The show must go on - Zimbabwe International Trade Fair
Our cell phone network has been appalling in recent weeks, but one network has managed to dramatically improve its service: my friend reckons its because the Trade Fair is going on.
It’s all part of glossing up the lie that there are no problems in Zimbabwe and trade is normal.
In 2005 we blogged here about how petrol was suddenly made available during the Trade Fair week. In 2006, we wrote about how the homeless and street kids were being rounded up and temporarily locked up to ‘clean up the streets’.
It is definately not ‘business as usual’ this year. In fact, I heard a story that on one morning the Fair was opened up and it was littered - littered - with protest phamphlets. So much so that all available police were rushed in to clean the place up before the public arrived. Not quite normal then!
The government’s line on the Fair is this (from The Herald):
“I know that our enemies were saying we would postpone the fair. What they did not realise is that as Government, we are keen to promote business because it has a direct link with the livelihood of the people.
“Why then would we postpone such a thing? It is just that some people want to politicise virtually everything,” she said.
“We have both foreign and local companies at the ZITF out to do business and that’s as it should be.”
Is business booming? The Herald tells us there were 565 exhibitors — 544 of them local and 21 foreign. Those figures don’t indicate a rush of confidence and interest to do trade with Zimbabwe to me.
It is was this comment from the first secretary for economic affairs at the Zambian Embassy in Zimbabwe that made me laugh out loud: she optimistically looks forward to business opportunites saying,
“People have expressed interest in buying sugar, cooking oil and medicines, which apparently are in short supply here,” she said.
Well… yes.. apparently they are! I’m surprised her stand wasn’t mobbed for its display if that’s what they are exhibiting.
Normal happy trading days, indeed … how ridiculous!
April 24th, 2008 11:41
Glad to hear about the pamphlets - the show must go on!
Did the pilots do the fly past? Do your remember the time when they ‘got lost’?
Zimbabweans are incorrigible!
April 24th, 2008 14:52
No visiting head of state. Western companies boycotting the Trade Fair. A lame duck president indeed.
If I was there, I would present him with a brick, and say into the microphone: “This is all I can afford to give you Mr President, but a couple of years ago the money paid for this brick would have bought a large mansion with a swimming-pool, and with possibly even a stables with a horse or two.”
April 24th, 2008 21:16
SHIFTED ATTENTION!!
Hi Sokwanele….
In as much as the ship issue is of paramount importance in the current Zim situation, we should not shift our attention from THE REAL ISSUE.. ie election results. I believe we need to lobby for the release of these reswults in the same manner people managed to block the Chinese ship.. ZANU Pf is happy with the current situation because we have shifted focus and concentrated on other issues.. Can anyone suggest a strategy