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Mugabe's Return Raises Concerns for
Zimbabwe
April 14, 2012
Photo: Reuters
Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe (R) is greeted by
Vice President Joice Mujuru (L) after a trip to Singapore that had ignited
speculation the veteran leader was seriously ill, as he returns home to Harare,
Zimbabwe, April 12, 2012.
With Zimbabwean
President Robert Mugabe back in government action this week following media
reports he was severely ill, analysts and opposition activists now worry for
Zimbabwe, which they say is further unraveling under his rule.
Mugabe -
in power since the 1980s - is now in a rush to have a promised constitutional
reform finished and new elections held as soon as possible.
Steve
McDonald, the Africa director at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for
Scholars in Washington, said he believes poor health is guiding the president's
survival strategies.
"His health is flagging. He may be concerned about
his longevity, his mortality and wants to unfold this very quickly," he
said.
The chairman of the U.S. chapter of Zimbabwe's Movement for
Democratic Change [MDC], Den Moyo, agreed.
"It clearly has got to do with
his health as he knows that he still wants to run for the presidency, and that
with his deteriorating health that might not be possible if the elections are
not held this year," said Moyo.
Moyo fears the upcoming elections will be
even worse than the last cycle in 2008, when they were marred by violence and
rigging, even as the MDC ended up winning more lower-house parliamentary seats
than Mugabe’s ZANU-PF party.
"ZANU-PF now knows the power that MDC is
commanding among the Zimbabwean voters and therefore they will go all out to
ensure that they are not only going to do whatever it takes to rig the
elections, but they are going to do whatever it takes to intimidate the voters
through violence," said Moyo.
Todd Moss, a senior fellow at the Center
for Global Development in Washington, said Mugabe is relying on a small group of
military officials who, in his words, "squelch out" any challenge to their hold
on political and economic power.
Moss worries about Zimbabwe's black
empowerment ministry's recent announcement to give the government majority
ownership of all foreign-owned mining companies.
"The opportunities for
stealing from the country and handing out to cronies as part of ZANU-PF's
patronage network, they have mostly been depleted now so they are going after
the few remaining businesses that are out there, and really the mining companies
are the last big prizes out there," said Moss.
The Wilson Center expert,
McDonald, who said he was a big Mugabe admirer when he emerged as Zimbabwe’s
leader, said what he views as a tragic turn of events continues.
"I never
saw this coming. What began to happen toward the end of the 1980s, but
particularly when the mid-90s rolled along and this last decade has just been
horrific," said McDonald.
Many analysts blame Zimbabwe's economic decline
on Mugabe's land reform policy, which confiscated and redistributed white-owned
commercial farmland.
The 88-year-old president has defended his policies,
as well as his ongoing rule, saying he refuses to bow to outside interference
and agendas.
This week, Zimbabwe's information ministry blamed Western
media for spreading "false rumors" about his health.
Under a
regionally-brokered power-sharing deal between the ZANU-PF and the MDC, Zimbabwe
needs to have a new constitution approved before new elections can be
held.
President Mugabe's 2012 Election Gambit Faces More Daunting
Hurdles
http://www.voanews.com/
13 April
2012
Blessing Zulu | Washington
Calls by Zimbabwean
President Robert Mugabe and his ZANU-PF party for
elections this year
continue to run into hurdles, with opposition parties -
backed by South
Africa - uniting in their insistence for democratic reforms
first.
The National Council of the Movement for Democratic Change
formation of
Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai met on Thursday and reiterated
that Mugabe
cannot unilaterally call the vote without consulting other
parties in the
rickety government of national unity.
Smaller parties
such as Zapu and Mavambo/Kusile/Dawn have also joined ranks
with the MDC in
calling for major reforms before any polls are held.
Regional powerhouse,
South Africa - the Southern African Development
Community’s appointed
mediator in Harare - has also called for a raft of
changes, including a
clear election roadmap, a revised voter register and an
end to
violence.
On its part, the Tsvangirai MDC said on Thursday that
liberalization of the
media, security and electoral reforms are needed in
the country to enable a
democratic election without violence, intimidation
and voter fraud.
But the party expressed frustration at the slow pace
with which SADC is
moving to appoint three officials to work with the Joint
Monitoring and
Implementation Committee in policing the Global Political
Agreement and
related issues.
Party spokesman, Douglas Mwonzora said
the holding of polls is subject to
the ironing out of outstanding issues,
including the installation of a new
democratic constitution.
Some
analysts have argued that South African President Jacob Zuma is
currently
too pre-occupied with internal squabbles in his African National
Congress
party such that the Zimbabwean crisis is no longer his priority.
But Mr.
Zuma’s facilitator in Harare and international relations adviser,
Lindiwe
Zulu, emphasized the need for fundamental reforms, telling VOA
reporter
Blessing Zulu that Zimbabwe remains top on her boss’ agenda.
ZANU-PF
officials have over the past accused Zulu of meddling in the
country's
politics, for insisting on reforms and compromise in efforts to
navigate the
troubled country towards a lasting solution.
And true to form, party
spokesman Rugare Gumbo dismissed Zulu’s remarks on
Friday, saying that
Zimbabwe is a sovereign state that should be left to
make its own
decisions.
Political commentator and director of the Bulawayo-based civic
group,
Habakkuk Trust, Dumisani Nkomo told VOA that Mr. Mugabe may not
prevail
against the overwhelming opposition to a vote without reforms.
ZANU-PF
under threat
http://www.financialgazette.co.zw
Thursday, 12 April 2012 18:19
Njabulo Ncube and Tinashe
Madava, Staff Reporters
ZIMBABWE’S proposed new constitution threatens to
wreck President Robert
Mugabe’s faction-riddled ZANU PF, which has thrived
on tribal and regional
shenanigans to preserve the Unity Accord signed with
the late vice-president
Joshua Nkomo’s PF ZAPU in 1987. While critics argue
the Unity Accord, signed
to end bloodletting in the Matabeleland and parts
of the Midlands provinces,
was a paper tiger, ZANU-PF has clung to the
agreement in a desperate bid to
curtail the disaffection of the electorate
in the two provinces where it has
significantly lost ground to its
opponents.
