Devaluing our Lives

Pic:VALUELESS, A man steps over a 10 dollar note at one of the shopping centers in Harare.


The Governor of the Reserve bank of Zimbabwe Dr Gideon Gono anounced in his monitory policy statement on Thursday, the further devaluation of the Zimbabwean dollar from 250 to 15000 to the US dollar. This came amid cries from the business sector that the 250 rate was not sustainable. But the governor would not want to succumb to the cries for devaluation without some tricks. The Governor has always been anti devaluation in the past and i think he did not want to be seen as making a u-turn on his policies. The guy loves his image more than anything else and is overloaded with pride.

Gono said the devaluation only applied to what he termed the Drought Mitigation and Economic Stabilisation Fund. He emphasised that this does not mean devaluation. But Mr Governor! you said the new exchange rate covers embassies, farmers, tour operates,NGOs', International transporters,farmers, people in the diaspora AND, AND, AND individuals. Can anyone explain to me in another way. Probably i lost it. Doesn't it look like the above statement covers the entire population.

The devaluation has further escalated the price of basic commodities in shops. By the time the governor had shut his mouth to close his statement, most supermarkets had already changed the prices of most of their products. For example, i went into one of the supermarkets in Harare's Eastlea suburb to buy fresh milk. I had bought it (milk) in the morning at 3500. By the time i arrived around 5pm it had shot up to 12000. What does this translates to, under an environment where the government is keen on slashing price increases? We are going to see more shortages of basic commodities, more queues, more headaches,more stress related illnesses and more pressure on our ill- equipped medical centers, more deaths etc. Cry my beloved country.

A Squatter Camp in Malibu

Pic; In Harare's northern suburbs is an upmarket location where the rich and famous live called Follyjon. One wouldn't expect to see a stray dog let alone tuck shop in the area. But to the contrary, some squatters have found their way into one open space in Follyjon and have built their "fabulous" dwellings to compete with those of their billionaire neighbours. A very tight competition where honesty is the judge. But the legal residents are complaining that these squatter camp have become a haven for thieves. They are losing their electric gadgets to these invaders. Where are they going to plug in their gadgets if their only source of energy is a match box and firewood?. Let them have a feel of your saunas, private bars, dinner tables and hammers. Tomorrow, you might find yourself regaining peace.

Dancing With a Difference

Pic: FLYING WITHOUT WINGS, Hwamanda dance group in action.

I caught up with Hwamanda Dance Group at a agriculture field day in Shamva. Its a fantastic group that displays some dance routines that have a combination of traditional acts and those one could say are borrowed from gymnastics. I understand the group will be performing in Harare soon and iam very anxious about watching them once more.

The group, including all other dance groups that are spread in the country that i have watched over the years, have a hidden message emanating from their displays that so many people seem to miss. I have recently discovered, after watching Hwamanda perform that, traditional dances, besides entertainment, often dig deep into our minds for one to question his/her level of "Africanness" (attachment to our roots). The dances and songs that accompany them carry me back to my rural home and how i used to play around with my home boys in dusty dry lands of Mazvihwa. They are a reflection of our past and how we could possibly embrace it in the present time. I always visualise a society that has long gone where all those fairy tales and sound proverbs we grew up listening to, made real impact to society.

That was then, when grandpa was still a young boy. When most of the things were just "natural". There were no tarred roads, C02 emissions, GMOs', coca cola, cakes, Levis jeans and anything digital. Life was a friend of the natural. Is it true that life was so organised by then, as how my daddy puts it now?. There is one important factor that modern life seem not to change from all of us- that is our colour. Black or brown, iam still proud to be African, something i value especially through listening and watching traditional dances. I went to Europe this other year and within a few days i was already missing home. Not my two bedroom flat i once rented in the city, but my rural home. I missed my parents, homeboys and even the dry land that often grilled my skin. That is one hidden secret about my culture. Its like a companion you can trust and live without. Can someone make a movie out of it. I will suggest the title could be "When songs and dances shaped a man"

Hifa Cannot be for the Entire Nation

HIFA cannot be for the entire country, let alone for my rural people of Belingwe, states a comment on my blog. The person suggests that it is probably a Harare event. I would love to buy that point straight, but my assumption is rather tied to facts. According to organisers of HIFA, the event attracts people from across the entire nation (visitors) including traditional acts from far deep as Venda tribes in Beitbridge. Probably if the argument could be on coverage. But then Dead BC through its reporter, Terence Mapurisana claims every year that they spread the show wide for many Zimbos to watch. The argument can best be put to light if we say HIFA only accommodates for a certain class of people. A farmer from West Nicholson, a manager in Victoria falls and a business man in Mutare. If I would concur with your suggestion (which I have already done) I will stop using the word "entire" just for this reason. Its out of way. Thanks.

