IAN SMITH AND ROBERT MUGABE: A COMPARISON

Zimbabwe: Ian Smith and Robert Mugabe - The comparison

Mon, 23 Apr 2007 00:30:00

Mutumwa Mawere

 

http://www.zimdaily.com/news/117/ARTICLE/1600/2007-04-23.html

 

Zimbabwe is now 27 years old and yet the context and content of President Mugabe's independence message suggests otherwise.

Mutumwa Mawere

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A person who attended the independence celebration in 1980 will no doubt be entitled to ask who has been in charge for the last twenty seven years in Zimbabwe if imperialism and puppetry remain the most important variables explaining the country's economic and political circumstances. 

Many twenty seven year old are naturally expected to take responsibility for their actions or inaction but imperialism and colonialism continue to be used as currency by those who see political power as an end that justifies any means.  

As we continue to interrogate the meaning of independence for Zimbabweans, it is important to appreciate the similarities, if any, between the political philosophies of Ian Smith and Robert Mugabe.  

I have chosen these individuals not only because of their dominant influence on Zimbabwe's politics over the last 60 years but because their philosophies on politics and economics have enriched or undermined our understanding of the meaning of independence and what to expect from it. 

IAN SMITH

In human history, the earliest surviving example of UDI is Scotland' Declaration of Independence of Arbroath.  In Africa, Ian Smith also made history as a leader of a small minority settler community to declare unilaterally independence for Rhodesia. 

Ian Smith was born on 8^th April 1919 and his father was a Scottish butcher who arrived in Rhodesia in 1898 where he became a cattle rancher.  

He was the Premier of the Southern Rhodesia from 13 April 1964 to 11 November 1965.  During this period, he was a democrat under the colonial construction of governance and only showed his true colours as an autocrat on 11 November when he and his group manufactured a mechanism of perpetuating their regime through non-democratic means under the guise of fighting against communism and anarchy.

Ian Smith became the Prime Minister of Rhodesia from 11 November 1965 to 1 June 1979 when Rhodesia was ruled by a small minority.  Needless to say that Rhodesia failed to gain international recognition and sanctions were applied.  

Ian Smith's party like ZANU-PF won all the general elections until the end of white minority rule.  After fourteen years, Ian Smith succumbed to international pressure, liberation war, and economic sanctions by negotiating an internal settlement which resulted in Bishop Muzorewa's UANC being given a role in government and which also resulted in Bishop Muzorewa becoming the first black Prime Minister of the country.  

Majority rule was achieved in 1980 after the Lancaster House Agreement and the election of Robert Mugabe as Prime Minister of Zimbabwe.  Ian Smith remained a member of the Zimbabwe Parliament until 1987. 

The political system of Rhodesia made its whites one of the wealthiest communities in the world and blacks were systematically alienated from wealth.  A race-based capitalist system characterised colonial and Rhodesia Front rule.  Whites dominated the economy of the country notwithstanding their numbers and used this domination to their own advantage. 

Although accounting for less than 5% of the total population, 50% of the land was reserved for white ownership (through the Land Apportionment Act) and most senior positions were reserved for whites.  

A modern and efficient public sector was created to serve principally the interests of the minority in as much as the public services were targeted at meeting the needs of this population.  

Education was provided along racially segregated lines and as much as eleven times more was spent per head on white pupils than was spent on blacks.  Ian Smith, therefore, was a leader of a group that saw its mission as maintaining and defending the injustice and inequity.

Ian Smith became active in politics in 1948 when he was elected to the Legislative Assembly as a liberal for Selukwe district.  Like Mugabe, he was initially a reluctant politician.  In 1953, he joined the Federal Party set up by Prime Minister Godfrey Huggins and in the federal general election; he was elected as a member of the federal legislature.  

From 1958, Smith served as Chief Whip for the party in the Federal Assembly.  In 1962, he resigned from the party and formed the Rhodesia Reform Party and after a few months, this was merged with the Dominion Party to form the Rhodesia Front.  

Smith was elected to Parliament as RF in 1962 and formed a government with a slim majority.  He was appointed Minister of the Treasury under Prime Minister Field.  Field's failure to secure independence from Britain when the federation was dissolved led to Smith deposing him as a leader.

Smith was opposed to majority rule and is on record stating that there would be no plans to bring Rhodesia under black majority rule in his lifetime or his children's.   

The rest is history and in 1980 UDI ended and elections were held under international supervision.  Smith initially demanded that the election be declared null void because of alleged intimidation of voters and candidates during the election campaign. 

