Why it was a Sacred Concert to remember
Scores of people of various ages and hues braved Harare’s sweltering heat on Saturday, 8 November 2008, to join the celebrations to mark 200 years of the abolishment of slavery with a performance of Duke Ellington’s Sacred Concerts by the 50 strong Zimbabwe College of Music (ZCM) Choir and the Trio Arctic Band. The versatile and awe-inspiring Zimbabwean diva, Prudence Katomeni- Mbofana held the solo soprano reins.
The performance was a unique collaboration between the ZCM and their Norwegian counterparts courtesy of The Culture School of Fredrikstad as well as FK Norway. Each year three lecturers from ZCM go to Norway to guest lecture in an exchange programme that sees three Norwegian lecturers making the trek to Zimbabwe. This year’s trio, Tone Jordhus Søvik (saxaphone), Brith Løkken (trumpet) and Klæboe Eyvind Helseth were at the forefront of organising the concert. Linda Gjersoe Helseth (trombone) flew all the way from Norway to be part of this groundbreaking performance. Read more
Sustainability lost
The last few months have been a rollercoaster ride of emotions. Watching Obama win the US Presidential elections brought through such a powerful wave of emotions. Wonder and relief mixed with positive hope for change. There is shift happening in the world, and this feels part of this shift. But this is about America. I am Zimbabwean. Why has this affected me so much?
I feel the answer has to lie in his amazing journey. The man has won against such huge adversity. His message of change and hope for the future won out against the state machines. There was not an entirely fair or level playing field. Like many other countries, the government in power had the resources and the ability to put barriers in the way of the opposing party. Oh it was far less devastating and pervasive as it is in some countries, but it still existed. Read more
And meanwhile Zimbabweans starve…
ZIMBABWEANS STARVE AS THE POWER-SHARING TALKS GO ON AND ITS LEADERS AND THE WORLD LOOKS ON WITH INDIFFERENCE
Some rural folk in Zimbabwe are now relying on wild fruits which are quickly running out. Quite a number of them have died from hunger and starvation. If only the goevernment had not banned the NGOs (Non Governmental Organisations) who were donating food to the poor the number of deaths would not be that much.
The townsfolk have not been spared from this hunger and starvation mainly because of the low bank withdrawal limits set by the Reserve Bank Governor which make it immpossible for them to buy the highly priced food items as and when they need them. Read more
The source of selflessness
Hello!
Phanuel Muverengwi here…
I hope that I find you in the best of health.
In my previous installment I asked the question: WHY DO YOU WANT TO LIVE LONG? I argued in the installment that there are people who live long, in terms of number of years, yet their long lives benefit nobody. I also argued that some people have lived very short lives but managed to bring lots of benefits to others in that short space of time. I might just as well argue that the short lives lived by such people are in reality longer than the long lives lived by some, in terms of value.
I went on to state that a truly rewarding life is one spent in selflessness, not selfishness. Before departing, I asked you a question which goes, “What is the single attribute without which one cannot be selfless?” I hope that you now have the answer to this question. Read more
Another day in the Avenues
A mound of shit sits underneath
a Jacaranda tree with crimson blooms
That flame red beneath the setting sun
The mound of shit sits softly, sprawled
on the hard, stony ground
while a cloud of big, glistening flies hover over it
here and there, taking a quick lick
to the patter of feet, going to and fro. there, the
mound of shit sits at the intersection of sixth
and central avenue as the sun slowly explodes red
into its solitary confinement behind the horizon
blocked by city buildings. soon, another day
in the Avenues goes dark. and the shit stinks.
Zimbabwe: Global Fund accusations a blow to AIDS response
Reports that the Zimbabwe an government allegedly swindled Global Fund to fight AIDS, TB and Malaria (GFATM) money is a severe blow to the country’s tottering response to the three killer diseases. If the matter is not urgently resolved, there is no doubt that it will influence massive donor flight from the country, and imperil the community response to AIDS, TB and malaria.
Already, Zimbabwe’s chances to be considered for a US 188 million dollar grant have been put into jeopardy. According to New York Times, the government of Zimbabwe allegedly spent US 7,3 million dollars donated by the Global Fund on other things and has failed to honour requests to return the money.
“The actions by Zimbabwe have deprived the organization … of resources it needs and damaged efforts to expand life-saving treatment,” the New York Times quoted John Parsons, the Global Fund’s inspector-general. “Zimbabwe’s actions also jeopardize a more ambitious $188 Global Fund grant to Zimbabwe”.
With an ever-spiraling hyperinflation current estimated at 231 million percent, Zimbabwe’s social and economic indicators are horrendous to say the least.
The public health system has all but crumbled with major public hospitals having to be closed due to lack of resources. A widely condemned election in June in which President Robert Mugabe ran alone and emerged as a victor further worsened Zimbabwe’s image as an international pariah. Read more
