Daily News - Leader Page
Like all evil, Zanu PF’s brutality will come to
an end
4/10/02 8:37:52 AM (GMT +2)
By Frank
Matandirotya
ZIMBABWE is an example of a state that has failed its
people, a place
choking on food shortages, international opprobrium and a
massive breakdown
of the rule of law.
The tragedy of Zimbabwe
is that the people of this country were robbed of a
historic opportunity for
change by a brutal and corrupt kleptocracy, that in
its 22 years of ruthless
rule has abused and mutilated the Constitution for
its own selfish
benefit.
In short, one can safely say that today Zanu PF’s heroic
accomplishment is a
legacy of failure and the subjugation of innocent people
to an Armageddon of
food shortages, lawlessness, more than 100 percent
inflation and a host of
other Zanu PF-inflicted ills. Their political tactics
make no sense by any
standards when nearly every nation has brought into the
same boat liberal
economic systems and real multi-party
democracy.
Zanu PF, instead, is using compulsory farm acquisitions to
rally rural
supporters and sow chaos in its desperation to retain power. It
was the last
political manoeuvre President Mugabe pulled out of his hat to
“win” the
presidential election.
Zanu PF has shown its criminal
propensity.
Those who still believe that they can talk to Mugabe and his
supporters to
desist from inhuman actions against the opposition Movement for
Democratic
Change (MDC) are naive.
They forget the nature of the
country we live in. The persecution of
opposition supporters may not be a
holocaust yet, but still is evil enough.
Summary and collective punishment,
forced expulsion of thousands of rural
families, frightened children
separated from their parents and endless lines
of desperate refugees at MDC
offices throughout the country have added
Zimbabwe to the long and bloody
list of tragedies that bring dishonour to
the 21st century.
But in the
end the “win” by Mugabe did feel “historic” only if you keep in
mind just how
real events can be soiled and cart-wheeled. “History is indeed
little more
than a chronicle of the crimes, fouls and misfortunes of
mankind,” wrote
Edward Gibbon in The History of the Decline and Fall of The
Roman
Empire.
Massive violations of human rights and the murder of political
opponents are
elements of genocide in the making and are evil enough to
inspire anger and
the will to stop them.
Where human lives are
involved indifference is not an answer. Not to choose
is also a choice, said
the French philosopher Albert Camus. Mugabe has
followed an intolerable path
of violence and destruction that must provoke
revulsion in every civilised
person.
His policies are evil. His extremist political philosophy has
reposed in
facile patriotism. A fanatic like most dictators whose argument is
terror,
believes that the end always justifies the means. He is determined
to
constantly defy the international community’s quest for a peaceful
solution
to the country’s problems.
He is interested not in peace, but in
absolute domination, hence his
willingness to sacrifice innocent
civilians.
With utter contempt for humanity, he has embarked on a
State-sponsored
programme aimed at the humiliation, persecution and uprooting
of the entire
MDC support base in the country.
Like all nightmares,
this too will come to an end. The stolen vote by Zanu
PF was the climax of an
incomparably tumultuous and unnerving campaign year
that saw the Constitution
being heavily mutilated left, right and centre.
But the “win” was nothing to
celebrate about even in the Zanu PF camp. At a
time when other Southern
African Development Community countries such as
Mozambique are leaving brutal
dictatorships behind and becoming beacons of
hope to the continent,
long-suffering Zimbabweans are still under a brutal
rule like the Harmattan
of the arid Sahara that periodically comes blasting
from the
north.
For every Zimbabwean who has peeped into the future to see what
lies ahead
of this country, all that can be discerned is a bleak outlook.
Even if
Mugabe wanted to build a new image, he has instead swaddled the
continent
and the globe with the same harsh controversy that has marked his
rule.
Zanu PF’s so-called win has profound implications for the future of
this
country.
The “win” also flies in the face of the notion that the
country needs a
government of national unity, while seeking a cover to
forgive Zanu PF
leaders for their human rights crimes.
History shows
that the elimination of a threat through a conflict without
subsequent
resolution ensures future misery.
Any man, power or principality cannot
destroy the ideals of justice and
freedom.
And if history is any
guide, the experience may ultimately enrich us by
granting us a common
purpose and restoring a long-neglected sense of
community in
Zimbabwe.
Shared threats foster intense social engagement because when people
come
together to defend a way of life, the experience can bring lasting
change.
Like all evil, Zanu PF’s nightmare will come to an end. And then
Mugabe and
Zanu PF’s actions in Zimbabwe will be remembered, and together
with his
surrogates, he will appear before an international tribunal charged
with the
ultimate offence of crimes against humanity.
And that will be
part of the victory of the people of Zimbabwe.
From News24 (SA), 9 April
Pupils driven from food
queues
Johannesburg - Allegations of food aid being politicised have
resurfaced in
Zimbabwe with a report that opposition supporters' children are
being driven
away from school supplementary feeding schemes in rural areas.
Shari Eppel
of rights group Amani Trust said that in the course of helping
torture
victims, she had been told that children of Movement for Democratic
Change
(MDC) supporters were being denied access to school food queues in
Mberengwa
East, in the far south of the country. In her office on Friday was
Sam
Mlilo, district chairperson of Mburengwa East, who told IRIN he had
seen
children driven out of the queue for the supplementary meal at the
Chamakudo
Primary School, near Mataga, because of their parents' political
beliefs.
"Children with parents sympathetic to the MDC are denied access to
food. In
each village there are some MDC supporters and the villagers know
MDC
supporters by name and drive their children away," Mlilo claimed. He
said
people had tried in vain to complain. He added that Zanu-PF structures
were
being used to distribute food and that traditional leaders were
also
distributing food along party lines.
Aid groups contacted by
IRIN, however, said they were not aware of children
being denied access to
the school feeding schemes. Dennis O'Brien, country
director of Care
International, said field staff at school feeding points
regularly checked
the schemes registers, which was an opportunity for people
to raise concerns.
"We would immediately raise it with authorities and work
to resolve it," he
said. Bhekimpilo Khanye, World Vision operations manager
for the southern
region, said his organisation hadn't started supplementary
feeding yet, but
was preparing to do so. "People on the ground will have to
get an
understanding of the political nature of food distribution," he said,
adding
that so far there had been "nothing to scare us off". Edward Watkiss
of
Christian Aid said many complaints stemmed from agencies not being able
to
"blanket feed" all schools in an area. "If a school three kilometres away
is
not fed, there are grumbles of political favours either towards
government or
the opposition. We find that when we get down to district
level, people are
down to earth, they are not political like at provincial
level," he
said.
Zimbabwe Human Rights Association (ZimRights) Director
Munyaradzi Bidi said
he had not heard of children being victimised in this
way, but said that
during the March elections many schools closed down,
denying children access
to the nutritional supplements they would have
received there. Further
afield in Gokwe, Bidi said, Zanu PF youths were
trying to control oil and
maize prices in shops and the prices the items were
sold at could vary
according to political affiliation. Eppel said a report on
the victimisation
of the children would be compiled with information from
various regions, and
would be presented to the donor agencies. The latest
allegations come after
last week's release by the International Crisis Group
(ICG) of a report
saying maize imports were directed to areas of greatest
support for the
ruling party, Zanu PF. At the time Edward Mamutse, a
government spokesperson
in Zimbabwe's Department of Information and Publicity
said: "There's nothing
of the sort." Meanwhile, Zimbabwe's ailing economy
received a boost on
Monday with the announcement of an agreement to export
beef to Libya, with
whom the country has close links and a fuel supply
agreement. Also on
Monday, post-election talks facilitated by South Africa
and Nigeria between
the MDC and Zanu PF finally started. The MDC, which
narrowly lost the
presidential elections, is demanding a fresh poll, calling
Mugabe's
government a junta.
COMMERCIAL FARMERS' UNION
Farm Invasions And Security Report
Wednesday
10 April
2002
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
----
This
report does not purport to cover all the incidents that are taking
place in
the commercial farming areas. Communication problems and the fear
of
reprisals prevent owners from reporting all that happens. Owners names,
and
in some cases farm names, are omitted to minimise the risk of
reprisals.
Owing to problems with email delivery via servers,
some reports have been
delayed. We try to keep as up to date as possible.
Matabeleland reports
incorporate a two week period in this
sitrep.
NATIONAL REPORT IN BRIEF
· West Nicholson -
Lockard Ranch had all workers chased off. No
police reaction. Cattle have no
water and this farm is in a shut down
situation
· Horseshoe -
Only seven farms are relatively unaffected
· Harare South - three
poachers arrived at Auks Nest on 06.02.02 with
20 dogs to poach. The owner
does not know what was killed.
· Wedza - At Dean Farm, the
settlers who moved off the farm some
months ago, have returned and are
building new houses. Dean Farm is not
listed.
· Marondera
South - For the second year running, no crops have been
grown on Uitkyk,
Eirene, Mushangwe, Safari, Munemo or K'Sera due to
interference. Cattle are
fast losing condition as grazing is very limited.
Water is siphoned from the
canal at will.
· Karoi - Maize theft is rife and despite repeated
reports by the
many farmers involved, the Police are very reluctant to
react.
· Gutu / Chatsworth - Cattle continue to be slaughtered /
stolen /
snared / axed or stolen.
· Esigodini – the Ntabenende
Farm owner is virtually off his farm.
REGIONAL
NEWS
MANICALAND
Rusape - On Arbeid Farm, four workers taken to
a cottage were beaten up.
The incident was reported.
Nyanga - The
court cases for the seven white people arrested during
elections was
dismissed.
All other areas for Manicaland appear to be
quiet.
