Tolerance of different beliefs, practices and people is as elusive as ever in Zimbabwe.

They say that a picture speaks a thousand words and the one I picked up on the roadside this morning certainly did. I'm not generally in the habit of picking up litter on public roads but this was different. It was the remains of a poster that had been torn off a street light pole. From the scraps of bright coloured paper left clinging to a number of other poles, it was obvious that a line of the same posters had all been torn down recently. I had travelled along this road just the day before and the posters hadn't been there then so this had only just happened. Picking up the remains of the crumpled poster lying in the grass and turning it over, I knew immediately that the political turmoil in Zimbabwe is still a long way from being over.

The top third of the poster was gone but that didn't matter to me. I knew who the woman on the poster was and that the missing words must have been her name: Amai Susan Tsvangiari.

In the characteristic black, red and white colours synonymous with the MDC, the poster was advertising a commemorative gathering to be held at Glamis Stadium in Harare on Saturday 6th March to remember the life of Mrs Susan Tsvangirai, who died tragically in a car crash outside Banket exactly one year ago.

At the bottom of the poster in clear white lettering were the words: 'All Are Welcome,' a message that obviously didn't need to be advertised as a few minutes later I witnessed a number of trucks, crammed with people, streaming past on the nearby highway to Harare. The message 'All are Welcome' told a story in itself in a country where we aren't used to being invited but are more familiar with being threatened if we don't attend.

The wide smile on the face of the late Mrs Tsvangirai told another story - no anger, hatred or arrogance here. How refreshingly different and what a loss to our Prime Minister and to the nation.

I wondered why anyone would feel threatened enough by the posters to need to tear them down. The simple act of tearing down posters of people from different political parties, even commemorative posters, shows just how far away from democracy Zimbabwe still is. Tolerance of different beliefs, practices and people is as elusive as ever. That's a frightening reality at a time when all the talk is of elections - again.

It is looking increasingly likely that we are not going to get a new constitution before a another election after all as both the MDC and Zanu PF have started talking about a new poll. At first we heard 2013 being mentioned, then 2012 but this week Mr Mugabe said there would be elections in 2011, with or without a new constitution.

If tearing down posters to remember the life of Mrs Tsvangirai is any indication, it's impossible to see how Zimbabwe will be ready to have a free and fair election without intolerance, intimidation and violence. An election where losers are forced to step down and winners are allowed to accept the people's choice and get on with rebuilding our country.

Copyright cathy buckle 21 November 2009.

www.cathybuckle.com

For information on my new book: "INNOCENT VICTIMS" or my previous
books, "African Tears" and "Beyond Tears," or to
subscribe/unsubscribe to this newsletter, please write to: cbuckle@mango.zw

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When is your passport expiring? Hopefully you can be in England soon in time for the Summer! by Mtima on March 06 2010, 16:37 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

A Car Crash Cathy? Another way of saying Mugabe had her murdered maybe? True or false but the stories of how that vile Mugabe deals with opposition are legendary. I wonder how South Africa's new leader Julius Malema is going to deal with opposition. He appears to be not only uneducated and stupid but very angry and . .more completely irational. The press imply he is a liar and he must be the shining example of racism and hatred for all whites in Africa. Worse even than the vile man Mugabe himself. How did he get so rich so quickly? More of the same for Africa? . .less by Sad Africa on March 07 2010, 01:07 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

Have said it here before... Zimbabwe is just plain pathetic - the citizens that accept it must eat up what they are dished out. A perfect example of what Africa is about. by Dave on March 07 2010, 01:27 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

@Sad. Give me a break! He got rich so quickly, if not by working hard, because according to you that is hardly working, perhaps the same way your ancestors did, by stealing, pilferage, demanding bribes, and so on. Just like your ancestors who stole the land of locals, and . .more charged them 'poll tax', 'loaferskaap taxes', subjected them to 'influx-control and section 10s to control our movement between urban and rural areas, just to ensure distribution of labor between rural whites and mine owners', or by confining us to 'reservations' called townships, and having the nerve to charge us taxes when we could not vote. Its just the same old power scam, only that it is run by these compradore bourgeoisies and you don't like it one bit do you? No. Of course, now think of us, the ones who unlike yourself, who got away or is still getting away with the loot, we have nothing. Not the land of our forefathers, not the fat wallets and bank accounts like our feathered friends. So, please before you go about pontificating and trying to proseletyze the converted poor, and engage in your usual 'blackmail' of 'ah, Africa', halt, take a deep breath and realise that Africa is doing nothing, it is you lot with your well educated pupils like Mugabe who are doing something to Africa, while she is just lying there, doing nothing. So, donne moi un pause sil vous plis. . .less by Potso on March 07 2010, 01:40 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

