http://www.voanews.com
August 20,
2011
Peta
Thornycroft | Johannesburg
Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe and his
wife Grace attend the burial of
Solomon Mujuru
Photo: AFP/Jekesai
Njikizana
Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe and his wife Grace attend the
burial of
Solomon Mujuru, the country's first defense chief and husband of
Vice
President Joyce Mujuru, August 20, 2011 in Harare
The burial
Saturday of one of Zimbabwe’s best known soldiers drew record
crowds and
rare unity among Zimbabweans of all political parties. Retired
general
Solomon Mujuru, the former army commander who backed President
Robert Mugabe
to lead Zimbabwe during the war to end minority white rule,
died in a fire
at his farm house last week.
President Mugabe praised Mujuru as a great
soldier and freedom fighter and
said his legacy would be defended by his
comrades and a strong security
service.
Mujuru, who was in Mr.
Mugabe’s Zanu PF party for more than 40 years, was
the husband of Zimbabwe’s
current vice president Joice Mujuru.
Mr Mugabe said it was strange that a
man known for his courage as a soldier
should have been burned to ashes at
his home. And the president called the
death, "inexplicable." But he said
people must accept this as God’s will.
At the ceremony at Heroe’s Acre on
the outskirts of Harare, Mr. Mugabe used
the opportunity, as he often does
at public events, to attack the West. “We
continue to say to the British
and allies and the Americans leave us
alone. Get away from us we are an
independent people we are a sovereign
people but no, the British want to
debate us every month in parliament as
if we are an extension of Britain,"
he said.
Mr Mugabe also said that political violence has decreased
recently and
called on the country to ensure that peace continued. "Let’s
create peace.
We are very happy that over these last months there has been
quite some
remarkable peace in the country, and we all agree, no violence,
no violence,
no violence," he said.
Mr Mugabe was forced to enter
into a unity government with the Movement for
Democratic Change (MDC) party
after disputed elections in 2008.
Leaders of the MDC who attended the
burial of Mujuru, have blamed Mr.
Mugabe's Zanu PF party for incidents of
political violence since the
government came to power in 2009.
Morgan
Tsvangirai, MDC leader and now prime minister in the inclusive
government,
attended the funeral and praised Mujuru for his role in ending
white
rule.
Mujuru was known as "Rex Nhongo" during the war for independence
and left
government service to become a businessman and farmer. He never
gave
interviews and many political analysts saw him as one of the few
prepared
to stand up to Mr Mugabe.
http://www.dailynews.co.zw
By Xolisani Ncube, Staff Writer
Sunday, 21 August 2011
09:33
HARARE – Close friends and allies of Zimbabwe’s first black
army commander
the retired general Solomon Mujuru have sensationally claimed
that the
“kingmaker” died an angry man after an ugly confrontation with
“novice”
politburo members who accused him of selling out by steadfastly
refusing to
have elections held this year.
Mujuru, 62, perished in a
mysterious fire at his Beatrice farm last Tuesday
morning. Family members,
allies, friends, business colleagues and ordinary
people around the country
suspect foul play.
President Robert Mugabe yesterday described the fire
as “inexplicable and
horrendous.”
As fresh details of Mujuru’s last
moments emerge, it has been said that the
late former army commander died
fighting for people’s freedoms and wanted
Zanu PF to reform and stop being
violent against opponents. He is also said
to have been clamouring for
leadership renewal.
Investigations, interviews and interactions by the
Daily News on Sunday with
Mujuru’s relatives, friends, and colleagues in the
politburo show that at
one time, the man who was buried at the National
Heroes’ Acre yesterday, at
one time stormed out of a politburo meeting after
some “novice” members
ganged up against him.
Mujuru is said to have
shared with close colleagues, his frustrations in
dealing with hardliners in
Zanu PF and his fears of further confrontations
with colleagues at the next
politburo meeting which he would have attended
had he not died.
