Tsvangirai says he has given Mugabe an ultimatum on power-sharing

http://www.monstersandcritics.com

Africa News
Apr 22, 2009, 18:41 GMT

Harare - Zimbabwe's Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai said Wednesday he had
given President Robert Mugabe a deadline on the resolution of issues
threatening to derail the country's unity government.

Tsvangirai was speaking ahead of a third meeting between the two leaders on
Thursday over the unilateral claw-back by Mugabe of the telecommunications
dossier from Tsvangirai's Movement for Democratic Change (MDC).

'The outstanding issues cannot go on and on hanging over our hands,' said
Tsvangirai, while refusing to reveal what sort of ultimatum he had issued
85-year-old Mugabe.

Mugabe earlier this month took telecommunications off MDC Information
Minister Nelson Chamisa and gave it to Transport Minister Nicholas Goche - a
member of the Zanu- PF party. The move outraged the MDC, given that
telecommunications covers spying.

The ongoing invasion of white-owned farms by Zanu-PF loyalists and Mugabe's
refusal to review his unilateral appointments of the central bank governor
and attorney general are other issues threatening to scupper the deal and
putting the skids on foreign aid and investment.

Finance Minister Tendai Biti has appealed for 10 billion dollars to rebuild
the tattered economy but Western donors are waiting for proof of real
reforms before committing to anything more than emergency relief for the
millions of Zimbabweans, who cannot feed themselves.

So far, two meetings between Mugabe, Tsvangirai and deputy prime minister
Arthur Mutambara, leader of a breakaway faction of Tsvangirai's MDC and the
third signatory to September's power-sharing agreement, have failed to
resolve the issues.

Stockdale farm owner still behind bars as land attacks escalate

http://www.swradioafrica.com

By Alex Bell
22 April 2009

The owner of Chegutu's Stockdale citrus farm, who has been forced to leave
his land after violent invasions, is still being held behind bars after
being arrested on his farm on Tuesday.

Peter Etheredge was taken into custody after visiting his farm, which has
been forcefully taken over by the President of the Senate, Edna Madzongwe.
Etheredge, his brother and some of his workers had been inspecting the
plantation of oranges on Stockdale when they were met by police officers,
who randomly opened fire on the group, seriously injuring two of the
workers. Etheredge's brother was able to flee with the injured workers, but
Etheredge himself was hauled into custody.

The violence and subsequent arrest have occurred mere days after a
ministerial delegation, led by Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara,
visited the Chegutu farming community, which has been worst hit by the
countrywide wave of farm attacks. Mutambara ordered that all invasions
cease, and that the farmers be allowed to carry on their farming activities.
But the orders have been openly flouted, with invasions in the Chegutu
farming area escalating in recent days.

On Twyford Farm, a fresh invasion on Wednesday has seen more tensions rise
within the already reeling farming community. The attack on this very
productive farm has been led by ZANU PF Senator Jamaya Muduvuri, who is also
leading the grand scale theft of produce from the farm. The farm is meant to
be safeguarded by a Bilateral Investment Protection Agreement (BIPA) between
France and Zimbabwe. BIPA agreements are meant to protect the farming
investments of foreign nationals. But much like the SADC Tribunal ruling
last year, which was also meant to offer commercial farmers protection from
future land invasions, the BIPA laws are being totally ignored.

At the same time, on Mount Carmel farm, the land remains locked down by a
gang of thugs who have prevented the farm owners from accessing their
property. Their farm produce is also still being stolen, while police
continue to ignore the family's complaints. The staff is also still in
hiding after being viciously beaten earlier this month, while eight workers
are still behind bars on trumped up kidnapping charges. In desperation the
farm owners managed to get a High Court order on Monday declaring the whole
invasion illegal and ordering the invaders off the land. But the Chegutu
police are still refusing to obey the court order.

Also in Chegutu the Visagies on Wantage Farm have come under attack from
invaders who have been trying to break into their house. On Reydon farm the
Chegutu lands officer has had his men smash the locks on the farm house and
throw out the property of the farm owner, an act that was captured on film.
The farm owner has a recent High Court order protecting him, but like all
court orders protecting farmers in Zimbabwe, it is being ignored. When the
farm owner went to police to report the matter, they served him with papers
telling him that his trial was to start in 3 days time for being in his home
illegally. At the same time, on Dodhill farm Simon Keevil was in court on
Tuesday starting a trial for being on his farm 'illegally'; a trumped up
charge that more than 100 commercial farmers are facing.

MDC say arbitrary student arrests harming image of new govt

http://www.swradioafrica.com

By Lance Guma
22 April 2009

The MDC has issued a statement condemning the arbitrary arrest of students
for protesting exorbitant fees in tertiary colleges around the country and
said this was negatively impacting on the image of the new coalition
government. Admitting the problem was a 'serious indictment on the education
system in Zimbabwe' the party called on the police to stop their 'heavy
handedness and overzealousness' while it also urged college authorities to
show more consideration in dealing with students who had failed to pay the
fees.

On Tuesday we reported how 13 student leaders meeting at the Masvingo
Polytechnic were arrested by police soon after a demonstration at the nearby
Great Zimbabwe University. Close to 600 students at the university staged a
peaceful protest against the exorbitant fees charged in foreign currency.
Last week Thursday over 30 students were arrested after riots broke out at
the National University of Science and Technology in Bulawayo. Close to 1000
students, unhappy with the fees clashed with riot police, who were armed
with rubber truncheons, sjamboks, tear gas canisters and AK-47's.

Students have traditionally been the bedrock of support for the MDC in
opposition and it was hardly surprising the party has taken an interest in
the ongoing problems. The MDC urged, 'the inclusive government to urgently
deal with the chaos at our tertiary colleges which has been sparked by
exorbitant tuition fees of above US$450 at a time when average salaries are
barely above US$100 per month.' Even students who applied for the cadetship
programme where they agree to be bonded to government after completing their
studies, in return for sponsorship, were also barred from writing their
exams.

Zimbabwe National Students Union President Clever Bere told Newsreel on
Wednesday that they appreciated the statement of support coming from the
MDC. But he said the position of the MDC had to filter through to cabinet
level in the coalition government, while new policies to address the
students' problem should be adopted as a matter of urgency.

NCA harassed by security details during attempt to meet PM

http://www.swradioafrica.com

By Violet Gonda
22 April 2009

On Wednesday Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai initiated a meeting with the
leadership of the National Constitutional Assembly, to discuss the NCA's
opposition to the government-led constitutional reform process.

But the meeting started on the wrong note after security details at the
Prime Minister's Munhumutapa offices tried very hard to block the leadership
from meeting the Prime Minister.

The leadership, comprising NCA chairperson Dr Lovemore Madhuku, spokesperson
Madock Chivasa and Director Ernest Mudzengi, were told to leave the building
when they arrived 15 minutes before the scheduled time. They were told to
wait outside along Samora Machel Avenue and return at 14:10. But Mudzengi
said when they returned at the stipulated time, which was after the 2pm
appointment, they were still told they could not see the Prime Minister.

The NCA said the PM's office had to send Tsvangirai's private secretary to
plead with the overzealous security details. "This hawkish security guy
literally told the PM's secretary to go back to work and asked us to leave
the building," Mudzengi said.

The NCA leadership drove off but were called back by Constitutional Minister
Eric Matinenga, who told them that Deputy Prime Minister Thokozani Khupe had
been called in to intervene.

Mudzengi said this goes to show that the MDC is not in control of the office
of the Prime Minister and nothing much has changed, as we are still caught
up in the same bureaucratic red tape which should have been removed.
"Offices of leaders should not appear as if they are ivory towers and should
be accessible to the public," said the NCA Director.

Mudzengi said when they finally saw the Prime Minister he acknowledged that
on a daily basis his visitors undergo harassment and he was trying to stop
this.

Meanwhile, the pressure group said the meeting with Prime Minister
Tsvangirai still showed sharp differences over the process to be used for a
new constitution.

The NCA called for modifications to the constitution-making process that
will bring in line the demands of Zimbabweans for people-driven
constitutional reform.

They submitted that outstanding issues include the need for an independent
commission to spearhead the process of constitutional making, by an
independent chairperson like a judge. The pressure group told the Prime
Minister that it would not support a process led by a parliamentary select
committee.

