Of Coffee Roadtrips and Flags 

If you were having coffee with me, we would be having a road trip, by bus, it’s a long trip  I hope you brought a book 📖
After a bit of (miss)adventure at the bus terminus, when the touts manhandled our luggage trying to get us into particular buses, we finally got bundled into a bus more to our liking and it was just about to drive off, so we had to do a little run, to catch up….

If you were having coffee with me I would ask you if you want the window seat or aisle seat?  Well I prefer the window seat,  so I can look out the window to wile away time,  it’s a four hour journey hope you brought a book…..📖

An hour later and we are still in the same  spot…. The driver has been doing this crazy routine; he starts the bus, revs up the engine as if about to leave, goes forward a bit, then reverses again and stops. A new passenger or two rush in thinking its now about to go. The conductor keeps saying “We will leave when we get… just one more passenger....” We have already paid for our tickets and he won’t give us a refund, so we cant get into another bus, unless you want to pay double, we been hustled.
Finally we are off now, oh no, we stopped again. I hope it’s not a fault because the driver said this was an express bus it won’t stop along the way, we are just about to complain loudly when the driver announces over the bus PA system that we should do a quick prayer for safety before we travel, well that’s an unexpected touch, I feel safer already.

If you were having coffee with me I would tell you that the universal symbol for someone who does not want to engage in small talk should be an icon of a passenger with earphones plugged in and a book in hand…….

Unfortunately I can’t read my book, the ride is very bumpy, the road is riddled with badly patched potholes, that you want to ask, what exactly do they do with all they money they collect from tollgates I mean we have just passed through two so far, and have been stopped by the police only once I think there is definitely far less road blocks today, that’s one of the reasons people protested about the past week.

Speaking of protest if you were having coffee with me I would tell you that the man who started the #ThisFlag movement, Pastor Evan Mawarire, handed himself in to the police on Wednesday for questioning, carrying nothing but his bible and a flag draped round his neck (and a lawyer…) He got arrested and charged with “… Incitement to public violence...” A court date scheduled for the next day

Social media was abuzz with images of the investigators searching through the pastor’s house for “… a stolen police helmet, a “button stick ” and other subversive materials… ” with a government document that could have such errors even the spelling of government at the top of the warrant is wrong…..

If you are wandering what a button stick is…if not a typo: a helpful but funny internet user posted the following picture as a suggestion:

If you are having coffee with me, I would tell you that a record breaking crowd of flag carrying citizens gathered outside the courthouse during the court session.

Over a hundred lawyers volunteered to represent pastor Evan, and when the magistrate asked who was representing this man fifty hands shot up to present their credentials.

After delaying the case for hours, the Prosecution changed charge to… “subverting a constitutionally elected government”

Meanwhile outside, people waited for the verdict; knelt in prayer……

The magistrate eventually dismissed the case on procedural grounds because The State was in violation of the constitution since they had not briefed the defendant  on the new charges prior to court…
Pastor Evan walked free…. 

The people who were present have no words for the emotion they had throughout this long day and it’s final conclusion, it’s a day that will not be easily forgotten. For some it was a massive demonstration of solidarity for others a reaffirmation of their faith in the justice system and for some faith of a different kind Someone tweeted that:

The Third Force is the hand of God 

If you were having coffee with me we would not be having coffee because this bus ain’t stopping for bathroom breaks for a long distance to come,  so no liquids, have a sandwich
Cheers

~B

PS the road least travelled has no Wi-Fi do tell me what’s been happening in your neck of the woods.

Just been catching up on the news and all I can say is:

How much blood,

How much blood,

Can one world shed,

Have you ever wandered?  

Photo credit Simon Allison