MASHONALAND CENTRAL
Glendale - Forty people arrived
on Wooler Farm to deliver a Section 8 Order
for Glengrey Farm. The owner was
told they wanted all his irrigation pumps
and pipes, which they loaded on to
trucks and transported to Glengrey Farm.
The owner of Sleamish Farm has been
ordered to vacate the farm by 10.04.02.
The owner has a health problem and
has moved off the farm. The invaders on
Hermiston Farm have told the owner
they will be growing wheat on his farm.
He has told them there will be no
wheat grown there unless he grows it
himself. On Harmony Farm 40 to 50 people
arrived and told the owner to get
out. The Police in Mazowe were contacted.
They responded and managed to
defuse the situation. Varona Farm reported a
similar situation on 06.04.02
and as yet there has been no
reaction.
Tsatsi - The area is relatively quiet although pressure from
the A2 settlers
is increasing. Two new Section 8 Orders have been
issued.
Horseshoe – reported on 07.04.02. Labour problems instigated by
local "war
vets" on Siyalima, Nyavuti, Kamsasa, Marira Made and Mango were
resolved by
provincial "war vet" leadership. Worthington labour was allowed
to work
again, after being forced to live in the farm buildings. There is no
work on
Makombi or Nyamsewe, where the owner has evacuated and prevented from
taking
any belongings. No personal property is allowed off Nyamfuta or cattle
from
Rungudzi. Work resumed after a week at Red Lichen, including the piggery
and
a long list of demands from the workers was presented. Harvesting
passion
fruit at Amajuba is proving difficult. Settlers are still “claiming”
the
bananas on Manovi. Only seven farms are relatively
unaffected.
Mazowe/Concession – the Danbury Park owner and residents are
still under
siege after three weeks, with visitors allowed access for 20-30
minutes and
subjected to body and car searches. On 02.04.02, chief Supt
Tanyiwa
arranged for Support Unit to arrest those responsible for beating up
a
labourer who subsequently died from his injuries. However, only
two
people were arrested who were not the main ringleaders. The threat
of
arrest has not deterred the latter as they beat up another worker
for
walking in what they deem a "no go area", outside the security fence.
The
cruelty inflicted on the cattle is of increasing concern to the owner.
One
of the resident "war vets" hacked the back leg of a cow with a
machete,
several times, when it took an interest in the owner’s seed maize,
which the
"war vet" was looting. The previous day at 0630 hrs the owner heard
a group
of people shouting and dogs barking, obviously attacking a cow, which
was
bellowing in fear and pain. It is now three weeks since he was able to
dip
cattle, some of whom are losing their ears to ear ticks. The ticks cause
an
irritation, the cattle scratch their ears with their hooves, and the
ear
ends up in shreds. Once there is an open wound, which is not
treated,
maggots get into the wound, which results in huge sores. The small
amount of
seed maize he managed to plant is looted in broad daylight. Large
amounts
are carried away in vehicles, some is stashed in the houses of the
workers
who are in hiding or have been evicted and some diverted to the yard
to feed
the mob. The police have been informed on numerous occasions by the
owner
and Seed Co, but no action has been taken as yet. On the morning
of
02.04.02, a 30 tonne lorry arrived and, with the assistance of the
"war
vets", helped themselves to a lorry load of maize from the silo. Only
by
following the lorry was the owner able to ascertain it was destined for
the
GMB. The driver and his colleagues had no documentation. The
owner’s
mother is a world authority on ferns and has an extensive collection
of rare
ferns, orchids and other exotic plants. Last week a woman on an
Agritex
motorbike was seen driving away with a number of plants in the box on
the
back of her bike.
MASHONALAND EAST
Beatrice - on
04.04.02, during the owner’s absence, Agritex moved on to
Nengwe Farm and
took an inventory of sprinklers and irrigation piping. The
"war vets" moved
into one of the manager’s cottages and told the occupants
of the other
cottage (lessees) they have 48 hours to vacate the property.
In addition they
were told that as of that day they had to pay rent to "war
vet" leader
Magena. 20 stolen cattle, believed to be from Alamein Farm and
Gwalia Farm,
brought on to Nengwe farm a few months ago by the settlers, are
now being
slaughtered daily. On 08.04.02, the tenant was told by "war vet"
Magena he
had 8 hours to vacate. He was told not to load anything until
Magena had
been summoned from a nearby hotel to inspect the property.
Police Beatrice
have been informed but would not respond as they said the
situation was not
life threatening. The owner of Welcome Home Farm was
visited on 05.04.02 by
two "war vets", Maddox and Carter, from The Joyce
Mine who demanded the owner
sign over the rights of Joyce Mine to them. The
owner refused and said he
would only sell the mining rights. The New
Retreat/Central Farm owner has
been off the property for the last nine
months. The owner's son has been
living there and was stopped from moving
all his household effects off the
farm.
Bromley/Ruwa/Enterprise - Nothing to report.
Harare South -
three poachers arrived at Auks Nest on 06.02.02 with 20 dogs
to poach. The
owner does not know what was killed. On 05.04.02, settler
Elliot Ben
arrived on Kinfauns in a 7 tonne truck loaded with his
possessions. He moved
into the cottage currently occupied by five farm
workers, who were told to
vacate the cottage. He unloaded his belongings and
went away, leaving his
wife in the cottage. ZRP Beatrice were informed, but
the duty sergeant could
not be found and there has been no reaction from the
Police. Sergeant Moyo
from Beatrice promised to sort out the problem but
there is no reaction to
date. Settler Tonderai who has a plot around the
farm village has
threatened to burn down one of the workers houses as the
house is on his
plot. At Carolina Estate on 06.04.02, five men arrived with
a message for the
owner. These men are known by the workers from Carolina.
They spoke to the
farm mechanic and foreman, demanding the owner give them
five animals for
Independence Celebrations. They told the foreman that if
they did not get
the animals, the owner would suffer the same fate as
another farmer recently
beaten up The owner took statements from the foreman
and mechanic and took
the statements to the Beatrice Police Station and
awaits their
reaction.
Featherstone – the Calais owner is under increased pressure to
pay off his
workers and is having cattle taken in lieu of pay. He has
received no help
from Featherstone Police but NEC has said that they will
come out to the
farm. On 05.04.02 the Versailles owner said settlers demand
the workers be
paid off with gratuities etc. The DA said the owner must
remain on the farm
but the settlers are chasing off the labour. The
Forestdale Farm owner
requested a police escort to go on to the farm with a
lorry to collect the
remaining furniture. Police refused and said the truck
must not go on to
the farm again. The Kuruman A owner, evicted a couple of
weeks ago,
returned on 04.04.02 to pay workers gratuities. He also managed
to move off
his assets and livestock. The dairy cattle remain on the farm as
they have
been sold to Arda. The local "war vet" requested he return next
week to
sign some ‘papers’. The two remaining managers at Gelukwerwacht were
evicted
at short notice on 28.03.02 from the owner’s mother’s house.
Personal
belongings were removed, but not all the furniture. The youth claim
the
owner has not paid Council Rates. The Sable Flats owner’s cattle, which
are
kraaled at night, are chased into settlers’ maize by youth. One weaner
has
been speared and nine have been stolen. 25 were recovered after
following
spoor towards Mhondoro. Featherstone Police reacted but did not
resolve
anything. At Dunkirk the owner has conceded a section of the dairy
farm,
and dairy cattle are kraaled at night. Settlers are now planting in
dairy
kraals and say the owner must vacate. They state it is of no use to
complain
to the DA, as the DA no longer has a say in this farm. Previously
the DA
assured the owner he could remain on his section of the farm. At
present the
owner is away for a few days. The Beach Farms workers remaining
have vacated
to the surrounding bush where they are now living and are still
subjected to
all night pungwes and beatings. The Schoongezicht owner has
been allowed to
graze cattle in one paddock provided he ploughs for the
settlers. 24 cattle
from this farm have been kraaled on Wallasey (next door)
until the owner of
the cattle pays compensation. Police have been informed
but it is not known
what action has been taken.
Marondera North -
Ongoing maize theft from various farms. Otherwise quiet.
Marondera South
– at Igava Farm as a result of continuous intimidation,
threats and labour
evictions, the owner withdrew his operation from the main
yard, compromising
four homesteads. All farm managers were evicted from
their homes and have
since left. Some labour has demanded to be paid off.
The owners are now
harassed by an army colonel who claims he is now the
owner of the plot and
they must vacate their house in 30 days. The colonel
has started stumping
trees out of the horse paddock right in front of the
homestead. For the
second year running, no crops have been grown on Uitkyk
Eirene Mushangwe
Safari Munemo or K'Sera due to interference. Cattle are
fast losing
condition as grazing is very limited. Water is siphoned from
the canal at
will. On Monte Cristo poaching occurs daily and tobacco is
stolen from the
lands in broad daylight. Constant reminders are given to
the owner that no
more farming will take place for the coming season. The
Game Park keys were
commandeered by the army who “now own the land". At
Chipesa approximately 200
cattle are missing, and wholesale theft of paprika
and tobacco has occurred.
The owner is not allowed on to his farm. Crops
are being reaped but no land
prep is allowed for the coming season on
Dindingwe Mutemwa Chingamere Hungwe
and Tranquility The Gresham labour was
harassed resulting in the paprika
abandoned in the land. Grading of paprika
is ongoing but no land prep has
been done. Mari farm is overrun by A1
settlers, the owner is away, and
poaching is rampant. The Tilita manager is
on leave and there is wholesale
theft on the farm.
Macheke/Virginia – on 04.04.02, Two Stream Farm
reported a heated debate
with an ex employee demanding outrageous payment.
As the owner turned away
the man pulled out a 12" knife. A farm guard saw
this and managed to
apprehend the man, who was taken to Macheke Police and
fined $60.00. The
following day, the owner reported the arrival of A2
settlers with Agritex to
view their land. Chigori Farm reported illegal
ploughing to CST Tenderere.
