Six impossible things before breakfast

via Six impossible things before breakfast – Zimbabwe Vigil Diary: 29th November 2014 29 November 2014

As Chinamasa delivered his fantasy budget, the Vigil turned to Alice in Wonderland for an insight in what is going on in Zimbabwe. After all, like Alice in the book, we are in a world where we are required to believe six impossible things before breakfast. In our case:

1. ‘We are not a basket case’ (Chinamasa tells a Johannesburg business breakfast).

2. ‘Zimbabwe’s economic prospects are weighed down by sanctions’ (Chinamasa’s budget speech).

3. ‘Corruption has been caused by sanctions’ (Chinamasa tells Danish delegation).

4. ‘The exposure of corruption in the media is the work of subversive elements trying to destroy the government from within’ (Vice President Mujuru).

5. ‘Zim-Asset is the answer to our problems’ (Zanu-PF mantra).

6. ‘The Khampepe Report (on the 2002 elections) is a mere private opinion’ (official Zanu-PF view).

    

   As Zanu PF leaders run around in a circle like Alice in Wonderland’s crazy Caucus-race, allegiances fade away like the Cheshire Cat, leaving only a grin floating in mid-air.

    

   In this topsy-turvy world it seems that Joyce Mujuru is cast as Alice eating cake until she grows too big and Queen of Hearts Grace orders: ‘Off with her head and the heads of all her supporters’.

    

   Mugabe himself is obviously the book’s Dormouse, forever falling asleep at the Mad Hatter’s eternal tea party as they try to stuff him into the teapot.

    

   Will they all wake up before it’s too late?

    

   As Alice says, the Crocodile awaits:

   ‘How cheerfully he seems to grin,

   And neatly spreads his claws,

   And welcomes little fishes in,

   With gently smiling jaws!’

    

   (For those who need reminding of the Alice story, see:http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/alice/summary.html.)

    

   For an analysis of the fantasy budget, see this article by the Zimbabwean economist Tony Hawkins writing for the UK Financial Times (http://blogs.ft.com/beyond-brics/2014/11/28/zimbabwe-ducks-wage-bill-pledge-in-new-budget/).

    

   Other points

• A Zimbabwean woman who dropped by the Vigil said she used to work for Air Zimbabwe and recalled that 15 years ago she witnessed a full plane preparing for take-off being unloaded so that Dr Grace could be flown on a shopping trip to Paris. They even reconfigured the passenger seats to put in a bed for her. We expect that when she is President she will need the whole fleet for her shopping expeditions.

• We have received the following message: On behalf of all the Trustees of the Mike Campbell Foundation, I would like to thank all the Vigil who came to the Royal Geographical Society on November 4th for their wonderful singing.  What a joy it was for everyone arriving to hear . . . Please can you thank them all for coming and giving a message of Hope.  It is hard to keep the Hope when such terrible things are going on . . . Many thanks to you all. God bless you, with love Claire (Freeth). For those who missed our report on the occasion see Vigil Diary of 8^th November:http://www.zimvigil.co.uk/the-vigil-diary/628-eu-betrays-zimbabwe-zimbabwe-vigil-diary-8th-november-2014.

• Thanks to David Kadzutu, Mary Muteyerwa, Iline Manhunzi, Peter Sidindi, Linton Magume, Mavis Chisvo, Rosemary Maponga, Nkosikona Tshabangu, Eric Eluwasi and Fungayi Mabhuni who were there at the start of the Vigil to help set up.

   

  For latest Vigil pictures check: http://www.flickr.com/photos/zimbabwevigil/. Please note: Vigil photos can only be downloaded from our Flickr website.

   

  FOR THE RECORD: 26 signed the register.

   

  EVENTS AND NOTICES:

• ROHR Executive Committee meeting. Saturday 6^th December from 1 – 5 pm. Venue:RISC 35-39 London St, Reading, Berkshire, RG1 4PS.

• The Restoration of Human Rights in Zimbabwe (ROHR) is the Vigil’s partner organization based in Zimbabwe. ROHR grew out of the need for the Vigil to have an organization on the ground in Zimbabwe which reflected the Vigil’s mission statement in a practical way. ROHR in the UK actively fundraises through membership subscriptions, events, sales etc to support the activities of ROHR in Zimbabwe. Please note that the official website of ROHR Zimbabwe is http://www.rohrzimbabwe.org/. Any other website claiming to be the official website of ROHR in no way represents us.

• Zimbabwe Action Forum (ZAF) meets regularly after the Vigil to discuss ways to help those back in Zimbabwe to fight oppression and achieve true democracy. Venue: Strand Continental Hotel (first floor lounge), 143 Strand, London WC2R 1JA. From the Vigil it’s about a 10 minute walk, in the direction away from Trafalgar Square. The Strand Continental is situated on the south side of the Strand between Somerset House and the turn off onto Waterloo Bridge. The entrance is marked by a sign at street level. It’s between a newsagent and Pizza Express. Nearest underground: Temple (District and Circle lines) and Holborn.

• Zimbabwe Vigil Highlights 2013 can be viewed on this link:http://www.zimvigil.co.uk/vigil-news/campaign-news/560-vigil-highlights-2013. Links to previous years’ highlights are listed on 2013 Highlights page.

Facebook pages:

• • Vigil: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=8157345519&ref=ts

  • ZAF: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Zimbabwe-Action-Forum-ZAF/490257051027515

  • ROHR: https://www.facebook.co/pages/ROHR-Zimbabwe-Restoration-of-Human-Rights/301811392835

• SW Radio Africa’s website and sound archive is being hosted on www.archive.org. Go to their site and type in swradioafrica which will link you to snapshots of their site over the years and at the top of that page a link to their website where, under podcasts, you will find the audio.