Comments on: Eddie Cross’s response to ‘More questions than answers’ http://www.sokwanele.com/thisiszimbabwe/archives/393 This is Zimbabwe is Sokwanele's pro-democracy activist blog. It provides grassroots news and views from Zimbabwe. Wed, 17 Mar 2010 01:43:09 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: A.L. http://www.sokwanele.com/thisiszimbabwe/archives/393/comment-page-1#comment-1120 A.L. Sat, 08 Apr 2006 14:51:04 +0000 http://www.sokwanele.com/thisiszimbabwe/?p=393#comment-1120 Who cares? Is this the biggest issue facing zimbabweans right now? I just heard on the news today that Zimbabwe has the lowest life expectancy in the world 37 for men and 34 for women. As someone from the US I would have thought that writing about things like that would be a better way to get the international community involved in what's happening in the country. I doubt that this sort of childish debate is going to become a political solution so maybe it would be better to get the world ready for the inevitable massive aid campaigns because it won't be long before pictures of the dying starving children covered in flies start appearing on our TV screens. I have some kind of connection to zimbabwe (my husband's family are zimbabwean) and I care about the people there, but I have contempt for politicians who spend their time arguing over petty points while people are dying. Don't spend too much time on this sort of thing Sokwanele - your efforts are obviously needed elsewhere because the politicians aren't bothering.<div class="comment-remix-meta"><a href="#" class="replyto" onclick="replyto('1120','A.L.'); return false;">Reply to this comment</a> --- <a href="#" class="quote" onclick="quote('1120','A.L.','Who cares? Is this the biggest issue facing zimbabweans right now? I just heard on the news today that Zimbabwe has the lowest life expectancy in the world 37 for men and 34 for women. As someone from the US I would have thought that writing about things like that would be a better way to get the international community involved in what\'s happening in the country. I doubt that this sort of childish debate is going to become a political solution so maybe it would be better to get the world ready for the inevitable massive aid campaigns because it won\'t be long before pictures of the dying starving children covered in flies start appearing on our TV screens. I have some kind of connection to zimbabwe (my husband\'s family are zimbabwean) and I care about the people there, but I have contempt for politicians who spend their time arguing over petty points while people are dying. Don\'t spend too much time on this sort of thing Sokwanele - your efforts are obviously needed elsewhere because the politicians aren\'t bothering.'); return false;">Quote from this comment</a></div> Who cares? Is this the biggest issue facing zimbabweans right now? I just heard on the news today that Zimbabwe has the lowest life expectancy in the world 37 for men and 34 for women. As someone from the US I would have thought that writing about things like that would be a better way to get the international community involved in what’s happening in the country. I doubt that this sort of childish debate is going to become a political solution so maybe it would be better to get the world ready for the inevitable massive aid campaigns because it won’t be long before pictures of the dying starving children covered in flies start appearing on our TV screens. I have some kind of connection to zimbabwe (my husband’s family are zimbabwean) and I care about the people there, but I have contempt for politicians who spend their time arguing over petty points while people are dying. Don’t spend too much time on this sort of thing Sokwanele – your efforts are obviously needed elsewhere because the politicians aren’t bothering.
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]]> By: ex-zimbo http://www.sokwanele.com/thisiszimbabwe/archives/393/comment-page-1#comment-1119 ex-zimbo Sat, 08 Apr 2006 14:38:36 +0000 http://www.sokwanele.com/thisiszimbabwe/?p=393#comment-1119 To answer your question Zimbabwean in the US:- I think the point is that the two factions are in competition with each other. So if the one faction can show that they can draw a lot of people to their congress then they can claim that they are the most popular faction in the country and so on and so on. I think that the bottom line for all zimbabweans who want democracy is to get rid of Mugabe, and I think that many zimbabweans will probably choose to support the faction or party they think is the most likely TO GET THE MOST VOTES AT ELECTION and GET RID OF MUGABE regardless of the party's policies. No 1 priority is to get rid of zanu because they're DESTRYOING the country and No 2 priority would be to get the party of their choice. It's a big debate and the arguments I've heard tend to be either 'support tsvangirai because he has the support of the people, and then the minute he's in power take him to task over the things he does wrong and hopefully with a democracy the right guy will get in'. Or, 'what if tsvangirai is another mugabe and doesn't allow a real democracy and then we're stuck with him forever'. So, back to the numbers ... a good way to convince people that your party will get the most votes is to have the biggest crowds. I'm not sure that I agree that it is only about claiming to be the REAL version of the party as the Sokwanele article tries to say. I think it's probably more about trying to get people to believe your party has the biggest potential regardless of whether it is the genuine party or not! But how does a political party get people to swell the crowds if they aren't really that interested in politics anymore? You offer them an incentive to come - free meals in a country where people are starving would probably do the trick. So I THINK the suggestion is that 5000 people were delegates (because they voted) and the 10,000 were there for an entirely different purpose - propaganda, spin, call it what you like. As for me, I don't trust either faction.<div class="comment-remix-meta"><a href="#" class="replyto" onclick="replyto('1119','ex-zimbo'); return false;">Reply to this comment</a> --- <a href="#" class="quote" onclick="quote('1119','ex-zimbo','To answer your question Zimbabwean in the US:- \r\n\r\nI think the point is that the two factions are in competition with each other. So if the one faction can show that they can draw a lot of people to their congress then they can claim that they are the most popular faction in the country and so on and so on. \r\n\r\nI think that the bottom line for all zimbabweans who want democracy is to get rid of Mugabe, and I think that many zimbabweans will probably choose to support the faction or party they think is the most likely TO GET THE MOST VOTES AT ELECTION and GET RID OF MUGABE regardless of the party\'s policies. No 1 priority is to get rid of zanu because they\'re DESTRYOING the country and No 2 priority would be to get the party of their choice. \r\n\r\nIt\'s a big debate and the arguments I\'ve heard tend to be either \'support tsvangirai because he has the support of the people, and then the minute he\'s in power take him to task over the things he does wrong and hopefully with a democracy the right guy will get in\'. Or, \'what if tsvangirai is another mugabe and doesn\'t allow a real democracy and then we\'re stuck with him forever\'.\r\n\r\nSo, back to the numbers ... a good way to convince people that your party will get the most votes is to have the biggest crowds. I\'m not sure that I agree that it is only about claiming to be the REAL version of the party as the Sokwanele article tries to say. I think it\'s probably more about trying to get people to believe your party has the biggest potential regardless of whether it is the genuine party or not!\r\n\r\nBut how does a political party get people to swell the crowds if they aren\'t really that interested in politics anymore? You offer them an incentive to come - free meals in a country where people are starving would probably do the trick. \r\n\r\nSo I THINK the suggestion is that 5000 people were delegates (because they voted) and the 10,000 were there for an entirely different purpose - propaganda, spin, call it what you like.\r\n\r\nAs for me, I don\'t trust either faction.'); return false;">Quote from this comment</a></div> To answer your question Zimbabwean in the US:-

