Parallels can be drawn between the 1997 cash payouts to the war veterans and the recent disbursement of ‘youth development funds’ to the youth in Zimbabwe. The objectives of both programmes were to ‘economically empower’ ordinary citizens. While the war veteran payouts were just that, the YDF loans to the ‘youth’ are actually expected to be returned at some point. Under pressure from war veterans demanding payment for their role in the liberation struggle, President Robert Mugabe ordered unbudgeted payouts of 50,000 to each. The local dollar subsequently fell 71.5 percent against the greenback while the stock market crashed by 46 percent as investors rushed for the US dollar.

These unplanned payouts to war veterans went down the annals of history as the event that marked the beginning of the collapse of the country’s economy.

The ‘loans’ recently awarded to selected ‘youth’ in Zimbabwe may not accomplish glory of a similar magnitude, but what may follow can be anyone’s guess.

In the spirit of economically empowering the youth in Zimbabwe, the government – through the Ministry of Indigenisation and Empowerment – availed funds to be used in bettering the lives of youth through income generating projects. The funds are being managed through CBZ Bank, and insurance giant Old Mutual is part of a $10 million grant deal to the YDF. It is a big wonder what made the company agree to such an arrangement which stands to undermine its financial position. When companies like Old Mutual start to simply give away their net worth as gifts, we should get worried. But perhaps it is a clever way to escape the 51% remission guillotine.

In the YDF programme, there is no recovery plan, no obligation, and no collateral – just “young people who have benefited from the facility are encouraged to pay back the loans so that the funds can be extended to other eligible youth in revolving mode”. Are you kidding? So the 800+ lucky ‘youth’ whose names were published in recent press releases as beneficiaries are expected to create thriving businesses that will in the short term make profits from which the loans will then be paid back so that others can benefit.

There is no stipulated timeline by which the loans should be returned, so technically these are indefinite loans. There are just too many holes in this programme. As economist Erich Bloch would say it; the indigenization issue is being handled with a “total disregard for all economic fundamentals or principles.”

This could well be a grand scheme by some well placed individuals to throw away populist money and obtain a few kick-backs in the process. Can imagine obscure groups like Upfumi Kuvadiki getting such loans and actually being expected to pay them back, laugh out loud. We are assured that there are no ‘ghosts’ on the beneficiary list. Probably. I personally know someone whose name appeared on that list. To the best of my knowledge and without being judgmental, this person has plans to purchase a residential stand, possesses no entrepreneurial skills and actually got a consultant to develop his business plan that got him the loan. He wouldn’t say exactly how much he is going to get, but he invited me to ‘also apply and stop being jealous and missing out’.

The requirements are that you just fill in a form, submit a business plan, company registration document, identification documents and Bob’s your uncle, literally. You also need to prove that you are ‘legally constituted’ in a partnership; and if you are not, you are expected to ensure this happens within three months after receiving the loan (why bother then?).

Am I missing something here? Or perhaps I am just being jealous? Well, if you can’t beat em join em hey?

This is Zimbabwe.

So, where are US$ coins actually accepted for retail in Zimbabwe? I find it interesting that having adopted a multi-currency system as a country – some retailers neither recognise nor accept US$ coins.  Picture this; you want to purchase a product that costs $3, 25. You hand over three US$1 notes to the teller and when you give them a quarter, they look at it, frown and say they don’t accept that but R2 (two Rand) would do instead. I mean what the bollocks?

Ever since I returned from the States, I have been carrying around a wallet full of what I realise now are essentially useless coins here. I just don’t get it. Yesterday evening while making a few purchases at the Bridge Spar, I tried my luck again with the coins. The till attendant looked at me squarely and said it was after 6pm therefore she could no longer accept US$ coins. I demanded an explanation as to what it being after 6pm had anything to do with what choice of coins was acceptable. The till attendant mumbled something along the lines of the shop being unable to give them to other customers as change or ‘cash’ them, whatever that means. I drew surprised stares when I thought aloud that that was one of the stupidest things I had heard all week.

It is bad enough we are not using our own currency, but to have selective use of the foreign currency that we do use is an unnecessary inconvenience. I think it is high time for whoever’s job it is to start working towards a more sustainable currency solution. I mean for how long can a country live under all sorts of speculation. The Short Term Emergency Recovery Programme (STERP) stipulates that the temporary use of multiple currencies terminates in 2012. Then what next? In last week’s Standard, the IMF was quoted in an article as having cautioned the Zimbabwean government against re-introducing the Zim-dollar. They said the country should rather extend the life span of the multi-currency system and also continue using the US dollar till 2014. The IMF Article IV report on Zimbabwe stipulates that the inclusive government has failed to put in place adequate conditions for the re-introduction of the Zim-dollar.

