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How Mugabe split my shoe
Lennox Mhlanga, Citizen Journalism in Africa Blog
March 18, 2008

http://www.citizenjournalismafrica.org/node/685

My left shoe pressed the self-destruct button last Thursday. It gave up whilst I was walking to work gaping much like the hungry villager I saw in rural Lupane waiting for food assistance from Kusile Rural District Council offices. There wasn't much point in my turning back because the other two pairs in my malfunctioning wardprobe were in much the same state or worse. So was it with the villager, who could not go back home empty handed.

I can't afford new shoes. It would be a travesty to divert scarce financial resourses on such a luxury when the pantry is at zero. I curse under my breath that if there is anyone intent on voting ZANU PF on March 29, then they should have their head thoroughly examined. If my shoe doth protest, then who am I to go against it?

Fast forward to Sunday, and an old woman at Lupane centre (160 kilometers from Zimbabwe's second largest city of Bulawayo) describes how they survive 'on a teaspoon.' She says the last time things were this bad was in the 50's. She has not seen so much suffering as now. She is among a group of villagers who are patiently waiting for their allocation of grain. They have been 'mobilised' by their councillor who happens to be from the ruling party.

As part of its campaign strategy in the rural areas, Robert Mugabe's ZANU PF party is using the politics of the stomach to leverage themselves back into power. But the people of Lupane are clever. They will play ball in order to get much needed food asistance, but they know who they will not vote for come March 29.

The women at the back on the fully laden 30 ton truck do not have any kind words for their councillor. He is variously described as stupid, weak and out of sorts, yet they will get 'his' maize. 100 bags is not enough for the community, they need 300, but half a loaf...

If there is one person who is not convinced that his time is up, it is Robert Mugabe. He has built a laager of delusion around himself. Yet History is replete with examples of parties or individuals who have never won a election under conditons of extremely high inflation. Unless of course your surname is Mugabe. The man who once said that he had degrees in violence, certainly has a doctorate in rigging elections. And he has only applied methods from page one of his thesis.

The villagers of Phuma Kanye in Lupane might have their wishes of having grain delivered to their doorstep by the ruling party fulfilled, but the rest of Zimbabwe cringes at the prospect of another five years under the nighmare of ZANU PF rule.

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