While the Prime Minister told the group that the government will continue to
engage them, he said the process is going ahead and will be spearheaded by
the parliamentary select committee. The pressure group said it will continue
to challenge this, saying this was not a genuine process as it is not
initiated by the people.

Critics have differed sharply with the NCA position saying parliamentarians
are representatives of the people and have a right to drive this
constitution making process. But spokesperson Madock Chivasa said it is
wrong to say MPs represent all people, especially as not all political
parties are in parliament. Chivasa also said: "Some of the chief negotiators
who came out with this process were actually rejected in elections. They
only happened to be ministers now by default and those people surely must
not claim that they represent the people."

Madhuku, Tsvangirai meeting fails to heal rift

http://www.newzimbabwe.com/

By Lebo Nkatazo
Posted to the web: 22/04/2009 20:40:59
PRIME Minister Morgan Tsvangirai held a crisis meeting with National
Constitutional Assembly (NCA) chairman Lovemore Madhuku on Wednesday to
defuse simmering tensions over the process to draw up a new Zimbabwe
constitution.

Tsvangirai's Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) is a member of the NCA,
and he was the vocal lobby group's first chairman.

The meeting, called by the Prime Minister's Office, was attended by
Tsvangirai, his deputy Thokozani Khupe and Constitutional Affairs Minister
Eric Matinenga on one side, and Madhuku, the NCA's director Ernest Madhuku
and NCA spokesman Mardoch Chivasa on the other.

"The meeting was called by the Prime Minister's Office. We had previously
requested to meet him in his capacity as the MDC leader. Nothing came out of
it. We agreed to disagree but consultations will continue," said Madhuku.

Madhuku said the NCA differed sharply with the Prime Minister as the
constitutional reform advocacy group wants an independent panel to lead the
constitutional making process as opposed to having parliament taking a
leading role.

Last month, Parliament's Standing rules and Orders Committee recommended to
President Robert Mugabe, Tsvangirai and his deputy Arthur Mutambara, to
appoint a non-PM to chair a 25-member committee that will steer
constitutional reforms.

On Wednesday Speaker of Parliament Lovemore Moyo said the three leaders have
not responded to their recommendation, and as an interim measure, they had
appointed Douglas Mwonzora (MDC-T) and Paul Mangwana (Zanu PF) as
co-chairman.

NGO forum takes government to SADC Tribunal

http://www.swradioafrica.com

By Alex Bell
22 April 2009

The Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum has taken Zimbabwe's government to the
SADC Tribunal in Namibia, for breaching the SADC Treaty.

Last year the forum filed the case against the government, on behalf of
twelve of its clients, all victims of violence and torture at the hands of
state agents, including the police and the army. The forum filed the case
after the government failed to comply with court orders instructing it to
make financial compensations to the victims.

The government is now being brought before the SADC Tribunal for the lack of
effective domestic remedies for victims of violence and torture, and
therefore breaching the obligations the government is bound to respect as
signatories of the SADC Treaty. The protocols of the treaty that the NGO
forum says government has breached include the obligations "to act in
accordance with human rights, democracy and the rule of law" and "to adopt
adequate measures to promote the achievement of the objectives of SADC and
refrain from taking measures which jeopardise these."

The case was set down for hearing at the Tribunal Seat in Namibia on
Wednesday. But there are serious doubts over whether the Tribunal's ruling
will make any difference to the ongoing breaches of SADC protocol still
continuing in Zimbabwe. If the Tribunal rules against the government in this
new case, it is highly unlikely the government, still in the firm grasp of
Robert Mugabe, will respect the ruling in any way. There have been repeated
violations of the Global Political Agreement that SADC leaders endorsed,
including ongoing violence, unlawful arrests and other human rights abuses;
violations that have seen a deafening silence emit from the regional body.

At the same time, last year's SADC Tribunal ruling in favour of more than 70
Zimbabwean commercial farmers, which was set to protect them from state
sponsored land invasions, is being knowingly and wilfully ignored. The
farmers included in the landmark case have all come under recent attack amid
the fresh wave of farm invasions that have forced many farmers into hiding.
Again, SADC has remained silent on these clear violations of its own rulings
and protocols.

Zimbabwe's state media taunts US ambassador

Associated Press

By ANGUS SHAW - 6 hours ago

HARARE, Zimbabwe (AP) - Zimbabwe's state media expressed unrestrained glee
Wednesday at the pending departure of U.S. Ambassador James McGee, who has
frequently clashed with President Robert Mugabe.

"Thank heavens, McGee is going!" was the headline in the Herald newspaper,
which also ran a vitriolic commentary about McGee's two-year tenure in
Harare. The newspaper, a mouthpiece for Mugabe's party, offered pity "to
whatever country next has the misfortune of hosting" McGee next.

It alleged that McGee, who is African-American, campaigned for the ouster of
Mugabe and was leaving Zimbabwe "bruised and battered" because Washington
was unable to stop the formation of a power-sharing government between
Mugabe and the longtime opposition movement.

"He never wanted it to happen for the simple reason that his brief was to
ensure that the 'monster' called Robert Mugabe was booted out of office at
all costs," the newspaper said. "On the whole, (he) treated Zimbabweans as a
bunch of kindergarten kids who do not know what is best for them."

McGee's office said there were no plans to respond to the article. The
ambassador leaves Zimbabwe in June.

The United States and other Western nations have viewed Zimbabwe's
power-sharing coalition with caution and insist that any resumption of aid
and investment depends on democratic and economic reforms and the
restoration of the rule of law and human rights.

Little headway has been made on those conditions since the coalition was
sworn in Feb. 16. Mugabe's party is frequently at odds with his former
rival, Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, and Tsvangirai's former opposition
party, the Movement for Democratic Change.

Violent seizures of white-owned farms, a policy began by Mugabe in 2000,
have continued. The farmers support group Justice for Agriculture reported
Wednesday that police opened fire on two white farmers attempting to visit
their seized land southwest of Harare, injuring two workers, one seriously.

McGee, a harsh critic of Mugabe's human rights record, was among those
voicing concerns that the new coalition left Mugabe with too much power.

The Herald said McGee, a Vietnam veteran and former pilot, fought "white
America's war" in Vietnam.

"This is a black man who, after bombing innocent villagers ... can turn
around today and talk self righteously about political violence in Zimbabwe
without any shame," it said.

Ministry To Hold Media Stakeholders Conference

http://www.radiovop.com


HARARE, April 22 2009 - The Ministry of Information, Media and
Publicity, has sent out invitations for a national media stakeholders
conference, scheduled to be held in Nyanga from 6-9 May.

The conference, to be held under the theme, 'Towards an Open,
Tolerant, and Responsible Media Environment'is aimed at reviewing Zimbabwe's
current media environment and policies in order to guide the Government's
media policy.

The Minister of Media, Information and Publicity will give the
official opening address while members of the Joint Implementation and
Monitoring Committee (JOMIC) Ministers Professor Welshman Ncube, Nelson
Chinamasa and  Chagonda are expected to outline articles relevant to freedom
of expression in the Global Political Agreement.

It is also expected that various media stakeholders shall make
presentations on various themes relating to the media.

Media in Zimbabwe operate in one of the most repressive environments
on the continent. Media workers are regularly harassed, detained and beaten
by the police, with the cumulative effect that self-censorship prevails in
both the media and civil society in Zimbabwe. The Internet has generally
escaped government censorship because of its relatively low user group, but
restrictive media laws have been introduced that can be used against
Internet communications.

One of the first such laws was the Posts and Telecommunications Act of
2000. This act maintains that if, in the opinion of the President, it is
necessary in the interests of national security or the maintenance of law
and order, s/he may give a directive that any class of communications
transmitted by means of a cellular telecommunication or telecommunications
service (including email) may be intercepted or monitored in a manner
specified in the directive (Section 98 (2) (b)). It is unknown if this has
been used yet.

Many laws that deal with issues of broadcasting and public order were
enacted to limit freedom of expression of the media including the
Broadcasting Services Act, the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation
Commercialisation Act and the Public Order and Security Act (POSA). POSA is
particularly notorious as it makes it a criminal offence to publish anything
"likely to cause alarm or despondency" (and carries a prison sentence of up
to seven years). The government blocks certain sites using legislation such
as POSA.

Zimbabwe's Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act
(AIPPA), is currently one of the harshest media laws in the world, under
which journalists can be jailed for two years for working without a licence.