Last year there were speculations that the government attempted to join the Rand Monetary Union (currently consisting of Namibia, Swaziland, Lesotho and South Africa). Big wonder what happened to that idea. The media reported that Cabinet for the most part feared rejection. Now I hear old Zimbabwean coins are being purchased for long cash and selling like hot cakes on the streets. I wonder if like in 2008 the RBZ governor might just once again resuscitate old currency. I sure am holding on to whatever original Zimbabwean notes and coins I still have, all together with my currently useless US$ coins.

Frankly, I think security measures at certain international airports have reached ridiculous if not sometimes embarrassing proportions. Though not a very ‘frequent flyer’, I must say things have changed dramatically since the last time I travelled long distance. Recently I travelled to Washington DC via the dreaded Dakar route. The usual put-your-hand-luggage-through-the-scan-device-and-take-out-your-laptop was in order. So was the business of removing jewellery, belts and metal buckled shoes, and more. I stood in a long snaking ‘women only’ line at OR Tambo wondering what the hold-up was until I was about 10 people away from going past the scan myself.  There was a variety of interesting new security measures. People were not only taking off shoes, belts and jewellery – they were also taking off jackets in that biting cold, then handing themselves over to a burly female guard who would then conduct a pat-down similar to what I’ve seen ‘cops’ do in the movies. All out in the open. I mechanically went through the process, trying not to flinch at the thought of being groped and patted by those yellow-gloved hands. Next, a full body scan where you had to look directly ahead, legs apart and hands above your head. In about 5 seconds, the Rapid Scan 1000 device – informally known as the ‘backscatter’ – would then screen you for any hidden metallic and other potentially dangerous objects. Those in the know say this is the in-thing for all US bound travellers nowadays.

Then there were the smug police and other security personnel that seemed to intently observe travellers; some a little more than others – as they walked up and down the long queues. I heard they are called ‘behaviour detection officers’. Their open stares were peeled to pick out anything in the least suspicious-looking – like someone sweating with the aircon on perhaps.

The brief stopover in Dakar was also colourful. Security men and women methodically searched over and under, probed and almost tore apart all the seats that had been vacated by passengers whose final destination was Senegal. A little later, everyone was asked to take possession of their hand luggage. This would enable them to quickly spot any unattended bag and remove it in case it was a bomb or something. For a moment there was an unclaimed bag in one of the overhead lockers, which of course caused a bit of a flurry including the calling in of what looked like a stand-by bomb squad. It later emerged that the bag belonged to an elderly Russian who neither spoke nor understood English, and therefore had not understood the instruction to take possession of his bag.

Many hours later, we touched down at Dulles Airport. As I waited for the baggage to arrive, an announcement was repeated at almost 10 minute intervals warning travellers never to leave their bags unattended as they risked being ‘removed’ by the security detail with a great chance of them getting damaged in the process. I later discovered that bomb threats are a common, almost every day thing in Washington. On one of the days our host was very late for a conference because she had had to go back to her house and fetch her car after there had been a bomb threat at one of the subway stations.

On my way back to Zimbabwe this week, I went through the now familiar processes. As we stood in the long queues, I could see all the frustrated and annoyed looks of travellers, some of whom really risked missing connecting flights. Security seemed to be taking a lot longer than usual.

Later I reflected to myself, what kind of life is this when it is punctuated by so much fear?

Understandably, security is meant to protect us innocent civilians, but for a country to be constantly looking over its shoulder for fear of being attacked is indeed a sad way of life. They say in Shona kuvhunduka chati kwatara hunge uine katurikwa, loosely translated to mean that he who is uncharacteristically always jumpy knows what he is guilty of.

I have friends who firmly believe the Americans brought this upon themselves, bullying and sticking their nose into other people’s business; attempting to run the world. So many have a bone to chew with them including Iraqis, Afgans, Pakistanis, Somali’s and now Libyans. But more attacks certainly can be anticipated now that Bin Laden has been neutralised. I cannot help but recall the words of one Somali in Mark Bowden’s Black Hawk Down, a harrowing and somewhat fictionalised account of the happenings of October 3rd, 1993 in Mogadishu when a US Delta Force military raid went terribly wrong resulting in the gruesome deaths of 18 soldiers. He said: “Didn’t the Americans realise that for every leader they arrested, there were dozens of brothers, cousins, sons and nephews to take his place? … They were trying to take down a clan, the most ancient and efficient social organization known to man.”

The question is; how long can a country keep this up? Obviously whomever it is they are afraid of, would attack when least expected and wouldn’t be so stupid as to attempt passing through all that security strapped with bombs?