Now, the unity deal faces an unyielding danger from the planned
new
constitution, which is likely to reverse a number of concessions made
between ZANU-PF and PF ZAPU under a power-sharing agreement that saw the
latter’s members joining ZANU-PF and abandoning their cherished party
brand.
It has emerged that unsettled members of the former revolutionary
party,
particularly its hawkish elites, are now scrambling to establish a
foothold
in the constitution-making process in order to determine its
trajectory.
But sources indicated this was likely to be a difficult task
given that the
other two parties in the inclusive government, formed under a
so-called
Global Political Agreement, have an overbearing influence on the
Constitutional Parliamentary Select Committee (COPAC), which is spearheading
the constitution-making process.
In fact, the combined Movement for
Democratic Change (MDC) formations enjoy
a numerical advantage in COPAC over
ZANU-PF.
Specifically, the former liberation war party, which signed a unity
pact
with the late Nkomo’s PF ZAPU about 25 years ago — bringing to an end
bloodletting political disturbances in Matabeleland and some parts of the
Midlands provinces — is worried about the likelihood of the new constitution
doing away with the two vice-presidents (VPs) rule, the presidential
appointment of service chiefs as well as bringing on board devolution of
power.
Since the singing of the Unity Accord, one of the two VPs has
always come
from the former PF ZAPU as is the current case with
Vice-President John
Nkomo who stepped into the shoes of the late Joseph
Msika.
The late VP Msika replaced the late Father Zimbabwe, Nkomo, who
succumbed to
prostate cancer in July 2001, in accordance with the Unity
Accord.
But if the draft constitution is adopted in its present form after
the
referendum, it would bring to an end this arrangement which has ensured
that
former ZAPU and ZIPRA cadres were accommodated in the ZANU-PF
administration
for the past two and half decades.
There are also jitters
in ZANU-PF over the clause on the appointment of
service chiefs under the
proposed new constitution.
Under the proposed new supreme law of the land,
the appointments of services
chiefs would no longer be done by the
President, but by an appropriate
commission set up by Parliament.
The
appointed service chiefs, under the draft, would serve a maximum of 10
years, paving the way for new appointees.
Prime Minister Morgan
Tsvangirai's MDC-T formation accuses the present
service chiefs of being
partisan, arguing that they have explicitly declared
their allegiance to
ZANU-PF.
But ZANU-PF insiders have alleged that the appointment of services
chiefs by
an independent body would weaken the security sector, hence, the
party's
vehement opposition to the draft constitution, whose completion was
expected
this week.
In recognition of the Unity Accord, President Mugabe
usually plays a
balancing act by selecting service chiefs from both ZANLA
and ZIPRA, the
former military wings of the two liberation parties.
There
is concern that if the appointments were left to an independent
commission,
war veterans, an integral component of ZANU-PF politics, were
likely to be
sidelined, a move that might create problems for the party's
leadership.
Devolution of power, which COPAC says has been partially
completed as the
three parties agreed that the majority of the people want
it, is also
unsettling the party.
President Mugabe has reportedly spoken
out against this type of government
system, which sources claim would make
it difficult for ZANU-PF to maintain
its hegemony in Zimbabwe's tribal and
regional politics.
However, there is yet to be a structure of the devolved
state of the
provincial government.
But sources maintained this week that
these three issues had combined to
make ZANU-PF hardliners moot moving a
motion to reject the new constitution
when it is brought before a
referendum, possible in September this year.
ZANU-PF spokesman, Rugare Gumbo,
on Wednesday told The Financial Gazette
that his party would declare a
stalemate if the three issues are not dealt
with according to their
wishes.
Gumbo admitted that his party position was aimed at preserving the
1987
Unity Accord signed with PF ZAPU.
"Yes, it is partly to preserve the
Unity Accord but also, during the Kariba
Draft, these people (MDCs) agreed
to these issues, now they are changing. We
can't have that," charged the
ZANU-PF spokesperson.
He hinted that devolution of power would not see the
light of the day and
that the posts of the two VPs must be
maintained.
"We have said there is no way devolution will come into play. We
have a
central government and it must remain that way. Our position on the
vice-presidents' posts is that we maintain the two VPs. Appointment of the
security chiefs is done by the President," said Gumbo.
He declared that
if the ZANU-PF position is not taken into account, a
stalemate would have to
be declared and elections called for under the
current Lancaster House
Constitution as indicated by President Mugabe.
MDC-T spokesman, Douglas
Mwonzora, said ZANU-PF was running scared, claiming
it was getting
increasingly clear that the peoples' views were contrary to
what ZANU-PF
expected in the draft, hence, the opposition to the two issues.
"The MDC is
pleased to note that most of the issues that came out of the
public outreach
are contained in the draft constitution after months of
misunderstandings,"
said Mwonzora.
He added that it was not surprising that the MDCs' "triumph"
has riled
ZANU-PF to "the extent that the party feels betrayed by the
members it
seconded to COPAC".
Political analyst, Charles Mangogera,
said: "Obviously, if the draft settles
for one vice-president, that would
present political headaches for ZANU-PF
in terms of dealing with the
internal dynamics of the Unity Accord. This is
a perfect example of the
pitfalls of fusing national institutions with party
institutions."
In a
sign ZANU-PF is determined to scuttle devolution in the new
constitution, a
ZAPU official in Umguza was "arrested" by war veterans and
handed over to
the police for distributing flyers calling for the rejection
of a
constitution that does now include devolution.
COPAC is on record saying the
issue of devolution of power came from the
people and, hence, it has been
included in their draft.
MDC-T
Appeals For SADC Help
http://www.radiovop.com
Harare, April 14, 2012 -Prime Minister Morgan
Tsvangirai’s formation of the
Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) says the
Southern African Development
Community (SADC) should urgently appoint the
proposed three-member committee
to work with the Joint Monitoring and
Implementation Committee (JOMIC),
citing the slow pace of the implementation
of the Global Political Agreement
(GPA).