On 05.04.02, the Koodoo Range house was broken
into during the day while the
owner was out. The computer, a printer and a
VCR were stolen. Police
reacted but no arrests made.
Wedza - at Masasa
Estate a DDF tractor is ploughing. Markwe Farm reports
the police recovered
two stolen typewriters. Two suspects were arrested
while two are still at
large. The owner was approached by the settlers who
wanted to grow wheat.
They had forms to be completed and returned to Agritex
with information on
water available, ZESA points and inputs required. They
also want to use the
owner's pumps and pipes etc. At Dean Farm the settlers
who moved off the farm
some months ago, have returned and are building new
houses. Dean Farm is not
listed. On 04.04.02, in the owner’s absence,
settlers Matakiti and Madavo
arrived at Masasa and told the foreman the
owner must irrigate the seedbed
site before they returned and to return his
pumps from Marondera where they
have gone for servicing. They want to hire
his irrigation pipes and say he
must send labour to cut out stalks, which
the settlers will pay for. He is to
pre-irrigate and do land prep for wheat.
The following day, "war vet" Choto
arrived and said Madavo's plot belongs to
him. He also said that this farm
had been taken because the farmer had been
seen in the rural area over the
elections and has not apologised for being
there! He was told he must start
moving off the property and stop irrigating
the paprika. However, if he
wanted to continue with the paprika he must do
land prep for Choto. At
Exeter Farm two vehicles with Zanu (PF) Mash East
printed on the side,
arrived on 07.04.02. The occupants drove up to the
owner’s house and
hooted. As the owner did not respond, they drove around
the farm and
returned to hoot again. The owner still refused to respond.
"War vet"
Sithole broke the chain and padlock on the boom gate, for the
second
time.
MASHONALAND WEST (NORTH)
Harare West - Rainham Farm
was invaded by an unruly mob on 27.3.02. They
claim they are
"demonstrating". The invaders were bussed in by two mini
busses. The owners
and farm manager are living off farm and death threats
were issued to the
farm manager. Although Police Mabelreign have responded
there is no
resolution. The demonstrators demands are unclear. The farm
received a
Section 5 in August 2001.
Karoi - Maize theft is rife and despite
repeated reports by the many farmers
involved, the Police are very reluctant
to react. The situation at Yawanda
Farm remains tense. The owner's wife was
barricaded into her house for
several hours before Police reacted and defused
the situation. The agreement
made with the DA was disregarded as soon as the
DA left. At Mukuyu Farm,
where settlers have moved into one of the sheds in
the Barn complex, a
compressor, welder, diesel and various other items were
stolen. Settlers
are making claims on several farms that their "maize" was
eaten by the
owners' cattle. Unrealistically high claims are submitted for
maize that was
planted too late. The situation remains tense and unsettled
throughout the
area.
MASHONALAND WEST (SOUTH)
Norton -
five brand new vehicles arrived on Idaho whose occupants were eight
A2
settlers come to inspect their plots.
Chegutu - On Faun Farm A2 settlers
arrived without prior notification to the
owner. On Concession Hill Farm
gold panners from the Pickstone are
destroying the owner’s pipeline to access
water as their water supply from
the river has run dry. They have issued
death threats to the worker manning
the pump if he turns off the
pump.
Kadoma - On Impalavale A2 settlers with expired letters of
authorisation
arrived on the
property.
MASVINGO
Correction to last sitrep: Under
Mwenezi – Battlefields Ranch –
“approximately 100 cattle” should read
“1000”.
Masvingo East and Central – at Fomax Dairy a settler was seen
riding a
bicycle with a weapon across his shoulders. On Lamotte Farm a group
of
people was out on the farm this weekend holding meetings and inspecting
the
property. The Chidza Farm owner reports meetings took place over
the
weekend.
Chiredzi River Conservancy Area – on 31.03.02, at
approximately 1500 hrs,
about thirty settlers visited all three farm villages
at Essanby. They
instructed the twenty three workers to vacate within 24
hours. Two of the
three herds of cattle were released from the kraals where
they are kept
nightly on a herding basis. ZRP Mkwasine were contacted and, as
transport
was not available to them, the owner collected Cst. Mahune and one
other
detail to assist in defusing the situation. Visits were made to three
plot
holders houses, including Mr E. Mucheve (previously convicted twice
for
assault) and Mr Chipere At 2230 hrs it was agreed farm operations
could
continue. All released cattle have been accounted for and as of 1000
hrs on
04.04.02 no further problems were reported, with the exception
of
unprecedented poaching activities and several fires. Five of the 23
workers
have also resigned as a result of these threats. On 02.04.02, a
Mr.
Chifuba visited the owner’s Chipetani Game Guard base on Buffalo Range
at
1715 hrs and instructed the four game guards resident to vacate
their
housing within twenty four (24) hours. A radio message was conveyed to
Mr.
Chifuba through the game guards advising him of the Section 7 Court
Order
for this property, the case number and the pending case, the date of
which
is to still be advised. He agreed to meet with the owner at the FA
Chairman’
s office to view these documents on 03.04.02, but never arrived and
there
have been no further incidents at this base. All three cattle herds at
Crown
Ranch were held in their kraals and prevented from grazing by a group
of
settlers led by Mr. Mabika (Mkwasine settler) and Mr. Magwane (son
of
Nuanetsi Ranch foreman). They instructed all cattle to be removed off
the
property by nightfall of 02.04.02 or else ownership of the cattle would
be
transferred to them. Cst. Phiri and Cst. Chitseko were dispatched by
Asst.
Insp. Munhungeyi to assist and a visit with them to the D.A.’s
office
revealed no senior officers at that locality. The ZRP details then
visited
the District President’s office and were advised to defuse the
situation.
After a two hour meeting with four of the settlers it was agreed
the cattle
could be released and herding could continue provided repairs were
effected
to a damaged pipeline, which had restricted water supply to the
settlers. A
group of about twenty five squatters gathered at the Cattle
Managers
homestead at Buffalo Range claiming they were awaiting the D.A. and
the M.P.
who were coming to look at the house. This group was led by George
Bowa (ex
NTS) who instructed all employees and their families to vacate the
compound
by 1800 hrs on 02.04.02. The same two ZRP Constables from Triangle
attended
the scene, instructing the workers and their kin to return to their
houses
for the night. To date, no further problems have arisen. There is a
huge
increase in poaching activity on all three properties. At Mungwezi
Ranch
(Tore Balance) on the night of 02.04.02, three Kudu were shot by a
poacher
and the case is under investigation.
Save Conservancy -
Poaching and snaring continue.
Gutu / Chatsworth - Cattle continue to be
slaughtered / stolen / snared /
axed or stolen.
Mwenezi - Edenvale
Ranch and Quagga Pan "B" / Kyalami Ranch / Alko Ranch
and others:
Stocktheft is reaching alarming proportions. On a daily basis
cattle are
disappearing or found slaughtered - up to 20 head at a time.
There is a
distinct lack of enthusiasm on the part of the local police to
investigate or
even to solve cases where there are leads. For example: a
woman apprehended
by farm guards with a bag full of dried beef was merely
asked to pay a
deposit fine. She claimed to have bought the meat from
someone else, but no
follow up was made on the source of the meat, neither
was she charged with
stock theft herself. The Stocktheft Act clearly puts
the onus on the accused
to prove the source of the meat or face the
consequences herself. A further
development is the appointment of settlers
to the so-called Neighbourhood
Watch. Information received states some of
the meat recovered by these
"Neighbourhood Watch" individuals is taken by
the police and exchanged on
their behalf for mealie meal. The Sonop Ranch
owner was told to not remove
his cattle from the kraal and the workers must
vacate. He was told to be off
the property that day. Police came and
defused the situation, but when they
arrived the instigators “faded into the
background” and the issue changed to
a demand for water. The Alternburg
Ranch and Umjanjele Ranch owners have
also been told to vacate. At
Bothasrus Ranch the Beitbridge DA told the
owner he would not be allowed to
conduct hunts on his property. He reported
this to the Zimbabwe Tourism
Authority, who pursued the problem. He has now
been told he can continue,
but whether this will be allowed on the ground
remains to be seen. This
property has been threatened with
invasion.
There are still more communal cattle moving on to Kleinbegin
Ranch These
cattle come from areas where there is active FMD. Pipelines are
vandalised,
including gate valves. The vee belts driving a pump were
destroyed and at
another point water was poured into the engine's diesel
tank. At another
point the full reservoir was drained of water. A 7-tonne
lorry full of
mealie meal and some building materials entered the property
and obviously
left the full load behind for the resident settlers. The
acquisition court
case has been postponed yet again for Kayansee Ranch -
originally set down
for 27 Feb, then 4 April and now 21 May. Alko Ranch
reports the MP for
Beitbridge and Deputy Minister of Local Government, K.D.
Mohadi, paid the
elderly widow owner two visits. On the first occasion at
1900 hrs, the
owner's staff declined to open the security fence gate. The
second was on
29.03.02 at 1100 hrs, where one of them demanded entry, which
was granted
after he identified himself, but the tone was threatening. This
is an
individual who apparently was identified with happenings during
the
Gukurahundi period and there have been three recent murders of alleged
MDC
supporters in Beitbridge, his
constituency.
MIDLANDS
Somabhula - A cow was slaughtered
on Grasslands. Police reacted but
investigations were not pursued and they
later let the suspect go.