But I guess nothing can be left to chance.

What NOT to do when applying for a job vacancy:

1. NEVER write at the end of your resume that referees will be made available upon request. Unless you assume REFEREES and REFERENCES are one and the same thing.
2. NEVER append your CV as a link to some kind of a down loadable web application. Just attach a word or PDF document, plain and simple. What if the reviewer has poor internet connectivity?
3. Try to include referees from some of the organizations you claim to have worked for before.
4. Working for 7 different organizations over a space of 2 years is not a very consoling attribute.
5. Use reader-friendly fonts like Arial, Calibri and Times New Roman, and the less colourful the better. Black and other dark colours give a more professional look.
6. Always spell check and ensure that your CV doesn’t reflect all the gory track changes detail. This can be accomplished by simply finalizing your edited document without mark-up or simply editing outside track changes.
7. Avoid appending a photograph of yourself unless you are absolutely sure that it will work to your advantage, or if you have been specifically asked to do so.
8. You never single handedly reduced the HIV prevalence rate in Zimbabwe.
9. Make your CV up to date to show you really mean it, like for example 0912 is now 0772. In view of this being a small world, it is important to keep track of your referees’ location, contact details or current job.
10. Lastly, if I had the PM as a referee, there are certain vacancies I just wouldn’t apply for.

Yesterday I passed through TM Avondale supermarket picking up a few things. In the queue ahead, an elderly customer purchasing an assortment of beverages was informed that the supermarket was no longer issuing free plastic bags. He would have to purchase one for R1 or one of the fancy green bags that cost a lot more. Though he was both surprised and annoyed to say the least, the customer ventured to ask the reason for that development. I strained with great interest to hear what the till operator would say. He sighed and said dismissively that oh it was some long story about preserving the environment that would take a lot of time (or one he couldn’t care) to explain.

Due to growing concerns over the environment and increased pressure from the Environmental Management Agency (EMA), the government recently issued a directive for supermarkets to stop issuing plastic bags to customers. As a result, plastic bags are now being sold as a measure to discourage their use. TM Avondale is among several other supermarkets that have not bothered to put up explanatory notices for the benefit of its customers.

The directive from government to ban plastic bags is praiseworthy, and Zimbabwe has joined a few other countries in the world who have implemented this. Although we applaud the bold move, it is interesting how there is very little public awareness over why certain directives such as this are being instituted. Unless I missed it – save for a few news articles in the press and Environment Minister Francis Nhema making an announcement broadcast one or two days on the news – there has hardly been any public awareness campaigns to explain things to ordinary people. But at least we know that at the end of this year when COP17 touches down in Durban, Zimbabwe would have demonstrated to the world that it has taken baby steps towards mitigation.

While I was in South Africa during my annual break, I noticed how companies like Eskom constantly run public campaigns in all forms imaginable – why and how citizens can consume less electricity. This is one company I have to go all out to beg its customers to buy less of its product. Just an aside. The point is; it takes little effort for government to spread the message more vigorously – especially on the state run broadcaster.

I think that just issuing out directives is not enough to get public cooperation or instil a sense of buy- in, unless this is viewed as immaterial. While R1 for a plastic bag is a deterrent for many and might in the long run achieve the objective of getting customers to bring own carrier bags – many people are still willing to forego small change that would have otherwise been given in the form of sweets or a credit note for a plastic bag. It is a small price to pay versus clutching all one’s purchases to one’s chest. In some quarters, the public perception is that this is just another ploy by the retailer to further fleece the customer of hard earned cash.

Perhaps it is indeed a long story, but one which I doubt the enforcers of the ban themselves really understand or care to explain further.

The long and short of the story is that plastic does not decompose and is one of the biggest environmentally-unfriendly polluters blamed for clogging drains and waterways and killing wildlife. The main options available for its destruction are either burning or recycling, of which the former option contributes a lot to the carbon emissions largely responsible for the changes in climate. Recycling on the other hand has for some reason not been a very popular or viable business in Zimbabwe. However, more thought needs to be put in aside from banning plastic bags. Discarded plastic soft drink containers and cans also do not dispose easily and are other headaches the state needs to deal with. They are a big eyesore in Harare, especially the avenues area.

On the flipside of things, it is worth exploring whether or not the ‘ban’ is actually working. What they have done essentially is to ban the free issuance of plastic bags rather than saying there should be no plastic bags at all. What this means is, a lot of people still forget to carry own carrier bags (me included) and only remember at the till point such that they have no choice but to purchase the R1 plastic bags. A total ban of plastic bags and concentrating on the manufacture and selling of recyclable eco-bags would ensure that customers remember to carry own shopping bags to the store. But I suppose this would be too drastic a measure at this point and perhaps the plan is to move in that direction in the near future.

