Obama’s Inaugural Address: reading Zimbabwe between the lines

President Obama, Inaugural Address: January 20th 2009

Robert Mugabe

“To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history, but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist . . .

“To the people of poor nations, we pledge to work alongside you to make your farms flourish and let clean waters flow; to nourish starved bodies and feed hungry minds.”

Full text of Pres. Obama’s Address here.

Afro-pessimism: Robert Mugabe

By David Mpanga

“I will never, never, never, never surrender. Zimbabwe is mine, I am a Zimbabwean. Zimbabwe for Zimbabweans.”  Robert Mugabe, December 2008.

If a white fiction writer had dreamt up the Zimbabwe-under-Mugabe plot, he would have been roundly condemned as an Afro-pessimist and a racist. But we have all seen that after ruining the Zimbabwean economy with misplaced policies, purportedly intended to emancipate the downtrodden black man, Mugabe “secured” an 85.51% “landslide victory” by beating his opponents into submission.

Having failed to declare official results for over a month when it looked like the great hero of the revolution was losing, the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission reclaimed its reputation for efficiency by counting all of the ballots and verifying the results of the presidential run-off election in one day. So it is back to business-as-usual in Zimbabwe.

Police storm Anglican parish in Zimbabwe

The parishioners were lined up for Holy Communion on Sunday when the riot police stormed the stately St. Francis Anglican Church in Harare, Zimbabwe’s capital, reports the New York Times. Helmeted, black-booted officers banged on the pews with their batons as terrified members of the congregation stampeded for the doors, witnesses said.A policeman swung his stick in vicious arcs, striking matrons, a girl and a grandmother who had bent over to pick up a Bible dropped in the melee. A lone housewife began singing from a hymn in Shona, “We will keep worshiping no matter the trials!” Hundreds of women, many dressed in the Anglican Mothers’ Union uniform of black skirt, white shirt and blue headdress, lifted their voices to join hers.

Bishop Jefferts Schori on Zimbabwe

The Most Rev. Katharine Jefferts Schori, Presiding Bishop and Primate of The Episcopal Church, issued a statement May 6 on the political and humanitarian crisis in Zimbabwe. The full text of the Presiding Bishop’s original statement follows:

Together with millions of people around the world, my heart has been drawn in recent months to the political and humanitarian crisis unfolding in Zimbabwe. The tragedy of that nation’s descent into internal chaos is magnified by the high sense of purpose and prosperity that a newly independent Zimbabwe brought to Africa and the world nearly three decades ago. Sadly, Robert Mugabe’s government has undermined that promise beyond recognition with its systematic repression of human rights, democracy, and economic opportunity for the people of Zimbabwe. The turmoil in the wake of Zimbabwe’s recent elections signals an urgent need for governments and other leaders in the international community to stand in solidarity with the people of Zimbabwe, and call for an end to this long hour of human suffering and the beginning of a new era of promise and opportunity.

Simudzai Mureza WeZimbabwe

 

Phakamisan iflegi yethu yeZimbabwe
Eyazalwa yimpi yenkululeko;
Legaz’ elinengi lamaqhawe ethu
Silivikele ezithan izonke;
Kalibusisiwe ilizwe leZimbabwe.

Khangelan’ iZimbabwe yon’ ihlotshiwe
Ngezintaba lang’ miful’ ebukekayo,
Izulu kaline, izilimo zande;
Iz’ sebenzi zenam’, abantu basuthe;
Kalibusisiwe ilizwe leZimbabwe.

Nkosi busis’ ilizwe lethu leZimbabwe
Ilizwe labokhokho bethu thina sonke;
Kusuk’ eZambezi kusiy’ eLimpopo
Abakhokheli babe lobuqotho;
Kalibusisiwe ilizwe leZimbabwe.

Simudzai mureza wedu weZimbabwe
Yakazvarwa nomoto wechimurenga;
Neropa zhinji ramagamba
Tiidzivirire kumhandu dzose;
Ngaikomborerwe nyika yeZimbabwe.

