Dion's random ramblings

Monday, October 22, 2007

$5 Million as a prize - I think it is worth it! Just consider the alternative.

Today it was reported that former Mozambican President, Joaquim Chissano, was awarded the Mo Ibrahim prize for excellence in leadership for an African statesman. The prize money amounts to $US5 Million.

At first I thought, heck $5 Million US, that's about as much as some of the poorer African nations whole budget! But then I thought, well, what is the alternative?

If one were to do an estimate of how much money Robert Mogabe has pillaged from the poor of Zimbabwe I'm sure that it would be a heck of a lot more!

I say well done to Mr Chissano, and well done to the generous benefactor, Mo Ibrahim. May we see many, many more examples of good, honest, integral, African leadership. We are NOT a corrupt continent, we are NOT doomed to poverty and subservience. We are African. We can teach the world another way to live.

Go to the BBC website for full coverage of this story.

What are your thoughts and comments?

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Friday, October 12, 2007

An appeal for help - Life in Zimbabwe is murder these days


The poster above, which is in South Africa, reads "Life in Zimbabwe is Murder these days. Just remember your country still needs you - come home at election time and vote for FREEDOM"

I was born in Zimbabwe. It is a beautiful land.

It is so sad to see what has happened there. It is time to start helping out!

I have a colleague who drives up to Zimbabwe from South Africa with a trailer full of basic food stuffs and stationery for ministers and their families about once every two months. He smuggles in things like pencils, powdered milk, nappies for babies, a few sweets and treats, hand cream, rusks, coffee and many other things that I take for granted. Of course it is not that these things cannot be bought in Zimbabwe, they can be bought, but usually one needs to barter on the 'black market', and payment can only be made in South African Rand, or US dollars.

Well, I want to help him as much as I can. Naturally it would not be a good idea to share who this person is on the internet. However, if you're eager to help then please make contact with me off the blog and I'll be sure to put you in touch.

I shall be donating the proceeds of the sale of my little book "A guide to prayer for use during examinations" to this cause - so, if you want to buy a few copies to give out as gifts, the proceeds go to a worthy cause! Just search for 'pre-order', or drop me an email, and I'll send you as many as you need.

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