TANONOKA JOSEPH WHANDE

I watched the great spectacle of Americans choosing a president and rather than enjoy this free entertainment that has so many lesions, I found myself thinking of Robert Mugabe.
While other people serve their nations better by standing aside for better or new ideas, we have this old political rogue who has caused so much suffering to people they are supposed to be protecting.
The election of an American president is outrageously expensive but the most important thing I envy about it is that every president or aspiring president has to renew their mandate with the people every four years and can only do so once.
Four years is long enough time for anyone to build or destroy a nation and I have enjoyed watching American presidents win or get booted out after four years in power.
And here at home, we have Mugabe still blaming the colonialists who we dislodged thirty years ago. We still have Mugabe presiding over the killings and disappearances of fellow citizens; we still have Mugabe deliberately withholding food from innocent starving compatriots because he suspects them of not supporting him and we still have a president who regards the Ministry of Finance as his private pantry where he stashes his personal money.

While I appreciate that Zimbabwe is one of the countries whose HIV/AIDS infection rate is going down, it is by no means something to gloat about because such trends are not permanent and might, in fact, work against us in the sense that it will make us believe that we can manage this serious deadly situation.
The fact that Mugabe and his ministers and party add to the suffering of the citizens has never been more clearer than it is today.
When Jonathan Moyo turned against the nation and became Robert Mugabe poodle, he, with Mugabe’s knowledge, raided the coffers of the National AIDS Council and used the money to stage a useless beauty pageant at Victoria Falls. Moyo argued that it was necessary to market Zimbabwe. But how sinister could one get more than taking money meant for ARV drugs for our afflicted compatriots and, ironically, use that money to stage a worthless beauty pageant?
Now Mugabe is at it again, this time with Gideon Gono’s assistance.
With the situation as it is and with countries all over the world under attack from HIV/AIDS, malaria and other fatal diseases, a group of men can just take donated money, share it among themselves and let people die.
Even if it were their own money, they, as leaders, would still be under the obligation to put citizens first. But it was not their money; someone else somewhere wanted to save the lives of Zimbabweans and our own leaders stand in between and take that money to buy hats, shoes and sunglasses for their wives.
Many years ago, people laughed when the late Ian Smith called Mugabe and ZANU-PF gangsters, saying that they were words of a defeated racist jealous of a new black government.
Now we agree and we ain’t laughing no more.
Now people can understand why the MDC is adamant on having the Finance ministry; who in their right minds can give Mugabe, or any of his proxies cash meant for the sick and disadvantaged?
It appears the honorary doctorate degree Mugabe threw at Gono is costing the nation money, lives and well being.

It is not an exaggeration that the agreement signed by ZANU-PF and the MDC, with all its faults, gave people genuine hope of resolving the impasse in our country. People are hungry, tired and eager to rebuild their lives, eager to see their children back in school, eager to access medical attention, clean water, food and a decent life.
And we have someone like Welshman Ncube admitting that his group participated in the alteration of a document that was supposed to set the stage for the easing of hardships for our people. The fact that Ncube denies his personal involvement does not exonerate him. He is a lawyer and his team knew of the alteration of a document that was going to be the basis of national revival and he said nothing until it was found out. He is as guilty of this as Mugabe, Mutambara and Chinamasa are because they are the ones who stood to benefit.
What is wrong with our politicians? Why are they so mediocre? How come they do not values the lives of our children and our elderly? Our women and our citizens?
The world is still tied up with Zimbabwe. Nations are trying to help us out of the whole into which we pushed ourselves and yet it is those who led this nation astray who stop such help from coming.
The heart of the matter is that a few crooks are holding the nation at ransom. And for how long is the world going to tolerate the silly maneuvers from ZANU-PF?
The situation in Zimbabwe is a great, sad pity. It looks like our
ambition to resuscitate our nation is not going to be realised any time soon.
I don't know why people don't realise that stealing from other people
may yield short term gains, but in the end the purse that is stolen
becomes empty and there is no means of refilling it except to steal
again.
And we have been watching this looting since independence.

I am Tanonoka Joseph Whande and am so sad to see a nation that I once knew was dignified, gracious, peaceful and moral descending to this level. Now because of these people, my country is aggressive, fearful and racist, I am afraid to note.
My compatriots, this is a legacy which will not soon be overcome. Our children and grandchildren will hold us responsible for letting a bunch of thieves destroy this nation in our silent presence.
And for those in the Diaspora like me, I fear that what we may return to will be very different from what we left.
It is all so sad.
And that, my fellow Zimbabweans, is the way it is today, Thursday November 6, 2008.