To Robert Mugabe & ZANU PF – It’s time to accept failure! (by Melusi Sibanda)

Feeling that maybe I was being over emotional and counter-productive by ranting on what should be a pro-human rights opinion blog I decided to take a hiatus to sit back and observe the happenings in the home country.

It’s been emotionally draining and utterly depressing to watch everything go downhill at an ever-decreasing pace.

To mention a few headlines doing the rounds;

-       Tail between your legs and begging your ‘mortal enemy’ to pay to fix your mess (http://www.zimbabwesituation.com/news/zimsit_zimbabwe-asks-britain-for-funds-to-educate-a-million-children/)

-       The diamonds running out and losing value (www.newzimbabwe.com/business-14333-Marange+diamonds+lose+global+shine/business.aspx)

-       The shocking and almost laughable currency situation (http://allafrica.com/stories/201401300780.html)

-       The of archaic and almost barbaric trial of GALZ  leader Martha Tholanah (http://www.zimbabwesituation.com/news/zimsit_zim-authorities-under-spotlight-as-galz-trial-commences/)

After reaching boiling point each time I follow these stories and others like them, I have somehow managed to regain control of my emotions and provide what could be observed by some as a more ‘mature’ opinion. It may be down to the ‘less wine, more herbal tea resolution’.

BTW – I cannot promise nor guarantee that this phase will last all...

Anyway, here goes:

So let’s start by agreeing none of us like to fail, it’s just a genetic thing, however there’s a great possibility that your (Mr President) relationship with failure is stopping you and your team (ZANU PF) dealing with some of the biggest problems of our time and causing harm to us all!

You see, in mine and other ‘normal people’s personal experiences, failing is a good sign that you’re trying something new therefore we can go on to speak and discuss the benefits of our failures in order to help us move forward.

Not in your case Mr President! At the risk of this sounding like another rant, all I can say is your level of failure is probably the worst in the ‘history of failure’! In your case the problems you have failed to resolve are mere symptoms of other problems, which were also symptoms of problems which developed from symptoms that you created – you dig!! You haven’t tried anything new to resolve these symptoms – in the words of Albert Einstein, ‘Insanity is doing something over and over again and expecting a different result!’

 In the end the problems are so inter-connected that it is impossible to pull them apart, hence FAILURE!!

What to do now - I’m afraid to say there is no longer a solution to our problem – however I strongly believe there is a chance to begin searching for what could only be an improvement to our situation.

The ONLY step to this is for you Mr President to accept failure step down and dismantle your entire ZANU PF machine.

So my message to you Mr President is simple – It’s time to consider failure as a viable option, so grow up and move on!!!

Melusi Sibanda – Information & Publicity Secretary – ROHRZIM Bradford Branch

A new year, the same struggle for Human Rights continues - by Justice Sibanda

Zimbabwean authorities’ homophobic attitude towards gays and lesbians was on the spotlight yesterday when Martha Tholanah, the chairperson of Gays and Lesbians of Zimbabwe (GALZ) went on trial at Harare Magistrates Court for allegedly running an “unregistered” organisation.  The papers served on the GALZ chairperson, summonsing her to attend court are vague as they do not state the exact Act which GALZ represented by Tholanah allegedly violated. The police claim that Tholanah knowing that GALZ was not registered “unlawfully took part in the management of the organisation by gathering its members and continued to carry activities while engaging in gays and lesbians in contravention of the country’s laws.

Meanwhile, members of the Zimbabwe Republic Police have blocked requests by some students to access medical treatment after they sustained injuries when the police broke up a demonstration staged at Harare Polytechnic on Monday 27 January 2014. The demonstration was in protest against the decline in education standards in the country and against the Ministry of Higher Education over tertiary fees. Police arrested 12 members of the Zimbabwe National Students Union including the union’s leader Gilbert Mutubuki and have detained them at Harare Central Police Station.

According to the students’ lawyer, Gift Mtisi of Musendekwa and Mtisi Legal Practitioners, a member of ZLHR, the police were still working out charges to prefer against the students with an indication that they would charge them for committing public violence.

In case they have forgotten here is a reminder -  the main purpose of the Government is to govern, manage and protect the individual rights for ALL its citizens.

Justice Melusi Sibanda 
Organising Secretary – ROHR Zimbabwe/Bradford Branch

For human rights to flourish, religious rights have to come second by Justice Sibanda

I came across this article in the Guardian newspaper from the 27th of December; Deborah Orr writes..

