Mugabe confirms support for farm invasions

http://www.swradioafrica.com

By Alex Bell
09 April 2009

Robert Mugabe on Wednesday once again moved to condone the fresh wave of
farm attacks across the country, saying the land reform will continue.

The ageing dictator was addressing the ZANU PF central committee, where he
also stated his demand for the immediate and unconditional removal of the
targeted sanctions imposed on his regime by the US, the European Union,
Australia and others. But the International Monetary Fund and Western
countries have made it clear that they will not consider giving aid to the
government while the farm invasions continue.

The irony in Mugabe's comments would be laughable, if not for the fact that
farm attacks have violently intensified in recent weeks, forcing many
farmers into hiding. At least 100 farms have been targeted for seizure since
the renewed campaign against the commercial farming community started in
February, and more than 100 farmers are facing prosecution on various
trumped up charges.

The list of farmers who will likely have their cases fast tracked through
the courts includes Chegutu farmer Martin Joubert who, along with seven
workers from the Mount Carmel farm, has been remanded in custody. Joubert
and the workers are facing ludicrous charges of kidnapping, after land
invaders at Mount Carmel were forcibly removed from the land over the
weekend. The farm workers, very concerned with keeping their jobs and
income, united to defend the land from being taken over on Saturday. But the
staff was violently assaulted by both police and the invaders, and those who
avoided arrest have been forced into hiding.

Joubert, who has been acting as farm manager on Mount Carmel, was later put
behind bars on Tuesday after being told to make a statement to Chegutu
police. He is set to remain behind bars with his co-accused until April
22nd.

The attack on Mount Carmel meanwhile has not relented, with invaders taking
over most of the property. Farm owner Ben Freeth has explained that he
cannot move freely around the property for fear of attack, and the stress
has seen his parents-in-law, Mike and Angela Campbell, leave the farm.
Meanwhile, similar threats against other farmers have also continued with
violent consequences. In Rusape, farmer Charles Lock has been forced into
hiding because of violent threats against him by Army Brigadier Justin
Mujaji and his soldiers. Lock has been hounded by both the soldiers and
police, who have been trying to drag him to court. Last week, in an effort
to track Lock down, the soldiers and police members accosted Lock's gardener
and viciously beat him. The farm meanwhile has been completely shut down by
Brigadier Mujaji, who has tasked his soldiers to patrol the farm in case
Lock returns.

Mugabe's comments meanwhile have once again shown a clear divide in the
so-called 'unity' government, with the MDC on Thursday calling for an end to
the attacks. Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai has previously condemned the
land invasions and warned that the perpetrators of the attacks would be
arrested. But there has been no further action, mostly due to the fact that
police officials and magistrates have been instructed by the Attorney
General to support the land offensive. The MDC on Thursday said the
invasions "are a threat to the rule of law, to decency, to hope and to
economic recovery."

"All parties must respect the Global Political Agreement and the MDC urges
the inclusive government to immediately halt the senseless disturbances on
the farms," the statement reads.

MDC protests latest farm invasions

http://www.thezimbabwetimes.com/?p=14922

April 9, 2009

By Our Correspondent

THE mainstream Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party has reiterated its
calls for an end to the new wave of farm invasions that have been visited on
many farming communities throughout the country.

The MDC says these invasions have a potential to rock the boat of the
inclusive government and block the desperately needed financial assistance
that many international donors have promised.

"The MDC believes that the occupations are a threat to the rule of law, to
decency, to hope and to economic recovery," the MDC says in a media
statement released yesterday afternoon.

"The farm disturbances and the wanton arrests of farmers are not only a
threat to food security, but to the goodwill that the international
community had started to extend to the inclusive government."

The MDC statement comes just days after its Secretary General and Finance
Minister Tendai Biti told the media that there has been positive response to
the country's pleas for financial assistance.

Several white commercial farmers including those that won a reprieve last
year following a Southern African Development Community (SADC) Tribunal
determination which ruled in their favour. The ruling found the Zimbabwean
government in breach of SADC protocols saying the country's land reform
programme started in 2000 was racist in nature.

But at the time of the delivery of the judgement the then Minister of lands
and land Reform Didymus Mutasa said the SADC Tribunal ruling was nothing but
a day dream.

The Attorney General Johannes Tomana also told the media that Zimbabwe was
not obliged to abide by the ruling since it did not ratify the SADC protocol
establishing the tribunal.

President Robert Mugabe went further to reinforce this assertion when he
said during his 85th birthday celebrations in Chinhoyi in February that the
SADC ruling was "nonsensical".

Mugabe said at the time that the land reform was irreversible and accused
white farmers of refusing to vacate designated land. He said his government
does not abide by the SADC Tribunal rulings because Zimbabwe land disputes
are best dealt with by the local courts.

As this was not enough, President Mugabe told a meeting of his Zanu-PF party
central committee Wednesday that land reform will continue despite
objections from his partners in the unity government to seizures of
commercial farms which they say are hurting the country's prospects for
securing reconstruction funding.

The MDC however added in the statement that if the farm invasions continue
then doors to international assistance is likely to be shut.

"Every farm that is invaded shuts a door of international goodwill and
vindicates assertions by financiers and the broader global community that
Zimbabwe is far from respecting basic things like property rights," said the
MDC.

"Every case of disturbances shatters the hopes of domestic, regional and
international actors who are key catalysts to Zimbabwe 's economic revival.

The new government last week went on a three day bonding retreat in Victoria
Falls where Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai spoke strongly against the
continuing farm invasions and promised to deal with the issue this week.

He has already tasked the co-ministers of Home Affairs to look into the
issue urgently.

Several analysts blame the hidden hand of Zanu-PF hardliners who are against
the inclusive government. Among some of them are security chiefs who in the
past have vowed never to salute Tsvangirai even if he was to become
President of the country and Commander in Chief of the Zimbabwe Defence
Forces (ZDF).

"We remain deeply worried by the conduct of some in key institutions who are
still steeped in partisan politics and the past politics of hatred, sabotage
and vilification," said the MDC.

The MDC also called the inclusive government to address all the outstanding
issues as agreed under the Global Political Agreement (GPA).

Among some of the outstanding issues are the irregular appointment of
central bank governor Gideon Gono and Attorney-General Johannes Tomana,
provincial governors, permanent secretaries, ambassadors and the swearing-in
of Roy Bennett as deputy Minister of Agriculture.

Meanwhile several white commercial farmers continue to be arraigned before
the court for refusing to vacate their farms to make way for black
benefactors of land reform.

Violent clashes break up government youth summit

http://www.swradioafrica.com

By Violet Gonda
9 April 2009

Violent clashes broke out between ZANU PF and MDC supporters at a youth
summit, organised by the Ministry of Youth Development , Indigenisation and
Empowerment -  in the presence of the ZANU PF Minister Saviour Kasukuwere
and his MDC Deputy Tamsanqa Mahlangu.

Kasukuwere had convened the conference on Wednesday at the Rainbow Towers
that drew around 100 youths from ZANU PF and the MDC, as well as members of
the National Youth Council and civil society youth organisations.

Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara and Information Communication
Technology Minister Nelson Chamisa attended the opening stages of the
meeting. The discussion had been organised to begin a debate over a number
of issues, such as youth empowerment, the national healing and
reconciliation process, the national youth programme (Border Gezi training
centres), youth with disabilities, plus education and employment
opportunities.