At its Maputo Sadc meeting
last year, regional leaders resolved that a
three-member committee drawn
from the SADC Troika be seconded to Zimbabwe to
help JOMIC. But the
appointment of the team has been stalled largely due
alleged Zanu-PF’s
intransigence, nearly a year after the SADC
recommendation.
After the
meeting of the MDC-T national council on Friday, the MDC said in a
statement, SADC should move with speed to appoint the three-member team to
assist JOMIC which presently is inundated with complains regarding the
resurgence of political violence in the country.
“The Party notes the
slow pace of movement and urges SADC to urgently
appoint the three person
committee from the SADC Organ Troika to work with
Jomic and also to ensure
that dialogue on the roadmap is concluded,” reads
part of the MDC-T
resolutions.
It further expressed its disappointment with the slow and
the
non-implementation of the GPA, the post Maputo agreement and agreed
portions
of the roadmap and the Review Document and urges the urgent
creation of an
implementation and oversight mechanism, insidegovernment and
within SADC.
Tsvangirai’s party, however, said it appreciated the role of
all SADC
leaders in finding sustainable solutions to the Zimbabwe crisis
particularly
President Zuma and his facilitation team for remaining engaged
with the
crisis in Zimbabwe.
‘Zanu
PF ready for land audit’
http://www.dailynews.co.zw
Written by Bridget Mananavire, Staff
Writer
Saturday, 14 April 2012 12:18
HARARE - Zanu PF secretary
for lands Ignatius Chombo says his party is ready
for a land audit, although
it has previously shown reluctance to use funds
availed by the European
Union (EU) to bankroll the programme.
Chombo yesterday said his party was
willing to embark on a land audit but
was waiting for government to release
funds.
“As soon as we get the money, the audit will begin,” Chombo
said.
The planned land audit is supposed to address the issue of multiple
farm
ownership by Zanu PF top officials who took over farms from white
farmers
under the chaotic land reform spearheaded by war veterans and party
foot
soldiers.
According to the Commercial Farmers Union (CFU),
President Robert Mugabe and
his inner circle allocated themselves more than
two farms each while the
populace was left to suffer without
accommodation.
As part of the Global Political Agreement concessions,
Zanu PF and the two
MDC formations agreed to conduct a land audit to solve
the issue of multiple
farm ownership.
But since the 2008 political
settlement, Zanu PF has been dragging its feet
accusing the MDC of trying to
use the land audit for witch-hunting.
Chombo took the opportunity to
blame travel restrictions imposed by Europe
on Mugabe and his cronies over
allegations of human rights abuses for the
poor performance of people
resettled under the land reform programme.
The European Commission in
Zimbabwe said the block was ready to fund an
“inclusive, transparent and
comprehensive land audit” but said no one had
come forward to claim the $31
million it had offered.
Relations between Zimbabwe and the international
community soured after the
EU accused Mugabe of human rights abuses,
electoral theft and embarking on a
“ruthless land grab.”
However,
Chombo denied that he and his colleagues had more than one farm
each saying
the accusations are just a ploy by coalition partners to
discredit the land
reform.
“No one has more than one farm. Previous audits have proved
that.
“The allegations are a result of our opposition who feel they
should oppose
everything,” he said.
Despite Chombo’s denial, the CFU
claims that Mugabe and his wife Grace, now
own 14 farms, at least 16 000
hectares in size.
Former Zimbabwe Finance Minister Makoni Puts Mugabe, Tsvangirai on
Notice
http://www.voanews.com
13 April
2012
Violet Gonda | Washington
Zimbabwe's former finance
minister and Mavambo/Kusile/Dawn party leader,
Simba Makoni, has warned
President Robert Mugabe that he’s in for a rude
awakening in the country's
next elections.
The warning followed statements by President Mugabe
repeating his long-held
view that his former protégé has no support base in
the country. Makoni also
put Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and his MDC
formation on notice.
Mr. Mugabe told a meeting of his ZANU-PF Central
Committee recently that he
once asked Makoni if he had any following, and
replied that “people will
support me because I’m Simba Makoni.”
But
Makoni told VOA Mr. Mugabe was recalling a conversation he had with him
four
years ago when he had no party and no way of measuring the support he
had in
the country.
The opposition leader insists the situation is different
today and that he
has become a force to reckon with.
“It just shows
that President Mugabe lives in the past,” said Makoni, adding
that he is
leading a young vibrant and growing party. Those dismissing him
can only do
so at their own peril, he said.
The former Southern Africa Development
Community executive secretary also
took a swipe at Mr. Tsvangirai, charging
that he has lost touch since
joining the coalition government.
“He
had a strong support base but it’s weakening. So all political
contestants
at the next elections will have a rude awakening,” said Makoni.
“We are
bringing values and a vision that no other political player is
offering in
Zimbabwe at the moment.”
But political analyst, Rejoice Ngwenya differed
with Makoni. He said the
former finance minister has failed to market his
brand in the country.
“Simba Makoni’s organization has proven that it has
no staying power because
he has been having problems with his structures and
office bearers,” said
Ngwenya.
“I don’t even see the Mavambo brand
anywhere. We only hear about Makoni
saying something but there is nothing on
the ground, not even any
paraphernalia on that has Makoni. I think he is
involved in self-delusion.”
Tsvangirai
barred by police
http://www.zimdiaspora.com/
Saturday, 14 April 2012 08:59
Police denied Prime
Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and members of the Save
Zimbabwe Campaign (SCZ)
permission to commemorate the death of MDC-T
activist Gift Tandare who was
shot dead by police in 2007.
Tandare was killed while Tsvangirai and
other members of the civic society
were severely beaten up by anti-riot
police for organising a prayer meeting
at Zimbabwe Grounds.
SCZ is a
group of civic society groups that include Christian Alliance,
National
Constitutional Assembly (NCA), the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade
Unions, Zinasu
and MDC-T.
It had scheduled the memorial for the Zimbabwe Grounds in
Highfield today.
MDC-T spokesperson Douglas Mwonzora confirmed police had
denied them
permissions, claiming they would be busy with Independence Day
celebrations.
Police spokesperson Inspector James Sabau said they were
treating SZC with
suspicion as they now believe the group had other
motives.
