US declares condom war on Mugabe, officials

US declares condom war on Mugabe, officials

Zimbabwe's most famous condom - Protector Plus - has been rebranded with what Zimbabwean government officials say is a political message

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By Agencies
03/03/04
THE United States was trying to remove Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe from power with millions of condoms as weapons, state radio in that country claimed on Wednesday.

It said American President George Bush's regime was behind the "rebranding" of prophylactics that carry a bright red and yellow sticker advertising "revolutionary condoms". The condoms are also said to carry a message urging Zimbabweans to "get up, stand up!" - lyrics from a Bob Marley song.

A bulletin said condoms carrying a sticker with "an oppositional political message" were being distributed throughout Zimbabwe "in what appears to be collusion between opposition groups and a US-based condom manufacturer."

The radio said the appearance of the redecorated condom packets was "not surprising, since the United States government has made it clear it is working toward changing of the regime in Zimbabwe, using, among other things, the media."

'Get up, stand up, stand up for your rights'

The sticker also bears the name of a non-violent underground group of activists with the name and motto, "Enough!", an appeal to Zimbabweans to stop tolerating abuse by Mugabe's government. The motto appears in graffiti, and is also the name of a news sheet secretly distributed.

The words on the condom are from a composition by reggae legend Bob Marley who sang, "Get up, stand up, stand up for your rights, get up, stand up, don't give up the fight." He performed the song in front of Mugabe and thousands of ecstatic Zimbabweans at the country's independence celebrations in 1980.

Recipients of the news sheet two weeks ago found the "revolutionary condom" inside.

No comment could be obtained from the United States embassy, but an activist who asked not to be named said: "the Americans had nothing to do with it." He said "a few hundred" condoms had been bought, and locally printed stickers had been glued on before handing them out.

The bulletin linked the "revolutionary" condoms to Population Services International, a Washington-based non-profit organisation working for child and maternal health HIV prevention.

PSI provides condoms for aid programmes in Zimbabwe, but by far the biggest provider is the United States Agency for International Development with a budget this year of $8,5-million (about R60-million) that will provide 89 million American-manufactured condoms to Zimbabweans.

Condoms are estimated to be the cheapest commodity in Zimbabwe, selling for about Z$2 each, or a twentieth of a US cent. About 49 million of the USAid condoms are issued to the private sector for sale, and the rest go to health institutions for free distribution.

Health officials say as a result of the USAid programme, condom use in Zimbabwe has risen to about 100 million a year, and proved to be a major factor in restricting the spread of HIV.

"If the Americans had wanted to achieve regime change in Zimbabwe, they could have used something more forceful than condoms," said a Western diplomat. "They must have saved the lives of thousands of Zimbabweans. It's a weird mind that sees the condom programme as a way of overthrowing Mugabe."

Enough!, known in Shona as Zvakwana! and Sokwanele! in Ndebele, was formed around 2002, to galvanise opposition against Mugabe around the time he won presidential elections that were dismissed by independent international groups as the result of fraud and violent intimidation.

When Mugabe celebrated his 80th birthday last month, Enough! circulated stamped postcards, with Mugabe's address and carrying a photograph of two frightened, sickly children.

"There is no reason to celebrate your 80th birthday," it said on the back of the card. "HIV and Aids, poverty and hunger are robbing our children and our country of a future. Why don't you care?" - Sapa
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