The
Daily News on Sunday managed to track down and speak to the late Mujuru’s
colleagues who spoke about his frustrations and anger.
According to
some close Mujuru allies, the late popular general was worried
that novices
in the party, some of whom fled from the liberation struggle
and some who
had not participated at all in the struggle, were now seemingly
getting more
powerful and were not willing to listen to him. It has also
emerged that
just before he died, Mujuru was complaining of being abused and
belittled by
the politburo novices.
“The General was a worried man who feared that the
ideals of the liberation
struggle were being thrown away by a few
opportunistic individuals who
wanted to have elections even when party
structures are in shumbles.
They accused the general of opposing
elections to protect his business
interests, and of being too close to Prime
Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and
his MDC party.
“Rex was opposed to the
idea of holding elections this year because he knew
it would destabilise the
economy, he knew Zanu PF would engage in violence
and as you know he was
against that. Rex was insisting that elections should
be held after the full
implementation of the Global Political Agreement
(GPA) and if you notice, he
shared the same view with his wife.
“He was advising his colleagues that
elections should be held at the end of
2013 but he received a barrage of
abuse from one particular, talkative
politburo member.
“He was
accused of trying to delay elections so that President Mugabe would
be
incapacitated and the wife would take over. It was a whole sinister plot
against the general,” said a close colleague of the late Mujuru. A politburo
member corroborated this and added that Mujuru was fighting for Zanu PF to
choose a younger successor to Mugabe.
Some politburo members who were
opposed to Mujuru rushed to the conclusion
that this meant he wanted his
wife to be catapulted to the top job in the
country.
But the general
meant well, according to the politburo member. He said it
was clear to
Mujuru that if Zanu PF went into elections now, they would be
heavily
trounced due to lack of support around the country.
“The last few
encounters I had with the General were very touching. He was
complaining
about the attitude of certain individuals who supported the idea
of having
President Mugabe as the party candidate for the coming elections,
without
considering the future of the party.”
“The general wanted elections in
2013 so that President Mugabe and the party
could groom a successor who
would take up the top post but individuals,
especially those from other
factions fiercely opposed this. Mujuru felt
isolated, he felt humiliated,
especially being embarrassed by people who
joined the party well after
independence.
“He felt he needed more protection from President Mugabe
but he did not get
it. It was frustrating and he would talk about these
issues with close
associates. At times he would almost cry saying Zanu PF
had been hijacked by
people who wanted to destroy it. He died a bitter man,”
said the politburo
member.
On the day he walked out of the politburo
meeting over a heated debate and
clash with a newcomer into the politburo,
Mujuru told his allies that he did
not want to be associated with certain
decisions made by some party
officials who seemed to be working to destroy
Zanu PF from within.
“The General also was not happy with some inclusions
in the politburo but
you must understand he was a lonely voice, he was the
only one who could
argue with Mugabe while the rest were yes men. Now the
politburo is full of
useless bootlickers who just go there to endorse
everything.
“When Mujuru walked out, he started receiving calls from some
politburo
members who wanted to persuade him to have a change of heart and
join the
rest in forcing through an election. They wanted to force him to
agree to
things he did not want but as a principled man he said
no.”
Zanu PF has been fighting to have elections this year, with or
without a new
constitution, but regional leaders, civic society
organisations and other
political parties want free and fair elections to be
held once a democratic
electoral roadmap is put in place.
“The fact
that throughout his life he never sloganeered or looked down upon
Zanu PF
opponents shows you what a professional and nice man he was. He
never said
‘Pasi naTsvangirai’ (Down with Tsvangirai) and some mistook this
for being
close to the MDC leader.
But the general was just a reasonable person who
understood Zimbabwe beyond
Zanu PF,” said close ally of the late
Mujuru.
Mujuru’s death is a major blow to all political parties as he was
a mentor
who believed in democracy and the people’s power as opposed to the
power of
the gun.
