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  • Tsvangirai Receives Obama Seal of Approval & $73 Million

    After a Friday (12 June 2009) afternoon meeting with the President Barack Obama, Morgan Tsvangirai received the US Presidents seal of approval and $73 million dollars to go towards education, health and governance. The $73 million is a few million shy of what the Zimbabwean Prime Minister was hoping to have received. Nonetheless, Tsvangirai was able to reach out and get a positive response from the west which is something Mugabe would not be able to do with his attitude towards them and the asset freezes and travels bans he is subject to.

    The fact that the West is warmly welcoming Tsvangirai is a positive sign for what the future holds for Zimbabwe if his efforts are not hampered by Mugabe. Obama mentioned that the aid pledeged by the US government would not be channelled through the Zimbabwean government and would go directly to the people. This was a very good move on their part because the Mugabe government has been known to use such funds for their own purposes.

    Despite the progress made so far in mending relations between the West and Zimbabwe, one thing that will continue to stay are the sanctions directed towards Mugabe and his aides. A number of commentators argue that the sanctions need to be removed in order to revive industry and thus create jobs. They argue that yes, a number of companies may be run by individuals with close ties to Mugabe but at least they provide people with gainful employment to allow them to feed their families.

    Whatever the case may be, the hope is progress continues to move in positive direction for the people of Zimbabwe.

    Watch the video of part of their meeting below:

  • The Mugabe, Tsvangirai and SADC Circus

    The Mugabe, Tsvangirai and SADC Circus

    The cartoon (courtesy of newzimbabwe.com) describes the one word that comes to mind when I think of Mugabe, Tsvangirai, Mbeki and SADC, ‘CIRCUS!’ The only difference with my mental image is that I see Mugabe as the ringmaster. The ringmaster is the most visible performer in a circus and guides everyone through the show in a dramatic manner. Mugabe seems to be the one calling all the shots and laying out how the sharing of power will be played out. SADC are bunch of clowns who are just there to do their job and Tsvangirai is there as a performer who wants to be the ringmaster. With that being the case he rebels against how Mugabe wants the show to be played out with the end result being the show not being played out at all.

    Almost two months after signing the power sharing agreement there is no power sharing and still no government. The main things that have taken place that are causing dispute include Mugabe taking control of ministries that Tsvangirai feels he should be in control of. SADC has once again been called upon to reach some kind of resolve but no nothing comes of the hours and hours of discussion. If anything, SADC seems to be leaning more towards being in favour of what Mugabe decides upon. How they show any sort of support for Mugabe is a mystery. What is it that he has that SADC cannot confront him with the honest truth about his actions and what he really needs to do?

    This is all that SADC had to say about Zimbabwe at the Extra-Ordinary Summit of the SADC Heads of State and Government in South Africa on November 9, 2008 (extract from the summit text):

    10. The Extra Ordinary Summit considered the political and security situation in Zimbabwe and observed that no government has been formed subsequent to the holding of the elections and the signing of the Global Political Agreement. As a result, the country is unable to effectively address the challenges facing the people of Zimbabwe .

    11. In view of the above, Summit decided that:

    (i) the Inclusive Government be formed forthwith in Zimbabwe ;

    (ii) the Ministry of Home Affairs be co-managed between the ZANU-PF and MDC-T;

    (iii) the efficacy of the arrangement referred to in paragraph 2 above, be reviewed after six (6) months by the Parties with the assistance of the guarantors, SADC, AU and the Facilitator.

    (iv) to give effect to these decisions and the provisions of the Global Political Agreement, the Parties must, without any further delay, introduce the Constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment Number 19.

    12. The Extra-Ordinary Summit appreciated the efforts of His Excellency Thabo Mbeki, Former President of the Republic of South Africa and the Facilitator of the Political Dialogue on Zimbabwe in finding an amicable solution to challenges facing the Republic of Zimbabwe and encouraged him to continue with his mediation efforts.

    13. The Extra-Ordinary Summit will continuously remain seized with the ongoing political situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Republic of Zimbabwe.

    What they proposed is basically the same thing that they have been asking Mugabe and Tsvangirai to do over and over again over the months. The same things keep getting repeated and all parties are caught in a vicious cycle that they clearly cannot get out of.

    Solidarity Peace Trust Zimbabwe Hunger Alert – 10 October, 2008Zimbabwe is hanging on a thread and sees a unity government as the one thing that will bring it out of its crisis. Foreign donor agencies have clearly stated that Aid will not be delivered to Zimbabwe until a new Government is formed. As Mugabe, Tsvangirai, Mbeki and SADC leaders continue to go back and forth and hold talks for hours and hours the people of Zimbabwe who have run out of options and don’t know what to do to survive wait to die. It is estimated that at the beginning of next year, 5.1 million Zimbabweans (45% of the population) will need food assistance. In October Solidarity Peace Trust put out a Hunger Alert report that follows the plight of two children; one with kwashiorkor and the other marasmus (click on the photo of the child with kwashiorkor to read the report). With all of that being the case, a World Food Programme appeal for funds to feed Zimbabweans just went completely unfunded. As a leader, just seeing a picture of a child like that should be more than enough to prompt you to do something about it.

    Zimbabwe wants a change, Zimbabwe needs a change. Where is our Obama?

  • Video of Mugabe Being Booed and Heckled in Parliament

    The opening of parliament went ahead as planned on the 26th of this month but it was not as smooth as Mugabe may have hoped. Members of the Movement for Democratic Change took the opportunity to boo and heckle Mugabe as he was addressing parliament. During the speech Mugabe had an irritated and disbelieving look on his face but continued as if nothing was happening. At a dinner later in the day he told dignitaries that the MP’s behaviour was “barbaric and nonsensical”. Watch the video……………


    Mugabe jeered and heckled
    by CNN_International

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  • The Smoke That Thunders – Victoria Falls

    Victoria Falls is a 1.7km wide waterfall that drops up to 107m into the Zambezi Gorge forming the largest curtain of water in the world. The falls which are located between the border of Zimbabwe and Zambia are feed by the Zambezi River. The Falls were named Mosi oa Tunya ‘the smoke that thunders’ by the locals but when David Livingstone “discovered” the Falls 1885 he renamed them after the reigning queen of the British Isles, Victoria. Victoria Falls have been designated a World Heritage Site under the UNESCO World Heritage Convention.

    In days gone by whenever Victoria Falls was mentioned, Zimbabwe was sure to be part of the conversation as it was the most popular country to visit the falls from. This is due to the fact that when you are on the Zimbabwean side of the falls you can stand right opposite the falls and the majority of the falls are in Zimbabwe. Over the last few years, tourists wanting to visit the falls have been doing so from the Zambian side and they are marketed as Victoria Falls, Zambia. Whenever I see or hear this my heart sinks as I think of how things used to be.

    The rapid decline of visitors to the Zimbabwean side is due to the political situation in the country. Zambia is really profiting from it as tourists visits to the falls from the Zambian side increase. Vic Falls is not the only area of tourism to suffer. Other areas such as safaris have also suffered. As a result Zimbabwe has lost out on millions of dollars of revenue. This much needed revenue is something that could help to get the country back on its feet.

    This is the wonder that is Victoria Falls:

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