Harare, Gets a Pill of Fun Through HIFA

Pic: A billboard at the main entrance of the venue

After a couple of weeks of politically related disturbances, the continued rise in the price of basic commodities, people of Harare and the entire country are going to be given "stress relief" by the arrival of Harare International Festival of the Arts (HIFA) which starts on the 1st of May to the 6th of May 2007.

HIFA is an annual international arts festival. It embraces five main disciplines- music, theatre, fine arts, dance and spoken word. The festival began in 1999 and is the brain child of Manuel Bagorro. It showcases Zimbabwean, regional and and international performances. Last year saw the presentation by one of Africa's leading artist, Angelique Kidjo. This year's festival is going to attract yet another fantastic line up which includes Thandiswa Mazwai of the group Bongo Muffin a South African music outfit.

What a good way to sideline the worries that the city life overload us with, daily.

The Problem is not Poverty, but Goblins.

There is a very strong African belief that the main cause of most of our calamities is witchcraft. This belief is causing so many deaths that could easly be avoided in our communities, because people have laid their focus on rather a "dubious" enemy. Many dispute the impact of HIV/AIDS and attribute the cause of many Aids related deaths in their communities to witchcraft.

I went to a village called Chiweshe about 80km north of Harare, on Friday when i heard a famous cleansing ceremony was happening, to save the village from witchcraft. They (villagers) claim is (witchcraft) the cause of the ever rising death toll and misfortunes in their village. With the help of a village boy, I went straight to the the place where the ceremony was being conducted by the witchhunter, Guranyanga. I never saw the witchdocter in action, for his operations was being done clandestinely in a hut. I was not even given an opportunity to meet him. His guards composed of a group of young boys everagely built, told me to join others in the long queue. My patience was compromised after seeing the large the crowds in front of me. The process looked tardy. They was talk as arrived that two people were cleansed off their misfortunes and had to let go their goblins.

After every ritual, one would be forced to pay a beast as payment for the service rendered. Those who had no beasts to part with would surrender goats, chickens or furniture. One village headman claimed to have parted with two of his beasts for having his household cleansed. "I don't believe in the way these ceremonies are being conducted and don't trust the witchdoctor at all" he said. The ceremonies are done through the instruction of the chief and no one has the right to refuse. " If you refuse then there is likelihood that you would be labelled as the main source of the calamities" he said.

With inflation running over 1700% and poverty hitting hard on many rural communities and a drought looming, many rural communities including have their life hung on the very few beasts they have. The value of owning beasts cannot be sidelined in my culture. For one to be termed rich or ready to marry in our culture, he has to own a number of these. I cant imagine how our villages can survive if they give honour to such traditional cleansing ceremonies that stupidly deprive them of their wealth. Isn't it day light robbery? Unfortunately the government is aware of this and do standby while people continue to lose wealth to a conman.This is real a fast track to poverty. I came back home angry and frustrated. When are we as a people going to learn, i thought.

For some, the problems in our communities is not politically driven or a result of poverty. Its rather a goblin hidden somewhere within their villages and someone in the community could be using it to cast a spell on others. If all these beliefs are true, then the witchdoctor should be given thumbs up. The experiences of the past decade has shown that, the goblin/s should be the one responsible for the problems in my country, if i am to buy this belief. It has raised inflation, the price of basic commodities, hiking of fuel prices and of course deny people the proper health care they deserve. These people could be right in another way and i have reasons to believe, they do exist. I now know the source of the cloud that does not release rain in my country.

No! Cde Minister, Walk the Talk

Pic: MISSING IT,Dr Sikhanyiso Ndlovu at the Press Club.