Kwekwe - Cows have been slaughtered on Rolling
River and Sebakwe Farms while
a warthog was slaughtered on Mananzwa where the
culprit was caught. Six
cattle were stolen from Loozane and were tracked to
Dunlop Extension where
the accused was caught with them. He is denying the
theft so the matter will
go to court. On Riverside/Sunnyside, an electric
pump was stolen from the
water pump station and on Igogo, three pumps,
barley, MOP and thin corn were
taken. Soya beans and paprika have been stolen
from the store room and
lands. Thieves appear to be reaping the crops. It is
believed that the
stolen items were carted away on a truck hired from a local
transport
company.
MATABELELAND
Nyamandlovu - on 26.03.02, 12
people visited Moonto Farm and informed the
domestic worker the owner and a
hunting lessee who runs a Safari Business
from the property, but does not
live there, that they had to vacate the
property in four days and all labour
had to cease their duties by 30.04.02.
It would appear that the same 12 (not
30) people then went to Porter Farm
and gave the owner’s son the same
message. From there they went to Glen
Curragh Ranch and told the owner and
his son the same thing. To note: Mr
Mkwananzi/Mquamanzi is not a self
appointed "War Veteran" Leader, but the ex
MP and Council Chairman from
Tsholotsho. All the above were reported to ZRP
Nyamandlovu with no reaction.
On 27.03.02, Hilda's Kraal Farm made a report
to ZRP Nyamandlovu at 1345 hrs
that Pindaumbone and others were assaulting
workers. The exact number of
workers assaulted is not clear and there is no
reaction from the police as
yet. On 28.03.02 at Tandanani Farm, at 0600 hrs
a group of 15 men lead by
Gilbert Sibanda stopped the owner’s son from
leaving with a lorry-load of
vegetables to go to market in Bulawayo. The
owner went to the Nyamandlovu
Police to make a report. After getting no joy
at the Charge Office they were
sent through to the OIC Insp. Ncube who
refused to do anything and brought up
a personal incident between himself
and the owner from approximately a month
ago. The group told the owner’s
son to vacate the property immediately as
they would be occupying the farm
from that day and all labour was to leave.
On the owner’s return they spoke
to the leader of the group who said they
would start pegging and building
immediately. By this time the group had
risen in number and attempted to
enter the Homestead gate. They were
discouraged when some Ridgebacks were
released from their kennels into the
yard. At 0900 hrs the lorry was
allowed to leave for town and a large
number of employees told to collect
their money and leave immediately. Ten
employees were seriously assaulted.
The owners of Hilda's Kraal Farm had a
meeting with the Chief Admin. Officer
at the PA's Office, Mr Magura, who told
them a Task Force would go to both
Hilda'sKraal and Tandanani Farm to resolve
the issue that day. The owner of
Hilda’s Kraal was asked not to return to
the farm until the Task Force had
been. They are yet to be seen. Mr Magura
was not amused that Amani Trust
was also going to interview people at both
farms. On Tandanani Farm there
has been a total work stoppage as from
28.03.01 and some of their employees
have been chased out of the farm
village. Advantage was taken of the work
stoppage and approximately 8 tonnes
of yellow maize on the cobs was stolen.
Approximately 60 workers came back to
work on 04.04.02. They arrested 25
maize thieves from settlers from Redwood
Park Farm they had stolen about 30
tons of maize. Wednesday late afternoon a
gang of settlers and "war vets"
from Redwood Park arrived at the farm and had
a confrontation with the
workers. Gunshots were fired from the "war vets" and
the labour ran away,
Police were called but just stood and observed. The "war
vets" and settlers
then trashed, stole and burnt 25 of the workers houses. On
Hilda's Kraal
Farm a skeleton staff has managed to carry out essential
duties. The owner
was off the farm for the weekend and trying to get back
today. The farm
workers are not working so his vegetable crop has not been
irrigated. On
30.03.02 settlers on Ulundi Farm denied the owner use of a
corridor used to
move cattle to the dip. Three shots were heard in the
morning and some meat
was found near one of his pumps. It is unclear if
these two incidents are
linked. The settlers on Bantu Farm told the workers
they had three days to
leave the property along with livestock (The owner is
not resident). On
31.03.02, settlers on Bantu Farm destroyed four workers
huts and threatened
to destroy another three on 02.04.02. Glencurragh Farm
was harassed by about
80 people: half the crowd was extremely militant and
the other half were
reasonable. Two individuals tried to climb the security
fence. The two
factions decided to have a discussion for a couple of hours.
They ran into
the bush and disappeared when they heard a vehicle approach.
Porter Farm
workers were told by five people to stop working which they
refused to do.
Esigodini – the Ntabenende Farm owner is virtually off his
farm. Ponderosa
Farm Glenalla Farm Mulungwane Farm and Cholnilanga Farm (N.
Buchan) were
harassed on the Easter weekend to get off their farms but they
are trying to
stay. The harassers are 20 Zanu (PF) people in a
truck.
B.L.F.A. - All quiet
West Nicholson - at Chipsia Farm two
factions of "war vets" came to the
manager with one group wanting him to
teach them how to farm and the other
to teach them how to game ranch. The 20
kms road from his homestead to the
main road is full of settlers and he is
harassed all the way to the main
road. Jonsyl Ranch is over run with
settlers and large numbers of cattle
are pushed on to the ranch especially
down the Umzingwane River.
Inyathi - Gourlays Ranch reported all quiet
but very tense. National Parks
officials came to the farm on the Easter
weekend. "War vets" returned the
guns to the Police after they had taken
them. Please note: the incidents of
the past weekend 6/7 April were covered
by a press release. Greenlands Farm
had the farm store on the main Harare
Road (Chalet Store) closed down by the
Youth, who then demanded he feed them.
They chased all his farm workers off
the farm and hit one on the head. No
Police reaction. The Mambo Ranch
manager. went away for Easter and was
advised by his staff that Sam Khiwa
was looking for him and the Senior Game
Scout, as they were “bad people”. He
has not returned to the farm. No Police
Reaction. Lockard Ranch had all
workers chased off. No Police reaction.
Cattle have no water - in a shut
down situation
Daily News - Leader Page
Nothing to cheer for during independence
celebrations
4/10/02 8:36:42 AM (GMT +2)
THE critical food
shortage facing the nation this year and the potential for
starvation, demand
that this year’s independence celebrations be low-key.
Instead, any resources
set aside for the festivities should go towards
ensuring Zimbabweans are not
left to starve.
It would be a macabre irony if people were to
feast to their hearts’ delight
for a few hours one day but only to return to
homes that will barely assure
them of the next meal.
In some rural areas
it could be the only meal people would have had for
days.
Zimbabwe has
never faced such a crisis in decades and the full impact will
be horrifying,
when it finally dawns on the majority. Slowly, poultry is
being slaughtered
because there is not enough grain to feed it, next will be
massive destocking
and with shops fast running out of food, people will
realise that not only is
there a serious shortage, but that in some areas
even money will not
guarantee food. It is little comfort when people are
being laid off because
their companies cannot purchase raw materials or they
have lost markets
because customers are concerned about the extent to which
they can guarantee
their clients regularity of supply of products from
Zimbabwe because of the
political instability and the general state of
lawlessness. This is one
reason why funding set aside for the independence
festivities should
contribute to efforts to secure more food. Zimbabwe will
have a poor harvest
and demand for food will be unusually high for the next
12
months.
Zimbabwe’s crisis is compounded by its own precarious foreign
currency
shortage position.
Farmers are being chased off farms,
meaning their operations, whether
ostrich rearing, beef or tobacco
production, will not be able to generate
sufficient foreign exchange, with
which to purchase such requirements as
fuel, raw materials for industry, the
health sector or grain for a nation
facing starvation. Another significant
foreign currency generator, the
mining sector, is also at a
standstill.
The extent to which Zimbabwe will be dependent on the
goodwill of the
international community to save its people from starvation is
astronomic. It
is not exactly comforting when such organisations as the World
Food
Programme are unable to raise the amount needed to buy the food required
for
hungry Zimbabweans because of donor fatigue. Part of the fatigue stems
from
the fact that this crisis is self-inflicted. It is a contradiction to
argue
that Zimbabwe needs food when it is on a determined campaign to drive
the
farmers off the land.
Now more than ever, is the time Zimbabwe
should be talking to all its
farmers to ensure that their efforts are focused
on alleviating the impact
of food shortages. The government must demonstrate
its willingness to
contribute to finding solutions. So far it has been the
architect of the
problems.
Some 350 000 farm workers with families
numbering 1,5 million, have been
displaced. An estimated 50 000 villagers
have fled their homes in fear of
revenge attacks, worsening the displacements
and compounding the food
shortage crisis. With this grim picture and
statistics, there seems little
to cheer about during this year’s independence
celebrations. In the urban
areas, those who attend and feast during these
activities are normally
people who can do without the lavish feasts. Let the
resources set aside for
the celebrations go towards averting hunger and
starvation. At some point
the government must demonstrate its concern for the
people it so loves to
govern. The celebrations can go ahead, but without the
expensive dinners,
functions and parties.
But what is there to
celebrate when there is a disputed election, and when
the people are
prevented from demanding a new constitution? It is possible
that the
celebrations could, in fact, provide a platform for people to vent
their
frustrations against the government’s handling of recent developments
in the
country. Anything can happen, because when people are denied lawful
channels
of demonstrating their views and grievances, like combatants in
guerrilla
warfare, they will seize any opportunity that presents itself to
make their
point.
The plight of those facing starvation is a matter of urgency and
demands the
focus and utmost attention of the government.
Daily News
Three Zanu PF supporters on murder charge
4/10/02
7:52:27 AM (GMT +2)
From Our Correspondent in Masvingo
Three
Zanu PF supporters, including Chief Fortune Charumbira’s aide, were
yesterday
charged with the murder of Petros Jeka, an MDC polling agent and
treasurer
for Masvingo North constituency.
