimbabwe alone since 1980 has resorted to outright terror to suppress swelling public discontent ahead of the crucial ballot. Political analysts and commentators this week said the onslaught against both civic society and the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) would intensify markedly in the coming months. With tension and state-led violence rising quickly and sharply, the analysts ruled out a free and fair presidential ballot. ‘We cannot say we will have a free and fair election in 2002,’ Brian Raftopoulos, a senior research fellow at the University of Zimbabwe (UZ)’s Institute of Development Studies, acknowledged. ‘President Robert Mugabe will do anything to stay in power. The onslaught on the MDC and civic society will increase. We will see more violence being unleashed,’ he told the Financial Gazette. Most Zimbabweans hold Mugabe responsible for the economic crisis that is gripping the country and threatens to spawn unprecedented social and political upheaval. Analysts say the MDC’s trade unionist leader Morgan Tsvangirai could take advantage of Mugabe’s lowest support ever to win the presidential race, hence the government’s panic and new clampdown on the opposition. The commentators spoke during a week when Zimbabwe’s Chief Justice Anthony Gubbay was forced to retire prematurely for standing up for the rule of law, when police pounced on MDC leaders and the government’s invective against the media moved up another notch. The strategy crafted at ZANU PF’s Harare headquarters is meant to divide and weaken civic society by installing puppet leaders in some of the organisations in a bid to re-establish the ruling party’s hegemony over all national institutions, the analysts noted. And in moves reminiscent of its failed experiment with socialism shortly after independence in 1980, the party is dishing out public funds in the name of paying school fees for poor children since its near defeat by the MDC in last June’s general election. Various other cash gifts funded from the state coffers have also been doled out to potential supporters ostensibly as funds for income-generating projects. The grand objective, said UZ political scientist Masipula Sithole, is to weaken and discredit the MDC and eventually throw it into a state of disarray. Raftopoulos said ZANU PF and government strategists had been quick to capitalise on a vacuum created within civic society when most of its leaders joined the MDC at its launch in 1999. The analysts said the dominant state-owned media was playing a central role in the strategy which promotes pro-government civic leaders while deliberately blacking out voices of all those perceived to be anti-ZANU PF, crucially the MDC. The result, observed Raftopoulos, is that ‘civic society is now more divided and clearly less strong than it was six months ago’. The trade union movement, once a formidable force that was the first to seriously challenge ZANU PF’s dominance during running battles for better living conditions for workers, has been crushed and rendered directionless. The umbrella Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU), unable to hold even its own congress as officials argue over whether or not to join an empty social contract with the government, has at best only managed feeble protests against harassment of farm workers by pro-government mobs. Neither has the ZCTU been able to protest the daily rises in prices of almost every commodity despite evident seething anger among consumers. The churches, a powerful voice in the largely Christian country, have been equally split by the state’s propaganda and divide-and-rule tactics. After months of silence as the government disrupted the key agricultural sector by seizing farms and unleashing its supporters on farmers and workers under its fast-track land reforms, selected churches have resurrected to pronounce their support for the programme, which has already been ruled illegal by the country’s highest court. At least five white farmers have been murdered and several others injured since the government began its latest land seizures last year. Echoing government propaganda, the selected church leaders two weeks ago urged farmers whose land is being seized not to seek recourse in the courts. The Roman Catholic Church, the largest Christian grouping in Zimbabwe, immediately distanced itself from the stance taken by the pro-establishment clerics, most of them little known in Zimbabwe. ’It is rather unfortunate,’ said Oskar Wermter, social communications officer of the conference of the Zimbabwe Roman Catholic Church’s Bishops, lamenting the split in the church. ‘It would be better if we spoke with one voice. We need to revisit the issue and see if the church could speak with a united and stronger voice.’ The media has not been spared either. ZANU PF’s divisive strategy has unleashed wide and acrimonious divisions between the independent and state-run media. The divisions were dramatised in Harare at the weekend when most state journalists boycotted a peaceful march called to protest the bombing of the Daily News by as yet unknown people a week ago. Journalists working for the government-owned papers and the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation claimed that the demonstration, subsequently called off after police menacingly threatened to act against the protesters, was anti-government. The judiciary, a key institution also targeted by the embattled party and government, showed last month the first signs of succumbing to the onslaught, with Chief Justice Gubbay publicly clashing with Judge President Justice Godfrey Chidyausiku. Justice Chidyausiku, known to be sympathetic to ZANU PF, accused his superior of causing a conflict between the judiciary and the executive over the land reforms. The enforced resignation last week of Justice Gubbay had not only accentuated the rift within the judiciary but also made the institution vulnerable to pressure from ZANU PF and its government. From setting up rival residents and civic associations in Harare’s poor ghettos to promoting pro-government lecturers into influential positions at state universities and launching pro-ZANU PF ‘development’ lobbies, the onslaught by the ruling party and the government has been unrelenting. ’Divide and conquer is the tactic which is being orchestrated here,’ Sithole observed, echoing the views of most analysts. But Sithole said the strategy was not working as shown by the increasing use of violence to cow voters. Sithole said Zimbabweans would see through the cash gifts while the divide-and-rule technique would at best only split the top leadership of civic society and not the masses who are bearing the brunt of the economic meltdown. ‘ZANU PF itself realises that the carrot — that is the school fees and other cash gifts plus the divide-and-rule technique — will not work, hence the very long and hard stick,’ the respected UZ political analyst said. Raftopoulos said the highly coercive and oppressive methods being used by the government and ZANU PF would not win them broad consent from the people. ‘At best for them, it will lead to apathy and fear, which have always been an advantage to ZANU PF,’ he said. Sithole added: ‘Infiltrating and splitting the opposition without solving the economic hardships which are fuelling public discontent against ZANU PF is a non-strategy. Only a strategy that can infiltrate the economy and resurrect it is bound to work.’

Another interesting development this week: Simba Makoni, our Finance Minister, returned empty handed from meeting with the World Bank and IMF. ‘He (Makoni) was told to go and attend to the breakdown of the rule of law in the country, the need for a just, legal and transparent land reform programme first, before meaningful dialogue on resumption of financial aid could start,’ one senior diplomat said. Makoni, already back in Harare, is expected to give Mugabe and his Cabinet a frank briefing on his talks with Kohler and Wolfenson and what the government must do if it still wants any financial rescue from an increasingly hostile international community. It wasn’t that long ago that Mugabe told foreign donors that they could shove their money !

We, as a country, are in dire straits, and yes, we could do with some help, but pressure needs to be put on our leaders to back down from the stand they have taken. If withholding aid and loans will have the desired effect, then so be it. All patriotic Zimbabweans are prepared to struggle through the next while, if there is seen to be light at the end of the tunnel. If any of you have read John Hollaway’s new book, ‘All Poor Together”, you will see John’s analysis of the ‘aid’ situation in Africa. It is heavy reading, but if you can get your hands on a copy, it’s worth every cent. John is a Zimbabwean, who was described by a British journalist as a ‘crusty old Rhodie’. His book makes a lot of sense as he details how ‘aid’ never did any lasting good in Africa. Overseas donors have ploughed billions of dollars into Africa in the last 30 years, and Africa is more badly off than it ever was. Read the book ! That’s it for tonight folks.

2001-02-04T21:54:00.000Z

Sunday 4 February 2001

A huge thunderstorm is building, the sky is black, and I will have to turn off soon if lightning starts !

On Friday there was to be a peaceful march through the streets of Harare. MDC supporters were protesting against Police Brutality, the lack of Law & Order etc. and I was there, in 1st Street, when the Riot Squad started chasing marchers. The marchers were apprehensive – they were obviously expecting trouble. Many fled as fast as they could. It was pretty scary to see so many people running in panic, but I managed to stand my ground and observe what was happening. The march actually never got off the ground. The Police have obviously been told not to allow this kind of protest, and so they clamped down hard on the protesters. I saw a couple of people getting clobbered with batons, seemingly for no other reason than the fact that they were there ! It was shocking behaviour from our police.

In Friday’s paper, the Zimbabwe Union of Journalists advertised that they would be marching on Saturday (yesterday) morning in protest against the recent bombing of the Daily News printing press, and the general attacks on press freedom. It was a full-page advert, strongly condemning recent events and attitudes. I was in town yesterday morning, and the Riot Police were there in full force - but no sign of the planned march. Maybe the marchers realised that it would have been futile. These marches are not working. They cause a lot of innocent people to be injured, and, although I agree with the sentiments, I don’t think they are effective. They are getting us nowhere. The Police have been on the alert since last week when John Nkomo, the Minister of Home Affairs, said the security forces were ready to deal with any demonstrations by the MDC. On Thursday, police and soldiers beat up and harassed resident in Chitungwiza. At Makoni, Zengeza and St Mary’s shopping centres, baton-wielding soldiers descended from military trucks and stormed into nightclubs, where they beat folk up and accused them of burning copies of the ‘Herald’ (the government sponsored daily), and plotting to topple the government. I got reports from staff members who witnessed these events. They said it was horrific, and people were beaten mercilessly, for absolutely no reason. At one restaurant, folk were all made to lie on the floor, and then were beaten.