But according to delegates problems erupted during the feedback stage of the
conference, over the sensitive issue of national healing and reconciliation.

MDC activists and youths from civil society had very different ideas from
their ZANU PF counterparts on what should happen to the perpetrators of
human rights abuses.

Courage Ngwarai, the Zimbabwe National Students' Union legal affairs
secretary said while youths from the MDC and civil society said it was not
possible for people to just forgive without truth telling and justice, those
from ZANU PF wanted a blanket amnesty for those who committed crimes dating
from 1980.

The youths named service chiefs such as Air Marshall Perence Shiri, Defence
Forces Commander Constantine Chiwenga and Police Commissioner Augustine
Chihuri, among the people who should resign from their posts. They also said
that an independent body should look into the issue of reconciliation and
national healing, to avoid political interference.  But the ZANU PF youth,
guilty of most of the violence, not surprisingly think people should just
move on and forgive each other.

The debate became violent, leading to clashes and the destruction of hotel
property in the presence of Minister Kasukuwere, his Deputy and Patrick
Zhuwawo, the ZANU PF National Director of Youth.

The ZINASU legal affairs secretary alleges the clashes were started by the
ZANU PF youths who started throwing water glasses at their President Clever
Bere. This angered his colleagues and fists fights began.  Ngwarai said a
sizeable amount of hotel property was damaged during the fracas. Ngwarai
alleges that Minister Kasukuwere never left his seat and just watched during
the time the youths were exchanging blows.

Another delegate said the primary objective was to have youths from
different political and ideological affiliations discuss and deliberate on
issues affecting them and to come up with a paper to inform the national
youth policy framework of the transitional government. But as a result of
the violence most youth groups representing the more progressive forces
pulled out of the summit and were not present on the second day on Thursday.

ZINASU said: "We see it as a ploy by ZANU PF to rubber stamp a process which
is not morally upright. As of now we did not reach any agreement with the
ZANU PF National Youth Council and the government and this is a major blow
for the transitional authority, because it seems as if the people from ZANU
PF are not in the spirit of making this GNU work."

Rumours that this will be a jambanja weekend

NCA to confront MPs over constitution

http://www.thezimbabwetimes.com/?p=14908

April 9, 2009

By Our Correspondent

HARARE - The National Constitutional Assembly (NCA) on Thursday meets
parliamentarians to iron out differences over the process of making a new
constitution for Zimbabwe.The NCA says the manner in which the
parliamentarians want to draft the new constitution is deeply flawed.

A power-sharing agreement reached between Zanu-PF and the two MDC parties
last September binds the new government to come up with a new constitution
in 18 months.

The parties also pledged to commence the constitution-making process within
two months of the new government's inception.

On April 13, Parliament is expected to handpick a committee to steer the
process.

According to Article 6 of the Global Political Agreement (GPA), Parliament
shall coordinate all stages of the constitution-making process, a feature
vehemently opposed by the NCA.

The parliamentary select committee is expected to spearhead the exercise,
expected to lead to fresh elections after 24 months.

Unofficial reports say the three political parties have agreed that the
select committee should consist of 25 members of Parliament co-chaired by a
member from each of the parties.

Article 6.1 of the GPA states that the committee may set up sub-committees
which will include representatives of civil society as well as members of
Parliament.

Each sub-committee will be chaired by a Member of Parliament, something
which has also created friction with the NCA.

The select committee is mandated to hold public hearings and engage in
consultations it considers necessary for the constitution-making process.

But the NCA, which has been campaigning for a complete overhaul of the
Lancaster House constitution, says it is opposed to the dominance of
politicians in the process. It argues that the process should be driven by
ordinary Zimbabweans led by civic society organisations.

NCA chairman Lovemore Madhuku has attacked the inclusive government for what
he says is an attempt to force Zimbabweans to accept the so-called draft
Kariba draft constitution.

Madhuku says Zimbabweans should be given the chance to make their own
constitution instead of being forced to accept the Kariba draft cobbled
together by six politicians from the three main parties.

The draft constitution, which Parliament wants to use as a working draft,
was put together on a houseboat on Lake Kariba by Zanu-PF and the two MDC
parties' representative delegations to the inter-party talks during
protracted negotiations which led to the establishment of an all-inclusive
government.

Madhuku has castigated the process that the coalition government sought to
follow to produce the constitution, warning that if the Kariba draft was
adopted, the people would effectively have been excluded.

He has warned of rolling out street protests against the inclusive
government if it seeks to foster the draft on the people or spearhead the
process.

Madhuku said: "Tomorrow, April 9, 2009, the National Constitutional Assembly
will host a briefing on the constitution-making process for Members of
Parliament. The event will be held from 12:30 to 2:00pm at the Holiday Inn
Hotel in Harare."

According to the GPA, the inclusive government is given a maximum of 20
months in which to complete the various stages of the constitution making
process. The agreement specifies time-limits for each stage, starting from
the date of inception of the inclusive government.

Legal expert Val Ingham-Thorpe of the legal service Veritas said: "Article 6
of the GPA was not incorporated into the constitution by Constitution
Amendment No 19.

"It is just an agreement between the parties, and they could renegotiate the
timetable, but the present indications are that the inclusive government
will try to abide by the agreed timetable."

President Robert Mugabe has said Zimbabwe will hold fresh elections in two
years after a new constitution has been drafted.

Mugabe, 85, said in his belated birthday interview on February 28 that the
new unity government with Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, 57, was a
temporary solution until the parties could agree on a new constitution and
fresh polls.

"We are an interim arrangement," Mugabe said then. "We are not a permanent
inclusive government."

He said the parties in the unity government had agreed to draft a new
constitution that would be brought to a referendum within two years.

"We will then have an election thereafter, perhaps in about two years'
 time," Mugabe said.

Zimbabwe's crisis deepened after disputed elections last year, sending the
country into a tailspin while a humanitarian crisis spiralled out of the
control.

Tsvangirai, a long-time rival of Mugabe, agreed to form a unity government
under intense regional pressure to end the crisis, which has left most of
the population without food while a cholera epidemic has killed thousands.

The new government is faced with the task of reviving an economy with 94
percent unemployment.

The GPA outlines a timeline for the constitution-making process and starts
with February 13, 2009, the inception of the new government, which is the
date most of the Ministers were sworn in.

The agreement says in two months from the establishment of the inclusive
government, or on April 13, a select committee must be set up. On July 13,
the first All Stakeholders Conference must be convened.

The agreement says the conference must be convened within three months of
the date of the appointment of the select committee.

On November 13 the public consultation process must completed, which should
be no later than four months after the date of the first All Stakeholders
Conference.

On February 13, 2010, the draft of the constitution must be prepared and
tabled before a second All Stakeholders Conference, which must be done
within three months after the public consultation process is completed.

On March 13, the committee's draft constitution and its accompanying report
must be tabled before Parliament. The GPA says the draft and report must be
tabled within one month of the second All-Stakeholders Conference.

Both houses of Parliament will have a month to debate the draft. Then on
April 13 next year, both houses of Parliament must conclude debate on the
committee's draft constitution.

The draft constitution emerging from Parliament, with whatever changes
Parliament would have made to it, must be gazetted before the holding of a
referendum.

