BEFORE THEY CHOOSE!

All in the name of their choices,
Their homes are burnt down
Their ribs are broken and
Their buttocks are buttered
Young boys are dressed in mass boots
and camouflage garments before
They are taught to run, sing, destroy and sloganeer aimlessly
It happens before they choose!

Their brains are thrown into washing machines
where they are spun thoroughly before they are pegged to dry
on blood stained washing lines
Under a watchful eye of recommended supporters
Its their time to choose!!!

They carry their guided choices to the ballot and their fears,
detect and predict victory for men with big bows and piercers
When choices cease to be what they ought to be!!!

Decades of prolonged droughts of democracy have taught them,
to choose with their mouths shut, eyes closed and dreams shuttered
they know not the freedom to choose!!!

to them choosing is an odd ideal
a catapult erected against them
predetermined outcomes of their choices
have trained them to careless about their choices!!!

Let anyone who wants to lead do so,
ours is to be led come what may
The blind , the idiots, the devils and saints,
have pulled our chains of servitude
We know not the meaning of fresh air
our atmosphere reeks with poison gas, tear gas,
acidic policies, draconian laws and unfulfilled promises
All this happens before they choose!!!

(By Sheunesu Reginald Mpofu,

Human Rights Defender, Policy Analyst, Researcher and Advocate for Political and Social Justice

Mobile# +263 (0) 772 346 004 or +263 (0) 713 272 161
Email: sheunesu.mpofu@gmail.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/sheuregie
Blog: www.sheuregie.blogspot.com

CONGRADULATIONS ON YOUR GRADUATION!!!

(DEDICATED TO NOTHANDO CHERYL SIBANDA)

On this, your graduation day all stand and give cheer
To honor you for all the work you've done to get you here. As we rise and give applause be sure you don't forget
That learning is not over as your future plans are met.
May you always be a listener and learn from all you meet
Always keep a student's spirit and your life will be complete.

Keep On Keepin' On

If the day looks kinder gloomy
And your chances kinder slim,
If the situation's puzzlin'
And the prospect's awful grim,
If perplexities keep pressin'
Till hope is nearly gone,
Just bristle up and grit your teeth
And keep on keepin' on.
Frettin' never wins a fight

And fumin' never pays;
There ain't no use in broodin'
In these pessimistic ways;
Smile just kinder cheerfully
Though hope is nearly gone,
And bristle up and grit your teeth
And keep on keepin' on.

There ain't no use in growlin'
And grumblin' all the time,
When music's ringin' everywhere
And everything's a rhyme.
Just keep on smilin' cheerfully
If hope is nearly gone,
And bristle up and grit your teeth
And keep on keepin' on.
 

ARE WE ENCIRCLED OR WHAT?

As a resident of Bulawayo i am concerned about the heavy presence of armed military and Zimbabwe Republic Police officers on the streets in the country's second largest city and and the increased number of along highways leading to the city the question i am asking my self is, are we at war? If  not, what is all this nonsense  about?

Some of the military personnel are crying teargas canisters similar  to the ones i saw last year during the BAN C Super 8 Semi- Final when Bobourfields was turned into a battlefield after Washington Arubi, the Dynamos Goalkeeper showed a middle finger to the Highlanders faithfuls who included myself.

There is no  doubt that the heavy presence of the police instill fear amongst the resident of Bulawayo who still bear the  brunt of the Genocide of the 1980s. the most unfortunate thin is that all this twaddle is happening at a time when the President of the Republic is threatening to call for an election. The police and military presence in Bulawayo comes at a time  when a number of civil society member s have been arrested, these include the 45 activists who were arrested recently in Harare who includes  former MDC MP Munyaradzi Gwisai who are in remand prison after being  charged  with treason for allegedly plotting an Egypt Style revolution in Zimbabwe. When i was talking to the Deputy Spokesperson of the MDC (T) Youth Assembly recently, she highlighted to me that the Zimbabwe Republic Police had banned the party's rallies for fear of the Egypt style protests. This ha s forced the MDC (T) party to s top their restructuring exercise because the country is said to be on " high  alert...'

Can someone explain, what is going on... i am confused!!!