Two years ago today, Valentine’s Day I found myself in the custody of an activist style police force detained for many hours. Up to today I do not understand why a man sitting in his car watching street activities can be a threat to a nation or its people. I am someone with loads of political opinion most of which I keep to myself. However, I have never been a political activist. I belong to no political party though I have some sympathy for some, while absolutely loathing some. So here I was arrested on Valentine’s Day afternoon on my way to meet a friend.
That is certainly not tragic. Not when you actually remember that two years ago’ Valentine is when the South African legless runner killed his girl friend in cold blood. The case then drew out long and high ending with Oscar Pistorius getting jailed for what others think is a very unfair sentence either way.
Valentine’s Day is a day that seems set aside for celebrating romantic love. It is a day those fortunate enough to be in love do all sorts of stuff in celebration of their good times. Out to a movie. Out for dinner. Prepare a candle light supper. Go to Valentine night boat parties. The list is endless.
It is a pity I have non of the sort. For the first time this year is when I feel so left out. No one to Valentine with, and actually feeling bad about it. I normally would care less but well I suppose it is that sense when one realises I can’t rather than I won’t. I hope one day there shall be that special one to take to that special Valentine dance, find a place that plays songs like venenzia or chitekete and dance the love away looking at beauty personified………(dream on James)
Anywhere, blissful as the intention is, Valentine’s Day is not a special day in the sense that anything else comes to a stand still. All the other events that shape and order the world still go on. In history there is an American president who suffered double tragedy on Valentine’s Day. He lost both his mum and his wife within hours of one another.
As I sit typing away, there are people mourning because someone they last visited at the avenues clinic, harare Central mpilo or St Luke’s just yesterday, died overnight. There is a harare family that is in mourning right now for its two daughters gunned down in the name of love. They can’t be the only ones, but thank God for valentine because at least out of the billions of people out there, there is at least one who has found joy today, bless them for there are too many tears already. So those who can, go on go dance to that ndinonyara….yes yes…ngoma ngoma, ini ndinonzi nox, ndinobva kuzaka rinopisa dhe dhe dhe…………
Happy Valentine folks
The other view..... 
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