Poll results

Many thanks to all those who cast a vote in response to the question, How history will judge Robert Mugabe? The results indicate the following:

• 40% of believe Robert Mugabe is responsible for destroying Zimbabwe's commercial farming sector
• 20% believe he's a champion of indigenisation
• 20% don't care
• 20% believe he oversaw the transformation of Zimbabwe from breadbasket to basketcase

Disclaimer: The results of this poll could not be independently verified

Vamos El Niño, viva España!!

Spain's victory over Germany yesterday to clinch their first major football trophy for 44 years was triumph for scintillating attacking football and El Niño scored the goal that mattered most. My money is on Rafa to do the business at Wimbledon and make it another glorious sporting week for Spain.

They can, but will they

According to the Declaration on the Framework for an OAU Response to Unconstitutional Changes of Government signed in Lomé, Togo in 2000 and endorsed by the Zimbabwe Government, the AU can legally recognise Morgan Tsvirangai as Zimbabwe's head of state. The AU leaders are due to meet in Sharm el-Sheikh for a summit so will the fact that the law is on their side encourage Jakaya Kikwete, the current Chairman of the AU to do the right thing? Imperialist Robert has already started to exert pressure on his fellow members, via his mouthpiece - will they succumb?

Avowedly marxist and yet

So now we have arrived at the root of Robert Gabriel Mugabe's issues, there is Comrade Bob and what used to be Imperialist Robert. The two have been locked in an increasingly bitter struggle for supremacy, with Imperialist Robert in the ascendancy and this has manifested itself in increasingly irrational utterances and actions. I think that if Comrade Bob were to win, the 84 year old man will go quietly into the night.

Can one really be a marxist imperialist or an imperialist marxist?

Damned if they do, damned if they don't

Goebbels was a master of propaganda and Zanu-PF have taken a leaf out of his book. We have seen a number of a Zanu-PF acolytes wheeled out in front of the international media to decry the MDC pull-out.

Having thought that the highest level of absurdity had already been attained, a recalibration was in order after reading this. The MDC stand accused of breaking Zimbabwean law because they pulled out of the run-off with less than 21 days to go. Now if the MDC are law breakers because they've pulled out of a pre-rigged election in order to spare their supporters further unecessary harrassment, what does make Zanu-PF who are intimidating, harrassing, injuring and killing their fellow Zimbabweans?!

The Herald is Zanu-PF's mouthpiece so maybe it was written tongue-in-cheek.

In Africa, we don't do elections, we do selections

While touring Addis Ababa museum, I asked the curator if the mayors were elected. He responded by saying that in Africa there are no elections, only selections and it struck me just how much that statement rings true. It is time for elections to replace selections.

Democracy ain't worth it

With military precision, coordination and execution, the JOC are carrying out an unprecedented campaign of violence and intimidation that has not abated despite Morgan Tsvangirai's noble decision to withdraw from the pre-determined run-off of 27 June.

Even though African lives are cheap, as evidenced by the intransigence over Darfur, the neverending woes in the DRC......Zimbabwe's president-in-waiting has shown true statesmanship by pulling out from the sham of a run-off. Not that this decision has gone down well given what has gone before, but as he can't campaign, hold rallies, get his message across in the media, what is the flippin' point?

Has there ever been a more incongruous name than that of Zimbabwe's Deputy Information Minister, Bright Matonga?. The utterances emanating from his mouth have bordered on the absurd, for instance yesterday, he said that he didn't understand why the MDC were not going to contest the run-off - he has an earnest tone which makes the words coming out his mouth even more surreal.

It looks as if, we're going to have leave Comrade Bob's fate to Father Time.

Stepping back in time

Yesterday, I returned to the latter part of the 19th century when I toured Emperor Menelik II and Empress Taitu's palace and memorial museum at Entoto. Work on the palace started in 1883 and took 4 years to complete.

The museum contains various artefacts that belonged to the emperor and the empress and photos on the walls irrefutably demonstrate that the wearing of a bandana under the hat started with Emperor Menelik II, back in the NINETEENTH century!! Additionally, there are some more modern pieces like the gold medals won by Berhane Adere at the 2003 World Athletic Championships in Paris and the Sydney Olympics, in the women's 10,000m.

Addis Ababa lies at the base of the Entoto mountains due to Empress Taitu's not inconsiderable influence on Emperor Menelik II. Along the forest trails of Entoto, one can spot Ethiopia's illustrious athletes in training and the reason for their world domination is immediately apparent.