ROBERT MUGABE and IAN SMITH

Robert Mugabe was born on 21 February 1924.  Mugabe's personal and professional history is well known to many but what is significant is that there is a similarity in Ian Smith's journey to power and how he subsequently monopolised the political space to the exclusion of the majority.  ZANU-PF is structured as a patriotic front in as much as the Rhodesia Front was formed as a patriotic front.  

Mugabe started as a Prime Minister accountable to parliament and in 1987; he became an Executive President accountable to no one.  History of Rhodesia will confirm that Ian Smith was accountable to no one.

The residential address of sovereignty in Rhodesia was Ian Smith and in Zimbabwe there is no doubt that Mugabe is the address.  The use of state of emergency powers under Ian Smith is no different from Mugabe's regime.  

Any critique of Ian Smith was easily labelled as a subversive and terrorist and the consequences were as predictable as they have been in Zimbabwe since 1980.  The RF was an exclusive party that was immune from sanctions while the majority of the population was condemned to poverty or exile. 

Zimbabwe at 27 finds itself isolated from the international community in as much as Ian Smith's Rhodesia was isolated.  The response to Ian Smith's tyranny was the liberation struggle and the response to ZANU-PF has largely been confused resistance.  

The injury caused by Ian Smith may not be any different from the injury of the last twenty seven years and yet the response has not been equal to the task.

The Rhodesian economy was framed as a race-based capitalist system under which blacks could not participate in the mainstream at all.  The struggle for independence had an ideological angle to it. 

It is not surprising that Mugabe has positioned himself as a champion of the causes of the poor notwithstanding the damage that the policies of his government have caused on the poor.  Zimbabwe has travelled at great speed towards poverty during the last few years.  Ian Smith did deliver to his minority constituency and Mugabe has failed to deliver to his constituency.  

Smith was not removed by his cronies rather it was pressure from outside.  Smith's reign did not generate any factions within the RF in as much as the ZANU-PF factions are illusory.  

Some have expected change from ZANU-PF and many names have been mentioned as successors.  Smith did not generate any successor and many with ambition understood the consequences in as much as Mugabe has invested in intimidating any would be successor into looking elsewhere.

Smith was the undisputed leader of the white settlers and most of them still remain grateful to him for delivery.  

However, Mugabe's comrades remain confused about the meaning of independence and I am sure that in the wildest dreams they never thought that Zimbabwe will be in the state that it finds itself in at 27.  

The RF used UDI to assume absolute control of the country in as much as ZANU-PF used the unity accord in 1987 to position Mugabe as an undisputed heavy weight political champion.  Like Smith, Mugabe is a democrat who just has made it a habit to win all elections. 

It has been said that the worst thing you do to a President is to tell him what he wants to hear.  Over the last twenty seven years, many so-called politicians in ZANU-PF have perfected the skill of telling Mugabe what he wants to hear. 

I am not sure whether after 27 years, ironically the same time Mandela spent in prison, and Mugabe even knows the reality of the Zimbabwean condition.  Like Smith who said not in a thousand years, Mugabe may never know what next year may bring. 

What is clear is that no change can be expected from ZANU-PF as long as Mugabe is the leader in as much as no change was expected from the RF.  Smith is still alive and to my recollection, he had no white credible successor.

If the country is looking for a successor in ZANU-PF then the waiting period is long.  If the potential successors of Mugabe in ZANU-PF are also guilty of telling him what he wants to hear how can the country expect change from such actors?  ZANU-PF is as united as the RF was under Smith.

Mugabe believes that he is a victim of the machinations of imperialist forces.  If Mugabe believes this to be true then one can safely assume that even his successors and fellow African heads of states believe the same to be true.  

No one has come up with a convincing and compelling case to convince ZANU-PF as a party that it has been duped or misled by Mugabe.  

It falls to reason that if there is silence in ZANU-PF about the cause of the Zimbabwean crisis, then it would be foolhardy to expect miracles from a club of blind people.  

The RF positioned itself as a party of the privileged minority.  By all accounts, the party did meet its mandate to the extent that even after twenty seven years, Mugabe is still confused about the true extend of the economic hegemony of a dwindling population. 

If one were to use a scorecard to measure the effectiveness of Mugabe and Smith to their respective constituencies, I have no doubt that Smith will come out the winner.  The real question is aside from the blame game, what has Mugabe done for his constituency. 

It would be naïve and wrong to argue that independence did not yield any benefits.  Yes, Zimbabweans can take pride in the fact that education was one of the fruits of independence. 

Zimbabwe has produced a proud and confident nation and yet has not been able to define the quality of leadership to take it to the next level.  Mugabe was a successor to Smith and in as much as they may not have liked each other history is fair and will accurately record that Ian Smith did pass on the baton.  When time was up, Smith took the right choice and protected his gang at Lancaster and today they remain freer than the people they subjugated. 

