Thursday 29 January 2009

To His Excellency With Love 2

Mr President, I did write to you before but I’m sure it didn’t get to you so today I write another one hoping this time you’ll read it or at least feel the sentiments behind it. Firstly, I would like to thank you for fighting in the liberation struggle, for the years you spent wanting to liberate us, for when our grandparents were treated like third class citizens, you fought for all that to end and well on the 18th of April 1980, Rhodesia became Zimbabwe. A strong nation and well didn’t they all love you then? The darling of Africa they affectionately called you! The bread basket of Africa they called our country for we fed all of Africa!

You and I know you have been in power since I was a toddler, 29 years this year but then President Dos Santos has been in power for 30 years, so I wont dwell on the length of years you’ve been in power. I won’t even question why you chose to give land to those who didn’t know how to farm, nor will I question why you still claim us to be ‘your people’? No, Mr President I’m not questioning your ability to lead at your age, how dare I? And I’m not saying let Mr Tsvangirai lead, oh no, he’s been a mockery to leadership, skiving to Botswana and gallivanting to France to save his own skin whilst crying ‘my people are dying’..please Mr President whatever you do, don’t let him become the sole leader! So what am I saying? I’m saying both of you need to put the house in order.

Because of the brain-drain from our beloved nation, you have called me and all the other young Zimbabweans who left the country ‘traitors’, and Mr President today I felt like one. How can I shed tears of the picture of the old woman dying of hunger and yet I’m sitting here, sipping ‘Evian water’? How can I? My tears surely won’t resurrect the economy, but Mr President, I’m still investing in my country, I’m supporting my family and I know selfish as it is to say, once things get better I’ll come home!’However if we were to stay can you allow us to accumulate our own wealth in our own nation? Did you just snigger and say ‘You’re still a traitor?’ Please dearest sir be kind to me, for I try to school those that don’t know my motherland..that we are home to one of the 7 natural wonders Mosi-oa-Tunya (this means the smoke that thunders) or as they prefer to call it The Victoria Falls, that Zimbabwe means House of Stone, that we have all the Big 5 game (Lion, Cheetah, Buffalo, Rhino and Elephant), that we have the Shonas and the Ndebeles, and Your Excellency I can speak both languages, that we also had apartheid in Zimbabwe and one of the few African countries that got its independence late in 1980. How most Africans did send their children to schools in Zimbabwe, I still remember Adebola, Nana, Awa from junior school and the many Motswanas in high school. Your Excellency, I totally hear you when you say its because they want our country, if they didn't want anything from our Zimbabwe would they really cause such a rucus?I think not..but Mr President for the sake of future generations, lets not kill our home!!

Dearest Sir, I still yearn for good news not that cholera has claimed more lives, half the population is starving, everything is just expensive, the phones hardly work, the teachers are still on strike, lack of medicines in the hospitals and a shortage of anti-retroviral medicines to hold Aids at bay. With the wave of hope and change that President Obama brought on, I can only hope that change will come to Zimbabwe. Where no-one fears being beaten, raped, disappearing, yes..I totally understand propaganda but there’s no smoke without fire ne? I’m sorry if you heard that I wished you’d also had the shoes thrown at you like George Bush,I know I wished they were Timbalands and it was the greatest shot-putter in the world throwing them at you, it was a joke Mr President, but that’s because of the anger I feel, how can that beautiful nation die whilst the world looks on?

So for 2009 I pray that we will be talking about rebuilding the little beautiful nation, and I promise Mr President to bring all my non-Zimbabwean friends to Zimbabwe with me this December, yes, I’ll take them to see the Great Zimbabwe ruins that our fore-fathers built in the 11th century, let them overlook Mozambique from the Nyanga Mountains.