Last week his wife Joice was forced to calm rising
tempers as youths and
family members wanted to know the truth regarding his
death. Some family
members told our sister paper, the Daily News last week
that they would have
to go for foreign forensic investigators in a bid to
uncover the truth about
Mujuru’s death.
+Zanu PF went further to gag
any party member from commenting on the matter
fearing violent reactions.
http://www.dailynews.co.zw/
By Xolisani Ncube, Staff Writer
Saturday, 20
August 2011 16:30
HARARE - As the mystery surrounding the death of
former army supremo Retired
General Solomon Mujuru remains unanswered,
politburo members aligned to his
faction have vowed to have the matter
discussed at the next politburo
meeting.
They also want to have
results of all investigations made public.
Members of the Mujuru faction
who spoke to the Daily News suspect the death
of the five-star liberation
war hero, who in 1972 survived a live bullet
shooting, was
plotted.
“We will not allow those who think that the matter will go under
water like
it has been with other cases, we will fight at our next politburo
meeting to
have the matter discussed and have the results of investigations
out as soon
as possible,” said a close ally of the late army
boss.
“It is a public secret that some of our party members have died
mysteriously
and results of investigations not disclosed, but not again with
our leader,
he was too innocent to die like a rat,” said one politburo
member.
Mujuru died mysteriously at his Beatrice farm on Tuesday in an
inferno, but
family members and some party officials have refused to accept
the theory
that he died from an accident suspecting foul play.
Some
family members and close Mujuru friends told the Daily News that though
it
was too early and not an appropriate time for them to start
witch-hunting,
it was important for them to know what happened to the
general and warned
that they will not rest until they deal with anyone who
is behind the death
of one of Zimbabwe’s most decorated war heroes.
“We have agreed as a team
that we will not rest until we find what happened
to the king maker, it will
not be fair to just fold our hands and watch our
pillar brought down without
an explanation. We want to make sure that we get
to the bottom of this case
and know what really happened,” added the source.
“If they think that by
killing our leader, they have destroyed us as a team,
they have lost it.”
adding they wanted to make sure their wishes were known
at all levels. We
will even fight for the widow to climb higher than where
she
is.”
Mujuru, who was the husband to Zimbabwe’s first female vice
president, is
credited to be behind the rise of his wife to the post she
holds. He was one
of the most feared politicians in the country who could
challenge President
Robert Mugabe and speak his mind out without
hesitation.
With a coloured history of the liberation struggle, Mujuru
died so
sorrowfully in what family and other ordinary members suspect could
be a
plotted death.
Conflicting versions of what transpired before,
during and after his death
at his Beatrice farm leaves more questions than
answers on what really
transpired to the first post-independence army
commander.
On Tuesday, family member told the Daily News that they were
contemplating
hiring foreign investigators to probe circumstances
surrounding the death of
Mujuru.
“Everything that happened on the day
looks strange, maybe we are being too
emotional but we have to question
certain facts. The general arrived at the
farm where there are two policemen
and private security guards stationed
there.”
“He went to the
compound to fetch keys to the house and left some groceries
in the car, some
keys for other properties and his cell phone. All these
were found in the
car meaning he came back from the compound and
mysteriously decided against
fetching the groceries and cell phone from the
car and went straight into
the house.”
“We wonder why the guards did not go and fetch the keys for
the general, why
they did not help in removing groceries from the car and
why they could not
assist him when the house was on fire."
“All these
questions need to be answered,” said an angry family member at
the family’s
Chisipite house.
Vice president Mujuru was pressurised to put aside the grief
mood and calm
simmering tempers from youths and family member."
She
told the gathering that they should not solicit for extra information on
what happened but should patiently wait for police results.
“We don’t
have to go an extra mile in soliciting for information. What we
have to do,
is follow what we agreed with Solomon (while he was alive) that
we will not
comment on anything whether good or bad, true or false,” she
said.
Police have also launched a full-scale investigation though
they have not
succeeded much in unearthing circumstances which could have
led to the death
of Mujuru.
