Focus on Zimbabwe Independence Day

Just as you exit the Harare International Airport you are confronted by a billboard with the image of Martin Luther King Jr. It is not known if Robert Mugabe reads and understands the message. 18 April 2008. Picture: Chris Kabwato

A reminder of once-upon-a-time 28 years ago…Airport Road. 18 April 2008. Picture: Chris Kabwato

Three weeks after the elections, a ZANU PF banner still hangs. Airport Road. 18 April. Picture: Chris Kabwato

The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (building to the right) is well-known for running the “parallel” market on the streets of Harare where you can buy and sell foreign currency. Samora Machel Avenue, Harare, 18 April 2008. Picture: Picture: Chris Kabwato

Fifth Street, Harare, is the centre of foreign currency deals by the ordinary public. 18 April 2008. Picture: Chris Kabwato

Robert Mugabe’s entourage heads for Gwanzura Stadium in Highfield Township, Harare. Enterprise Road, 18 April 2008. Picture: Chris Kabwato

ZANU PF youths chant party slogans enroute to the Independence Day event at Gwanzura Stadium. Mushandira Pamwe Hotel, Highfield, 18 April 2008. Picture: Chris Kabwato

Two members of the ZANU PF militia join the slogan-chanting youths. Mushandira Pamwe Hotel, 18 April 2008. Picture: Chris Kabwato

ZIM 1 – Robert Mugabe’s official car arrives at the Gwanzura Stadium, Highfield, Harare, 18 April 2008. Picture: Chris Kabwato

A guard of honour for Robert Mugabe. Gwanzura Stadium, Highfield, Harare, 18 April 2008. Picture: Chris Kabwato

All the President’s Men. Gwanzura Stadium, Highfield, Harare, 18 April 2008. Picture: Chris Kabwato

Catch them young and use them to defend “the revolution”. Youths outside Gwanzura Stadium show their support for ZANU PF. Highfield, Harare, 18 April 2008. Picture: Chris Kabwato

“Something change, somethings don’t…” This advert for a popular Zimbabwean juice seems to capture all. Simon Mazorodze Road, Mbare, Harare, 18 April 2008. Picture: Chris Kabwato

“Muri bho-o here?” (Are you fine?). A now rather tasteless question from a brewer of traditional alcohol hangs across the skywalk on Julius Nyerere Street. Harare, 18 April 2008. Picture: Chris Kabwato

Outside the MDC Headquarters the opposition sends a message well after the elections. Harvest House, Nelson Mandela Street, Harare, 18 April 2008. Picture: Chris Kabwato

The sole daily newspaper in Zimbabwe is controlled by party and government apparachtniks. The Herald reads like a Graham Greene novel - very menacing like The Comedians. Picture: Chris Kabwato

Activists like Takura Zhangazha of MISA-Zimbabwe keep up the struggle for a democratic Zimbabwe but acknowledge the difficult times ahead. MISA offices, Harare, 18 April 2008. Picture: Chris Kabwato

Zimbabweans have lost faith in SADC and conversations and acres of print convey that message. Picture: Chris Kabwato

A state-owned company that has run the economy aground finds some money to send a message of congratulations on Zimbabwe’s Indepence Day anniversary. Who exactly is being congratulated and for what is unclear. Picture: Chris Kabwato

Student leader, Clever Bere (right), with Takura Zhangazha of MISA-Zimbabwe. Bere was leaving for a civil society meeting in Tanzania. 18 April 2008. Picture: Chris Kabwato

Ambassador Hotel, Harare, hosts the Quill Club, a social meeting place for Zimbabwe’s journalists. There fact and fiction interweave until one is no longer so sure as to what is happening in Zimbabwe. 18 April 2008. Picture: Chris Kabwato

“Ain’t no sunshine until he is gone…”. At least that is how I felt as I took this picture at the Africa Unity Square, Nelson Mandela Avenue, Harare, 18 April 2008. Picture: Chris Kabwato

“Something is rotten in the state of Denmark”. Fading posters peel off the wall of this public toilet on Robert Mugabe Street, Harare, 18 April 2008. Picture: Chris Kabwato

A conversation with Zizi Kodwa, ANC youth leader, assured me that President Thabo Mbeki and a small coterie of hangers-on, was alone in believing that there was no crisis in Zimbabwe. Picture: Chris Kabwato

Rhodes University students demonstrate against the lack of freedom in Zimbabwe. Grahamstown, South Africa, 18 April 2008. Picture: Levi Kabwato

A Rhodes University demonstrator in Grahamstown, South Africa leaves no doubt of her opinion on President Thabo Mbeki. 18 April 2008. Picture: Levi Kabwato.

