Cross Posted on Global Voices
The weekly roundup I do for Global Voices is up. Find it here.
Zimbabwe:This is Zimbabwe in Surviving Zimbabwean Democracy presents a summary of the major arguments for and against the MDC’s participation in the senate elections which a are now under two weeks away. Disturbed by the failure of many pundits to decipher just how mundane and cruel implications of an election bode for lay Zimbabweans, he cautions not to,
On the subject of senate elections, FirePussy takes aim at the MDC,
And Zimpundit seems sure that Morgan Tsvangirai’s days at the helm of the MDC are over,
This is Zimbabwe also discusses the fisicious diplomatic row raised by Harare after Christopher Dell, the US ambassador, critized the Mugabe regime in a speech.
Mark of Paradise Lost interviews Sizwe a young Zimbabwean immigrant in South Africa and Gary Cross a pastor at a church in Harare which is faced with a crisis as retirement benefits have long since fallen behind inflation.
Burundi: Agathon Rwasa is mad at the UN for promising action and then backing away allowing more innocent civilians to be killed in Burundi,
He is also reporting that Tanzania’s retiring president, Benjamin Mkapa is encouraging his followers halt FNL activity from Tanzania.
Finally, Agathon Rwasa announces a new blog, Memoire Vigilante
DRC: Congogirl reports that a Belgian priest, the first foreigner charged in relation to the 1994 genocide in Rwanda will be allowed to go face trial in his home country. Father Guy Theunis edited a publication that republished extract from a Hutu magazine.
Malawi: Blogger Geeta shares her thoughts on joint programming in Malawi.
Zimbabwe, Globalvoices,
Zimbabwe:This is Zimbabwe in Surviving Zimbabwean Democracy presents a summary of the major arguments for and against the MDC’s participation in the senate elections which a are now under two weeks away. Disturbed by the failure of many pundits to decipher just how mundane and cruel implications of an election bode for lay Zimbabweans, he cautions not to,
“forget that when Zimbabweans are asked by political parties to turn out and vote, they are in effect being asked to deal with intimidation, violence and with the likelihood that they and their children - I emphasise, their children - will be deprived of food if the area votes against zanu-pf. To be fair to the people of Zimbabwe, any arguments for or against electoral participation have to engage with their grassroots reality.”
On the subject of senate elections, FirePussy takes aim at the MDC,
“the Senate Elections notwithstanding, there has been a Big Bold Sign flashing for the last couple of years:
MDC Change Your Tactics.”
And Zimpundit seems sure that Morgan Tsvangirai’s days at the helm of the MDC are over,
“Tsvangirai emerged not as the benovelent savior Zimbabweans had begun to look to him as, but as just another victim of that dreadful pandemic that has claimed hindered the continent’s prosperity and progress: a dictator, another tyrant in the making.
He had started to build himself a kingdom, an untouchable kingdom just like Robert Mugabe has succeed in doing. And just like Mugabe, he has been trying albeit unsuccesfully to squash any dissent to his views. Fortunately for Zimbabweans, his closest associates saw this and denied him that opportunity.”
This is Zimbabwe also discusses the fisicious diplomatic row raised by Harare after Christopher Dell, the US ambassador, critized the Mugabe regime in a speech.
Mark of Paradise Lost interviews Sizwe a young Zimbabwean immigrant in South Africa and Gary Cross a pastor at a church in Harare which is faced with a crisis as retirement benefits have long since fallen behind inflation.
Burundi: Agathon Rwasa is mad at the UN for promising action and then backing away allowing more innocent civilians to be killed in Burundi,
“By making threats back in 2004 and then not following through with those threats, the UN was inviting the FNL to carry out further atrocities. By encouraging the FNL to think that they were immune, and that they could extract further concessions by killing more people, the UN helped to cause the August 13th 2004 Gatumba massacre.
This is a matter of life or death. Unless the UN a) applies sanctions to the FNL or b) shuts up now, their empty threats will help to cause another massacre, possibly one even worse than Gatumba.”
He is also reporting that Tanzania’s retiring president, Benjamin Mkapa is encouraging his followers halt FNL activity from Tanzania.
Finally, Agathon Rwasa announces a new blog, Memoire Vigilante
DRC: Congogirl reports that a Belgian priest, the first foreigner charged in relation to the 1994 genocide in Rwanda will be allowed to go face trial in his home country. Father Guy Theunis edited a publication that republished extract from a Hutu magazine.
Malawi: Blogger Geeta shares her thoughts on joint programming in Malawi.
Zimbabwe, Globalvoices,
