Ode to Zimbabwe

Following the latest deadlock in the talks aimed at breaking the political impasse in Zimbabwe, I think it’s necessary (and really so damn easy) to take a last swipe at Mad Bob Mugabe and his cronies; for a little while anyway or until their next act of utter stupidity. [Edit: I’d just like to add that I was inspired to compose this limerick by the Reverend Joseph E Lowery, after watching him conduct the Benediction at the Barack Obama inauguration ceremony on Tuesday]

Ode to Zimbabwe

In a forlorn land, once called Rhodesia

Where Zanu-PF have now developed amnesia

Of a once troubled land just a little South

That was once also ruled by many an Apartheid lout

And now Zim’s money is really no good

They have more useless paper bills, than food

All ’cause Mad Bob has once more stolen the vote

They really need to get rid of him, the crazy old goat

And his spokesman, Matonga is not too Bright

They ought to kick his ass and give him a fright

But that may not work too well

‘Cause all Bob’s lackey’s are surely from Hell

 

The Most Powerful Man in the World is……Black

While watching the most significant inauguration in the history of the United States of America (possibly the world), yesterday, I realized that the most powerful man in the world is now black. It may seem like I’m making a big deal about the most powerful person in the world’s skin colour, but this observation is surely inescapable.

However, the real reason I make this racial observation is not because I myself am non-white (Indian actually); it’s just that this development contrasts with one of the most wretched men in the world, if not the most, Robert Gabriel Mugabe, self-declared President of Zimbabwe, who is also black. So we have the most powerful black man in world in the Northern Hemisphere who was voted overwhelmingy into power; and the most wretched black man in the world, in the Southern Hemisphere who stole an election, and is clinging onto power with disastrous consequences.

But that’s not all; under normal circumstances, most black governments in the world would aspire to attain the levels of honesty, morality and ethical standards demonstrated by Barack Obama, but here in South Africa it is becoming increasingly clear that most of our black government officials aspire to the wretchedness of one Robert Gabriel Mugabe. What a sad state of affairs for all black people.