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A people’s resilience…in sport

MUCH HAS been said about the resilience of Zimbabweans. And rightly so. But, one area that has not received much attention is the resilience in sport. Today, we bring you selected pictures from the Borrowdale Race Course, a place where the life of horse-racing in Zimbabwe has gone one, seemingly unperturbed by the  crisis in Zimbabwe.

Enjoy these pictures as much as we did.

Veep Msika’s burial

We bring you two pictures which caught our attention at the burial of Vice President Joseph Msika on Monday, 10 August 2009. Msika died on Wednesday, 5 August 2009 due to hypertension.

A eulogy for Cde Msika

A call for collective action

On the new Constitution and the role of Civil Society

ON June 27 this year, the Zimbabwe Exiles Forum (ZEF) organized what it termed the Diaspora Constitutional Reform Symposium and hosted the event in central Johannesburg, South Africa. ZEF was supported by the International Centre for Transitional Justice (ICTJ) and the Institute for Democracy in South Africa (IDASA)’s States in Transition Observatory. Between July 20 and July 21 this year, there was a Zimbabwe Civic Consolidation and Regional Solidarity Consultation Forum organized by the Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition and the Feminist Political Education Project (FePEP).

Hon. Minister Eric Matinenga speaking in Johannesburg

Activist, Elinor Sisulu speaks in Harare

Some of the issues raised at the ZEF symposium revolved around questions such as; How should a Constitution-making process for Zimbabwe engage and include the Diaspora and the displaced? Who should consult who and how extensive should participation be? What weight should be placed on the role of the lanacaster House Constitution, the 2000 draft, the Kariba draft and the National Constitutional Assembly (NCA) draft in the new Constitution-making process? (follow the link to view our picture gallery of the two events)

Looking back…and ahead

AS Zimbabwe tries to find a meaningful way of forging ahead, especially through the means of coming up with a new Constitution, Zimbabwe in Pictures goes back into its archives and brings you pictures that have never been published before but all the same speak to the resilience of Zimbabweans, their hope and the beauty of a country that has so much potential. This is is the first of a series of pictures of to come and we hope you will enjoy them.

Also note that you can add to the dialogue on Zimbabwe via Zimbabwe in Pictures through our Facebook Group or Twitter us @ZimbabwInPix

For feedback and comments, please email: zimbabweinpictures[at]gmail[dot]com

a gate to this mbare house and its wall advertise royco usavi mix feb 20091

a man strolls with his luggage trolley looking for business at mbare market feb 20091

a voluntary worker patching potholes on this avondale road gets some money for his efforts march 20091

a zanu pf gives perfect tension to the values shared by its neighbour march 20091

cross border tratders disembark from a coach that has just arrived from south africa feb 20091

harare residents queing to buy necessities at this shop april 20091

mbares oldest flats are in a very bad state feb 20091

neslon mandela avenue april 20091

police officers patrol the streets of harare april 20091

riot police patrol the streets of harare march 20091

rubbish burning at mbare market feb 20091

some meyrick park residents queue to buy bread on a february morning 20091

streets kids in harare look for food between rubbish march 20091

these men are clear about what where their loyalties lie march 20091

these two boys make their way to school on an april morning in harare 20091

this family waits for transport to load their property into make way to their rural home april 20091

this pothole on cnr samora machel and 2nd street has since been repaired1

transport blues in zimbabwe leaves passengers with little choice of how they get about march 20091

uncollected refuse at mbare market feb 20091

worshippers from what is popuplar known as the mapostori apostles sect worship march 20091

New Zim Constitution: Different people, different strokes

AT lunch, the Diaspora Constitutional Reform Symposium currently underway in Zimbabwe had encouraged much debate around the issue of a new constitution in Zimbabwe. There have been questions, for instance on whether the whole process is a reform or strict constitution-making. This question was asked by Tererai Mafukidze who works for the Constitutional Court of South Africa.

Zimbabwe’s Constitutional & Parliamentary Affairs minister, Eric Matinenga has also stated that emphasis should be put on the final document that comes. Matinenga stressed that the Constitution which will be of high integrity and a reflection of the views of ordinary Zimabweans. Reflecting on Zimbabwe’s scarred recent past, Glen Mpani (Regional Co-ordinator – Transitional Justice Programme) stated the need for proper reconcilliation in the aftermath of the violent attacks on Zimbabweans by sponsored militia. “The process must be able to deal with the damage that has been done since victims are now living side-by-side with perpetrators,” said Mpani.

View the latest pictures from the morning session below. The afternoon session has just kicked off and it is ZCTU Secretary-General, Wellington Chibhebhe on the podium.