For human rights to flourish, religious rights have to come second to them. We are all human. We are not all of the same religion, or religious at all. One cannot protect religious rights if they are used as a reason to abuse human rights, human equalities, as so often they are. From Uganda and India introducing anti-Gay laws, Russia introducing laws against homosexuality, then it's Saudi Arabia resisting the idea that women should drive cars. If it isn't Burma, spoilt for choice, decade after decade, as to which ethnicity to cleanse, then it's a bunch of African countries extolling female genital mutilation.

The human rights that come without the need for direct financial investment are also the simplest. If some people can go about their business without their skin colour being an issue, that's how it should be for all humans. If some adults are allowed to conduct their consensual sexual lives as they wish to, then all should. If some adults are encouraged to utilise their skills and intelligence fully, then all should. .

Click here for the rest of the article


Justice Melusi Sibanda 
Organising Secretary – ROHR Zimbabwe/Bradford Branch

What a year it’s been in Africa...and then Uganda - by Melusi Sibanda

Warning- this article was written in anger.

What a year it’s been in Africa. 

Robert rigged the Zimbabwean election. The African Union applauded him.

Morsi got jailed – damn Morsi, you used to be the man!!

Central African Republic, yet another religious conflict – stop killing each other WTF!!!

South Sudan – you just got your shit together – what the hell’s going on now? Haven’t you had enough war yet?  Let’s cut that crap out and democratise the country. Come on Juba!!! Guns will never be the answer.

We lost our beloved father Madiba....

Days after Madiba’s burial UGANDA announces the most archaic, homophobic and outrageous anti-gay law! If you are gay it is punishable by life in prison. The ‘reason’ for the passing of this grotesque decree is;-

“Because we are a God-fearing nation, we value life in a holistic way. It is because of those values that members of parliament passed this bill regardless of what the outside world thinks.” – MP David Bahadi

First of all Fuck you MP David Bahadi you bigoted dogmatic swine!!!

The God card, seriously!!! After Madiba – a man who promoted tolerance for all dies the Ugandan Parliament has nothing better to do than persecute people living their innocent lives. This has seriously riled me to the point that I will support any decision made by International Agencies and States to stop sending all forms of aid to Uganda with immediate effect. This is an extremely serious issue and cannot be ignored as people’s lives are at risk. These backward idiots in the Ugandan Government are forcing their beliefs on others based on a bible which doesn't even stress homophobia as much as stealing oxen from your neighbour or wearing two fabrics woven differently.

As Human rights activists it is extremely important to speak out against such injustices, wherever it is located, and states which allow such medieval nonsense to prevail should be criticised and held up to ridicule by all who disagree fundamentally with this ridiculous legislation.

UGANDA HAS FAILED ITS OWN PEOPLE! STOP THE AID IMMEDIATELY!!

Melusi Sibanda – Information & Publicity Secretary ROHRZIM Bradford Branch

I am no British clone: Robert Mugabe - Melusi Sibanda

http://www.timeslive.co.za/africa/2013/11/18/i-am-no-british-clone-robert-mugabe

I picked up this article from TimesLive.co.za and it's had me in stitches for a week. It has the former Sir Robert of Zwimba rather meekly attempting to divorce himself from any form of British influence in his life during a graduation speech at the University of Great Zimbabwe. It is absolutely hilarious when the notes that

"..At the graduation, he wore a sash, robe and mortarboard, academic regalia used in some of Britain's most conservative universities."

Fantastic stuff! The author further goes on to state that;

"..Until Western travel and banking bans were imposed on Mugabe and his party leaders to protest human and democratic rights violations about a decade ago, Mugabe regularly visited the upscale Harrods department store in London's Knightsbridge district and Saville Row in Mayfair, the home of Britain's best bespoke tailors."

Brilliant read...

Melusi Sibanda

Mandela and Mugabe both embraced violence, but one could not give it up (Martin Meredith - The Guardian) - Melusi Sibanda

Fantastic and fascinating piece of historical and thought provoking journalism by Martin Meredith..

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2008/apr/08/zimbabwe.southafrica

The tributes will be wasted if they morph him in to a deity - instead lets grab this moment to celebrate the life of a inspirational human being whose sole aspiration was for humanity to reach it's maximum potential....RIP - Melusi Sibanda

The tributes will be wasted if they morph him in to a deity - instead lets grab this moment to celebrate the life of a inspirational human being whose sole aspiration was for humanity to reach it's maximum potential....RIP.