The Criminal Codification Act imposes sentences of up to 20 years in
jail on journalists or other citizens, convicted of publishing false
information or statements that are prejudicial to the state.

In April 2000, the Broadcast Services Act was promulgated by the
President to end officially the monopoly of the government-operated ZBC and
launch the liberalization of the broadcast spectrum. The Broadcast Services
Act was passed by parliament on a fast-track schedule to authorise, as
requested by the High Court, the launching of private media.

It, however, imposed severe restrictions on new broadcasters at both
national and at community level, leaving broad discretion to the state to
decide who may operate a private broadcasting channel. The Act placed
effective control of news broadcasters in the hands of the Minister of
Information. In addition the Act imposed an arbitrary 75 percent local
content threshold and restricted foreign investment in the media.

The government continued to endorse a broadcasting monopoly even after
the Act was passed. In October 2000, a Presidential Decree introduced the
Presidential Powers Temporary Measures. In November 2000, the President
announced the setting up of a broadcasting regulatory authority, the
Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe (BAZ), members of which would be
appointed directly by the Information Minister.

Zimbabwe's central bank stole money from Dutch aid organisation

By Peter Vermaas / NRC Handelsblad

22-04-2009

Zimbabwe's central bank took hundreds of millions of euros from private bank accounts, including 300,000 euros from a bank account belonging to Hivos, a Dutch development organisation. Corina Straatsma, director of Hivos' regional office in the Zimbabwean capital, Harare, says 90,000 euros is still missing although the rest has been paid back.

Dr Gideon Gono, governor of the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ), released a statement on Monday admitting that the bank took hundreds of millions in foreign currency from private accounts without either the permission or the knowledge of the account holders. According to the statement, the government needed the money in order to fund loans to state-owned companies and buy grain and energy supplies. According to Mr Gono,

"the unorthodox measures helped keep the country afloat".

Hivos pressuring MDC
Hivos, which is largely dependent on subsidies from the Dutch foreign affairs ministry, is pressuring contacts within the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) to try and get its money back. Last February, the MDC joined a unity government with President Robert Mugabe's long-governing ZANU-PF party. According to Ms Straatsma,

"The MDC is aware that Zimbabwe needs foreign aid and knows that this situation cannot continue indefinitely". Mr Gono promised that the RBZ will repay the money - estimated at 1.5 billion euros - it took from private bank accounts but he did not say when it would actually be repaid. Most of the plundered accounts belong to private companies and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) such as Hivos. Last year, the Global Fund to Fight Aids, Tuberculosis and Malaria said 5.64 million euros was missing from its bank account in Zimbabwe. The money has since been returned.

The Zimbabwean government will have to repay almost one billion euros to the RBZ before the central bank can itself repay the money 'borrowed'. However, the government does not yet have that money.

Local NGOs also affected
Apart from Hivos, Dutch aid organisation SNV also has an office in Zimbabwe. Although SNV's bank account was not raided, local manager Rik Overmars says numerous local NGOs had their bank accounts plundered. SNV is almost completely dependent on Dutch government subsidies.

Ms Straatsma has confirmed that many of Hivos' local partner organisations had money taken from their bank accounts. Hivos, in co-operation with the United Nations development fund, is attempting to get the money back. Ms Straatsma says the central bank's 'move' has not jeopardised Hivos' activities. The aid organisation opened a new bank account in neighbouring Botswana, and Dutch government subsidy money was paid into that account.

Governor under pressure
Analysts say Mr Gono's admission is an attempt to hold on to his job. In September 2008, just before a coalition accord was agreed with the MDC, President Robert Mugabe reappointed Mr Gono to a second five-year term as central bank governor. However, since Morgan Tsvangirai's MDC joined the unity government in February, there has been considerable pressure on Mr Gono to resign.

The central bank governor is one of the Mr Mugabe's close allies and his policies have been blamed for the severe economic turmoil in the country. There have been severe food, fuel and cash shortages as well as hyperinflation. The health, education and agriculture system has collapsed and the Zimbabwean dollar became next to worthless. The recent introduction of the US dollar as legal tender has helped bring prices down and there are some goods in the shops again.

South Africa's finance ministry is investigating the possibility of allowing Zimbabwe to use its currency, the rand, and allowing Harare to join the South Africa, Swaziland and Lesotho monetary union.

Just this week, the new Zimbabwean government called on foreign companies, and in particular South African companies, to invest in Zimbabwe. A government spokesman said,

"It's an investment well worth risking".

RBZ in double money scam?

Wednesday, 22 April 2009

Zanu (PF) money. Mystery solved?Two Zimbabwe dollar notes with the same serial numbers. Speculation emerged this week that the former ZANU-PF government may have been printing two or more Zimbabwe dollar notes with the same serial numbers. Collectors, who have been paying large sums for the rarer notes, including the one cent and $100bn denominations, claim to have found high notes with identical numbers. A source at the Reserve Bank, who asked not to be named, said there was “a real possibility” that, for each note with an officially recorded number on the face of the money, a second exact copy may have been handed to ZANU-PF. The RBZ official said that he and several of his colleagues had recently been questioned over the allegations, but that, to the best of his knowledge, hard evidence had yet to surface in Harare. “It is certainly possible,” he said. “The team heading the bank had total control of the process, so they would have been able to produce several versions of each Zimbabwe dollar note.” Separate reports have spoken of truckloads of money being delivered to the army, CIO, youth militia and ZANU-PF headquarters. There are also documented cases of senior party members swapping Zimbabwe dollars for foreign exchange on the black market. Tom Crompton, a bank-note collector based near Chicago in the USA, said that the practice of dual printing was not unknown. “This happened in Zaîre when former president Mobuto Sese Seko needed private funds,” Mr. Crompton said. “Currency would be printed for release into the economy, and another set with the same serial numbers was created to keep his soldiers and supporters on side.” Mr Crompton said that the system had occured in a number of failed states. “Sometimes a government doesn’t care and just takes the money,” he said. “Others want a facade of legality, so they keep rigorous accounts at the printing office, showing exactly what serial numbers were used. Then they produce an identical set, with the same numbers.” He said that rapid devaluation meant that notes were not in circulation for long before they became worthless and less likely to be traced. “People don’t check serial numbers on the cash in their pockets, but for collectors this is gold,” he said. “Two banknotes with the same serial number will sell for a premium. I don’t collect Zimbabwe, but stories and photos have been circulating.” Last week, finance minister Tendai Biti suspended any further printing of local currency.

Zimdollar Mop-Up to Cost U.S.$13 Million

http://www.herald.co.zw/

22 April 2009

Harare - AT least US$13 million is needed to mop up the Zimbabwe dollar held
with banks following a one-year suspension, Economic Planning and Investment
Promotion Minister Elton Mangoma has said.

"The Zimbabwe dollar has died a natural death. Its funeral will cost about
US$13 million, which is the estimate for mopping up the balances with banks
and reserve money," Mr Mangoma told a workshop in Pretoria on Monday.

A decision would be made on "when and how" to reintroduce the national
currency but this would depend on the performance of the productive sectors.

The South African Rand was chosen as the reference currency and books of
accounts are being kept in either the Rand or United States Dollars.

Early this year, the government allowed the use of foreign currency as the
local unit failed to sustain unprecedented hyperinflation.

The highest note previously in circulation was a "rejected" $100 trillion
Zimbabwe dollar note.

The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe lopped off a total of 22 zeros from the local
currency in the past two years.

Finance Minister Mr Tendai Biti told the Senate late last month Government
was con-sidering buying the depositors' money held with banks.

There has been uncertainty as to what would happen to depositors' funds
after the demise of the Zimdollar.

Banks are holding about $1,8 million depositors' funds, according to the
RBZ.

Many accounts are holding quadrillions which, accumulated through "burning"
where people took advantage of the wide

gap between the transfer rate and the cash rate. The transfer rate attracted
higher returns.

Turning to the economic turnaround, Mangoma told the workshop, Government
was committed to ensure that Zimbabwe "starts working again".

He said efforts would be directed towards reforms from both the political
and economic arenas -- to ensure there is a restoration of economic
stability and growth, among other things.

"Stimulating investment has been adopted as one of the strategies for the
restoration of economic stability and growth.