L'état c'est moi

are the words allegedly spoken by the Sun King and Comrade Bob has misappropriated them. Mobutu Sese Seko while meeting Zairean (as they were then known) students in the US was asked to comment on allegations that he had plundered Zaire's mineral wealth for his own personal gain. Overcome with emotion, he responded by saying, "When I think of what this country owes me." No doubt, Robert Gabriel Mugabe believes that Zimbabwe should be forever in his debt.

Viva España

It's shaping up to be quite a sporting year for Spain; they won the women's doubles at Roland Garros, Rafa has continued his tradition of winning the French Open and looks set to become the first man since BB to win Wimbledon after reigning supreme at Roland Garros. The Spanish football team finally overcame their mental frailty to beat the Azzuri and if they meet Russia in the final, Euro 2008 will have a fitting finale.

Vamos Rafa!
Viva España!

On the bright side

Comrade Bob may have won the battle, but struggle continues. Now he has to face up to an implacable opponent that he can't defeat through violence, intimidation or bribery. That opponent is time and his is almost up.

The day democracy died

We wish to announce the death of democracy in Zimbabwe

18 April 1980 - 22 June 2008

R.I.P

D-day -6

If you believe the run off on 27 June should be free and fair, sign the petition at

www.zimbabwe-27June.com

then encourage the people you know, to encourage the people they know, to encourage the people they know, to encourage the people they know, to encourage the people they know......

Les mots justes et injustes sont entendus par toutes les consciences

Meanwhile, in the athletics world

, first this record fell, then this one and finally this one. Did it pass you by? I thought as much so I thought I should let y'all know.

The Guv'nor

It's certainly shaping up to be a momentous year for those of dark pigmentation, BHO is blazing a trail in politics in the good ol' US of A and now in good ol' Blighty, Paul "The Guv'nor" Ince is set to be named manager of Blackburn, making him the first black manager in the EPL. He has paid his dues (and no doubt learnt a lot) as he staved off relegation at Macclesfield Town and won the League II title with MK Dons. It will be very interesting to see how he does in comparison to his erstwhile team mates , Roy Keane and Mark Hughes, of Sunderland and Mancester City respectively.

Apparently, Inter Milan is his ultimate managerial position so, la buona fortuna e noi lo desiderano bene.

The Dutch Master

Well, you have to hand it Guus Hiddink because after the mauling his young Russian team suffered at the hands of the effervescent Spanish in their opening fixture, it looked as if the Russian's stay in Euro 2008 would be a short one. But Hiddink encouraged them to keep the faith and his young team have handsomely repayed him and then some! By putting the Oranje to sword, the Russians have made the footballing world sit up and take notice. This is the Oranje side that had caused us to reminisce, by the manner in which they beaten both World Cup finalists, about the total football displayed by the Oranje team of 10 years ago that dispatched the South Koreans 5-1 and prompted the South Korean football federation to make Guus Hiddink their coach - he was the Oranje coach at the time.

Ultimately, Hiddink outmanoeuvred van Basten and has served to reinforce his credentials as a master tactician. He has taken the Oranje & South Korea to the semi-finals of the World Cup, the Australians to a World Cup and now in Russia he has an opportunity to win his first European championship.

It's just as well

Having watched a lot of the matches at Euro 2008, I can honestly say that I'm relieved England didn't qualify. Given the verve of attacking football on display, England's stultifying style of play would have stuck out like a saw thumb. Don Fabio is the man to get them to play with an element of panache, after all he was the coach responsible for AC Milan's swashbuckling 4-0 demolition of Barcelona, in the 1994 Champions League final.

Only in Africa

How come, one can lose an election in Africa à la Kibaki in Kenya and Mugabe in Zimbabwe yet if you play hardball, again à la Kibaki and Mugabe, "well meaning" outsiders will encourage you to form governments of national unity, again à la Kenya and Zimbabwe. Doesn't this mean that the will of the majority of the electorate is not being reflected?

In Kenya for example, Kibaki's party won 46 seats out of a possible 220 ie less than 1 in 5 in the parliamentary elections so by what logic would it have been possible for him to have won the presidential elections?! In Zimbabwe, Mugabe conceded that Zanu-PF did not win the March election so by what logic does he think Zanu-PF will win a free and fair run off?

A so called government of national unity in Kenya has given rise to a bloated cabinet of FORTY TWO ministers - it cost about $500 million to run the cabinet for 2 months, and despite this Kenya politicians demonstrate just how out of touch they are with reality by asking for this.

And what about justice for those who were killed, raped, tortured and forced to flee? Justice denied means that resentment lingers and it will eventually erupt into another round of blood letting. Kenya, for so long regarded as a safe haven for refugees fleeing from conflict in neighbouring countries now has her own IDPs to deal with - money that should be used to resettle these IDPs is being diverted to fund the engorged cabinet.

