The predicament of a rural farmer .

By Lloyd Takawira 

At first glance this towering , conical peak Dorotoma mountain may remind you of the famous mountain in the mould of Kilimanjalo , or the famous Japanese mountains .

South of Dorotoma is a resettlement area which the Chigwede's have been residing for decades . 

Its that time again , a rapturous thunder bolted acampanied by a zigzagged lighting signaling the rain season has just arrived. 

The Waruma village just like many communities around the country have no cattle due to the ravaging foot and mouth disease which abliterated heards. 

All the years , the Waruma community prided themselves as the best farmers . However , this time its a going to be a hectic farming season. 

While they have been educated by the local Agritex officer , who has been helping them on the Pfumvudza program , the community has not shown interest in the concept arguing that , the program is archaic , old fashioned and labor intense .

For headman Chigwede Waruma , life hasn't been rossey as his remaing two donkeys were taken away by the Dutavanhu family after his son Charles Chigwede Waruma jrn impregnanted one of the Dutavanhu's daughter . 

As respected people in the community , they have to brew some beer and call the neighbors who have cattle to come and help them plough . 

Here is the predicament . The whole village is bearing the same brunt .Mombe dzakafa nechirwere .

" We are in a fix my son ," says Muzeza Chigwede Waruma snr with watery eyes . 

The two are seated underneath a big muhacha tree which is some few meters away from their yard .

"yanaya ka baba , tichadii*The rain season is upon us father , what are we going to do" the young Chigwede Waruma said in a low tone voice while chewing african bubble gum (dohwe).

Chigwede srn is mending his 1978 Ox plough which he bought in colonial Ankledon now Chivhu where he was a farm worker .

Chigwede senior , in a dejected voice replied, " my son l have never seen this in my entire life . We discussed this issue with your mother . I was thinking we can brew some beer and call our neighbors to help us . The problem as you know its only Bhalubha and Mutsvakabeva who have cattle . The rest are like us " 

As they are discussing their predicament , Titus a longtime friend to the Waruma arrives . 

" The heavens have smiled on us simboti , " said Titus with an exuberant voice 

He continued , "l knew with the heatwave that , heavy downpours are nearer" said Titus as he rests his buttocks on a fiber stool 

" My friend , we are happy that the heavens have opened on us . However , we are in a fix . All our cattles gone . When l remember of busvumani aaa l cry at times " said Titus as he sniffles .

The story , of the Waruma community is heartbreaking . It represent the predicament that many rural communities are grappling with . 

Most rural communities rely on draught power . However because of the cattle diseases that swept across the country most communities were left without even single cattle . 

While the government has been singing the Pfumvudza hymm . Research has shown that most people objected against , arguing the program is labor intense . 

For some , the rains have been a blessing in disguise while for some , its a catch 22 situation .

Beer Talk With Lloyd Takawira : The story of Njube Zeze

The weather was magnificent . A clear blue sunny day , with sharply etched white clouds in the sky . The perfect Zimbabwean summer . And so hot in that early morning . The heat made everything slow and sensual . And it was totally un- Hararian , as the sun scotchingly stamped its presence for the day .

On my way to the capital city Harare from my hood St Mary's, aboard a Zupco bound Trip Trans bus popular with its inscription  "Senior Actor"  above the bumper and the driver popular with passagers as "bus ra gunners solder" . 

As the bus whizzed lacadezically to town , the heat felt delicious  .

Opposite my seat sat a demunitive youngman fit as a fiddle . His head is bandaged , to which l suspect he might have been involved in accident . However ,as l relooked at him . He was a familiar face . I suddenly flicked my mind back .This is Zeze mumwe wevakomana . He is thief and probably lucky run out a few days ago and was beaten , l thought to myself.

"Eee makuruwani " , he said nodding at me in a clear sign that familiar faces have met . As usual l nodded back with a smile that l have been greated with respect from the boys in town  as he was familiar , however not for the good things.

