Page 12 - ARUBA TODAY

A12 WORLD NEWS
Monday 7 May 2018

A Zimbabwe Spring? New leader embraces surprising freedoms

By FARAI MUTSAKA en just for soliciting sex is il-
HARARE, Zimbabwe (AP) — legal.
Zimbabwe's new president By legalizing marijuana
is rolling out freedoms as farming, Zimbabwe has
never seen before in the become the rare African
country recovering from country to do so.
the 37-year grip of former Kizito Chisanza, who sells
leader Robert Mugabe. secondhand clothes in the
For some, however, Presi- capital, said he hopes it is
dent Emmerson Mnan- the first step toward legal-
gagwa is going too far. izing recreational use.
Others accuse him of mere Such talk likely would have
window-dressing ahead of scandalized Mugabe, who
July's historic election. was openly disdainful of
Signs of change are clear. the drug. During his rule,
Late last month, a popu- Parliament members who
lar musician returned from advocated for its legaliza-
exile in the United States tion were openly jeered.
to perform protest songs in Some early critics of Mnan-
front of tens of thousands gagwa say they are skep-
of people on the outskirts tical of his government's
of the capital, Harare. Days commitment to reform.
later, an annual arts festival They cite incidents such as
in Harare was allowed to the banning of some civil
invite as its headline act a society protests by police,
South African band once the use of dogs and water
banned for a video seen as cannon to put down stu-
mocking Mugabe. dent protests, slow-paced
Mnangagwa promised electoral reforms and the
democratic reforms when failure to solve the case of
he took over in November Itai Dzamara, an activist
after Mugabe resigned un- abducted in 2015 who re-
der pressure from the mili- A portrait of Zimbabwe's new leader, Emmerson Mnangagwa is seen at the ruling party headquar- mains missing. He is widely
ters in Harare, Saturday, May, 5, 2018.
tary, ruling party and the Associated Press seen as a symbol of re-
public. Many have been sistance to Mugabe and
closely watching Mugabe's gagwa publicly criticized purposes. It allowed com- work and marijuana farm- abuses committed under
former deputy ever since his own ruling party for us- mercial sex workers to ex- ing in the once-prosperous his rule.
for proof that he means it. ing police officers as polling hibit at the Zimbabwe In- country whose economy "Mnangagwa is going for
Arrests of political activ- agents during its internal ternational Trade Fair, an collapsed under Mugabe. populism. The substantive
ists and opposition offi- elections, a first in a coun- event officially opened by "The level of liberalism in issues remain untouched.
cials, once routine during try long used to Mugabe's Mnangagwa himself, as a Zimbabwe is making heads The economy is in bad
Mugabe's rule, have sig- sharp-tongued defense of way to educate the public spin," tweeted Nick Mang- shape and genuine po-
nificantly slowed. The op- deploying security agents about their work and safe wana, a ruling party activ- litical reforms are still a mi-
position has been holding to conduct party business. sexual practices. ist. rage," said Phillip Pasirayi,
campaign rallies without Mnangagwa has received On social media, on the "We have sexual rights director of the Center for
interference, unlike in the widespread support for streets and in political cor- groups exhibiting at ZITF. Community Development
past. Freedom of speech that and similar gestures. ridors, some criticize the Some are saying it's prosti- in Zimbabwe, a non-gov-
is remarkably improved, But the new president, president for taking his lib- tutes galore, we are having ernmental organization.
with Zimbabweans openly whose administration has eralization agenda too far. (marijuana) being liberal- Such critics are "still tied to
criticizing the government popularized the term "Zim- "The government is setting ized, but more important it's the past which is now be-
without fear of retribution, babwe is open for business" us booby traps that will end a very open and free politi- yond us," information minis-
especially in urban areas. after years of international up ruining our families. The cal space. Take the good ter Simon Khaya-Moyo said
In rural areas, non-govern- sanctions over human rights government wants to spoil with the bad," Mangwana at a public event on Thurs-
mental groups say they are abuses, also has touched a our youngsters," said former said. day. "There could still be a
still recording some cases nerve in the largely conser- vice president and now op- Sex work is common but so- residual perception among
of intimidation such as vil- vative country with certain position leader Joice Mu- cially reviled in Zimbabwe some of our people that
lage heads demanding decisions. juru. and is banned by law, al- political change has been
people's voter registration His government has legal- Others support the presi- though the Constitutional cosmetic," Khaya-Moyo
details. ized marijuana farming for dent, citing the economic Court in 2015 ruled that the said. "Of course this is not
And on Wednesday, Mnan- medicinal and scientific benefits of commercial sex practice of arresting wom- true."q