Zimbabwe’s leading graphics designer, Chaz Maviyane, has been circulating some critical graphics on his country’s politics (see www.maviyane.com)

Inquiries on use of images – Chris Kabwato, kumbirayi@gmail.com

Editorial: Mugabe, Zimbabwe and the Future

One person recently said at a conference on online journalism, “Show me a society without free media and I will show you a dictatorship.” I remembered this statement as a colleague and I tried to figure how we were going to cover Zimbabwe’s Independence Day celebrations at Gwanzura Stadium in one of the capital city’s sprawling townships.
To do journalism in Zimbabwe you need to be registered with a government-controlled body, the Media and Information Commission (MIC). The MIC, so innocuously named, is packed with ruling party stalwarts and my colleague had been denied accreditation for sometime. Now he was doing all sorts of jobs including selling tomatoes! He was more worried about the kind of environment his daughter would grow up in rather than my urgent request.
I thank you friend for your guts and chutzpah. You helped me get what I wanted – understanding what drives ZANU-PF lunatics. I got that experience from the group of ZANU youths we gave a ride to the stadium and listened to their songs and conversation; to the intelligence officer who came up to me as I took pictures and asked simply “Tingazivane?” (May we know each other?). Menacing simplicity. I also felt the power of the gun as we went through five different security checkpoints at the stadium – air force, national army, military police, plainclothes police and central intelligence officers. As Mugabe’s entourage entered the stadium with wailing sirens, soldiers running in front of the black Mercedes limousine, and the MC hailing the crowd to cheer, I knew we were in for a bloody struggle. The looting class was not going to give up their goldmine easily. We have tried the ballot box and got screwed…
These are not photos to enjoy. They are pictures that tell a story of how one person can create hell on earth and weave a story of a revolution at war with global imperialism and local puppets. But Mugabe is not leading a revolution. There is no coherent ideology - only downright looting, suppression of people’s will, rule with impunity and voodoo economics. The emperor has no clothes!
As we fight for a new Zimbabwe I recall Ayi Kwei Armah’s haunting words in The Beautyful Ones Are Not Yet Born (sic):
The listening mind is disturbed by memories from the past. So much time has passed but still no sweetness here…

Aluta.
Chris Kabwato – Project Coordinator

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Aftermaths…

Residents of Meyrick Park patiently queue for bread. 7 April

People stand in a queue waiting for their turn inside a Post Office Savings Bank (POSB) Branch on Cnr. Leopald Takawira and Nelson Mandela Avenues. 7 April

Two men jump into the cabin of a two-tonner in aneffort to get transport from the high density suburb of Warren Park to the City Centre. 8 April

The critical shortage of basic commodities and other foodstuffs has meant that Zimbabweans have to jump from one queue to the other in search of these. 8 April

Bread vendors lay their ‘wares’ and wait on customers to come by along this road in Kambuzuma township. 8 April

Residents queue for bread outside a food store in Central Harare. 7 April

Journalists and some members of the public wait outside the High Court of Zimbabwe to hear the outcome of a petition lodged by the MDC to force the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission to release the March 28 presidential election results. 7 April

A man watches as Biker policemen patrol Angwa Street. 7 April

Pictures: Levi Kabwato

Return of the repressed…

Abusive – that is the term Elinor Sisulu used in describing Mugabe’s relationship with the people of Zimbabwe a few days ago on SABC’s Morning Live programme. It was a particularly incisive comment. It captured the essence of what has gone wrong with that dear country. A relationship of trust had broken down over a decade of madness – stealing elections, looting the state coffers, subverting the judiciary, militarization of the state and general anarchy led by the elite. Now when will of the people was beginning to manifest itself there was panic in the corridors of power. The defence chiefs met to deliberate on the horror unfolding before them – the docile people no longer wanted the old man in the office.

No one can stop an idea whose time has come said Victor Hugo. And the time had come. As I traversed the country a few days prior to the election the feeling of something more that a political earthquake was palpable. People had now hit rock-bottom and they wanted to swim back to the surface and to the shore. It was an exciting period. Everyone wanted to vote. Everyone believed change would come from the ballot box. But the old man with a Hilterite moustache had other ideas. Suddenly the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission began to play games – Elinor called it “choreography” – election results were announced in dribs and drabs.

The tragic charade continues…Two weeks after the elections we stand on the brink of catastrophe. Mugabe should not be allowed to subvert the will of the people.

We urge all Zimbabweans, and those who support our cause, to mobilize against ZANU PF thuggery, shamelessness and illegitimate hold to power. For our part we have revived the Zimbabwe Election in Photos newsletter and we will bring you the action as it unfolds in our country. This action is little compared to the work of the opposition parties, civil society and the media. But at this point every little bit counts…Don’t moan, organise!

Chris Kabwato

Project Coordinator

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