ZANU-PF has already taken the position that the successor to Mugabe will not be someone outside the party.  If Smith had taken the same attitude that his successor had to be someone he approved, I am not sure that Mugabe would be in power.  

Smith knew in 1979 that hard decisions had to be made and national interest was paramount.  While many may disagree with Smith, history will judge him as a person who responded to the writing on the wall to allow even those he despised to assume the highest office in the land.  

We have heard President Mugabe reduce himself to a level that is unbecoming of a father of the nation.  Surely, it is wrong to call any opponent a stooge, puppet, surrogate etc as if it is wrong for Zimbabweans to invest in regime change particularly when the President has generated a culture where his trusted colleagues tell him what he wants to hear. 

Can you imagine the kind of conversations that take place between the President and his cabinet and between him and his trusted Governor of the Reserve Bank?  I have no doubt that President Mugabe's world view and perspectives on the causes of the Zimbabwean crisis are informed by the gossip and manufactured reality that is injected into him on a daily basis by his real enemies.  

For anyone who tells you what you want to hear is no less guilty than anyone who wishes you the worst in life. 

Next year's elections mark a watershed for Zimbabwe.  Since 2000, Zimbabwe has been frozen in a state of never ending uncertainty and the real objective of the constitutional debate has unfortunately never been exposed. 

From Mugabe's perspective, the real agenda behind the constitutional debate is regime change and the target is him.  Surely, it would be unreasonable to expect Mugabe to embrace such a construction in as much as the opposition will accept to be removed by non-constitutional methods when they assume power. 

Zimbabweans have less than 11 months to construct a compelling case to transform Mugabe into an Ian Smith who can participate in the demise of his own political front to give birth to a new Zimbabwean reality.  

The position of the international community and Zimbabweans who are voting daily with their feet is clear that as long as Mugabe continues to be in power, legitimacy is an issue. 

ZANU-PF's position is that the world will have to accept that legitimacy starts from Zimbabweans and to date they have demonstrated in three elections since the formation of the MDC that they have confidence in the great leader.  Who then has legitimacy to decide who should lead Zimbabweans is a question that should be addressed with the urgency it deserves. 

ZANU-PF's election manifesto for 2008 is already evident.  With Blair on his way out and Bush distracted by domestic and foreign challenges, Mugabe and ZANU-PF maintain that they have been vindicated and a biblical sense the departure of Blair was ordained by GOD. 

In fact, the prevailing logic is that Zimbabwe has been failed by Blair/Bush and not that the policies of the government have contributed in a significant manner to the current quagmire.

Mutumwa Mawere is a Zimbabwean born South African businessman. Mutumwa can be contacted on mmawere@myafrispace.com

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39 Comments | Add Your Comment | Forums

The following comments are owned by whomever posted them. ZimDaily is not responsible for what they say. Please keep your comments short and to the point. Obscene, tribalistic, racist, vulgar comments will be deleted. Simple HTML is allowed for basic text editing.

SO WHAT!!

Thank you Mr Mawere for a good comparison, well informed. But HOW DOES THAT HELP US we who you left behind to suffer in Zimbabwe while you and others eat, drink and live sofly elsewhere in the world. Why can't we have the whole lot of you come back to vote? Zanu PF wins elections not because of rigging but because 90% of MDC or opposition votes are outside the country. Some of you even encourage people here to vote Zanu PF so that you may continue getting asylum permits out theer and sending them Pounds US$ and rands. Please stop talking from outside get aboard and ride with us. We are fed up of all your talks and comments that dont bring us bread and fuel. COME HOME AND VOTE and stop lying that you are being killed in Zimbabwe. How is Tsvangirai still alive? You guys live to fight another day COME BACK HOME.

Posted By Mzimbabwe , Bulawayo Zimbabwe : Apr 23 2007 10:01 AM

MDC WILL NEVER WIN

MDCwill never win elections in zim bcoz 90% of its support base is abroad and 90% of those in zim boycott elections and just say nonsense in streets and in the press.We zanu pf cadres we are criticised day and nite but we vote.VOTE SEKURU BOB 2008.

Posted By CDE , HRE : Apr 23 2007 10:56 AM

Sense

Mzimbabwe u r so right. Mr Mawere i think ur usefulness will be felt if u address these issues from home. No use making those succulent observations from under cover. the reason Zanu Pf is still in power is coz people scattered instead of uniting to pressurise President Mugabe's government. We are still fighting the good fight but we dont appreciate hypocricy and the opportunism i can see emerging from the diaspora as soon as we succeed.

