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Travel misery, food shortages grip Zimbabwe holidays
Associated Press
August 12, 2007

http://iht.com/articles/ap/2007/08/13/africa/AF-GEN-Zimbabwe-Holiday-Woes.php

HARARE, Zimbabwe: Acute gasoline shortages crippled transport services Sunday, stranding thousands of travelers at bus stops across the nation before a two-day holiday honoring guerrillas who fought against colonial-era white rule.

At a main bus terminal in Harare, travelers said buses were infrequent and were not available at all to some home districts for the cherished August holiday.

Some people had been waiting in line since 3:00 a.m. (0100 GMT) at the Mbare terminus in the west of the capital, where riot police were called Saturday to stop passengers fighting to board scarce buses. Police turned travelers off overcrowded vehicles.

The Heroes and Defense Forces holidays Monday and Tuesday commemorate the seven-year bush war that ended white rule with independence in 1980. Tuesday also celebrates the defense capability of the nation's military, commanded by many former guerrillas.

Thousands of travelers dotted the sides of Harare's main arterial highways, trying to flag down rides. Crowds were three-deep on downtown sidewalks waiting to clamber aboard trucks and private cars.

Many people gave up and headed for their township home - which became a three-hour ordeal instead of the usual 30-minute trip. "It's misery. There's nothing to celebrate," said a father with two teenage children who only gave his name as Lazarus. "I hope they see their gogo (grandma) at Christmas, God willing."

He said his elderly mother was ill.

Across the country, it was a similar picture, state radio reported Sunday. It said some bus operators abandoned government-controlled fares and demanded "exorbitant" amounts from travelers desperate to visit relatives in rural areas.

The nation is facing its worst gasoline shortages since the often violent seizures of thousands of white-owned commercial farms began in 2000, which disrupted the agriculture-based economy.

President Robert Mugabe blames the economic meltdown on Western economic sanctions and erratic rains.

In efforts to tame rampant inflation, on June 26 the government ordered price cuts of around 50 percent on all goods and services, including gasoline and transportation, saying it would subsidize fuel sold at less than the cost of importing it.

The Sunday Mail newspaper, a government mouthpiece, reported bus operators were still buying fuel on the illegal black market at about five times the subsidized price.

Police spokesman James Sabau said bus passengers often refused to disclose fares to police at road blocks.

"Some of the passengers do not say how much they have been charged, making it difficult to arrest the operators," he said.

At least 7,000 executives, business managers, traders and bus drivers have been arrested in the prices clampdown that has driven corn meal, bread, meat, milk and other staples from the shelves.

Official inflation is given as 4,500 percent, the highest in the world, though independent estimates put it closer to 9,000 percent.

The government at the weekend backed down on a ban on private slaughter houses, which are accused of profiteering, and doubled the price of beef to restore meat supplies.

David Hasluck, head of the Livestock and Meat Advisory Council, told the official media the new beef price still was not as high as the viable levels of neighboring South Africa and other countries.

Because of acute shortage of commercially raised cattle, attempts were also being made to buy cattle from fiercely proud villagers who saw cattle as a symbol of status.

"In our traditional culture, the number of cattle one has translates into his wealth. We can't expect farmers to sell their cattle at ridiculously low prices," Hasluck said.

He said the government was expected to approve raised poultry and pork prices soon.

Cigarettes and state-run newspapers were the latest items in short supply Sunday.

Beer was trickling back onto the market after a 30 percent price increase was announced Friday.

But the Harare Sports Club, venue of a cricket match between players from Zimbabwe and South Africa, had no beer, the favored drink of spectators, and no bread rolls or ground meat for burgers.

A restaurant at the cricket ground withdrew its menu Saturday, having just chicken and potatoes on offer, and on Saturday nearby chicken and pizza takeouts ran out of food and shut down early.

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