It would be rude of me to not thank you for the 29 years worth of history whether good or bad, you've sure made it into history sir!. I still smile when I hear your voice, your wit Mr President, your remarks and your jokes. I remember the man that is Robert Mugabe, the man my father calls ‘friend’, the well-educated man that you are Mr President, ensuring that Zimbabwe hailed and still hails as one of the countries with the highest adult literacy in the world of approximately 90%. Thank you sir and thank you for letting Zimbabwe rise once again in 2009! I'll always sing along to Henry Olonga's Our Zimbabwe
(video below)

And the video below is some Southern Rythm, its in both Shona and Xhosa!Basically saying home is home!!Ekhaya is ekhaya as we would say!!
Update - Morgan Tsvangirai has agreed to join the Unity Government today : 30th January 2009 - Does the sun shine on my Motherland??

39 comments:

bumight said...

i wont even try and shout first, cos i see comment moderation :(

bumight said...

wow! nice piece. i didnt even know that u were not nigerian.

.. said...

Hey there.

Anonymous said...

Very emotive piece Shona Vixen... If only Mr President would read this and allow commonsense prevail....

LovePaprika said...

4th???

Rebirth said...

bumight!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ha, Shona, ur really on fire....... i'd personally see he gets this letter

Tigeress said...

Mugabe!!! :)

Bumight- Shona has been Nigerian-ized to the core! :)

Shona, i like this blog a lot. nice!

Nefertiti said...

Aww Shona, so heartfelt and pure. I hope he gets to read this. It's hard to believe u are not Nigerian. Seems like we infest everyone we come in contact with. I have my asian friend singing "Gongo aso" lol.

Lovely post!

ShonaVixen said...

@Bumight - yes you are FIRST!!!Hmm I guess its all the Nigerians around me on my second home - blogville and those I know personally, as Tigeress said I've been Nigerianized to the core!!

@Rose - hey, thanx for passing by and welcome to Blogville!!

@Danny - yeah I was very emotional when I wrote this piece today, saw the morning paper and started crying..If only he read this..but then again I might just disapper..lol..no joke though..lol

@MissLove - yes, 4th!!!

@Funms - lol!yeah m on fire hon..lol..can u send it to him for me??..lol

@Tigeress - hey hon!!Thanx and u know I don't hate the man, I hate what my country has become..I don't want my unborn child to see it as it is and hear my memories as just that..memories!!
And you're very right I've been NIGERIANIZED..I mean knowing peeps like you I could apply for Nigerian citizenship and getting it..lol...

@Nefertiti - Yeah, one of the pieces I wrote wiv my heart and not my head!!Gurl, I can sing Gongo Aso like for real, for real and have this wicked dance for it too (check how I've just bigged my dancing up in there..lol..)

Anonymous said...

awwwwww Shona darling, I feel you. But it must get better. My people say that, once you push a goat to the wall, it turns around and head butts you. Once our people have had enough, mugabe and others like him would be history.

miz-cynic said...

ihave always thot zim women,apart frm naij women btw are very intelligent.

~Sirius~ said...

Awww Shona.....It's not even how well it's written.......I can actually feel your heart aching as I read.
Oh well, we can only hope for the best.
And hell yeah! you are sooooo Nigerianized!

ShonaVixen said...

@Temite - yes hon it must get better, God can not let his people suffer any longer..oh no!!

@Miz-cynic - aww thank you hon and i totally agree with you..i love my Naija women..and i know great ones too!!!

@Sirius - yeah, my heart bleeds about Zimbabwe..it was my heart talking,and hey I'm a Zimgerian...lol..wow..just made that one up..lol..Zimgerian..lol!!

Scarlet said...

You have so much love for your country, i hope things do get better this year. When my Zim friedns talk about thier countries they have so much passion it moves me to think positive about my country as well

Kookie said...

it breaks my heart dear that my neighbours are going through this, nobody can rejoice in your pain. lets hope the old man comes to his senses...

on a lighter note....

there you people go claiming the falls as yours...people from the miz ka you take it too far even poaching our tribal name....lol

by ze way...there is a heated debate occurring on our favourite debate spot...PRIZ PRIZ shamwaz bring yourself over there chop chop...

great piece dear by the way, you have a way with words

Joy Akut said...

wow, that was something.
if only Mr president could read it...but then as hard hearted as he is, would he do anything about anything?
its unfortunate what the people are going through.
i guess all we can do ids pray and hope that things would get better soon, before more children die, and more lifes are ruined.

