SOUTH AFRICANS CLAIM THEIR DESTINY AGAIN.

Once again the people of South Africa have reclaimed their long lost dream of democracy. There was sounds of jubilation and joy on the streets as the people learnt that the man Jacob Zuma is now the new leader of the ANC party. Zuma won by almost three quarters of votes in the recent ended party congress in Polokwane. The change of leadership is expected to benefit the ordinary black South Africans whom the arrogant Mbeki administration had long forgotten. Mr Jacob Zuma who is not a University graduate like his predecessor Mbeki speaks much of inclusion than isolation. Both critics and supporters alike admit that the party and the country needed salvation.

Millions of black people are more poor now than they were in the apartheid thanks to the Thabo Mbeki government. The man was just basking in the reigns of power without any touch with the people whom he represent. So pathetic to an extent that recently when he visited his mother in the rural areas she told him exactly that people are now destitutes under his leadership. The western styled leader who drinks whisky and smoke cigars was only institutional minded and a politically correct manager. Just before he won Zuma assured the business community that changes will happen but all the institutions will have an input. Zuma who was fired from the government in 2005 has been a veteran party member for over forty years. He was also in prison with the man Nelson Mandela. The ANC party is so divided that even tata uMadiba is concerned.

ANC PARTY AT CROSSROADS.

South Africa's President Thabo Mbeki admitted this week at the beginning of the ANC congress that the party has never been as divided in fifty years. As the country heads for election next year it is clear that most people have lost faith in Mbeki's administration. The man Thabo Mbeki who succeeded Cde Nelson Mandela has not been in touch with the average people. The moment of truth has come and the people are tired. His former Vice President Cde Jacob Zuma is no doubt the people's favorite. Zuma appeals to the majority of poor black South Africans while Mbeki is of a higher business class. Despite Tutu" s self righteous plea the people seem to have made up their minds on the next leader. The Nobel Prize winning Arch Bishop must leave it to the people to decide. If Zuma can do the job who cares about his personal mistakes. He that has no sin must cast the first stone.

Mbeki who is also a good friend of Zimbabwe's President has for a long time taken people for granted thanks to the his father's role in the liberation of the country.

ARE ZIMBABWEAN THEIR WORST ENEMIES?

Its been said that the future of Zimbabwe lies on the Zimbabweans themselves and not anybody else. For a long time we have looked north ,west ,east and south without any help.The sooner we begin engaging in discussing about national issues and stop party politics the better. The average Zimbabweans are not looking for a better party but one that will better them. To a large extent we can eliminate half of our economic problems as a nation if not more than that.We can restore faith to our public institutions. We can restore law and order. We can stop corruption and nepotism. The struggle for Zimbabwe has become a class struggle than anything else.

The rich versus the poor. Then poor are too weak to fight and the rich are using the poor against themselves. The poor are troubled from all ends. The problem now is that all these are black Zimbabweans who fought the evil of the white supremacy side by side. Recently, speaking at the ZANU PF congress Cde R.G. Mugabe admitted that the people whom the government helped empower few years back are now the people who are sabotaging the economy. This political confusion has them stinkingly rich at the expense of the masses.

The President and his lieutenants can speak about Britain all day long and that will not help the average man who has never been out of Zimbabwe or at least seen Tony Blair or Gordon and is a destitute in his own country. Ordinary Zimbabweans are now so poor that apart from affording a decent living they cannot afford a decent burial. Elections must be a means not an end and that is not the case in Zimbabwe.

We are here!

Now more than ever Zimbabwe needs the voices of the ordinary people. Forums of this and other natures must over flood the net. This is just the beginning. It said that media is the fourth government after the Legislature, and Parliament and the Executive. Our Parliament needs to be accountable and so does our Local government etc. We must put pressure on these and other institutions. I am happy to say by and large that the beginning was small as you all know and still is but the vision is bigger and broader. Maya Angelou the great African American poet once said, "I know why the caged birds sing"

Liberating our media will be the first step towards democracy. We must not do what we blame the Zimbabwe's mainstream media for doing. If you open your eyes and ears you will see pretenders online. He who pays the piper call for the tune. What amount of money will pay us for being ourselves? While we are waiting for the world to change we need to role our sleeves and start working. The people cannot be silenced otherwise we are brewing chaos.

Change is here.

As I looked at the window this morning all I saw was white. I mean it was so white that my eyes were blinded for a moment. My eight month old jovial son Themba enjoyed the moment. No one likes the outdoor life more than does this little man. Its his first snow season. It soon dawned on me that winter is here and here to stay. Everyone who lives in North America and some parts of Europe must know the hassle that goes around with adjusting for the snow season. Better for those who live in big cities where there is good public transportation like subway trains and buses. Too bad for us who live in small cities of the Midwest and do not have access to public transport. This is one of the few times when one seriously considers returning back home despite the economic decline. Can you imagine living in Alaska for six months. That is how we feel. Driving in snow is dangerous, some one's mistake can cost your life. The roads are slippery and the visibility is low.

