It is so true that the deal between MDC and Zanu-PF was walking a tightrope.However Dr.Simba Makoni is trying to gain mileage by the mistake which MDC has already acknowledged on this unity deal.Mistakes were made and if MDC decides enough is enough they have learnt their lesson. Let us not forget that he was in the upper echelons of this party Zanu-PF and did nothing about it. MDC has made tremendous efforts and while you cannot please everyone it is by no means a stretch to say things have improved since we went into government. There might be individuals that are not pulling up their socks and enjoying the gravy train but that was never the intention of MDC as a party.If he,Dr.Makoni goes into that government he cannot guarantee that he will have no corrupt members in his party.Why all of a sudden do we have him speak his wisdom, he was or is in opposition why did he not advise the leadership in MDC of this better deal he is talking about? We all were skeptical and at the same time hopeful that somethings can and should change. We were wrong and to say now stay and JOMIC will deal with these issues when we all know that is fallacy now beats me.If he truly believes in what he is saying then the statement to make MDC stay is unwarranted.It only serves the point that he sees an opportunity to try and relaunch his political career which has huffed and puffed on the way.He claimed that he has the support of most Zanu-PF bigwigs when he went into opposition what has happened to that.Dumiso Dabengwa left him for ZAPU, the rest is history.I think we should appreciate the efforts made by Hon.Biti in harnessing Gono.Prof Jonathan Moyo has come in full force trying to discredit the finance minister.The vindictiveness of Zanu-PF is seen in the current trial of Hon.Roy Bernette which is in essence an indictment of MDC-T as a party.You do not commit treason to feed your children you do it for a cause and this case the implication is MDC is on trial.So by the pullout it is clear that party is under persecution it has nothing to do with black or white as some other opportunists like Hon.Jonathan Moyo were trying to insinuate.When Chris Dhlamini,Gandhi Mudzingwa,Jestina Mukoko etc were on trial the outrage was the same and the pullout message was murmured. The continuation of the same persecutions has now brought about this disengagement process.Let us continue to press for a better tomorrow for Zimbabwe and if MDC has listened to the voices of the people then that is good leadership.Chinja Maitiro.
James Charlie-secretary-mdc-usa(in my personal capacity)
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
GNU breakdown is there any hope?
The issue of power sharing has become a tool where MDC is continuously abused by Zanu-PF. The case of Hon.Roy Bennett is a clear demonstration that it is only Zanu PF still in power and the best thing for MDC to do right now is to pull out of this unworkable marriage with the devil.I have no doubt that for some of our leaders they see hope where there is hopelessness.Nothing will change as nothing has changed with the judicial system.We still have Moxon's case in the media now we have the Hon.Bennett.The humiliation issues that he has been made to go through honestly made my stomach turn.We face a dilemma where some officials no longer value life or principles of the party but just want to be riding in the Mercedes Benz provided for them by the state.Like in the days of Jesus we now have pieces of silver ruling over even your own conscience. It does not matter black or white the Zanu-PF machine is still wrecking havoc on the farms ,in schools,the recent case of students tortured for identifying where Zimbabwe's problem really lay,Woza women arrested, teachers and doctors disgruntled,etc the list is endless.Journalists have not been sparred either they are said to wage asymmetrical war against the goverment by the military.I have heard our MP's even the Hon. Prime Minister calling for removal of sanctions and when you look at this do you need a genius to see why those sanctions are there.We condemn this in the strongest possible terms. The attorney general's office must really be ashamed to engage in such dirty politicking.This makes a mockery to the justice system where we are supposed to share the ministry.Now is the time to call a spade a spade for there will never be a case where a spade becomes a spear.GNU is dead MDC needs to regroup and move the country forward what is going on now is MDC is being used in the dirty laundry circus and if no drastic action is done now most of our own leaders will be embroiled in this mess. We tried to do things right but obviously it has not worked so let us continue our own struggle and truly liberate Zimbabwe from tyranny.We can make it on our own let us unite in MDC and say GNU has not worked we had given it the benefit of doubt but we have only discovered with horror that our fears were justified.
James Charlie-MDC-USA secretary writing in my personal capacity.
James Charlie-MDC-USA secretary writing in my personal capacity.
