Painting by Owen Maseko, from a Bulawayo exhibition that opened last night

Owen Maseko

Owen Maseko the world famous Zimbabwean artist has been arrested. His crime? He dared to be bold. Maseko opened his exhibition last night at the Bulawayo National Art Gallery, an artist’s impression of the harsh reality of Gukurahundi as well as the decades of oppression and violence that have characterised Zimbabwe. In a combination of graffiti, 3D installations and his painting Maseko unflinchingly dared to tell the truth, adding his usual and whimsical element of humour. Visit his website here.

Voti Thebe, the person in charge of the Bulawayo National Arts Gallery, was also arrested.

Stand up for the freedom of expression in Zimbabwe and help free Maseko. He is being held at Bulawayo Central Police Station, charges have not been made, but they are refusing to release him. Because he has been arrested on a Friday, Maseko is likely to spend the whole weekend in one of Zimbabwe’s filthy cells.

Passers-by crane their necks to see the artwork on display

On paper, Zimbabwe’s constitution protects freedom of expression but in practice, when it comes to expressing criticism of Zanu PF atrocities, the police have ignored this. (more…)

Morgan Tsvangirai at the Delta Gallery exhibition, Harare

An extract of graffiti featured in Owen Maseko's exhibition, Bulawayo

The war for freedom of expression is being waged across Zimbabwe.

This week has seen two major exhibitions being interfered with by the police for daring to give an honest voice to the tragedy and suffering that have plagued this nation for too long now. (more…)

Report Cover

The Africa All Party Parliamentary Group (UK) published a report on land reform in Zimbabwe (December 2009). Download a copy of the full report from here. The report concludes that no secret deals were made at Lancaster House (all of the key findings provided at the end of this post).

In the introduction to the report titled Land in Zimbabwe: past mistakes, future prospects, the chair of the Africa APPG writes:

The Africa All Party Parliamentary Group believes that agriculture will remain the main driver of Zimbabwe’s economy for the foreseeable future. We also believe that the British government has a role to play in helping restore the Zimbabwe economy by supporting a land policy that is just, based on law and benefits all Zimbabweans. We do not think this will be easy. Land in Zimbabwe and throughout much of southern Africa is an emotive issue. Despite the successful transition from Rhodesia to Zimbabwe, there remains much bitterness about the role Britain has played in the country since colonisation – including what many indigenous Zimbabweans see as an illegitimate ‘land grab’ by the European settlers that created a deeply unequal society. Furthermore, Britain’s failure to prevent the Unilateral Declaration of Independence by Rhodesian whites in 1963 and the bitter war for liberation that ensued has continued to make relations between Zimbabwe and Britain difficult.

Recently there has been a growing belief among Zimbabweans and others that during the Lancaster House talks that led to Zimbabwe’s independence Britain and the United States made promises concerning land transfer which were later betrayed. These promises, it is claimed, included specific amounts to buy out white Zimbabwean land-owners and set up black Zimbabweans as farmers, thereby righting a colonial wrong. (more…)

Mana Pools National Park

The Zambezi Society is  calling all its members, and concerned members of the public, to help act towards the protection of the Zambezi wilderness. The Zambezi Society is a non-profit, non-governmental, membership organisation working to promote the conservation and environmentally sound management of the Zambezi River and its basin for the benefit of wilderness, wildlife and people.

PROTEA HOTELS DEVELOPMENT PROPOSAL – ZAMBIA

Zambezi Society members need to know about a 144-bed hotel development proposed by the Protea Hotel Group, Zambia to be situated on the banks of the Zambezi River, in communal land in the Chiawa Game Management Area some 500m opposite Vundu Point in the Mana Pools National Park and World Heritage Site.

An advertisement has appeared in the Zambian newspapers asking for public comments and/or objections to on the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) document for this development that has been submitted to the Environment Council of Zambia (ECZ) for approval. Submissions should reach the ECZ (see contact details below) NO LATER THAN 14th APRIL 2010

The Zambezi Society was first alerted to this through concerned Zambian tour operators and conservationists (not through the developers nor the consultant who completed the EIS). (more…)

A new and very up market casino has opened at the Ascot Race Course in Bulawayo.

The race course ceased to operate several years ago and the once splendid buildings and grandstands are now the homes of various businesses and restaurants.

The new casino comprises two floors of opulent decadence featuring plush red carpeting and satin lampshades!!

The downstairs area boasts rows of brightly coloured and enticing one armed bandits and the more discreet upstairs area is tastefully decorated with fringed red satin lampshades placed artfully and subtly low over several elegant baize tables.

