Zimbabwe's a mess. There's really no other way to put it.
Their inflation's around 231%, industry's nonexistent, most of the nation's people are uneducated and underfed. And, of course, there's their madman president, Robert Mugabe, who has led the government and his people into what appears to be an insurmountable crisis. Thus, it should come as no surprise that health organizations are accusing Mugabe's government of misappropriating potentially life-saving grants:
The Zimbabwe government has been accused of misusing funds mean to fight HIV/AIDS and other diseases by an international aid agency.The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria has claimed that $7.3 million of the $12.3 million it gave to the government did not go towards its intended use.
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The organization says that repeated attempts to get answers from Central Bank and government health officials have been unsuccessful.This comes as the fund’s board is set to vote on Friday on granting an additional $400 million to the Zimbabwe government.
Let's hope the board realizes they're flushing their money away - Mugabe's not interesting in saving his homeland. What is he interested in? Perhaps being remembered as one of the top ten worst leaders in human history. If so, he's definitely succeeded.
"President Bush on Friday signed an order expanding U.S. sanctions against the 'illegitimate' Zimbabwe government of President Robert Mugabe. 'This action is a direct result of the Mugabe regime's continued politically-motivated violence,' Bush said in a statement." [MSNBC]
"[Economics] is not the only obstacle to seeking help for HIV-Aids in Zimbabwe. Despite an estimated 1.8 million people in the country living with HIV-Aids, stigma remains not only a significant obstacle to accessing treatment, but also a powerful force for dividing families and propagating conflict within communities." The government's sexual repression isn't helping matters, either. [Guardian]
Zimbabwean political party Movement for Democratic Change, which is hoping to oust power hungry Robert Mugabe in run-off elections later this month, pledged that they will make room for the nation's homos. Said party spokesperson Nelson Chamisa, “Our vision is to build a Zimbabwe that has sufficient space and comfort for all." Many activists, however, wonder if MDC is simply playing politics. [The Mask via Mamba]
There's still no clear winner in Zimbabwe's national elections. Madman President Robert Mugabe refuses to release the election results, which many say will prove the opposition won. So, as Mugabe fights rival Morgan Tsvangirai, the nation's people continue to suffer.
While the United Nations pressures Mugabe, another, smaller group is getting in on the action: The South African Lesbian and Gay Equality Project.
We express our full solidarity with the lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, women, workers and all the people of Zimbabwe. We add our voice in condemning the unjustified delay in the release of the 29 March elections. As Zimbabwean Independence Day approaches on 18 April 2008, Zimbabweans have nothing to celebrate in honour of their heroic liberation struggle and historic achievement of freedom and democracy.The actions of the government of Zimbabwe, the police, the army, the judiciary and the Zimbabwean Elections Commission are against universally accepted democratic principles and practice. The Zimbabwean government is responsible for the social and economic crises facing that country.
The group also urges all gay Zimbabweans to come out of the closet and take a stand. Things probably couldn't get any worse for Zimbabwean nationals, so they might as well do it now, right?
Here's some circa 2005 gossip about Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe. "…Mugabe is going a bit loopy at the moment… not due to senility but rather the final brain-melting stages of syphilis. As a previous consequence of this he and the late Joshua Nkomo had large parts of their diseased cocks amputated in the Seventies." Ewww. [Popbitch]
Rumor has it that Zimbabwean politicos are attempting to strike a deal with defeated President Robert Mugabe: "The opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai is in talks with advisers to President Robert G. Mugabe of Zimbabwe, amid signs that some of those close to Mr. Mugabe may encourage him to resign… The negotiations about a possible transfer of power away from Mr. Mugabe began after he apparently concluded that a runoff election would be demeaning, a diplomat said." [SH]
Movement for Democratic Change's Morgan Tsvangirai won Zimbabwe's election this weekend by an apparent landslide. Hopefully this will bring some calm for the nation's queers, whom Mugabe has targeted in recent years. And, even more hopefully, Tsvangirai will welcome them into the fold. [Pink News]
Robert Mugabe and his supporters are like British school children. Both groups consider "gay" as the ultimate pejorative.
Mugabe, who rules Zimbabwe with an iron, idiotic fist, has frequently referred to British politicians as "gay gangster. Now his Bible-thumping ally, Reverend Obadiah Msindo is using the same tactics to smear Mugabe's political opponent, Morgan Tsvangirai.
Tsvangirai is a sexual partner to [Tony] Blair and [Gordon] Brown. They occasionally summon him to London to make love to him.
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Tsvangirai is Blair and Brown’s girlfriend.How often does he frequent Great Britain to be spoilt by Blair and Brown? Tsvangirai flies to London every now and then to offer himself to Brown and Blair and other homosexuals within the British Labour government.
Msindo conveniently forgot to mention his own sexual misadventures: he's been accused of raping his teenage maid. Of course, we wouldn't expect anything less from a Mugabe supporter.
Robert Mugabe wants to world to think that Zimbabwe has no gays. Canadian professor Marc Epprecht and his "Gay Rural History Project" say otherwise. Not only are there gays in Zim, but they've been around far longer than colonial influence.
The Anglican Diocese of Harare spent some time this weekend reaffirming its stance against homosexuality. Explaining his constituencies contentious position, Bishop Nolbert Kunonga told Zimbabwe's The Herald:
We have taken a position as a diocese and the position has been necessitated by the issue of homosexuality. We totally reject homosexuality; it is an abomination, it is totally against the law of God, and it diminishes the dignity of the human being.
Kunonga and his peeps pulled out of the Anglican Province of Central Africa after alleging other members are too soft on homosexuality.
Once the darling of liberal democracy, South Africa ain't living up to the hype. Besides failing to properly investigate allegedly anti-gay murders, the nation's United Nations representatives recently abstained from a vote affirming gay rights groups' involvement in the international body.
Why such a queer turnaround for the "pro-gay" South Africa?
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• Elton John reportedly had a royal breakdown after Prince Harry and Prince William's Concert for Diana. The singer got into with a police officer who ordered him to walk to the VIP area, rather than drive. John allegedly screamed,
Get out of my fucking way. Don't you know who I am? I've been working all fucking day and I need to get to my fucking dressing room.
Obviously Sir Elton is no lady. Nor does he get special privilege: he eventually walked.
• Is Tori Spelling a heinous bitch?
• Anti-gay Movement for a Better Hungary plans on protesting this weekend's gay pride. Whee!
CONTINUED »
Being gay in Zimbabwe just got a little easier. Activist group Gays and Lesbians of Zimbabwe has announced they will open a second location in Bulawayo, the African nation's second largest city. The activists have been operating in Zimbabwe's capital, Harare since their 2002 founding, but found that many of their members could afford the trek to community center.
GALZ's efforts are especially important considering gay sex remains illegal under Robert Mugabe's increasingly disastrous despotic rule. In an effort to give members more democratic freedom, GALZ's asked them to put forth a list of requests. GALZ director Keith Goddard explains:
…We have asked our members, especially women at Bulawayo, to tell us their needs. They need almost the same services offered by the GALZ head office such as counselling, HIV and Aids support legal advice and so forth.
If only GALZ could help the entire country.