“They applied to hold the commemoration on March 31 but they did
not do
that,” he said.
“We did not deny them (permission) but they
gave us a four day notice
instead of the required five days.
“These
people applied to hold their rally on March 31 and they were granted
authority.
“After that they didn’t hold that commemoration and never
notified the
police, then on April 10 they went with the letter dated March
31 saying
they will gather on the 14th of April giving the police a four-day
notice.”
This is not the first time Tsvangirai and members of his party
have been
barred from holding meetings or rallies.
Last year,
Tsvangirai was denied permission to address people at Zimbabwe
Grounds and
at one time Zanu PF youths said they had booked the stadium for
a football
tournament.
MDC-T organising secretary Nelson Chamisa was recently barred
from
addressing a gathering in Ruwa as police said they were booked for a
match
between Dynamos and Motor Action at the National Sports
Stadium.
Mbare MP Piniel Denga and Southerton MP Gift Chimanikire
recently complained
that it was becoming increasingly difficult for the
MDC-T to organise
meetings in the city. Newsday
5 provinces
to be declared disaster areas
http://www.herald.co.zw
Saturday, 14 April 2012
00:00
Takunda Maodza in Zvishavane
CABINET has resolved to
declare five provinces hit by drought national
disaster areas, Prime
Minister Morgan Tsvangirai said
yesterday.
The PM made the remarks at
Maglas Stadium during commemorations to mark
World Health Day.
The
commemorations are running under the theme: “Ageing and Health. Good
Health
Adds Life to Years.”
Zimbabwe is facing a food deficit of almost one million
tonnes as a result
of poor rains experienced this farming season.
“There
are problems here in Zvishavane. The first one being food shortages,”
said
PM Tsvangirai.
“As I was coming here, I noticed along the way that there are
food
challenges. Government yesterday in Cabinet resolved to declare certain
provinces disaster areas.
“These are Manicaland, Masvingo, Midlands,
Matabeleland North and
Matabeleland South.”
PM Tsvangirai said Government
will ensure that no person starved.
“We want people to have food so that
they do not die of hunger,” he said.
“We have food in the strategic grain
reserves and what is left is for it to
be ferried to those areas (which
experienced drought).”
Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development
Minister Joseph Made
on Thursday said Zimbabwe will suffer food shortages as
a result of drought.
“Forty five percent of maize that was planted this
season is a write-off,”
said Minister Made.
He said the country had 600
000 tonnes of maize in stocks but these needed
to be complemented by
imports.
The country consumes 2,2 million tonnes of maize annually.
PM
Tsvangirai said the closure of Shabanie-Mashava Mines was a major concern
for Government and assured residents that efforts were underway to revive
the asbestos mines.
“We are at a mine, this mine of Zvishavane whose
closure has caused
destitution to families that used to work here,” he
said.
“I want to assure you that Government wants the mine to be reopened.
This is
the only asbestos mine and we are also concerned with the welfare of
workers.”
Government, through its mining arm the Zimbabwe Mining
Development
Corporation, took over the Shabanie-Mashava Mines in a bid to
revive their
operations.
ZMDC has since started paying workers part of
their outstanding salaries.
But Government efforts to revive operations at
the asbestos mines are being
frustrated by businessman Mr Mutumwa Mawere who
is challenging the takeover
in the courts.
Mr Mawere argues that the
mines belong to him and blames their collapse on
the Government.
PM
Tsvangirai condemned the Government’s indigenisation and empowerment
programme, declaring that he will not support any policy he claimed was
destroying employment.
“It would be remiss of me to leave this podium
without addressing the sad
loss of jobs in this town,” he said.
“While
Mimosa and other mines have accommodated some workers made redundant
by the
closure of Shabanie-Mashava Mines, job creation is imperative in this
town.
“My priority as your Prime Minister is job creation. Jobs, jobs,
jobs must
be the watchword for any caring government, unfortunately policy
discord has
resulted in shrinkage of job opportunities rather than their
expansion.
“Any policy that destroys jobs and investment prospects will not
have my
support.
But any policy that creates jobs is good for the people
of Zimbabwe.”
Police blitz on MDC members intensifies
Saturday, 14 April 2012
Nomathemba Ndlovu, the MDC
Matabeleland South Women’s Assembly chairperson, was yesterday arrested in
Gwanda while distributing the Prime Minister’s newsletter in the
town.
Ndlovu is being charged under the draconian Public Order and
Security Act (POSA).
Reports from Gwanda say Ndlovu was distributing the
newsletter and was summoned to Gwanda Police Station by one Assistant Inspector
Machingura. She was immediately arrested upon her arrival at the station.
At the time of writing, Ndlovu’s lawyer was still trying to secure her
release.
Police have intensified their persecution of MDC members in
recent weeks. This week, police in Gweru arrested Abisha Nyanguwo, MDC Chief of
Staff for frivolous charges bombing Zanu PF Gweru offices in December 2011. He
appeared before a Gweru Magistrate and was given an outrageous $500
bail.
The harassment of MDC members is meant to cow them by a panicking
Zanu PF ahead of the next elections.
The people’s struggle for real
change: Let’s finish it.
--
MDC Information
& Publicity Department
African
Leaders Find Solace in Foreign Health Care As Ordinary Citizens
Suffer
http://www.radiovop.com
Harare, April 14, 2012 - While President Robert Mugabe has
managed to fly to
Singapore and other Far East countries several times for
medical checkups,
local health facilities continue to
deteriorate.
Statistics from Zimbabwe's health officials reveal that
about 100 children
are dying every day after succumbing to different
diseases. Neo-natal
causes are and still remain the leading cause of death
among children under
five years of age in Zimbabwe.
Zimbabwe's health
system which used to be the best in Africa has completely
collapsed over the
years of misrule by President Mugabe, forcing the 88 year
old leader to
frequently travel to Asia to seek medical treatment.
According to the
2010 Global Systematic Analysis of National Causes of Child
Mortality
report: At least 100 children are dying every day in Zimbabwe
after
succumbing to different diseases while neonatal diseases are the
leading
causes of death in children under five years of age.