Super star! said...

deuteronomy 8:1-3 6-10

This entire commandment that I command you today you must diligently observe, so that you may live and increase, and go in and occupy the land that the Lord promised on oath to your ancestors. 2Remember the long way that the Lord your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, in order to humble you, testing you to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commandments. 3He humbled you by letting you hunger, then by feeding you with manna, with which neither you nor your ancestors were acquainted, in order to make you understand that one does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.* 6Therefore keep the commandments of the Lord your God, by walking in his ways and by fearing him. 7For the Lord your God is bringing you into a good land, a land with flowing streams, with springs and underground waters welling up in valleys and hills, 8a land of wheat and barley, of vines and fig trees and pomegranates, a land of olive trees and honey, 9a land where you may eat bread without scarcity, where you will lack nothing, a land whose stones are iron and from whose hills you may mine copper

ShonaVixen said...

@Confessions - Yeah, I guess its just second nature for Zimbabweans to have such a strong passion for our motherland, and I guess we know where we were and where we are...it hurts..for that small country has great potential..

@K - hey hon, you know that Vic Falls is ours, don't know why u guys on the other side of the Zambezi say its urs..lol..but hey we're all the same peeps any-ways, no thanks to Rhodes for seperating us!!..lol..
sha-a that debate on our other spot..I have concluded that Mr is playing and not serious...
and thanx !!


@Fantasy Queen - if only he could read it!I'm just glad I have an avenue to vent!!Yeah, I'm sure it will be well in my mama land!!

@Superstar! - Guess God is watching over Zimbabwe and being a former Divinity student I know that 'forty years' didn't mean 40 years but just a long time and yup Zim has suffered a long time now!! Gots to give it to our people for their resilience!!

James said...

Heartfelt and insiteful.Soon enough God will come rushing.

ablackjamesbond said...

I feel your pain. I pray things change quickly for your country.

PS: Still can't believe u r not a Nigerian

Miss Definitely Maybe said...

Beautiful letter
I co sign it too
Things need to change in Zimbabwe
people are sufferring and dying
its inhuman

Kafo said...

i wish Bob reads this

for real

Zayzee said...

i read a book, 'the house of stone' by a white lady. it was on zimbabwe and how mugabe came into power. what i cant understand is how he stopped being that wondeful man who brought hope to people, into this scary man.
since then, i read anything on Zimbabwe, hoping and praying it will all come to an end someday. i want to travel around africa and i want to do that when there is peace everywhere and i can take pictures without being thrown into jail.

Afrobabe said...

wow...wish he could read this...Feel so sad the way they talk about Africa in the news...they were laughing at the fact that Zimbabwains were about using foreign currency in the country as their money was now worthless, that hurt me...the same way it hurt when they showed the Nigerian witch children, same way it hurt when they showed nigerians with paint buckets on their head on bikes...

we will get it right in Africa one day...

Nigerian Drama Queen said...

Gosh this was so powerful.
My best friend in elementary school was from Harare...her dad was an Ambassador...she always talked about Zim's beauty. Hope that the sun will indeed shine on the motherland!

Mustafa Şenalp said...

çok güzel site.:)

Shubby Doo said...

may the sun continue to shine on your nation... and ours 2...may the lord shine his countenance on mother africa always

Anonymous said...

Such a touching letter, Shona. Wouldn't it be something if it got into the hands of his excellency?

SOLOMONSYDELLE said...

my sista, things will change. Its just a matter of if we will be a part of that change (no matter how small) and if that change will happen quickly.

BTW, before I forget, you nee dto go back and read the comment I left for you at Easier. =) Feel free to follow Shubby Doo's pr clnmike's example. lol!

aloted said...

hmm..Africa is God's own nation...and i know things can only get better.

i wish the president could read this letter

Tigeress said...

