Mugabe: lots of laughs, no answers

Thousands took part in the independence day celebrations

By Farai Sevenzo
Harare

In a way, the vast majority of Zimbabweans had been waiting for this day, 18 April, to hear President Robert Mugabe address the nation for the first time since polls on 29 March.

There had been false alarms before - would he speak, would he say something on television? But Friday 18 April was unavoidable - because it was the country's 28th anniversary of independence.

They are so full of anger, the pressure of waiting for the results is just too much for them MDC activist Tinei Munetsi

Coming as it did against the backdrop of no presidential poll results and great uncertainty throughout the land, President Mugabe's speech, when it did come, was eagerly listened to.

Sculptors at Domboshawa's ancient caves, decorated with Bushman paintings, downed their tools to listen; traffic was noticeably sparse - those drivers on the road slowed lest they miss a single word on car radios; and the state broadcaster beamed the speech live on television.

Just a day ago, victims of post-electoral violence were battling with their wounds and broken bones in Harare's Avenues Clinic, on the slow road to physical recovery.

In the Harare suburb of Warren Park, unconfirmed reports circulated that a policeman had been beaten to death by unruly youths, possibly from the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC).

'Out of control'

Tinei Munetsi, an MDC activist in Goromonzi West, about 20km from the capital, told me it was more than likely that MDC youths were the killers.

Why?

"It is difficult to control them, especially in the townships. They are so full of anger, the pressure of waiting for the results is just too much for them," he says.

Earlier, I drove past Machipisa Shopping Centre, near where the president later addressed the independence-day crowds, to gauge the mood.

A man wearing a ruling party Zanu-PF T-shirt was stopped by a large group of people waiting for transport out of town.

They crowded around him and ask: "Where are our results?"

The young man had no choice but to flee, hastily removing the T-shirt bearing the president's image.

'Delighted'

People acknowledged, in reaction to the presidential address, that this is a man they enjoy listening to.

Mugabe renewed his attack on Britain as he marked independence day

He is an able speaker, above average by any gauge of public speaking - effortlessly slipping from high-brow English to the deepest Shona, and cracking his audience into laughter at will.

"I'm most delighted to welcome all of you here on the occasion of the 28th anniversary of our independence," he began.

Then he slipped almost immediately from the erudite English charm of the true anglophile, to Shona: "Down with the British."

And the crowd chanted back: "Down!"

He taunted the British, the enemy in his head, and wondered how people could complain about how hard life was instead of looking at the reasons for that hardship - sanctions.

"We brought democracy to this country, not the British," he said.

He reminded his audience that people died for this country, that blood was spilt so that "Zimbabwe would never be a colony again".

And then the line, pushed by state media since the results no-show, that white farmers were gathering to take back the land - so haphazardly distributed since 2000.

"They came, from as far away as Australia, Britain, Canada as soon as they heard that the MDC were winning... We need to maintain utmost vigilance," he said.

Grandfatherly advice

Then the speech touched on all manner of subjects - from girls who show their belly buttons in public and athletes who are drug cheats to musicians who never tire because of the drugs pumping in their veins and a warning to the youth to lay off marijuana.

Today we ate and we were full, full of independence sadza Young girl

It was like listening to your favourite grandfather imparting his wisdom on the folly and temptations of humanity.

"Every Monday the police commissioner meets me and the two vice-presidents and tells us of all these cases of child abuse. Why children?"

The crowd laughed as he threatened to castrate child abusers.

But there was little on the missing results.

It was a presidential speech given with an eye on tomorrow, it promised far-reaching research into alternative energy sources; it promised a crackdown on businesses which continue to raise prices.

In essence, this was a president very much looking forward to his next meeting with his police commissioner on Monday.

In the end, he said it as simply as he could: "Nothing, absolutely nothing, is going to change."

At the Chinamhora Show Grounds, as the crowds were dispersing after the rural independence day celebrations held there, a little girl of about 11 walked past my car with her friends.

I heard her tell them: "Today we ate and we were full, full of independence sadza [maize meal]."

How long before the next filling meal? And will the violence stop? And will the results be announced?

Harare and the country have too many questions.