BREAKING NEWS SOUTHERN AFRICANS, from all walks of life, awoke this morning and realised that they do indeed have power. AWESOME POWER. And not the self-serving, abusive and corrupt politicians masquerading as leaders. They realised that politicians need them far . .more more than they need politicians. Southern Africans have realised that unchecked power and access to public funds tends to corrupt irrespective of the race, gender and creed of politicians. Southern Africans, interviewed, appear fully committed to stop the grovelling, to rise from the ashes, to take hands and to hold their self-serving, abusive and corrupt politicians accountable to them. No politician was available for comment. Many POLITICIANS were seen PACKING for PERTH. The era of ENLIGHTENMENT has finally dawned in SOUTHERN AFRICA. The era of abuse is over. MARCH 07 2010. . .less by Carl Wille on March 07 2010, 03:05 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

@ Potso....When oh when... ....will you and your lot stop whining ? ! Surely even you can understand that blaming the whites cannot cure your inherent shortcomings. For Heavens sake, grow up. For 350 years you lot have complained about how you were 'abused'. Are you . .more acknowledging, therefore, that the 100's of 1000's / millions of "indigenous Africans ALLEGEDLY living here and being, ALLEGEDLY, the rightful owners of Africa, with all their ALLEGED skills etc., could not defend themselves against a handful of civilized peace-loving Europeans ? If your answer is YES, it proves how hopelessly useless you were/are. If your answer is no......well why didn't you?. Don't blame us because your forefathers were sleeping on the job as usual. The civilized world really doesn't have time for your nonsense anymore,- there are far more important issues to attend to. If you people want to contribute to humanity's future, stop breeding like rabbits. . .less by Voortrekker on March 07 2010, 07:12 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

Pathetic Dave and Cathy Zim is pathetic to you now that you have lost it, ne? Where was your moronic moralising when my people where being brutailised by Smith and the so-called white farmers? Where was your concern when criminals like Bennet were looting Zim diamonds at . .more "his" farm in Chimanimani? When De Beers was looting Zim Diamonds in cahoots with those cold hearted (as cold as their pathetic country) English? Save us your sorry concern for Zim, we know you rather have it without all those "pathetic" blacks in it. News flash! That will never happen . .less by Mugoni on March 07 2010, 07:26 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

@mugoni and potso yaaa yaaa... always the "whites" at the start of the problem ey? you can write what you want, but remember that at the end of the day, YOU sirs... are self loathing individuals that will forever be searching for someone (whites) to blame for your . .more incompetence .even strange people like you would not enjoy the kwashikor that you seem to so badly want to reduce africa too. (wont do well for those hard earned "neck tires" either) . .less by ML on March 07 2010, 12:11 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

No matter how Mugoni and Potso slant it It's pathetic ( just by the way we all wish it was not not, I for one long for the day when Africans get their act together) - so why the racsim and colonial nonsense ? The world is tired of excuses - get on with the work and make it work - show the . .more sceptical whites what you can do (!). Show us.....we are waiting.....cheering you on nogal...but waiting nevertheless. . .less by Dave on March 07 2010, 12:55 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

@Dave Don't hold your breath... by Joe on March 07 2010, 13:25 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

The answer is.. PDI as discussed by Hofstede - a psychologist who originally gathered immense data on different cultures working for IBM. He discusses the Power Distance Index which is an attitude toward authority - very interesting. When Korean Airlines realised . .more the power and significance of this study they stopped being the unsafest airline in the world, and now are rated favourably internationally. Basically if you cannot acknowledge cultural failures an how they impact you in the modern professional world you live in whether you like it or not you will die! (No exaggeration here, you will simply die!) Also Africans come from a reciever oriented communication culture, and Americans and European nations usually a transmitter comunication culture. I.E. Transmitter comm culture means the speaker is responsible for making him/herself understood - where in a receiver comm culture the LISTENER is responsible for understanding the communication and interpreting it correctly... This means African culture is respectful to a FAULT, where a subordinate will hint to a superior who is responsible to interpret. EG Mr Mugabe is it good to render farms and food production useless sir? This is appropriate when being polite, NOT when your country is being destroyed! A more direct approach is required, which African, Brazillian etc cultures are not used to! . .less by JWise on March 07 2010, 16:19 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