If you want cheaper gadgets , and electricals , get in touch with Zeze , ndovakomana pataundi , as they  say it  in our dirty dusty ghetto streets .

This is Zeze l knew him from the hood , some popularly call him Njube , some Zeze and some call him Sundowns for his love of  South Africa's biggest football giant Memolady Sundowns. Moreso he usually wear the  famous  Sundowns yellow Jersey or the black and white striped Highlanders jersey .

Knowing him and his errands , l quickly blinked out  from the hands of maphus and alerted myself .

Watching him  trickingly with a sideview , Njube swang one leg easily over the other .He was holding a bobbed grey bottle drink which he sipped . "Makuruwani , take a sip " , he said handing the bottle drink to me . l profusely refused . " Thanks mukoma , its still early , toswera ta lock tikatadza kushanda " l said handing him back the bottle drink .

 Seating on the same seat to Njube are two middle aged young woman , beautiful , class and elegant .

 By my side is a fine woman , tall thin , blond , blue-eyed , with high cheek-bones .She whispered to me . " Do you know this guy in blue worksuit " l nodded in agreement. 

Just like the famous evesdropper  Mbuya Chekuche from my rural Buhera  she whispered again , " atora phone ya that lady ari paside pake " . Passively ,  l replied to her , " just pretend as if you have not seen it imbavha idzi unobaiwa nebanga ukataura" l said to  the lady whom from her expression , looked not happy and contend with how l had brushed aside her story.

As the bus reached the famous  road block from Chitungwiza , "Delpot Boarder Post" ,  nicknamed from the strickness and thorough scrutiny of  travel documents by security details manning the road block .

One of the ladies who was sharing the seat with Zeze , whom l discovered at that instance was a solder , was the first to stand up as she walk towards the door with rest of us going out for routine documentation check . 

" phone yangu , aaa handisikuona phone yangu ," she said to her colleague in a  high-toned voice . 

Suddenly commotion ensued in the bus . The bus driver, who also happened to be a solder , jumped from his driver's seat and said ," munhu wese kana phone isina kubuda mucharowa zvekuti hamusati mamboona . Everyone out of the bus , leave all your bags and purses inside , outside lie down all of you ." he said .

As we made our way out of the bus , a gigantic dark skinned solder  in a red barret spliffing his cigger , who happen to be part of the security details who were manning the Delpot road block said , " mukanyatsorohwa munoburitsa phone . You steal phone yemu solder " he said with a frightening hished voice.

Suddenly l knew that the beautiful young ladies and many of the passagers were actually security details . As we made our way out , Njube the class thief in front us did the unthinkable .

Infront of Njube was a tall thin fine looking gentleman well built in his 

late thirties l presume , who was donning a blue worksuit inscribed , "Delta". 

My seatmate , who had earlier told me about the phone whispered again to me for l had not seen anything , " your guy akanda phone mu side pocket ye that guy infront of him , did you notice ". 

 Shivering and preponderating on the impending thorough beating from the angry security details,   l could not utter back a word,  as we made our way out .

For  the class Njube , two young girls had been watching him . He  giggled and wrinkled his eyes ostensibly to silence the two beauties .Outside the bus , the security details searched everyone .

 Life is incredibly unfair at times . The guy whom Zeze classically flinged the mobile phone was beaten and punished . As he was made to roll up and down . One of the two ladies who  had seen how Zeze had trickly passed the phone unknowingly to the guy whom the phone was found with , stood up . 

"Officer , im sorry , the guy you are beating is innocent . As you ordered us out of the bus a certain guy trickly dropped this phone in his pocket". Suddenly it became clear that a sizeable number of passengers have seen how the classy Njube had classically done his job. 

"Ndeupi munhu wacho , " ordered the angry looking female solder whose phone had been stolen .As  the girl looked around to point Zeze . The classical Njube had DISAPPEARED .