Monday, September 7, 2009
Zim seeks $145m from China for new parliament:
Doctors were on strike due to paltry wages, teachers are going on strike for the same reason and we have the GNU setting to borrow and make comfortable an elite group of parliamentarians to the tune of US$145 million. This we believe is an unnecessary comfort zone being created to plunge morale not only for the civil servants but the majority of ordinary people in and out of Zimbabwe. In MDC we were clamoring for a reduction in cabinet posts and this GNU monster has seemingly changed all that. We now have the biggest cabinet in the world, imagine bigger than America. We need to refocus and know whether we are serving the interests of the people or we are now so obsessed with power that we forget where we came from.
We have MDC at heart and we hope this criticism will be taken as a genuine concern for what we believe is a betrayal of the principles at the formation of this movement. In fact before most such big projects are even embarked on, there is supposed to be consultation with the people of Zimbabwe meaning all stakeholders involved from day one. If we remain mum on such issues we will become irrelevant to our constituencies. We think it will be wise to forget about this project for a long while. We have serious issues to deal with as a nation. If we pour that money to improve our health sector it will go a long way to saving the one important sector that is almost collapsed and the biggest benefit is, it will be enjoyed by all Zimbabweans.
Time has come for us as Zimbabweans to be actively involved in making the hope for a better tomorrow. We in the MDC-USA believe that there are better prospects for a future in Zimbabwe but to remain focused on the founding principles. We need to pay our teachers let us borrow and educate the nation, pay the doctors to save lives, let us borrow to do that and I do not see anyone who would go against that. Do we honestly need all these cabinet positions? It is almost costing US$ 1 million to house each MP in that new parliament proposal. Food for thought.......
Yours truly,
James Charlie-secretary mdc-usa
E-mail: jcharliej@yahoo.com
We have MDC at heart and we hope this criticism will be taken as a genuine concern for what we believe is a betrayal of the principles at the formation of this movement. In fact before most such big projects are even embarked on, there is supposed to be consultation with the people of Zimbabwe meaning all stakeholders involved from day one. If we remain mum on such issues we will become irrelevant to our constituencies. We think it will be wise to forget about this project for a long while. We have serious issues to deal with as a nation. If we pour that money to improve our health sector it will go a long way to saving the one important sector that is almost collapsed and the biggest benefit is, it will be enjoyed by all Zimbabweans.
Time has come for us as Zimbabweans to be actively involved in making the hope for a better tomorrow. We in the MDC-USA believe that there are better prospects for a future in Zimbabwe but to remain focused on the founding principles. We need to pay our teachers let us borrow and educate the nation, pay the doctors to save lives, let us borrow to do that and I do not see anyone who would go against that. Do we honestly need all these cabinet positions? It is almost costing US$ 1 million to house each MP in that new parliament proposal. Food for thought.......
Yours truly,
James Charlie-secretary mdc-usa
E-mail: jcharliej@yahoo.com
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Enough is enough
Enough is enough, this Jonathan Moyo outrage should be condemned as he is the one who is insulting our Zimbabwean Prime Minister, Morgan Tsvangirai. If we need an analysis President Barack Obama is a descendant of a slave just like Jonathan Moyo himself so to even insinuate the term slave in his conversation about the Prime Minister is an insult to the people of Zimbabwe. If you term this slave and master meeting, are you saying the US President is white? This good for nothing politician rides on the wave of New Zimbabwe editors who seem to make him one of the most qualified politicians in the country.
There is no sane person who does not realize that this ego little man has so much hatred for the Prime Minister. We think the editors who give this man time to gain mileage by insulting the Prime Minister should also be condemned because this is no news ladies and gentlemen. We need mature political commentators and certainly Jonathan Moyo does not fit that profile. He has been quiet all this time all he comes out to comment on is a negative stories about MDC or its leader if you want to prove it go in the archives of this New Zimbabwe news and look it up yourselves.