Friday evening we (journalists) had a meeting with our new Minister of Information at our Press Club. Was it an opportunity lost? Nothing tangible came out of it with the exception of course of the wonderful lecture we had from our dear comrade! about the importance of embracing nation wood in our profession. We were told how the west is trying hook line and sinker to remove all governments born out of the struggle. Without leaving what has become "Zanu PF's infamous spice" the names of Tony Blair and George Bush were the Central theme of his entire speech.

Then came question time. We did not want our dear comrade to leave without attending to many pressing issues surrounding the media. One journalist asked the minister to clarify the government's position on the abductions, killing and torture of journalists siting events that happened recently. To most people's amazement, he replied "it is clear on behalf of government that the constitution of Zimbabwe is for freedom of association, expression and worship". Our dear Comrade would rather stick to hitting the question on the periphery, something he did with vigour. We gave him names and sited fresh incidences, but he kept of replying the Zanu PF way. Blame Tony and Bush, place them on tight corner and never let them escape.

"Minister whats your view on patriotism" one journalist asked, because it is now official in Zimbabwe that if one does not support the establishment he/she is labelled as an agent of imperialism. This is one highest level of mental colonialism, one journalist said. Why, comrade minister that if anyone differs with you, then there must be a white man behind that? "One has to have a divergent view but a responsible one", the minister replied. We have many opposition parties in Zimbabwe and newspapers too, he said, and that shows we respect that. But, where is the Daily News, the Tribune etc Cde Minister? Why are people arrested for saying Bob should vacate office like yesterday? Please Cde Minister lets walk the talk.

Many hot questions kept on coming from the flow, and they were met with the stiff resistance they deserved. At times the chairman would remind the the dear Cde, to stick to answering the question than diverting to his liberation war credentials, an art many Zanu PF followers have mastered. "Does going to war make one a revolutionary or can you become a revolutionary government by not necessarily going to war?" one asked. "At what point did you discover that the west is evil" another popped out. When are we going to see the Daily News operating again and also the licencing of new broadcasting stations?

Does one have to be a bootlicker to be in government?, was yet another question from the flow. Why does the state media lie with impunity? All these questions went unanswered, to put it right. The responses the minister gave was to continue to divert into his liberation war credentials or hitting on the periphery, that is, pretending one loves his wife by keeping his mobile number in the phone book. No! Cde Minister, we just want you to walk the talk.

27 Years of In"dependence"

Pic:WE WILL SEE, Members of the defence forces seated beside a banner at Rufaro Stadium


I went to Rufaro stadium, the venue of our 2007 Independence day celebrations. The stadium was full to capacity. What i didn't know was what actually attracted such large numbers of people to the stadium. People are in dire poverty and cannot afford to spend a penny on nothing "productive" on such trips beside work. Was it patriotism? Was it the presence of entertainment lined up from the defence forces, a Sungura musician and a football match between two of Zimbabwe's football giants? One guy i asked, said he had come for the big match and nothing else. " The excitement of celebrating our independence has long vanished" he said. If i was put in his position, i would have tried hard to look for something productive, like looking for a piece job to get quick money and buy soap to pull me up to the end of the month, than watching propaganda posters fill the entire stadium. Just to concur with my brother, i bielive the true meaning of it (independence) has long vanished. But i had to be there because of work.

Sharing the seeds of ICT

Pic:A TEST, Itai Mushekwe in our newsroom

I came back home on Sunday the 15th my mind stocked with the seeds of the course i had done at Rhodes University about Digital revolution and its impact on our societies. I was eager on sharing this experience with most of my friends in the same profession and see how best we as the journalistic community in Zimbabwe and abroad could maximise the knowledge I gained to best use. Iam proud to mention that i have two converts and one of them (Itai Mushekwe from the Zimbabwe Independent) has shown some interest in the subject. I felt i had to spread this information wide, to most of my friends in Africa and the developed world, for them to come up with valuable comments about their experience and possibly tap some valuable lessons from their side as well. We need to share more information about the Digital revolution and its impact to society and the journalistic profession. The internet is wrecking havoc on media and journalism. Journalism is changing in character as a result of it.I felt that some of the courses i did, such as use of the Internet as a source of information and news, digital story telling and how to write news on the web and blogging could be further expanded upon by learning how other guys from different countries, are making use of these vital tools in communication. Probably i could also tap one thing or two and help spread this vital piece of information in my country. Africa and Zimbabwe is ready for the digital revolution, but it also needs us, journalists to drive this revolution ahead by making as much information available.
Lets exchange notes guys about this new wave and lets help Africa develop!!!!!!! Any comments are most welcome.