Lloyd Takawira is Freelance Writer, Blogger, Research Consultant . He can be contacted on +263771923115 / tllyoyd@gmail.com 

Are We Drifting Towards One Party State

By Lloyd Takawira

The year 2020 has been more problematic in the history of Zimbabwe with widespread reports of systematic and escalating violations of human rights in Zimbabwe under the regime of President Emmarson Mnangagwa and his rulling , ZANU-PF party .

Human rights organisations such as Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and plethora of international governments have voiced their concerns against the government of Zimbabwe which has become increasingly authoritarian under the cover of lockdown measures .

Rule By Statutes

The rule by statutes has seen violation on freedom of movement and residence, freedom of assembly and the protection of the law being constricted and trembled upon by the government.

For the past six months , there has been an onslaught on the media with journalists being wantonly beaten, arrested and detained on flimsy charges .The opposition, civil society activists, and human rights defenders have also been under siege .

Exstingishing Opposition

There is no doubt that , the government is moving towards disemboweling the opposition .

The visible government hand in the ongoing factional infighting pitting the various Movement for Democratic Change formations is clear testimony that , the government want a free race . A race in which the alternative voice is desembered

Banning By-Elections

Under sortorial scrutiny , the purported banning of all by-elections by Vice President Constantine Chiwenga who doubles as the Minister of Health (Chiwenga) through a Statutory Instrument is a clear testimony that the regime in Harare is working towards a clear path to a defacto "one party state".

Dear reader , there is no doubt that the banning of by-elections with the rulling Zanu PF party itself clearly on the ground contacting its restructuring exercise as well as contacting its primary elections in areas to which by-elections are due is a clear testimony to show that we are fast approaching a one party state.

The government celebrations on the recall of opposition members of parliament vindicates those who argues that , those who are involved in the chopping of members of parliament enjoys messianic blessings from the rulling Zanu PF party under the guise of constitutionalism.

The legality of the minister of health banning by-elections is questionable . One legal expert wrote that , the move by Vice President Constantine Chiwenga violates the Constitution of Zimbabwe

The Unpatriotic act.

The government in its bid to cover up rights abuses said it was going to consider the principal framework of a proposed law (patriotic act) that will criminalise and impose stiff penalties for campaigning against the country through private correspondence with foreign governments and harming national interests

However , it should be argued that the determination of ones patriotism is questionable . The actions of the involving itself in corruption , externalization of millions of dollars by the rulling elites is a complete disservice to the nation .

It can be argued that the rulling Zanu PF party has always been on an unpatriotic campaign to which they are accusing others .

Dear reader , the patriotic act will amongst other draconian statutes will pile more to the draconian laws that are already on the cards which are meant to constrict opposition and declaring the country a de facto one party state.

It should be postulated that the rule by statutes has been a culculated ploy to increasingly initiate an automatic autocratic regime under the guise of mantaining law and order.

Dear reader , my take succinctly posits that , the patriotic act and constitutional amendment no2 and the banning of by-elections and among many other statutes are all leading to a defacto one party state .

There is no doubt that , our government fear alternative voices. Its penchants in having an achaic one party state project which is delectably underway will in itself be a de-campaigning route in the face of the international community.

Lloyd Takawira is a Freelance Writer , Blogger, Research Consultant. Can be contacted on +263771923115 /

tllyoyd@gmail.com

The Madness Of Recalls : What's Next for Councils & Residents

By Lloyd Takawira 

2020 in the history of local government  in Zimbabwe has become the most problematic as  challenges largely because of the toxic binary, bi-polor political climate pitting the two  MDC formations consuming each  reached a breaking point much to the detriment of service delivery. 

Residents The Biggest Losers 

It must be succinctly postulated , that whilst , the voice of reason , failed to linger in the minds of the two warring MDC formations to find each other , the burden was (is) transferred to  the biggest looser who is the resident. 

Despite many scholars , civic societies proposing  strategies or policies to be nitiated over the years, the (system)(government) has rigidity stood in the way to detract any  vision of an admirable local government system.

