What to Say. The Party is Over.

Believe it or not, these people are related to us

I am writing this on Tuesday while still in Praia da Luz and wondering what to say. I have found that it is always dangerous to ask others for advice on what to write; it is more often than not to express their views rather than your own. Also, I am finding myself self-censoring, not due to guilt but rather to protect the feelings of others. Not necessarily the actual other, but rather, those close to them you do not wish to hurt despite the action of the individual concerned. The subject of this shortened blog will be two topics. That touches on the controversy of Kirsty Coventry being appointed the International Olympic Committee President and Rozanne’s party. The latter, to me, is the most important. Shortened, as I have a full week of travelling ahead, coupled with entertaining my brother-in-law, Rob Cary, until he departs home to Australia on Friday. It is a pleasant task, although we still have much to discuss. Luckily, the phones to Rob Cary, in particular, did not start buzzing until after Rozanne’s party, which required the full attention and endeavours of all who attended to make it a memorable occasion, from the opening cocktails until those few brave enough to partake in shots at the door on leaving. Here I was, thinking it was only the young who misbehaved. So many old friends and family from around the world attended.

Rob trying to say something as his sisters look on in trepidation

Needless to say, the dinner party, as in any occasion where there is a critical mass of Zimbabweans, ended up late in the evening as a party. Be it a christening or funeral that is the way of the Zimbabwean world. I think the sagest remark that evening was by Scott von Memerty, if my memory serves me correctly, when he remarked:

“At our age, it is so nice to be at a party with friends rather than a wake seeing off yet another buddy.” - Scott von Memerty

I should mention there were a fair number of cousins to our children there, not all, but many. Luckily enough, there was no one we had not wished in attendance. Now, that is unusual. I should mention that following the evening, drinking whisky with my son-in-law Nathan from America, I limited myself to one tot per evening thereafter. 

“While I still like whisky, whisky no longer likes me. I will just have to accept this more fleeting relationship with the ‘Water of Life’ in place of my previous dedication to maintaining a close relationship.” - Peter McSporran.

You cannot imagine my disappointment with this situation, one of the many things I did not envisage in coming with old age and illness.

Our family all in attendance

The venue was the same as planned, but all activities were moved inside, including pre-dinner cocktails and introductions, as Storm Matinho vented her rage outside. Boy, did it rain, and did so for most of the week until Sunday when it suddenly broke, and low and behold, five of us were able to go fishing on Monday. This included Rozanne and I, Selby, Maggie and Rob Cary. We were very lucky, although the fish were also lucky, with only some of the smallest in the ocean showing interest in our bait. For me another step forward, a full day's fishing, although as you can see from the picture included in a very luxurious boat. It's not quite the same as Charles Lee or Bruce Cook in Inhassoro, but then again, with Charles and Bruce, you are always guaranteed the best the ocean can offer in the size of fish and species. Who needs comfort under those circumstances? 

If this is the face at the end of the party, imagine what it was like the next day

“In my life, my self-indulgence has always been rewarded by the need to pay penance, be it in the form of a hangover or even worse the need to diet.” - Peter McSporran

It was wonderful to have friends and relatives, many not seen for years, take the time and expense to join us. The venue, catering, and service at ZaZu Beach Club come highly recommended, and João, the boat charter captain at Ocean Fun and Fishing, was, as always, five-star despite the size of the fish. Thanks to everyone who made Rozanne’s week a success.

Big boat does not mean big fish

The day following the party, Rob Cary’s mobile phone woke him early as journalists clamoured for statements following the election of Kirsty Coventry as President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC). For those that may not know, Kirsty, as a Minister in the Zimbabwean government, was given access to a portion of Cockington Estates, including the main homestead, where I am sure she does not farm. I am certain she will prefer her palace in Lausanne, Switzerland to the somewhat rundown homestead on Cockington. Will she give it up?

