Khama, Mugabe: Decades and celebrations apart

Mqondisi Dube | Friday March 4, 2016 13:08

 

On a warm typical Gaborone summer day, President Ian Khama made the short trip east to the Gaborone Central Prison for his birthday celebrations.

The President had a surprise for his 63rd birthday guests who were not clad in spanking designer suits, but instead wore the prison garb.  Khama’s sight cooled the prison inmates in the sweltering heat, as they engaged in a casual conversation with him.  Khama had chosen to spend a few hours with inmates in a low-key event.  A simple steel table covered with a cloth and a one-tier cake under a small tent was in line with the President’s mild birthday celebrations.

A few cake bites later and having listened to the inmates’ concerns, Khama’s convoy quietly slipped out of the prisoners’ sight and life slid back to normal at the maximum prison.  The Botswana President had completed his routine, muted celebration, a pittance when juxtaposed with glittering functions, associated with the majority of African leaders.

 However, across the Ramokgwebana River in the historic town of Masvingo, all the engines were revving for a fully-fledged celebration as the world’s oldest President and Africa’s strongman, Robert Mugabe stuck to his tradition with a typical lavish celebration.  The Zimbabwe President tucked into a huge cake draped in Zimbabwe colours in a function, which reportedly cost $1 million.

Mugabe who turned 92 on February 21, but chose to celebrate his day on Saturday, again defied his age and was at his oratory best as he gave a roaring speech denouncing ZANU PF’s internecine fights.

For Masvingo residents and others who travelled from other provinces, Christmas had arrived early as food flowed and a grand feast began.

It was a red carpet celebration, which drew the country’s dignitaries and after a long dry spell, the heavens had opened, albeit temporarily.  But when the tables were cleared, a veil, which had briefly papered over the suffering, was lifted.

As the sunset on Zimbabwe’s iconic ruins, the ancient town fell silent, leaving cake crumbs scattered all over.

It was left to a frail looking woman to, unexpectedly, steal the remaining pieces of the limelight when she was photographed picking the crumbs, which fell from the high table.  The typical biblical Lazarus picking-the-crumbs picture, which went viral on social media networks, cruelly exposed the uneven distribution of wealth.