Letters on Sunday

In actual fact, of course they are not involved. It seems that certain members of the MDC have inherited the prejudices of their colonial masters. Israel is at the forefront of world politics and i think she has bigger fish to fry than waste it on involvement with a collapsed African nation.

D GUISE, by email

POEM

 Zimbabwean Drums

The drums are calling old man, and they are louder by the day.

They are calling you to judgement and now’s the time to pay

for the wrongs you’ve done your country and the trust betrayed.

So hear those drums swelling, hear well and be afraid.

You came to power on waves of hope that you would make your mark,

in a land that shone in Africa like diamonds in the dark.

In simple faith the people put their trust in your care,

and were repaid by the Fifth Brigade and the CIO and fear.

twenty eight years of motorcades and lavish trips abroad

a nations heritage is lost through patronage and fraud.

The Chiefs grow fat while people starve and famine stalks our homes.

On idle farms the weeds grow rank and cover cattle bones.

the youth are taught your slogans but even as they sing

the drums of change are beating for the truth is seeping in.

The demagogue has feet of clay and lies will not sustain

the shattered land that once seemed free and will be so again.

Too late to blame the drought, the Brits, the whites, the MDC.

For all know where the finger points with cold finality.

So hear the drums, old man, and listen to them well,

They foretell of your end days and they have much to tell.

for he who sows the seeds of hate will reap the grapes of wrath,

so tremble in your bed at night, at the end of your sorry path.

UNKNOWN, by email

 Nhai Gushugo madireyi kudaro?

 

Ini ndaingonzwa nevanhu nerunyerekupe!

Asi handina kuzvibvuma!

Asi ndakazozvionera pamhino sefodya!

Vanhu vaindimisa mumugwagwa vondinyevera!

Vaiti tanzwa nako kadhara kema-degree ezvibhakera!

Nhai Gushugo madirei kudaro!

 

Vaindizevezera kuti Gushugo oteura ropa ravanhu!

Vamwe vaizhamba vachiti Mugabe ovhutsira vanhu vapenyu kuMatebeleland!

Rimwe inzwi ndokusvika richiti vamwe vakakandwa mumigodhi yakadzika!

Mumigondi iyi vakamwira magopwe ndiye sarai mudye!

Uye zvainzi Gushugo obvutira vanhu chingwa pamiromo!

Shoko rimwe rakabuda roti, Gushugo odzinga MaZimbabweans muZimbabwe.

Nhai Mugabe wadirei kuramba uchidaro?

 

Zvaitasei kuti musununguri wevanhu nhasi ave musungi!

Wairwira vanhu nhasi ndiye worwisa vanhu!

Waichemerwa nevanhu nhasi ndiwe wochemedza nyika yose!

Waipa vanhu zvokudya nhasi ndiye wotorera zvokudya!

Muvaki nhasi ndiye muputsi.

Ndaiti moyo wako wakachena semukaka asi wapindika ukasviba setara.

Waitovedza panorwadza nhasi wava Nyati inodhuvhura.

Gushugo iwe, zvamava Shato inotema nepakati pemusoro.

Rovambira zvaro rinobwanya nemafupa!

Moita wechipere chinobhabhandura nebhonzo remusoro!

Nhai Bob, ko wadireyi kudaro!

 

Mweya weChimurega makavigepi Gushugo?

Rudo rwenyu rwapinduka rukava ruvengo sei?

Ko nguo dzegwai makarasirepiko?

Ko maiva ngwena yaiziva zvayaiita pamaikweva njira muchisiya munhu!

Nhai Robert wadireyi kudaro?

 

Ko motonga nepfumo, nhai Changamire?

Pfumo renyu rakatesverwa serurumi rwenyoka!

Pfumo renyu rakatsvuka kuti piriviri!

Pfumo renyu robaya munhu wese richisiya atonhora!

Kana riribakatwa renyu rangova jekawacheka!

Nhai baba Vachatungwa madirei kudaro!

 

Nyika yaifashaira nemaguta, yava yenzara!

Nyika yeuchi nemukaka yavaEgipita yeuranda!

Nyika yaidadisa yonyadzisa!

Nyika yaitapira seuchi yovava segavakava!

Nyika yaiva yamafaro yava yemisodzi!

Nhai murume waGrace wadirei kudaro!

 

Gudo guru peta mwise kuti vaduku vakuremekedze!

Zvino imwi wenyu mapetenura, kuti MDC ione kuti wakareba zvakadini!

Mandungu naMapurisa ava eyi mumigwagwa yeZimbabwe?

Ndenge dzehondo muchadenga dzava dzeyi munyika inorunyararo?

Ko chikepe chizere nepfuti nenyere munodzidini.

Ko zvino chichapinda nepi chikepe chenyu, Durban vachiramba?

KuAngola, Mozambique, zvimwe vachabvuma.

