Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Delusional Charlatans?

Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirayi is on walk-about in the West. He has recently met Barack Obama and what is clear about that meeting is Obama welcomed Tsvangirayi but he wasn’t about to welcome anyone else from the ‘wrong side of Zimbabwean history’. It is not absolutely clear why Tsvangirayi is on walk about. The Herald suggests he is doing it as a Mugabe emissary to ‘get the green light to lift illegal western economic sanctions’. MT himself says he is telling world leaders how far we have come – which is interpreted by most as not very far at all. And that’s a fact – not only from where the West is viewing things but from where we Zimbabweans are viewing them too. We still have little to show for ‘law and order’, farms are still being invaded, crops stolen while police claim that the thefts are ‘political’ and therefore beyond their attention, the media is far from free, The Herald and the broadcasting media are still consumed with ZANU PF’s versions of events and ‘free and fair elections’ seem to get further away from us with every passing moment.

What is abundantly clear is that ZANU PF is intent on using Tsvangirayi and the MDC as a means of remaining in power. And so far they are doing very well at it.

A more recent exciting news event reported everywhere else in the world but NOT in The Herald for some reason is the story of Tsvangirayi’s so called ‘niece’ attempting to claim a farm of her own. Dr Arikana Chihombori – a United States citizen has been telling the world her own version of how she has been attempting to secure a farm for herself from the Cremer’s in Chegutu. When the Cremer’s desisted from the latest invasion to their property they are now alleged to have called Dr Chihombori’s sister the K word and then set their dogs on her and an un-named ‘Lands Officer’. The Cremer’s deny the allegations and clearly there is no supporting evidence to these outrageous claims. No mauled sister, no ‘Lands Officer’, no independent witnesses and a report has never been made to the police. Should we be surprised? Dr Chihombori then made the mistake of getting herself interviewed by Zimbabwe Online during the course of which she presented herself as a delusional charlatan, claiming her original farm in the Wiltshire area was ‘burned to the ground by whites’ for no apparent reason. Wiltshire was originally a Purchase Area for black farmers way back in the 1960’s and remained that way until Independence in 1980. Today it should be a model farming area. I cannot comment whether it is or not. Dr Chihombori also claims relationships between herself and Jacob Zuma, Tsvangirayi, Grace Mugabe and a few others besides. There are some facts though. Dr Chihombori attended Jacob Zuma’s inauguration last month, she was ‘accompanying’ Morgan Tsvangirayi in some way inasmuch as she was photographed walking by his side and clearly she has made attempts to steal a farm in Chegutu.

Another apparent charlatan who may or may not be delusional is ZANU PF Senator Jamaya Muduvuri who it is reported is busy stealing his 5th farm from a French citizen on a farm in Kadoma. The farm is ‘protected’ (joke of course) by a bi-lateral trade agreement between Zimbabwe and the French government. Not satisfied with simply stealing the farm Senator Muduvuri is reported to be stealing the current crops of oranges, potatoes and maize while Ms Catherine Jouineau-Meredith is helpless to prevent it. The farm workers have been ‘forbidden’ to work by Muduvuri and to ensure that they don’t, they have been severely beaten. The police have refused to intervene on the usual excuse that the acts are ‘political’.

We trust the French government will do something to change this nauseous state of affairs. Or will they? So far they haven’t done much. Ho hum – Zimbabweans who care about a future for their children and grand-children won’t hold their breath.

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