It remains unclear why there was no power
at his farm despite reports that
he was connected to an interrupted cable as
the husband of the vice
president.
It also remains unclear how the
general could not have escaped a candle fire
provided his military
experience and living in a house which has widows
without bugler bars.
http://www.radiovop.com
The Minister of Local Government,
Rural and Urban Development, Ignatius
Chombo has directed cash strapped
Gweru City Council to pump out twenty
three thousand dollars (USD $23 000)
as payment for the investigation team
the minister appointed to investigate
the council.
In a letter to the City council, in possession of RadioVOP
Chombo wrote,
“Herewith find the fees to members of the Board of Inquiry in
terms of
section 311(8) of the Urban Council’s Act Chapter 29:15, Mr.
F.Chikovo
(Chairperson) USD 7 000, C. Chuma USD 4 000, E. Pise USD 4 000, D
Dzvuke USD
4 000, L. Gopozah USD 4 000. Please effect payment.”
The
Investigation team was sent to Gweru after the Gweru Urban Residents
Association (GURA) had written to the Ministry alleging that there was
mismanagement, corruption and abuse of office at the City
council.
However the Gweru City Mayor, Tedious Chimombe said council would
not afford
to pay such exorbitant fees at a time that most councils are
financially
unstable.
“We are unable to pay 23 000dollars as directed by
the Minister. It is
unfortunate that the Minister directs us to pay that
ridiculous amount at a
time that we are failing to pay our own employees of
city of Gweru,” the
mayor complained.
The city council says they are
shocked by Chombo’s directive as they have
already made payments to the team
as directed by a letter received by
council from the secretary of the
Investigating team on behalf of the
Secretary for Local Government, Rural
and urban development dated May 26.
“As council we paid about USD $9000
already to the team for accommodation,
fuel, and subsistence allowances. We
have already pumped out a lot of money
at the expense of service delivery
and welfare of our workers,” Chimombe
protested.
RadioVOP is informed
that the team which conducted investigations between
29May and June 04 has
not availed the results of the investigations to the
city fathers despite
the directive that they be paid again.
The Minister who has been on a
collision with most urban town councils most
which are led by the MDC has
also instructed the MDC T led council to
reinstate fired former Chamber
Secretary Richard Masinire.
Masinire was fired from council in March this
year after an investigative
team that comprised of a provincial magistrate,
a senior lawyer in Gweru,
three councilors and an official from the Zimbabwe
Congress of Trade Unions
found him guilty of corruption.
http://www.radiovop.com
Gwanda, August 21, 2011- Water
Resources Minister, Samuel Sipepa Nkomo is
facing a High Court interdict
from the Gwanda Municipality over Zimbabwe
National Water Authority's
(ZINWA) mooted water disconnection plans .
Gwanda Municipality has an
outstanding US$3 million debt owed to ZINWA.
In an urgent High Court
application filed last Friday, the Gwanda
Municipality said it is seeking
an order barring ZINWA from disconnecting
water, adding that stopping water
supplies will result in an outbreak of
water borne diseases like
cholera.
ZINWA and the Water Resources Minister are cited as the first
and second
respondents respectively by Gwanda Municipality’s lawyers,
Matshobana Ncube
of Phulu and Ncube legal practitioners.
“The 1st
respondent be and is hereby interdicted from disconnecting the
water supply
of the Applicant (Gwanda Council) as per the status quo.
“The 2nd
respondent be and is hereby directed to ensure that the 1st
respondent
complies with the order specified in paragraph,” reads in part an
interim
relief sought by the Gwanda municipality against ZINWA and the Water
Resources Minister.
ZINWA on Monday last week said it would
immediately disconnect water
supplies to Gwanda’s 65 000 residents to press
that town’s local authority
to settle US$3 501 796.93 water debt that the
council says is unreasonable
and illegitimate.