Prominent Zimbabwe Lawyer, Arnold Tsunga gets proceedings started at the symposium (pic: levi kabwato)

LIVE BLOG: DIASPORA CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM SYMPOSIUM

The Zimbabwe Exiles Forum is today (June 27) hosting a day-long symposium in Johannesburg, South Africa. The theme of the event is; “Ensuring the inclusion of the Zimbabwean Diaspora in the constitution making process”. Speakers include Zimbabwean Minister of Constitutional & Parliamentary Affairs, Eric Matinenga, Justice Michael Majuru, former Judge of the High Court of Zimbabwe, Dr Lovemore Madhuku, Chair of the National Constitutional Assembly of Zimbabwe and Wellington Chibebe, Secretary General of the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions.
Proceedings are running late (one hour late) but the first session is expected to kick-off soon.
Zimbabwe in Pictures brings you the proceedings LIVE on this site!

Empty sapces: Speakers had not yet arrive at the venue at the appointed time (pic: Levi Kabwato)

Farewell to Mai Susan Nyaradzo Tsvangirai

If I could reach the homestead of Death’s mother,
I would make a long grass torch;
If I could reach the homestead of Death’s mother,
I would destroy everything utterly, utterly,
Like the fire that rages at Layima,
Like the Fire that rages in the valley of River Cumu
From Horn of My Love by Okot p’Bitek

Solemn the drums thrill: Death august and royal
Sings sorrow into immortal spheres.
There is music in the midst of desolation
And a glory that shines upon our tears.
They went with songs to the battle, they were young,
Straight of limb, true of eye, steady and aglow.
They were staunch to the end against odds uncounted,
They fell with their faces to the foe.
They shall not grow old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.
Extract from For the Fallen by Laurence Binyon

DOWNLOAD EDITION 18 HERE

© Chris Kabwato (kumbirayi[at]gmail[dot]com)

Listen to the Voice of the Youth

On 27th February I had an opportunity to attend a show by one of the young voices on the poetry/music scene in Zimbabwe. Comrade Fatso aka Samm Farai Munro is representative of the radical voices that have come into being due to the governance crisis. Whereas in the ‘80s we had permed hair and spoke through the nose trying hard to be English (we actually used to believe we were as British as they come), these youths assert their Zimbabwean identities in language, words, clothing and symbols…
To be in a Comrade Fatso concert is to be in some one bubble of energy and inspiration. But he is not the only one…Outspoken, Godobori, Ronald Jongwe, Poetic Angel and more are names you shall soon know. Beneath the broken pieces of our dream there is a wind that is gathering speed and it will be a hurricane by the time it hits the global stage…
So in this issue, with the help of my sister, Ethel, I give you the lowdown on the protest poetry rocking Zimbabwe. I wish to thank HIVOS who invited me to a groundbreaking workshop on Arts, Culture and Freedom of Expression on 26 February in Harare. With the uncertainties of the next two years till another election, artists, journalists and activists cannot be lulled into a false sense of security. Strengthening the voice of artists should be a priority for organisations that understand how arts and culture percolate our whole social being.

In the beginning was the Word…

Chris Kabwato
Publisher

DOWNLOAD EDITION 17 HERE

Publisher’s note: The Zimbabwe in Pictures team wishes to extend its heartfelt condolences to Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai for the loss of his dear wife, Susan who died in a tragic car accident on March 7. We salute this unsung gallant fighter for a free Zimbabwe.

In Search of a Different Africa

It could be Pliny the Roman scholar who died in AD79 who threw the curse at our continent when he observed – “There is always something new coming out of Africa”. We are one damn crazy joke. One big tragic joke. The something new in Africa started in Kenya where it was resolved that if you beat the opposition into submission you then form a unity government where real power remains with the incumbent. Now when you have done that in Kenya why not then gravitate southward and reward the magnificent efforts of one Comrade Robert Gabriel Mugabe with the same solution. So this is democracy?
At the time when we were celebrating two developments one international and the other continental – Barack Obama’s inauguration and the Ghana elections – the spineless and morally-bankrupt leaders of Southern African countries – chose to appease one of their own. No, Pliny was wrong. Africa does not surprise. It continues to betray its own with such boring predictability. But it can’t continue like this. Africans will have to demand better than this perpetual tragedy. The youth that I meet on the streets of Harare, Dakar, Johannesburg etc want a different Africa. They see a leader like Barack Obama and wonder why our leaders cannot be driven by the same value – the value of true public service. The political office is not a gravy train. It is an office to serve.
As Zimbabwe in Pictures comes back into 2009 stronger and more focused the theme of public service and accountability will be a strong feature of our work and our values. So a very tepid welcome to the strange creature that SADC has foisted on us but a warning to Mugabe and his henchmen that the people will no longer sit by and see you continue to fulfill Pliny’s prophecy.

Chris Kabwato
Publisher

– kumbirayi@gmail.com

DOWNLOAD EDITION 16 HERE