Posted By StormTrooper , Harare, Zimbabwe : Apr 23 2007 11:02 AM

SMITH IS A DOG

I am appalled at mutumwa's comparison between mugabe and smith. The two can not be compared at all. Smith was a racist PIG who could and can never allow his children to look at you as a human being simply becoz you are black. As a result, the chimoio and nyadzonya massacres that he ordered are things that he is very proud of. Yet he should show total remorse and hand himself over to the HAGUE, to be tried and hanged. He is the devil himself and represented the interests of the swines that took away all our wealth and dignity that can never be replaced

Posted By mukai , harare, zimbabwe : Apr 23 2007 11:17 AM

CDE

CDE, you are very right.makapenga. vote kulez 08.

Posted By BOB 2008 , kumusha : Apr 23 2007 11:23 AM

People in Zimbabwe

Some of you look at the people in diaspora as not contributing to the politics in Zimbabwe. This is not true. Freedom for Zimbabwe is not likely to come from voting at the moment. We all voted for MDC in 2000 yet we still lost due to rigging. Our problem is a tyrannt/dictator who is taking our country as his personal property and he wont let go. Whats needed first is transparency and good governance from the tyrannt regime before any elections can become legitimate. We can all come and vote, but to no avail. Appreciate the fact that without aid from diaspora, many families in Zimbabwe would have perished by now.

Posted By Mbuya Rennie , Bristol, UK : Apr 23 2007 11:27 AM

mutumwa is a crook

Mutumwa is a crook. I used to hate Bob so much until I realised that I was under the influence of crooks. These crooks like mutumwa continue to demonise bob in the media but "forget" to tell of how they manipulated the tax-payers monies, while in zanu pf to acquire virtually all they had. Yes it was eventually taken away and mutumwa should not use other people to fight his lost cause. ZANU PF GAVE AND ZANU PF TOOK AWAY. BIG DEAL

Posted By stop crooking , byo zim : Apr 23 2007 11:35 AM

Calling a spade a hoe

I totally disagree with the construction that "opposition to Smith was more organised and that to Mugabe is confused." For all his sins, Ian Smith was a prgmatic leader who knew that you really didnt gain anything by bashing defenceless opposition leaders. Ian Smith's jails where the most comfortable relaxing places for the nationalist politicians. These guys had unlimited access to foreign media whilst in these jails and most were even furthering their education whilst in these "colleges", Robert Mugabe getting string of degrees, Edgar Tekere achitonyora ma Cambridge A-level exams etc. Did anyone check the status of Learnmore Jongwe in his final days at Chikurubi, or those of Roy Benet when he was there, or does anyone know what is happening to the Glenview MP in remand prison? Robert Mugabe has gone way beyond where even Smith could dare tread, he has perfected the art of brutality and repression to levels seen in Adolf Hitler's Germany and Idi Amin's Uganda. As history shows in such cases, internal opposition is most certainly powerless and it is the duty of the international community to land a helping hand. Unfortunately the suffering Zimbabweans havent got much to offer the International community as incentives for their belated intervention and thus we are on our own against the most repressive regime on the planet. Confused, no sir I dont think we are that at all, we are just pragmatic to reason in realising that our lives are really not worth anything to anyone, posterity will judge us for other things but corwadice will not be one of them, Africa is replete with examples of fatal bravery which always leads to genocide (somalia, rwanda, liberia, sudan etc.) If anything, Posterity will recognize Zimbabweans for keeping their cool in the face of brutal taunting, calling that confusion or corwadice is a cheap shot from those safely hidden in safe havens.

Posted By Voice of reason , Zimbabwe : Apr 23 2007 11:41 AM

MUGABE IS A HERO

Mugabe is a hero and I thank him for staying in power till I woke up (because I joined politics as an MDC cadre).I appreciate that any man, including bob, is not perfect. But bob's imperfections are over exaggerated. The man was part and parcel of those that fought to liberate Zim from the racist white regime. He lost his son during the long time he was detained at HWAHWA prison. The west is not sincere in trying to help Zim. Where were they 12 years ago when APARTHEID was killing and abusing masses in SA. It is only because the business interests of their kith and kin are threatened now and they seam to worry about us the masses. Bob is sincere in his wish to ultimately ensure all in zim belongs to us in zim. Rambai makashinga sekuru bob. BUSH na BLAIR are being voted out soon.

Posted By Rambai Makashinga , Zim : Apr 23 2007 11:46 AM

no title

man i have been following yo comments. some have sense but this one doesnt help us then what? Last time u said Mugabe want someone who is home grown. And yu said yu met someone who wanted to be President of Zim. And yu said Tsvangirai has failed. But who of all Zimbos has guts as those of Morgan? Yuo yourself ran away from Bob. Morgan deserves to be president. The talk of Bob nd Smith doesnt help us.

