Saturday, June 07, 2008

Harare diary: Jingles ring hollow

Esther (not her real name), 28, a professional living and working in Zimbabwe's capital, Harare, is writing a regular diary on the challenges of leading a normal life.

Zimbabwe is suffering from an acute economic crisis. The country has the world's highest rate of annual inflation and just one in five has an official job.

I watched excerpts of President Robert Mugabe's speech at the United Nations food summit in Rome.

We all know he hates 'Britain and its allies' with a passion, but I really did not expect him to launch such an attack at a forum called to discuss soaring food prices.

It was a bit embarrassing to watch to be honest.

But then again what could he do? It is his first such public appearance since losing parliamentary, council, senatorial and presidential elections.

He had to save face somehow, and that was his way of doing it.

Back home, college students at a certain teachers' college have been asked to bring their own food supplies to stock up the institution's kitchen.

I saw a list from a student sent to their guardian - specific quantities of maize meal, sugar, salt and cooking oil, all of which are almost exclusively available on the black market.

One does not hear people talking politics that much in public these days, I guess we have all seen the pictures of victims of violence from the rural areas, and no-one wants to end up like that.

No ordinary person that is - broadcasting your political views has once again become the preserve of activists.

Campaign jingles are back on air, only this time Zanu-PF ones only.

Rumour has it the government has declared that no opposition MDC campaign material will be broadcast in state media - print or electronic.

I am not sure where people heard this, but it certainly seems true.

The jingles I have heard on radio are all for the ruling party and I have seen a number of Mugabe's posters in the state newspaper, but none of MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai.

For the 29 March election, I remember marvelling at the fact that state media were broadcasting MDC material.

Maybe they think that had a lot to do with the opposition victory.

The atmosphere is different from last time - there is no excitement.

Maybe it is just that we are not talking about how we are going to vote.

Or maybe it is because the official inflation rate has hit 165,000 and we can all feel it.

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