30 October 2007

Dignity and Freedom

The rains come to Zimbabwe. Now, if only reason would return, Mugabe would leave and healing would begin. Read Cathy Buckle's Letter from Africa:

25 October 2007

Operation Sunset

Cathy Buckle continues to give clear reports on life in Zimbabwe for the common person. Her is her latest

22 October 2007

A million in Zimbabwe adds up to one U.S. dollar

When I visited Rhodesia in 1971, one Rhodesian dollar was worth US$1.40. When I arrived in Zimbabwe in 1982, the Zimbabwe dollar had just fallen to a value of US$1.10. Now Mugabe has driven the Zimbabwe dollar to the point where US$1.00 buys one million Zimbabwe dollars. Now, who says he hasn't made Zimbabweans wealthy. It's now a country of millionaires.

21 October 2007

Tribute to Lucky Dube

Here is some music by Lucky Dube. Let us celebrate his music as we mourn his death.













20 October 2007

Death in South Africa

Violence and crime in South Africa is continuing to grow and claim the lives of great people and artists. The latest music star to fall victim of senseless crime in South Africa is reggae star Lucky Dube. Dube was a spokesman for peace and justice. His death is a loss not only for South Africa, but the whole world.

This culture of violence must be changed into a culture of brotherhood. The government won't solve the problem. They will only exploit it for political gain. There must be a movement of the people to reject those who perpetuate this crime and violence.

Read about Lucky Dube's murder: South Africa carjackers kill a music legend

09 October 2007

Fruit flies

It's summer in Zimbabwe and the livin' ain't easy. Cathy Buckle describes daily life in her Letter from Zimbabwe.

Supermarket - spot the difference

See the difference in supermarkets around the time of Zimbabwe's independence and now. It's amazing how Mugabe has cleaned things up.

05 October 2007

Blaming a monkey

Zimbabwe's leaders blame everyone but themselves for Zimbabwe's problems. Read about what's going on and the latest scapegoat in

02 October 2007

I'm glad I'm not . . .

I'm glad I'm not a chicken in Moçambique. As you drive down the road here, you regularly pass people waving something at you as you pass by. At first glance, it might appear to be a very thick tattered flag or cloth. A closer look reveals that it is a live chicken, held upside down by the legs that is being waved furiously.

That's not the only indignity chickens endure. It is a common sight to see someone with a dozen chickens tied together by the legs and slung over the handlebars of a bicycle. People are always walking around carrying a chicken by the legs or wings.

Goats also have an "interesting" existence. You can hear them being pulled around town all the time. They often are uncooperative and resist going where their owner wishes. They make lots of noise in the process. Perhaps they know that they're to be the main course at dinner.

Some goats in Malawi, on the other hand, get first class treatment. We've seen goats riding bicycles in Malawi! I don't know how that they do it, but we've seen goats sitting on the bicycle seat with their front hooves on the handle bars as their owners push the bicycle to town. (I guess the goats haven't learned to pedal yet.)

[From the December 1999 edition of johnsons' journal.]