Monday, April 21, 2008
Zimbabweans out: Mugabe, Tsvangirai one voice
I have been silent about Zimbabwe for a long time, but now I have energy to speak louder.

First I begin by thumbing Robert Mugabe for being among the true African liberators. Many of the sons of the soils have called him an ardent Pan-African. He stood by his people against a colonial government led by the late Ian Smith.

Mugabe is also praised for his eloquence in the continent. He churns English for the “good” of the continent, but for himself too.

A while ago, Mugabe flushed out the white-citizens from Zimbabwe, and gave the land pieces to his cronies, veterans, and “native.” Another school of thought says, Mugabe did not think of how best to run farms formerly owned by the white farmers. This would have been the source of food and fruits cutting down the imports. A knee-jerk reaction to this, were sanctions, from the Western countries that lead to an inflation of above 150,000%.

Inflation to date does not affect Mugabe in terms of purchase or acquisition of anything he needs. As many Zimbabweans wonder where to get necessities, Mugabe thinks of where to spend the next coin, after all government budget covers. Sanctions are increasingly making Mugabe unpopular amongst Zimbabweans as a strategy of the West to brew an up rise. As things look, the veterans and security organs will not allow any skirmishes.

The previous election results are not yet out but the clock ticks 3 weeks.

Morgan Tsvangirai of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party believes he won, while Mugabe’s ZANU-PF party is doing better calculation to use electoral commission to “straighten” whatever the results to Mugabe’s favour. How does ZANU-PF command recount of some ballots without a court order?

It is clear that Mugabe is a good listener and a follower of “brother” Muammar Qathafi of Libya, who front liberators/revolutionalists for life presidency. If Africa needs liberators, how many does it lack for ballot boxes to function?

Before the elections, Mugabe was heard saying these words “ZANU-PF will not lose as long as he is alive”, and “If he lost the elections he would leave”. But at the moment, where does he fall?

It began with Kenya this year, then Pakistan, and now it is Zimbabwe. For sure, election axiom is becoming bogus, after all government of national unity seems to be a better bargain for the incumbents and opponents. The desire is only power no matter the course.

Mugabe and Tsvangirai are fooling the public that they are different and hard-liners. They are now cooking a government of national unity that is not inclusive of the citizens.

If elections are useless, which other way is to represent the mwananchi (citizen)?

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posted by ombui at 10:41 AM | Permalink | 1 comments
Tuesday, April 01, 2008
‘Chengi’ slows Uganda entrepreneurship
Entrepreneurs in Uganda blame limited capital for little growth, or expansion of their businesses. Some whine because of witches. But are those the fundamental obstacles of business advancement?

A few minutes before writing this piece, I was in Wandegeya on my way to town, and need for airtime arose. I went to an airtime stand, and order for 5,000 top up. A man in his late 40’s handed back my 20,000 note because he had no ‘chengi’ (change).

I moved to a next stand that was managed by an Asian, and I flashed my 20,000. The attendant took the note, handed me the airtime, and asked me to wait as he sought me ‘chengi’ from the business neighbours. Within two minutes, I was done and I walked away.

In comparing the earlier seller and the second one, I noticed that the earlier seller didn’t need money though he had an airtime stand. The second seller needed the money though he has not ‘chengi.

In doing a random survey, if both sellers have ten customers loaded big notes within 15 minutes, the earlier seller would have nothing. The second seller would have benefited from customers. Dominance of business mentality of the second seller is what entrepreneurs in Uganda should apply for their businesses realise advancement.

Sometime back, Bank of Uganda ordered the banks not to chase people who seek for change from banks. Today, some banks sell ‘chengi’, even in the Taxi Parks ‘chengi’ vending booms, but 10% off the money need change is quite high.

It will take a long while for Uganda business men and women to notice how much they lose by chase a customer because of ‘chengi.

Photo/smallbiztechnology.com

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posted by ombui at 5:02 AM | Permalink | 0 comments