However, the Gwanda
council said ZINWA’S attempt to disconnect water is
illegal.
“The
move to render the Municipality of Gwanda Dry and Waterless is merely
an
attempt to arm twist the applicant into paying an illegitimate bill
through
extra legal means.
“There is no legal basis for the first respondent to
take the law into its
hands and stop providing watwer to the municipality.
The Act governing the
1st respondent viz the ZINWA Act does not empower the
1st respondent to take
such an action,” Gwanda Municipality argued in the
court application.
The Municipality said stopping water supplies would
result in a catastrophic
outbreak of cholera.
“There will be
irreparable harm to the Applicant if the water supply is
disconnected
immediatelty, as per the threat in the 1st respondent’s letter,
65 000
residents will go without water and the diseass outbreak and loss of
business will be catastrophic,” Gwanda council argued.
ZINWA is
represented by Moyo-Majwabu and Nyoni legal practitioners. The
matter has
not yet been set down for hearing.
http://www.thezimbabwean.co.uk
Most small-scale farmers resettled here under
President Robert Mugabe’s
chaotic land reform programme no longer have
farming implements, a survey
has revealed.
19.08.1107:34am
by Tony
Saxon
The small scale farmers, many of them war veterans who were
resettled on the
former white owned farmers, sold all the implements they
were given by the
government. The veterans, who do not have any farming
expertise, have been
living on the farms without producing anything and
resorted to selling the
farming implements and inputs to raise funds to buy
food.
The resettled ‘farmers’ were given free hoes, disc harrows, wheel
barrows
and ox-drawn ploughs.
Villagers living in the farming areas
told The Zimbabwean that the resettled
farmers had fallen on hard
times.
“They have not been producing anything from those farms, not even
food for
their survival. Most of them have been selling the implements to
various
individuals in the community to raise money for food while others
sold them
for buying beer,” said one local.
Headman Zengeni confirmed
that some farmers were selling the implements and
inputs.
“I have
been told by my police details that there were some farmers who were
doing
that. We have intensified our investigations and we are going to
present
them to the District Administrator,” he said.
The Zanu (PF) government
through the Ministry of Agriculture and
Mechanisation headed by Joseph Made
has been distributing farming implements
and inputs every farming season to
the farmers who are known supporters of
Zanu (PF) party.
http://www.thezimbabwean.co.uk/
The Eastern Highlands has the potential to regain its status
as an
investment hub, an international investment company has
said.
19.08.1110:03am
by Tony Saxon
In an interview last week
during a tour of Nyanga resorts, the Chief
Executive Officer of the South
African-based property and investment
company, Globe Africa, Ingrid Molopo,
said the resort area had the potential
to become “The Cape Town of Zimbabwe”
in terms of property development
within the next decade.
“But
Zimbabwe has to work to bring positive changes in the political and
economic
situation. The business world understands that the Prime Minister
Morgan
Tsvangirai’s position in the inclusive government could have resulted
in the
creation of a variety of appealing investment opportunities in the
country.
We feel that there
is need for the government of Zimbabwe to iron out
political differences
between Zanu (PF) and MDC-T so that the country moves
forward in terms of
investment,” he said.
Molopo said the Eastern
Highlands was one of the world’s premier adventure
tourism destinations and
despite the economic downturn and challenging
political climate; it remained
a popular tourist destination.
“We have been receiving information that
tourist arrivals have been
increasing in the Eastern Highlands. That is what
has prompted us to make a
tour and see whether there were any business
opportunities. We will engage
the various stakeholders in
some
business talks and to see how best can we expand the tourism
opportunities,”
said Molopo.
http://www.timeslive.co.za
VLADIMIR MZACA | 21 August, 2011
12:10
Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe governor Gideon Gono says Abraham Maslow's
hierarchy of needs should be the model used for the masses to benefit from
the indigenisation and empowerment drive.