Dead reader , our local government has been in the doldrums because of varied challenges which includes lack of funding, too much central government intervention in local issues.

The toxic Political climate that has soiled our governance culture has been a breeding ground for  recentralisation by government.

Through forcing local government officers to report to the  Provincial Minister , the Minister of Local Government has always  been the major drawback to a successful  local government development.

The case of Harare , has all but confirmed that the government doesn't care about residents welfare .Hardly  a month after his election, Harare Mayor councillor Jacob Mafume was  recalled by a non existent bogus  party, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), a development that has since been interdicted by the high court.

The whole recall  charade boggles the mind on  how the state has sunk so low in institutionalizing a well oiled machinery to make sure that , in  urban areas were the alternative controls service delivery is crippled. 

The minister of local government July Moyo hurriedly  initiated the recall of Councilor Mafume using a bogus letter ostensibly to suffocate service delivery and ultimately the alternative gets blamed.

Despite , parliament having  already made a decision that the MDC Alliance is a coalition and has since  allowed the supreme court resurrected MDC-T to recall Members of Parliament, and councilors , the minister went on to initiate the recalls.

It must be observed that the ushering in of the new National Constitution (2013) , many felt a positive development , envisioned as a step in the right direction that could end government interference into the operations of the councils .

However, the government has systematically been wanting to dent progress in alternative controlled  hotspots (urban areas) , obviously a political score point to discredit  the alternative (opposition)

Many a time ,  students of local governance felt local government legislation has given too much power to the Minister of Local Government who in the past tended   to be abusive  as evidenced by unilateral appointments of Commissions and firings of legal institutions. 

Despite a red flag by civil societies such as CHRA ,  to the MDC T that the recalls have dented the operations of councils . The call fell on deaf ears .

With whispers doing the rounds that the government want to appoint  commissions whose notoriority is recorded in the history books for embezzlement of council funds ,one wonders how could the opposition give Zanu PF a clear penalty to score and reward the the boys(Cdes)

Dear reader , it's crystal clear that, the deterioration of a local government system cannot be separated from the mindless political infighting consuming the two opposition formations aided by the state which appears to have taken a stance to aid another factions .

It must also be argued that , while the state might want to exonorate itself from the recalls , it's visible hand is as clear as the back of a goat.

Spirited calls by organizations  for the supreme court resurrected MDC T  leadership to stop the recalls couldn't be heard .

Dear reader , as the country goes for the by-elections and future elections particularly at council level. There is need for residents to elect literate councillors who can form policies or interpret statistical information like financial data especially during budget debates.

Moreso to the voter , the clarion call is to punish those who have put the country in the election mode as well as millions of dollars for the By-elections at the expense of service delivery .

Lloyd Takawira is a freelance writer and can be contacted on +26377192311 / tllyoyd@gmail.com

Why I support the death sentence !!

"The person who does not deserve sympathy is the criminal who decided to commit the capital act (usually aggravated murder) in the first place" Keith Miller 2018.

By Llyoyd Takawira 

On 14 May 2017, Makatendeka Loveness Takawira(3) , went missing . What pains me most is that the same script to which , Tapiwa Makore (7) went through is the same script that Makatendeka Loveness Takawira went through. 

In the early hours of the fateful day mother , Loveness Mushayi , had just gone to the garden leaving the innocent soul in the hands of my younger brother Learnmore who is deaf . 

 Upon her return she couldn't find the little angel Makatendeka . The whole Chaminuka village searched only for her bruised body to be found dumped in a little pond 100metres away from our homestead .

 Her body was bruised , her eyes removed , her smaller

right finger removed , her lips meticulously removed leaving the teeth exposed , her right ear was also missing. 

 

Ritual killings are heinous . From that moment l became a strong proponent of ,"Capital Punishment" The pain of loosing a kid is so deep.

One needs not to be in the shoes of Tapiwa Makores parents to feel the deep heavy block that comes with loosing a kid , not because of a disease but because of a "dusvura" murderer.