The report
shockingly reveals that around 10,758 newborns die each year in
Zimbabwe,
primarily due to three major causes: preterm delivery (37 per
cent),asphyxia
(27 per cent) and infection (19 per cent).
Several international
organisations have helped ease the crisis through
financial donations into
the health sector either directly to the government
or indirectly via
international health institutions for transparency
reasons. Absolute Return
for Kids (ARK) is one such organisation with their
US$431 000 financial
support for new born health care for Zimbabwe to
UNICEF.
Speaking
during a signing ceremony of the US$431,210 Dr Gibson Mhlanga the
principal
director for Preventative Services in the Ministry of Health and
Child
Welfare bemoaned lack of basic equipment as the major cause of the
deaths.
“There is a shortage of basic equipment and basic skills to
ensure that we
do not lose any of our babies, partly due to brain drain but
also because in
terms of numbers the workers that we have on the ground are
still way below
our expectations,” said Mhlanga.
UNICEF Country
Representative Dr Peter Salama concurred with Mhlanga saying
the deaths
rates could be lowered.
“We are talking about things that are quite
simple to prevent, quite simple
for even a basically trained health worker
to do. We are talking about
warming the baby so these are simple things
basic equipment required, basic
training required and we can work together
to prevent the loose of life.”
In Zimbabwe, most of the delivery rooms
and maternity wards at major and
government run health centres and district
hospitals have limited capacity
to provide optimal newborn care immediately
after birth.
The few delivery rooms or maternity wards that are currently
practicing
essential newborn care are gravely limited by lack of the
necessary supplies
and lack of well trained health workers.
The one
year project to be implemented in 20 district hospitals in Zimbabwe
will
ensure that every newborn baby has access to Essential Newborn Care and
neonatal basic life support immediately after birth.
“Absolute Return
for kids is happy to collaborate with the Inclusive
Government and UNICEF to
scale up efforts to save the lives of newborns in
Zimbabwe,” said Absolute
Return for Kids managing director, Mr Chris Abani.
The Study of Maternal
Mortality (2007) says nearly half of neonatal deaths
(that is occurring in
the first 28 days of life) were caused by preterm (49,
1%), followed by
intra partum asphyxia (20,3%), infection (18%) and multiple
pregnancy
(6%).
President Mugabe is not alone on the continent among leaders who
resort to
medical attention abroad; the late Nigerian President Umaru
Yar’Adua spent
most of his last days abroad for medical reasons. Former
Tanzanian
President , Benjamin Mkapa, after having been involved in an auto
accident
in 2008 while, former Ghanaian President John Kufour flew abroad
for a
thorough medical check-up.
Recently, the late Malawian
President Bingu wa Mutharika had to be flown to
South Africa after suffering
a cardiac arrest. And the list is endless.
Ministers
clash over power cuts
http://www.financialgazette.co.zw/
Thursday, 12 April 2012 18:15
Shame Makoshori,
Senior Business Reporter
AGGRESSIVE power disconnections by cash-strapped
power utility, ZESA
Holdings, has sparked intense bickering in government
amid revelations
ZANU-PF and the two formations of the Movement for
Democratic Change (MDC)
are at odds over the issue.
This week,
Agriculture, Mechanis-ation and Irrigation Development Minister,
Joseph
Made, a member of ZANU-PF lashed out at his MDC colleagues for
supporting
the disconnection of power particularly to farmers.
A fuming Made said the
arbitrary power cuts had “decimated” crops, a few
hours after Energy and
Power Development Minister, Elton Mang-oma, an MDC-T
legislator, had
declared that the debt-ridden electricity generator and
distributor would
escalate power cuts.
The clashes highlighted sharp policy inconsistencies in
the fractured
power-sharing administration formed in 2009, which has
disagreed on almost
everything initially agreed in the Global Political
Agreement, the founding
pact of the unity government.
Policy
inconsistencies have become the biggest hurdles against foreign
direct
investment into Zimbabwe, and the smooth flow of government business.
Last
week, Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai had to reassure investors that
their
enterprises would be safe after Empowerment Minister, Saviour
Kasukuwere,
announced a forced takeover of foreign-controlled mines that had
failed to
comply with a controversial law forcing them to sell 51 percent of
their
shares to locals.
Kasukuwere had declared that profits accruing to the 51
percent expropriated
by government must be remitted into State coffers and
threatened to
prosecute “defrauding” investors.
At a business conference
in Harare, Made, who complained about high power
tariffs and a payment
system unfavourable to farmers, said the extent of
power cuts had killed
agriculture. Farming is among the four sectors
expected to spearhead the
recovery of Zimbabwe’s fragile economy.
At least 700 000 hectares of maize
has been written-off this season due to
poor planning.
“Agriculture is a
real life science,” Made told the conference organised by
Buy
Zimbabwe.
“If you switch off (electricity from) the plants and animals they
will die.
Our farmers used to pay for electricity bills through a stop order
system.
That is why there were marketing boards like the Dairy Marketing
Board and
the Cotton Marketing Board where the stop orders were effected.
The
agriculture industry used to pay electricity bills once or twice a year.
You
can sustain a power bill of US$700 per hectare. So when you see the
farmer
asking for an arm and a leg for his crops, or if they say we will not
produce don’t cry,” said the agriculture minister.
He said power tariffs
had gone up by about 55 percent since 2009.
“I want you to show me the crops
that clearly show 55 percent extra
earnings. The total write-off of maize is
700 000 hectares this year. The
key and critical sector in our case
(agriculture) is electricity,” said the
Minister.
Made spoke as Mangoma,
who has been under tremendous pressure to settle part
of a US$76 million
debt owed to Mozambican power giant, Hydro Cahora Bassa
(HCB) to enable the
resumption of constant power supplies from that country,
had told the State
media on Wednesday that he would intensify disconnections
to raise at least
US$40 million urgently required by Maputo.
“Where will we get the money?”
Mangoma asked. “We are not able to offset the
debt at once as the economy is
struggling and we will continue mobilising
money through various forms which
include disconnections,” he added.
Last month Mozambique temporarily halted
power exports to Zimbabwe to force
the debt-ridden ZESA to settle part of
the debt. Zimbabwe imports 35 percent
of its power requirements from three
regional producers. These include
Mozambique’s HCB, the giant power plant
that generates 2 075 megawatts of
electricity.