Tarisai Zimbabwe nyika yakashongedzwa
Namakomo, nehova, zvinoyevedza
Mvura ngainaye, minda ipe mbesa
Vashandi vatuswe, ruzhinji rugutswe;
Ngaikomborerwe nyika yeZimbabwe.

Mwari ropafadzai nyika yeZimbabwe
Nyika yamadzitateguru edu tose;
Kubva Zambezi kusvika Limpopo,
Navatungamiri vave nenduramo;
Ngaikomborerwe nyika yeZimbabwe.

Lift high the banner, the flag of Zimbabwe
The symbol of freedom proclaiming victory;
We praise our heroes’ sacrifice,
And vow to keep our land from foes;
And may the Almighty protect and bless our land.

Oh lovely Zimbabwe, so wondrously adorned
With mountains, and rivers cascading, flowing free;
May rain abound, and fertile fields;
May we be fed, our labour blessed;
And may the Almighty protect and bless our land.

Oh God, we beseech Thee to bless our native land;
The land of our fathers bestowed upon us all;
From Zambezi to Limpopo
May leaders be exemplary;
And may the Almighty protect and bless our land.

Pre-election voices from Zimbabwe

“I am giving you an order to vote for President Mugabe; I will only support the leadership of President Mugabe, I will not salute Makoni or Tsvangirai. We still remember the blood and the graves of our gallant sons and daughters who died for this country, and we shall not sell them out.” General Constantine Chiwenga, Commander of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces.

Simba Makoni talks with Redi Direko

Last Monday Simba Makoni, Zimbabwean presidential candidate, interviewed with Redi Direko on South Africa’s talk radio 702 via telephone. The tension-filled interview gets off to a rough start which, unfortunately, sets the tone for the remainder of the program. It’s a pity that Ms. Direko adopts and maintains a confrontational interview style, and a greater pity that Dr. Makoni appears reactionary throughout. Personality dynamics aside, it’s worth listening to, though, as Dr. Makoni explains why he is not “standing against Mugabe, but standing for the people of Zimbabwe.” Listen to the entire broadcast here to form your own opinons about Dr. Makoni’s ideas on, among other things, national healing and reconciliation.

Simba Makoni’s Election Manifesto

Independent Zimbabwean presidential candidate Simba Makoni says he wants the 29 March 2008 polls to be a “contest of ideas” that will pull Zimbabwe out of the current economic and political quagmire. If elected president, Makoni says he will launch a National Authority, a body that would be charged with putting the country back on the path of economic recovery. His “manifesto” speaks to Zimbabwe’s current state and proposes a new constitution that, among other things, promotes “National healing and reconciliation.” Full text follows:

Simba Makoni takes on Robert Mugabe

He’s been branded an “opportunist” by some, and a “saviour” by others. A few suspect him of being in collusion with Mugabe to water down the potency of the MDC; others see Makoni’s move to fracture Zanu-PF. Zimbabwe’s state-controlled media dismisses his ambition as nothing more than “a loud fart” casting the former finance minister and businessman as having being planted in the election by Western governments to overthrow President Robert Mugabe and install a regime of “Western puppets”. Mahon’a-hon’a indeed. kuState House kure.

Simba Makoni, who is looking to topple President Robert Mugabe next month, has never been afraid to speak out against Zimbabwe’s long-term leader despite once serving as one of his chief lieutenants.

Kunonga Barricades Cathedral

“It has really become an embarrassment to be an Anglican, coming to service with police and security details watching over you as you pray simply because someone is powerful enough to deploy these people at the expense of the ordinary person. People are losing their lives because of crime, property etc but they see it fit to deploy at different Anglican churches. I’m embarrassed.”

Harare Parishioner: Cathedral of St Mary and All Saints

Last December Kunonga announced from the pulpit he splitting from the Anglican synod, claiming that senior bishops supported homosexuality. In his announcement he echoed longstanding Mugabe quotes that gays are “worse than dogs and pigs.”