"The objective is to increase investment from the current level of four
percent of Gross Domestic Product to a minimum of 25 percent of GDP," said
Mr Mangoma.

The process to re-engage the international community was underway to
mobilise support for the resuscitation of social services and utilities.

"A multi-pronged approach to engage the international community will focus
on the unlocking of critically needed balance of payments financing, fiscal
balance support, foreign debt rescheduling and renegotiations as well as
clearance of outstanding external payment arrears," the minister said.

He said Zimbabwe would create a conducive investment climate for investors.

He urged South African investors to take advantage of the existing
investment opportunities in Zimbabwe and advance lines of credit to assist
the economy in recovering.

"There is a strategic window of investment wide open in Zimbabwe at the
moment. There is a strategic window for the donor community to strengthen
democracy in Zimbabwe and Africa at the moment.

"Let us seize the moment before this window shuts."

Zimbabwe May Sell State-Owned Enterprises, Herald Reports

http://www.bloomberg.com

By Brian Latham

April 22 (Bloomberg) -- Zimbabwe's cabinet will next week consider a report
on the possible sale of state-owned enterprises, the Herald reported, citing
an unidentified government spokesman.

Finance Minister Tendai Biti and Joel Gabuza, minister of state enterprises,
will submit the report to the Cabinet, the Harare-based newspaper said on
its Web site today.

Biti has said Zimbabwe may have to sell state-owned businesses in order to
finance its economic recovery, the Herald added.

Among the "poor performing'' businesses government may sell are Air
Zimbabwe, National Railways of Zimbabwe, the National Oil Co. of Zimbabwe
and the Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority, said the Herald.

To contact the reporter on this story: Brian Lathamblatham@bloomberg.net.

Last Updated: April 22, 2009 03:34 EDT

Harare Slashes Rates

http://www.herald.co.zw/

22 April 2009

Harare - HARARE City Council has slashed rates by 50 percent in line with a
Government directive for all local authorities to cut their rates and
supplementary charges to affordable levels.

Council has since asked ratepayers to pay half of the amounts reflected on
their bills.

Finance director Mr Cosmos Zvikaramba has, through a notice put up at all
district offices and council banking halls, instructed ratepayers to pay
half the amounts reflected on their bills.

Although Mr Zvikaramba did not specify changes on other council charges,
sources have indicated that all the charges have been slashed and the new
fees would be announced on Friday at a full council meeting.

"Be advised that ratepayers are required to pay 50 percent of the billed
amounts pending finalisation of the budgetary process which entails the
revision of the original budget by taking into cognisance the changing
operating environment between December 2008 and April 2009," Mr Zvikaramba
said.

He appealed for the co-operation of the ratepayers adding that council would
effect adjustments in the next bills in line with the revised budget.

According to the 2009 budget figures, the average rate bill for high-density
areas was US$24, US$57 for low-density areas and US$97 for upmarket suburbs
like Borrowdale and Glen Lorne.

Refuse collection was pegged at US$10 for high-density areas and US$12 for
low-density suburbs.

Council planned to raise US$185 million, which was to be financed by
residents and ratepayers through rates and supplementary charges plus other
fees such as burials and vehicle clamping.

Ratepayers told the council they were prepared to pay half their bills
during consultative meetings on the 2009 budget.

The finance committee is today expected to deliberate on the revised budget
before it is presented to full council on Friday.

In the past ratepayers have said they did not mind to paying their bills on
condition council delivered.

The city started charging for services in foreign currency last month but
the majority of ratepayers felt the amounts were beyond their reach and
resisted paying.

Ratepayers have welcomed the move saying it resonated with the demands made
during budget consultative meetings.

One, Mr James Pande, said council had shown maturity by listening to the
people.

He encouraged other service providers to reduce their charges in line with
the prevailing economic climate.

Another, Mr Lawrence Mapfumo, hailed the decision but warned that council
should not take the reduced fees as an excuse for shoddy service.

"They should use our funds wisely to build a better Harare," he said.
In recent weeks, the Herald Letters to the Editor column, has been inundated
with letters from disgruntled residents expressing outrage at the high
rates.

Mr Masawi Munyanyi complained that council was charging exorbitant fees for
non-existent services.

Council has also slashed salaries and allowances for its employees in
conformity with the revised budget.

Government Re-takes Teachers

http://www.radiovop.com


MASVINGO, April 22 2009 - The government has started recruiting
teachers who had gone Away Without Official Leave (AWOL) for the past two
years due to economic hardships, political instability and violence.

"Please be advised that teachers who had not reported for duty since
2007 can come and get places before the opening of the second term...",
reads part of the notice, signed by Provincial Education Director (PED)
Clara Taridzo Dube from the Ministry of Education, Arts, Sports and Culture.

Dube said in an interview with RadioVOP:"We have since registered a
total of 150 teachers who had just gone missing from our registers without
leave or resigning. We intend to get more as the vacancies are still there
at most schools at the province. Their response was overwhelming."

Last month, Takavafira Zhou, president of the Progressive Teachers
Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ)  complained that over 700 teachers were still
stranded after coming back into the country with the hoping of being
re-engaged. However Zhou now feared there would be overstaffing at schools.
He also raised the security concerns of some of the teachers who had fled
political violence in the run up to the June 27 runoff elections.

Dube allayed the fears, saying such teachers would be assigned to
other schools, or seek transfers.

Teachers worked an average 23 days only last year, protesting better
working conditions and wages, a situation that seriously disrupted writing
and marking of Grade Seven, O and A Levels examinations.

The teachers have since the new unity government in February returned
to work and earning a USD 100 allowance a month, which they have complained
is not enough. They have already threatened to resort to another strike when
second term starts in May, if Government does not pay them enough.

The Zimbabwe government is currently in the red and has appealed for
USD 5 billion to the international community to help it re-store its
battered economy.

Address by the Prime Minister of Zimbabwe

http://www.thezimbabwean.co.uk


Wednesday, 22 April 2009

Address by the Prime Minister of Zimbabwe, the Right Honourable Morgan
Tsvangirai, at the Commemoration of the 90th Anniversary of the
International Labour Organisation

Master of Ceremonies, Minister of Labour and Social Services,
Honourable Mparirwa, Honourable Ministers, Acting Director of the ILO
Sub-Regional Office, Mr. Tabi-Abodo, Trade Union and Business Leaders,
Ambassadors, The UN Resident Co-ordinator and Representatives of other
International Organisations, Senior Government Officials, Invited Guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen:

