Four Seasons Before Lunch Gauteng (Pretoria)

 I have lived in Pretoria for half my life, but even at almost 50, l still am not ready for mornings like this . I step out of  home in the morning at 7 a.m., greeted by a warm, gentle breeze and sunshine so golden it felt like summer had arrived overnight. The sky was clear; the jacaranda trees glowed purple; the air smelled of warmth and possibility. “Perfect day,” l muttered, locking his door. By the time l drive out—five minutes later—the sky starts to be darkened. A cold wind came crawling in from nowhere, sweeping dust across the pavement. The temperature dropped so suddenly that  l have  to switch the heater for warmth. Laughing. “Ah, Pretoria… you never disappoint.” Halfway to the office, the heavens opened. Not soft rain— a storm . Sheets of water hammered the road, street gutters overflowed instantly, and distant thunder rolled like a grumpy giant waking up too early. People scattered, hiding under bus shelters already too full.  “Ten minutes ago...

Zimbabwean political rivals put on a show at Hichilema inauguration

 24 August 2021 - 22:48

BY LENIN NDEBELE
Zimbabwean opposition Movement For Democratic Change (MDC) leader Nelson Chamisa.
INSPIRED Zimbabwean opposition Movement For Democratic Change (MDC) leader Nelson Chamisa.
Image: Reuters/Philimon Bulawayo

Zimbabwe’s ruling party Zanu-PF and its biggest rival back home, the MDC Alliance, put on a show in Lusaka as they battled to outdo each other on who was closer to Zambia’s new president.

ADVERTISEMENT

Hakainde Hichilema, Zambia’s president, broke away from tradition to invite rival political parties from mainly Zimbabwe, SA, Tanzania and Botswana — because “they chose the hard path of supporting our UPND [United Party for National Development] struggles when others refused to associate with us in the opposition”.

Seemingly to set the record straight, Zimbabwe President Emmerson Mnangagwa told the state media that he had had a long telephone conversation with “HH”, and they are somewhat related as his Hichilema’s wife was from the same hometown.

“The president-elect phoned me. I realised that we are related. In fact, his wife Mutinta Hichilema and I grew up in the same town of Mumbwa, west of Lusaka,” said Mnangagwa.

Then MDC Alliance president Nelson Chamisa and his deputy Tendai Biti, before take-off, posted a video message about their trip to the inauguration.

“We are going to celebrate in Zambia and also tap into the anointing and make sure that it spreads across Southern Africa,” said Chamisa.

But it was Hichilema’s hug with Tendai Biti after the latter went to the podium at the National Heroes Stadium to congratulate the new president that got loud cheers.

ADVERTISEMENT

Biti was followed by Mmusi Maimane, leader of One South African Movement, who later tweeted: “I am telling you. There’s a wind blowing across Sadc. Across Africa.”

Speaking to journalists in Zambia, Chamisa said he was happy for Hichilema because they faced the same predicament from oppressive regimes. He said he still faces the same but he will overcome.

“I as leader of the alternative [in Zimbabwe] I have never appeared or been interviewed on state television. It’s a big issue but with that blackout we are still standing and very active. We are using community-based communication through our structures and social media. We try to reach out to people,” he said.

The Zambian state broadcaster offered to give Chamisa a platform if he was sidelined back home.

TimesLIVE


Comments

Popular posts from this blog

MultiChoice’s BEE scheme trying to find 22 000 shareholders who are missing out on millions

Which countries have the world’s largest coal reserves?

Fighting Drug addiction