Last weekend, a seminar was held at Petra Primary School in Bulawayo (one of my grandsons attends this school.) It was organized by an Australian Immigration agency, aimed at facilitating Zimbabwean migration to Australia. About 60 war vets invaded the school and seminar, and totally disrupted it. They threatened those present and told them that they would not leave Zimbabwe. Folk who attended, black & white, said they were shocked at the war vets actions. I must say I am not at all shocked. I am beginning to expect anything from them. They have a free reign at the moment, with both ZanuPF and our security forces backing them in whatever they say or do.

You may remember that the MDC set about challenging the results of approximately 34 seats won by ZanuPF in the general election. Then on the 8th December 2000, Mugabe issued a decree stating that the challenges were illegal and he banned them. The MDC then took this to court, and the full bench of the Supreme Court set aside Mugabe’s decree. The planned challenges will now go ahead. But, our Chief Justice, Anthony Gubbay, will be retiring in June. He has been under serious attack lately from government, war vets, and Mugabe himself, who have accused him of passing judgments in favour of white commercial farmers. This is, of course, nonsense. He has done nothing but abide by the Law. He has been under so much pressure, and has even been threatened by the war veterans. He was supposed to retire in April next year. Patrick Chinamasa, Minister of Justice, Legal & Parliamentary affairs said the Gubbay would go on leave for 4 months, from March to June, when his retirement will come into effect. The nutcase tipped to take over from Gubbay has been criticizing him in public, and condemning Gubbay’s decisions. I will be watching this one carefully. Maybe he has had enough (as so many have) and made the decision to retire early all by himself – but I doubt it. He has been a marvelous Chief Justice, completely above reproach, and all fair-minded Zimbabweans will miss him. His critics (those who would like to change the law to suit their devious ends) will be delighted when he is gone.

I have, in my possession, Reports from numerous agencies on the violence and intimidation during and after the election period. There are personal accounts and affidavits from many people who were themselves violated, tortured, etc. and also from those who witnessed the events. It makes for very grim reading, and I have been reduced to tears a few times while reading it. I have to keep putting the reports down for while, to catch my breath !!! I am busy typing up the accounts so that I can put them on this site, but please be warned, some of the reports are extremely upsetting. It will take some time, but I will try to type as fast as I can !!!! As I complete each account, I will upload it. There were, and still are, thousands of violations of human rights, tortures, etc. Who will eventually be made to answer for all these vicious crimes ? Some-one has to.

2001-02-01T21:50:00.000Z

Thursday 1st February 2001

February already ! I cannot believe how the time is flying – it ia almost a year ago that our troubles started. How I have not jumped ship in the last year I will never know ! Waiting for better times, I think.

The weather is beautiful, it’s a lovely time of year. But there is a slight nip in the air in the early mornings. We are moving towards winter. On to some news.

The fuel situation seems to have got a lot easier since Christmas (thank goodness). We have not had to queue at all in the last few weeks. It is a relief not to constantly worried about petrol. Our power cuts have stopped as well. That is the greatest relief. I hope this continues.

Prices continue to rise, and folk are finding it harder and harder to make ends meet. So many people have been laid off work. Our unemployment figures are at their highest ever. Crime is on the increase. We have gangs of hijackers roaming the suburbs at night. They are extremely violent to any who resist them. They are after later model cars, and then of course, they steal your wallet, phone, jewelry etc. It is quite daunting to drive around at night. I have stopped doing it. A couple of years ago in Harare, we didn’t even lock our doors at night. Now I see electric fences going up at a rapid rate, and very many houses are employing night guards. Is it a sign of the times ? Does this happen in other countries? Please let me know.

‘Professionals’ planted the bomb at the printing press works of the Daily News, according to military experts. Sources say the event was very carefully planned and executed. They calculated that up to 3 Eastern-made anti-tank land mines, bolstered by a limpet-type detonator, were used to destroy EACH of the 5 cast iron rollers. That’s a big explosion ! (Actually it lifted the roof off the factory). They also said that there seems to be indications that our own Army had now been given the political task of destroying the enemies of the government and ZanuPF. They also said ‘No other group of people in Zimbabwe today has access to the type of explosives used in the blast, or to the professional acumen to so completely wreck the machinery’. Quite a statement !

The attacks on our press are becoming more frequent. War veterans besieged the offices of the ‘Observer’, Mutare’s weekly newspaper. They accused Shadreck Beta (former ZanuPF Manicaland chairman) of publishing stories critical of the government and ZanuPF in last week’s edition. They have stopped the printing of this week’s issue, and are saying they will not allow another issue to be published. Where do they draw the line, I wonder ? What happens when they decide they don’t like the kind of business I am running ? Do they come in and close me down ? We have seen this kind of action for a year now, and I, personally, am thoroughly fed up with it. Any utterance, action or even the slightest indication of anything that is deemed to be anti ZanuPF, is dealt with, usually by violent means.

During the election period, I saw photographs of burnt and bleeding buttocks, lashed backs, beaten and broken bodies, maimed and tortured children – enough horror to last a life time. And please bear in mind that we are not at war. We are supposed to be at peace. Everyone I have spoken to since the weekend has had ENOUGH. Tempers are beginning to flare – the people are angry. Our situation worsens each day.

ZanuPF, you cannot silence the voice of the people forever. There will come a time, and I believe it is not too far away, when the cries of a subdued, defenseless population will become the shouts of victory. In your attempt to frighten and intimidate, you are strengthening the resolve of the people of Zimbabwe. This strength is growing by the day. Each vicious statement you utter, each murderous act you commit fuels the fire that, as yet, is but a small flame within the hearts of the people. Your attempts to separate and segregate are actually uniting us, and the small flame is burning steadily brighter. It won’t be long before you have a raging inferno on your hands, and nothing you do or say will prevent it from burning a path right through your midst !

2001-01-30T21:48:00.000Z

Tuesday 30th January 2001

Hi folks. I had a good trip to South Africa last week, and got back late on Sunday night. This is the first chance I have had to update, and it will be a short one, but I needed to comment on what happened here at the weekend.

While I was gone, the printing press at the Daily News premises in Southerton was blown up. A bomb went off, destroying the press and other property worth more than Zim$ 100 million. What lengths some people will go to, to silence any form of opposition to ZanuPF. The Daily News, in my humble opinion, gave credit where it was due, and has, at times, sharply criticized the MDC as well.

This saga started a while back, in April 2000 in fact, with the bombing of the Daily News offices in Samora Machel Avenue. Luckily at the time, no-one was injured. Since then, the Daily News and it’s staff have been harassed continually. Their slogan is “telling it like it is”. And it is this that has got them into trouble. They have uncovered a lot of dirt in the last 12 months.

Last week we saw the rent-a-crowd outside the Daily News offices in their thousands, beating up anyone and everyone (while the Police stood by). A couple of days after that, on Saturday, the group burned flags at the American and British embassies, seized and destroyed copies of The Daily News and declared openly their wish to ban the paper, led by Chenjerai Hunzvi. Then we have the printing press bombed in the wee hours of Sunday morning. Unfortunately, there is no prize for guessing who the culprits are ! Anyway, security guards at the scene of the crime saw a cream coloured Mazda truck. They managed to get the Registration number, which is 336-518. The Press then went straight to the Vehicle Registration office and asked the guy on duty to look up the number, which he did. He then scuttled into the offices and later a senior officer told members of the Daily News that he could not reveal the owner of the vehicle as this was a very "sensitive" issue. After about 15 minutes, the officer apologised and confessed he lacked the guts to divulge the details. "If it was the police officer investigating the matter - and only him seeking that information - we would give it to him," said Nduku. The police refused to say anything new, preferring to stick to the standard: "We are investigating."

So…another whodunit ! We have so many of them, mysterious crimes that is, and they eventually disappear and are forgotten about. This one, though, has caused an uproar, and I don’t believe the Daily News will let it be forgotten. Stuart Mattinson, the chairman of Associated Newspapers of Zimbabwe, publishers of The Daily News, said: "This cowardly act of destruction will not silence The Daily News. If anything, it will stiffen the resolve of the staff at the paper and, indeed, every independent media organisation within Zimbabwe to ensure that every Zimbabwean has access to the truth," he said.

Well done, Stuart and the Daily News !

The people of Zimbabwe are continually punished for wanting change, and wanting the truth. But I would really like to hear the truth of this shocking incident.

I would like to copy in an article here, published in the Zimbabwe Independent on the 26th January.