I think the point is that the two factions are in competition with each other. So if the one faction can show that they can draw a lot of people to their congress then they can claim that they are the most popular faction in the country and so on and so on.

I think that the bottom line for all zimbabweans who want democracy is to get rid of Mugabe, and I think that many zimbabweans will probably choose to support the faction or party they think is the most likely TO GET THE MOST VOTES AT ELECTION and GET RID OF MUGABE regardless of the party’s policies. No 1 priority is to get rid of zanu because they’re DESTRYOING the country and No 2 priority would be to get the party of their choice.

It’s a big debate and the arguments I’ve heard tend to be either ’support tsvangirai because he has the support of the people, and then the minute he’s in power take him to task over the things he does wrong and hopefully with a democracy the right guy will get in’. Or, ‘what if tsvangirai is another mugabe and doesn’t allow a real democracy and then we’re stuck with him forever’.

So, back to the numbers … a good way to convince people that your party will get the most votes is to have the biggest crowds. I’m not sure that I agree that it is only about claiming to be the REAL version of the party as the Sokwanele article tries to say. I think it’s probably more about trying to get people to believe your party has the biggest potential regardless of whether it is the genuine party or not!

But how does a political party get people to swell the crowds if they aren’t really that interested in politics anymore? You offer them an incentive to come – free meals in a country where people are starving would probably do the trick.

So I THINK the suggestion is that 5000 people were delegates (because they voted) and the 10,000 were there for an entirely different purpose – propaganda, spin, call it what you like.

As for me, I don’t trust either faction.