Snow is a big thing here so much that the city council has billions of dollars set aside for dealing with it on roads and schools. Everybody will feel the high cost of staying warm. Winter exposes the poor among us. So for those in Zimbabwe and else where in Africa you have something specially that will not be taken away from you. The sun shine. Politically speaking things are slow for the much awaited Zimbabwean revolution. The prophets and politically scientist alike have predicted that something is about to change in Zimbabwe. We all been waiting for that day and hour. Hope does not kill. Goes the Ndebele saying "ithemba kalibulali". Some of us believes in time as a means of deliverance. Who knows how much more time we have to wait. It reminds of of the Israelites when they were in captivity. I believe Syria held them hostage and they could not plant or plough to feed their families. For the whole year their economy declined and hunger was looming. They cried aloud "summer is past, harvest is gone but we are not saved.

This is question I ask myself sometimes. December is congress month for ZANU PF which is the ruling party in Zimbabwe. Its where they organise and mobilise themselves. This party has organised structures and organ make no mistake. They have experts in funds raising. I wish they would put their expertise for the benefit of the economy and help alleviate poverty for the masses of Zimbabwean. 80% of Zimbabwe's population is is unemployed. The shelves do not have anything and people are dying in large numbers in hospitals. Its a crisis. On the other hand the the two MDC factions are still talking unity. There are talks behind the scenes. Mbeki is travailing for the birth of the new Zimbabwe. Mugabe has not changed only his bodyguards and cars. The factions within the ruling party are subsiding at least for now. Clearly there is not much to be excited about politically.

My own prediction is that change is coming but not as fast as we want. Vice President Mujuru and her faction which is backed by her husband the former General Solomon, who is also a business mogul is in good position. Emmerson Munangagwa is kept scratching his head waiting for an opportunity to come by his way. Despite his backing the boss for the candidature his record is not good. (Tsholotsho gang leader) Everybody is down playing their ambitions for Presidency, even Simba Makoni a respected business leader and a former Minister of Finance. The MDC factions need each other now more than ever. They are both not as popular hence the only way to reinforce themselves is by uniting.The elections are around the corner and the opposition is once again in its weakest since 2000 elections. ZANU PF has gained few seats them, even in places that were predominantly opposition. The economy is not getting any better in fact it get worse every day. We have the highest inflation in the whole world worse than the war tone areas like Du fur.

The civil organisations and trade unions are now politically affiliated or at least polarised. Not all though. Anything that the ruling party is giving us we will accept for now. My guess is that if anything happens to Bob, be it retirement or simply death itself, Mujuru will do a better job until the next general election. That is where the playing field will be plain. Free and fare elections are still a pipe dream. Zimbabwe will now be like Nigeria where there is always controversy and corruption among the Presidents.

"THE ZEAL OF ZIM HAS ME CONSUMED".

Just when you thought you have heard it all from someone who has tried to develop a cheap online media platform for interaction and debate without much success, here comes one more. I am pretty sure that I posted over a hundred articles since I started this blog site in May. There are many times when I have been frustrated by the lack of readership or interaction of friends and backing, so much that I told myself that I will cease to write. A lot of things come to my mind. Nothing is further from the truth, this is an idea whose time has come. I once heard somebody saying "We shall prevail." Perhaps we will.

Given this scenario I am not much kin to pursue a huge following. In the meantime I choose to do a small thing that will make me at peace. Quit clearly writing to me brings peace of mind, just like a boxer on training before a big bout. I shove life issues on my note book at the same time continue to face those punches that come towards my face. Part of me is a fighter. Part of me is misunderstood. I must safely say that there is a greater part of me that needs unveiled. For that reason I fight, stop, retreat, focus and punch. Sometimes I loose my composure and sometimes I wear myself out.

In all this I comfort myself to say maybe this stuff is not for this generation. It might be for their children. Each generation must confront its challenges and each generation must rise from where the previous left. Life is an adventure one should not be afraid to make mistakes. The biggest fight is against oneself. We have more devils in us than we see in the atmosphere. We all want to  look normal and not one of in their right senses would want to outstanding." Who am I to build the lord's house? King Solomon would ask. There are always better people. "There is no lack of educated people". If anything is done these are the people to do it. These have better names. They are born leaders .They  know how to put words together, " public speaking". They know how to chair the meeting and they know how to write a report. When you see them coming something is up. Without wasting time they speak business and great projects stands because of them.

Many times we have fooled ourselves to say "This is the man whom God has chosen." The prophet Samuel would testify to that. He would not have expected a young unskilled and unknown Shepperd to be the king of Israel. Like most of us he would have chosen a nice looking muscular man. David was probably not smelling clean since he was tending sheep and goats in the fields. Our training dose not agree with that. At least get a degree in Business Administration. Maybe I can talk to a high school graduate at least. If you want to a writer a (B) in English literature or 6 points at A level would do. In a free world people should be able to express themselves in any language they feel comfortable in. After all the English we brag about was used to brainwash us by the colonial masters.