ZESA has intensified its
load shedding across Zimbabwe with industries and
domestic consumers, who
owed the power company about US$550 million,
enduring extensive
blackouts.
The troubled power company is undertaking a programme to add 600
Megawatts
and 300 Megawatts in new generation capacity at its Hwange and
Kariba power
stations respectively.
Residents
opposing me are MDC activists: Chombo
http://www.dailynews.co.zw
Written by Xolisani Ncube, Staff
Writer
Saturday, 14 April 2012 12:10
HARARE - Local Government
minister Ignatius Chombo claims the six Matobo
residents who are challenging
his appointment of five Zanu PF activists as
special interest councillors
are mere MDC activists masquerading as
villagers.
Chombo, who has
been firing MDC elected councillors, said it was impossible
for mere
villagers to drag him to court and would only do so at the
instigation of
educated MDC officials.
“I know villagers very well, you can tell that
this is the MDC that is
looking for a new way just to take me to court,”
said Chombo who did not
give any evidence to support his claims.
In
their urgent High Court application, the six villagers argued the Zanu PF
special councillors did not have specialised skills which could be utilised
by council.
Bulawayo-based lawyer Job Sibanda is representing the
villagers; Garikai
Dhliwayo, Henry Ncube, Themba Dube, Priscilla Sibanda,
Morinah Sibanda and
Gladys Ncube.
Chombo is cited as the first
respondent in his capacity as the appointing
authority of special interest
councillors in all local authorities.
Using the controversial Urban
Council Act currently under parliamentary
review, Chombo has handpicked
people he wishes to be in council as special
interest
councillors.
This has resulted in him crossing swords with the MDC, a
party that enjoys
control of almost all local authorities since its
formation over a decade
ago.
In a press conference held at his
offices at Makombe building yesterday, the
minister said he would defend his
decision to appoint Never Khanye, Jane
Phuthi, Pilate Dube, Sithembile
Ndlovu and Sanders Siziba to Matobo Rural
District Council in Matabeleland
South Province.
“The Act simply says it is me who has the power to look
for a person to be a
special interest councillors, I also determine what are
the needs of each
and every council, I do it myself, I then choose
councillors whom I think
will improve debate in this council. That is what I
do in each and every
council countrywide,” said Chombo.
In their
court application, the villagers claim that no value will be added
by the
activist to council.
“I submit further that the fifth to ninth
respondents (the appointed special
interest) add absolutely no value to the
welfare of the fourth respondents
(council), do not represent any
identifiable interest group and have been
rewarded for their political
inclinations,” the villagers said.
Turning to the recent suspension of
the Gwanda mayor, Chombo said Lionel De
Necker should get his house in order
or risk being sacked.
Chombo suspended De Necker on allegations of
defying his directive to hire a
Zanu PF activist as chamber
secretary.
The smaller MDC faction say Chombo is abusing his powers but
the minister
says his actions serve the interests of people and justice.
ZESA
to pay for boob
http://www.thezimbabwean.co.uk
The country’s sole electricity firm, ZESA Holdings’
legendary incompetence
that has often resulted in deaths could come at a
cost to the company, whose
negligence has largely been met with
impunity.
14.04.1212:18pm
by The Legal Monitor
The latest
bungling by ZESA Holdings led to the death of 10-year-old
Takudzwa Nyandoro,
who became a victim of power cables left in the open by
ZESA.
Nyandoro’s family has now begun taking measures to make ZESA
pay, and with
the help of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) is
preparing a lawsuit
to force the firm to pay compensation.
After
Takudzwa’s death, ZESA’s response was inhuman, offering the family a
measly
$300 to meet funeral expenses.
ZLHR, a grouping of lawyers spread
countrywide dedicated to promoting and
fostering a culture of human rights,
says it is taking the matter seriously
given ZESA’s history.
Several
people have lost their lives, while others have seen property
painstakingly
bought from life savings reduced to ashes because of the power
firm’s
incompetence.
But it is the death of Takudzwa, a grade four pupil at the
police Tomlinson
Depot Primary School that has touched nerves, with human
rights
organisations and ordinary people accusing ZESA of taking human life
for
granted.
Takudzwa, of Harare’s Eastlea suburb, was severely burnt
on the 29th of
March 2012 after falling into a ditch with naked ZESA power
cables. He later
died at Parirenyatwa Hospital the next day, due to the
extent of the
injuries caused in the electrocution.
“This case brings
into sharp focus the dangerous levels of negligence
prevailing at ZESA which
have resulted in the deaths and injuries to
numerous Zimbabweans,” said
Belinda Chinowawa, a ZLHR lawyer handling the
case.
Lawyers and the
family are still working on the quantum of the damages, and
stress that such
action is necessary as a deterrent against future impunity
by
ZESA.
“It is shocking that such a young life was lost because a company
known for
reaping off customers acted so negligently by failing to secure
the live
cables. For three months the cables were in the open and ZESA only
saw it
fit to rectify the problem after Takudzwa’s death. We shudder to
think about
the potential of many other cables lying naked and still posing
grave danger
to people in other parts of the country,” said
Chinowawa.
“It is time organisations such as ZLHR and ordinary citizens
take the fight
to ZESA and force the company to do its job,” she
said.
According to the family, the cables were left unsecured by ZESA
workers who
were carrying out maintenance work three months ago at the
corner of Samora
Machel Avenue and Leitrim Crescent in Eastlea, and despite
persistent calls
to ZESA to cover them, the cables remained exposed until
the day after the
tragedy occurred.
The deceased’s mother, Ms
Constance Sinachinge has expressed anger and deep
sorrow at the passing away
of her son, in what could have been an avoidable
death.
“I don’t
think I will ever forgive Zesa. I have lost Takudzwa. It is a very
painful
loss and right now my son could have been at school,” she told
reporters
last week.
“No official came to the burial to offer a public apology.
They came today
(yesterday) with $300 which they said was for food,” she
said. Chinowawa
said the family had stressed to ZLHR that justice must be
done.
