Dear Family and Friends,

Zimbabwe's Christmas present came in the form of rain. Day after day for the last three weeks the heavens have opened, giving us a wonderful, wet, soggy Christmas and New Year. Low purple clouds, towering thunderstorms and torrential downpours have soaked the land. Hailstorms in some areas, long gentle soaking rain in others with the end result being the glorious green of renewal and an extravaganza of beauty in the bush.

Mushrooms of every shape, size and colour; black and white puff back shrikes; yellow and black weaver birds and bright red bishop birds; bright green and slate grey snakes; monstrous ants and fearsome rhino beetles; flying ants, sausage flies and dung beetles; moths the size of side plates and figs nearly as big as tennis balls filled with sweet, sticky, pink delight. And of course Christmas in Zimbabwe wouldn't be the same without the gorgeous red flame lilies which keep beckoning you to come and admire, luring you ever deeper into the bush. 

It's hard to turn our attention back to everyday life in Zimbabwe and 2014 has started with the usual crop of absurdities. First we heard that after learning of the end of their diplomatic missions, Zimbabwe's MDC Ambassador to Germany, Hebson Makuvise, has applied for asylum there.

Then Zimbabwe's MDC Ambassador to Australia, Jacqueline Zwambili, applied for asylum in that country apparently fearing political persecution if she comes back home. Then, saddest of all, came the news that ex MDC Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai's wife of just over a year has moved out and the couple are living apart, the marriage in trouble. 

Aside from the personal problems of people in positions of authority and influence, Zimbabwe is rushing headlong into what looks like very troubled waters this new year. Already we are hearing that even more companies are on the verge of collapse and going into liquidation. There are reports of big companies retrenching workers including Zimplats, Unki, Bindura Nickel, Mimosa, Spar Supermarkets, Dairibord, Cairns Foods, Olivine Industries and PG Industries. 

Despite these perilously loud alarm bells for Zimbabwe's fragile economy, the government seem determined to continue with their indigenisation policy compelling all non indigenous Zimbabweans to give up a 51% controlling interest in their companies. Every day their statements and contradictions leave us more confused than ever but according to the CEO of the Indigenisation Board, Wilson Gwatiringa, people are apparently queuing up to ‘indigenise' 51% of their companies. Two hundred indigenisation ‘compliance' forms a day are being submitted, Mr Gwatringa said.

Just as farmers faithfully complied with the requirements to get government Certificates of No Interest for their farms back in the 1980's and 1990's, only to have everything seized a decade or so later, now businesses are apparently rushing to get Indigenisation Compliance Certificates. It's like looking in a dusty rear view mirror and seeing the undoing of Zimbabwe happening all over again. Won't we ever learn? 

Until next time, thanks for reading this letter and supporting my books, love cathy. 3rd January 2014.

Copyright Cathy Buckle. http://www.cathybuckle.com/>

For information on my latest book: "CAN YOU HEAR THE DRUMS," or my other books about Zimbabwe: "Innocent Victims," "African Tears," "Beyond Tears" and "IMIRE," or to subscribe/unsubscribe to this letter, please visit my website or contact [email protected]

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