Wintertone Chirove, 43, Wintertone
Chirove Junior, 25, and Blessing Sonono,
18, were not asked to plead during
their initial remand before Masvingo
magistrate Shotgame Musaiona. They were
all remanded in custody after
Musaiona advised them to apply for bail to the
High Court.
Chirove Senior is Chief Charumbira’s aide. The court heard
that on Easter
Monday the three were at Chirasha bottle store at Bondolfi
Mission.
Jeka was also at the bottle store. An argument then ensued
between him and
Chirove Senior. Jeka accused Chirove of barring him from
buying maize
because he was an MDC supporter. The two then engaged in a fight
and the
other accused persons joined in.
Jeka was then stabbed with a
knife in the back and later died.
Meanwhile, relatives of the late Jeka are
demanding $2 million and 40 head
of cattle from the Chirove family before
burying the body. Jeka’s body was
dumped at the Chirove homestead by his
aggrieved relatives.
Daily News
Mudede tape proves Mugabe lost election
4/10/02 8:25:55
AM (GMT +2)
Staff Reporters
THE total number of votes
announced by the Registrar-General, Tobaiwa
Mudede, in a live broadcast as
having been polled by all five contesting
presidential candidates is 700 000
votes less than the figure subsequently
published in other media.
In
his announcement, which was broadcast live on radio and television,
Mudede
stated that a total of 2 298 758 votes had been received by
all
candidates.
Mudede stated at the end of a live broadcast that had
taken all night and
most of the morning of Wednesday, 13 March:
“The
results at national level are as follows: Kumbula, Tarugarira Wilson,
Zanu -
31 368; Maya, Shake, NAGG - 11 906; Mugabe, Robert Gabriel, Zanu
PF -1 685
212; Siwela, Independent - 11 871; Tsvangirai, Morgan, MDC - 1 258
401 votes.
“Total votes cast 200 - oh, sorry -
2 298 758. This is minus the spoilt
papers. Plus spoilt papers they go up to
the figure I mentioned which is
around 3 million.
“I, Tobaiwa Mudede, Registrar-General of the Elections,
having ascertained
the results of the 2002 presidential poll in the 120
constituencies, do
hereby declare Robert Gabriel Mugabe of Zanu PF party, who
has received the
majority of the total number of valid votes cast, the winner
of the
presidential election for the office of President of the Republic
of
Zimbabwe.”
So ended the announcement by Mudede of the presidential
election held on
Saturday and Sunday, 9 and 10 March, and extended to Monday,
11 March 2002
in Harare and Chitungwiza.
But the actual total of
Mudede’s breakdown is 2 998 758 valid ballots, 700
000 votes in excess of the
total figure which he announced to a stunned
nation.
The Daily News
obtained a copy of a video recording of the tape which was
broadcast live by
the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC), which no one
seems to have had
sufficient presence of mind to cross-check until this
newspaper was alerted
by a member of the public on Monday.
Perusal of the contents of the tape
reveals that the statement made by the
Registrar-General that the total
number of votes cast, including spoilt
papers, was “around 3 million” is
totally false.
If we add the 115 277 spoilt votes as published in The
Herald of 14 March
2002 to the total number of valid votes cast as announced
by Mudede, the
total number of votes cast in the presidential election would
be 2 414 035,
a figure very far away from Mudede’s “around 3 million”
total.
Mudede was not available yesterday to explain why he, as
Registrar-General,
would speak casually of “around 3 million” votes when all
the relevant
figures were right in front of him.
Mudede would have
been asked to explain why he did not speak in very
specific terms in
announcing the figures that were part of the result of
such an important and
controversial presidential election.
But by announcing that “if the total
number of spoilt papers was added to
the 2 298 758 valid votes cast the total
number of votes casts would be
around 3 million” the Registrar-General
suggested that more than 700 000
ballot papers had been spoilt.
“ZBC
should re-broadcast the tape in which Mudede announced the results, so
that
the public can see for themselves how gullible they were in accepting
at face
value the false statement by Mudede,” the resident of Chitungwiza
who alerted
The Daily News to the discrepancy suggested on Monday.
“Assuming
Tsvangirai would not benefit from Mudede’s charitable
miscalculations, if one
were to subtract his total of 1 258 401 votes, as
attributed to him by the
Registrar-General from the total vote cast of 2 298
758, as announced by
Mudede, that would leave Mugabe and the three lesser
candidates with a total
of 1 040 357 votes.
“Subtracting the total votes cast for Maya, Kumbula
and Siwela from this
figure would leave Mugabe with 985 212.
“If the
700 000 excess votes referred to earlier were added to 985 212, the
total
would be 1 685 212, the total figure said to have been won by the
President
in the election. That would leave Mudede with no spoilt ballots.
This would
explain why the Registrar-General cannot announce that figure.”
The
Zimbabwe Electoral Support Network yesterday said according to its
own
calculations, a total of 95 670 ballot papers had been spoilt in
the
election.
New Zealand Herald
NZ to impose sanctions on Zimbabwe next
week
09.04.2002 5.12 pm
LONDON - New Zealand will impose sanctions
on Zimbabwe next week in response
to last month's controversial election,
Prime Minister Helen Clark says.
Miss Clark, in London to attend the
funeral of the Queen Mother tonight
(NZT), held a meeting with Commonwealth
Secretary-General Don McKinnon when
she arrived in London on
Monday.
Zimbabwe was suspended for one year from the 54-nation
Commonwealth late
last month after Commonwealth election observers roundly
criticised the
presidential election, won by incumbent Robert
Mugabe.
A Commonwealth troika of Australian Prime Minister John Howard,
South
African President Thabo Mbeki and Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo
had
agreed with the observers' report that included details of violence
and
intimidation by the supporters of Mugabe's ZANU-PF party and restrictions
on
observers.
Miss Clark had advised Mr McKinnon that "you can expect
New Zealand to act
broadly in line with the European Union and the
US".
Sanctions include banning Mr Mugabe and his close associates from
travelling
or visiting New Zealand, and using the Customs and Excise Act to
prohibit
any arms shipments between Zimbabwe and New Zealand.
"If
there is the slightest evidence that there are financial assets in
New
Zealand, then we will act to freeze them," Miss Clark added.
She
said she had discussed in length the sanctions with Foreign Minister
Phil
Goff and "the paperwork has been done".
She expected the sanctions to be
in place by next week.
- NZPA
Black Brothers True Sporting Heroes
The Herald
(Harare)
OPINION
April 9, 2002
Posted to the web April 9,
2002
Collin Matiza
THE world sometimes abuses the term heroic
when it describes ordinary
performances in sport but, in the case of Byron
and Wayne Black, the
description could not have been more
appropriate.
The two Black brothers once again emerged as the true
patriotic heroes of
our sport when they helped Zimbabwe crush Belarus 4-1 in
an epic Davis Cup
Euro-African Zone Group One second round tennis tie at the
City Sports
Centre at the weekend.
Zimbabwe went into this tie as the
underdogs after having lost to the
Belarussians 2-3 at the same stage of the
competition in Minsk in April last
year.
But the hosts tore the form
book to shreds as they denied the East Europeans
the chance to score a double
over us and qualify for the World Qualifying
Round.
And that is
largely because of two brothers with a commitment to their
country unrivalled
in domestic sport in recent years.
The mainstay of the Zimbabwe Davis Cup
team for over 10 years, Byron and
Wayne once again came out as the darling of
the local tennis fans with a
breathtaking show in three memorable
days.
First it was Wayne who made sure that we stayed in contention of
this crunch
tie when he upset Belarus' number one player, the tall
big-serving Max
Mirnyi, in the second of the first singles matches on
Friday.
Belarus had taken a 1-0 lead after their number two player
Vladimir
Voltchkov stunned Byron, who was back playing as Zimbabwe's number
one, in
straight sets 7-6 (7-4), 6-3, 6-4 in the opening singles
match.
And with the visitors expecting to take a comfortable 2-0 lead in
the second
singles match, Wayne fought like a gladiator and brewed up a
shocker on his
way to a workman-like 7-6 (7-4), 6-3, 4-6, 6-4
victory.
The tie was now delicately poised at 1-1 going into Saturday's
crucial
doubles match.
Zimbabwe threw in their tried and trusted
doubles team of Wayne Black and
Kevin Ullyett who came up against Mirnyi and
Voltchkov.
Wayne and Kevin showed why they were currently ranked among
the top six
doubles teams in the world when they pulled off a stunning 6-3,
7-6 (7-4),
4-6, 7-6 (14-12) victory which gave us a 2-1 lead as we went into
the
decisive reverse singles matches on Sunday.
Wayne and Kevin kept a
crowd of more than 3 000 people spellbound as they
fought like bull terriers
for three hours and 35 minutes.
It was one of the best doubles matches
seen at the City Sports Centre since
Zimbabwe returned to Davis Cup action
after independence in the 1980s.
Although Kevin was not at his best on
Saturday, the way Wayne carried him on
his shoulders throughout the match,
made me feel very proud of him.
Wayne fought for every point and his
return of serve, especially against
Mirnyi's booming serves, was
marvelous.
After Zimbabwe - with the help of Wayne - had the doubles
match in the bag,
everyone was waiting for the outcome of the decisive
reverse singles matches
in which the first game was to feature Byron and
Mirnyi.
After his defeat to Voltchkov on Friday, everybody thought Byron
was now
over the hill and no longer had the legs to carry him in the tough
world of
the Davis Cup competition.
How wrong they were.
What
the local tennis fans and the Belarussian camp did not know was
that
Voltchkov's defeat of Byron on Friday had stirred a hornet's
nest.
Byron knew that the nation's eyes were on him as he faced the tall
Mirnyi
and the 32-year-old Zimbabwean journeyman also knew what was at stake
in
this match.