We in the MDC-USA wish to strongly oppose such myopic views expressed by the fallen professor who is trying to resurrect his political career by PHD (Pull HIM Down) syndrome. He still sees himself as the propaganda minister who introduced media laws that resonate to his appetite for slavery mentality. Journalists were imprisoned because of this man, sadly they still are. In Shona we say “Demo ndiro rinokanganwa asi muti wakatemwa haukanganwe”. He has forgotten all that he still regards his media laws as created by a genius. If he has nothing to say please let him keep quiet. What is the relationship between New Zimbabwe and Jonathan Moyo as we have seen enough of this circus? We are appalled enough to think that this might be done on purpose and on tribal lines as well.
There is no sane person who does not realize that this ego little man has so much hatred for the Prime Minister. We think the editors who give this man time to gain mileage by insulting the Prime Minister should also be condemned because this is no news ladies and gentlemen. We need mature political commentators and certainly Jonathan Moyo does not fit that profile. He has been quiet all this time all he comes out to comment on is a negative stories about MDC or its leader if you want to prove it go in the archives of this New Zimbabwe news and look it up yourselves.
We in the MDC-USA wish to strongly oppose such myopic views expressed by the fallen professor who is trying to resurrect his political career by PHD (Pull HIM Down) syndrome. He still sees himself as the propaganda minister who introduced media laws that resonate to his appetite for slavery mentality. Journalists were imprisoned because of this man, sadly they still are. In Shona we say “Demo ndiro rinokanganwa asi muti wakatemwa haukanganwe”. He has forgotten all that he still regards his media laws as created by a genius. If he has nothing to say please let him keep quiet. What is the relationship between New Zimbabwe and Jonathan Moyo as we have seen enough of this circus? We are appalled enough to think that this might be done on purpose and on tribal lines as well.
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Hope for us in the Diaspora
A new era dawned when His Excellency the Prime Minister of Zimbabwe, Morgan Tsvangirai became the second African leader to meet President Barrack Obama at the White House in Washington DC. Another milestone for a man who has suffered at the hands of a man he now shares a unity government with. He was labeled a sellout; a puppet of the west, tortured, imprisoned, charged for treason and yet survived and now travels the world as the Prime Minister of Zimbabwe. For some of us who were fortunate to attend the meeting, where he addressed the Zimbabwean community a challenge was thrown at our feet; Zimbabwe needs us all to contribute intellectually, materially and financially.
Some of us have savings yet some of us have nothing, so when the call comes for us to go back home are we ready to make a positive contribution? The unity government has its own challenges we have our own challenges and aspirations. The time has come for us to be doers and not critics without solutions. We need to come together and present ideas that will help our government to encompass our needs, among them a need to have the government provide both residential and business stands for Zimbabweans abroad to invest in our country. We also need to have a safeguard that protects whatever we are taking back in, be it machinery or other assets we need to be exempted from excessive duty. The 19th amendment has allowed an opportunity for those requiring dual citizenship to participate in the process.
Our society in the Diaspora has an equal important role to play for the developments at home. We are hoping the new constitution will provide for us to vote in elections at home. We need to bring these ideas together so that during the process of drawing the constitution we have our input. It is imperative that Zimbabweans in the United Sates at least have an association for our community that will take care of our fellow Zimbabweans here and at home. We have Zimbabweans here sitting pretty and we also have some struggling. An association has an opportunity to bring up issues and solutions as it becomes a link for the community. This has nothing to do with politics it is something we have seen most communities do. We need doctors, lawyers, scientists, nurses, security guards, teachers, and engineers etc to all come together and create our own yellow pages. We need each other and the sooner we do this the better for our country.
It might be far fetched for others but some of us, who dream positively, how about pooling resources and end up owning a hospital in Zimbabwe or a clinic or Lever Brothers? The door for these opportunities has been presented to us and we need to sneak in before someone shuts it. Let us truly become Zimbabweans with a single loyalty. Freedom is not a preserve for a few people it encompasses all. Let us embrace our common denominator, being Zimbabweans first and foremost. We need to remove the colonial mindset that limits us to pulling each other down, but instead take ownership and encourage each other and stand together. If, in the words of the Prime Minister he can share a table with President Mugabe who mistreated him for all we know, and sacrificed a lot so the country can move forward what more can we who were afforded the opportunity in the Diaspora hold us back? I am writing this piece to benefit some of my brethren and sisters who did not get to hear the man speak. It is up to each individual to see how best we can move forward. All ideas are welcome and I will spearhead bringing people together; a coalition for the willing. I can be reached at: jcharliej@yahoo.com.