Hey Shona,

Thanks for ur email on FB- i really appreciate it. Please check out http://thecounselorandherthots.blogspot.com/

LusciousRon said...

I hope he somehow gets to read this.
You are welcome to Nigeria anytime love.

We will just keep praying for the leaders of our continent.

Angel said...

Amazing hun! I love the way you write, I do hope one day he reads it. you are a powerful writer

Buttercup said...

awwww that was really heartfelt...isnt there a way it can be published in a Zimbabwean paper? seriously..

Unknown said...

Well penned.

Geebee said...

Patriotic as you sound, I still feel you have hidden agenda. Looks like you are indirectly lobbying for a place in Oga Mugabe’s cabinet. Come to think of it, that guy has been there long enough and it looks like only death is gonna unseat the old man. Zimbabwe’s economy is in shambles. Let someone else who has the true heart to lead come into power. Shona, are you really from Zimbabwe?

tobenna said...

*Ahem* I'm not a vixenite, but comment I must.

Nice piece Shona.
I was in Zim about 3yrs ago - stayed in Elephant Hills and I still think it's one of the best places in Africa regardless of what is going on there.
Unspoiled, lush and beautiful. That includes the women too. Infact, the biggest hip I've seen on a woman belongs to a Zimbabwean :P

The people are genuinely HAPPY(surprising) and pleasant and its because of this that Robert thinks he can hold sway forever.
I forgot my phone in the hotel and it was mailed to me in Nigeria. Shocked, I was.

Peace will come.
Morning will come.
Robert will leave soon.

Nice piece.

ShonaVixen said...

@Tele - yup wrote this with every Zimbabwean bone in me!!

@BlackJamesBond - Thank and hopefully our prayers will be heard! Yup, I'm so Zimbabwean..ok well as Tigeress said I've been Nigerianized too...but yup this gurl is a proud Zimba!!

@MDM - thanks gurl!!

@Kafo - Me too, if only Bob could read this BUT then again he'd want to know who wrote this...i love my life!!..lol..

@Uzezi - yeah House of Stone - thats what Zimbabwe means, historical meaning to the Great Zimbabwe which our ancestors built in the 11th century, a beauty just like that of the pyramids...As it seems the constitution was passed its going to be a new dawn for Zimbabwe!!

@Afrobabe - yeah now everything is in foreign currency, I feel for those that don't have access to forex...Africa shall rise!!

@NDQ - It is a beautiful country indeed!!The sun will shine on my motherland!!

@Mustafa - sorry boss but me no comprendo @ all!!..lol..

@Shubby - Amen my sister!Amen!!

@GNG - Yeah, wish he could get to read it!!

@MamaBomboy - I so hope so that things will change! Hmmm I saw that comment, please forgive me but confusion and not wanting to lose made me do that..I'm a sore loser..lol..

@Aloted - I wish so too!! Africa with children like us shall shine!!

@Tigeress - Been there and love ur spot hon!!

@LusciousRon - God willing I'm in Abuja this summer, one of my girls is getting married and so Shona has to bring some Zimbabwean to the wedding!!So who knows I might meet up wiv some bloggers..lol...

@Angel - thank you hon!BTW how are u??

@Buttercup - Aww thank u hon(though m patiently waiting for my Balenciaga sandals like proper mumu..lol), I will probably get the Zimbabwean newspaper guys to read this!

@Naijalines - Sister, Welcome..after a long time you've come to visit again!!Thanks


@Geebee- na u know!!..lol..Of course I want Oga Mugabe to read and think this girl deserves a seat on my cabinet!! Yes o, I'm Zimbabwean!!

@Tobenna - LOL @ not being a Vixenite...why now??..lol..Aww so you've been to my motherland!!!And m so glad you enjoyed it...heey Zimbabweans are such happy people and so typical of them returning your phone!And yes, Zimbabwean women are BEAUTIFUL and you're so right we're blessed booty-wise!!

Anonymous said...

girl i love the way u think, a true patriotic zimbabwean,