"I cannot see under what circumstances you would want to take possesion of, use or live in if offered to you other than by the owner. It is a clear moral descision with no mitigation."- PeterMcSporran

Anyway, Cockington was my in-law's property, the Cary family, until the Fast Track Land Reform Program (FTLRP) took place when they were forcibly ejected with Robert Zhauo, brother of Patrick Zhauo, who took over our farm, taking illegal ownership with neither consent nor compensation given. Like all things political, alliances are critical, so when the brothers offered their support to Grace Mugabe’s faction on the death of her husband in opposition to Munanwagwa, the writing was on the wall regarding their continued tenure on the properties. Funnily enough, before I chatted with Rob last Friday morning following the announcement, I had just read an article criticising her election in Spectator, a magazine I am increasingly enjoying. The basis of the criticism by the author of the article, Jawad Iqbal, was that Sebastion Coe was seen as someone capable of enacting the decisions needed to be made to ensure the future of the Olympics, having already done an excellent job as the head of World Athletics, especially concerning drugs and gender issues along with corruption. Jawad claims that Kirsty was put in by those languishing in their positions on the board of the electoral committee to ensure the continuity of their lucrative roles rather than for the good of the games. I cannot say if this is true, having had no interest in the Olympics other than watching them. Needless to say, at the last one in Paris, I was disgusted recently with male boxers being in the same ring as women. However, as an outsider, seeing such talent as Coe's being ignored in favour of what I would call a naive, inexperienced person feels like a hidden agenda. I say naive, giving her the benefit of the doubt, having taken up a ministerial post in the ZANU(PF) government. Of interest, it seems she was supported by the outgoing President of the IOC, Bach, who had, over the years, personally appointed two-thirds of the electoral committee, ensuring his own election on the same day as Kirsty’s election as the Honorary President. 

“Once you realise that the one thing sport’s biggest wigs really hate is a sporting chance, it all becomes so much easier to understand.” - Marina Hyde in the Guardian

Getting back to why I say she is naive, Kirsty said she could make a change inside ZANU(PF). For an outsider and a white one at that, this statement is definitely naive or perhaps stupid. At worst, for self-gain. The only white Minister who made a difference was Dennis Norman, highly experienced and popular, who, despite this in the end, was dumped. Others that come to mind were Jock Kay, who also thought he could work for farmers as the Deputy Minister of Agriculture, his son in later years being an active opponent of the same said Government. Even Stamps was naive, perhaps in his case it was vanity, who, by the end of his tenure as Minister of Health, was a shell of the man who I knew previously as my doctor.

So, at best, Kirsty was naive in accepting the farm stolen from the Carys, I would go further to say stupid in light of her wanting to head up the IOC, as it was bound to be brought to the world’s attention. Rozanne and I met with her and her husband about her receiving an offer from the government for the property. They wanted support in saying she would look after the property. It was not for us to say, as it was not our property, but like many, I have little time for people farming our land without permission, coupled with some agreed reward to the legal owner. I have no idea what they promised to my mother-in-law and my father-in-law, having passed before the event. Strangely, it was not long after Rob was quoted in the Telegraph that I started getting some requests to ask Rob to wind his neck in and let Kirsty be. Of course, I did not. When anybody has their property stolen, it would be immoral to support those that benefit. I thought Rob’s comments and the content of the article in the Telegraph were fair, and I subsequently told him that. Many people like Rob are inconsolable about these events at the turn of the millennium. We all have our ways to deal with it. Even though Rob told the reporter he was lost for words when questioned, the one positive thing that has come out of this is it has brought to the attention of the world how the Zimbabwean government has malevolently treated its white farmers.

“One of the things Kirsty wants to tackle in her new role at the IOC is corruption, it is hard to reconcile this with her having been a Minister in the ZANU(PF) government. Or is that just me?” - Peter McSporran

Disclaimer: Copyright Peter McSporran. The content in this blog represents my personal views and does not reflect corporate entities.