I would like to thank the Minister of Labour and Social Services, the
Honourable Mpariwa and the Acting Director of the ILO Sub-Regional Office,
Mr Tabi-Abodo, for inviting me to join my colleagues from Government, and
representatives from Labour and Business in commemorating the 90 year
anniversary of the International Labour Organisation.
The ILO's proud history includes campaigning against slave and forced
labour, designing programmes for the eradication of child labour,
campaigning for freedom of association and equality at the work place and
calling for collective determination of the shop-floor price of labour.
These are just a few examples of the organisation's tireless efforts to
bring about social justice in the labour markets.
The Government of Zimbabwe is also grateful for the efforts which the
ILO has taken with its constituents in addressing the issue of HIV and AIDS
at the workplace and beyond.  Worldwide, HIV and AIDS are no longer regarded
as diseases but rather as human rights issues.  It is common cause, that
with an affected and infected workforce, labour productivity diminishes.  To
recover our economy we need a healthy workforce and in this respect, I urge
the ILO to continue supporting the HIV and Aids programmes in the workplace.
Ladies and Gentlemen, this inclusive government is committed to
working with the ILO, labour organisations and business in continuing to
strive for fair and equitable working conditions.
Such is our commitment to the principle of the tri-partite approach,
that it has been included within the Global Political Agreement that forms
the foundation of this government and in that agreement it is represented by
the National Economic Council.
I am proud to have worked with the ILO throughout the 1980s and 1990s
and to have been part of the team that established Zimbabwe's own Tripartite
Negotiating Forum in 1998, in an attempt to address the socio-economic
issues faced by workers in this country.
As we have all experienced, the plight of Zimbabwean workers
deteriorated significantly over the past decade, with devastating effects on
livelihoods and the sociopolitical economy of this country. In order to
redress this situation, it is imperative that this spirit of cooperation and
consultation between the key stakeholders continues and flourishes. In this
regard, you have my full commitment to work tirelessly for both business
growth and the rights of the workers.
At this occasion, we have witnessed government, labour and business
signing the Decent Work Country Programme for Zimbabwe. This programme is
designed to address the challenges in our labour market with assistance from
the ILO. This kind of collective approach is what we need in our road map
towards economic recovery.
In line with the pursuance of the Decent Work Agenda in Zimbabwe I am
confident that this Government's Short Term Economic Recovery Programme will
provide a solid foundation and realistic framework through which to pursue
this agenda. Therefore I ask both labour and business to join with the
Government to work together under the auspices of STERP.
In addition, this Government has further responsibilities of which we
are aware and to which we are committed. The binding constraint to our
economic growth has been, and remains, the rule of law. Without investor
confidence, we cannot attract investment or access the lines of credit
necessary to kick-start our economy. Therefore, this government in general,
and my office in particular, are dedicated to ensuring that the laws of this
land are applied consistently, impartially and fairly.
In addition, through Parliament, we will pursue a legislative agenda
that entrenches the rights of all citizens and all stakeholders so that
everyone can live in prosperity, free from fear, hunger or persecution.
Ladies and Gentlemen, the Government also appreciates the initiative
of the ILO to engage the African heads of State and Government in discussing
the twin problem of unemployment and poverty on the continent.  That
initiative resulted in the signing of the Ouagadougou Declaration on
Employment and Poverty in 2004.  It is this Declaration which is now used as
the basis of formulating and executing policies to address these problems at
both the national and regional economic community levels in Africa.
In line with the Decent Work Country Programme, I would encourage the
ILO, together with other relevant UN agencies, to mobilise resources for the
national programmes focusing on youth unemployment and poverty.  It is
internationally accepted that the only meaningful strategy to deal with the
deepening poverty traps in Africa and elsewhere is to create employment
opportunities.
The ILO's concept of Working out of Poverty is relevant to Africa in
general and Zimbabwe in particular.  This is not to suggest that the current
social protection programmes which are being supported by our development
partners are not important, but rather I am saying for the long term we need
to address poverty through employment generation.
In addition, I see a clear role for the ILO in the re-organisation of
the Small and Medium Enterprises and the informal economy in order to create
jobs.  We have a Ministry of SME's whose mandate also extends to the
informal economy which, as a developing nation, we cannot afford to ignore
in our attempts to turn around our economy.
Indeed our economy, like those in the rest of the world, has been
affected by the Global financial crisis.  In this regard the ILO is being
urged once again to work with key stakeholders to develop meaningful
responses in order to mitigate this crisis in the world of work.
Ladies and Gentlemen, I ask you to join me in congratulating the
International Labour Organisation for 90 years of meaningful contributions,
not only in the workplace, but to our global society as well and for
ensuring that its agenda reflects the agenda of its member states and their
Social Partners.
If we look at what the ILO and its partners have managed to achieve
over the past ninety years, we can be filled with optimism and hope at what
we can achieve together in the decades to come.
I thank you.

Cholera infection continues to slow in southern Africa, UN says

http://www.un.org

22 April 2009 - The cholera epidemic in southern Africa continues to abate,
but international and local health authorities stress the need to remain
vigilant, the United Nations reported today.
"Overall, the duration and magnitude of the epidemic underscores the need
for strengthening surveillance, preparedness and underscores plans in all
countries," according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian
Affairs (OCHA).

There were a total of 4,579 new cases between 3 and 17 April in the nine
countries - Angola, Botswana, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa,
Swaziland, Zambia and Zimbabwe - affected by the often fatal disease since
August 2008.

During the two weeks preceding 3 April, 6,460 new cases were reported, OCHA
said.

Authorities warn, however, that cholera could re-appear in the coming one to
three weeks, when waters from flooding in the region, which has affected
more than 1.2 million people, subside and become stagnant.

Those displaced by the deluge lack access to shelter, water and sanitation
facilities and are at higher risk of contracting the disease, OCHA said. To
prevent that from happening, UN Country Teams and humanitarian partners plan
to expedite their aid to flood victims.

In a number of countries, national cholera policies and contingency planning
is also taking place, in partnership with the UN World Health Organization
(WHO), the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) and other organizations.

The cumulative total of cholera cases reported in southern Africa stands at
155,692, including 96,718 cases in Zimbabwe, the worst affected country.

The total number of reported deaths stands at 4,686, with 4,218 of those in
Zimbabwe.

Daily cholera update and alerts, 20 Apr 2009

 Full_Report (pdf* format - 175.1 Kbytes)

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

Any change will then be explained.

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

A. Highlights of the day:

- 86 Cases and 10 deaths added today (in comparison with 67 cases and 2 deaths yesterday)

- Cumulative cases 96 871

- Cumulative deaths 4 230 of which 2 597 are community deaths

- 66.7 % of the districts affected have reported today 40 out of 60 affected districts)

- 96.7 % of political districts reported to be affected (55 districts out of 62)

- Cumulative Institutional Case Fatality Rate = 1.7%

- Daily Institutional CFR = 11.1 %.

- No report received from Mashonaland West and Matebeleland North provinces

Daily cholera update and alerts, 21 Apr 2009

 Full_Report (pdf* format - 174.6 Kbytes)

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

Any change will then be explained.

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

A. Highlights of the day:

- 171 Cases and 3 deaths added today (in comparison with 86 cases and 10 deaths yesterday)

- Cumulative cases 97 043

- Cumulative deaths 4 233 of which 2 600 are community deaths

- 71.7 % of the reporting centres affected have reported today 43 out of 60 affected reporting centres)

- 88.7 % of political districts reported to be affected (55 districts out of 62)

- Cumulative Institutional Case Fatality Rate = 1.7%

- Daily Institutional CFR = 0.0 %.

- No report received from Mashonaland East and Masvingo provinces

Wild animals compete for scarce crops

Photo: IRIN

Problem elephants

TSHOLOTSHO, 22 April 2009 (IRIN) - Marauding wild animals in Zimbabwe's Matabeleland North Province are adding anguish to the pain of hunger as they destroy scarce crops.

Thin rainfall and a lack of agricultural inputs have brought poor harvests in recent years, leaving more than half the country's 12 million people reliant on emergency food aid.

In Tsholotsho district in Matabeleland North Province, and Insiza North district in Matabeleland South Province, food shortages are being compounded by elephants eating and trampling the villagers’ crops.

To counter the threat of elephants and other wild animals like wild pigs, baboons and quelea birds from the nearby Hwange National Park, where over 100,000 elephants roam the country's biggest animal sanctuary, villagers have taken to guarding their fields.

"We are spending nights out in the fields and we have formed ourselves into groups … we spend the nights awake in the fields as we try to drive away the elephants so that we could save some of our crops,” Timothy Nyoni a Tsholotsho villager, told IRIN.

“We have situations where the elephants have flattened an entire family crop. We fear that if the elephants are not controlled, the whole district's crop will be lost this year," said Nyoni, who lost part of his crop to elephants two weeks ago.

Samukele Tshabangu, who also lives in Tsholotsho, told IRIN: "We light fires to drive away the elephants. In most fields we light unattended fires 50 metres apart to scare the elephants away, but you find that the fields are quite large and policing every inch becomes a problem - at times the elephants are aggressive and they attack the villagers, who are forced to flee."

Villagers said the elephants often arrived in herds of about 12 and the larger the herd the more aggressive they were towards humans.

"Baboons and wild pigs are also causing havoc, and they invade the fields in broad daylight in large numbers, compared to the elephants,” said Josephine Nyoni, a villager from the Mlevu ward in Tsholotsho “They are difficult to chase off, so while adults keep night vigils, children, women and the elderly have to watch the fields during the day."

Headman Mlevu, the Mlevu village chief, said: "The elephants are destroying crops and people might starve despite the good rains that fell countrywide, and if we are to have a meaningful harvest then something has to be done urgently."

Wildlife management

Zimbabweans have to seek permission from the Communal Area Management Programme for Indigenous Resources (CAMPIRE) project to kill troublesome animals, but the project has become hamstrung by the myriad socio-economic problems facing the country. The matter was reported to the National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority but there has been no response as yet.

Morris Mtsambiwa, director general of the National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority, told IRIN: "The massive increase in the population of elephants is to blame for the problems villagers are facing. Some of the elephants are now affecting the livelihood of villagers, and unless we control the elephant population the elephant-human relations problem will persist."