Political detainees granted bail, but remain in custody

http://www.swradioafrica.com

By Violet Gonda
9 April 2009

After having dismissed their original bail application in February, the High
Court finally granted bail to MDC officials Chris Dhlamini and Gandhi
Mudzingwa, plus journalist Shadreck Manyere on Thursday. But they will
remain in police custody as the State immediately opposed the judge's
ruling.

Justice Charles Hungwe had granted bail to the three political detainees and
asked them to deposit the sum of  US$1,000 each, reside at their given
addresses, not to interfere with witnesses and report once every Friday at
their nearest police station.

But lawyer Andrew Makoni said: "As soon as the judgement was delivered Mr
Mutangadura, who was representing the State, immediately advised the court
of the provisions of Section 121 of the Criminal Procedures and Evidence Act
and informed Justice Hungwe that the State intends to seek to apply for
leave to appeal in the Supreme Court."

This means the three will remain in custody until such time as the State has
appealed in the Supreme Court. The State has seven days to first of all
apply for leave to appeal, in the High Court and then they file the appeal
in the Supreme Court. This is the game that the government has played with
all political detainees in the past.

The opposing of bail by the State comes just days after JOMIC's
co-chairperson, Welshman Ncube, had indicated that they were trying to
persuade the authorities not to oppose bail for the three accused persons.
Speaking on the Hot Seat programme last Friday Professor Ncube said: "So our
job has been to try and secure the release on bail of these persons and this
is why we have tried within the limits of the constitution to get the
principals, the President, the Prime Minister, the Deputy Prime Minister,
the Minister of Justice, the Attorney General to come to a conclusion
whereby the State does not oppose the granting of bail to these people."

The three who were abducted in December are being accused of bombing police
stations and railway lines. Four of their co-accused were released on bail
in February but they remain in custody because the State claims they were
found with explosive weapons. They deny these charges. Mudzingwa and
Dhlamini are being held at the Avenues Clinic while Manyere is locked up at
the notorious Chikurubi Maximum Security prison. They are among a group of
civic and political activists kidnapped from their homes and workplaces
between the months of October and December last year.

Mukoko's further remand application for refusal dismissed

http://www.zimbabwejournalists.com

9th Apr 2009 20:28 GMT

By a Correspondent

HARARE Magistrate Archie Wochiunga on 9 April dismissed the application by
Jestina Mukoko for refusal of further remand.

The Magistrate gave the prosecution up to 30 April to serve the accused with
indictment papers.

He, however he agreed with defence counsel's argument that the reporting
conditions were too harsh and needed to be relaxed.

In his ruling he altered the reporting conditions from twice to once a week
and removed the restriction that the applicants ought to stay within a
radius of 40 km from their places of residence which he argued impeded on
the applicant's right to freedom of movement.

Mukoko was released on bail on 2 March 2009.

The release brought an end to her 92 days of detention following her alleged
abduction from her home in Norton, a town on the outskirts of Harare on 3
December 2008.

Mukoko's whereabouts were unknown until her subsequent appearance in court
on 24 December 2008. Until her release on bail, Mukoko who is also a former
television news anchor with the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation had
mounted several court applications with the Magistrates, High and Supreme
Courts in a bid to secure her freedom but to no avail.

Zimbabwe inflation falls to 231M per cent

http://money.canoe.ca/



By ANGUS SHAW, Associated Press Writer

2009-04-09 11:05:46

HARARE, Zimbabwe (AP) - Official inflation calculated in U.S. dollars,
the nation's adopted currency, dipped slightly in March but an independent
consumer group said Thursday overall living costs for an average family
rose.

The Consumer Council said while food prices dropped there were
increases in accommodation rentals, transportation as well as charges for
water, power and fees for education and medical services that pushed up the
cost of living for an average family by 5 percent.

The state Central Statistical Office, in its month-on-month official
inflation report released Thursday, said prices lost a fraction of a
percentage point in March, effectively reflecting no inflation and showing a
3 percent drop in consumer prices compared with a fall of 3.1 percent in
February.

This means that an item that cost $100 in December, cost $97 in March.

The statistical office said the cost of housing, water and power
charges remained constant in March, but the Consumer Council reported
erratic increases in those charges.

"Major concern is the element of rentals as there appears to be no
agreed standard on how rental space is charged. Landlords seem to be setting
fees willy-nilly," the council said in a statement.

Inflation in Zimbabwe was about 231 million percent - the world's
highest - before the local currency was scrapped.

The coalition government formed in February between President Robert
Mugabe and longtime opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai is faced with trying
to revive the country's collapsed economy.

One of the new government's first moves was to make the U.S. currency
the main legal tender, and it ended state-imposed price fixing that led to
chronic shortages of goods. Duties on imported essential foodstuffs were
also dropped.

The consumer council said food prices declined because of increased
competition between importers and retail stores.

It said an average family of six needed $386 a month for a basic
"basket" of goods that included food as well as rent and utilities. This
figure is up 5 percent from $374 in February,

The council noted that though food prices in U.S. dollars fell, many
basic goods were still far out of the reach of impoverished Zimbabweans.

Finance Minister Tendai Biti, a top Tsvangirai ally, acknowledged
Wednesday that years of political and economic turmoil disrupted farming and
industrial production and left just 5 percent of the population in formal
jobs.

Others engage in informal trading and up to 7 million people, more
than half the population, currently receive food aid.

Financial institutions, investors and foreign donors have demanded
democratic reforms and the restoration of law and order as conditions for
resuming funding and balance-of-payments support.

Biti told reporters Wednesday the new government receives revenues of
about $20 million a month when it needs $100 million.

Zimbabwe has asked its neighbors for $2 billion - half to support
retail and other sectors, and the rest to help schools and restore health
and municipal services. It has said it needs billions more from other
donors.

But regional leaders have made it clear that they have limited
resources and have not made any specific financial pledges to Zimbabwe.

Zim: Central Bank raids foreign accounts

http://www.africanews.com

 Thursday 9 April 2009

Bruce Sibanda, AfricaNews reporter in Harare
The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe has openly admitted that it raided Foreign
Currency accounts for companies and individuals. It said it will repay some
of the funds that it took from Foreign Currency Accounts belonging to some
exporters about two years ago.

RBZ deputy governor, Mashiringwani is quoted by the sate controlled Herald
that the money that was taken from the FCAs was accruing interest. "We urge
those that were affected to approach their respective banks because they
have received communication from us," he said.

He was responding to questions raised by some operators in the tourism
sector who were affected when the RBZ took money from their accounts. The
issue has been a contentious one especially for most exporters, who felt
that they were not consulted when the money was taken.

A huge chuck of the money was allegedly used to fund ZANU PF violent
campaigns during last years internationally discredited elections. But RBZ
boss Dr Gono said that some of their funds had been used to procure
agricultural machinery.

On Wednesday, Parliament debated the alleged unauthorized use of Africa
University foreign currency by the Reserve Bank resulting in the stalling of
projects at the campus.
Informational at hand indicate that RBZ abused the funds that were deposited
in the Mutare-based university's foreign currency account (FCA).

Finance Minister Tendai Biti, a critic of the central bank governor, is
expected to give an explanation of what happened to the AU funds. The
alleged raiding of FCAs by the central bank is nothing new. The Global Fund
for the Fight against HIV and Aids, Tuberculosis and Malaria last year
initially declined to allocate further funds to Zimbabwe after the central
bank allegedly misappropriated money the World Health Organization had
deposited with it.