Posted By Gonzo , Akl, New Zealand : Apr 23 2007 11:48 AM

M Mawere

Spot on.

Posted By Kevin Mazadza , London UK : Apr 23 2007 11:56 AM

Smith Vs Matibili

No need to compare the two. One is history, the other is DEATH. No fit comparison here. Lets start talking of the future. Our next president will leave office after a maximum of 2 terms, that will be a law and it will have to be followed.

Posted By MDC Ndizvo , UK : Apr 23 2007 12:01 PM

Mugabe Imbwa

All Zanu- PF Zealots and Matibili bootlickers to hell with you. Zimdaily ne Opposition Ndizvo!!!!!!!

Posted By Mbuya Rennie , Bristol, UK : Apr 23 2007 12:04 PM

Diaspora is the support for Zim

If there was no forex there would be no black market and source of forex for Zim. And there would have been war now. Coz pple will have been suffering more sharing the little has now.

Posted By Gonzo , Akl, New Zealand : Apr 23 2007 12:14 PM

Who is Mugabe???

After reading this article, I have noticed an uncanny resemblance of this mugabe guy to our own Matibili!!! Who is this Mugabe guys and whatever happened to him, I am sure we could also apply those things to our very own Matibili, anetsa mubhurandaya uyu.

Posted By Tafataona Mahoso , MIC : Apr 23 2007 12:27 PM

Dispora or not

Whether yu r in Zim or not all are important guys. Some r fighting the war at home whilst some r sending money for Zim's survival. How do yu feel if Zim is war ravished. Bob is a psyco so leave him He can not run away from Death. At least now we konw how to deal with Presidents. No to too much power.

Posted By Gonzo , Akl, New Zealand : Apr 23 2007 12:36 PM

what smith says about himself

Posted By , : Apr 23 2007 12:38 PM

WAY FOWARD

Assasinating Mugabe is the only way out,lets talk about how it can be done if we really love Zim

Posted By African Warrior , gaborone : Apr 23 2007 12:43 PM

No to assasnation

A leader is given by God even David refused to kill Saul.Musanyengerwe do the wise thing "VOTE KULE BOB" 2008 ELECTIONS.

Posted By CDE , HRE : Apr 23 2007 02:18 PM

mugage na smith vese inyoka

the two you are talking about are similar boyz dzangu, inyoka .chiripo ndechekuti mugabe ngape nyika ku vanhu.vese vanouraya nekuponda, look at nyadzonia,chimoio, compare to gukurahundi,kuponda vatungamiri vane threat kwamugabe like Tongogara nana Tsvangison vaaida kuuraya ava. ZVICHAPERA CHETE

Posted By Pro MDC , ZVIMBA : Apr 23 2007 02:36 PM

PERFECT COMPARISON

More relatives of mine were killed and tortured by Mugabe's Gukurahundi than Ian Smith's soldiers. Food for Thought. Mawere got the comparison right, Mugabe and smith are two sides of the same coin.

Posted By Nja Yo Thuvi , Cape Town, South Africa : Apr 23 2007 03:28 PM

Mugabe and Smith-interesting!

Yes indeed a good ccomparison. Smith is indicated too to have killed 12 000 Zims during the war of liberation. Now Mugabe killed 30 000 Ndebeles during Gukurawundi in Mat and the Midlands. Both are an interesting pair who have created a history with far reaching consequences for this rather now poor country. "Many more will have to suffer, Many more will have to die, I dont tell no lie, Dont ask me why!"(Bob Marley and the Wailers).

Posted By Silibaziso Siziba , Victoria Falls Zimbabwe : Apr 23 2007 03:45 PM

Mbuya Rennie

It has not been placed any better than Mzimbabwe has. You people in the diaspora (what ever it means) are letting us down here. I was born and bred in Binga we never ever voted Zanu and can't afford to send our kids to Uk dont tell us you are saving our lives here be careful how you talk and tell your brothers in UMP to stop voting ZANU. Our hearts bleed when you talk such shit.