The massive increase in the population of elephants is to blame for the problems villagers are facing. Some of the elephants are now affecting the livelihood of villagers, and unless we control the elephant population the elephant-human relations problem will persist

He said the authorities had inadequate resources to combat the problem, but one way to deal with it was to increase the number of elephants killed under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), which permits a certain number of tusks to be traded annually.

"We are pushing for an increase in the number of trophy elephants from 500 to 600 annually, and that will be one way of dealing with the problem elephants, as the country currently has a population of over 100,000 elephants," Mtsambiwa said.

Large flocks of quelea birds are also descending on fields in the district, destroying crops of small grains such as millet and sorghum.

"We have done everything in our power to stop the birds from devouring our crops. If the birds are chased away from one field they fly to the next field, where they devour the crops," Sithabile Ndlovu told IRIN in Insiza district.

"The birds get used [to our tactics] and they now ignore the scarecrows, so villagers have to be in the fields beating drums and tins to scare away the birds,” Ndlovu said. “Otherwise, if we sit back the quelea birds will reduce our harvests."

On ‘Dependence Day’

A presidential stranglehold on Zimbabwe

http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/node/9308

By Oskar Wempter
22 Apr 2009

"We are now losing the last shreds of normality. Three tomatoes now sell for
one US dollar on the streets, and two fish cost five US dollars". The words
are those of Bishop Dieter B. Scholz of Chinhoyi in Zimbabwe. He is
describing the continuing bitter plight of the people in this ravaged
country, as of February 2009.

Zimbabwe may have temporarily slipped from the headlines, but the
catastrophic political and economic plight of this country under the
dictatorial rule of President Robert Mugabe has not changed. One former ally
of Mugabe, the journalist Wilf Mbanga, who now lives in exile in Britain,
described the attitude of the president in an interview in 2008.

He said: "28 years as ruler have made him drunk with power and the fear of
possibly losing this power has made him as dangerous as a wounded beast. At
the moment he is capable of anything, including genocide".

Zimbabwe, once seen as the bread-basket of Africa because of its rich
harvests, now faces the prospect of starvation. Bishop Dieter writes: "The
anger wells up in me when I hear that the government officials of the ruling
party are still trying to intimidate our parish priests and prevent them
from helping people who have been reduced to living off tree bark, grass
seed and wild fruits. But we will not let them take away our right to share
our bread with the hungry".

Bishop Scholz, a Jesuit, has lived and worked in Zimbabwe for over 40 years
and since 2006 he has been bishop of the diocese of Chinhoyi in the
northeast of the country. Among the agencies which regularly support his
work is the international Catholic pastoral charity Aid to the Church in
Need (ACN).

Originally from Berlin, the bishop worked for many years in Silveira House,
a Jesuit formation centre founded in 1964, about 12 miles (20 km) east of
the capital Harare. To this day, this pastoral and social development centre
is striving to strengthen the surrounding communities, offering courses in
such diverse fields as healthcare, agriculture, democracy and human rights
and also in the local cultures and languages.

Its goal is to help the Zimbabwean people to help themselves. However, in
the current profound crisis these courses no longer find many takers.
Conditions of life for ordinary people are pitiful, their poverty
indescribable. Schools and hospitals have been closed. The local economy has
long since collapsed and the currency become worthless.

Everyone is desperate to get hold of hard currencies in order to survive,
but many do not succeed. Facing starvation, they flee with their remaining
strength to neighbouring countries, or simply die. Hunger is everywhere, a
brutal plague that can seize upon entire families and wipe them out - as one
observer put it, "like an endless, silent tsunami".

Since August 2008, this grave food shortage has gone hand-in-hand with a
cholera epidemic. And while the number of new cases has now fallen sharply,
according to the World Health Organisation in Geneva, this dangerous disease
has not been defeated and could easily break out again at any time, as the
WHO reported at the end of March. According to its data, in February 2009
around 8,000 new cases were being registered each week, whereas by the
second week of March this had fallen to 2,000.

The death rate among those affected has also fallen, from almost six percent
in January to 2.3 percent by mid-March. All in all, since the outbreak of
the epidemic, over 91,000 people have been infected with the cholera virus
and of these, some 4,000 have died, according to the WHO figures.

Against this background Bishop Scholz told a representative of ACN, "We must
bring back the humanity that we have lost". And the bishop, who visited his
home country in January and February this year to seek help for the people
of Zimbabwe, insisted that he will not allow his diocesan staff to be
deterred from distributing food to the starving population, despite the fact
that his priests have repeatedly been threatened and summoned before the
district authorities. Bishop Scholz has protested energetically against
these actions.

-----------

(c) Oskar Wempter coordinates Jesuit Communications in Harare, Zimbabwe.
See: www.jescom.co.zw

With thanks to the communications office of the Jesuits in Britain -
www.jesuit.org.uk/

Equality and safety of Zimbabwean roads

http://www.kubatanablogs.net/kubatana/?p=1674

Giles Mutsekwa, the MDC-T Co-Home Affairs Minister was involved in a car
accident on Tuesday last week - another in a series of car accidents in
which MDC officials and their families have been involved. Mutsekwa was
travelling to Harare on the Mucheke road when the car in which he was
travelling was rammed from behind by a Nissan Hard Body truck. The
Co-Minister survived unscathed. The driver of the other vehicle involved in
the accident is reported to be in police custody. Mutsekwa heads the Home
Affairs ministry jointly with Kembo Mohadi of Zanu PF. This is the fourth
accident involving MDC officials since the unity government was established.
Prime Minister Tsvangirai's wife was killed in an accident which left
Tsvangirai injured. Deputy Prime Minister Thokozani Khuphe's mother died
from injuries received in an accident on the Bulawayo-Harare road last
month. MDC ministers Gorden Moyo and Sam Nkomo were travelling to Harare
airport last month when the vehicle in which they were travelling was also
struck from behind by another vehicle. I am not about to launch into a
conspiracy theory analysis. In fact, I was disappointed by some of the
comments made at the time of Susan Tsvangirai's death. One MDC official
ignoring the bad state of Zimbabwe's roads made the comment that the
accident or at the least the death would not have happened if there had been
police escort. I remember thinking of all the thousands of people who daily
traverse the Masvingo road on their way to Beitbridge and beyond to South
Africa. I thought then as l do now that they have never had police escort.
They get on those buses and in those cars on a wing and a prayer and hope
that they make it back home with their lives intact. Because of the shock
surrounding this sad incident and the conspiracy theories then doing the
rounds, people did not analyse this statement too much. But perhaps it needs
to be critiqued.

We do not rejoice in the death of a human being. Everyone has a right to
life. From the poorest among us to the richest.  From the lowest among us to
the most influential. We must reject the notion that all animals are equal
but some are more equal than others. This is the thinking that has seen
politicians sending their children to schools overseas while presiding over
the destruction of our schools and universities. It is the same thinking
that has seen politicians going for treatment in South Africa, the UK, China
and beyond, while presiding over the collapse of our health delivery system.
It was normal under the ZANU PF government, but we do not expect it from the
MDC. It is the disease that comes with closeness to power that Alex Magaisa
in his latest opinion piece talks about. It is the former mayor of Harare
demanding a four wheel drive vehicle because the roads in Harare were so
bad.

Now we have had a lot of talk about the roads in Zimbabwe. The terrible
state that they are in and the loss of lives that this has resulted in.
Every time there is an accident, politicians talk about the deplorable state
of the roads in Zimbabwe. When l started writing this piece, it was my
intention to discuss the accidents that have happened involving prominent
politicians in the past two or three months, including the latest one
involving Giles Mutsekwa. Before l finished this piece, news came through
that there had been yet another accident. This time a bus travelling on the
same highway where Susan Tsvangirai's accident occurred apparently burst a
front tyre and plunged into a river a few kilometres from the spot where the
Prime Minister's wife lost her life. 29 people perished on the spot and
another 44 were injured. 29 nameless and faceless people. 29 people who were
someone's mother, father, son and daughter. Someone's breadwinner. 44 people
who now have to contend with hospitals that have no drips, no doctors, no
nurses, no medicines, no theatres, no x-ray machines and no traction
machines. They had no police escort.

