Is the tide turning in Zimbabwe?

Though it may seem rather too premature to speculate on what the future holds for Zimbabwe, one thing that is beginning to emerge is that the tide may be changing. They say signs often preceed great things to come. In the case of Zimbabwe, the only great thing that could come at this hour is a change or exchange of government to make way for new ideas and policies that will see Zimbabwe get back on its feet or knees-since we have sunk so low. And yes, the signs are coming from all directions. Here they are:

1. In a move that came as a welcome suprise to many people it seems that the beginning of the end of "silent diplomacy" was ushered last week by the criticisms of Zimbabwe's violence against the opposition a.k.a Tswangison (Morgan Tswangirai, Leader of MDC) by leaders like Mwanawasa. Even the silent ones are beginning to talk even in support of Mugabe.
2. The opposition party seems to be gravitating towards unity. First they were arrested together and then they made unifying statements. Though it would absurd to suggest that Zanu PF beating these guys accelerated their unity, the arrests of MDC leaders seems to have been a catalyst of sorts.
3. Today the BBC reported that Mugabe will attend an emergency meeting of Southern African leaders on Wednesday in Tanzania, state media says. While this is not new, the idea that this meeting is outside Zimbabwe and is an emergency seems to be significant. Normally, people visit Bob, leaders come to him and after wining and dining them, he shows them his great achievements on some farms, and bids them farewell. Now, he will have no farm to show in Tanzania. He is a visitor who must listen.
4. Internally, the so called "vultures"- members of his party who want the top seat- seem to have gained momentum as it is becoming evident that failure to facilitate a smooth exist may cost them something more- a seat on the throne. So it is in everyone's best interest to see the old man go because each one believes they have a chance to the throne. Thanks to the fact that there is no clear leader, otherwise we would be seeing a lose-lose situation where everyone is geared toward ensuring that the old man stays in power to sustain their gravy tube.

Flames of hope are beginning to emerge from the smoke of violence and quiet diplomacy. In the next few months I am confident that Zimbabwe will gravitate toward some sense. I only pray that party chiefs gunning for the top job in the land do not end up underming the process of change or exchange as it may be.

In Secret, Polygamy Follows Africans to N.Y.

It has taken me some time to comment on the article- In Secret, Polygamy Follows Africans to N.Y.- by the New York Times' Nina Bernstein because I could not find a simple way to share my views on this piece. The piece ruffled a bunch of nerves in me for many reasons, two of which I will mention here. First, the timing was insensitive.

Secondly some things were overgeneralized. The timing was just not right. While I do not have a problem with the Times highlighting the issue of polygamy to their readers, putting the article before the tears dried off the eyes of the family and friends of Moussa Magassa, the Mali-born American citizen whose family perished in a fatal fire in the Bronx on March 7- as if to say if he had not been a polygamist the house would not have burned down- seemed inappropriate. The idea that the "fatal fire in the Bronx on March 7 revealed" the presence of polygamy here, comes off as a celebration of this journalistic treasure of material brought by the fire without regard to the basic fact that this was a tragedy.

Now here is what really grinds my gears: the simplicity with which the writer deals with the diverse peoples and cultures of the motherland is just saddening.
When did Ghana, Guinea and Mali become the epitome of African Culture? To add insult to injury the article insinuates that poligamy is only an African thing when in fact it is not. If Islam sanctions it, should not the article have interviewed some Moslems from the Middle East to get a balanced view? Is it accurate that this is a predominantly African thing?

Overall, I agree that the issue of polygamy is a problem, in many cases for practical reasons like the risk of sexually transmitted infections like HIV/AIDS. My problem with the article lies in that it skims the surface of an issue that needs more discussion, not just in the context of law, but in the context of larger cultural discussions. It is not just about women rights, but the overall culture in which poligamy persists.