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Arrived back from 10 days in Zim at the weekend. Last time I was there was 11 years ago and what a contrast! At that time this was the dynamic modernising economic hub of the region. Now it is the basket case of the region, the economy in meltdown the urban population impoverished, angry and in an incendiary mood, the rural population struggling on the brink of starvation.
All down to the pride and arrogance of one man. I encountered nothing but hatred and disgust from ordinary African Zimbabweans for Mugabe. He used once to be a national hero, now he is despised and loathed by the ordinary people who are just waiting and praying for him to die.In northern Matabeleland where I spent a few days there is real suffering amongst the rural people. The economic collapse combined with drought has finished off their agricultural production and most are down to surviving on wild foods and muddy pools of water. This is the type of scenario I am used to from countries like Sudan and Ethiopia but not from Zim. I couldn’t believe where I was most of the time. The former (white) commercial farms are in rack and ruin, many gone to weeds with greenhouses, grain silos, irrigation schemes wrecked or decaying.
There is also a real feeling of underlying intimidation. Not I hasten to add because I was a white but this is for ordinary people facing a repressive state machine where any casual encounter in a bar may be a Government agent and any critical word can get you arrested or worse. As a white I did not feel at all threatened and only met friendliness from African Zimbabweans.
Still a beautiful country but what a mess a bad Government can make of it!
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