You Don't Bring Me Flowers Any More

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Everybody knows that James Makamba is a big man. Not everybody knows that he is a well-travelled big man.
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Some of my fellow bloggers and lots of journalists were amused to find that Amai had "hit the press" last Sunday because of the way she hit a photographer. But part of the joke is on them. They all thought that she was angry to be photographed in a luxury shopping centre in Hong Kong.

Perhaps she was worried about something else.


Once upon a time Amai and Makamba were united in their love for flowers. He grew them on his farm, and she visited it. She loved the size of his beds. Some thought that she was a bit too keen, and Makamba seemed was weeded out - weeded out of the country in fact, but not until he had been tried for forex irregularities.
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Imagine how Mudhara would feel if he discovered that Makamba was in Hong Kong at the same time as Amai? Would he accept that this was just two garden-lovers meeting to discuss flowers? Would he think that they were meeting to compare notes on successful externalisation of forex? Or might he begin to think that a pattern was developing?


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More About The News You Are Not Reading In The Herald

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I had a visit from a friend last night who told me an interesting story. When the Army refused to accept Zimbabwean dollars this week, Constantine Chiwenga went to Gideon Gono and demanded US dollars. But all of the forex Gono controls is for his friends.

So Gideon is hoping that Lev Leviev will make an agreement to buy diamonds this week so that Gono has some forex to give to Chiwenga.

This is also one reason why Mugabe and Tsvangarai did not agree. If the Army is not going to mutiny, Mugabe is not scared of anything. And if the amount Lev Leviev has promised is as much as my friend believes (more than 100 million USD), then ZPF will be happily in charge for a long time: that is, until our creditors find out about the deal.

The News You Are Not Reading In The Herald

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And the news you are not reading in New Zimbabwe either.

It was here that you read for the first time that our country is running out of forex and that is why Tsvangirai and Mugabe had to meet today.

Today I am telling you that a man you have never heard of called Lev Leviev is in Zimbabwe, and is staying in the Sheraton Rainbow Towers Hotel. Why should you be interested in this unknown man. It is because he is a multi billionaire in US Dollars. Look here to find out more.

Why is he here at this time? Why is he talking to my favourite Bank Governor, Gideon Gono? If the Chiadzwa diamond field is up for sale, then for how much, and who will get the money? And might this be the deal that persuades "people" that Hong Kong is the place for them?

If you see this man, ask him for some of the forex he has promised to Gideon.

Home Again

I have come home from Pretoria where there is only one story. Why is it so important that Mugabe and Tsvangirai should meet on Monday?

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Is it because they want to finally settle their dispute peacefully and agree on a Government of National Unity to bring peace and reconciliation to Zimbabwe?

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No.
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Is it because Morgan is going to surrender to Bob (or Bob to Morgan)?

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No.

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Is it because the supply of forex is now so bad that Gideon Gono is now telling major ministries and major ministers that there is no forex left, either for them personally or for their ministries?

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Yes.

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Is it because of fear that bubonic plague takes hold in our country before the cholera is cured?

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Yes.

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What will these two men decide on Monday? And who will benefit from their decisions?

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Will Kgalema Motlanthe show leadership where none has been shown by SADC previously?

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Who knows?

Happy New Year!

A happy 2009 to all of you who read this.

A happy and prosperous 2009 would be a good wish for you, but there is only one man who can wish that and make sure the wish comes true.

He has wished Amai a happy and prosperous new year several times already.

And she is going to have a happy 2009.

At least, she will if Gideon remains in charge of the purse strings.

But she will have a prosperous 2009 whatever happens.