Ko zvakabuda musarudzo ya29 March 2008 maisirei muhapwa?

Ko kuState House muchiri kuiteyizve, kwaZvimba makapisa dzimba here?

 

Nhai Sekuru vaLeo madireyi kudaro?

Ko muchiri mambo waaniko?

Vamunotungamirira ndivanani nhai baba vaChatungwa.

Pachigaro ichocho makagadzwa naniko nhaiVaShe.

Kovaranda venyu ndevapiko nhai musharukwa?

Vatongwi venyu ndevapi nhai mambo iwe?

Mitemo yenyu inotevedzwa nani nhai Mutenhesanwa?

Nhai mwana waBona wadireyi kudaro?

 

Wotonga zvegangara?

Wotonga zvemakanya.

Wotonga zvenharo!

Wongotonga chete chero vasingadi ivo vatongwi vacho.

Nhai Changamire iwe madirei kudaro.

 

NASIBANENGI DUBE, by email

Tired and tested?

EDITOR, i need to be corrected if I’m wrong . I was reading one of the ZANU PF’s compaign posters and it read “Tried and Tested”.

Can you help me? I noticed a misspelling on the poster.  Instead of printing tired’ they printed tried’.

I’m saying tired  because the Zanu (PF) government has for the past 28 years officiated over a failed economy. How can one say tried and tested’?

It’s true we tried and tested them to an extent that we noticed we cannot try them ANYMORE.

We can no longer trust our economy in the hands of this tired old man and his bunch of crooks, . One could tell that the old man is tired by the way he punched the air with his fist of fury in front of children on an ill-fated Independence Day.

Let’s try fresh brains led by Morgan.  

ZN, Kwekwe

 IMPOUND RGM’S STOLEN ASSETS

 

EDITOR, It occurs to me that one of the ways in which the United Kingdom (UK) Government could really put the screws on the tyrant of Zimbabwe (without hurting its people) would be to impound his ill-gotten assets.

 I have a news report from 2004, if I remember correctly, which gave Mugabe’s net worth as $10 billion. It’s all looted and stolen, most of it from when he had troops in the Congo ostensibly fighting rebel forces whilst they were grabbing diamonds for their master.

 If the UK and other states had to make a stand such as the one I am suggesting, I believe it would contribute significantly to terminating Mugabe’s attempts to hold onto power.

 Through your paper and its connections this tactic needs to be propagated if it hasn’t been already.

 D DU BOIS, Durban

 Kutanga ndinotenda nebasa guru iro murikubata.

 

EDITOR, Zvirikuitika munyika medu zvinonyadzisa uye zvichishoresa.Chokwadi ndechekuti zvavapachena kuti vaMugabe wakakundwa musarudzo dzichangopfuura. Kurova vanhu nekuvatyisidzira hakuna zvakunobatsira ramangwana renyika yedu. Nyika dzemuAfrica [AU ne SADC] dzinofanira kuisa musoro pamwechete dzotumira nhumwa kuZimbabwe kuti dzigare pasi neZANU PF pamwe ne MDC dziumbe hurumende yemubatanidza nekuti zvakabuda musarudzo zvinotaridza kuti vose vanodiwa zvakada kufana [50-50].Kunyangwe hazvo tisati taziva zvakabuda pasarudzo yemutungamiri wenyika zviripachena asi vaMugabe havafaniri kuva mumwe achapinda muhurumende iyi nekuti maitiro avo anoputsa nyika nekuunza hurombo. Vakwegura vanofanira kunozorora.Hazvichabatsiri kuti kuitwe dzimwe sarudzo ikozvino nekuti achavhota nekuvhotesa ndiani ivo vanhu varikurohwa nevakavhotesa vachisungwa.Vanhu havachina kugadzikana saka sarudzo haizotaridzi pfungwa dzavanhu chaidzo. Hurumende inobatanidza mapato akakunda musarudzo ndiyo chete ingaite kuti munyika muve nerunyararo nebudiriro kwete hurumende inechindini.

Zvichanaka chete ngatirambei takashinga.

 S TAKAFAKARE, Pretoria

Freedom for the masses

EDITOR, It is embarrassing that Mugabe repeats continually that Zimbabwe, is a

Sovereign state when he has been selling Zimbabwe, piece by

piece, to the highest bidder for hard currency – the American dollar, that

he purports to hate.

Like most Zimbabweans I am in a quandary, as to who actually owns Zimbabwe. Is it the Libyans, Malaysians, the Chinese, Omar Bongo, or the Israelis?

We should not expect too much from SADC, as the whole lot of them, are

a useless toothless, bunch of bulldogs. It a disgrace, that they have, time

after time failed the people of Zimbabwe. They have made a complete mockery of what SADC principles stand for, and have brought shame to the African

Continent.

