EDITORIAL
Life once again seems to be going from worse to worst in Zimbabwe. It all started with Zimbawean President Robert Mugabe's involvement in the Congo conflict in which the country allegedly spends US$1 to US$2 million every month, second, harassment of journalists, third comes the fuel crisis and finally some 3,000 veterans of Zimbabwe's 1970's liberation struggle have occupied some 600 white-owned farms to support Mugabe's bid to redistribute the country's prime land taken by whites under British colonial rule. This has strained the already deteriorating relations between Britain and its former colony. In the political arena, as the country prepares for parliamentary elections scheduled for May this year, Our correspondent, Brian Ligomeka, reports that Mugabe's ruling ZANU-PF party is in confusion and fear because of the stiff political challenge from the Movement for Democratic Change headed by Morgan Tsvangirai.
Former South African president Nelson Mandela is making a major effort to bring peace to Burundi. In a rare move he has invited leaders of different organisations to join the next stage of the peace talks in the Tanzanian town of Arusha, writes Mary Kimani.
In Southern Africa, Ben Molapo writes on the now declining mining industry. The whole scenario is so disturbing especially to mineworkers. Most of them are illiterate and their living conditions are deplorable and therefore vulnerable to exploitation. After working for years they have nothing of value to pride about.
In Malawi, since the introduction of education in the 1850s schools have been teaching Bible Knowledge, a subject introduced by early missionaries with the aim of spreading Christianity. Our correspondent, Patrick Mawaya reports that it was only this year in January that the government replaced Bible Knowledge with Religious and Moral Education (RME). This move has sparked tension and panic among politicians, education experts, students, religious leaders and their followers.
And on the sports circles, Frank Bwalya writes on Zambia, the one-time Africa soccer giant. He looks at the politics behind the declining standards of soccer in that country and gives a prescription which could see Zambia rise again. He suggests Zambia should suspend involvement in international tournament until its national team undergoes a major reorganisation following the plane crash in 1993 that killed some of its key players.
The future of Lake Tanganyika, one of the greatest water mass within the great lakes region is uncertain. Our correspondent, Charles Mubambe, reports that the country's sharing the lake have pulled their resources and established a project aimed at conserving the environment around the Lake.