Africas problems ARE NOT difficult to solve! Just takeds leaders to humbly admit where their beautiful respectful cultures fail in the modern world.. Make a few adjustments, and hey presto Africa turns around in 10 short years! The journey to understand this (see PDI comment above as discussed . .more originally by Hofstede) can take a generation because of simple ego and pride, but the minute it is acknowledged Africa will change in a heartbeat toward the dynamic, creative, powerful continent it should be! Any African leaders with the courage to make the journey, end poverty and see all our children prosper? Then do yourselves a HUGE favour read and understand Hofstede's Dimensions, and how easy it relly is to turn Africas problems upside down in 1 decade!!! . .less by JWise on March 07 2010, 16:29 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

Who needs whites? Literally wherever whites have gone they have brought misery. That is a historical fact (not a dislike of whites, but a documented fact.) Wherever they have gone they have tricked each and every tribe with contracts they had no intention to honor . .more from the very beginning (that is a fact, not a hatred of whites). [Look at Jamaica, South Africa, USA, and Australia for starters). So, save me your lectures, buy a ticket and fly off to your wonderful Europe. You folks are the problem. Nobody invited you here. In a nutshell, you have overstayed your welcome, and you can leave any moment in any direction of your preference. We will be fine and better off, long after you are gone. You guys came here on our continent for our goods not our good, and you may leave if you don't like it so much. It is not only you who are complaining about these leaders, but please if you want to save black people of Afrika, take these corrupt cousins of yours with you back to Europe, where they may live in peace. They learnt very well to be corrupt from you, and your forefathers. Who is keeping you discontent lot on our continent against your wishes? Who tell me?Avarice and greed? Almost all of you are seating with stolen (ill-gotten) goods, and you have the nerve to complain? We have as much right to take it all away, just as we know its all stolen. . .less by Potso on March 07 2010, 18:28 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

@Potso Your degree of racism and bigotry boggles the mind. Shame on you. You cannot live in the modern world with such a mind. This is 18th century stuff you are advocating. Unfortunately the rest of the world is in the 21st.. by Dave on March 07 2010, 22:29 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

@ potso Its obviously quite impossible to have any form of rational discourse with you. Your 4 year- old mentality and childish stubbornness serve only to increase the divide between black and white. DESPITE your shortcomings; the vile insults you level at . .more whites and the utter drivel you spew, we have tried to address you as a fellow human being. You, however, have now made this impossible for us and I will therefore, simply ignore you, as one would a difficult, undisciplined, naughty child. . .less by Voortrekker on March 07 2010, 23:17 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

Natures way What is the first thing you see when entering the Kruger National Park? "Don't feed the animals" and that counts for Africa as a whole.. What did the whites do? We fed the animals and now there a lot of "problem" animals that needs to be put down... by Realist on March 08 2010, 00:09 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

@Potso Look forward, it helps you grow your brain. by Fake Boy on March 08 2010, 00:59 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

Drible Eish Potso, take your head out of the sand. by Mr Spark on March 08 2010, 01:35 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

incompetence Oh my, the KKK is coming out of the woods for the lynching! Beware brother Potso, the truth to these people is considered looking backward. They rather you dont mention it but just dig in their gardens. And Dave, I dont need your sorry cheering to . .more live in my country. Now we are incompetent becoz we have kicked yoiur pathetic A** off our land? . .less by Mugoni on March 08 2010, 03:19 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

Zim Boring , boring and more boring. Are there not more interesting things going on in the world rather than writing about Zim. by Batman on March 08 2010, 03:26 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

cathy hits mw headlines this woman is a real whinger, wow she does not let up, and mw put her on the front cover,, every week????...why?? by zzzzz on March 08 2010, 03:48 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

@Potso and Mugoni Guys your narrow childish view reminds me of a similar blinkered approach held by the previous gov. Get over yourselves, this country can't survive without a mix of good people. Colour is not a problem, attitude is. Yours sucks. This country really . .more doesn't need your type, regardless of colour. White people with your attitude are also not welcome. . .less by and Zen... on March 08 2010, 04:19 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

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