Grace Mugabe does not know what she is talking about

by Bulawayo24 Reader and edited by Matthews Estell

2012 June 17 16:26:15 | 5158 Views

First Lady, Grace Mugabe's comments about her life and relationship with the President Robert Mugabe have riled a few people.

One reader commented that: 'the first lady does not know what she is talking about. As long as she is able to spend lots of money, travel and have the freedom to do what she likes she is happy. The fist Lady claims, "Mugabe as a real vision for Zimbabwe". If that is the case then what has happened over the last 28-32 yrs as Mugabe and his gravy train of ministers and followers has failed. They are to blame for corruption, bloodshed, and destroyed the lives of all black Zimbabwean's (no matter whether Shona, Ndebele or other), and to add further to that, unemployment, disease, hardship.'

He goes on to give the testimony of an ex Zimbabwean when visiting Zimbabwe again after 8 yrs was shocked.This is her experience:

ZIMBABWE 2012 VISIT.

'My trip back to Zim (for the first time in 8 years) was THE most emotional journey of my life and one which I hope never to have to repeat again. From the moment I landed at Harare Airport and just saw all the Air Zim planes lying rotting in the sun the shock in the Immigration Hall I just couldn't believe what I was seeing. The Immigration desks all have signs above them saying : Visas, Returning Residents etc and underneath its all written in CHINESE! Driving out of the airport you see where his nibs is building a great new DUAL CARRIAGEWAY to/from the city - WHAT FOR I ask you! The filth on the streets is unbearable - no street sweeping or picking up litter any more. The potholes in all the roads are unbelievable. There are no street lights - the bulbs having been pinched and just bare wires left hanging out - where drivers have smacked into lampposts they are just left all mangled and turning to rust. The look of despair and despondency on the faces of the locals (blacks) is quite heartbreaking. Sam Levy's Village at Borrowdale shopping centre is amazing - didn't recognise it for all the development and expansion (but that's because its all white). Once a month the madams take their gardeners and black bags and clean up the rubbish on the streets around Borrowdale (some things never change!) I was shattered how old all my friends looked (I don't think I have aged to quite that extent!) from the stress of life living in Zim and I guess the hot dry climate.

Went to visit some old folk at Dandaro (which is a gated community for oldies over 50 years of age) opposite the Racecourse on the Borrowdale road and a place I had never been in to despite it having been there for a long time. Driving around I thought "wow I think I could live here!) but within 24 hours of being in Zim I knew I could NEVER go back there to live! One forgets just what a police state it is. There are road blocks everywhere and you get fined for the stupidest things (its just a way of them making money).

I was staying with friends in Borrowdale who are mega-rich but even they are getting fed up and will be moving on in the not too distant future. The power was switched off every evening necessitating everyone having to buy generators and fuel to run the generators. There has been no municipal water delivered to houses for about 7 years - meaning everyone has to either sink a borehole or buy in water from someone else. My friends were saying they have to buy in water twice a week (as they live up on Borrowdale Ridge and cant put down a borehole) and it costs USD800 per month!

I had a lovely time meeting up with my friends but couldn't get over the cost of everything. The shop shelves are all stacked with goods but everything is imported from S.A. and paid for in USD. When I remarked on how expensive everything was I was told "but its comparable with prices in UK" to which I responded "yes, that may be but the buying power of the Pound in the UK is much greater than the that of the USD in Zim". 10 of us went out for dinner one night (had to send the Irish coffees back as the cream was off! ) No fresh milk - you use longlife milk from S.A. God only knows what the bill came to but I took the same 10 out for breakfast and it cost me US120! just for a plain breakfast nothing fancy no bucks fizz etc. I nearly died!

Driving up to Mazvikidei (near Banket on the Kariba road) where my sister lives really brought the sadness and heartbreak back to me. All those beautiful farms that grew all that fabulous healthy tobacco and maize were just lying fallow (grass and weeds). The winter wheat should all have been planted and growing now - but nothing, zero, zilch. I just wanted to cry. In fact every day there was something to set me off - I cried buckets, it was all just too much to take on board.

My beautiful homeland, the land on my birth just ruined. How I hate them.

Still it was good to catch up with my sister and her grandchildren (who were also over visiting her from Aussie). Her son-in-law had told me last year that they were thinking of going back to live in Zim but had decided after being there 24 hours there were definitely NOT going to be going back.

I have, however, managed to get closure and realise it was the right thing to leave Zim and now just get on with life here and move on. I hope I NEVER have to go back again.'

Grace Mugabe

Source: Byo24News