And so more carnage on our roads. But in a country where human life has been
cheapened by politicians, l fear that their deaths will be in vain. No one
will be galvanised to act to prevent further loss of life. No lessons will
be drawn from this sad event and no one will pledge-never again . . . until
the next "important" person is involved.

This entry was posted on April 22nd, 2009 at 9:22 am by Catherine Makoni

Final and sweet revenge

Wednesday, 22 April 2009

Farm Invasions The renewed farm invasions condoned by Zimbabwe's recalcitrant president Robert Mugabe are no surprise to those of us that are familiar with the unforgiving dictator. He has a long memory, and he is very vindictive.  Just after the MDC opposition was formed in 1999 a CNN news' team was invited to witness Morgan Tsvangirai receiving cheques to bolster his newly created party. The fund-raising was filmed on a farm owned by John Brown, a former Commercial Farmers' Union president. It has to be said that this display of support in the public domain was akin to waving a red rag at a mad bull. Mugabe was enraged. There was more provocation to come.  In the year 2000 the MDC campaigned successfully against the government's constitutional referendum. That defeat was Mugabe's first since he came to power as a Prime Minister in 1980, and although outwardly he appeared calm, behind a deceptively masked expression he was livid.  Whites removed The resounding constitutional referendum "No" vote was partly due to a massive mobilisation of farm labour from the white commercial farms. Almost every farm employee who could vote was transported to the polling booths, and most were persuaded to vote the way their bosses wanted. However the much vaunted referendum win was to be a short lived celebration, and it was to herald the beginning of the end for Zimbabwe's white farmers. The dictator was about to forcibly remove them.  Mugabe was very much aware of the political power being wielded by the organised food producers in the countryside. He had lost support in the urban areas, and he couldn't and wouldn't tolerate any threats to the rural vote. It didn't take Mugabe long to realise that evicting the white farmers would solve numerous problematic issues. Why support evictions? First and foremost he would rid himself of a small but influential ethnic group that dared to challenge him. Secondly promises of land would help placate the restless war veterans. Thirdly he could reward his many sycophants with large estates. And finally land was an indisputable vote catcher. Having successfully achieved his objective of eliminating most of the white farming community, why then does he continue supporting evictions against the few hundred that are left? Could it be because the white farmers' friend and mentor Morgan Tsvangirai is now their beloved Prime Minister in the unity government?  Indeed what better time could he have chosen for flaunting his absolute power, and for exacting such final and sweet revenge?  BY MIKE ROOK

As Zimbabwe turns 29, statements are not enough

Aid without reform in Zimbabwe risks fueling repression

When cars and luxury take precedence over life

http://www.newzimbabwe.com/blog/?p=530

Posted By Alex Magaisa on 22
Apr, 2009 at 12:08 pm

EARLY this week, Zimbabweans woke up to pictures of two beautiful Tsholotsho
twins. They were conjoined twins, a rare phenomenon that called for urgent
attention.

A few days later, news arrived that they had failed to make it. They stood
little chance in a country currently plagued by poor health facilities.

But the biggest noise in town was not about the plight of the twins. It was
about cars. It was about MPs who wanted cars; MPs who received the cars with
much gratitude from their benefactor, 'Our Governor' Gideon Gono; MPs who
ganged up to  refuse to return the cars despite demands from the new
Minister of Finance, Tendai Biti.

Apparently, the cars had been lying idle, we were told. They lay idle in a
country whose hospitals and clinics are crying out desperately for vehicles
to use as ambulances.

But the Governor heard the calls of the MPs. Yes, the MPs' plight was more
important; too important, in fact, to be ignored. So here we are, in a
country whose inhabitants wallow in a sea of poverty, the biggest hullabaloo
in town is about motor vehicles, not about education, health or welfare.

In the same week, Lovemore Madhuku and the National Constitutional Assembly
('NCA') that he chairs have occupied a great deal of media space. They have
been criticised, almost to the point of vilification, for allegedly being
unreasonable.

For what crime, one might ask? It is that they have expressed displeasure at
the recently announced constitution-making process which is to be led by a
Parliamentary Select Committee ('the Committee'), a process they have vowed
to oppose because it does not satisfy their demand for what they call a
'people-driven constitution'. The amount of vitriol directed against them is
staggering, not least because it comes from many sources who swear by
democracy.

I may not agree totally with the NCA position on the matter but they have
every right to take and campaign for that stance. One of the weaknesses of
our political culture is that there is no room for minorities or those who
differ. We do not tolerate difference, instead, we try to vilify and subdue
those who differ. Hence the many calls for 'Madhuku and co.' to shut up.
That cannot be right.

Why should they shut up? If people are so confident that Madhuku and co.
have lost it, why then should anyone fear them? Surely, the people can judge
for themselves without requiring the silencing of Madhuku and co.? The
Referendum will come and it will be the ultimate test of the people's
support. So if Madhuku has become a nuisance, as some now allege, let him
exercise his right. He is not trampling on anybody's rights, is he?

It is easy to forget that years ago, women were on the margins of society,
deprived of their rights, and those who stood up for women's rights were
viewed with contempt. They dared to be different and they were vilified for
it. Today, no reasonable person disagrees with the view of women's equality.
It goes to show that what starts as a minority view is not necessarily
wrong.

Politicians, like all human beings, tend to look after Number One -
themselves. That is why I recount the contrasting stories of the hullabaloo
over MPs' cars and the apparent silence over the plight of the recently
departed conjoined twins. I bet there are many more stories of that nature.
But is anyone in that building along Nelson Mandela Street taking notice?
Not quite - they are more interested in their automobiles. It is these same
people who are supposed to drive the new constitution-making process. Pray
that the national interest will be uppermost in their minds when they do it.

Nevertheless, even though I defend their right to be different, if my
opinion counted for anything, I would advise the civil society to adopt a
different strategy on this occasion. To my mind, campaigning for a 'No' vote
at this stage is premature. It might be advisable, instead, to participate
in the current process having registered their reservations.

It is not unusual for litigants to suspend their legal dispute to negotiate
out of court on what is called a 'without prejudice' basis. It simply means
that you negotiate without necessarily prejudicing your right to proceed
through the judicial process if the negotiation fails. Likewise, civil
society can play a role but they can always exercise their right to reject
the outcome if it is unsatisfactory.

I urge participation for two reasons. First, there is a real risk that a
civil society boycott will only give free reign to the politicians to make a
constitution that suits them. There is a risk that at the Referendum people
will be swayed more by their political allegiance than the content of the
constitution.

If civil society leaders come up against the combined force of Zanu PF and
the two MDC formations, the latter will triumph in that political contest,
just as Zanu PF lost in 2000 to the combined force of the MDC and civil
society. This would mean that the resulting constitution would be one that
contains little, if any, input from civil society. Trying to change it could
take another 30 years or more.

Second, the NCA argument that this is a flawed process will be much
strengthened if they participated, enabling them to identify and evidence to
the people what exactly is wrong with the process. If they stay away, they
will have little to add to their current argument. They should be in there
to see exactly what Constitutional Affairs Minister Eric Matinenga really
means when he says the Kariba Draft is merely a 'reference point'.

This is just the way I see it. Civil society probably has good reason to
adopt the stance they have taken and they have every right to do as they
wish and no one should shut them up simply because they have dared to be
different.

Meanwhile, the hullabaloo over MPs cars and the lethargy over the plight of
the conjoined twins is a grim reminder of the two worlds that exist in
Zimbabwe and good reason why the cries of those who distrust politicians
should not be too easily dismissed.

Alex Magaisa is based at, Kent Law School, the University of Kent and can be
contacted at wamagaisa@yahoo.co.uk

 

RBZ vehicles saga "explosive" - analyst

http://www.thezimbabwean.co.uk


Wednesday, 22 April 2009

HARARE-Makhosini Hlongwane, the committee chairperson responsible for
the receipt of second-hand vehicles handed over to new parliamentarians
across the political divide has said his committee on Tuesday resolved only
to return the cars after all the beneficiaries of the quasi-fiscal
operations equipment, inputs, tractors and car have done the same.