The Global Fund demanded that Zimbabwe return US$7,3 million it had misused.

The missing US$7,3 million was part of the US$12,3 million that was
allocated to Zimbabwe last year for distribution of drugs. The debate in
parliament on the missing AU foreign currency came at a time when there are
growing concerns about alleged abuse of state funds by the central bank.

Former prison guard describes Chinamasa as a 'lunatic'

http://www.swradioafrica.com

By Tichaona Sibanda
9 April 2009

A former Zimbabwe Prison Service guard, Shepherd Yuda, on Thursday described
as 'lunatic' the denials by the Justice Minister that recent video footage
of shocking prison conditions was filmed inside Zimbabwe.
The footage shown in a South African Broadcasting TV documentary, Hell Hole,
caused outrage throughout the world. Three prisons officers have now been
arrested on allegations that they helped film the shocking conditions in two
of the country's prisons.
The SABC team said sympathetic warders had been supplied with 'spy' cameras
to film conditions in the two institutions, Khami prison in the western city
of Bulawayo, and one in the southern border town of Beitbridge. The
documentary took three months to produce. But warders Thabiso Nyathi, Siyai
Muchechedzi and Thembinkosi Nkomo were arrested last week Friday on charges
under the Official Secrets Act, which prescribes lengthy jail terms for
civil servants who leak 'state secrets.'

The shocking footage showed scores of skeletal prisoners dressed in rags and
dying of malnutrition and HIV-AIDS in filthy cells, without any medication
or basic cleaning materials. It also showed bodies piling up in makeshift
mortuaries. But Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa, who is in charge of
prisons, last week denied the documentary had anything to do with
Zimbabwean.

''The SABC is lying,' he said. 'We don't allow cameras in our prisons. We
have made our investigations and found that the footage is not of Zimbabwe
but other countries.'
But Yuda, who famously risked his life by secretly filming how members of
the security services were forced to vote under supervision during the 2008
sham, one-man presidential run-off, said that the documentary was definitely
filmed inside Zimbabwe's prisons.
'Where in the world apart from Zimbabwe do you see prisoners speak in Shona?
I worked in the system myself and I know the conditions; they are the worst
in the world. I worked at Chikurubi maximum prison which houses 3000
prisoners and most of the time there was no running water. Imagine the
scenes that you come across the complex when the prisoners want to relieve
themselves,' Yuda said.
Yuda added that the only correct thing that Chinamasa said about the whole
saga was that cameras are not allowed inside the country's prisons.
'That's the only truth he said, cameras and mobile phones are strictly
forbidden inside prisons. But there are concerned prison officers who are
human enough to try and let the world see the horrible conditions inside our
prisons,' Yuda said.
'They got the wrong men. Those prison officers who were arrested had nothing
to do with that clandestine operation. They will never find the culprits. I
know what is involved, the risks and the precautions so that's why I am
saying they arrested the wrong people,' Yuda said.

30 Tons Fertiliser Dumped Into Mazowe Dam

http://www.tmcnet.com/usubmit/2009/04/09/4120519.htm

[April 09, 2009]

Harare, Apr 09, 2009 (Financial Gazette/All Africa Global Media via
COMTEX) -- A TASKFORCE investigating the abuse of agricultural inputs
distributed to farmers under the National Food Security Programme has
received reports that about 30 tonnes of unpacked fertiliser were dumped
into Mazowe Dam to conceal evidence of looting the commodity by a politician
who is yet to be identified.

This comes hard on the heels of an audit by the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe
into the use of agricultural inputs and equipment distributed to farmers
under the Farm Mechanisation Programme.

On Tuesday, the chairman of the Champion Farmer Logistics sub-committee,
Brigadier-General Douglas Nyikayaramba, said he was aware of the case, but
added that investigations into the allegations were yet to start.

"I heard about the case and our director of investigations took an
interest," Brig-Gen Nyikayaramba said.

"However, the matter is still subjudice as it was raised by Honourable
Members who are appearing in court. When the court cases are finished, we
can look at it. At the moment it is still subjudice." Nyikayaramba said his
sub-committee could enlist the services of the sub-aqua unit to look for the
evidence in Mazowe Dam when investigations eventually begin.

He said his committee operates transparently and aggrieved persons could
scrutinise their records as they had nothing to hide.

Investigations into allegations of the abuse of agricultural inputs
distributed under the government's National Food Security Programme have
seen nearly 10 Members of Parliament appearing in court, with some of the
hearings being conducted in camera.

Some of the lawmakers implicated are Gladys Mabhiza (ZANU-PF, Seke), Irvine
Dzingirai (ZANU-PF, Chivi South), Hega Shoko (MDC-T, Bikita West) and Evelyn
Masaiti (MDC-T, Dzivaresekwa).

The legislators have denied the charges with most of them arguing that they
never solicited for the commodities, but were given under the guise that
they were members of the House of Assembly and Senate.

They said nothing precludes them from re-distributing the inputs to
villagers and farmers in their constituencies.

The trials of the MPs and senators come at a time when Parliament is
debating a motion calling for a transparent and timely distribution of
inputs for the 2009/10 agricultural season, with the active involvement of
lawmakers and councillors.

Financial Gazette to launch daily newspaper next week

MISA-Zimbabwe Communiqué
9 April 2009

The Financial Gazette to launch a daily publication

Modus publications publishers of the weekly, The Financial Gazette, have
announced the launch of a daily evening paper, The Daily Evening Gazette
beginning next week.

The company becomes the second since the beginning of the year to announce
its intention to launch a new daily after the ZimInd Publishers, publishers
of the Zimbabwe Independent and The Standard weeklies announced plans to
launch the daily paper, NewsDay.

Chief Executive Officer of The Financial Gazette, Jacob Chisese, said that
the paper applied for a license to operate daily from the Media and
Information commission in 2007 but abandoned plans when the newspaper
industry became less viable, owing to the country's harsh economic
environment.
Zimbabwe's newspaper industry was affected particularly by the price and
availability of news print and other raw materials as well as price
controls.

Chisese said that the company felt that now was an opportune time to launch
as a lot of ground has been covered in capitalizing the project such as
putting the equipment together and ensuring that the expertise are in place
and that the new publication would continue to uphold the companies values
of fearless, balanced, fair and authoritative reporting.

Since the closure of the Associated Newspaper groups, The Daily News in
2003, the only daily newspapers in circulation are provincial
state-controlled dailies, The Herald and The Chronicle.

Ends

'Hitmen' held after bizarre Verryn threat

http://www.capeargus.co.za

April 09, 2009 Edition 1

Two men were arrested last night for threatening the life of Methodist
bishop Paul Verryn, who has used his Johannesburg church to provide
accommodation to thousands of Zimbabwean migrants.

Verryn has been accused of creating a service crisis in downtown
Johannesburg, while local businesses have complained and even filed lawsuits
against him.

Police said "two suspects were arrested for intimidation and blackmailing at
the Central Methodist Church".

Verryn received the first death threat from the men, both South Africans
aged 26 and 31, on Monday. He then filed a complaint with police, saying the
men claimed to have been hired by the business owners around the church.

The men called again last night, indicating they would not carry out the
"contract killing" if they were paid.