War vets, ZRP mobilise against MDC mass action by Vincent Kahiya WAR veterans who have been spoiling for a fight with the opposition are limbering up to reinforce the Zimbabwe Republic Police in crushing the proposed mass protest being mooted by the Movement for Democratic Change. Reports reaching the Zimbabwe Independent this week suggest that hundreds of militiamen are undergoing crash courses in crowd control and use of tear gas. The self-styled war veterans and other Zanu PF hoodlums have of late refined techniques in violent suppression of opposing views, including assaults on rural voters. They now appear to be transferring these "skills" to the cities. Our Bulawayo bureau reports that war vets yesterday stormed and closed the Victoria Falls council offices in the town centre and Chino-timba township in protest at their failure to win a tender for the running of a lodge. Two companies, Shearwater and Kandah Hire Canoeing, which are housed in the council offices, were also forced to close. The war veterans have taken it upon themselves to bar rural people from accessing certain newspapers which they feel run articles too critical of the ruling Zanu PF and government. Reports from Mutoko yesterday said the war veterans were stopping vehicles along the Harare-Nyamapanda highway searching travellers for copies of the Zimbabwe Independent, the Daily News and the Financial Gazette. The war veterans have "banned" the papers from the district. The war veterans are preparing to take their brand of anarchy into the urban areas, which are expected to be centres of conflict if plans for the mass action proceed. The war veterans’ leadership headed by Chenjerai Hunzvi has called for a special meeting tomorrow at the party’s headquarters to agree on a strategy to deal with the proposed protest. A source said tomorrow’s meeting would be a formality as the veterans had been talking to law enforcement agents to formulate a plan that would accommodate the militias in government’s policy of suppressing peaceful protest. Training of militiamen is believed to be taking place as part of the police’s regular training of recruits and Support Unit personnel. MDC secretary for legal affairs David Coltart yesterday said the war veterans’ plans were misguided, as there were no real plans for mass action. "As vice-president Gibson Sibanda said, mass action has never gone off the MDC agenda and we are constantly reviewing the situation," said Coltart. "There are no real plans to engage in mass action and those plans by the war veterans are misguided," he said. Coltart said the police had a duty to uphold the constitution instead of conniving with a group that had clearly demonstrated allegiance to one political party.

Back later.

2001-01-23T21:44:00.000Z

Wednesday 23rd January 2001

Last update for few days as I am off to South Africa and will be back on Sunday. I will, of course, be taking photographs along the way !

We had a protest in Harare yesterday, involving bussed-in war veterans, and ZanuPF supporters. They were protesting against the Daily News, and it’s reaction to the death of Laurent Kabila, the late President of the DRC. The Daily News carries a full report on the front page. Please link and read it. The rent-a-crowd gathered in their hundreds outside the offices of the newspaper, broke windows and generally harassed people who they thought did not support ZanuPF. The offices of the Daily News are not far from my office, but I did not hear anything about the protest until I got home, thank goodness. The Police were out in full force.

The protesters blocked traffic, harassed journalists and members of the white community who failed to respond to ZanuPF slogans. The thugs grabbed Julius Zava, Deputy News editor of the Daily news, as he walked along Samora Machel Ave. He ran towards his offices, but they finally caught up with him and he had his glasses broken in the process. They were led by Chinjarai (Hitler) Hunzvi Joseph Chinotimba, Endy Mhlanga, Andrew Ndlovu and Sabina Mangwende.

The crowd, according to the placards they were carrying, seemed to have been particularly furious with the newspaper’s coverage of the death of Kabila. Our President had declared 3 days of national mourning, starting on Sunday. Many Zimbabweans had complained about this and the Daily News had carried their stories, and also stories of the tyranny of KabilaI have not heard if any arrests were made.

An ex-Zimbabwean, now residing in New Zealand, organised seminars on business and general migration opportunities in New Zealand. One of the seminars was held in Harare on Monday night. It was packed, and a second seminar had to be held straight after the first one, to accommodate the large crowds. The organizers had expected a few hundred people to turn up, but thousands attended ! A lot of people are desperate to leave here, and are grasping at any straw that comes their way. I cannot say that I blame them. The time may yet come when I have to leave, and I would like to think that I would not be condemned or judged for doing so. Young families are finding it harder and harder to make ends meet. Even renting a decent house is beyond the reach of most people, who have to share houses among three or four families at a time. The prospect of a peaceful and prosperous future in another country is very tempting to all of us, and those who do get accepted by New Zealand have a chance of a better life for themselves and their families. I wish them all the luck in the world.

Now on to some thoughts about the new US President, George Bush. I would appreciate any feedback from US residents on this one, especially African Americans. How do you all think Bush is going to handle Africa ? I hope he is going to address the Africa problem at some time, but wonder how he will do this. I call it "The Africa Problem" because that is just what it is. Leaders across this continent, not just in Zimbabwe, (particularly those leaders who brought their countries to Independence) continue in their ideas of total control of the population, wealth for the ruling class and poverty for the masses, no freedom of speech or association, and no opposition to the ruling party (dissidents are dealt with swiftly and without mercy).

A spokesperson from the Daily News, after yesterdays "incident" said the following and I quote, "The attack on Zava and the damage to the Daily News offices was callous & cowardly. ZanuPF, using a section of the war veterans and it’s supporters, is increasingly employing the law of the jungle to impose it’s will on the people. Beatings and intimidation are being used with increasing frequency as the party demonstrates its intolerance of anything it perceives as an impediment to its goals. No one should pretend they are safe. As long as they hold views at variance with those of the ruling party, they are not." This internecine fighting amongst the various tribes across the whole continent of Africa, has been going on since time began, and I wonder if it will ever cease.

Looking towards Harare very early this morning as I was driving to work, the rising sun was reflecting in the windows of the tall buildings; the trees - msasa, jacaranda, flamboyant, so many others – swayed gently in the cool breeze. The air was crisp and clean. I stopped on the side of the road near the edge of town, and turned off the car engine. There were no other cars in sight and very few people about, and I wanted to cry ! I can’t explain it, and don’t quite know what happened, but I sat there and thought about having to leave Zimbabwe and I felt as though my heart was breaking. I thought of all the years that had gone before – as a child growing up in a in a colonial era that robbed people of even their most basic human rights; as a teenager and young married woman in war torn country where so many lost their lives for nothing (my own husband almost lost his); as an older woman, attending the funerals of relatives and friends who had been born here so many years ago. I thought of the small graveyard on what was the family farm at Nyanga. The remains of my husband’s great-grandparents lie there, in the shadow of World’s View, undisturbed for almost a century – and I wondered what was to become of us. Is there a permanent place for the white man in Africa ? I cannot bring myself to admit the answer.

2001-01-20T21:42:00.000Z

Saturday 20th January 2001

On to the promised update. It seems that the MDC are going ahead with the mass action that was planned some time ago. I don’t quite know what form it will take, but I presume a complete stay away ! This action was planned at the end of last year, but the MDC didn’t go ahead with it. They claimed at the time that it would have been the perfect excuse for our President to unleash his forces to squash the masses, and would have resulted in a lot of unrest and injury. I feel that it will happen if we have a stay away.

We have, on the front page of today’s Daily News, an unbelievable story. Chenjerai Hunzvi, the leader of the war vets, has threatened to take over any companies found locked during the mass action. Addressing journalists in Harare, Hunzvi said "We are already setting up committees to move around the Industrial areas. If we find any companies locked, we will break in and take them over. We will take them, just as we did the commercial Farms". The gall of that man ! Hunzvi said the stay away would be considered a lockout, by employers working in cahoots with the MDC.

Morgan Tsvangirai, the MDC leader said the mass action would go ahead anyway. Hunzvi warned that the war veterans are now the army’s reserve force, and would meet next week in towns and cities throughout the country to come up with strategies to counter the mass action. On the MDC he said, "They think they might get to rule, but we are ready. We have a political outlook. We are prepared to protect the gains of Independence by whatever means. The MDC should respect ZanuPF’s one-man one-vote system". This statement would have me rolling in the aisles if I didn’t know how deadly and how serious Hunzvi is. So, it looks like we are in for a bit of trouble. I will be sure to watch this situation very carefully and keep you all informed.

On to Kabila’s death. I cannot get any feedback on how this will affect us. There is a lot of talk on how it will affect the DRC. I see his death as the opportunity for peace to be restored to the area. Kabila was brought to power by non-Congolese forces. He managed to hold on to that power with support from non-Congolese forces. The DRC needs a Congolese government, not a government that is loyal to, and is kept in power by another country. We, Zimbabwe, need to stop our involvement!

There is a genuine chance for peace here if all the parties involved will gather & commit to serious negotiation. One thing that has come out of this, is the realization that, no matter who your allies are, no matter how well protected you are by body guards and the like, if some-one wants you dead – they can get to you! Frightening thought.

On the weather front, it is mid-afternoon, and has been a beautiful, warm, sunny day. It looks as though it is building for rain. We have had a lot of rain lately, and everything is lush and green. I hope it helps those farmers who have been able to plant their summer crops.