A win for him would secure Zimbabwe a place in the
World Qualifying Round
and a step away from the World Group.
A defeat
was going to put more pressure on his young brother Wayne who was
expected to
play Voltchkov in the second reverse singles match.
But the
battle-hardened Byron showed that he had the nerves of steel as he
came out
firing on all cylinders against Mirnyi.
Byron first raced to a
two-set-to-love lead after winning the first two sets
6-3, 7-5 but he went on
a mental walk-about in the third set which he lost
6-7 (3-7) after a
tie-break as Mirnyi threatened to spoil his day.
After losing the third
set, Byron knew there was no place for the
faint-hearted and recharged his
batteries going into the fourth set.
There was no stopping Byron as he
ripped Mirnyi apart with some fine
serve-and-volley game, which the
Belarussian had no answer to.
And when he reaped up the set 6-3 and with
it the match, I found myself on
my feet as I joined thousands of tennis fans,
who were watching the match
both at the City Sports Centre and on television
at home.
We were saluting a true national sporting hero in his finest
hour of his
long professional tennis career.
For the first time as a
sportswriter and a tennis fundi, I also found myself
shedding a tear in
appreciation of some fine work by this gallant son of
Zimbabwean
sport.
It was heartening to see how Byron reacted to his
victory.
He threw his racket into the air and jumped into the hands of
non-playing
captain Greig Roger.
It was no surprise when he said in
his post-match interview that he felt
young again - and he had every reason
to.
It was also heartening to see scores of tennis fans, black and
white,
invading the court, dancing and singing as they joined in the
celebration.
Byron had once again lifted the spirits of a sport-loving
nation which is
always united by such an occasion.
Byron certainly had
done the nation proud and he and his young brother Wayne
are the true sports
ambassadors of this country.
Unlike other local sportsmen and women, who
seem to have turned their backs
on Zimbabwe, Byron and Wayne are always
prepared to come down to play for
the cause of their beloved
country.
To Byron and Wayne, we are proud of you and you deserve all the
praise
that's been given to you.
Daily News
Catholics blast elections
4/10/02 7:46:06 AM (GMT
+2)
Staff Reporter
THE Franciscan Fathers, an order of the
Catholic Church in Zimbabwe, has
said last month’s elections were not free
and fair because they were
characterised by intimidation, beatings, arson and
disenfranchisement.
The Catholics join various respected civic bodies and
the international
community in rejecting the election results saying the
polling was seriously
flawed and did not reflect the will of the
people.
A number of observer missions, including the Commonwealth
observer mission,
noted that although thousands of people wanted to exercise
their civic duty
of freely voting for a leader of their choice, they were
denied the right to
do so through massive disenfranchisement and
intimidation.
In an apparent reference to the youths from the Border Gezi
institute, the
Catholics said in a statement: “The use of youth groups and
the unemployed
as pawns in a political power struggle was shameful. It caused
nothing but
violence and destroyed traditional values of respect for elders,
and
concerns for the weak and innocent.”
During the run-up to the
elections, Zanu PF set up torture bases in all the
country’s political
districts from where they launched their terror
campaign, which left
thousands homeless, while several homes were torched.
Scores of women
were also raped.
Zanu PF ignored calls by the opposition to disband the
militia bases.
The Catholics also lashed out at the so-called fast-track
land
redistribution exercise saying while it was a noble exercise, it
had
contributed to the present paralysis of the agricultural sector and to
the
countrywide search for food.
“Party membership as a requirement
for assistance on the brink of starvation
is a sin before God and man. Who
are the people making such evil demands?”
reads part of the statement by the
Catholics.
The church urged all Christians and people of goodwill not to
lose hope at
this stage.
The statement said: “No regime goes on
forever. In our immediate
surroundings, family, social groups and church
communities, we should take
even small steps to a better future. We hold
basic values, tolerance,
generosity, mutual respect and truth, these
transcend political affiliation.
The resilience, pride and conviction
exhibited on the voting days need to be
kept alive. Peace and prosperity will
only come through justice.”
Daily News
Zanu PF mob attacks two MDC polling agents
4/10/02
7:46:39 AM (GMT +2)
From Our Correspondent in Masvingo
Two MDC
polling agents were left for dead by a mob of suspected Zanu PF
supporters
that raided Gumunyu business centre and the surrounding villages
in Mwenezi
and beat everyone on sight on Saturday night.
Frank Bhizi and Kennedy
Kwinika, both MDC polling agents in the recent
presidential poll, were by
Monday still detained at Neshuro Hospital where
they were admitted following
the beatings.
Police in Mwenezi fired two shots into the air to disperse
the marauding
suspected Zanu PF supporters.
As political violence
continues to haunt Masvingo province, a group of Zanu
PF supporters resettled
in commercial farms in Mwenezi on Saturday night
raided Chimbudzi village and
Gumunyu business centre and assaulted several
people, accusing them of
supporting the opposition MDC. They later kidnapped
Bhizi and beat him
up.
Bhizi sustained serious injuries. Authorities at Neshuro Hospital on
Monday
described his condition as stable.
Another MDC polling agent,
Kwinika, was taken from his home and ordered to
renounce his party
membership.
He was then beaten up and left for dead after he stood firm
that he would
not join Zanu PF.
However, police sent marauding
suspected Zanu PF supporters running in
different directions when they fired
two warning shots into the air. MDC
deputy organising secretary Charles
Muzenda said he was happy with the
police response since the attack could
have resulted in the death of his
party’s supporters.
“The two polling
agents are in serious state because they sustained serious
injuries”, he
said.
Daily News
EU parliament says Daily News report on election rerun
correct
4/10/02 7:51:47 AM (GMT +2)
Staff Reporter
THE
European Union (EU) on Monday said The Daily News reporting of the
joint
deliberations of the African, Caribbean and Pacific and European Union
Joint
Parliamentary Assembly (ACP-EU JPA) last month in South Africa, was
accurate
and true and that the government was confused in its interpretation
of the
proceedings.
At the start of Parliamentary business, British
Conservative Euro-MP John
Corrie (UK - West Midlands) raised an Urgent Point
of Order to highlight the
latest attempts by the Zimbabwean government to
suppress the freedom of the
media and free speech by threatening The Daily
News with punitive legal
action for publishing “accurately and truthfully”
the Zimbabwe Resolution
from the ACP-EU JPA.
Addressing the 626-member
European Parliament, Corrie said: “All MEPs
(Members of the European
Parliament) will be stunned to learn of the
Zimbabwe government’s latest
attempt to suppress Zimbabwe’s free Press and
in particular The Daily
News.
“The accurate reporting of the Cape Town meeting of the 92-nation
ACP-EU
Joint Parliamentary Assembly’s 4th Session by The Daily News must
be
praised.”
The government’s threat to prosecute, Geoffrey Nyarota,
the Editor-in-Chief
of The Daily News, is the first case under the new
draconian Access to
Information and Protection of Privacy Act passed barely
four days after the
disputed outcome of the 9-11 March 2002 presidential
election.
Corrie, on behalf of other MEPs asked Pat Cox, the President of
the European
Parliament, to raise this issue “strongly and to lodge an
official protest
with Zimbabwean Justice and Information
Ministers”.
Corrie, who was an Honorary Co-President of the ACP-EU JPA,
three weeks ago
in Cape Town, said the European Commission and European
Council must
likewise not ignore the increasing erosion of human rights, the
rule of law
and democracy in Zimbabwe.
The ACP-EU JPA brings together
politicians from 92 nations across Europe,
Africa, the Caribbean and
Pacific.
Professor Jonathan Moyo, the Minister of State for Information
and
Publicity, threatened Nyarota on 25 March with prosecution under the
new
Press and privacy law if he did not print a correction to the 22
March
article that reported the EU and the ACP countries had drawn up a
resolution
calling for a new election in Zimbabwe.
Nyarota said he
would rather go to jail, if it pleased the minister, than be
forced to
publicly correct a story that was 100 percent correct.
The resolution
calling for a new election in Zimbabwe within the year under
the auspices of
the Commonwealth and the international community was passed
in a secret
ballot by the ACP-EU JPA by 68 votes in favour, two against with
three
abstentions.
It was adopted formally as a joint ACP-EU text.
The
crucial amendment calling for a new election was tabled at the
initiative of
the 233-strong EPP-ED Group by the British Conservative MEPs
Corrie and Mrs
Jacqueline Foster, and Germany’s Christian Democratic Union
MEPs Konrad
Schwaiger and Michael Gahler.
Manchester Online
Straw rejects Zimbabwe Games ban
FOREIGN
Secretary Jack Straw believes Zimbabwe should be allowed to compete
in
Manchester's Commonwealth Games this summer.
Mr Straw has rejected calls for
the African state to be thrown out of the
sporting event.
He said it
was not a matter for the government, but for the Commonwealth
Games
Federation to decide.
But he added that the situation would change if he
received information that
the Zimbabwean athletes would be stooges of Robert
Mugabe's government.
Mr Straw said: "It's not a matter for the
government, it's a matter for the
Commonwealth Games Federation.
"What
I've been very anxious to do in everything I've been doing, being
strict on
Zimbabwe, is to distinguish between the people who are running
Zanu PF around
Mugabe, and the ordinary Zimbabweans.
"I've had no representations to me
on behalf of ordinary Zimbabweans or the
opposition saying the sports people
who want to take part in the
Commonwealth Games are Mugabe
stooges."
He added: "If I get representations or I'm sure if the
Commonwealth Games
Federation gets representations to say, don't let these
people take part in
these games, because they are only Mugabe stooges, then
the situation
changes."