Verryn then told them to come to his office in the church, where they were
arrested by police posing as church security guards. - Sapa

MISA condemns defamation charges levelled against reporters

http://www.zimbabwejournalists.com

9th Apr 2009 20:30 GMT

By MISA

MISA-Zimbabwe condemns the defamation charges levelled against provincial
state- controlled daily The Chronicle editor, Brezhnev Malaba and reporter,
Nduduzo Tshuma over an article exposing a maize scandal at the Grain
Marketing Board (GMB), published in the paper in February.

The article titled, 'Millers call on Government to overhaul GMB' alleged
that police were involved in the scandal in which tonnes of maize was sold
on the black market and in neighbouring Zambia.

The reporters were initially arrested and made to sign a warned and
cautioned statement by police in Bulawayo on 17 March 2009; and then
appeared in court, on 7 April 2009.

MISA-Zimbabwe notes that charges of criminal defamation against journalists
remain undemocratic and inimical to freedom of expression. It is our
considered view that where there are allegations of the publication of
falsehoods against a journalist or media house, recourse should be sought
through civil law.

MISA-Zimbabwe therefore urges those that allege they were defamed in the
published article published in The Chronicle, to follow the civil route by
taking the matter up in relation to civil law procedure. MISA-Zimbabwe is
also aware that the journalists are unaware of who exactly the complainant
in the matter is, and emphasizes in this regard that if by chance it is the
police force, then there is an attempt to cause fear.

MISA-Zimbabwe also notes that the harassment, arrests and continued
incarceration of journalists in Zimbabwe has continued in spite of the
signing of the Global Political Agreement (GPA) by ZANU PF and the two
Movement for Democratic Change formations that culminated into the
transitional inclusive government.

Cases that quickly come to mind are the continuing joint case of The
Standard newspaper, its editor, Davison Maruziva and Movement for Democratic
Change faction leader, Professor Arthur Mutambara, charged with contravening
the Criminal Law (Reform and Codification) Act over an article published in
the paper in 2008, the continued incarceration of freelance photographer,
Shadreck Anderson Manyere abducted on the 13 December 2008 only to appear in
court on 24 December 2008 and, the recent abduction of freelance journalist,
Kudzanayi Musengi in Gweru on 31 March 2009.

Article 19 of the GPA recognises the importance of the right to freedom of
expression and the role played by a free media in a multi-party democracy.
It is therefore important that journalists are allowed to continue their
professional duties without hindrance.

20 Prisoners Released on Medical Grounds

http://www.radiovop.com/

HARARE, April 9 2009 - The Zimbabwe Prison Services has released 20
prisoners from Khami Prison on medical grounds, hardly a month after the
South Broadcasting Corporation Television 3 (SABC 3) beamed images of
shocking conditions in the country's prisons.

 The Provincial Magistrate responsible for Matabeleland North
province, John Masimba, said 50 inmates were paroled on medical grounds last
year.

The released prisoners were visibly ill and had sores all over their
bodies, showing severe signs of malnutrition. The release of prisoners comes
hard on the heels on horrifying footage from the country's prisons and
showed emaciated inmates succumbing to starvation and disease in the
overcrowded jails.

Human rights activists and former prisoners have spoken of horrifying
conditions in the jails but there had been little first hand evidence
available.

Producer Godknows Nare, spent four months filming the behind-the-walls
documentary. His film titled "Hell Hole" was aired on SABC, the South
African state broadcaster twice in the last two weeks.

Nare said he hoped the footage would persuade Zimbabwe's new coalition
government and the international community to step in.

"Hearsay without visual proof, is not enough to change people's
minds," he said.

In one scene from "Hell Hole," a man stands shirtless in a prison
yard, his ribs and pelvic bone shockingly prominent until he pulls on a
ragged T-shirt.

In other scenes, emaciated prisoners, wasting away because of vitamin
deficiencies, are shown lying on mats in cells furnished with just blankets
and thin mattresses.

Nare said prison menus had been reduced to daily bowls of corn
porridge, which the inmates are shown eating slowly, as if they barely have
the energy to bring the food to their mouths.

However, Zimbabwe's Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa last week
dismissed as "false" the SABC TV3 Special Assignment documentary which aired
horrifying footage.

In an interview with RadioVOP  last Wednesday, Chinamasa accused the
SABC team of fabricating the story.

"What was shown by the SABC3 is not true," said Chinamasa. "The SABC
is lying. We do not allow cameras into our prisons. We have made
investigations and found out that the footage is not from Zimbabwe but other
countries," he said.

"The pictures shown are not from Zimbabwe prisons but elsewhere in
Africa and these are being attributed to us. We know our prisons are facing
challenges but that documentary was false. Also it is unethical for the SABC
to show such pictures of foreign prisoners and attribute them to Zimbabwe. I
want to re-state that no-one is allowed inside our prisons with cameras," he
said.

The government however went on to arrest three prison officers
suspected of smuggling in investigative reporters from the South African
Broadcasting Corporation (SABC)'s special assignment programme into
Beitbridge Prison last Friday.

In October last year the Zimbabwe Association for Crime Prevention and
Rehabilitation of the Offender (ZACRO) released a report indicating that
there were 55 prisons in Zimbabwe, with ae capacity to hold 17 000 inmates.
But in October 2008 it was estimated that more than 35 000 people were in
jail.

Daily cholera update and alerts, 08 Apr 2009

 Full_Report (pdf* format - 189.1 Kbytes)

* Please note that daily information collection is a challenge due to communication and staff constraints. On-going data cleaning may result in an increase or decrease in the numbers.

Any change will then be explained.

** Daily information on new deaths should not imply that these deaths occurred in cases reported that day. Therefore daily CFRs >100% may occasionally result

A. Highlights of the day:

- 130 Cases and 3 deaths added today (in comparison with 182 cases and 13 deaths yesterday)

- 78.3 % of the districts affected have reported today 55 out of 60 affected districts)

- 91.7 % of districts reported to be affected (60 districts out of 62)

- Cumulative Institutional Case Fatality Rate = 1.7%

- Daily Institutional CFR = 2.3 %.

- No report received from Mashonaland West

Daily cholera update and alerts, 09 Apr 2009

 Full_Report (pdf* format - 174.6 Kbytes)

* Please note that daily information collection is a challenge due to communication and staff constraints. On-going data cleaning may result in an increase or decrease in the numbers. Any change will then be explained.

** Daily information on new deaths should not imply that these deaths occurred in cases reported that day. Therefore daily CFRs >100% may occasionally result

A. Highlights of the day:

- 137 Cases and 0 deaths added today (in comparison with 130 cases and 3 deaths yesterday)

- 78.3 % of the districts affected have reported today 41 out of 60 affected districts)

- 91.7 % of districts reported to be affected (60 districts out of 62)

- Cumulative Institutional Case Fatality Rate = 1.7%

- Daily Institutional CFR = 0.0 %.

- No report received from Manicaland, Matebeleland North and Masvingo Provinces.

A letter from the diaspora

OUTSIDE LOOKING IN

Dear Friends.

I have never been a farmer or had much sympathy with white farmers who in my
experience were often racist in their attitudes and generally treated their
African workforce badly. Two events helped to soften my attitude: one was
the killing of the white farmer, David Stevens and the brutal assault on the
other farmers who went to his rescue. That incident took place in my own
hometown and the killers were all known and recognised. The second event
that affected me directly was the invasion of my own daughter's farm. Hers
was one of the first to be invaded back in 2000. I will never forget the
sight of my daughter, hand in hand with her small son; he carrying his
little suitcase on their way to school as his mum tried to keep his life as
normal as possible in the midst of the fear and chaos all around him, with
strange men shouting and drumming at the farm gates. Nine years later the
so-called 'land reform' programme is still going on, though it's quite clear
that what is happening now has little to do with 'land reform' - if it ever
did.