This resolution by the 13 member committee comprising six from ZANU
PF, six from the MDC-T and one from MDC-M came hard on the heels of a
statement by Reserve Bank Governor Gideon Gono for all legislators to return
the vehicles by Friday.
Initially the vehicles were supposed to have been handed to the
Ministry of Finance by Monday, but Gono pleaded with Finance Minister Tendai
Biti to extend the deadline to Friday.
"We held a meeting and it was unanimously agreed that we will comply
with the central bank's directive to return the second-hand vehicles, but
only after all the other beneficiaries of the quasi-fiscal operations have
returned what they were given by the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe," Hlongwane
said. "It is going to be on a first in, first out basis. We are going to be
the last ones to handover these cars and it has been agreed by the committee
including those in the MDC formations. If other beneficiaries do not hand
over first then we are not going to comply with the directive."
"We also resolved that if a person attacks us in the newspapers, we
will respond to that person in the newspapers." This was in apparent
refernce to a scathing attack by Minister Nelson Chamisa who castigated the
Members of Parliament for accepting the cars from the TBZ
Chamisa had said: "As far as we are concerned our loyal crop of MPs
has heeded the call not to accept the vehicles and we have assurances from
the government that MPs will have a mechanism of mobility as soon as
possible."
But Hlongwane, after the Tuesday meeting said no MP had returned any
vehicle to either the central bank, ministry of Finance or Lovemore Moyo,
the Speaker of the House of Assembly.
"I can assure you that not a single MP has returned the vehicles in
question and there is a directive that we are not going to do so until
others have met the same conditions," he said. "We asked for the vehicles
over ayear ago and the governemt failed to provide them so we took it upon
ourselves to approach the RBZ. Now our colleagues say we should return the
50 vehicles allocated to us. No way."
The current state of affairs has widespread ramifications if not
handled properly, said analyst Bonface Madziva.
"If this issue is not handled delicately it could lead to the collapse
of the government of national unity because legislators are already deeply
divided over the acceptance of these second hand vehicles," Madziva said.
"It could also be a test to the MDC-T leadership. Will they continue
on that path or will they just simply seek to regularise the issuance of
those vehicles. They should approach this matter with utmost care as it is
potentially explosive.
The Speaker of Parliament Moyo has since distanced him from the fight
between Biti and Gono saying that issue of vehicles "is not my baby."
On Monday, Gono issued a sarastic 20 pager insert in the government
controlled Herald attacking Biti.
Gono said: "Equally, institutions that benefited under the Baccosi
Programme in cash or in kind, particulary those comapnies that got foreign
exchange support are hereby being forewarned that a recall of those
resources is imminent under the recovery momentum being instructed upon the
Reserve Bank by the relevant authorities."
Another was: "The cars should be parked at the Ministry of Finance
parking bays at the New Government Complex in Harare and the keys handed
over to the Hon. Minister of Finance's office on the 6th floor at the same
complex."
He then went to attack the politicians saying it was a political
problem and not an econmic problem that dragged Zimbabwe into the current
mess.
By Special Correspondent

No, Guv, bygones cannot be bygones

http://www.thezimbabwetimes.com/?p=15579

April 22, 2009
Jupiter Punungwe

According to recent news reports RBZ governor, Gono wants us to let bygones
be bygones. How can we do that while he has our money? We Zimbabweans have
no problem letting bygones be bygones, but only after our money is back with
us.

As of now how can we let bygones be bygones when retired teachers,
policemen, civil servants and other workers are living in abject poverty
because their pensions were wiped out by Gono's actions and policies? Gono's
policies by his very own admission centred around raiding the accounts of
private individuals, businesses and NGOs, and handing over the money to
government ministries, cronies and friends including his so called 'family
businesses', in the form of very, very soft loans.

That the so called 'loans' had absolutely no repayment plans or security is
a clear indication that the ultimate intention was simply to take money from
the public coffers and hand over much of it to cronies.

Gono ruthlessly and cruelly pilloried and investigated people simply because
they didn't remit money, which they would have legitimately earned, to him.
When people did remit foreign currency all he did was take it and hand it
over as 'loans' to government, his friends and 'family businesses'. Now he
wants us to forget everything because it is now time to investigate him. No
ways.

Not only must Gono be investigated, but misallocated money should be
recovered as well. These so called 'loans' should be repaid in full and
interest should be backdated and calculated at market rates, which should
match or be above the inflation rate. The actions of the RBZ resulted in a
collapsed economy, wiping out our jobs and visiting untold suffering upon
us. The only thing Gono succeeded at is rampantly enriching himself and his
political cronies.

People who worked very hard and saved for decades of their lives are now
living lives of penury while Gono's family, friends and even their casual
intimate girlfriends (Jonathan Kadzura's euphemistic translation of /mahure
edu/ from Shona) are enjoying massive wealth garnered from the so called
'loans'.

Well Mr Gono I have a very simple and clear message for you, once we have
our money back, we will let bygones be bygones. When our pensions have
regained their value and our savings have been restored, we can talk about
forgiving each other. Not before.

It is important to note that Tendai Biti's posturing does not amount to
investigating Gono. Biti is simply putting on an entertaining political show
designed to appease certain sections of his support base, but so far he has
neither done nor said anything that implies any serious, sober and well
planned investigation of what went on at the RBZ under Gono's watch.

In fact, in his feud with Gono, Biti is shooting off at a tangent trying to
give orders to Parliament, a body which he has absolutely no authority over.
Biti has been trying to order MPs around over the issue of cars. Lost to him
is that fact the MPs are not subordinate to a minister at a national level.
There may be MPs who are subordinate to him at party level, but once they
get elected as parliamentarians they are representatives of the people who
are not supposed to take orders from the executive. Zanu-PF blurred this
clear division of powers by virtually taking party structures and imposing
them on national structures. But then Zanu-PF was enjoying a political
monopoly which the MDC does not.

If the cars were bought a long time ago, it means the quasi-fiscal
expenditure has already happened. It is absolutely no use slamming the
stable door shut after the money has already bolted state coffers. Isn't
Biti the very same person who was recently explaining to us that if the cars
have already been bought then it is more practical to use them? What has
changed in this particular instance to warrant his vehement opposition to
'practical use' of the cars? My simple conclusion is that it was fine to use
the cars when he was a beneficiary and now that he is no longer a
beneficiary he wants to pretend to be principled.

Personally I am in favour of disposing the expensive imported models and
buying similar or cheaper locally assembled models. My philosophy is simple,
support local industry as much as possible.

In addition the unseemly tussle over cars does not paint a good picture for
potential donors. Can a country in which the leaders are fighting over the
allocation of luxury cars seriously stand up and beg for financial
assistance?

That so much emotion is being vented over cars while little, if any, emotion
is being vent over collapsed health delivery and schools is an indictment
for the GNU.

Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara About To Be Fired - [unconfirmed; not suggested anywhere else]

http://www.nehandaradio.com

22 April 2009

By Denford Magora

Deputy Prime Minister and leader of the MDC-M Arthur Mutambara is about to
be fired and recalled by his party. A rally scheduled for this weekend in
the satellite town of Chitungwiza is the platform at which this action will
almost certainly be taken.

Spearheading this rebellion is former St Mary's MP Job Sikhala, who is the
one organising the rally. Top of the grievances is that Arthur Mutambara,
Prof. Welshman Ncube and other MDC leaders now in government have abandoned
the party.

One source put it this way: "We are now headless chickens. We have no
leadership as far as the people are concerned."

Sikhala and his fellow plotters are say that Mutambara has not bothered to
report back to the grassroots of the party since the formation of this
inclusive government. They claim that when the negotiations leading to the
current Inclusive Government started, Mutambara told provincial leaders that
the national leadership would be reporting back to the party grassroots on
progress.

Instead, they claim, Mutambara is now busy enjoying the trappings of office
and mollycoddling the dictatorship of Mugabe and has completely abandoned
the structures of the MDC, which he is leader of and which is unofficially
called the MDC-M.

It still remains to be seen whether the rally called by Sikhala goes ahead
and whether he succeeds in his quest to recall Mutambara from the leadership
of the party and from the Deputy Prime Ministership.

I doubt the action will succeed because these guys from both MDCs have been
embedded into the ZANU PF so thoroughly that it is shocking.

Speaking of being embedded:

There is a development here involving the Prime Minister's office, which has
only hours ago been exposed to be using CIO for certain activities. As
usual, I will not publish until I have confirmed this with a couple of other
sources.

You can expect that shocker to be on this blog sometime tonight.

Denford Magora is also the spokesman for the Mavambo Movement led by
President Dr. Simba Makoni, who ran for President last year.