Talk about the pot calling the kettle black, but it is good to see Raila Odinga condemning the shenanigans going on in Zimbabwe. And finally, African leaders are finding their voices.

Yes, Britain has A LOT to answer for - virtually every ongoing conflict in the world today is a legacy of British colonialism (to be examined in another posting) - that's the Napoleonic complex at work right there. But the time has come time for African leaders to start accepting responsibility for what is happening within their own borders. Mugabe came to power in 1980 so why did he allow 17 years to elapse before starting to tackle the land issue? There are similar unresolved land issues in Kenya and South Africa (both former British colonies!!), but the powers that be in those countries aren't going to cut off their hands to spite their face.

The Queen returns to hold court

Did you know that the Venus Rosewater dish has gone to a Williams SIX out of EIGHT times this century and that Venus Ebony Starr Williams has won 2/3 of those titles? Despite this impressive record, she is seeded a lowly seventh. The All England Club seeds the men according to their performance on grass over the past two years - they definitely don't apply the same criterion for seeding the women. No matter, V will dispatch all comers to win her fifth Wimbledon crown because no one can match her athleticism and all round court coverage on grass, not even her lil' sis.

Clay court specialist he is not

It bothers me that Rafa is labelled a clay court specialist as if that is the only surface on which he wins. True, he does have a remarkable record on clay, but he has beaten the Fed on hard courts (Dubai and Miami) and he continues to improve his performance at the Grand Slams with each passing year. His semi-final appearance at the Australian Open this year was better than his quarter final appearance last year - ditto for his performances at the US Open. In last year's Wimbledon final, he took the Fed to five sets which was a set better than the 2006 Wimbledon final. Now, he has just won his first grass-court title dispensing with The Joker, in a manner which underlines his Wimbledon credentials.

His inexorable climb to the summit of the men's game continues and I expect him to end the Fed's attempts to win a 6th consecutive Wimbledon crown and become the first man since the incomparable Bjorn Borg to win Wimbledon after winning the French Open.

Vamos Rafa!!

TANT PIS!!

surtout Ribery - obtenez bien bientôt. Ainsi il est au revoir à Claude Makele et Lilian Thuram. J'espère que Titi continuera jusque à 2010.

Allez Espagña!!

Only in America

As BHO pointed out in that address to the DNC in 2004, only in America is his story possible a fact that this article reiterates so eloquently.

BHO personifies the virtues of America and in him we can all see that the American dream can become a reality.

The audacity of hope is a beautiful thing to behold.

Sending out an SOS to Madiba

Dearest Madiba

I know that preparations for the celebration of your 90th birthday are at an advanced stage so I am hoping that you will find time in your hectic schedule to give your contemporary a call. I know you're in semi-retirement, but it seems that you are the only person with the moral authority to call Robert Mugabe out. I know that you will do it in an eloquent, understated way so as not to bruise his delicate ego.

In Africa, there is a misconception that age brings wisdom - in Mugabe's case that is patently not true. He has shown a complete disregard for world opinion and no current African leader has the necessary stature to be listened to by Mr. Mugabe. Your successor has made some half-baked attempts, but his "leadership" (I use the term very loosely) as chief mediator in SADC efforts to bring about a resolution to the crisis in Zimbabwe is highly suspect.

Yours

A morally outraged African

La Hollande 4 France 1 mais pas de probleme

Pourquoi? Parce que France a joué très bien, surtout Titi et Ribery. La Hollande étaient très chanceux, même leur entraîneur a dit ainsi. Je prévois que la France battra l'Italie.

Allez les bleus, arrivederci l'azzuri.

Heads I win, tails you lose

is tantamount to what Uncle Bob is saying here. This isn't fair so go to www.zimbabwe-27June.com and add your signature.

If power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely, what does that make Mugabe?! He has given a whole new lease of life to the expression, "by any means necessary".

To those very brave ordinary Zimbabweans who only want the right to exercise their democratic vote despite the state-sponsored, military co-ordinated, thuggery and intimidation, their are some African leaders who are in solidarity with your very noble quest.

The sun will rise on 28 June and let's hope it will herald the dawn of a new Zimbabwe.

Aluta continua!!

Don't EVEN go there!!

This is a message to Chelski's Big Phil;

Hands off El Niño

The F-word

No, not that one! The one I'm referring to is f-a-i-r.