Speaking on February 28th this year, one month after the Global Agreement
was signed, Robert Mugabe told a gathering of his supporters that white
people who wanted to remain in Zimbabwe must do so on his terms and not
oppose the seizure of their land. " If they want to go we will open the
borders for them. We will give them a police escort." In those two
sentences, Mugabe tells us what this final stage of 'land reform' is really
all about. White people are only permitted to remain in the country if they
are prepared to live under his rules. Whether or not Mugabe is a racist
himself hardly matters but he is a vengeful man. His intention is to clear
out the last remaining white farmers, not to free up the land to grow
desperately needed food, but to dish out more patronage. We should never
forget that Mugabe and Zanu PF are in election mode. Anyone who opposes him,
black or white, is regarded as the 'enemy' and must be punished. Over the
last nine years thousands of people have been the targets of vicious attacks
by Green Bombers, questionable war veterans and other assorted Zanu PF
thugs, all ably assisted by the police who, if not actually participating,
have turned a blind eye to patently criminal behaviour. Mugabe has rewarded
them, the police, the judges and magistrates with stolen farms. It is the
classic 'politics of patronage' and Mugabe's coterie of elderly Zanu PF
comrades from the Liberation Struggle have been his willing accomplices.

Now, in April 2009, with a so-called Government of National Unity in place,
the farm invasions continue unabated as the vultures gather to devour what
remains of the carcass of commercial farming. It is impossible to see the
suffering in the face of Mike Campbell or hear the weary despair in his
son-in law's voice as he describes their ordeal and not feel pity for their
plight. What crime have they committed, apart from having a white skin and
successful farming operations, which some greedy 'big man' now has in his
sights? The truth is that Mike Campbell and Ben Freeth dared to challenge
Robert Mugabe in the courts and were successful. A SADC tribunal ruling
clearly found in the farmers' favour but that means nothing to Robert
Mugabe. Such rulings, he says, cannot override Zimbabwean law. The farmers
have nowhere to turn for justice; a farmer's wife is arrested by the police
and openly told that she is the 'bait' to flush her husband out of hiding so
that they can charge and prosecute him, for daring to remain on his own
farm, presumably? Farm workers are imprisoned without charge and tortured to
extract information by a police force that has become a law unto itself. The
maintenance of law and order, the protection of the citizens is no longer
their concern; all they are concerned with now is to keep Robert Mugabe and
Zanu PF in power.

Despite their appeals to the MDC 'partners' in this sham of a Unity
Government, the farmers can get no help even from the party that promised to
bring the farm invaders to justice. When is the MDC leadership going to find
the moral courage to do the right thing? They should be there on the farms
to see for themselves the anguish of the farmers and their workers and to
order the police to do their duty and arrest the wrong doers. Instead, the
police continue unchecked as they have for the past nine years; the guilty
are set free on the orders of some 'big man' in Zanu PF. And meanwhile, all
the MDC top brass can do is to echo Mugabe's call for the lifting of
sanctions - whose existence the MDC was denying until they entered
government - and the restoration of relations with the west as if none of
this chaos on the farms is happening. 'There are no farm invasions' Zanu PF
ministers assure foreign visitors, 'You can invest here with absolute
safety.' The talk is all about 'rebranding' Zimbabwe as if it were a product
for sale and, together Zanu PF and MDC attend expensive 'bonding' workshops
at Victoria Falls while Zimbabwean citizens, men and women, black and white,
suffer sleepless nights of terror and dread as violent farm invaders drum
and shout outside their doors. In the villages too there is no peace as the
anti-Inclusive Government thugs continue their violent campaign against MDC
supporters while the police look the other way. By doing nothing to address
the problem of lawlessness, the MDC have become complicit, morally no better
than the party they have joined in government.

I was accused recently of being 'blind' when it comes to the MDC. 'Time to
see them for what they really are' my accuser told me. 'Nothing more than
Zanu PF in different clothes, just out for power and privilege.' I really
don't want to believe that but, I admit, doubts are creeping in. Once, I
admired the MDC for their courage, for their integrity and the moral high
ground they occupied. Now I see them in their elegant Mercedes cars with all
the trappings of power but none of the moral authority that true political
power must entail. This hybrid government may call themselves 'Team Zimbabwe'
as they dance the night away at the luxurious Elephant Hills Hotel in a
'bonding' exercise - directed no doubt by some highly paid Management
Consultant - but from where I stand they look more like politicians on the
make while the people's lives remain unchanged. What was it we used to say
in the old days of economic structural adjustment? 'Eternal Suffering for
African People' As we approach Zimbabwe's twenty ninth Independence Day, it
seems nothing has changed and once again, disillusionment is setting in.
When will freedom ever come for Zimbabwe?

Yours in the (continuing) struggle PH. aka Pauline Henson author of Going
Home and Countdown political detective stories set in Zimbabwe and available
on Lulu.com

Groundswell of Optimism Helping to Drive Nation Forward

http://www.tradeinvestafrica.com/

Miles Donohoe

23 March 2009

Zimbabwe has many obstacles to overcome before it can hope of reclaiming its
once envious position as the breadbasket of Africa, but after years of
economic decline and an inflation rate that has spiralled out of control,
the country is now taking its first steps towards that goal.

A year ago it seemed almost impossible to imagine Morgan Tsvangirai in a
position of power in Zimbabwe, yet now - after months of negotiations - the
leader of the Movement for Democratic Change is Prime Minister.

The emergence of South Africa from its legacy of apartheid and Mozambique
and Angola from their respective civil wars should have marked the start of
a bright future for southern Africa, but the decline of Zimbabwe has thus
far blighted the SADC region.

With the government of national unity (GNU) in Zimbabwe now in place, hopes
are high that for perhaps the first time in its history, countries
comprising the SADC region have the opportunity to be democratically
elected, peaceful, and able to reap the benefits of their own natural
resources.

Investors eyes on Zimbabwe

Investment into Zimbabwe has been heavily constrained in recent years
following the effect of sanctions from Western powers. Despite the economic
decline, however, many South African and international companies still have
a presence there.

Nicky Moyo, director of the Development Enterprise Africa Trust, says that
"as many as 27 of South Africa's 40 largest companies currently operate in
Zimbabwe, with a particularly strong presence in the country's mining and
financial services sectors."

British companies including Barclays Bank, supermarket group Tesco,
household goods firm Unilever and ad agency WPP all operate in the country,
and last year mining giant Anglo American came under fire after it announced
a £200-million investment into its mine at Unki.

Aside from a corporate presence, many western investors have also been
attracted to the potential of high returns in Zimbabwe. Sean Gammon,
Managing Director of Harare-based equity fund Imara Capital Zimbabwe, says
"We saw a great deal of interest in investing in Zimbabwe across our
business model in the period mid 2006 to mid 2008."

Gammon estimates that between US$200-million and US$250-million was invested
in the Zimbabwe stock exchange by foreigners between 2006 and 2008, most of
whom were from the US and UK, he says, refuting claims that western
investors have stayed out of the country for political reasons.