Hello weekend, workshop end!

I cant imagine the workshop ending. The workshop was fast tracked and i neeeded more time to master some of the things. Hei guys can someone tell me that the workshop has been extended?. Peter needs to work, work and work. He survives by it and i understand they pay him for that....big time!

Friday, Peter kept Firing!

Pic: GET IT RIGHT,Peter assisting one delegate in the lab

The relevance of the Friday lecture could not come at a better time. As a journalist i need to know how to find news on the web by using search engines. Peter told me i could not always use Google to find news something i have always done since i started using a PC. A big blow to my intelect because, for all these years i have been using Google in search of news. Google is too far behind to access news, Peter said.To speed up the process, one needs to sign in and have an account and through a website called www.bloglines.com There is a push and pull factor at play here. Pull-means iam being pulled to the web and push- the web pushes information to you that i want though my acount, like news alerts. That is the purpose of the RSS (Real Simple Syndication). The process serves on time BIG TIME!!!!.

Then came the interesting subject of blogging. I was fascinated to learn that bloggers call us (journalists)- the mainstream media. We refer to them as the pyjamas. It was the bloggers who created the RSS. Peter told me how i could read RSS feeds using a web interface. I created a feed through the web called bloglines. What an easy way to tap information/news alerts at the twinkling of an eye.

We then went to the subject of using Internet as a source. I was amazed to learn that i could use a blog as source. For example the BBC used images from bloggers who managed to capture the tragic event of 7/7 in London. One important factor I learnt is that bloggers, while there are impacting in the transformation of how information is shared, they are not always credible and objective. They don't always adhere to the journalistic rules. Their impact to the media field can only be realised through the Dan Rather saga, CBS former news reporter's resignation after bloggers criticised a document he showed on TV that did put George Bush in bad light. The doc was found to be a false one after bloggers made a field day of it. This shows that bloggers can control politicians and journalists. They cannot simply be ignored. Some bloggers have sites that are authoritative, Peter said. The more the links a blog site has, the trusted it can be. We had to round up the day with the subject of censorship and control. This reminds of a country up in the north of SA of course. A bill is on the line to try and curb the free flow of information. Thank God there are ways to skip the fire wall. I can also protect my mail too from these silent assassins.

Who let the dog out!

Finally, i got a very long lunch today after a exhausting lecture. At times one needs to stop seasoned lecturers like Peter to stop carrying on with lecturing, especially if they keep on carrying on with a lecture when your mind cant take it no more. The guy seems to love lecturing more than democracy, which is one way a person balances his needs against onother man's. It (lunch) started at 1pm to 330pm. I wanted to go out window shopping- that is trying to pick a product on display from outside a shop and your hand being blocked from free service by the glass. I tried that as a kid and it never worked. From checkers, to Pep. Mr price to Steers (the only food outlet is SA where you part with your millions only to get illions). The food was just zhing zhong, by zimbabwean standards. How on earth can Steers boast of being that which it claims to be? I could have bought my chicken and chips at Checkers man! where you part with your few coins only to get that food that could fill up your tummy. A better contract for any damn hungry man. Cheers SA! i will kiss you good bye on Saturday

The Cock Tail

Pic: Prof Banda and Boldwill Hungwe

I don't know what a "cock tail" is and i have never seen one. But if i could name one "cock tail' that sounds more like it , it is the cocktail party we had yesterday. It was a cock's day out with a tail. Oops! beer managed to befriend some of our friends into an interesting partnership. It was fun and a Little low budget budget film i watched, which came out tops the Hollywood ratings. Many of our Friends needed panel beating this morning to get into shape. Not so fast guys!!!!!. The cock does not have any tail and you dont have an "alcohol firewall" either.

Hei Zim! Get Ready for ICT

Our first lecture by Peter was just food that my mind would crave for. He called it elementary knowledge, a hell lot of mountain of new stuff easy to understand and interesting as well. I figured out polishing the dirty out my newsroom when i go back home and introduce a little bit of taste of the digital revolution and its consequences. Peter took me through a journey and my mind was made to drift into another way. He said us (journalists) have been talking and society listening, but as a result of the digital revolution people are talking back. In other words the Internet is now controlled bottom up. While government legislation has often found its way in creating walls to ban what they call "unwanted material" like for example in China where Google was told to root out their so called politically incorrect material", to a very large extent the free flow of information is going unhindered. This scenario poses a tough question to many of us, "How does one balance control of information and its free flow?"

