(www.the-idler.com)

"Read All About It In The Idler"

14 March 2002

78 year old President Mugabe, in power for 22 years has just won a fifth term in office and will rule us for another 6 years. President Mugabe will be 84 years old when his term expires.

The final count was Mugabe: 1 685 212; Tsvangirai: 1 258 401.

There are so many questions and very few answers.

Why has the army been put on high alert? How will the people of Zimbabwe react? How will the government restore law and order? Will the police now start arresting criminals who rape, beat, burn, torture and throw petrol bombs? Will the judiciary now start convicting murderers? What will happen to an inflation rate already over 110%? How will the government stop a massive exodus of skilled people? What will be done to bring down the 60% unemployment rate? What will the government do to stop run-away corruption? Where will the government get foreign currency from to buy medicines and petrol? What will election observers say about the process? Will African leaders again turn their backs?

The most important question though is where is the food going to come from.

How will Zanu PF, who have cut themselves off from the whole world, now find the food for 13 million people?

There is no basic food to buy in the shops, there is almost no food in the ground and winter wheat must be planted within weeks. Will our government again stop famers from growing food?

Will it really continue with its plan to seize every farm in the country and give the land to people who have neither the means nor the expertise to grow food on a large scale?

This election result has only benefitted President Mugabe, not his people. and as hunger takes over we all know that it will be a very bitter victory.

Thank you all for your hundreds of letters this week which I have been unable to reply to. I have not given up hope for my country and do not intend to leave but will have to reduce my correspondences from now on and look for employment in order to survive.

It has been a long and extremely painful two years and with all my resources exhausted, a publisher who does not pay royalties and a farm seized by the government I -- along with thousands of others -- am not sure which way to go now.

Thank you all for your support and friendship, calls, cards, flowers and even food parcels.

I continue to wear a very ragged yellow ribbon in support of all who are suffering.

Love from cathy, http://africantears.netfirms.com.