The Land of Milk and Funny
Independence Day
Independence Day
I remember my favorite Fourth of July during my time in the USA. We were in Washington DC and I was with another cool friend, Will. (I think I am going to ring him) He told me this was the best way to experience the holiday, in the heart of the representative democracy. People everywhere were dressed in the American flag, from short shorts to vests, T-shirts, caps, slippers and much more. Patriotism was palpable in the air and it swept me up with it. And when the fireworks took over the sky at the plaza, with the Washington Monument in the foreground, I was American for a moment. As my High school teacher, Mr. Matsika used to say (Yep, we weren’t related) “Everyone wants to be associated with success.” Around me was a country that seemed successful at keeping it together at key moments like these. Here was a country successful at togetherness when it came to patriotism.
Right now in Zimbabwe, there is a controversial trial of those who were arrested along with Mr. Timba. One of the wives of those arrested was also arrested recently. And very soon, The Southern African Development Community (SADC) will be conferring chairmanship to Zimbabwe, namely our president. This will be done at the 44th summit which will be held in Zimbabwe sometime in August (it will start in late July actually with various meetings before the final summit.) Ahead of the event, the capital city Harare is getting a wonderful makeover. Traffic is crazy right now with many of the roads closed for construction. But we all can’t wait for them to be opened and for us to drive on better roads. There seems to be unspoken pressure to make sure everything is perfect for our visitors. I hope the visitors bring in much-needed spending cash and add to our economy as well.
The Funny
Recently, I passed through a radio license checkpoint. This is where the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation agents are stationed together with police to check cars and make sure if they have a radio, they also have purchased a radio license. Now as you might imagine, I do not have a radio license and I do not have a radio. Why? Well, once upon a time I had an interaction with these agents in a rental car and it left a bad taste in my mouth. And it didn’t help that it was during this trip.
Anyway, at the checkpoint in question, a police officer was looking through an SUV window when suddenly he jerked back as though to avoid a blow from someone in the car. It turns out it was a little dog that had popped out of the car and tried to take a chunk of his nose out. I wanted to explode with laughter. I had to look at the car closely to see who was driving and I saw a white lady at the wheel. It made sense, not many dark-skinned Zimbabweans have pet dogs they move around with like that.
There is a lot that is tragically funny in my beloved Zimbabwe. Once a land of milk and honey, but now sometimes reduced to milk and funny. Milk because there are sectors that have remained resilient in the face of all the challenges. (Business is booming in some areas of Zimbabwe’s economy.) And funny because sometimes, the security forces and government officials find themselves dodging dogs in the act of executing their duties and defending their actions in bizarre ways.
My only hope is that someday we will have a plaza to celebrate our Zimbabweaness, not our independence but our togetherness. And maybe then we will have people visit our country and want to be Zimbabwean even for a minute, to fully embody the spirit that will be in the air. Happy 4th of July fellow human beings who live in America! May the 4th be with you!