• Is it fair that the west wants OPEC to increase their oil output so oil prices can go down, yet the very same west refuses to do away with obscene agricultural subsidies that adversely impact farmers in developing countries?

• Is it fair that Dubya and Tony Bliar can invade Iraq, in contravention of international law and get away with it?

• Is it fair that Israel can continually flout UN resolutions, build illegal settlements, threaten its neighbours and kill Palestinian civilians with impunity?

• Is it fair that the democratically elected choice of the Palestinian people has been ostracised?

• Is it fair that the choices of the majority of the Kenya and Zimbabwe electorate were ignored at the ballot box?

• Is it fair for the British government to criticise Robert Mugabe for transforming Zimbabwe from an economic breadbasket to an economic basketcase while a British high street bank continues to avail credit facilities to Zanu-PF?
  

• Is it fair that the bankers (I'm thinking of another word here) behind the sub prime mortgage crisis are bailed out by their respective central banks while loanees are losing their homes?

• Is it fair that Swiss banks' success is founded on capital flight from developing countries and kickbacks from arms deals?

• Is it fair that the CIA and the Belgian government who were complicit in the killing of Patrice Lumumba will never see the inside of a courtroom?

• Is it fair that the exploitation of Africa's vast natural resources continues apace, but the locals are excluded from partaking of the riches coming out of their own soil?
  

• Is it fair that exercising your democratic right can leave you hungry, cost you your livelihood or your life?

• Is it fair that the only lives that seem to matter are American?
  

• Is it fair that it's so expensive to be poor?
  

You don't say!!

So Dubya believes his sheriff like utterances; "Dead or Alive" and "Bring it On" were not meant to portray the US of A as belligerent. If he was going for a benign image then I'm sure I speak for many when I say that he failed MISERABLY. The only surprise is that he didn't find a way to make use of the immortal line; "Do you feel lucky punk, well do you?!".

So, tis farewell, Shell!!

It's a day that Ken Saro-Wiwa campaigned long and hard for and his activism ultimately cost him his life. His sacrifice inspired his people to continue the struggle and their efforts culminated in Shell's pull out. The Nigerian government has said that Shell's replacement will be a company acceptable to the Ogoni, after all the oil is on their land. In the meantime, Shell should be tried for the environmental crimes they have committed in the Niger Delta.

Land of the free?!

This story clearly illustrates that the land of the free is indeed a myth. War profiteering is a felony under US law, but that has not deterred Haliburton whose back is covered by the real power at the Oval Office, Dick "Dodgy Ticker" Cheney. War is good for the MIC, whose more prominent members are BAE, Blackwater, Haliburton, KBR and countless others who are a little more discreet than the four that I've mentioned.

VIVA Espagña!!

It's turning into quite a sporting week for Spain. First Rafa extends his reign at Roland Garros (without dropping a set) with his straight sets demolition of the Fed (looks like it will be a barren year in terms of Grand Slams for the current world no 1), then Spain win the French Open women's doubles and for the final flourish, the Spanish football team put on a scintillating display of attacking football to see off Russia 4-1. El Niño has taken his Liverpool form into the championships and his partnership with David Villa promises goals, goals, goals!

As for France, qu'est-ce qui se passe?!

Welcome BACK!!

It is almost 10 years to the day since the Oranje put on an exhilarating display of total football and annihilated South Korea 5-1 in a group game at the 1998 World Cup. The geometry of their passing in that game was something to behold - one could see their fluid triangles all over park. Last night with a breathtaking display of counter attacking football, they made Italy look their age. If Italy are to progress, then Del Piero needs to start because his impact was immediate when he came on. The Oranje's second goal was reminiscent of that goal scored by van Basten in the final of Euro 88, the angle was equally acute.

It looks as if a vast number of commentators are not as au fait with the rules of the game as they should be - how else can one explain the outcry that greeted van Nistelrooy's opening goal. Clearly, Panucci had played him onside - DUH!!!!

Arrivederci l'Azzuri!!

African leaders taken to task

and surprise, surprise it was by a fellow African leader. I say surprise because no African leader has called out Robert Mugabe despite his blatant and crude attempts to cling to power by any means necessary. Raila Odinga chided African leaders on their failure to condemn what happened during the elections in Kenya and Zimbabwe, while true to form Thabo "Inert" Mbeki pussyfooted around Zimbabwe in his address at the World Economic Forum. What is quite telling is that observers were surprised by Raila's frank condemnation. If his actions can match his words, then maybe it won't all be doom and gloom for Kenya's bloated cabinet.