I thank the South African Port authorities, Civil society and the Church Leaders, who alerted the port authorities, that the Chinese ship, with it’s cargo of heavy arms – destination Zimbabwe – was refused permission to offload

the cargo. It was to be expected. The Chinese ship is now in uncharted waters,

destined for some obscure African port. I hope that that port authorities,

will make a lot of noise and have nothing to do with this vessel, nor it’s deadly consignment of arms.

It does not take a rocket scientist to know that those arms would be taken the to the constituencies that voted for the MDC. Hell will freeze over, before Mugabe

lets the poor villagers know who’s the BOSS.

The villagers in those constituencies, who voted against Mugabe, are in for

a deadly and brutal time. How dare they vote for the MDC! They are now going

to pay the ultimate price – DEATH.

All normal people are so tired of Mugabe’s rhetoric and abuse. I say to our president Morgan, stand tall, as a new dawn is just around the corner. So near yet so far.

It cannot be business as usual, in Zimbabwe. It is business unusual. We must

all stand together, and get the tyrant out. No more Mugabe brutality, rape and destruction, but Freedom for the Masses.

TRUTH B TOLD, by email

Jump ship now

EDITOR, This is a challenge to all Zanu members be they in the former Presidium, politburo, ex-cabinet ministers and MPs, War Vets, JOC members etc.

I refuse to believe that Simba Makoni, Dumiso Dabengwa, Ibbo Mandaza and a few others are the only ones who disagree with Mugabe’s policies. Deep down in your hearts you know that Mugabe has not only been a festering influence upon the country’s well-being, but also to your once respectable party.

What is going on at the moment is due to greed by some and fear of accountability by others.

But if you all take a minute to think about it, history will judge you less harshly if you take a stand NOW rather than continue to be part of this illegitimate regime. It is not too late to pull out now and denounce what is happening at the moment. The longer you stay on this sinking ship, the greater the chances of you and your families drowning with it, because the Zimbabwean people have spoken. The world is now highly impatient, as it was with Hitler. Woe be to those who think violence and trickery will win the day against the Zimbabweans and the rest

of the world.

So I urge all of you to emulate the Makoni camp and re-earn your respect before it is too late. I don’t see Makoni or Dabengwa going to The Hague because they have been brave and have redeemed themselves.

You too must weigh the benefits and indeed the disadvantages of disobeying the will of Mugabe and a few generals as compared to disobeying the poeple’s will.

ZIMBABWE AT HEART, by email

The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse

 

EDITOR, The horrible events presently happening in Zimbabwe suggest that the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse have taken up permanent residence in that beleaguered country.  

The government’s total disregard of criticism, displays an arrogance and audacity beyond belief.

Indeed, it seems Zimbabwe’s military junta and ruling party are determined to stretch international and regional tolerance levels to unprecedented and unimaginable lengths.

 The question everyone is asking both inside and outside of Zimbabwe, is for how much longer can this rogue regime continue its murderous, violent, corrupt and destructive behaviour without meaningful censure.

 It is common knowledge that the quiet diplomacy being shamelessly and slavishly practised by African leaders, is nothing but a diplomatic posture for inactivity and procrastination, bordering on tacit support for the status quo.

 History recalls Africa and the world watching the systematic murder of the Tutsi minority in Rwanda, and unbelievably Africa and the world watch again as a similar and monstrous sequel of events unfold in Zimbabwe and Darfur, Sudan.

Out of Zimbabwe has come a clear and concise warning by the leaders of all church denominations, of a deliberate campaign by the ruling party ZANU/PF that could reach genocidal’ proportions.

Zimbabwe’s respected church leaders have spoken out, and Africa and the world must stop watching, and wake up and act now to stop the madness.

MIKE ROOK, UK

Illegitimates not wanted here

I think it is time now for the world press and media to start referring to Mugabe and his cronies as the ‘illegitimate and illegal regime’ since he clearly has no right any longer to stay in his presidential palace.

If he is not the legitimate president then he must clearly be illegitimate, and if the world Press begin describing him as such it will change attitudes. I suggest you start a campaign.

CT, by email

 Unite first

EDITOR, This is specifically for my brothers and sisters in the Diaspora because the majority at home have shown us their position. They are together now.

Until all Zimbabweans or the majority team up together we will find it difficult to move from this crisis. Many Zimbabweans abroad are concerned about the situation in our country, but why are we failing to make one effective group?

 History can prove it almost right that united people have destroyed monarchs and dictatorships in Europe, developed Asian states, developing countries, and United States was built out of unification of states.

What is special about Zimbabwe and its people not getting together to help themselves?

This problem is generally spread all over Africa.

 I understand very well that there are very high profile people on this list who have all the influence to help lead Zimbabwe to where we all want it to be. Why is this not happening? Only when the wind of change is blowing hard do we hear many associating themselves with the side likely to take over. What culture is that? I have no clue.

Instead let the new president identify positive teams or groups to include in the development of the country.

N N MADA, US-based activist