There is also the obligatory bar with imported beers and the finest wines.

All this owned by our diamond studded minister Obert Mpofu and his brother, and while the Red Cross and World Vision rush around Zimbabwe in an effort to avert  massive humanitarian starvation amidst the less fortunate Zimbabwe population, the nouveau riche and infamous will gamble the night away happily.
(more…)

The 'Smoking lounge'

There has been much hype in the Zim government press over the coming 2010 world cup, with Ministers and their lackeys drivelling on about the (highly unrealistic) expected influx of tourists. Of course there will be some spill over from the soccer frenzy, but sadly most of it will take the form of tourists flying directly into Victoria Falls or crossing over from Livingstone, for a day or two on their way to better facilities in South Africa, Botswana and Zambia. One would think that the great Maosi Tunya was actually a South African destination as it is very often included in their domestic tour packages. Having visited the tourist town recently it is a sad, faded, shabby remnant of its previous glorious self. Indeed Unesco is currently threatening to downgrade it as a world heritage site.

Zimbabwe was once a tourist mecca, with all ages and budgets flocking to visit our rich and diverse range of destinations, from the Matobo hills to Hwange game reserve, the Victoria Falls to Kariba dam, Nyanga to Gonarezhou. Today over 80% of the luxury lodges, backpacker inns and small establishments have closed. I visited the Hwange Safari Lodge (owned mainly by ZPF) last year and we were the only tourists there rattling around in a vast hotel and being followed by a herd of staff, all bemoaning the state of affairs and longing for the old days when they were run off their feet. (more…)

Conference Flyer

(Via circulated email) Human Resources (Pvt) Ltd has obtained a commitment from the Minister and the Permanent Secretary to address a follow-up conference on Friday, March 26.

A good line-up of lawyers and experienced business speakers have also been asked to address the conference and will  make a useful contribution too.

If you can make it to the conference and if you can help the government officials gain a better understanding of the requirements of genuinely helpful indigenisation promotion policies, or even if you want to gain a better understanding of the issues involved, this could be a very important event for you to attend.

Details on how to enrol in the flyer available for download at the end of this post. Fees and speaker details provided below.

Speakers:

• Hon. Minister S. Kasukuwere – Min. of Youth Dev., Ind. & Empowerment
• The Permanent Secretary – Min. of Youth Dev., Ind. & Empowerment (Panel)
• Mr T. Musarara – Secretary General, AAG
• Prof. E. Masunungure – Director, MPOI
• Adv. E. Morris – LLB(Hons), (Lond), Barrister
• Mr J. Robertson – Economic Consultant, REIS
• Adv. Jeremy Lewis – Optima Services
• Mr P. Cawood – Independent Consultant
• Dr E. Bloch – Partner, H & E Bloch & Co
• Mr D Harrison – Industrial Psychologist, Human Resources (Pvt) Ltd

This Conference will go ahead, especially if the Act/Regs are repealed/withdrawn, in the interests of national economic development

FEE: $120-00 (includes lunches, refreshments, e-mail or hard copies of all papers, and attendance at all sessions). Enter early to avoid disappointment. Fee may be tax allowable. Group discounts negotiable. Cancellations will not be refunded, but substitutes may be nominated. (Space limited, only one Jacaranda Room)
Bank Details: Stanbic Bank, Park Lane Branch, Acc. No.0222023094401 or cash to
11 Lawson Avenue, cnr Blakiston Street, Milton Park, Harare.

Click here to download a copy of the flyer and enrolment form: in PDF format and in Word format. Click the image above to enlarge and preview.

Please circulate widely.

Gwaai River Hotel as it was in its glory days

Gwaai River Hotel today, after ten years of chaotic 'land reform'

A friend today gave me images of the Gwaai River Hotel taken in recent years, and it hurled me back to my childhood. The hotel is a fixture of my very early youth, inextricably locked into my earliest memories of Zimbabwe. A year or so ago I was with my father when we drove past the turning off to the hotel, and I asked him to take me back so I could see it again: “There’s nothing there anymore; I don’t think you should see it”. My father, who once introduced me to a friend of his as his ‘bush baby’, knows how much I loved the place.

I understood from the pictures I saw today why he didn’t want me to see it. It is gone. Totally destroyed, and all this senseless destruction has taken place in the last ten years in the wake of Zanu PF’s chaotic land reform programme. My memories, however, are not destroyed. (more…)