Investment peaked in March 2008, as investors foresaw political change on
the horizon, however this evaporated a few months later following the
disputed 2008 elections and policy changes by the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe
that restricted investors' ability to exit certain investments.

Obstacles to investment now

While the UK and US have remained fierce critics of President Robert Mugabe,
both countries agreed to honour the power sharing agreement. In fact, the
Zimbabwean government recently revealed that it is in talks with the US and
Europe over the possible repeal of sanctions.

Professor Daniel Makina, of the University of South Africa, says he still
does not expect significant aid and investment into Zimbabwe while Mugabe
remains in power however. "Prospective donors and investors are going to
adopt a 'wait and see' attitude," he says.

The GNU has already announced that it plans to approve a new constitution
within 18 months and to hold fresh elections in two years time, however
Nicky Moyo notes that that could be a tall order for the government.

"The repair of the economy requires structural reforms which are politically
difficult to implement in a transitional administration of two years," he
says, adding that politicians may be less willing to implement radical
reforms for fear of the benefits not materialising within the two-year
time-frame.

Ahead of these reforms, however, are two legislative obstacles that it is
widely agreed have to be changed in order to encourage investor sentiment.

"To overcome investor reluctance ... the protection of property rights will
need to be re-established, and current legislation already in the statute
books concerning investors' requirement to relinquish 51% of their shares to
indigenous shareholders will have to be repealed," says John Robertson, the
Harare-based economic consultant.

Who is lining up to invest?

While it is true that the expected flood of investment into Zimbabwe has
been held back on concerns about the viability of the GNU, investment has
already begun to flow into the country.

One firm currently eying investments in Zimbabwe is Botswana-based venture
capital fund VPB, which is raising a new â,¬150 million SADC regional
private equity fund to target mid-market sized private equity investments.

Ndaba Mpofu, chief investment officer at VPB, says that "although Zimbabwe
was not originally on the target investment list for this fund, it is now in
the radar given the recent changes which would hopefully usher in a period
of sustained economic growth and stability for that country."

While VPB is yet to make any investments into Zimbabwe, Mpofu suggests that
there will be some investors looking to get in now. "I would expect what I
would call 'opportunistic capital' to start seeking investment opportunities
now whilst asset prices are still relatively cheap."

John Robertson takes a similar view, suggesting that while certain
legislative obstacles need to be overcome, coupled with the formation of an
independent news media, there will likely be interest ahead of those
reforms.

"In the interim period, it is likely that most investment will be by
companies trying to acquire assets that can be either sold at a profit when
a recovery gathers momentum, or by companies that hope to capitalize on the
gaps now present in the delivery of services," says Robertson.

A mine of opportunities

Traditionally mining has attracted the biggest investments in Zimbabwe, and
despite the imposition of sanctions, the sector remains the biggest
contributor to exported goods, accounting for more than 50% of Zimbabwe's
exports.

"In a post-crisis Zimbabwe, mining has the potential to become the
fastest-growing sector of the economy," says Professor Daniel Makina, adding
that the country has large untapped deposits of platinum group metals.

Interest has already been sparked in the mining sector, says John Robertson,
with platinum mining in particular having attracted the most ambitious
levels of investment in recent years. "One of these ventures is well on its
way and a second is poised for considerable expansion when conditions
improve," he says.

"Within Zimbabwe itself, there is an unbelievable air of optimism on the
ground given the policy reforms that have already taken place," - Ndaba
Mpofu

It's not just platinum group metals that the country is yet to exploit,
though. Zimbabwe also has vast untapped natural resources of coal, chromium,
gold, nickel, copper and iron ore, which many mining companies would be keen
to utilise.

Makina notes that aside from employment within the sector itself, mining
also has the potential to create a number of downstream industries such as
retailing and other services, which South African firms would be able to
exploit.

More opportunities for investors

Aside from the obvious mining opportunities, Ndaba Mpofu also notes that the
investment potential in Zimbabwe is "huge, particularly given the fact that
the country's economy is coming off a very low base."

For South African companies interested in entering the economy, John
Robertson suggests that initial investments are likely to be within the
retail and wholesale sectors, rather than from mining or manufacturing.

"Later, if the SADC trading bloc arrangements take their intended route,
duty-free access to the regional markets, and possibly a common currency and
fewer migration controls, will make Zimbabwe an attractive manufacturing
option," says Robertson.

Nicky Moyo has a broader view, saying the best opportunities for foreign
investors are in sectors such as agriculture, mining, tourism, ICT and
Manufacturing. However, he highlights the Zimbabwean ICT market in
particular as a sector waiting to be tapped into.

"The market penetration rate is 9% in the mobile sector," says Moyo,
"compared with regional penetration rates of 101% for South Africa and over
60% for Botswana."

Tourism is yet another undeveloped prospect. Moyo suggests that with its
natural beauty Zimbabwe offers vast opportunities for investors, adding that
"years of underinvestment in tourist facilities means most assets are
available to buy at a bargain."

An air of optimism

In spite of what has been called Zimbabwe's 'lost decade' the country has
strong foundations on which to base a recovery plan including excellent, if
neglected, infrastructure and agricultural land.

"Zimbabwe still has the second most developed industrial infrastructure in
Southern Africa, and it has the potential of immense growth, as it is
geographically located to be able to service the needs of over 400-million
people," says Nicky Moyo.

Certainly SADC countries are expected to benefit from a properly functional
Zimbabwean economy, not only as it would bring a halt to the millions of
refugees that have fled the country, but would also signal a stronger
regional base, improving regional trade flows.

The Zimbabwean population also has a reputation of being very well educated,
and it is hoped that political stability could attract its diaspora to
return, bringing with them much-needed skils to help rebuild the economy.
Statistics from the CIA estimate Zimbabwe as having an adult literacy rate
of 90%.

"Once Zimbabwe's recovery is well on its way, SADC states will certainly
start attracting additional investment interest," says John Robertson,
though he cautions that any recovery is not going to reach impressive
dimensions until property rights assurances are back in place.

Perhaps the best outlook for Zimbabwe comes from the grassroots up. Ndaba
Mpofu says he expects a number of Zimbabwean companies to diversify their
operations into the region once they can access capital.

"Within Zimbabwe itself, there is an unbelievable air of optimism on the
ground given the policy reforms that have already taken place," says Mpofu.

In spite of its difficult recent past, if progress being made by the current
unity government continues, it seems the optimism being felt in Zimbabwe is
set to ripple through SADC and the wider world, as companies hope to cash in
on the recovery of Africa's bread basket.

Nigeria: First hand insight from one of the Zim farmers

 

Thu, 10 Jan 2008 14:37

Graham and Judy Hatty

In 2004 a group of Zimbabwean farmers where invited by the Kwara State government to relocate to the region and start with commercial agriculture. Jaco Maritz spoke to Graham and Judy Hatty about farming in Nigeria.

How did you get involved with the Kwara Project?

Graham: The Kwara State government approached the Zimbabwe Commercial Farmers Union in 2004. As we had lost our farms due to Zimbabwe’s land reform process, the Nigerian government were offering us a wonderful opportunity to do what we love. They said they wanted commercial farmers because there are very few in Nigeria. So a group of us, representing different facets of agriculture, went up to Nigeria to have a look and see if there is any potential up there for us. In order to show us that they were serious, the Kwara State government paid for the whole trip. We went around the country and met the president, the vice president, bank managers and entrepreneurs. They really made sure that we knew what was behind what they wanted us to do.

