http://www.panos.co.uk/stories/2-13-1595-2089/Robin-Hammond/Inside-Mugabes-Zimbabwe/#

 

I find myself often returning to this website,and, in particular, this photo-essay. Here, in Tanzania, a number of the Zimbabwean diaspora have lived for many years and so the continuing 'Zim' story is a regular part of life here . My fiance was born and grew up in Zimbabwe, but lost his passport, family farm, citizenship and rights in 2001. The last time we went back was in 2010, his first trip back since he left and a visit of many mixed emotions for him. I remember Zim in the early 90s, we used to go there because - unlike northern Botswana - you could buy almost anything you wanted and the country was thriving.

 

Now we usually only hear of Mugabe's exploits and general state of "madness". What this photo essay does is show all too well what its really like to live there now for your average Zimbabwean, beyond the headlines of its leaders and crazy statements. And we still hear of the horrors of land 'walk-ons', attacks and deaths...I don't think they reach the international news, but they still happen.

 

These words make me want to weep:

 

"Together with millions of my countrymen, I wept for joy as he raised our flag for the first time on 18 April 1980, and proclaimed to white, black and brown Zimbabweans: "Today we are bound together as one nation." Freedom tasted sweet and he inspired us to believe in a bright tomorrow – with health, education and housing for all. For many years after independence, Mugabe was the western world’s African darling. They feted him, showered him with honorary degrees, fed his ego with awards and his coffers with bilateral aid. So mesmeric was he, that his genocide of an estimated 20,000 people in Matabeleland in the early 80s was dismissed as an inconvenient truth. Over the past 10 years - the weary, barren years of my exile - I have wept again: but never for joy. " Wilf Mbanga, Editor, The Zimbabwean

I remember the time of Ian Smith and before that. Zimbabwe was a rich country and most were happy when it went to majority rule without major bloodshed. It is so sad to see those images of a country wasted for no reason. Why is it that this seems to happen in Africa so often? Colonial rule was brutal. Self rule is brutal. Tanzania is about the only African country that hasn't suffered from crazy governments.

 

Thanks for yours Steve, true words. Zimbabwe was such a success wasn't it and seen as such a model for independence (but there was so much bad going on, from the start, however so many people just chose not to see it, as Wilf Mbanga mentions).

 

Tanzania has a lot going for it, in terms of resources (mineral-rich, tourism etc), and yet is one of the poorest countries in the world. Have strong views on why that it so...possibly not the time/place to expand here :)

I'd be fascinated to hear your thoughts on Tanzania. I have spent some time in Africa (Sth Africa in 1971 and the Congo and Tanzania in 2006), but do not claim to understand it at all. Coming from Australia, SE Asia and India are much closer and cheaper to get to. Perhaps it is the clash of racial groups that causes the most damage, but sometimes it is very hard to tell.