For a long time now, I have been fighting the attitude of acceptance that many Zimbabweans show. I, myself, have to fight daily against a growing acceptance (on my own part) of the situation here. Most folk know of the "boiling frog syndrome". If a frog is placed in a pot of cold water, which is gradually brought to the boil, it accepts the temperature change without any fight whatsoever. It’s own body temperature slowly increases with that of the heating water, until eventually it overheats and dies. I read the following report from the MDC and I am going to type it in here. It makes interesting reading.

Will ZanuPF’s militarisation of civil & state institutions succeed? Will Zimbabweans continue to watch the restriction of their freedom as the ruling party pursues a strategy of self-destruction? In Zimbabwe today, militarisation is present at every level of government and in every corner of public activity. It is seen from the senseless roadblocks across the country, to the campaigns of violence on the farms and during elections. The ruling party is abusing state funds and state organs to instill fear and to coerce Zimbabweans to think in a particular direction, which is determined by ZanuPF. The recent Marondera West and Bikita West by-elections are excellent examples of ZanuPF’s determination to militarise civil state institutions. By fielding former Brigadier Ambrose Mutinhiri in Marondera West, and Col. Claudius Makova in Bikita West, and by involving war veteran leader Chenjerai Hunzvi in the election campaign for Bikita West, ZanuPF aimed at increasing the military portfolio of it’s Parliamentarians, in an effort to bring in a broader base of military thinking into the House. Outside Parliament, ZanuPF seeks to further militarise the state by appointing permanent secretaries with military backgrounds (such as the appointment of Col. Katsande in the Transport & Communications Ministry and Col. Dube in the Defence Ministry), and by ensuring that civil servants are loyal to the ruling party. Comments such as those made by Youth Development, Gender and Employment Creation Minister, Border Gezi, and later affirmed by the President that civil servants who did not support the ruling party would be singled out in retrenchment processes, further manifest the ruling party’s determination to control all levels of governance and public life. Another example of this continued mindless militarisation of public life is the government sponsored farm invasions and it’s arming of the war veterans. By refusing to ensure that land reform takes place in an orderly and transparent way, by supporting and encouraging a hooligan section of the war veterans in their nefarious activities through the allocation of state funds and resources, and by creating a war veteran reserve force, ZanuPF has created a semi-martial state on the farms and in the rural areas. The rule of law is now subordinate to the power of the rifle. In a democratic country, it is critical that the armed forces be loyal to the country and to the constitution, and that they be apolitical. To place the War Veterans Association, an organization known for it’s political partiality, under the control of the Minister of Defence, is political mischief, designed to compromise the impartiality of the armed forces. In an effort to crack down on the urban areas where no fair-minded Zimbabwean would support ZanuPF, the party has increasingly militarized its presence there. There are road blocks coming on to the main roads leading into Harare and Bulawayo, as well as at other points across the country. The ruling party has posted armed, uniformed police and army personnel across the urban areas. These troops are meant to overreact to any legitimate manifestation of frustration. Recent disturbances in Harare, Kadoma and Mutare, and on the University of Zimbabwe campus, where popular protests met with violent police reactions, bear witness to that. The actions of President Robert Mugabe and the ruling party clearly indicate that ZanuPF has lost faith in state institutions. ZanuPF no longer has support from the general populace. The good will, which people had extended to this party before, and after Independence, has gone. Thus the ruling party seeks to turn Zimbabweans against themselves by directing that these state institutions and civil servants be loyal to ZanuPF. By infiltrating every level of governance with the hooligan section of the war veterans, the party seeks to further ensure that no level of governance will be supportive of the opposition party or any legitimate view that contradicts ZanuPF doctrine. The ruling party, however, is playing a dangerous game with people’s emotions. ZanuPF has targeted the war veterans because of the government’s own failure in the past to properly reintegrate this segment into society. Having starved and isolated the ex-combatants, the ruling party now seeks to pay off their loyalty by throwing them whatever scrap of hope they see fit on any given day. Zimbabweans, however, are not foolish. One day the chickens will come home to roost. Zimbabwe risks being caught in the "boiling frog" syndrome – the militarisation gradually increases. Zimbabweans in their accommodatory nature are gradually accepting each increase as it comes along. However, the decay in the rule of law must not be accommodated. Zimbabweans, in their tolerance, cannot simply accept ZanuPF’s strategies of survival which disregard our nation’s need for our survival.

My thought for today – "Never a frog !!!!"

2001-01-19T21:41:00.000Z

Friday 19th January 2001

Hi folks ! As most of you should be aware by now, Laurent Kabila, President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, is dead. He was shot in Kinshasa, at his home, we are told. There is a mystery surrounding the exact way in which he was killed and by whom. There was also great confusion here in Zimbabwe over whether he was actually dead or not. At first, we had heard that he was dead (this was announced by Government officials) and then we were told that he was NOT dead ! Then we were told that he had been flown here to Harare for medical attention. It has now been officially announced that he is dead. His son, Joseph Kabila, who is described as “not brilliant” by one of his Generals, has been appointed as head of the DRC (I assume a temporary measure until they sort themselves out).

The question is – how does this impact on Zimbabwe ? As yet, we have no answer. There is a lot of speculation, but nothing concrete. Kabila and Mugabe go a long way back – I think it was a mutual back-scratching affair that has cost this country dearly. We have so many of our troups in the DRC, and a good number of them have lost their lives or are missing in action. Zimbabwe, with Angola, has been supporting Kabila against the Congolese rebel forces (aided by Uganda & Ruwanda). It has cost this country an absolute fortune, and is a complete waste – especially of our boys who have not come home ! I don’t know if Kabila’s death will bring our boys home, or stop Zimbabwe ploughing millions of dollars into the DRC. We will have to wait & see – the story of our lives. I must say there is a lot of jubilation among folk as a result of his death, which I find rather uncomfortable. (I cannot seem to bring myself to celebrate at the death of anyone). Should I be jubilant ??? We all know what kind of a man he was, and I personally did not support him or his government. I wonder what the reaction will be from the rest of Africa.

I plan to do a detailed update over the weekend, so back later.

2001-01-16T21:39:00.000Z

Tuesday 16th January 2001

Thank you for linking to the next News Page. I will eventually find a format that doesn’t go on forever, but allows for a lot of words !!!!! We have just had an enormous storm, lots of thunder & lightning, and of course, plenty of rain. Harare (and most of Zimbabwe) has been on water rationing for years, which included a ban on using hosepipes in the garden. This particular ban was lifted this week in Harare. It seems our dams are full, and we can water the garden as much as we like ! Good news for those who don’t have boreholes Not so for Matabeleland North, where they are feeling the effects of a major drought.

The result of the by-election in Bikita West is in, and ZanuPF won the seat. Many are claiming that there could be no other outcome, due to the violence and intimidation. To me, the result is not a reflection of the popularity of ZanuPF, but more of its ability to control and manipulate. Yes, I am disappointed, but had I been intimidated and subjected to the reign of terror that the folk of Bikita West have just suffered, maybe I would have voted for ZanuPF. Who knows ?

Another bread increase has been announced. The last increase sparked the awful rioting that resulted in the police going crazy in the streets and causing a lot of injuries. I hope this one will not be the same.

It’s time to ask you all for help. I have mentioned before that I spend so much time emailing anyone overseas, in a position of authority (MPs etc), who may be able to put some pressure on their Governments with regards to Zimbabwe. I have had a fairly good response from those I have emailed, but it takes SO LONG! Just to gather addresses takes forever. Zimbabwe is running out of time. All of us here know it, but our hands are tied. There is nothing we can do from inside Zimbabwe, but wait for the Presidential elections. It may be far to late to restore our economy by that time. Some economists are claiming that it is already too late.

So, here is my plea. Please would you email your MP or Congressman (or whatever) and ask that something be done for the people of Zimbabwe. We are really in a desperate situation here. Plead for pressure to be put on our leaders, that they return to the Rule of Law, remove the war veterans from the land, start a sensible land redistribution programme, and refrain from using acts of violence and intimidation on their own people. The Law is completely disregarded when it suits them ! I am personally appealing to all foreign Governments to intervene, start up dialogue with our leaders, and help us to get out of this mess. I notice a deafening silence from Thabo Mbeki and the South African Government, (our neighbour): Kofi Annan and the UN hover in the background: Britain & the US make a statement every now and then, but – NO-ONE IS DOING ANYTHING ! We need help. All of these foreign powers have stood by and watched as farmers have been murdered and the culprits roam free, opposition supporters have been murdered, maimed, raped, intimidated in the most horrendous political violence (which still continues), thousands have been made homeless, law and order has broken down, - need I go on ? I will ! The rights of minority groups here are slowly being removed (this is encouraged by our leaders and I regard it as blatant racism !), supporters of ZanuPF have been encouraged by our President, Robert Mugabe to “instill fear in the whites”: our opposition party members often have to resort to hiding for fear of their lives, and we are expecting more violence in the run up to the Presidential elections next year. To whom do we turn in our hour of need ? Please, dear readers, do something, in whatever small way you can.

