e people of Gweru watched in stunned disbelief. As the convoy of gleaming limousines roared through town, sirens shrieking, four men eased from their aching shoulders the coffin they were carrying and took a moment to stand and stare.
Where had all that petrol come from? There had been none available in Gweru for weeks, and certainly none that they could afford for many months now. Shaking their heads in confusion and sorrow, they shouldered their heavy burden again and plodded determinedly towards the cemetery.
At the football stadium giant cakes were cut and eaten. Tons of roasted beef and chicken were consumed. Beers and spirits flowed. Speeches were made.
Thousands of school children, a captive audience bussed in from around the country, watched in awe as the adults gorged themselves.
The birthday boy, President Mugabe, petulantly harangued them about his perennial triumvirate of enemies – Morgan Tsvangirai, Tony Blair and George Bush. Raymond Majongwe was added to the list, for his role in the teachers’ strike and the aging dictator returned to a former favourite bete noire – Gays. “Bring them to me,” he demanded. “And I will beat the hell out of them.”
If Morgan Tsvangirai had dared voice even half of the hate speech uttered by Mugabe last weekend, he would be behind bars by now for incitement to violence.
Various sources put the final price tag for the party at between Z$500 and Z$700 million. All that was left to show for it was several crates of booze, which were hastily loaded into support vehicles and driven off for private consumption.
That night thousands of orphans went to bed hungry, again. Thousands of Zimbabweans suffered without pain-relieving drugs. Thousands slept in the open, without shelter or blankets. Thousands went without water and electricity.
Did Mugabe, and the others, sleep well that night?
Word for today 08
“If the LORD delights in a man’s way, He makes his steps firm; though he stumble he will not fall, for the LORD upholds him with His hand. I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread. They are always generous and lend freely; their children will be blessed.” Psalm 37: 23 – 26
Post published in: News