"The country's ownership
and empowerment struggles must, therefore, be
anchored on these absolute
necessities which, put differently, relate to
Maslow's famous 1943 paper, 'A
Theoryof Human Motivation'. The supply of raw
materials and inputs by
indigenous people immediately addresses their basic
physiological needs,
food, shelter and clothing," Gono said in his analysis
and recommendations
for the indigenisation and empowerment drive.
Maslow's hierarchy of needs
is often portrayed in the shape of a pyramid,
with the largest and most
fundamental levels of needs at the bottom, and the
need for
self-actualisation at the top.
Gono said empowerment of the people should
improve their basic welfare and
reduce poverty in line with the
internationally recognised millennium
development goals.
There has
been growing concern that only the political elite stand to
benefit from the
drive spearheaded by Saviour Kasukuwere, Zimbabwe's
Minister of Youth
Development .
Examples of this have been drawn from the land reform
programme, which saw a
number of Zanu-PF stalwarts getting multiple farms,
many of which are
under-utilised. Gono said this should be guarded against
by empowering the
masses and supplying them with raw materials and other
basic-need services.
"Higher-level needs such as self-actualisation are
long term in nature and
do not immediately impact on the livelihoods of the
general population," he
said.
The acquisition of companies should be
a long-term goal and not be done
hastily, Gono said. "Self-actualis ation
needs - such as the acquisition of
equity and majority shareholding in
companies - have minimal short-term
benefits to the indigenous people of
Zimbabwe .
"Equity or shareholder benefits also accrue only when
dividends are
declared, which is normally annually, biannually or even at
longer
intervals, thus depriving indigenous people of much needed immediate
and
basic requirements. The situation is worse in an environment like ours,
where most companies are making losses or insignificant profit levels," Gono
said.
http://www.thezimbabwean.co.uk
Two men were severely assaulted last Wednesday afternoon by
overzealous
members of the Central Intelligence Office in a Dangamvura-bound
commuter
omnibus after they heavily criticized President Robert Mugabe’s
failure to
share the country’s diamond wealth.
19.08.1111:50am
by Tony
Saxon
In an incident witnessed by this paper, the two assaulted men,
John
Magorokosho and Shame Muzariwetu were openly discussing how the vast
mineral
wealth in Marange has been plundered by President Mugabe and his
wife Grace,
together with selected Zanu (PF) top brass, the army generals
and the
Chinese firms.
This did not go down well with the two CIO
officers who told them to change
the subject.
Magorokosho said: “This
is a democratic country and one is entitled to
freedom of expression. We are
living in a new Zimbabwe with an inclusive
government hence, we are
exercising our rights.”
The statement then angered the two officers who
ordered the Kombi driver to
stop the vehicle at a roadblock at Mutare
Teachers College. The two officers
then grabbed Magorokosho and Muzariwetu
and one of them said: “We want to
show you that we are the ones running the
affairs of this country. You think
you are smart? We want
to teach
you a good lesson and you will be a good case study to others.”
The two
were assaulted while the police officers manning the roadblock
watched.
The CIO officers ordered the kombi to proceed with its
journey while they
took
Magorokosho and Muzariwetu to a nearby shed.
The Zimbabwean does not have
information about what happened to the two, but
believes that they were
taken to the CIO offices at the government complex
in the city
(AFP) – 5 hours
ago
BULAWAYO, Zimbabwe — Skipper Shakib Al Hasan led from the front with
a
fighting innings of 79 before picking up two wickets as Bangladesh
defeated
Zimbabwe by 93 runs to win the fifth and final ODI at Queens Sports
Club on
Sunday.
It was Bangladesh's second successive win, but
Zimbabwe still claimed the
series 3-2 to add to their victory in the one-off
Test between the two
nations.
After being put in to bat, Bangladesh
made 253 for six in their 50 overs
before Zimbabwe, who lost captain Brendan
Taylor for a duck in the second
over, were skittled out for 160 with more
than 11 overs to spare.
