HEAL THE BELOVED COUNTRY
- 31/3/2009 <--Prev : Next-->
There is such a delightful air of positivity in Zimbabwe right now.
People are working furiously to try and get the country off its knees, full marks to everyone who is working tirelessly for the good of us all. (Are you doing your bit ?)
Civic societies are rising up in waves to bring about very necessary change - Zimbabwe Redevelopment Focus, Free Zimbabwe, Facebook has a plethora of excited groups where people gather to help the Country come right. Justice and Peace Commissions, Truth and Reconciliation Commissions, Zimbabwe Democracy and Development Foundation, Clean up the Cities campaigns.
The Sterp (Short term emergency recovery programme) seems to be working well, and everyone is waiting with baited breath to see who will triumph in the Biti/Gono standoff.... .
Suddenly things are happening in the City, there are loads of goods on the shelves again, prices are dropping steadily as more competition arrives.
In TM Supermarket in Bradfield yesterday, a wine tasting display had been set up to promote imported wines, when did you last see a tasting demonstration of any sort in the shops here ?
At my favourite haunt Solomons Supermarket they had a special "buy one sugar get one salt free !!" Now when did that last happen in Zimbabwe ???
We saw an ice cream vendor yesterday, I have not seen an ice cream vendor in years !!
Mines seem to be on the verge of opening again, factories are dusting off the cobwebs and there is a new air of expectancy about the entire population.
What we do need to do now is "Buy Zimbabwe" again so that our manufacturers can start manufacturing, our suppliers can start supplying and the wheels of our once abundant industries can start turning once again.
One can afford to get sick again as the Medical Aids have emerged from the ashes. Of course all payments are in forex, but if you have any money in the bank you can now draw it out and spend it. Such joy, only we folk who have gone through the last two years of hell on earth, can appreciate such simple pleasures.
Phone calls can now be made, even log distance calls which believe me, are a true luxury. Power cuts are becoming less and less frequent. We still do not receive any utility bills in the post but they are still so insanely high that maybe thats a good thing.
Fuel can now be purchased the normal way - from a service station !! instead of decanting it from a chigub in the garage !!
The best thing about it all is that we are now legal !! We can deal openly and honestly in any currency without fear of prosecution. No need to write to our friends talking in shackle, British pounds were termed "daffodils" or "Blairs" , South African Rands were couched as "Boerevors" and a Bushes was a pseudonym for the good old US dollar now comfortably and casually called a "User" !!
Of course I speak frivolously here for only a few lucky folk in Zimbabwe. I do not speak for the ninety percent of people in our country who are unemployed, I do not speak for the sick, the poor and the elderly, I do not speak for those who have no one overseas sending them forex.
I pray that one day all Zimbabweans will be happy, warm, well fed and secure again under a new Government where human rights and dignity actually means something. A Zimbabwe where democracy and a respect of all that is good and all that is honest, and all that is right, prevails once more.
There are still many many sadly neglected areas to be sorted out, and many billions of dollars and many years of toil will be needed to bring our Country back to some semblance or order, but there's no stopping us now - Please God.
"Zimbabweans working for Zimbabwe - Shandira / Sebenzela !"