2001-01-15T21:36:00.000Z

Monday 15th January 2001

Back safe & sound ! I spent a day longer in Bulawayo than anticipated, and have not yet had a chance to update. I will be doing a full update later tonight.

We are expecting the results of the Bikita West by-election at any time ! The voter turn-out was high, and both ZanuPF and MDC have claimed that their respective candidates are sure to have won. I will let you know the results as soon as I am able. Bikita West, you may remember, has been subjected to a reign of terror since before Christmas !

Bulawayo was peaceful and calm, and extremely hot. Anyone who has been there knows how hot it can get, and they were having a heat wave ! Did we suffer ! And there was no rain to cool anything down. They are in serious need of rain, but none seems forthcoming.

I had a good chat with staff on our current economic situation, and encouraged them as much as possible. They, too, are feeling the impact of increased prices etc. and are all extremely worried about the country. As I mentioned earlier, Matabeleland seems to made up of MDC supporters, and they were quite emphatic on their feelings towards Zanu PF ! Whereas Harare folk are not too outspoken in their views, Bulawayo folk are ranting at the tops of their voices. I told them all that it is a time to tighten the belts, and work harder than we have ever done, if we hope to survive the year ahead. They all understood that this coming year will be the decider between the weak and strong businesses. I have had to cut down expenditure in all areas, and push and promote the business more than ever before. The costs of our stock have more than doubled in the last six months (when we can get stock!), and we seriously need to watch our cash flow.

There is a great challenge facing all businesses throughout the country at the moment. I spoke to a farmer who farms approximately 30 kms from Gweru. He has been invaded by more than 60 war vets, but as he said, they come and go - sometimes there are 60, sometimes 30-40 ! They have camped and started building their houses 150metres from his house ! He said that they had not been too demanding up to now, but started interfering with farm work just last week. He farms cattle, which are separated into various paddocks. The war veterans told him to move the cattle as they were going to plant their crops there. He did not comply, and woke up one morning last week to find his cattle had all been released and were scattered over hundreds of acres. He was amazingly calm about the whole thing, and said he was in the process of rounding up the cattle and returning them to their fields. His farm has been designated for compulsory acquisition, and he is challenging this in the courts. He had a wonderful attitude, far better than mine (I'm ashamed to admit), and said the legal route was the only way to go, so he would await the court decision. Our farmers are made of very stern stuff !!!

Fuel was not a problem at all during our trip. All garages along the route seemed to have fuel, and we did not see any queues. Bulawayo has been feeling the effect of the fuel crisis, but we didn't have any problems. I'll be back later with a more detailed update.

2001-01-09T21:34:00.000Z

Tuesday 9th January 2001

Hi folks. Hope all is well wherever you are, and hope you enjoyed the photos of Mermaid's Pool.
I am off to Bulawayo early tomorrow morning on business and will be back on Thursday afternoon. Unfortunately, I will be unable to access the Internet until I get back, so will not be answering any emails until Thursday or Friday - but please keep sending them !

There is still peace and calm in all major cities, thank goodness. I have heard no rumblings of any trouble at all. There are rumblings among the people though. More and more are finding it almost impossible to make ends meet. I heard a very sad story this week. A young friend of mine went to visit his elderly parents last Friday night. He is unemployed (a picture framer), and he and his family are really struggling financially. His parents live in a modest home in one of our high-density suburbs. His mother is a domestic worker and his father a bricklayer. When he got to his parents home (around supper time) they were already in bed. He was surprised and when he asked them why, they didn't answer. He expressed his concern and finally his mother began to cry. She said it was easier to sleep than to sit and think about food. They had not eaten for 2 days !!! She had lost her job as the family she worked for could no longer afford her services; his father had walked the streets looking for part-time work for almost 2 weeks but found nothing, and then the money had run out. They knew the pressure that my friend was under trying to feed his own family, and so had not approached him for help. I am appalled, shocked, horrified at the thought of those two elderly people going two days without food. Charles, my young friend, immediately took them home with him. He houses his own family (2 children) and two younger brothers. He is at the point of begging himself. This is a man who is a superb picture framer, had been employed by the same company for 14 years, but the company has closed down due to our current situation. This is only one horror story, and only one starving family - there are thousands of them here. It is too awful.

I have started contacting organisations who could help these folk, only to find that they are so bogged down, very little help will be forthcoming. I would like to ask our President and the leaders of his party what they are going to do about this family and all the other like them ? Who is going to feed them now that they can no longer afford to feed themselves ? Does Robert Mugabe sleep well at night knowing that his own people are starving as a direct result of his actions ? Does he even care ?

Nearly 30 police officers who attended a party given by an MDC MP in December, are facing severe disciplinary action, and may even be fired. They are also being charged under the Police Act !!!! Morgan Tsvangirai, leader of the MDC said "I am dismayed that a professional institution should behave in a manner, which victimises its ranks for socialising. It is not only unlawful, but also unconstitutional for the police to restrict its members' right to socialise. This gives credence to the widely held view that this government wants to turn national institutions into partisan institutions. The police, army and CIO are behaving as if they are Zanu PF organs. The MDC is not an illegal organisation. We are in Parliament and are the legal opposition."

According to the charge sheet served on one sergeant who has been in the police for almost 20 years, he is accused of "unlawfully associating" with Matibe (the MDC MP), "a well-known MDC member". What next ???

Bulawayo, the town I am traveling to tomorrow, is in Matabeleland, in the west of Zimbabwe. It is the home of the Matabele people, descendants of Shaka (the Zulu king, Mzilikazi and Lobengula, the fathers of the Ndebele nation. It is very anti ZanuPF, and the MDC captured the majority of Matabeleland in the general elections last June. It will be interesting to hear the views of the folk there, and I will be sure to talk to as many people as I can while I am there. That's it for tonight - too much to do and too little time ! Back on Thursday.

2001-01-06T21:31:00.000Z

Saturday 6th January 2001

The weather at the moment is absolutely glorious! Today was warm with clear blue skies and a gentle breeze. As I type, there is a clear night sky, and so many stars; it looks like a fireworks display. Beautiful night !

The first week of the new year has passed and it has been a very busy one. There are a few items of interest on the news front. The MDC candidate for Bikita, Bonnie Pakai, has gone into hiding. We are due to have a by-election in Bikita this month, and the MDC fears that the rampaging ZanuPF supporters in the area, may kill Bonnie. How unbelievable is the politics in this country ! That he should have to keep such a low profile at the time when he should be campaigning the hardest, must be placing such a strain on him. ZANU PF has been accused of openly starting a reign of terror in the district about two weeks ago when it deployed war veterans leader Chenjerai Hunzvi and the bearded self-styled leader of illegal farm invasions, Joseph Chinotimba. Chinotimba originally comes from the area. Chenjerai Hunzvi was picked up by police for questioning in connection with the violence in the area, but was later released. He is alleged to have led a group of Zanu PF supporters at Nyika Growth Point in clashes during which four MDC vehicles were petrol-bombed. This same man is a Medical doctor by profession, who was once married to a white woman ! and has two sons by her. She featured in an article in our papers some months ago, and told of her marriage to Hunzvi. She said it was a nightmare: that he openly brought his girlfriends home, and that he treated her very badly.

Anyway, after being questioned, he openly criticised the police who had picked him up and said that all police officers who support the opposition should be transferred or risk being dealt with by the war veterans.

I want to copy in an article from Bulawayo here.

"The nationwide fuel shortage has hit the Bulawayo City Council transport fleet hard, with most vehicles being restricted to 20 litres a day. "According to the recent council minutes, the fuel shortage was affecting most of the city’s service delivery. Last month a water pipe burst in Mahatshula suburb and could not be repaired for days. Elsewhere in the city, the backlog on burst pipes is 302, leaks 4 760 while that of water connections is 1 860 cases, according to the minutes. Other areas affected by the fuel shortage are the clearing of blocked and collapsed sewers and vacuum tanker services. The council reported an increase in the number of blocked sewers and this has been worsened by continued vandalism of manholes. Repairs on collapsed sewers were still to be completed to Imvutsha Farm and Nkulumane Outfall. The low-bed contractor was unable to move the excavators when required because of the fuel situation. "There is only one working tanker as the other two are in the workshops for service. This has resulted in only 114 tanks being drained and several being left unattended. Besides the fuel problem, council has been crippled by transport problems because of vehicle breakdowns which has forced authorities to transfer vehicles on other works to sewer blockages. Teams working on new connections had to work in the same area because there would normally be only one truck available".

Bulawayo has been far less affected by the fuel situation than Harare (obviously - there are far more people using fuel in Harare than Bulawayo), but the crisis seems to be affecting all areas. Below is an article written by an MJ Vidler, and published in our Daily News. I think it makes interesting reading.

"MOST Zimbabweans will look back over the past 12 months with a great deal of sadness rather than joy. For, despite the year representing the start of a New Millennium and as such one that we could all look back on with fond memories, we find ourselves instead wishing that we could turn the clock back and block it from our memories forever! "Annus horribilis! (A horrible year!)"