Food for thought for those with ideas lets crack our heads and create a viable association for our community.
James Charlie
(H) 214-575-5706
(C) 972-480-1584
Some of us have savings yet some of us have nothing, so when the call comes for us to go back home are we ready to make a positive contribution? The unity government has its own challenges we have our own challenges and aspirations. The time has come for us to be doers and not critics without solutions. We need to come together and present ideas that will help our government to encompass our needs, among them a need to have the government provide both residential and business stands for Zimbabweans abroad to invest in our country. We also need to have a safeguard that protects whatever we are taking back in, be it machinery or other assets we need to be exempted from excessive duty. The 19th amendment has allowed an opportunity for those requiring dual citizenship to participate in the process.
Our society in the Diaspora has an equal important role to play for the developments at home. We are hoping the new constitution will provide for us to vote in elections at home. We need to bring these ideas together so that during the process of drawing the constitution we have our input. It is imperative that Zimbabweans in the United Sates at least have an association for our community that will take care of our fellow Zimbabweans here and at home. We have Zimbabweans here sitting pretty and we also have some struggling. An association has an opportunity to bring up issues and solutions as it becomes a link for the community. This has nothing to do with politics it is something we have seen most communities do. We need doctors, lawyers, scientists, nurses, security guards, teachers, and engineers etc to all come together and create our own yellow pages. We need each other and the sooner we do this the better for our country.
It might be far fetched for others but some of us, who dream positively, how about pooling resources and end up owning a hospital in Zimbabwe or a clinic or Lever Brothers? The door for these opportunities has been presented to us and we need to sneak in before someone shuts it. Let us truly become Zimbabweans with a single loyalty. Freedom is not a preserve for a few people it encompasses all. Let us embrace our common denominator, being Zimbabweans first and foremost. We need to remove the colonial mindset that limits us to pulling each other down, but instead take ownership and encourage each other and stand together. If, in the words of the Prime Minister he can share a table with President Mugabe who mistreated him for all we know, and sacrificed a lot so the country can move forward what more can we who were afforded the opportunity in the Diaspora hold us back? I am writing this piece to benefit some of my brethren and sisters who did not get to hear the man speak. It is up to each individual to see how best we can move forward. All ideas are welcome and I will spearhead bringing people together; a coalition for the willing. I can be reached at: jcharliej@yahoo.com.
Food for thought for those with ideas lets crack our heads and create a viable association for our community.
James Charlie
(H) 214-575-5706
(C) 972-480-1584
Thursday, May 14, 2009
WHEN IS THIS CIRCUS GOING TO END?
Looking at the headlines on Zimbabwean newspapers we come across things like, “Two journalists are arrested and released on bail”, “Lawyer Muchadehama is arrested” “Clerk of court breastfeeding a nine month old baby locked up”. All this is news for one week, Zimbabweans where is the outrage?
When I was looking at the above cases I was drawn to a very disturbing trend. All the aforementioned headlines are professionals arrested for doing their job. Now this becomes so demoralizing. I have an issue where the law does not consider certain critical issues. Looking at the clerk she first and foremost is a civil servant, secondly she is a mother who has an infant being breastfed in a prison. We had, not long ago, a case of a 2 year old that was being locked up with both her parents and now we have a nine month old in the same situation. I was expecting women to come up in arms and demand for the release of this lady but we all have failed her by being silent on the matter. What is wrong with our legal system? When people are doing their job and make errors do we not all know to err is human?
To the attorney general on humanitarian grounds why not grant her bail and let her attend court from home? Do you honestly feel that if it was your own child you would not mind her being in a prison environment? Common sense should prevail here and this issue of arresting people for doing their work is disturbing. If she made an error, why not dismiss her? She was not benefiting financially for what we know so far. This disturbing trend of making headlines for the wrong reasons should not be allowed to continue. I am appealing to all Zimbabweans and the world at large to condemn acts like this. At a time when we are expecting progress we are taken aback by unnecessary arrests. When is this circus going to end?