Posted By Another Zim , Binga Zimbabwe : Apr 23 2007 03:46 PM

Mutumwa Mutumwi

Iwe mwana mudiki wakanga waiwanepi mari yekutenga Shabani yose.Maiba mese you are soo corrupt.Comparizon yako hazvibatsire.Wakatiza uri mbwende.Usatsvaka dzvene.Watumwa nani nhai Mutumwa Mawere.Dzoka kumusha uzovhota

Posted By Gudorakakwiramawerekwasviba , Masvingo Zim : Apr 23 2007 03:49 PM

IAN MUGABE

COMPARING IAN SMITH TO MUGABE'S DESPOTIC RULE IS NOT ONLY THE HEIGHT OF POLITICAL NAIVETY,BUT IS ALSO DAMN RIGHT STUPIDITY AT ITS MAXIMUM.SMITH MADE SURE HIS AFRICANS HAD FOOD TO EAT.TRANSPORT WAS AFFORDABLE.EVERYONE COULD AFFORD KULODGER.SHONAS DIDNOT WANT TO OWN HOUSES AND LIVE IN URBAN AREAS BUT WERE ALLOWED TO BUILD THEIR VILLAGES IN THE RESERVES.PEOPLE COULD AFFORD KUNDONWIRA KWAMUTANGA,KWABORA KUNDOONA MAGREEN ARROWS.VANA WEBSTER SHAMU COULD AFFORD TO HOLD ALL NIGHT WEEKEND SHOWS KUBAISELY BRIDGE KWAMUTARE.VANA MANU KAMBANI NEDOCTOR FOOTSWITCH DAZZLED US WITH THEIR FANCY GUITAR ACROBATICS.VANA GEORGE SHAYA NANA DHIDHI MADE OUR SUNDAYS A JOY.VANA GODFREY CHIDYAUSIKU WERE MPS IN SMITH'S TIME SO WAS ERNEST BULLE AND MANY MORE.KU FED NEKUQUEENS WERE THE IN PLACES.MASHABEEN ANGA ARI HOBO KUDAI.SMITH MADE ONE MISTAKE,HE FORGOT TO KILL MATIBILI!

Posted By MUVHETI , STOKE ON TRENT UK : Apr 23 2007 06:25 PM

no title

Theire are people who never learn, thinking a shithouse(Zimbabwe) is a paradiese. And a paradiese(rodesia) is a shithole. Smith did my be not everthing right. But up to now, Matebili is living from Smiths work. Only every baskets get sometimes emty, without work it won't fill up. Theats the difference between Mugabe and smith. One a worker and one a looter. One who believed in his country, and one who loted his country, and believes in chinese and western banks.

Posted By Lolupa , zim,hre : Apr 23 2007 06:59 PM

Muvheti

I agree with you. Smith even agreed for a peaceful ceasefire when he couldnt handle the pressure but this Matibili fool wants to take our country to the grave with him. Pasi na Matibili

Posted By Mbuya Rennie , Bristol, UK : Apr 23 2007 07:08 PM

SADCC SAD COUNTRIES

SADCC HEADS OF STATE ARE BUNCH OF HYPOCRITES OF THE HIGHEST ORDER.IMAGINE,THEY SING PRAISES TO MATIBILI'S CHAOTIC LAND DEBACLE YET AT THE SAME TIME THEY ARE BUSY ABSORBING THE VERY WHITE FARMERS MATIBILI IS CHUCKING OUT.NOW ZIMBABWE IS IN THE UNENVIABLE POSITION OF HAVING TO IMPORT MAIZE FROM THE VERY FARMERS IT KICKED OUT.WHAT UTTER HYPOCRICY BY SADCC.IT MAKES ME ANGRY.

Posted By MUVHETI , Stoke On Trent UK : Apr 23 2007 07:10 PM

no title

One who is called a colloniallist, foreigner,white suprimemist build a country. One who says he owns the country through his ancesters, birthright, is a malawien, black dictator, destroyer of his own nest, his own people, his own country, what a shame the name zimbabwe is. And for the churchgoer, what do you really think, god will think of you.??

Posted By Lolupa , zim,hre : Apr 23 2007 07:13 PM

no title

I will answer you the question , what God think's of you, if you don't know. He has given Mugabe to you as a blessing, thats why your prayers don't get answered.

Posted By Lolupa , Zim,hre : Apr 23 2007 07:20 PM

GUNTRUTH

Imi makwara ari kuDiaspora unganidzai mari(USAs and pounds only please, no bearer cheque) ikoko tione kutsvaga munhu anobvisa mhondi iyi Matibili. Ini pachangu I am a former soldier and I am willing to snipe Matibili as soon as he starts campaigning seriously for 08. Makona ake ese ndinoaziva. Only the other day ndakamuona paSelous apo pamvana yake. Kasirai varume kunze kwaipa. I will provide a trust fund for the contributions and you can hire your own lawyer to manage the account before and after the job is done.

Posted By Mawere Kongonya , Chegaz, Zim : Apr 23 2007 07:29 PM

Chapomba chepfuti

Still on the wayforward(sniping the Malawian murderer), ndinoda chapomba chaicho chelong-range rifle, kwete vanaAK 47 vanobatwa nemakudo aya anochengeta mhondi yanetsa iyi. As a former soldier I am familiar with most weapons asi ndinoda isina silencer but ine telescopic binocular haircross view. If it uses a 0,75mm bullet, the better because only one will send this Matibili of yours to kingdom come. Watch this space for further details but please, I am a matyr who is at your service. All I care about is that my children have saomething to live on kana basa rapera iri.

