Overseas Voting

BACKGROUND

YOU CAN'T PLEASE EVERYONE SO THE SAYING GOES.THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED TO OUR BELOVED COUNTRY OF ZIMBABWE.OUR PRESIDENCY IS PRESUMED AT FAULT FOR TRYING TO PLEASE EVERY ZIMBABWEAN CITIZEN.ZIMBABWE HAS BEEN CRIPPLED BY BOTH EXTERNAL AND INTERNAL FACTORS.ALL OF US ARE AT FAULT IN REGARDS TO THE SITUATION THAT HAS BEFALLEN OUR BELOVED SOIL AND IT IS ALL OUR DUTY AS ZIMBABWEAN CITIZENS TO FIX THE SITUATION BEFORE IT BECOMES A SERIOUS PROBLEM.

PETITION

IN THIS REGARD,AS A DIASPORAN WHO FEELS I HAVE A DUTY TO SERVE MY COUNTRY AND WHO DOES NOT BELIEVE IN APPORTIONING BLAME CAME UP WITH THE FOLLOWING SUGGESTIONS THAT I THINK EVERY TRUE ZIMBABWEAN CITIZEN SHOULD UNDERTAKE TO CONSIDER.THEREFORE I ASK THE GOVERNMENT OF ZIMBABWE TO CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING:

-INTRODUCING THE OVERSEAS BALLOT
-POLL FEE(FOR DIASPORANS)
-DIASPORA TAX

IN INTRODUCING THE INTERNATIONAL BALLOT(BALLOT WITHOUT BOUNDARIES),THE DEMOCRATIC RIGHT OF EVERY ZIMBABWEAN TO VOTE IS EXERCISED.THIS CAN BE DONE IN ANY OF THE FOLLOWING WAYS:

-CREATING A WEBSITE TO REGISTER VOTERS ABROAD.
-INTRODUCE MAIL-IN BALLOTS.
-VARIOUS POST IN DESIGNATED AREAS IN COUNTRIES OF RESIDENCY FOR EXAMPLE U.K.
-USING ZIMBABWEAN EMBASSIES ABROAD.

TO ENHANCE AND FACILITATE THIS PROCESS VARIOUS ADMINSTRATION ISSUES HAVE TO BE CONSIDERED INCLUDING THE COST OF FINANCING:
-PLANNING
-MATERIALS AND EQUIPMENT
-LOGISTICS
-RECRUITMENT AND TRAINING OF VOTING STAFF AND
VOTING SITES.

FURTHER TO THAT, A DIASPORA TAX SHOULD BE INTRODUCED.THIS MIGHT SOUND OFF THE WALL BUT THE MAJOR BRAIN ECONOMY OF THE COUNTRY IS BASED OUTSIDE THE COUNTRY.THIS FURTHER EXACERBATES THE SITUATION AT HAND.MOST YOUNG AND EDUCATED ZIMBABWEANS LEAVE THE COUNTRY FOR GREENER PASTURES WITH THE KNOWLEDGE ATTAINED FROM ZIMBABWE.MOST OF THE GRADUATES HAVE THEIR EDUCATION FINANCED BY THE THEN GOVERNMENT AND SOME HAVE NEVER PAID BACK THEIR GRANTS OR STUDENT LOANS AND SOME HAVE NEVER PAID A CENT IN TAXES.

THIS IS ONLY A BID TO BOTH THE GOVERNMENT AND PEOPLE OF ZIMBABWE TO HELP US HELP OURSELVES TO BUILD OUR ECONOMY AND BRING OUR ECONOMY BACK TO ITS FEET.THIS CAN ONLY BE DONE BY US AND US AS ZIMBABWEAN CITIZENS.

