Via the LAT: Grim tales from Zimbabwe
Life here is full of Catch-22 dilemmas that would strain credulity if they were fiction: It costs more to go to work than you can possibly earn, for example. There is no economy to speak of, either, just the black market, where even the government gets its dollars. And hospitals, like the one where Junica Dube was giving birth, with no medicines and little staff, are places of death, not life.
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The stores are so empty that the government statistician says it’s impossible to work out the inflation rate. (Independent economists estimate that it is between 40,000% and 90,000%.) Given the depth of the economic crisis, it’s difficult to see how anything works.
A journalist more than doubles his salary by making candles on weekends. A Reserve Bank employee buys and slaughters cows on the side. A sign writer sells sandwiches cobbled out of difficult-to-come-by bread. Teachers, who can go to South Africa with no visa, bring back cooking oil, the staple called maize meal, flour and sugar to sell.
The caption under the photo that accompanies the piece reads:
Basic necessities like salt are in short supply, even in the capital Harare. Inflation is estimated to run between 40,000% and 90,000%. Everyone from laborers to professionals must hustle to try and make ends meet and about the only thing that seems to function properly is the government’s secret police.
The whole piece is quite depressing.
It is tragic to see what one man and his enablers can do to a country, an economy and its people.
December 23rd, 2024 at 6:54 am
Yep, it’s just him and his buddies.
BTW, this does that you are calling for the impeachment of your own commander in chief, right?
Regards.
December 23rd, 2024 at 9:47 am
James,
That is an absurd comparison, really. And my saying that has nothing to do with defending Bush one way or another.
And yes: most of the more severe problems that Zimbabwe has at the moment are directly attributable to Mugabe’s rule. I am not sure how you can see that as a controversial statement.
December 23rd, 2024 at 12:34 pm
And who put Mugabe to the power…?? Britain in 1980!! So, who is actually to blame…Britain again!! Same is going to happen in South Africa…just watch…give South Africa a few more years to go….let’s say…hmmm…20 years on!
December 27th, 2024 at 7:32 am
I’ve been away – a slightly late “Merry Xmas / Happy Holidays” to you and yours!
The reason for my comparison was the following:
“It is tragic to see what one man and his enablers can do to a country, an economy and its people.”
IMhO, that comment seems to fit Bush nicely.
You are quite right in saying that Mugabe cannot really compare to Bush. Though they are neck to neck in as far as regards the destruction of a nation´s economy, it’ll still take Mugabe some time to reach Bush’s number of kills – if he ever manages it. Bush was faster, more efficient and has created more refugees. And, after all, Iraq is even ahead of Zimbabwe in the failed state index.
Also, Mugabe has had the help of the UN, while Bush acted mainly on his own (together with his coalition) without the UN’s direct assistance. Of course, you’ll mention the genocidal UN sanctions on Iraq during the 90s. Fair enough, these did make a difference too.
Regards.