But to pretend about what has happened over this past year would be a betrayal of those families that have suffered so much at the hands of those who were charged with their protection!

When we look back at the chaos that has taken place and continues to rain down upon the majority of us we are left pondering what 2001 holds in store. There are many who subscribe to the view that the New Millennium only commences in the year 2001. I hope that they are right, for the past 12 months have not been a period of great joy and prosperity that it should have been. It has been a tragic way to mark a normal year, let alone a special one. Historians are going to have a field day when they rewrite the history of this country. This period will reflect a time when great suffering has been inflicted on the majority by the minority! What democracy is this? "

Our problems started when the referendum on a home-grown constitution as seen through the eyes of the government of the day, resulted in a defeat for the President and his party. No sooner had this result been acknowledged as the will of the people by the President, the problems of farm invasions commenced. Was this a mere coincidence? Or was it planned? Many believe that this would have happened even if the ruling party had won the referendum! Over the period February to the present time we have seen many people murdered, maimed, dispossessed of their homes and their livelihoods on the basis of the colour of their skin or that they supported the wrong party. Is this what democracy is all about? I find it very difficult to accept that this can be the case when we have the highest office bearer in the land urging his followers to deal with anyone who dares to challenge his authority on the state of the economy and the way this country is being governed. Minority groups, and opposition party members in particular, have seen the bitterness and contempt with which he holds them that many have decided that there is no future for them in Zimbabwe. Where does United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan stand on Zimbabwe? He has said and done very little to bring sanity back to this country. There have been suggestions that he has personal reasons for not wanting to use his office to influence events in Zimbabwe. The one thing that both he and the Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, Don McKinnon, share is their continued silence on the suffering of the people and the total disregard by the government for the rule of law! Let us hope that history will reflect that and that they are able to sleep at night with their consciences. For make no mistake, they and the rest of the Commonwealth have failed the people of Zimbabwe in their hour of need. Many of those who were bold enough to seek change through the ballot box were either denied the right to cast their ballot or were intimidated into voting against their wishes for a party they no longer supported. A very large number of farm workers have been displaced, in many instances to make way for a smaller number of people being resettled - all in the name of redressing the land imbalance! We have a police force which has bent the rules to the point where most sane people now believe that law and order does not exist in this country. We have seen poorly disciplined and trained policemen issued with weapons which have the ability to kill, using them in circumstances under which innocent people have been murdered. The incident on the weekend of 16 November where a policeman discharged his weapon without due regard for the safety of the public bears testimony to the fact that they do not have any idea of the rules of engagement. The end result of this tragedy was that an innocent vendor was shot and killed by a law enforcement officer who, it would appear, was trying to stop a commuter omnibus driver who had violated the law. The President has, through his actions, sent a message to the nation that provided the people support his party and his policies, Zanu PF and the government are free to do what they want. Marcus Tullius Cicero was a Roman lawyer who lived in the 1st Century BC. Throughout his life he campaigned tirelessly for the rule of law. He tried to save Rome from corruption, lawlessness and dictatorship. He was, in fact, a lifelong friend of Julius Caesar, who said of him he was the only man in Rome he could trust. Some of his sayings are repeated below: € Where power is exercised in an unlimited fashion, there is no law; € A government rarely represents the people; and € Love of the country is often confused in the simple minds with love of the government. "Prospects for this country, its economy and stability look grim. Despite this, the powers-that-be have decided to press ahead with their plans to liberate the land no matter what the cost in human and economic terms. This is very short-sighted and can only bring at best short-term relief to their ability to remain in power. When the ruling party looks back on this year, they will reflect on the fact they and they alone have been responsible for: killing the country’s economy; continue to break its own laws; sanctioned murder, rape and beatings; deprived its citizens of their democratic rights in terms of freedom of speech and association; and alienated the whole world by their actions, telling the donor community to find a destination for their assistance as it is not needed. The "benefits" of these actions are: land is being resettled although in most cases it is lying idle and unproductive; no foreign currency for fuel and other essential imports; increased unemployment and along with it crime; food shortages due to the lack of planting; and interest rates and the cost of living will continue to rise. The rest of the world will continue to shun us.
On the tourism front, not much has changed. We do not see ANY tourists anymore, and this is such a great pity. I can understand the fear felt by the International community, and of course, there is always the danger that this situation here could get completely out of hand and blow up in our faces, but the tourists are missing out on so much. I just hope that when sanity finally prevails, and Mugabe is no longer in power, our tourism will return to normal, and you can all have the chance to come out here and enjoy the natural beauty of this country. The hope that there WILL be a return to sanity is what keeps us all going here. So many Zimbabweans have grown more and more discouraged over the last few months. So many have left Zimbabwe for greener pastures (well, maybe not greener, but more peaceful), and we who are left behind are really beginning to feel the results of the mismanagement of this country. The high inflation rates, high interest, high costs of everything, are even starting to be felt by the more affluent of our society. I cannot help but think that the situation MUST be affecting our President and his cronies in the same way. Many of the elite band of Mugabe followers borrowed millions to start indigenous businesses, and they, too, have to repay this money at the same interest rates as the rest of us. Cold comfort ! We have seen many of these businesses closing in the last few months, but that brings no gloating, only more unemployment and hardship for our people. On looking back over the last year, and really analysing everything that has happened, I have come to the conclusion that our leaders must be panic-stricken. There is just over a year to go to the Presidential elections. In that time, should the economists predictions prove true, we will have a major food shortage, prices will rise even more and unemployment will increase dramatically. This does not auger well for our President. Hre has to muster votes - and his popularity is waning by the hour ! The Presidential election is won on the number of votes - nothing more, nothing less - so it will only take Morgan Tsvangirai to have one more vote than Mugabe, and it will all be over. Our ruling party knows this, and must be tearing their hair out. Mugabe will definitely NOT get the urban vote, and he is only holding on by the skin of his teeth in the rural areas - hence the constant stirring up of the war veterans. If I were not on the stage, it would be an interesting drama to watch !

PS I am going to Mermaid's Pool tomorrow, after church, for a braai lunch with family & friends. Of course I will be taking the camera, and putting up a page on Mermaid's Pool ! Back later !

2001-01-04T21:30:00.000Z

Thursday 4th January 2001

Hi folks ! This year has started on a gallop, but I will be doing a full update of the week's news this weekend. In the meantime, I have managed to upload the December Nyanga Trip. I hope you enjoy the photos. Please remember that the pages are very graphics inrense and will take a while to load.

2000-12-30T21:26:00.000Z

Saturday 30th December 2000

Hi folks. Last update for the old year ! The weather here in Zimbabwe is beautiful at the moment, but very wet ! We have had so much rain, it's wonderful to see everything so lush and green. Very hard to get the washing dry though. But I plan to enjoy every minute of it. Only a few more months and everything will be as dry as a bone and turning brown.

Only one more day and it's the year 2001. I can hardly believe it ! It feels like yesterday that we were all waiting for the fanfare that brought us into 2000. I must be getting old. This year has gone by faster than any other. What will the new year bring ? Looking back over the year 2000, it's so hard to believe all the terrible things that happened.

During the run up to the elections, and even afterwards, I could not believe what had taken place. Zimbabweans, all Zimbabweans, were horrified, and shocked at the extent of the intimidation & violence, which, we all know, was perpetrated by ZanuPF, the governing party.

Our farmers, and their workers suffered really badly and continue to suffer at the hands of the war veterans who have openly defied court orders to leave the properties they are squatting on. They are encouraged in their actions by our President himself, and the Police (who have also been ordered by the courts to evict the squatters) stand by and watch.

Our country has suffered a steep decline in tourism; inflation and unemployment are higher than they have ever been; the extent of the corruption being exposed on a daily basis is absolutely amazing; companies are closing every day as a direct result of the war vets actions.

The future looks bleak, and I think that only the strong will survive ! I hope we are up to it - on a personal level, and in a business sense. Yes, there have been times over the last 10 months when I have thought that I must be crazy to remain here ! We even got to the point, as a family, when we decided that we had had enough, and were going to leave. But we could not go through with it. How do you start again ? Where do you go ? We just couldn't do it. Many folk from all over the world have asked me if I regret our change of mind, and I must admit that some days I do. I long for a return to normal life. I cannot imagine what it would be like never to have to worry about personal safety, never to constantly watch for the death of another farmer (maybe a relative) at the hands of murderers, never to have to continually watch what you say (and to whom), never have to scour another newspaper, (reading every word), in order to keep myself and others informed. Normality seems a world away. I have forgotten what it feels like.