Calling out Clint

Good on Spike for calling out Clint for his revisionist films, Flag of our Fathers and Letters from Iwo Jima. Obviously, his "research" team didn't do their research otherwise both of these films would not have been so white. After all, surely it couldn't have been that hard for Clint's research team to find Thomas McPhatter, a black US marine sergeant. Melton McLaurin, a US academic pointed out that media crews turned their equipment off when there was a black face around, but that doesn't mean that black soldiers weren't present. Just as a tree still makes a sound when it falls even if there's no one around to hear it, the black soldiers were there and there is the documentary evidence to back up this assertion.

So Clint, do the right thing and say that you got it wrong.

It's time to wheel out the big O

Given that there are a lot of disgruntled female Hillary supporters who may not be entirely convinced by HRC's endorsement of BHO. Well, who better to convince them that they should vote for BHO in November than the single monikered queen of daytime tv aka Oprah. She influences the books they read and their lifestyle choices so why not their choice for president.

Power to the rescue

Now that he's won, she can be reinstated and fast!! The she in question is Samantha Power who resigned from her position as Barack Obama's foreign policy adviser after she called HRC a monster.

Following BHO's kowtowing to AIPAC and the furore it caused among moderate Palestinians who want a peaceful solution with their belligerent and bellicose oppressor, SP needs to school the incoming 44th president of the US of A on the finer points of diplomacy. As the senior Palestinian negotiator pointed out, BHO is running his campaign on the promise of change except when it comes to the US of A's military industrial complex in the Middle East.

If BHO will talk to Ahmadinejad and Raul Castro, then he should talk to Hamas, who after all are the DEMOCRATICALLY elected choice of the Palestinian people. Refusing to talk to Hamas is equivalent to ignoring the will of the Palestinian people (nothing new there!!). It's good to see that Fatah and Hamas are holding conciliatory talks.

Question for BHO, if Hamas has to honour existing peace agreements, why is it okay for Israel to continue to build illegal settlements in contravention of international law?

Demonising Dwain

The witch hunt against Dwain Chambers is hypocritical after all UK Athletics welcomed him back with open arms in 2006 and couldn't send him to compete at the European Championships in Gothenburg fast enough. Fast forward to 2008 and after telling it like it is, he has become persona non grata to UK Athletics - witness their pathetic attempts to prevent him competing at the trials for the World Indoor Championships in Valencia.

Lest people forget, Dwain Chambers was a former world junior 100m record holder with a time of 10.06s. The guy has talent which is evident by the fact that he's training on his own and can still run 10.26s. The decision to ban him from the grand prix meetings is tantamount to a restraint of trade and credit must go to the German promoter who has extended Dwain an invitation to compete.

The BOA's by-law which prevents convicted drug cheats from EVER competing for Britain at the Olympics is about to undergo its first legal challenge and even the bigwigs at the IAAF are not convinced that the BOA has a case.

Dwain provided UK Sport with an intelligence dossier on his doping regimen, which will prove invaluable in the fight against the drug cheats.

The current rules in athletics don't allow for double jeopardy - somebody should tell UK Athletics and the BOA.

Hillary would understand

When the history books are written on the 2008 Democratic race, they will indicate success for Barack Obama and failure for Hillary Clinton, but that doesn't explain how hard she worked only to fail. If anyone can get the essence of this blog, Hillary can.

Am I bitter?!

I would call myself one of those "bitter" people except I'm not white, I don't do guns and I don't do religion. Nevertheless, I have an affinity with these people. It may be stating the obvious, but life isn't fair.

Yesterday , following the triumph of the man who personifies America's virtues, I am marginally less bitter. Barack Obama embodies the country that America could be and it behoves the American electorate to do the right thing in November and atone for the belligerence and bellicosity that has characterised America's behaviour since she came into existence.

Cocking a snoot

Well, you've got to hand it to Uncle Bob, he really doesn't give a fig for world opinion. I wonder what kind of detachment it requires to not see what is right in front of you. Has senility arrived or can he really be that insular?!

MATHARAO

It's ironic that the Israelis won't let these Gazans go and yet all those years ago the Egyptians were told in no uncertain terms to let the Israelis go. There's a word for what the Israelis are doing, it is MATHARAO. It appears they would rather have educated but frustrated Gazans on their doorstep.

Well it seems that common sense has prevailed and these Gazans have been let go.

Lightning quick

His nickname is Thunder but yesterday Usain Bolt was as quick as lightning in lowering the 100m world record by 0.02s. He's the world junior record holder of the 200m, which he set at the age of 15 and he looks like he may be the man to beat at the blue riband event in Beijing. Lets hope he's keeping something back because that's the second 9.7(x)s he's run in the last four weeks.