From 2017 up to now , l became so bitter with murder cases , that l strongly support death penalty, or “capital punishment” if one prefers a friendlier term, as postulated by Keith Miller (2018) who argues that capital punishment is a strong deterent to ritual killings. 

 Everyone agrees that crime is bad and we need to stop it. This seems sensible and logical in every way, until we ask the question: do we need a death penalty to be ‘tough’ on crime? The answer for me is a big "YES".

The Case Of China ,Singapore etc While in Zimbabwe there is a spirited attempt to do away with Capital punishment ,the case of China , Japan , Singapore as well as Saudi Arabia etc where death penalty is still carried out by beheading, stoning, crucifixion, electrocution, shooting, or hanging statistically show ,low rate of intentional murder cases. 

 It is imperative to take a look at the advantages of the death penalty with an open mind in view of the pain being suffered by Tapiwa Makore's and my family . 

 Death Penalty Sends a Strong Warning It must be unequivocally postulated that , death penalty is a deterrent measure against violent crimes. Researches from criminologists are agreed that the presence of the death penalty is useful in mitigating heinous ritual killings.  

Relief For Affected Family.

The pain of loosing a family member to murder is so deep. Those who have gone through the process of loosing a family member knows what I'm talking about . l and my family members are still traumatized .

 Think of the Tapiwa's parents. My daughter Makatendeka Takawira and Tapiwa Makore and many others victims of these ritual killings demand justice for their killers . 

One needs to interrogate how many victims have been killed by Tapiwa Makore's murderer considering that they had an unclaimed human head . What it means is that , the notorious gang has been killing people around the country . This needs to be stopped by hanging the perpetrators . 

Ernest van den Haag, Professor of Jurisprudence at Fordham University argues that , Capital punishment is strong punishment as it sends a strong message to would be killers .He went on to say, “Whatever people fear most is likely to deter the most.” 

 The death penalty means that the affected family find some revenge hence hearing or knowing that , the person who took your relative also met the same fate does not re-victimize the affected family. 

 Death Penalty Eliminates the possibility of an escape and future victims. For example according to Keith Miller 2018 , Drug lord Joaquin Guzman, better known as “El Chapo,” had a long history of being captured and escaping from maximum security prisons tomenting his victims upon escaping prison.

 It is my hope and that victims of heinous murder get to see one day murderers guillotined as punishment for taking away precious life . 

 Llyoyd Takawira is a freelance writer . He can be contacted on +262771923115 . Email: tllyoyd@gmail.com

An Eventful Week for Zimbabwe

By Lloyd Takawira 

Filled  with glamorous glimpses of humor and wretched by the loss of two members of parliament , Hon Mirriam Mushayi (Kuwadzana) and Hon Patrick Chidakwa ( Marondera East) , the week toppingly earned a reflection. 

Despicable , of all was ,the degree  heist demand by the country's veterans of  liberation war .

Yes !!! ,  War veterans demanded  university degrees, tax rebates as gratuity for their war sacrifices

"... the government must award us degrees because we went to war and learnt principles of the revolution and we made it," 

Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association (ZNLWVA) spokesperson, Douglas Mahiya said: 

State Party Conflation.

Zimbabwe has been suffering from a  twin paralysis of state - party conflation , largely blamed on the ruling ZANU PF party's dejavue policies .  

Vocal these days ,  ZANU PF politburo member and acting spokesperson  Patrick Chinamasa  said the Cabinet ministers  must answer to the ruling ZANU PF party . Not only that , the man who earned himself the nickname 'Mr Bin' threatened that Zanu PF  would fire ministers that do not file reports with the secretariat. 

 “They should serve Zanu PF interests not their own, but Zanu PF,” Chinamasa said 

Despondent from multiple punches by  keyboard warriors , Zanu PF announced that it  is going  establish cyber units to counter( varakashi)  social media activists to shove up its image as well as to defend the party.