I had an email from a young man who felt I was fighting a losing battle, even by running this website. He said I should just call it quits and go and make a life somewhere else before it's too late. I must admit that I do have days where I agree with him (and start indulging in a lot of self-pity !), but I seem to be able to pick myself up again and continue the fight. I spend hours on this computer, and the internet, spreading the word of the plight of the people of Zimbabwe. I spend hours emailing any one I can who I think will take notice. I have emailed US senators, congressmen, British MP's, Australian MP'S - anyone who I think will listen and perhaps in some small way have an influence on our Government. It takes me ages to gather email addresses, so if you folk have any, or could help with the search, I would really appreciate it. I need the email address of your congressman, or MP, or anyone who could make a difference, and bring this country back from the brink of disaster. Why am I bothering ? Because it's my home, my country, my life, my head, my right to freedom of expression, my basic human & civil rights that the politicians are messing with with. And they should NOT be allowed to get away with it, no matter who they are or how hard and long they fought for these very same rights that they are taking away from Zimbabweans.

We thought we saw light at the end of the tunnel when the MDC won almost 50% of the seats in the general elections in June, but they have yet to show their mettle. I hope we are not disappointed.

Where to from here ? We carry on, as we have always done. I have promised myself to focus on the "good" in Zimbabwe in the coming year, and I will try my best to do this. This is for my own sake more than anything else. Zimbabwe is my life, my passion, and I love this country. I owe it a debt ! It has provided my family with a good living for so long, so I need to let YOU know how wonderful this country CAN be.

Overall, this has been a pretty grotty year, but it has brought a lot of people together - people who would never have known each other; never known each other's feelings, traditions, culture etc. and for this I am thankful. I have met so many wonderful people through this website, and I am eternally grateful for their friendship, their emails, their words of encouragement, (even their advice as they are telling me to LEAVE) ! Then there are those who send me jokes, regularly, just to make me laugh. You don't know how much it all means to me. Please join me in praying for a better year ahead for the people of Zimbabwe. We are all worth far more than the raw deal we are getting at the moment.

Happy New Year to you all.

2000-12-29T21:25:00.000Z

Friday 29th December 2000

Well, we are back from Nyanga, had a wonderful time, and I am busy working on the Nyanga pages, which should be uploaded before I go back to work on Tuesday. Thank you to all those who emailed before we left. I will get around to answering everyone.

Nyanga and the surrounding area, was very peaceful. I think everyone there, holidaymakers and locals, had decided to forget the troubles and enjoy the Christmas period. And it really was wonderful to see so many people enjoying themselves. All the hotels, motels, lodges, resorts, cottages etc. were full, and I haven’t seen the area so busy in years. It was great. I spoke to a few of the hotel & resort managers, and they said they were really pleased at the turnout. They expected to be full for the New Year long weekend, and they were dreading the start of January, as they will then be feeling, once again, the effects of our troubles since February 2000.

As we left Harare last week, the fuel situation seemed to be the worst it has been this year. I have never seen such queues ! They were kilometres long. But it has eased this week – we must have had deliveries from some-where.

Now on to some news.

A report in today’s Daily News told of the poverty and hardship facing most of the population, and of the lack of good cheer over Christmas. To some, Christmas Day had been like any other day, with so many families struggling to make ends meet. We are expecting another devaluation of the Zimbabwe dollar, so things will not be improving in the short term.

Once again, the papers are all filled with tales of corruption. Investigations are being carried out, it seems, in almost every government department, town council, parastatal etc. The worms are all crawling out of the woodwork, and if you rattle any door these days, a skeleton drops out.
The latest is in Beit Bridge (our border town with South Africa), where a $ 6million fraud case is under investigation. The Treasurer of the Rural District Council, and two of the councilors have appeared in court on charges of prejudicing the council to the tune of $6,033million. A large sum, even by Zimbabwe standards. The three have been remanded in custody, because of “many other ongoing cases of corruption linked to the accused” the prosecutor said. How long has this been going on for, and why doesn’t anyone ever pick up the irregularities that now seem to be surfacing everywhere ? We have another scandal on our airwaves, where musicians are going to name DJ’s on local radio stations, who will only play the musicians music after receiving a bribe. In another case, senior veterinary officials have been accused of stealing diesel fuel belonging to the Veterinary Dept. The list goes on and on. Most of the corruption being investigated has been going on a long time.

On the farming front, not much has changed. The war vets and other squatters continue to hamper farm work, threaten farmers and their labourers, and generally make a nuisance of themselves. I have typed in a short article from the Daily News here.

“War veterans continue to prevent farmers from planting maize although government has allocated them land under the fast-track resettlement programme, the Zimbabwe grain Producers Association has said. Government has resettled thousands of war vets, peasants and people from the urban areas since July this year.

“Although war vets have been given land, farmers are complaining that he war vets are still forcing farm workers from the land that has not been allocated for compulsory acquisition. ZGPA Chairman, Andrew Meikle said the following. “The ongoing land invasions and work stoppages have resulted in many maize producers being unable to plant, exacerbating the future of food security in Zimbabwe, and making a bad situation even worse.”

Both the ZGPU and the Zimbabwe Farmers Union have indicated that maize production next year will not meet domestic requirements. Many farmers cannot even borrow from their banks as their farms have been listed for compulsory acquisition.

The situation on our farms is critical, but those in a position to stop the madness, are totally ignoring the gravity of it all. Robert Mugabe, war veteran leaders, and the war veterans themselves have openly defied supreme court rulings that they vacate the farms and allow the farmers and their labourers to continue with their work in peace. The Police were told to step in and DO something about it, and they have defied this order. It seems that the courts have lost their authority. It is a very frustrating situation all round, and the Law Society of Zimbabwe, chaired by Sternford Moyo, seems to be tearing it’s hair out at the total lack of respect for the Rule of Law. It is my feeling that as long as this sinking ship has Robert Mugabe and his cronies at the helm, there will be no saving us !

The President’s annual New Year dinner was held here in Harare on Wednesday night. The papers quoted many MDC MP’s and officials as saying that they would not be attending. It was a gala affair, and Mugabe wined & dined the elite, and fiddled while Zimbabwe burned. The BBC, in a report on the 27th December 2000, says Zimbabwe has the fastest shrinking economy in the world at present. It is a comfort to know that our country’s leaders enjoyed themselves at the banquet, which incidentally, was paid for by me and the other taxpayers. Wonder why I never got an invite ?

We are facing a by-election in the Bikita area next month. At a meeting held by the Police in Bikita, ZanuPF, the MDC and the Police have agreed to work together peacefully, and end political violence in the area. Bikita West has been plagued by violence that has left hundreds of people injured, and millions of dollars worth of property destroyed. War veterans turned the constituency into a terror zone from the 19-25 December. Let’s see if this latest initiative works. I hope so. The people have had enough violence and intimidation to last a life-time.

On a personal note, I have decided to really look at the positive next year (no, this is not a New Year’s resolution – I always break those !). There is so much that is good, and honest, about this country. I am going to find it, and tell YOU all about it. Of course, I cannot help but be aware of the corruption, the mismanagement, and the devastating effect of the bad leadership, and I will not be able to ignore that. But you all need to know that there are good things here, that there are good people, who want nothing more than to be left in peace, earn and honest living, and grow old gracefully in the country of their birth. Is that too much to ask ? I don’t think so.

2000-12-16T21:21:00.000Z

Saturday 16th December

Hi folks - I decided to copy in the latest farm report.

COMMERCIAL FARMERS' UNION

FARM INVASIONS AND SECURITY UPDATE
Friday 15th December 2000

NATIONAL REPORT IN BRIEF:
The owner of Nyamanda Farm in Karoi was severely beaten by illegal occupiers yesterday following an altercation when the invaders attempted to prevent work. A group of about 40 invaders, one armed with a machete, confronted the farmer and at least seven were involved in the attack. The farmer defended himself with a baton, but sustained severe bruising. At least one invader was injured. Notorious Superintendent Mabunda, who was transferred out of the district following a meeting with the Minister of Home Affairs, is investigating the case and has instructed that the farmer be charged with assault. Superintendent Mabunda also continues to be active in the Tengwe area.

There were two more cases of farm workers being ordered by illegal occupiers to vacate their houses. Yesterday, invaders removed workers' possessions at Danbury Park in Mazowe and in Marondera, war vet Maphosa threatened that "we will see who will end up in the mortuary" when the owner of Wenimbe Farm refused to evict his tenant's farm workers.

In a successful police and community reaction in Chegutu, an armed gang, who had kidnapped two people and were apparently intending to rob a farmer in the area, were apprehended.
So far, nine people have died and over 600 people have been hospitalised due to the Anthrax outbreak in Mhondoro. Despite this, the authorities remain unwilling to resolve the illegal movement of cattle out of the quarantine area.

Regional reports were not received from Midlands and Matabeleland.

REGIONAL REPORTS:
General - Throughout the province, there are widespread work stoppages, illegal movement of cattle and other livestock onto properties, haphazard attempts at ploughing and planting and construction of shelters.

Victory Block - Invaders at Msitwe River Ranch continue to make claims that the owner's cattle are eating "their" crops.

Mazowe/Concession - Yesterday, invaders at Danbury Park demanded that the farm workers move out of their houses and proceeded to remove their possessions from the houses. They moved up to the owner's parent's home, where they sat on the front lawn shouting and chanting until the police eventually responded and dispersed the crowd in the evening.