“As such the family has retained the services of ZLHR in order to
assist the
filing of a delictual claim against ZESA, and it is our hope that
punitive
damages will be awarded against the power utility so that such acts
are not
repeated in future,” said Chinowawa.
A resident in the area
told The Legal Monitor in the aftermath of Takudzwa’s
death that people in
the neighbourhood had told ZESA about the danger posed
by the naked cables.
Still ZESA chose to ignore until death struck.
ZLHR
engages communities
http://www.thezimbabwean.co.uk
Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) has taken
its community awareness
programme to Umguza, in Matabeleland North
province.
14.04.1212:37pm
by The Legal Monitor
A recent
situational human rights training workshop convened by ZLHR
attracted 83
villagers eager to know more about their rights.
Mthombothemba Primary
School in Umguza’s Ward 1 was the venue of the one-day
human rights
workshop, conducted as part of ZLHR’s campaign to empower
marginalised
communities in the country through imparting human rights
knowledge.
Through the workshop, ZLHR created a platform for the
community to engage in
human rights dialogue and interrogate State and non
State actors’ actions
where violations would have been committed.
The
workshop exposed the legal instruments available for recourse to human
rights defenders, where their constitutionally guaranteed human rights have
been violated and the community strategies which they can exploit to curtail
impunity.
The workshop also presented the participants with an
opportunity to hear and
appreciate ZLHR’s interventions since the
organisation was formed 16 years
ago, with emphasis on ZLHR’s mandate to
foster a culture of human rights in
Zimbabwe, the region and the rest of the
continent.
Addressing the gathering, Prisca Dube of ZLHR talked about how
access to
national identity cards such as children’s birth certificates and
national
identification cards has become a perennial problem in Matabeleland
North
province.
“Failure to access identity cards limits a person’s
access to education,
curtails his or her freedoms as a citizen and limited
participation in
national processes,” Dube said.
Speaking after the
workshop, Dube said participants “amassed enhanced
awareness of human rights
and the role of communities in the promotion and
protection of human rights.
The training also empowered participants with
increased appreciation of the
legal remedies available to redress violations
so as to negate the culture
of impunity”.
Accolades
abroad, baton sticks at home
http://www.thezimbabwean.co.uk
One of Zimbabwe’s most fearless women, Jenni
Williams (pictured) continues
to bag international recognition, even though
her human rights work at home
has often invited violent reaction from the
police.
14.04.1212:33pm
by The Legal Monitor
Williams, leader
of pro-poor human rights group, Women of Zimbabwe Arise
(WOZA), is this
year’s recipient of the Ginetta Sagan Amnesty International
USA
award.
The award, which adds to Williams’ already impressive collection,
comes at a
time when the fiery human rights activist is fighting criminal
charges in
Zimbabwean courts.
“WOZA is proud to receive this award
along with Jenni. The legacy of Ginetta
Sagan is one familiar to the
activists of WOZA. The award comes at a time of
great trials and
tribulations for Jenni and WOZA therefore Ginetta lives on
to inspire WOZA
members as they commemorate turning 10,” said WOZA in a
statement of the
award Williams received last week.
With more than 2. 8 million
supporters, activists and volunteers in over 150
countries, Amnesty
International, a Nobel Peace Prize winning grassroots
organisation is one of
world’s most influential groups.
Williams travelled with her WOZA
co-leader and founder Magodonga Mahlangu to
receive the award. She adds the
Ginetta Sagan Amnesty International USA
award to WOZA’s already rich
cabinet, which has the US Secretary of State
International Woman of Courage
(2008), Amnesty Germany Human Rights Award
(2008), Robert F. Kennedy Human
Rights Award(2009) and the French National
Order of Merit.
In its
citation, Amnesty International USA said it honoured Williams for
“inspiring
Zimbabweans to stand up for freedom and basic rights”. Over the
past decade,
Williams and WOZA have held peaceful marches on issues ranging
from poor
electricity supplies and plummeting standards in the education
sector to
State sponsored violence and selective application of the law.
“WOZA has
inspired tens of thousands of women and men to stand up for their
rights to
free speech and assembly and the fulfillment of basic needs like
food and
education,” read the Amnesty International statement.
The 49-year-old
Williams described the award as “wonderful and timely news”.
“It reached me
on another rough day fighting fabricated kidnap and theft
charges. When I
first heard the story of Ginetta, I was filled with such
admiration for the
work she did and it inspired me to keep going,” she said.
Back home,
arrests, assaults and detention by police are part of what
Williams and WOZA
members have come to constantlyexpect. But that has not
deterred them from
standing up for the poor, who are suffering erratic
service delivery and
selective application of the law, a feat that moved
Amnesty International
USA to honour Williams.
“She has been beaten, imprisoned without food or
medical supplies and
threatened with execution. Williams’ September 2011
arrest – her 39th--
resulted in charges of kidnapping and theft being
preferred against her and
WOZA program coordinator Magodonga
Mahlangu.
As of February 2012, they were still fighting the charges in a
Zimbabwe
court,” reads the Amnesty International USA citation. The Amnesty
International Award is named after Ginetta Sagan, a resistance fighter who
was arrested and tortured during World War II. Sagan was an early supporter
of Amnesty International and a winner of the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
She died in 2000 at the age of 75.
Keep
the salt handy!
http://www.cathybuckle.com
April 14, 2012, 1:41 am
In the absence of real news,
reporters the world over have been known to
create their own stories. This
is particularly true in the case of Zimbabwe
where there’s very little hard
news as the two sides settle ‘comfortably’
into the third year of the GNU.
Zimbabweans in the diaspora have become
accustomed to read stories from home
with a very large pinch of salt but
this week the pinch turned into a bucket
of the stuff!
It started with the death of Malawi’s President Mutharika
and the dispute
over who should succeed him. Much to Malawi’s credit the
issue was settled
in accordance with the Malawian constitution and there was
a peaceful
handover of power. The Vice President, Joyce Banda succeeded to
the office
of President, thus becoming the first African female head of
state. Perhaps
it was this talk of death and succession in a country so
close to Zimbabwe
that set the rumour mongers’ tongues wagging afresh and
there was much
speculative comment about Mugabe’s failure to return from
Singapore in time
for a politburo meeting. One of the more ‘fanciful’
newspaper accounts
claimed that President Mugabe was ‘battling for his life’
in Singapore.