Posted By Mawere Kongonya , Chegaz, Zim : Apr 23 2007 07:36 PM

Diaspora

According to the American Heritage Dictionary, the word diaspora comes from the Greek word, diasporā, which means dispersion, from diaspeirein, to spread about : dia-, apart; see dia- + speirein, to sow, scatter; adjective diasporic, diasporal It was initially used for Jews who were exiled to Babylon and other countries (those who are not in Palestine or Israel) since 16 B.C.

Posted By Whatgoes Around , Calgary, Canada : Apr 23 2007 07:42 PM

no title

God we want a Kingh, so you got Soul(Matabili)Your prayers answered. Only David , whith your attitude you will not get a David as a Kingh. Becouse you are not worthy

Posted By The Prophet , zim,hre : Apr 23 2007 08:15 PM

The Independent interview with Didymus Mutasa

OUR senior reporter SHAKEMAN MUGARI on Tuesday this week "door-stepped" State Security minister Didymus Mutasa at his Chaminuka Building offices to ask him about the abduction and beating up of civilians by the police and suspected intelligence operatives. This is their conversation. Mugari: Why are police beating up people? Mutasa: Police don't just beat up innocent people randomly. The people are being beaten for provoking the police. You should know that police are human beings too and they will respond accordingly. Even you will respond like that it you were provoked. Mugari: No minister, I would not be violent if provoked. I will let the law take its course. Mutasa: Ah, then we are not on the same wavelength. Mugari: But is that the way police or any law-enforcement agents are supposed to behave — responding violently to provocation? Mutasa: Yes, that is the right thing to do. If anyone provokes them they should not complain when they are beaten. Indeed, that is how we will respond to the provocation especially when we have the machinery to deal with such provocation. In Latin there is a saying which means that no one provokes me (and goes) unpunished. So if they are beaten, then so be it. Mugari: The leader of the opposition, Morgan Tsvangirai, and his party members were thoroughly beaten for trying to attend a prayer meeting under the "Save Zimbabwe Campaign". Was that an act of provocation too? Mutasa: Yes, what Zimbabwe were they trying to save? We are the ones who renamed this country Zimbabwe. We fought for (the liberation of) this country and I don't believe we need anyone to save it from anything. It has already been saved. Mugari: But minister you still have not answered my question. Is a prayer meeting an act of provocation? Mutasa: Young man, it is all to do with the agenda. As long as it is a regime change agenda we will deal with it, especially when we have the machinery. Mugari: By machinery you mean the police, the army and CIO? Mutasa: Yes, I mean everything that can be used to deal with this regime-change agenda which they are planning. All those people that you mention (CIO, police and army) are part of the security personnel that we have. They are there to preserve law and order. Mugari: Does preserving order also include beating up innocent commuters at bus termini like the police did a week ago at Fourth Street? Mutasa: I don't know that people were beaten at Fourth Street. But if they were indeed beaten then I would assume that the police were responding to provocation. I think it was a genuine response to a genuine threat to public security. I am happy with the work they did. Mugari: Minister, you were not there when it happened. I was there and I can tell you that there was no provocation. People were waiting for transport to go home after work when the police pounced. Mutasa: If you were there, were you beaten, do you have any scars? Mugari: No, minister, the fact that I was not beaten does not mean that people were not beaten. I am merely saying I witnessed it happen. Mutasa: So you see, police don't just beat up people. You were not beaten because you did not provoke them and you were not loitering aimlessly. Those who were beaten had obviously provoked the police. Police are not mad. I believe they are doing a very good job in that regard. It is you journalists from the independent media who are trying to damage the reputation of this country. Every week your paper demonises the government giving a negative impression about this country. Mugari: So you mean the correct picture is the one portrayed in the state media which everyday says everything is fine when the country is burning? Mutasa: I mean everyone who is a journalist. I am saying all journalists must be truthful and patriotic. Mugari: Minister, who is really beating up people in this country? For example the government is denying that it had a hand in the beating up of MDC MP Nelson Chamisa at the airport recently. What do your investigations show? Mutasa: You should be asking Chamisa because he is the one who was beaten. I wasn't there when he was beaten, so only him can pinpoint the culprits. Mugari: I am asking you as the Minister of State Security. Obviously one of your roles is to ensure that the country's airports are safe not only for the visitors coming in but also for the citizens leaving the country? Mutasa: I am telling you that I don't know who beat up Chamisa. If Chamisa himself cannot tell who beat him up, how am I supposed to know? All I know is that police are still investigating the issue. Now, if you could finish. I was on my way to my other office. Mugari: The opposition is demanding that the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act (Aippa) and the Public Order and Security Act (Posa) be struck off. They also want a new constitution. Will the government start working towards that before the elections? Mutasa: No, we are not working on that. We don't need a new constitution or any amendment of both Aippa and Posa. Mugari: So you are saying the laws will remain intact despite pressure from the opposition, civic organisations and the region? Mutasa: We (government) don't see any reason why we should do that. I for one love those laws and don't see any reason why they should be removed. In fact I wish they would remain there forever. Mugari: Just one more thing before you go sir. Why are you allowing people to continue invading farms? Mutasa: Isn't that part of your imagination? Which farms are still being invaded? Mugari: Some people have moved on to Watermount (a peri-urban farm outside Harare) saying they had an offer letter from your office. Mutasa: The Watermount case is different. I have told them that they have to give me enough proof the farm belongs to them. I want evidence in the form of title deeds. As long as they don't show me their title deeds the farm remains state land and shall be allocated to any deserving person. Mugari: But there is a court order and title deeds which have been given to you. Mutasa: Where are the title deeds? I have not seen them. And that court order which they mention was given in 2005. Why wasn't it effected since then? You should remember that anyone can write these documents. I have dealt with crooks for so many years to be fooled by such petty tricks. Mugari: Even then minister, these are actions coming four years after President Robert Mugabe declared in 2003 that the land reform is over. Mutasa: Yes, but that does not stop deserving people from getting land. It's a process that will continue for as long as there are people we feel genuinely require land.