Society is ever changing and Zimbabwe and Africa at large should be ready. We are facing situations in the near future when newspapers like in the developed world fade away as people rush into the Internet for news. Like in Europe as Peter puts it "newspapers are now for old people". We were once hunters and gatherers and we moved on to agricultural revolution in 500BC, then to the industrial revolution 1600ac. Now we are in the 21c that is seeing the digital revolution taking charge. Information is now being produced and sold. This is coming with a lot of changes to our societies. For example, social relations are now changing. In this post modern age, i learnt that, the Internet has made communication two way. It was once, one to many, but now its many to many. Thank God Africa is not legging behind. According to a recent BBC survey, Africa is now the largest consumer of mobile phones. Such gadgets are vital for our development as a continent, so that we could stay abreast with time. We need fast connections to the Internet like, broadband, wireless, infrared and blue tooth. We need mobile phones that are 3G , GPRS compatible. Get ready.

As journalists we need to think as journalists to get information. I was left exposed by what i would call a rather dull way i oftern used to search information of the Internet. I used to just type words that i thought would lead me to my source on the search engine only to get a million names and pick up one i think falls into line randomly. What a horrible way to sell my reputation for free.They are better ways to look for credible information on the internet, thank heavens!.

I left the lecture room feeling somewhat exposed but comforted by the message from the popular saying that goes "people never stop learning" but threatened by the idea that Peter would insist that this is "basic" information that normally comes for free and i should have mastered during my teens. Sorry Peter, You have to be patient with me Bru!!!

Flight to South Africa

Pic: PERFECT WING, I shot on board SAA

Leaving home has always been a hard time for me, especially when it demands me to cross boaders into the unknown. But i wouldn't have liked to miss the Digital journalism Workshop at Rhodes University either, for i knew the value of it. I don't know why these stories about "digital" make me tick. Probably it is its association with electronics that fascinate me. Anything digital provokes me. But i wont forget those Visa delays that nearly cost us our journey after the SA Embassy suffered a technical fault on their Visa printing machine - as i got it-and i thought all this information was merely sabotage. "Zimbabwe has always suffered the so called quiet but devastating shots from our dear comrade Thabo" i thought.

My flight was on on board an SA airways flight and i left Harare around 13:00hrs. A fantastic flight that came after years of being a seasoned traveller by road. I was carrying with me on board, some very fond memories about SA after having visited Johannesburg a couple of years back. A beautiful city full of horrors and thrillers. Up in the air soon after takeoff, i saw my little city look like a bowl, empty. " Come on Zimbabwe, dont be fooled" I thought. I reached Port Elizabeth airport around 6pm, only to be welcomed by a very cold wind and ofcourse a our safe driver who i can only identify by his warm smile. We were at Grahamstown finally in the comfort of our host team. Fantastic lads- Fortune, Benny,....... I had a nice sleep around 10pm on a little bed that had no justice to my height. I was rapped up in the night only to work up to meet yet another interesting character, Peter our Deutch trainee who took us into his so called "not moderrrrrrrn Peter!" but "modern" lessons about Digital Journalism. Remember! i have been colonised by the British.

Welcome to "Life as a Zimbabwean"

I created this blog out of a deep love of my country and willingness to share how most of us (Zimbabweans) go about our day to day lives. Although most of us (Zimbabweans) agree that life has become so unbearable as a result of the economic hardships, political instability etc there is always the untold story about how people undertake their daily routines under such challenging circumstances. Most people outside our borders seem to be dumbfounded about how the spirit of revolting against the current government, seem to take a backstage amongst so many Zimbabweans. The real answers to that, while there might be available, my blog will divert once in a while from that and give you mostly in pictures how people (Zimbabweans) hang on under the loose threads of once a British colony. One important thing that i wish clarified is, as Zimbabweans we just have to reach a high level of unity to fight our problems together-as a nation. No man is bigger than the people's power. No to devide and rule tactics.

ONE LOVE!!!