Mashonaland East
Bromley / Ruwa - Ploughing with a DDF tractor and private tractors continues on Masun in pastures that have been planted to katambora grass seed.

Enterprise - There appears to be a movement of people back onto farms in the Enterprise area where invaders have previously moved off.

Featherstone - Section 7 Orders have been delivereed to the owners of Loudia and Nyamazaan.
Marondera - Agritex went out to Gwaai farm with the intention of pegging the farm. The owner of Wenimbe spoke to invader Maphosa who insisted that the tenant's labour vacate their houses on the farm. The owner refused. Maphosa said that they would evict the workers anyway and see 'who would end up in the mortuary'. Police are attending to the report.

Marondera North - Sheep and oxen have been moved onto Chiparawe farm. Ploughing and planting continue on Seaton and Rakata. The owner of Seaton Farm received a copy of a letter from the war vet base commander to the District War Vets Office with a number of allegations, including that he bought a number of armed white men onto the farm and the son fired a shot into the air. These allegations are false but the invaders are using them to justify taking sterner measures against the farmers. There is still a large group of illegal occupiers on Cambridge.

Macheke / Virginia - Police are going through the district asking to see farmers firearms and licences. It appears that they are more interested in the types of firearm rather than if they are licenced or not. A Section 5 was delivered to Metheven farm.

Mashonaland West (North)
Karoi - The owner of Nyamanda Farm was severely beaten by illegal occupiers yesterday following an altercation when the invaders attempted to prevent work. A group of about 40 invaders, one armed with a machete, confronted the farmer and at least seven were involved in the attack. The farmer defended himself with a baton, but sustained severe bruising. At least one invader was injured. The matter was reported to the police, but there was no official report book available. Superintendent Mabunda, who had been transferred out of the Karoi District following a meeting with the Minister of Home Affairs, is investigating the case and has instructed that the farmer be charged with assault.

Ayshire - Farms have had Section 7's.

Tengwe - Illegal ploughing and cattle movement is ongoing on Gwiwa and Pollux. The notorious Superintendent Mabunda continues to be actively involved in the area.

Chinhoyi - Assistant DA Chisepo says they are launching a tillage programme on Zintafuli today and are allocating the farm to 30 people. There are still problems on Listonshiels with ploughing and more people moving onto the farm. Invaders on Long Valley are still planting in lands that are being prepared for soyabeans. Police have been contacted but a confrontation seems inevitable. There is illegal movement of cattle and a new influx of invaders on Magondi Farm and more cattle have been moved onto Magog Farm for ploughing. Tree cutting and planting is ongoing at Oswa Farm.

Trelawney / Darwendale - The DA has notified a farmer representative that Colenso, Taunton, Mwanga Farm will be fast-tracked on Monday. The DA has instructed that the owner of Shirleigh Farm be persuaded to plough for invaders.

Mashonaland West (South)
Norton - ZANU (PF) are active in setting up ZANU (PF) cells on farms. The farm workers are being told that the cells are the authority on the farm and that labour disputes are to be handled by ZANU (PF). This is creating significant problems regarding productivity.

Selous - On Arbor Farm war vets have defied police and are planting maize into pastures in order to incite the owner.

Chegutu - Wing Commander Mazambani, commanding officer of Fylde Air Force Base, continues to head up illegal ploughing and planting on Exwick, which has been de-listed. A guard was kidnapped on Lone Kop Farm whilst trying to follow up a report of a wounded wildebeeste. His automatic shotgun was stolen and the gang then moved north where evidently another person was kidnapped and tied to a tree. Information leaked out that this gang was waiting at Farnham Farm gate where they were going to hold up the owner. In a good community / police reaction the gang was apprehended and their weapons were confiscated. There have now been over 600 people hospitalised from the Mhondoro Anthrax outbreak, however the police, Veterinary Department and DA are still unwilling to sort out the illegal movement of cattle from this area into commercial farming areas. So far nine people have died due to the Anthrax outbreak.

Kadoma/Battlefields - On Collingdale Farm police have reacted regarding illegal planting.

Manicaland
General - The province is reported to be generally quiet.

Chipinge - Ploughing with oxen is taking place on Buffelsdrift, which is not listed. Two DDF tractors, both escorted by an armed policeman and an armed soldier, are ploughing on Groenvlei.

Masvingo
Masvingo East and Central - Ploughing, planting and tree-cutting continues on the half of Southwill Estates that has been claimed by invaders. A Rural District Council tractor is illegally ploughing on Chirdza Ranch.

Chiredzi - Fifty opposition supporters gathered to support the manager of Buffalo Range who was experiencing difficulties with local war vet leader Mutumachanie. There is reliable information that Mutumachanie has subsequently been issued a semi-automatic weapon.

Gutu / Chatsworth - A Section 7 Notice has been served on the owner Southvale

Mwenezi - The DA reports that the second fast-track phase, in which favoured individuals will receive land, will start in the New Year. Section 7 notices have been served on Rutenga Farm (B. Landman) and Altenburg Farm (K. Landman).

2000-12-15T21:18:00.000Z

Friday 15th December 2000

I had not planned on updating for the rest of this week, and was going to do an update before we left for Nyanga, but circumstances have forced me to have my say before then. I really need to comment on what is happening here at the moment. Mugabe’s latest statement boggles the mind ! He stood in front of almost 8000 people at the opening of the ZanuPF annual congress, and openly encouraged them to instill fear into the whites.

This is a shocking statement coming from anyone, but the fact that it came from the President of a country, a President who supposedly fought for democracy and human rights, is beyond belief ! In his speech, he accused us…ME…of sabotaging the economy because I want to help remove his party from power. He said that whites…ME…controlled all facets of the economy, and that we…ME…are conspiring to kick out his government by creating unemployment and forcing price increases of most basic commodities. He said the whites…ME…were closing their factories and companies in order to sabotage the economy. He said “They think because they are white they have a divine right to our resources. Not here. Never again.” He said “We have an economy which largely excludes and exiles our people, while reposing all the power and control into the hands of a tiny racial minority, and a minority of colonial origins”. He also said “The white man is not indigenous to Africa. Africa is for Africans”.

I have said it before and I will say it again. I am sick and tired of being blamed for the mismanagement, corruption etc. of the last 20 years. Mr Mugabe did not become the President of this country last week, last month, or even last year. He and his party came to power on the 18th April 1980, twenty years ago – but I am still being used as a scapegoat for all his woes. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH ! He has had 20 years to right the wrongs done to the black people of this country. Even before Independence in 1980, aid was pouring into this country at a terrific rate. It continued to pour into the country for 19 years. Britain supplied funds for land redistribution years ago, and to whom was the land distributed ? – an elite group of favoured men, who have done nothing but sit back on their fat backsides and reap what they never sowed in the first place. I AM ANGRY ! My husband and friends keep telling me to calm down, it’s just another ploy to gather his voters, encourage the war vets etc. I don’t care what it is. It makes me livid ! This constant blaming of the whites, is obviously designed to relieve Mugabe and ZanuPF of the responsibility of their actions. I assume the constant threatening is meant to wear us down.

What exactly does Mr Mugabe hope to achieve by all of this ? Does he honestly want every single white man, woman & child to leave Zimbabwe ? This seems to be the case. I do think he honestly believes that we are the force behind the new Movement for Democratic Change, the MDC, whose opposition has knocked the wind out of him. He cannot comprehend that his people could be dissatisfied with his rule. He has to believe that we, the whites are the ones who are stirring up the opposition. If he does not believe this, what is his alternative ? He would then have to believe that his people are against him, and this is beyond him. He has reminded us constantly over the last few months, and continues to remind us that HE was the leader of the Liberation Struggle that freed the people of their white oppressors, and brought them to Independence.

With his latest statements, he has shown himself to be what he truly is – a racist of no mean proportions. He has claimed, in the past, (and I used to believe him, in the past), that he fought this very thing - racism - in the struggle to liberate the people of Zimbabwe. Here he is, twenty years on, practicing the very thing he fought against. Encouraging the majority to take part in racism against a minority group goes against everything he once fought for. It causes me to wonder what his motives really were when he set out on the path to the Liberation of his people. When did the goal posts move ? When did he realize that power was the end, and that the end justifies the means ? When did he discover, whilst preaching Marxism, that wealth was to be accumulated, no matter the cost - to people, to property, to state ? When will this sorry mess be over ?

2000-12-14T21:16:00.000Z

News
14th December 2000

I'm sorry I don't have time for a full update tonight, but would just like you all to see the latest news.Another white farmer, Henry Elsworth, aged 70, has been murdered at the gate to his farm. He was gunned down at point blank range. His son, Ian, was shot, and is recovering in the Avenues Clinic in Harare. You can link to the full story in our Daily News here. Mugabe tells blacks to "strike fear" in whites.Read all about it here.War vets plan to attack Judges. Read more here.