The other concerning thing is, there is no telling whether this directive somehow skipped clothing shops, because yesterday I bought a few t-shirts in a department store and again, only remembered at the till point that I had forgot to bring a carrier bag and would probably do the clutch-to-the-chest thing rather than part with R1. But the kind young man behind the counter silently packed the clothes in a nice thick plastic bag. I thought he had gone ahead to charge me without asking first, so I declined the bag. He looked at me in surprise; you don’t want a plastic bag? After a brief discussion, turned out the bag was for free.

As for the elderly customer buying beverages at TM Avondale, rather than part with R1, he preferred to scoop up all his bottles and clutch them precariously to his chest. Apart from thinking the directive is working to some extent, I hoped the old guy had a car waiting outside.

Hatcliffe Extension is a bustling shantytown that developed over the years just on the outskirts of Harare. Here, a lot of the victims (read survivors) of 2005′s Operation Murambatsvina are still trying to rebuild their lives. The community has remarkably made a semblance of a decent urban life with well-outlined dust roads and strategically positioned boreholes. A Roman Catholic Church populated by uniformed women and manifested in the form of a neat wooden cabin defiantly stands in a corner. Opposite and across it are a crèche and an enterprising coffin shop. HIV and AIDS related deaths are still rife and a visible reality.

On a recent humanitarian reporting tour in that area, colleagues from the media went around looking for story ideas or took interest in exploring life in this semi-urban-semi-rural area. Personally I was struck by the plainness of the terrain around us, though this was interestingly not an issue of concern to any of the families I interviewed.

Madhuve, who is a social worker in that area proudly explained how the community had depleted the trees gradually and systematically over the years. At that point, we had been touring the modest little house that she managed to erect with the assistance of a local humanitarian assistance organization.

In a country that’s struggling to provide adequate electricity for industry and household use alike – let alone basic services like street lighting, communities find themselves with little alternatives outside cutting down trees in order to cook and keep warm. The elusive US dollar that has practically become the country’s official currency also does little to help.

“At first council had these silly regulations in place, but we went by night and in the wee hours of the morning to cut those trees. How were we supposed to cook for our families?” she said.

Gesturing with her arm widely in the distance, she punctuates boldly: “Takachenesa mese umu vakasarenda, ikozvino tavakugobora midzi yacho (we cleared all the trees until they (council) gave up, now we are even going for the tree roots!”

The few trees still standing are mostly the fruit trees littered across the small compounds of individuals. They survive because they don’t burn well, smoke too much or just do not make good cooking fuel.

Nowadays, Madhuve and the other residents of Hatcliffe Extension dig deep to buy firewood from vendors whom only God knows where they get it. A $3 bundle lasts barely two days for a family the size of Madhuve’s.

Asked whether she or the rest of the community have ever thought of exploring alternative sources of fuel like gas or the paraffin gel stoves, Madhuve gives me a look that silently labels me a crass idiot.

“And cook for how many on that small fire? Besides, can gas and paraffin be taken out of the garbage pit?” she asked. Obviously for her family of 12, it is impossible to cook a 5litre pot of sadza daily using these means.

Even though aware that the planting season has somehow shifted and temperatures somehow hotter than usual, climate change means nothing to Madhuve – not only because in her mother tongue there is no term for it, but also because she could not care less about the environment when trying to keep body and soul together is hard enough for ‘her kind’ in this economy. She was not about to be lectured on the importance of trees as natural carbon sinks, or that stripping the ground would run-off the rains when they did come.

Madhuve’s mindset is reflective of that of a lot of Zimbabweans: neither understanding nor caring about this climate change thing that journalists and other professionals are going on about. With little or no overtly deliberate public education, at the moment the subject evidently occupies the bottom-most rung of the government’s pecking order of priorities. Which begs the question; to what extent can developing countries (not in the category of China) be able to effectively play their part in combating, let alone adapting to this global phenomenon?

While civil society will go all out to train and re-train media professionals, do they stop to consider whether or not key decision and policy makers themselves understand this ‘thing’?

While the ongoing debates about climate change (now currently in Cancun, Mexico) and the need to preserve the environment continue, it has not occurred to a lot of green activists that as long as no practical solutions are being devised for ordinary people in Africa, this will continue to be a losing battle.

On a much lower scale, it takes very little for humanitarian assistance organizations to mainstream the culture of tree planting among the communities they work in, even if it means starting by upholding the previously tokenistic national tree planting day. This year has been unique because there has more noise in the media concerning how many trees have been planted. Some private initiatives have also set huge targets to support national tree planting. Lets keep the momentum.