[Zimbabwe] Fear turns to anger in Zimbabwe's poverty

from The Australian

Defiance is in the air as life becomes unbearable, writes Jan Raath in Harare

THE first time Anna was arrested, two police officers confiscated her box of tomatoes, bananas, popcorn and a couple of cigarettes and ordered her to pay an on-the-spot fine of $Z250,000 ($1.50) for illegal vending.

When she refused to pay, they took her $Z160,000 takings for the afternoon, put it in their pockets and left. Two days later, Anna was caught by the police with her goods spread out on a sack. They told her to bring her goods with her to the police station. On the way the police asked how much money she had.

"Nothing," she said. They said she could go. "No," she said. "I want to go to the police station. I have done criminal things. Let's go."

"What's your name?" they asked aggressively. She told them. "You are too cheeky," they said. "Yes," she said, "I am too cheeky." And she strode back to her corner, triumphant.

Anna started trading on the street to pay her two children's school fees. For millions of Zimbabweans, informal trading on a tiny scale has become the difference between life and starvation.

President Robert Mugabe has declared the activity illegal. Every day thousands are arrested in police raids and lose their earnings and their goods, or have their stalls smashed.

"I will be back there every day, selling," Anna said. "They can come. I am no longer afraid of them."

This is the reality of Zimbabwe as the country celebrates the 26th anniversary of winning independence from Britain.

Mr Mugabe has presided over the ruin of the economy, once one of the strongest in Africa.

The rapid impoverishment of Zimbabweans has been compounded by the destruction of the homes of almost a million people, who have also been banned from making a living in the notorious "Remove the rubbish" operation, which continues after 11months.

The World Health Organisation declared last week that Zimbabwean women had the lowest life expectancy in the world, at 34 years.

The country has the highest inflation, at 913 per cent. The Consumer Council of Zimbabwe estimates a family of six needs $Z35million a month to survive. Only six years ago, $Z1 million would have bought a whole block of luxury apartments.

State school fees have recently risen by 1000per cent.

"Zimbabwean children are faced with some of the worst hardships confronting children anywhere in the world," a UNICEF spokesman said.

John Makumbe, a political commentator, said: "Life has become unbearable and unaffordable. These people are waiting to vent their anger through mass demonstrations. We are on the brink. The element of fear is overrated. That point is going to become clearer in the next few months."

Morgan Tsvangirai, the leader of what appears to be the dominant faction of the divided opposition - the Movement for Democratic Change - is capitalising on the rising mood of defiance.

Mr Tsvangirai has warned in recent weeks that he will lead street protests to bring down the Government and has said he is prepared to die doing so. He has hinted that the movement will start next month.

John Robertson, an economist, said: "We are in a tinderbox situation. If something starts, it can become complete collapse and it can be started by street violence.

"They will call the soldiers out, but the soldiers may turn their guns on their leaders. They are having as difficult a time as everyone else."