We just celebrated Press freedom and we immediately have journalists arrested what kind of message are we sending to the rest of the world? It is time our country makes the right decisions to make it possible for investors to have confidence in our GNU. We in MDC USA appeal for the immediate release of Alec Muchadehama and Constance Gambara. We really need to have confidence in our judiciary system and so far we have been let down. The world is watching and surely we are the losers if these seemingly politically related arrests are continuing. Let us rally together in unison as Zimbabweans standing in solidarity with our brothers and sisters facing this plight.
When I was looking at the above cases I was drawn to a very disturbing trend. All the aforementioned headlines are professionals arrested for doing their job. Now this becomes so demoralizing. I have an issue where the law does not consider certain critical issues. Looking at the clerk she first and foremost is a civil servant, secondly she is a mother who has an infant being breastfed in a prison. We had, not long ago, a case of a 2 year old that was being locked up with both her parents and now we have a nine month old in the same situation. I was expecting women to come up in arms and demand for the release of this lady but we all have failed her by being silent on the matter. What is wrong with our legal system? When people are doing their job and make errors do we not all know to err is human?
To the attorney general on humanitarian grounds why not grant her bail and let her attend court from home? Do you honestly feel that if it was your own child you would not mind her being in a prison environment? Common sense should prevail here and this issue of arresting people for doing their work is disturbing. If she made an error, why not dismiss her? She was not benefiting financially for what we know so far. This disturbing trend of making headlines for the wrong reasons should not be allowed to continue. I am appealing to all Zimbabweans and the world at large to condemn acts like this. At a time when we are expecting progress we are taken aback by unnecessary arrests. When is this circus going to end?
We just celebrated Press freedom and we immediately have journalists arrested what kind of message are we sending to the rest of the world? It is time our country makes the right decisions to make it possible for investors to have confidence in our GNU. We in MDC USA appeal for the immediate release of Alec Muchadehama and Constance Gambara. We really need to have confidence in our judiciary system and so far we have been let down. The world is watching and surely we are the losers if these seemingly politically related arrests are continuing. Let us rally together in unison as Zimbabweans standing in solidarity with our brothers and sisters facing this plight.
Saturday, May 9, 2009
Freddie Gwala-Ngiyakubonga
This is one of the artists I have always admired and will always be an inspiration especially through the group Pure Gold.For those that might wanna also know about him this a a little bit of the biography.
Freddie was born and brought up in Soweto, starting off his music career by forming a group called Pure Gold in 1973 with his brothers. He later also played a major role in the formation of Platform One. Freddie still produces and composes songs for these groups. Freddie has left his mark all over the country, contributing to albums from artists such as Blondie Makhene, Vusi Shange and Brenda Fassie. Freddie composed the song “My Baby” which features on Brenda Fassie’s album titled Imali. But Freddie is not content to have the list end there.
Musically, Freddie gains inspiration from groups such as The Soul Brothers and Ladysmith Black Mambazo. He has created his own 'Zumba genre', soul music fused with disco. Inspiration for his lyrics comes from his time spent in jail. “I’m singing for the inmates and the youth out there,” says Freddie. Through his music he hopes to motivate them to stay free from crime and learn from his mistake.
Freddie Gwala spent eight years in jail for car theft (or repossessing as he calls it), before turning his misfortune into a financial fortune by singing about his experiences in jail.
Freddie was born and brought up in Soweto, starting off his music career by forming a group called Pure Gold in 1973 with his brothers. He later also played a major role in the formation of Platform One. Freddie still produces and composes songs for these groups. Freddie has left his mark all over the country, contributing to albums from artists such as Blondie Makhene, Vusi Shange and Brenda Fassie. Freddie composed the song “My Baby” which features on Brenda Fassie’s album titled Imali. But Freddie is not content to have the list end there.
Musically, Freddie gains inspiration from groups such as The Soul Brothers and Ladysmith Black Mambazo. He has created his own 'Zumba genre', soul music fused with disco. Inspiration for his lyrics comes from his time spent in jail. “I’m singing for the inmates and the youth out there,” says Freddie. Through his music he hopes to motivate them to stay free from crime and learn from his mistake.
Freddie Gwala spent eight years in jail for car theft (or repossessing as he calls it), before turning his misfortune into a financial fortune by singing about his experiences in jail.
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