0;30 000” they replied and a young man
lounging
against the counter chipped in “Z$30 million”!
He was right because we have already cut three zero’s off our currency
(10
months ago) and in the old currency it would have been 30 million
dollars.
Prices are now doubling every week and soon the regime here will have
to
repeat the exercise and chop another three zero’s off the currency
while
issuing new notes. I am told they are ready to do so and are
threatening to
make the change without notice.
In this situation life is becoming more and more difficult although I
am
always astonished how ordinary, simple people adjust. I asked a peasant
farmer trying to sell a chicken on the roadside how much and he
responded
with a wave of his hand “60 or 70”. He was of course saying 60 to 70
thousand dollars. Quite a realistic price at the time. Then there is
the
ubiquitous parallel market for foreign exchange. In a country where
such
transactions are illegal and foreign exchange is not legal tender, you
can
ask anyone on the street what the price of the Rand or the US dollar
are and
get an answer. In fact the rate changes every half hour or so and
somehow
this is communicated across the country.
The herdsmen were finally able to get the Zanu PF into the pen in front
of
the dip tank. Much mooing and kicking up of heels. But they got them
into
the pen and we are now looking at them and deciding what to do next. I
understand the actual talks went well and it has been agreed just what
the
next talks will be all about. Detailed positions are now being worked
out
including specifics and a further round of talks is planned for the
near
future.
It appears that Mr. Mugabe opened this Pandora’s box himself. He asked
at
the December SADC Summit for the region to intervene in the Zimbabwe
crisis
and asked them to “mediate” between Britain and Zimbabwe. Alleging at
the
time that all of Zimbabwe’s problems were caused by “sanctions” imposed
by
the international community co-ordinated by Britain. SADC engaged and
soon
discovered what all of us already knew: the crisis in Zimbabwe is home
grown.
Then as the crisis deepened the SADC leadership became increasingly
agitated. This led to the emergency Summit in March and the agreement
with
Mugabe that he would participate in multiparty negotiations to bring
the
crisis to a close. The SADC is now holding Zanu PF and Mr. Mugabe to
that
agreement.
The crucial issue is what would constitute a “free and fair” election
in
Zimbabwe? If that is defined and then interpreted into the Zimbabwe
situation then Zanu will face its first challenge on a level playing
field
since 1980. Clearly you cannot even imagine such an electoral process
at
present.
For a start all opposition forces are regarded as enemies of the State
and
treated as such. On a daily basis opposition activists are beaten,
abducted
and even killed. The majority of planned opposition activities are
banned,
either officially on one pretext or another or simply stopped by brute
force.
Then all State controlled media – the electronic media and television
and
all daily newspapers are tightly controlled and directed. They pour out
a
daily diet of propaganda that is designed to denigrate the leadership
of the
opposition and promote the political interests of the Zanu PF. One of
the
three weeklies is now owned and controlled by the CIO and the other two
are
less than aggressive in their pursuit of the truth.
The whole electoral process is controlled by the State and is also
directed
by the military; from the registration of voters to the issue of
identity
documents. The voter’s roll is manipulated and used to strengthen the
Zanu
PF position in all areas where they think they might face a serious
challenge. Supporters of the opposition are regularly disenfranchised
and
denied access to the voting system.
The boundaries of voting districts are manipulated in classical fashion
by
state appointed delimitation Commissions and voters are transferred
from one
district to another. The postal ballot is managed and controlled and
the
military required to vote under supervision. The votes of those who
live
abroad are simply excluded.
All essentials for life are in short supply and are tightly controlled
by
the State. So basic staples and food aid are used throughout the
country to
intimidate whole communities and voters in particular. Traditional
leaders
are used to reinforce this situation by demanding that the people in
their
districts vote for the ruling Party or face penalties of one kind or
another – even threatened with expulsion from their homes.
Then the State uses all its power and resources to foster a system of
patronage that can turn a penniless peasant into a Mercedes driving
billionaire in hours. Cars and perks are dished out like confetti and
anyone
who dares to oppose the regime is denied any official support.
Candidates
for the opposition are ambushed in their districts and burnt out of
their
homes. They are kicked off irrigation plots and denied housing stands
in
urban areas. Men in dark glasses watch their every move and they can
never
rest at night in their own homes.
Free and fair elections are impossible under these circumstances. The
problem is that any relaxation of the system of oppression will open
the
floodgates and Zanu knows full well they will be swept away by popular
dissent and a tidal wave of electoral activity. I do not think they
will be
able to walk away from this challenge this time and I am just waiting
to see
who is going to run first. If I were in their shoes I would be planning
my
own exit!
Eddie Cross
Bulawayo 20th June 2007