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2013 Independence Day Compeition Winners
Kubatana.net
May 07, 2013

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The Winner: Zim @ 33 Flag Caricature

The bird
The depicted bird on a caricature of our Flag is a vulture instead of the traditional Zimbabwe bird. The vulture is a predatory and carnivorous animal that lacks a sense of fairness. It preys on other hunters' loot. The vulture is a clear image of our national leaders who prey on the toil of the povo. Corruption! That vulture has ceased to be a natural bird; it has polished its natural consumption means by acquiring super-natural tools: a fork and knife. Our politicians' appetites can never be quenched by locally available goods/services hence they always fly out to spend their obscenely acquired 'wealth'. The leadership has through its opaque dealings adulterated our national identity. That is why I have conveniently planted a decimated Zimbabwe bird at the shores of the white triangle.

The white triangle; the peace symbol
The traditional white triangle on our genuine flag represents peace. It is made of solid white. Mine is made up of a translucent white that shows underground colors. I have done that to caricature the decimated wishes of the majority on peace.

The knobkerries
The knobkerries (AKA mbaramatonya) are a symbol of coercion, violence and mafia-type impunity by those who have the means to control and use violence. They represent the securocrats and the new culture of securocratism.

The '33'
The text '33' has been put in a serpentine font to represent the peoples' appreciation of independence 33 years on. Some have nostalgia of the yesteryear colonial days not because they detest independence but they see the colonial leaders as better devils than the current who unyoked us from colonialism only to yoke us with locally acquired colonialism. The liberators have developed a relationship of suspicion with the liberated: a relationship similar to a person and a snake's.

The adulterated black color
Our flag has a peat black centre color representing the aspirations of the black majority. My caricature has a color hovering between black and grey. The aspirations of the back majority have been forgotten.

The star
Our leaders are meant to be the people's stars. However, some will abuse that trust bestowed upon them. Look at the runaway corruption especially in the MDC run local authorities and top echelons of government from both parties!

The red flag color
My red flag color is no longer a continuous colour. It is now in a variegated fashion, marking the diminished importance accorded to the blood of the fallen fighters.

The back ground Zanu PF flag
The seemingly national flag is punctuated by a heavy and visible Zanu PF flag background. My impression is that this country is run by the Zanu PF Politburo despite having a 4-year-old coalition government. It is rather interesting to observe the conspicuous absence of the white (peace symbol) color on the flag, a flag that represents more of Rastafarian fanaticism: a paradox of the jibe taken at the Rasta community by the party's President that the latter are always high on 'weed'. Therefore, that flag tells that Zanu PF is the chief author of all the chaos that my caricature flag bears.

- Anonymous

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