Apparently adding credence to that account was the
postponement of a cabinet
meeting from Tuesday to Thursday. Zanu PF of
course denied that Mugabe was
on his deathbed. Jonathan Moyo, with his usual
flair for the language of the
gutter described all the rumours as ‘hogwash’
but the rumours have
persisted. Of course, it’s not the first time an
African president has died
and his compatriots have been kept in ignorance
of the news; Joseph Kabila’s
name springs to mind. At 86 years of age it’s
natural that death is not far
away but it is perfectly possible that rumours
of Mugabe’s illness and
near-death have been greatly exaggerated. His mother
lived to 101 years
after all; longevity is in his genes. Press reports speak
of his family
flying to his bedside in Singapore and amidst all this
avalanche of rumours
it is difficult to know what to believe. Personally,
I’m a natural pessimist
and it will be no surprise to me to see the Old Man
alive and kicking when
he returns all ‘rejuvenated’ from Singapore. The
rumour mongers will have to
eat their words when they see – and hear - him
once again doing the honours
at Zimbabwe’s Independence celebrations next
week.
Even the return from rumours of near-death has not silenced the
speculation
about Mugabe’s successor. The Telegraph reported last Sunday
that Mugabe had
struck a secret deal with Emmerson Mnangagwa that he would
take over the
reigns of power should Mugabe leave the scene. This, despite
the fact that
the present constitution clearly states that the Vice
President, Joice
Mujuru, succeeds in the event of the Presidents death or
incapacity. By
early Thursday Mugabe had been out of the country for over
ten days and the
general public was still in the dark as to the reason. A
good friend of
mine, a Zimbabwean and an opposition supporter, argues that
even Mugabe’s
brand of stability is better than the bloody struggle for
power that will
inevitably follow his departure and she may be right. Given
the violent and
militant nature of some of the presidential contenders, is
it too much to
hope that they will quietly accept the constitutional
requirement that the
VP takes over? Malawi has set an example of how power
in Africa can be
peacefully transferred but will Zimbabwe follow that
example? If that
happens and Joice Mujuru becomes president, Zimbabwe would
have the second
female President in Africa. A peaceful handover of power
would do much to
restore the world’s belief in Zimbabwe’s democratic
credentials.
And then, on Thursday came the news that the rumour –mongers
had once again
got it all wrong! Mugabe arrived back in Zimbabwe, looking –
depending on
the news-source – ‘frail and needing a helping hand’ or ‘fit as
a fiddle’.
He is said to have immediately called a cabinet meeting. So, it’s
back to
business as usual and all the would-be presidents have slunk back
into their
lairs to prepare for the next round of rumour-mongering. Keep the
salt
handy!
Yours in the (continuing) struggle PH
Sizzling
fireball
http://www.cathybuckle.com
April 14, 2012, 8:57 am
Dear Family and
Friends,
When there was a loud roaring noise and then a big explosion
late one
afternoon this week, most of the neighbourhood ran outside to see
what had
happened. It was one of those rare occasions when the electricity
was on
during the day but that didn’t deter people’s curiosity. It’s school
holidays at the moment so there was soon a good crowd of people standing
around on the road. From the left a man came running out of the bush,
doubled over and with his hands over his head. To the right we could see a
man perched high up a tree with an axe cutting branches off a big old Musasa
tree. Almost as one, all the spectators on the road took a few steps back
when the frightening noise started again. There was another explosive crack
and we watched in horror as a burning fireball ran up and down the overhead
electricity cables. White acrid smoke drifted down amongst the spectators
and we stood in shocked silence for a moment while we worked out what was
happening above our heads.
The two men, one who had run out of the
bush and the other who had been up
the tree, were wearing blue overalls with
the words ZESA printed on their
backs. They were electricity company workers
and had been cutting branches
that were too close to the overhead cables.
Inexplicably they had not
switched the electricity supply off beforehand.
When a branch fell it hit,
bounced and then got tangled in the overhead
cables causing a massive
explosion and burning fireball. All eyes turned to
the two electricity
workers. Like parents interrogating errant children the
first question was:
“Are you OK” and the second was “why on earth didn’t you
switch the mains
off first?” They didn’t answer and as the overhead cables
dipped and
bounced and the fireball sizzled up and down the line, the two
workers
walked off up the road. Unbelievably they didn’t have any support
team,
vehicle, ladders or even a radio to alert their colleagues. “What
about
these damaged cables?” someone called out to the retreating men.
“Later”
came the reply, thrown over a shoulder, the single word hanging in
the
smoky, stunned neighbourhood. It seemed miraculous that no one had been
hurt, electrocuted or killed and with damaged, slack cables sparking and
smoking overhead, people started pulling out cell phones and calling the
electricity company.
No one came from the electricity company that
day or the next. The next two
nights were like sleeping in a night club .
Every gust of wind caused the
overhead cables to touch and then followed a
buzz, hum and a roar followed
by a crack, bang and sizzling fireball.
Countless phone calls followed
until, two days later, the electricity
company finally came to re-tension
the cables.
Our neighbourhood
fireball had at least provided a bit of a distraction
from the massive
rumour that engulfed Zimbabwe this Easter. For days
everyone’s nerves had
been on edge and it became impossible not to get
caught up in the frenzied
whispers about the health of President Mugabe. The
88 year old President was
either unwell, seriously unwell or fighting for
his life in a hospital in
Singapore depending on which story you listened
to. It all came to a
shuddering halt when Mr and Mrs Mugabe finally emerged
from an unmarked
aircraft and showed no obvious signs that anything was
wrong. Like the
fireball on the overhead cable, that rumour fizzled out in
a puff of smoke
and Zimbabweans were severely castigated by Zanu PF’s
Webster Shamu who said
we were: ”pandering to the agenda of imperialists.”
Like naughty children
Zimbabwe went quiet again, until next time, thanks for
reading, love Cathy