Little To Celebrate On Zimbabwe Birthday

As a man of God, Archbishop Pius Ncube is used to the hearing the knock at the door.

Members of his congregation in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe's second largest city, regularly turn to him for spiritual guidance.

But these days many need more than food for the soul. They turn up on his doorway hoping he can save them from starvation.

"The situation is desperate," he told the BBC, during a recent visit to Johannesburg.

"There's many a family that I know spending two or three days without food. A lucky family will have one meal a day."

The outspoken archbishop has called on the people of Zimbabwe to take to the streets, to free themselves from President Robert Mugabe. But he acknowledges that many are afraid.

They have plenty to fear. Just ask the opposition. Challenging the regime can result in beatings, imprisonment or death.

I asked opposition Movement for Democratic Change leader Morgan Tsvangirai if he feared for his life after he was attacked in police custody last month.

But as resigned as the opposition may be it has other problems - among them internal divisions.

Twenty-seven years after independence, life in Zimbabwe is brutally hard and increasingly short.

Life expectancy has plunged to 34 for women and 37 for men. And many in the former bread-basket of Africa have come to know the taste of despair.

If you could afford a loaf of bread on the way to work, it might be out of your reach by the time you come home - assuming you can find a loaf to buy.

Today's price is 8,000 Zimbabwe dollars. For many workers that is close to a full day's wages.

The International Monetary fund expects it to more than double by the end of the year.

Central Bank governor Gideon Gono calls inflation "the economic HIV of the country."

So while President Mugabe celebrates the anniversary of independence on Wednesday, many of his countrymen will be preoccupied with the daily battle for survival.

"James", a 42-year old book seller, says the regime will get up to its usual tricks - busing its people in, but he doesn't think anyone will really be celebrating.

"I will celebrate when the old man is gone," he says, "and that will be a big party. Everybody will celebrate big time on that day."

At 83, Mr Mugabe has outlived and outmanoeuvred many of his contemporaries, but there is a growing desire in the region to see a transition of power, and he is isolated as never before.

It seems certain that the long-time Zimbabwean leader won't go unless he's pushed, and who is strong enough to do the pushing?

Some observers believe the greatest threat he faces is from the enemy within - challengers from the ranks of his own Zanu-PF party.

With Mr Mugabe standing for president again in next year's elections, "everyone has lost hope," according to James.

The Zimbabwe of 1980 - with all its promise - seems like another country, and the Mugabe of today bears little resemblance to the independence hero of the past.

"I'm seeing a bitter man," says Zimbabwean publisher Trevor Ncube, who has himself been a target of the regime.

"A man full of vengeance, a man unfeeling for the troubles he's subjected Zimbabweans to. And that's not the man we saw in 1980. It's not the man we hero-worshipped in 1980, who could never make a mistake."

Living in Mugabe's Zimbabwe

Zimbabwean Herbert is 27 years old - born in 1980 when his nation became independent. Talking to the BBC News website by telephone, he reflected on the ups and downs of living under President Robert Mugabe.

Zimbabwe gained its independence from Britain 27 years ago

I am not excited about the independence anniversary celebrations.

Why should I be?

I have nothing to celebrate.

I am buying bread at 6,000 Zimbabwean dollars ($0.34 at current black market exchange rate) for a loaf and two litres of cooking oil for 120,000 Zimbabwean dollars ($6.70).

I was only taking 500,000 Zimbabwean dollars ($28) home a month. But even that is no more. As of yesterday, I was laid off from my clerical job.

And now, because this is Zimbabwe, I know that I am not going to get another job.

I live in a rented flat with my wife and family and so I am still thinking of what I can do to carry on living and paying the rent. Maybe I will sell some of my furniture.

The whole Zimbabwe situation is not pleasing at the moment. Not at all. Everything costs so much, most have so little and everywhere there are secret police. We are not free anymore.

I was born in Mutare [eastern city on border with neighbouring Mozambique] but moved to Harare a few years back to find work after my parents passed away.

I remember how beautiful our country was in the 80s.

Finding gold

My gran used to give me 50 Zimbabwean cents to go buy bread, butter and milk - all that for so little! It was easy to live well.

And when we were at junior school, five cents in your pocket could get you sweets to last the whole week. I tell you, finding a five cent piece on the pavement was like finding gold!

Now if you see a 1,000 Zimbabwean dollar note on the floor, you just keep walking. You don't stop. It is nothing - no-one will even pick it up.

Back then, after independence, we all loved President Mugabe. But now we don't. The only ones that do are those who benefit from his rule.

I don't mind if Zanu-PF stays as the ruling party, I really don't. I just want there to be change at the top.

Mugabe is already a hero and he always will be but there is nothing more for him to do. He must just step down.

When he was prime minister everything was fine.

But when his first wife, Sally, died, he started going the other way. That women loved our country - she did so much for us.

A lot has changed. And it all started then.

Now, our country is dead. I really want a better Zimbabwe.

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