Daily News
NCA activists denied access to lawyer
4/10/02 7:42:37
AM (GMT +2)
From Our Correspondent in Gweru
Four National
Constitutional Assembly (NCA) activists, arrested in Gweru
over a foiled mass
protest organised by the civic body last Saturday, are
still languishing in
police holding cells after they were denied access to a
lawyer.
The
four are Sylvester Kutesera Mutasa, regional chairman of the Midlands
chapter
of the NCA, Jacob Felix Mafa, Oliver Nyathi and Charles Forder. They
were
detained at the Gweru Central Police Station on Saturday morning.
Their
lawyer, Hillary Garikai of Danziger and Partners, yesterday made an
urgent
application to the High Court in Bulawayo to secure their release.
“I
have not been able to interview my clients since Saturday when they
were
arrested. Each time I get there police make all sorts of excuses to
ensure
that I do not get anywhere near them.
“I hope the matter will
be heard before end of business today,” said Garikai
yesterday.
The
four were part of the six NCA activists arrested in the city on Saturday
as
the police and the army cracked down on demonstrators who had gathered in
the
city centre for a nationwide mass protest organised by the civic
body.
They are likely to be charged for contravening a section of the
notorious
and internationally condemned Public Order and Security
Act.
Daily News
MDC activists charged with violating Posa
4/10/02
7:38:06 AM (GMT +2)
By Pedzisai Ruhanya Chief Reporter
GIFT
Konjana the MDC administrator for Mashonaland West province and two
other
party activists were last week charged with violating the notorious
Public
Order and Security Act (Posa) and remanded out of custody on $3 000
bail
each.
The Chinhoyi Magistrates’ Court remanded Konjana, Christine Zengeni
and
Peter Liwande to 12 April.
The State alleged that on 28 March 2002
a group of MDC youths marched in the
streets of Chinhoyi distributing cards
with “Mugabe Must Go” written on
them.
Konjana, Zengeni and Liwande
were picked by the police from their offices in
the town after security
agents failed to arrest the youths.
Konjana said: “The police said the
youths had disturbed the peace in the
city. When they failed to arrest our
youths they then arrested us. They said
as leaders we were supposed to
restrain the youths from distributing the
cards.”
Konjana is facing
two other public violence cases at the same court.
In March Konjana,
Silas Matamisa, the MDC chairman for Mashonaland West
province, and six party
youths on charges of public violence had their trial
postponed to 18
May.
Konjana and his colleagues were arrested in October last year on
charges of
assaulting Zanu PF supporters and the police in
Banket.
They were arrested and denied bail by the court and were released
after the
High Court ruled that they were entitled to their freedom, and the
court
proceedings should continue while they were out of custody.
In
another case, the police arrested Konjana in March and accused him
of
abducting Zanu PF supporters in the run-up to the presidential
election.
He appeared before the court, was granted $3 000 bail, and is
expected to
appear in court on 27 May.
Konjana denied all the charges
against him and alleged that the police were
harassing him because of his
affiliation to the MDC.
This is a resend. In addition to being part of a
National Policy on Black Rhino Conservation, it should be noted that there is in
existance a current Zimbabwe Investment Centre Agreement. International doners
have been helping develop the area. Benifits to the local community include
schools, churches, commercial enterprises, (at incredibly low rentals) the
construction of a large dam which would benifit downstream irrigation and more.
Ministers of Finance and Tourism appear helpless to act in any meaningful way.
Mr. Richard Pascal is prepared to be interviewed by
any media including television to fully explain the considerable implications
which are further detrimental to the success of our national development,
resulting from this latest invasion.
He may be contacted on cell 263 11 212 899, land
line 263 85 354. or e-mail pascallzw@yahoo.com
The madness continues. Can anyone explain why?
Why is this country being desimated? Words can not be found to describe the
anquish of so many caused by so few with such impunity. Victims are arrested
whilst perpertrators continue their criminal actions unabated with the apparent
blessings of the Government and law enforcement agencies. And let us not
forget the suffering of ordinary Zimbabweans who are continuously displaced,
murdered, tortured, raped, disposessed of their life's endeavours. All for
wanting to practice their basic human rights. This retribution must stop. Does
anyone out there in the world care? If you do please pass this on to as many
people as possible and lobby your MP, Senator or whoever your Government
representative is in whatever country you may be, to help return the rule of law
to our beautiful country.
Mike Lander
40 BLACK RHINO FACE POACHING ON GOURLAYS RANCH WHICH
IS AN OFFICIAL PART OF THE NATIONAL POLICY ON BLACK RHINO
CONSERVATION.
Ten black Rhino arrived on Gourlays Ranch in 1987, in a
Zimbabwe Government attempt to halt the extinction of the species. The animals
quickly adapted to their new home on 42 000 acres of natural habitat. They bred
at the highest rate of any rhino project on private game farms in the nation.
From 1987 to 2001, only one rhino died - this was of old age. The herd is rated
by some as the best in the country. Zoologists from the Center of Endangered
Species at the San Diego Zoo repeatedly visit the ranch to study the animals and
to donate funds for their protection.
In February 2000 supposed war veterans invaded the Gourlays
Ranch and many other farm properties across the country. They built their huts
where they pleased and the territorial rhino were forced to live in smaller
areas. The reduced habitat casuses fighting between the territoral bulls. A
few days ago one bull rhino died due to the stressed conditions.
Last week the war veterans invaded and barricaded the farm and
demanded the eviction of the family who have owned the land for 15 years. They
threatened to kill the family and all the employees and burn the buildings
unless the owners vacate the property within a week - Over the weekend they
intensified their demands and the family were forced to move off on saturday.
Mr Pascal was arrested and released on Monday.
The tragedy extends far beyond the family and the hundreds of
people who rely on the income generated by the ranch. The black rhino
face death by poaching. The loss of the rhino on one property will
push the world numbers closer to EXTINCTION. The gene pool will be extinguised
and as much as 10% of the black rhino in Zimbabwe will die - Its taken 15
years to get the numbers up and we are finally seeing progress - LETS KEEP IT
THAT WAY.
Pascal wrote "What started all of the nonsense is that we are
a black rhino conservancy. We have approximately 40 black rhino on the
property. Last year we had the vets come down from Harare due to the squatters
snaring the animals. A big bull died last week due to fighting as the animals
are now compressed into a small area and the bulls areas are overlapping. We
did what we were supposed to do according to the law and contacted a government
vet and National Parks. The vet came out to ascertain the cause of death and
National Parks collected the horn. The was on Sunday.. On Monday, all hell
broke loose as the squatters now decided that they own the rhino and they want
the trophy fee for these animals and we should have consulted with them prior to
calling the vet and National Parks."
The War Vets have also stopped the pumping of water for the
animals. They haven't had water since 25 March 2002.
We dare not sit by and let this happen!! Write to every group
and individual you know who have the welfare of the black rhino close to heart.
Contact your government representatives and ask for an interventiion of this
pending disaster. Together we can arouse the conscious of the world to see the
depth of the horror that will happen if the events in Zimbabwe
continue.
There is room for everyone in Zimbabwe, black, white and
WILDLIFE. It simply needs some committed people to take control of the
situation and and re-arrange the structure to everyone's benefit and
satisfaction. Its worth a try before its too late.
HELP
From The Star (SA), 8
April
Canada excludes Zimbabwe from trade
talks
After deliberately excluding Zimbabwe from a meeting of
Southern African leaders, Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien has held up the
possibility of greater access for African goods and services to developed
countries. Chretien said in Pretoria on Sunday that industrialised countries
would have to open their markets even more for African goods and services. "We
are busy preparing an action plan that we would introduce at the G8 summit."
President Thabo Mbeki warned that African countries that did not willingly join
the New Partnership for Africa's Development (Nepad) would be forced to abide by
its decisions. Chretien, whose country currently heads the G8 group of
industrialised countries and will host a G8 summit in Kananaskis, Canada, in
June, said he was impressed with Mbeki's undertaking that all countries would
have to be involved in the plan. He said it was in the continent's interests if
it wanted investment. "If you don't want to play the game, it's a
carrot-and-stick situation. We hope there would be a lot more carrots," Chretien
said. He added that conflict resolution was one of the key conditions that
Africa would have to address for investment to take place. "It is investment
that will solve problems in Africa, and if there is more growth, everyone will
benefit because we will sell more to Africa and they will sell more to us."
Mbeki said the introduction of Nepad was on track. "When we get to Canada we
will indeed be in position to take some concrete and specific decisions."
Nepad will be one of the main agenda points at the G8 summit,
and Chretien promised that other issues would not overshadow it, as was the case
at previous meetings. "We would not put aside the Africa file because there is a
problem in the Middle East," he said. After his meeting with Mbeki, Chretien was
quizzed about his position on Aids, as this was seen as a major stumbling block
to trade between South Africa and Canada. "We cannot put in a condition that
while you have a high level of Aids, we cannot help you. Part of the solution is
in creating the economic climate to deal with this problem," he said. Diplomatic
sources said the exclusion of Zimbabwe was evidence that Chretien was applying
the good-governance commitments that African countries would have to make to
participate in Nepad. Mbeki said rules regarding the peer review committee, an
apolitical watchdog to ensure good governance on the continent, would be defined
at a Nepad implementation committee meeting in June. In theory, failure to
adhere to principles of democratic, economic and politically sound governance
would see countries suffer economic exclusion from the fruits of Nepad. Chretien
is visiting South Africa as part of a tour to hear the views of Africans before
the draft Nepad action plan is submitted at Kananaskis.
Daily News
36 Zanu PF supporters arrested over looting
rampage
4/9/02 7:53:14 AM (GMT +2)
By Pedzisai
Ruhanya
THIRTY-SIX war veterans and Zanu PF supporters were arrested over
the
weekend after they looted property worth more than $17 million at
three
farms in Karoi where they have chased away more than 300 workers since
last
October.