Posted By CM , UK : Apr 23 2007 08:25 PM

Mawere Imbwa

Washaya Mutumwa mawere. Uri imbwa

Posted By shumba Nyamuziwa , Harare Zimbabwe : Apr 23 2007 11:06 PM

new discovery in zim( oil

Diesel-Like Liquid Oozes From Rock Near Chinhoyi Caves April 23, 2007 Posted to the web April 23, 2007 Fidelis Munyoro And Tawanda Kanhema Harare A LIQUID that resembles diesel has been oozing out of a rock at the summit of a hill near Chinhoyi Caves. The "diesel", which is suspected to be a result of petroleum sipping through the dolomite and lime caves of the mountainous region, was discovered some time last year by local people. CMED (Private) Limited has sunk a pipe into an opening at the site and erected a tank to collect the liquid. CMED managing director Mr Davison Mhaka yesterday confirmed that samples of the "diesel" had been tested and found to be purer than the diesel currently being used in motor vehicles. "We suspect that it is coming from the dolomite and lime caves underneath the hill. Petroleum could have sipped into these caves and right now it is overflowing in Makuti," he said. Mr Mhaka said the "diesel" at the site has an apple juice colour while the standard diesel is green in colour. He added there was need for further explorations to verify the source and quantity of the precious liquid, which is currently in short supply in Zimbabwe. Mashonaland West Governor Cde Nelson Samkange and officials from the CMED and other Government departments are reported to have visited the site. Samples are understood to have been tested at Chinhoyi University of Technology where the liquid was used to run a diesel engine. However, when The Herald crew arrived at the farm yesterday, the site was sealed off by a group of people led by a spirit medium who claimed to be the custodian of the place. Two flags have been hoisted on wooden masts at the entrance to the farm where club-wielding men who claim to have been instructed to protect the site by the spirit medium have set up camp. A man who identified himself as Svinurai Jenami, one of the more than 20 people camped at the foot of the hill, said no one would be allowed access to the site until an official announcement from the Government. "When the time comes for you to publicise this matter we shall notify you. At the moment, there are a few things that need to be cleared before we allow people to visit the site." According to geologists, the mountain range sits on what is known as the Lomagundi Dolomite Aquifer. If it is proved to be diesel, then the discovery will come barely a year after diamonds and emeralds sparked a flurry of mining activity in parts of Manicaland. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted By , : Apr 23 2007 11:26 PM

new discovery in zim( oil

What's your source?

Posted By Whatgoes Around , Calgary, Canada : Apr 24 2007 02:08 AM

Down with Mutukwa

Good morning.Down with Mutukwa Mawara.Another disgrace anongo wawata iye akatiza mu Zimbo.Ndivo vaya vandaitaura kuti vanongowawata asi hava vhoti they don`t change anything to zim situation.rubbish mutukwa.Vote Kule BOB 2008 Elections.

Posted By CDE , HRE : Apr 24 2007 08:32 AM

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