5 Oct 2008

Waiting to Rebuild Paradise

We are still waiting for Morgan Tsvangirai, who should, by rights, be President, to be sworn in as Prime Minister of Zimbabwe, alongside President Robert Mugabe. Meantime the promised deal is in danger of collape as the old regime battles to hold onto all the key ministries and all real power. If by any miracle they can reach an imperfect but possibly workable compromise, it might just open a window of opportunity towards reconstructing this once beautiful and beloved land.
I grew up in Zimbabwe but I do not wish to move back there, although I would love to visit again. I do not long for the days of Ian Smith and I fully recognise that there are many, many incredibly intelligent bright and clever Zimbabweans of all races capable of running their own country (many sadly currently hiding out in other countries). Given the mess that has been created, all I would like to do would be to offer a helping hand to put them on the road to recovery.
I work in the travel trade that was once part of the backbone of Zimbabwe’s economy and could be again. I could offer some real practical help in rebuilding that industry. However as a British journalist, I have been persona non grata for the last few years. And with all the poisonous idiotic rhetoric about the west wishing to recolonise the country I have felt that anything I tried to do would only inflame the situation.
So I sit on my hands and wait. Wait for Prime Minister Tsvangirai to have the strength and the vision to harness me and all those thousands like me – the former residents, the old Rhodies, those who worked in the tourist industry, those who had great holidays and have happy memories, who may not want to recolonise, who may not want to run things, who may be happy to let you call the shots and tell us what you need and how to get it to you – but who have money and expertise and above all, a great love for Zimbabwe and the Zimbabwean people. We want to help.
Meantime, if people don’t know what is going on, I suggest you follow an excellent blog site, www.sokwanele.com/thisiszimbabwe.

Melissa Shales, Web Editor