Zanu PF Politburo member Munyaradzi Machacha said 

" We  should also have a cyber-unit which will be involved in defending the party’s programmes on social media platforms. Social media has become the new battlefield for control .”

The General Almost Awake 

Listening to Vice President Constantine Chiwenga address where he said , that  he intends  to ban foreign medical trips  for ‘everybody’ was a complete logical  fallacy in dreamland . 

“We will not export our patients. We will not make referrals (to foreign medical facilities) for our patients. It’s everybody,” Chiwenga told journalists .

Vice President Chiwenga , spend months seeking treatment overseas. His acknowledgement  that overseas treatments by the ruling elites' have been gobbling state coffers sounded like a fabricated lie by a man whose last trip to China was in July this year for a “routine medical review.”

A Whopping $18 Million for By-elections 

Worrysome to the ordinary overburdened struggling Zimbabwean was the announcement by the  Zimbabwe Electoral Commission  that , it intends to hold by-elections on  December 5 . The commission submitted that a whopping  US$18 million was to be gobbled by the by-elections .

Fresh Farm Invasion 

Amidst a thunderous and aggregious USD $3 billion that the government of Zimbabwe promised to pay to former white commercial farmers as compansation for developments they have made on their farms ,  comes another property rights violation . The question is at whose expense? Obviously at the expense of the ordinary Zimbabwean . 

 Although the  government has said it is investigating the invasion  of Protea Farm in Ruwa by a senior official in the agriculture ministry. Protea Farm is owned by Martin Grobler. The writing is on the wall  that property rights and the rule of law in my motherland is seclusive . 

The Sister Revolution Hullabaloo 

Pissed off by the African National Congress delegation stance , that indeed there is a crisis in Zimbabwe . The regime in Harare did what it knows best  , threw salivo to their counterparts arguing that Zimbabwe and South Africa are two independent countries with sovereign rights and some members of African National Congress (ANC) were offside . 

The Genuineness in ANC 

It should be underscored that the ANC especially Madam Lindiwe Sisulu is keen on resolving the Zimbabwean problem . There is no doubt that , our problems are spilling to our neighbors South Africa . However , the old ways of throwing tantrums in the way dialogue has been our political leaders biggest undoing . 

The Politics of Hardliners

The Politics of Hardliners .

There is no doubt that , hardliner and the politics of entitlements has killed any hope of resurrecting and awakening  Zimbabwe.

The attack on Lindiwe Sisulu and Tony Yengeni for being the voice of reason in the midst of a debilitating crisis manifesting itself in various forms should be condemned . It is the 'stockholders mentality' 'chinhu chedu' mentality that has bastardized our country to this level .

 Zimbabwe For Us All 

Under sortorial , it can be underscored that Zimbabwe's  biggest undoing  has been , the "ruling elites' . The jargonization of , "tisu tirikutonga" has been an obiter-dictum to the fortunes of raising Zimbabwe from the doldrums  . Those at the top are not ruling , but are governing . 

Zimbabwe requires a "governing  party" not a "ruling party"

Llyoyd Takawira is a Freelance Writer . He is also a Governance Expert . He can be contacted on +263771923115 , Email :tllyoyd@gmail.com

The Unwanted Breakfast

The Unwanted Breakfast 

Mrs Shiri frowned as she watched the children seated at the breakfast table  . Their  clothes were dreadful , she thought . They were simply pieces of thick cloth tied around their bodies , and they had been worn and slept in for three days . She decided to look through her drawers for some of her son's clothes . She gave them to the children to wear . 

The children sat and began to eat the sadza and okra . They did like okra but because they had nothing to eat the previous evening , they forced themselves to eat . 

" May l have more sadza ?" said Tongai . 

"Certainly not !" said Mrs Shiri .

"The only sadza left is for Antony . Don't waste food young lady ," she said to Rita , who had accidentally spilled a little okra and was more reluctant to eat . "In my days we are what was put before us or went without ." 

Adopted from : The Eye , The Ear and The Arm by Nancy Farmer 

Published by The College Press (1989)