The 36 culprits have been detained at Karoi police
station since their
arrest on Sunday.
An officer at Karoi police
station yesterday confirmed the arrests but
refused to give further details.
He said: “These people are in custody and
will appear in court on Tuesday.
For further details I refer you to our
Press officer in
Chinhoyi.”
Peter Donaldson of Mukuyu Farm yesterday said the war veterans
looted
property worth more than $3,5 million and chased away 270 workers
before
they occupied their houses. Donaldson said: “The war veterans took
away
fertiliser, compressors, maize and assaulted my workers before the
police
intervened to stop the theft on Sunday.”
Donaldson, who has
been on the farm since 1978, was given until Saturday to
leave his property
and by yesterday he had hired several vehicles to ferry
his property to a
safe place. “I hope to be out of this farm by Thursday
because my life is now
in danger,” he said.
Last Friday Donaldson was forced to sign a letter by
a war veteran leader
identified only as Dongrio agreeing to leave the farm by
Saturday.
The letter read: “The war veteran agrees that Donaldson be
allowed to pack
and remove all his property during the period of the date of
this document
and up until nightfall on Saturday 13 April 2002. The war
veteran further
agrees that this removal shall take place with no further
interference from
any veteran and settlers and the property will be guarded
by security
details.
“This agreement is signed by the parties involved
in the presence of Karoi
police.”
The war veterans also took away
welding machines and destroyed the water
system on the farm and closed his 16
lodges worth about $10 million.
Cathirina Pretorius of Toekons Farm was
also given a similar order. She said
all her 40 workers were chased away from
their households before the
settlers occupied them last
week.
Pretorius, 64, said property worth more than $7,5 million was
looted over
the weekend. She said: “They stole furniture, clothes, tractor
wheels and
everything in the workshop, and I am now packing what has been
left.”
Heather Flight of Lanlory Farm in the same area yesterday hired
102 trucks
to remove her property, including tobacco bales, before the
Saturday
deadline set by the war veterans.
Flight said four new beds
and seven sheep were looted while 55 of her 60
workers were evicted by seven
war veterans who descended on the farm over
the weekend.
Her husband
Andrew said: “On all these three farms property worth over $17,4
million was
looted. I am yet to calculate the loss at my farm which runs
into millions of
dollars.”
Daily News
Police investigate former ZBC boss
4/9/02 8:01:54 AM
(GMT +2)
Staff Reporter
THE police in Harare have launched
investigations into allegations of
homosexuality levelled against Alum Mpofu,
the former chief executive
officer of the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation
(ZBC), who resigned in
disgrace last week following revelations that he was
caught while being
intimate with another man at a popular Harare
club.
As the investigations began last week, five employees of
Tipperary’s
nightclub where the incident took place, were summoned to the
offices of the
Criminal Investigations Department (CID) in Harare on separate
occasions for
questioning.
Pearson Mbalekwa, the owner of the
nightclub, confirmed that some of his
employees had indeed been questioned by
the police.
Mbalekwa, the MP for Zvishavane, said: “I am aware that some
of my employees
were summoned to the CID to give statements but I have not
had the
opportunity to talk to them. I have not shown any interest in
the
investigations because the police case has nothing to do with
me.”
Meanwhile, police sources said the investigations would spread to
the ZBC
where some employees are alleged to have been employed by Mpofu
under
unclear circumstances.
A police source said: “We have
information that some of the employees at ZBC
were hired irregularly and the
police have reason to believe that some of
them could have been linked to
Mpofu. We will get to the bottom of the issue
and all those involved will be
investigated.”
Daily News
Mpofu gay and foreign?
4/9/02 7:51:00 AM (GMT
+2)
By Lloyd Mudiwa
DISGRACED former Zimbabwe Broadcasting
Corporation (ZBC) boss, Alum Mpofu,
continues to be dogged by self-inflicted
misfortune.
It now turns out that while he was head of that
self-proclaimed icon of
patriotism, ZBC, he may have been the holder of dual
citizenship.
Unless Mpofu renounced his South African citizenship by 6
January this year,
he may have been a citizen of that country at the time he
resigned from the
ZBC last week, having forfeited his Zimbabwean citizenship
by not renouncing
his dual citizenship.
Under the Citizenship
Amendment Act, a person loses his Zimbabwean
citizenship if he fails to
renounce the right and claim to any foreign
citizenship.
Mpofu
resigned from his job as the public broadcaster’s chief executive
officer in
disgrace on Wednesday last week after he was caught red-handed
while
allegedly in the middle of a homosexual act in a Harare nightclub.
The
Gays and Lesbians’ Association of Zimbabwe immediately attacked Mpofu
for
having failed to use his position to champion the interests of Zimbabwe’
s
gay community.
Mpofu applied for a job with an organisation in Namibia
just before he
landed the top job at ZBC in July last year.
In the
curriculum vitae (CV) that he submitted to the Windhoek-based
organisation he
gave a South African national identity card number, 580225
5240 18
0.
A second CV that he submitted with his application for the ZBC’s top
job,
however, contained different registration particulars.
When he
applied for the ZBC job Mpofu submitted on 13 June 2001 a slightly
modified
CV to Dr Gideon Gono, the ZBC’s board chairman. In his application
to ZBC the
national identity card number had been altered to 67-040905 Y03,
which is
Zimbabwean.
The Daily News sent a fax to Mpofu hours before he announced
his resignation
from ZBC to request him to shed light on what appeared to be
a case of dual
or South African citizenship, both of which are illegal for a
Zimbabwean. To
date there has been no response from Mpofu.
Meanwhile,
the secretary for Jonathan Moyo, the Minister of Information and
Publicity,
said Moyo was engaged in talks between Zanu PF and MDC and was
not available
to comment.
Efforts to seek clarification from the South African High
Commission on
Mpofu’s citizenship of that country also failed
yesterday.
When he applied for the Windhoek and Harare jobs, Mpofu lived
in
Johannesburg. In the CV submitted to ZBC his address is given as Number
4
R/Teak Avenue, Heuweloord Extension 3 in Centurion Park.
Curiously,
in the CV submitted to Windhoek, Mpofu’s address is furnished in
greater
detail as Number 4 Rhodesian Teak Avenue.
Daily News
Zanu PF orders all suspected MDC supporters to leave
Guruve, Rusape
4/9/02 7:59:56 AM (GMT +2)
Staff
Reporter
ZANU PF has compiled a list of suspected MDC supporters in
Rusape and Guruve
and has ordered them to leave the two towns.
In
Rusape, Agritex officer Regis Mugore was last Friday ordered to stop
reading
The Daily News. War veterans and Zanu PF supporters in the town say
the paper
is allegedly biased against the government. The paper has,
therefore, been
banned in Rusape.
The senior distribution electrician at the Zimbabwe
Electricity Supply
Authority (ZESA), Zivanayi Ziwengwa was given until the
end of this month to
leave Rusape because of his alleged anti-Zanu PF
comments.
In a show of resolve against Mugore, the war veterans
leadership and their
counterparts in the district land committee repossessed
the 15-hectare plot
allocated to him during the fast-track land
redistribution programme.
Mugore said: “I am not in a position to discuss
this issue. It is a
sensitive matter.”
Ziwengwa was off duty
yesterday.
Sources at ZESA said Ziwengwa was not involved in any party
politics.
“Zivanayi is a respectable person,” said a source at ZESA. “He
does not talk
party politics here. The threats by Zanu PF supporters have
really
frightened him. He is worried.”
The compilation of the list of
targeted people in the civil service and
companies in the town was reportedly
being instigated by Didymus Mutasa, the
Member of Parliament for Makoni North
and Zanu PF secretary for external
affairs in the politburo.
This was
done at a meeting allegedly held at Mutasa’s residence attended by
Obert
Muzawazi, the secretary for Rusape Town Council, Nathaniel Mhiripiri,
the
Zanu PF district co-ordinating committee chairman, and executive members
of
the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans’ Association
(ZNLWVA),
including Retired Major James Kaunye, the chairman.
Mutasa
denied the allegations against him.
He said no such meeting between him,
and any of those mentioned ever took
place anywhere.
“This is news to
me,” he said.
“I cannot say it is not happening. I do not encourage, it
neither do I
discourage it. If anyone has been ordered to go away, we will
say goodbye
but l do not know of anybody. At each home, neighbours know each
other’s
activities. These are the people who can order another to go. I know
it is
happening in some areas. The only problem is that we only hear about
it
after it has happened.”
He said Noah Gwidzima, a war veteran from
Mayo was allegedly stabbed to
death by a suspected MDC supporter and was
buried on Saturday.
According to Mutasa, Gwidzima could have been
involved in ordering suspected
MDC supporters out of the villages soon after
the presidential election.
Mutasa is on record as declaring Rusape and
Makoni district Zanu PF
strongholds and suspected MDC supporters unwelcome
under his “Operation
Chinyavada”, an exercise to clear the area of MDC
activists.
Meanwhile, at Mwando village, Kachuta District in Guruve two
houses
belonging to Tenmore N’andu, a headman and Isaiah Chimusasa were burnt
down
by suspected war veterans late on Friday.
Wicklord Manyimwa, 24,
of Guruve, who was a polling agent during the
presidential election said most
MDC supporters in the area had fled their
homes due to harassment by Zanu PF
supporters.
“Zanu PF youths from the Border Gezi Training Centre camped
at Kachuta Rural
District Council offices are visiting homes of listed MDC
supporters under
cover of darkness. Since the election, it has been difficult
for us to move
freely. Even going to the shops has become dangerous.”
Manyimwa said.
He said all known and suspected MDC supporters had been
ordered to leave or
face elimination.