K.GODFREY
FREELANCE WRITER
CALGARY
ALBERTA

Back to the basics

I went over the details of Violet Gonda's Hot seat debate featuring,Dr Makgtlangneng(Head of South Africa and SADC Institute of S.A.,Ralph Black(M.D.C.'s Deputy Chief Rep and Dr Ayittey(President-Free Africa Foundation and Ghanaian Economists)-The air culminating over the debate revealed personal and opinionated feelings among the four regarding the political situation in Zimbabwe.Dr Makgtlangneng made it very clear that Zimbabweans have to solve their on problems.Although this is not true in a way,Zimbaweans need help.They need the support to strengthen their cause.It apparent that Dr Makgtlangneng is aware of the burden of Zimbaweans in South Africa on their economy mainly crime and illegal trades.Although he did not mention that it is apparent he was trying keep face at the same time hinting that we as Zimbabweans are responsible for our mess and are at liberty to fix it.The good one came when he mentioned that the M.D.C is a weak opposition and it was a puppet government for the west!
The opposition like any other has it's faults and they should try and straighten themselves out first because blaming the ruling party for their shortfalls is not a way forward.
Again the interview with Morgan Tsvangirai proved the same.He is merely talking about human rights abuse and limitations of space on the playing field."create the space if you want to play".You can not blame the ruling party for the weakening the party,the M.D.C. needs to saddle up and tighten their pants for the fight or otherwise just give away the power freely like they have done in the last few elections.
To the people of Zimbabwe it is high time we should stand on our own feet .If we can't change the power at hand what is the point of going to the voting box?Why not just revolt the elections altogether and let Mr Mugabe have it his way.If noone is chasing him,probably he will cave.

Back to the basics

I went over the details of Violet Gonda's Hot seat debate featuring,Dr Makgtlangneng(Head of South Africa and SADC Institute of S.A.,Ralph Black(M.D.C.'s Deputy Chief Rep and Dr Ayittey(President-Free Africa Foundation and Ghanaian Economists)-The air culminating over the debate revealed personal and opinionated feelings among the four regarding the political situation in Zimbabwe.Dr Makgtlangneng made it very clear that Zimbabweans have to solve their on problems.Although this is not true in a way,Zimbaweans need help.They need the support to strengthen their cause.It apparent that Dr Makgtlangneng is aware of the burden of Zimbaweans in South Africa on their economy mainly crime and illegal trades.Although he did not mention that it is apparent he was trying keep face at the same time hinting that we as Zimbabweans are responsible for our mess and are at liberty to fix it.The good one came when he mentioned that the M.D.C is a weak opposition and it was a puppet government for the west!
The opposition like any other has it's faults and they should try and straighten themselves out first because blaming the ruling party for their shortfalls is not a way forward.
Again the interview with Morgan Tsvangirai proved the same.He is merely talking about human rights abuse and limitations of space on the playing field."create the space if you want to play".You can not blame the ruling party for the weakening the party,the M.D.C. needs to saddle up and tighten their pants for the fight or otherwise just give away the power freely like they have done in the last few elections.
To the people of Zimbabwe it is high time we should stand on our own feet .If we can't change the power at hand what is the point of going to the voting box?Why not just revolt the elections altogether and let Mr Mugabe have it his way.If noone is chasing him,probably he will cave.

Make a choice

The issue of Zimbabwe is virtually considered to be a read,heard and acknowledged issue.People read biased and unbiased information from a multitude of media but only a handful want to make a change.The situation at hand is complicated due to the bread and butter issues facing all Zimbabweans.Zimbaweans home and abroad are responsible for making a change in Zimbabwe.Why is this not happening?
1- We haven't achieved political maturity as a nation.
2-Corruption is ripe among ourselves.
3-selfishness,greed and selfcenterdness are major.
4-People assume that our problem is temporary and will soon go away.
This is not so,by seating,waiting and watching thingS are not getting any better.It's high time we should come together and fix our own problems because noone from the outside is willing to give a hand unless they get piece of the pie.It is up to us to look inside ourselves and say "WHAT DO I WANT FOR MY COUNTRY?
WHAT AM I GOING TO DO FOR MY COUNTRY TO MAKE IT BETTER AGAIN?