Nigeria wants to cut back on the importation of dairy products, chicken and rice - and initially those were the areas they wanted us to concentrate on. They’ve seen from elsewhere that commercial agriculture creates a middle class of people. Nigeria has got very wealthy and very poor people, but an extremely small middle class. They also wanted a spin of from us onto the small scale farmers so that they can improve as farmers and deliver better produce.

What assistance did you receive from the state government?

Graham: The Kwara State government said they wanted us to develop a commercial farm in five years. We suggested that each farm should be 1000 ha, realising that you can never use the whole 1000 ha because you’ve got rocks and roads and things like that. Initially we said we each wanted US$1.25-million to get going as long as they provide electricity and irrigation. They provided the land and the finance but currently we still don't have stable electricity nor irrigation. We also received a lower interest rate and we only have to start paying back our loans after five years, when we will be more established.

What agricultural activities is your group involved with?

Graham: We’ve got three farmers that are what we call a dairy syndicate. Two are crop farmers who are doing soya beans, maize and rice. Another group is doing chickens, while my group is cultivating cassava.

Judy: The cassava plant is a thick bush that grows up to three or four metres. The cassava is the roots of the plant. It grows near the surface, and they grow up to a metre long or more. Cassava is a carbohydrate and looks like a big sweet potato. It’s got a rather bland taste and is eaten with relish, meat, chicken, etc. There are, however, varieties that are sweeter.

When we first started planting cassava we took a chance and put in about 300 ha and have the most magnificent crop. In spite of receiving no rain for six months and being in a temperature of around 40 degrees, it just carried on growing. It’s almost indestructible. Cassava needs a little bit of weeding, and a little bit of fertiliser, and that’s it. It grows with very little rain, but obviously with irrigation it would do fantastically. We already have 120 ha in the ground for next year.

We are working very closely with the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture research station and they are doing many trials on our farms. The potential for cassava is enormous and very exiting.

What opportunities are there in the processing of cassava?

Graham: Cassava contains starch from which about 400 products can be made. Then there is glucose syrup from which one can produce about 60 products. One can also make flour from it. The guy from the starch factory we are dealing with says the orders he gets are four times more than what he can produce. Someone involved with glucose syrup production told us that even if they process 2 000 tonnes of tuber a day, they will still battle to meet the domestic market.

There is a factory in Lagos that wants cassava chips but it is too far away. You need the factory close by. The glucose syrup guy said that he will set-up a factory in our area if we can guarantee that we will grow enough cassava. And we can. There is a lot of local small scale farmers around us. I’ve got thirty hectares of new cassava varieties which are currently being tested. Once we know which are the optimum ones for our area – they will be given to the local guys, so that everyone will be growing the right variety.

Whoever is interested in investing in our area must come and see us. We will show them the right people to deal with so that their project has government backing.

Judy: We have discovered that most of the bread in Nigeria has got cassava flour in it. They need about a 1 000 tonnes of cassava flour a day and you need 4 000 tonnes of cassava a day to produce that. No matter how much we plant, it seems as if there will always be a demand for cassava. We have had a lot of interest from people wanting to set-up processing factories, but nothing has happened yet.

There is someone with a starch mill about 600 km from us and we are trying to persuade him to rather bring his mill to us. We are trying to convince them that when we say we are going to get a certain amount, we do. There is so much potential.

Is there an overseas market for cassava?

Judy: Yes. People in Europe have approached us looking to buy cassava chips to use for the production of ethanol. But transport is a problem in Nigeria. We need reliable transporters. We’ve got this crop, we’ve got a buyer who is willing to give us a good price, but we can’t transport it at the moment. Luckily cassava can stand in the ground for up to two or three years and doesn’t have to be reaped at a certain time.

What needs to be done to get commercial farming going in Nigeria?

Judy: Nigeria needs outsiders to come and kick-start the whole business of commercial farming. They invited us because there is a lot of talk about commercial farming, but they know we can actually do it. At the moment there is ignorance towards commercial farming. Nigerians are bright, and they learn very quickly and they are enthusiastic, but it is just ignorance and lack of experience. This is all new territory for them.

Where do you get your labour from?

Graham: There are quite a few villages in the area where we were given our farms. At first the government offered to move the villages but we wanted them to stay because those were the people we would draw our workers from. We said that if we get electricity, they must also get electricity. And if we get irrigation, then they must get irrigation. We didn’t want to be special. And it has worked well.

I’ve got two villages next to my farm, so I take half my labour from one village, half from the other. Because my farm is a thousand hectares, the one group works on the one side of the farm while the other group works on the other side. This way everyone works relatively close to home. At one stage earlier this year I had 320 workers to get a certain job done, and last year I had 450 workers for a month, so there is enough labour.

Out local staff are learning to work although they sometimes battle. They work throughout the morning until about 14:00 when it starts to get very hot. They then go home, relax, and when it gets cooler towards the evening they get on with whatever work needs to be done in their communities.

What is the security situation like where you live?

Graham: We feel safe. You’ve got petty theft like anywhere else. People will steal your fertiliser, your seed, your diesel, your chemicals, and all that sort of stuff. It is just the odd individual who tries his luck.

Judy: The police and the governor are on our side. I feel a lot safer in the bush in Nigeria than I do in Zimbabwe or South Africa. I just know that it is safer. But having said that, as a woman I can’t get in a car and drive around in the towns. They are likely to ram your car and get some insurance money. So I don’t drive, my husband does. And if we go to Lagos we get a driver. But I feel very safe, the Nigerians are not aggressive. They are very friendly and there is no race issues. They think whites are wealthy and they want our money but there is no animosity towards us. They haven’t got a history of apartheid and all that stuff. That’s wonderful, its very freeing.

Although most of them are very poor, Nigerians are also not starving like the people in Zimbabwe. Things go easily there. They seem to look after one another. They are very, very friendly and helpful and welcoming wherever we go. And even when one has arguments at roadblocks, one doesn’t feel as if your life is in danger. It is quite a fun place really.

How do you cope with the poor electricity supply in Nigeria?

Graham: When we do get what they call a dedicated line – we shouldn’t get the power cuts that everyone else gets. We told them that there is no point in giving us electricity if we can’t get a constant supply for your dairies, milking machines, irrigation or things like that. They told us we will have a stable electricity supply within this coming year and that it has been paid for to be done, so we will see.

Judy: At the moment we totally rely on generators. We run everything with a generator. They are expensive but fuel and gas are reasonably cheap in Nigeria. And the generator gives us a constant supply. There isn’t a constant supply of electricity anywhere in Nigeria. It goes on and off all throughout the day and most businesses have back-up generators. But we can run our farms on generators.

How do you feel about the political situation in the country?

Judy: All the Nigerians we’ve spoken to, across the board, said that they are tired of the chaos they experienced over the past decades. They’ve had their second democratic elections. In our area it went very peaceful although one never knows if it’s free and fair. But they are fed-up, they’ve been at the bottom and the federal government is really trying hard to clean up its act. They want to stop corruption, have democracy and attract investors.

Nigeria could feed the whole of Africa. And I’m not saying that loosely, they absolutely could. They could be the California of Africa because it’s a huge country and it has lots of people. And the climate – I mean things grow. We planted a Baobab tree that was 30 cm high in June, and it is now 3 metres and we are not even at Christmas. It’s unbelievable.