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Mugabe traditionally throws the kind of celebrations only dictators can throw- excessively expensive parties funded by money that seems to have come from gee-gosh-out-of nowhere! Each year amidst political turmoil, deep poverty and unemployment, catastrophic hyperinflation, run of the mill human rights abuses and oh cholera epidemics, he continues to outdo himself.
For this months par-tay M has planned an all-night gala lasting twelve hours which will include national and international musicians. This to me seems confusing as the man is turning 86 but perhaps I underestimate his stamina for getting down.
Let's cross our fingers that M's bash-2010 outshines last years. In order to raise the $500,000 spent in 2009 on the super-awesome-b-day-party (that's American dollars people. 500,000 Zim is about $1.30. Hyperinflation is funny that way) M and friends obtained money the good ole fashioned way- Fundraising!
Yes that's right. The gang sent out letters and made some calls. Got in touch with some old friends, and maybe even made some new ones! So similar to the way people raise money for food. To feed people. Who are hungry. And live in nations with a 90% unemployment rate. Or for you know, pinatas.
According to the London Times, donors were "invited to send 'donations' of between $45,000 and $55,000 to a US dollar bank account in the name of the 21st February Movement, a youth organisation controlled by Zanu (PF) and named after the date of the President’s birthday. To be fair this was a significant downgrade from 2008's party which cost $1.2 million, but hey everyone's gotta sacrifice during a national cholera epidemic!
As Wronging Rights so cheerfully asked us last year- "...doesn't it just seem kind of in poor taste for him to live more than twice as long as the average life expectancy in his country?"
Happy birthday Moogy!
Wow, what a refreshing take on Bob's birthday. Being known as someone who tries to make light of Zim's turmoils, I completely lost sense of humour when it came to reporting on the auspicious occasion of the Prez' 86th bday. By the way all you folks, don't kid yourself that things will get sorted when the Grim Reaper does come to call. We may all give a sigh of relief, but there are plenty of other equally grasping fingers in the pie. My take of things such as these is on my blog, take a peak and let me know what you think: www.zimupdate.blogspot.com -- I really enjoyed reading this and may have detected a slight nuance of sarcasm somewhere in there... Thanks for the smile!
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