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]]> By: Don Kirk http://www.sokwanele.com/thisiszimbabwe/archives/393/comment-page-1#comment-1112 Don Kirk Sat, 08 Apr 2006 09:05:32 +0000 http://www.sokwanele.com/thisiszimbabwe/?p=393#comment-1112 Five thousand, or ten thousand, or maybe fifteen thousand at an opposition Zimbabwean political congress, and not a single picture for the world to view. By the way - When did Mr. Cross's printed use of the extremely American phrase, "real McCoy," become part of the lexicon of Zimbabwe?<div class="comment-remix-meta"><a href="#" class="replyto" onclick="replyto('1112','Don Kirk'); return false;">Reply to this comment</a> --- <a href="#" class="quote" onclick="quote('1112','Don Kirk','Five thousand, or ten thousand, or maybe fifteen thousand at an opposition Zimbabwean political congress, and not a single picture for the world to view.\r\n\r\nBy the way - When did Mr. Cross\'s printed use of the extremely American phrase, \"real McCoy,\" become part of the lexicon of Zimbabwe?'); return false;">Quote from this comment</a></div> Five thousand, or ten thousand, or maybe fifteen thousand at an opposition Zimbabwean political congress, and not a single picture for the world to view.

By the way – When did Mr. Cross’s printed use of the extremely American phrase, “real McCoy,” become part of the lexicon of Zimbabwe?

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]]> By: Jane King (UK) http://www.sokwanele.com/thisiszimbabwe/archives/393/comment-page-1#comment-1074 Jane King (UK) Thu, 06 Apr 2006 10:52:29 +0000 http://www.sokwanele.com/thisiszimbabwe/?p=393#comment-1074 … glad to see you aren’t above publishing critical feedback. If you were incorrect on the first point (congress vs conference) then you are not alone:

In Esigodini at the Zanu PF congress last December the president complained about the late delivery of agricultural inputs saying there were “serious shortcomings in government planning”. (via Zimbabwe Independent)

War veterans had to act swiftly to quench a possible revolt at Zanu PF’s congress rendezvous in Esigodini. Villagers were incensed by the apparent ‘feasting’ of Zanu PF members while they were scrounging for food. (via ZimDaily)

Zimbabwe’s ruling party wraps up its annual congress today, secure in its political domination, but facing the daunting task of pulling the economy out of crisis and overcoming factionalism. (via SABC News, South Africa)

“Happily our people can see the real character of the MDC,” Mugabe told senior members of his Zanu-PF party on Friday, gathered for the annual congress in Esigodini, in southern Matabeleland province. (via News24)

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]]> By: Zimbabwean in the US http://www.sokwanele.com/thisiszimbabwe/archives/393/comment-page-1#comment-1073 Zimbabwean in the US Thu, 06 Apr 2006 09:30:55 +0000 http://www.sokwanele.com/thisiszimbabwe/?p=393#comment-1073 I don't get what the big deal is about the numbers...? So what if 5,000 voted and 10,000 ate meals...? What's the point here...?!?!<div class="comment-remix-meta"><a href="#" class="replyto" onclick="replyto('1073','Zimbabwean in the US'); return false;">Reply to this comment</a> --- <a href="#" class="quote" onclick="quote('1073','Zimbabwean in the US','I don\'t get what the big deal is about the numbers...? So what if 5,000 voted and 10,000 ate meals...? What\'s the point here...?!?!'); return false;">Quote from this comment</a></div> I don’t get what the big deal is about the numbers…? So what if 5,000 voted and 10,000 ate meals…? What’s the point here…?!?!
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]]> By: Global Voices Online » Blog Archive » Zimbabwe: MDC Congress http://www.sokwanele.com/thisiszimbabwe/archives/393/comment-page-1#comment-1072 Global Voices Online » Blog Archive » Zimbabwe: MDC Congress Thu, 06 Apr 2006 07:56:30 +0000 http://www.sokwanele.com/thisiszimbabwe/?p=393#comment-1072 [...] This is Zimbabwe publishes the response by Eddie Cross to a series of questions posed on their blog regarding the governance and politics of Zimbabwe and in particular to the MFD congress that recently took place. [...]<div class="comment-remix-meta"><a href="#" class="replyto" onclick="replyto('1072','Global Voices Online » Blog Archive » Zimbabwe: MDC Congress'); return false;">Reply to this comment</a> --- <a href="#" class="quote" onclick="quote('1072','Global Voices Online » Blog Archive » Zimbabwe: MDC Congress','[...] This is Zimbabwe publishes the response by Eddie Cross to a series of questions posed on their blog regarding the governance and politics of Zimbabwe and in particular to the MFD congress that recently took place. [...]'); return false;">Quote from this comment</a></div> [...] This is Zimbabwe publishes the response by Eddie Cross to a series of questions posed on their blog regarding the governance and politics of Zimbabwe and in particular to the MFD congress that recently took place. [...]
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