"All the boys showed some character that we are
not here just to play the
game. The newcomers have shown lots of promise,
our fast bowlers have done
well throughout the series," said
Shakib.
"Everything came well in the last two games. We were coming off a
break from
international cricket, so it was not going to be easy for the
guys."
Taylor said there were many positives to take from the series,
which had
started with Zimbabwe's first Test appearance in six
years.
"Bit disappointed with the way we ended but pretty chuffed with
the series
win, we will enjoy it," he told cricinfo.com.
"We played
well as a collective unit, the guys put their hands up and batted
deep,
bowlers did well and we fielded well. We are in a good place right now
and
it is nice to have options."
Bangladesh had been 125 for five at one
stage before Shakib, whose 79 came
off 71 balls and featured five boundaries
and a six, put on 109 for the
sixth wicket with Mahmudullah who made
60.
It was Shakib's 21st one-day century.
Mahmudullah was
undefeated at the end of the 50 overs with his runs coming
off 67 deliveries
with five boundaries and a six to match his captain in the
big
hitting.
Mahmudullah went on to claim three wickets with his off-breaks
for just 13
runs.
Flamboyant opener Tamim Iqbal also confirmed his
return to form with 45 but
Mohammad Ashraful, brought back into the side,
made only 15 while Imrul
Kayes concluded a dismal tour with nine.
The
innings ended in worrying circumstances when Zimbabwe seamer Keegan Meth
took a full blooded drive on the jaw when half-way down the wicket after
bowling a high full toss.
X-rays showed no fracture though he lost
two teeth and another was chipped
and his injury prevented him from
batting.
In Zimbabwe's reply, Taylor was caught behind for a duck off the
first ball
of the second over. It was his fourth failure after smashing a
century in
the first match.
Vusi Sibanda and Hamilton Masakadza dug
deep and they put on 57 for the
second wicket.
But when they went,
and the experienced Tatenda Taibu was lbw to Shakib,
Zimbabwe were 73-4 and
the game was effectively up.
Malcolm Waller, after surviving a missed
catch, went on to make a steady 51
off 78 balls, his second career ODI half
century.
But Elton Chigumbura, on whom so much rested, was caught for one
and the
Zimbabwe tail collapsed.
Zimbabwe will face a tougher test
next month when Pakistan arrive for one
Test, three ODIs and two
Twenty20s.
There was deep
foreboding at the Vigil following what everyone here believes to be the
assassination of Solomon Mujuru. An informal survey showed that Vigil supporters
had followed the case closely and were not persuaded that the death could have
been accidental. There were too many things that didn’t add up – and too many
that did . . .
The evidence of
murder is compelling and amply documented elsewhere. The reason for it is less
clear: here we are in the realms of murky speculation.
Morgan Tsvangirai’s
fulsome eulogy: his expression of ‘deep sorrow and grief’ at the ‘tragic loss of
an icon’ and hope ‘may his dear soul rest in eternal peace’ appears to be a bit
over the top for someone who had looted himself to the top of the tree (despite
his genuine liberation credentials).
Tsvangirai’s remarks
may be taken as confirmation of a frustrated MDC strategy of co-operating with
‘moderate’ Zanu PF members to prevent a de facto military coup as Mugabe loses
control. Vigil supporters fear further bloodletting is in prospect as hardline
Zanu PF elements move to consolidate their hold on power and frustrate the GPA –
despite the plaintive bleating of SADC.
Other points
·
Despite all
assurances from the weather forecasters, it poured down with rain when we set up
and continued for a couple of hours. Thanks to those who were there at the
beginning to help in very difficult circumstances: Richman Matinyadze, Robson
Munhuashati, Luka Phiri and Josephine Zhuga.
·
Malawian exiles in
the UK have asked for our help in staging a Vigil outside the Malawi High
Commission. (see: http://www.nyasatimes.com/national/malawians-in-uk-to-hold-vigil-at-embassy/
– Malawians in UK to hold vigil at embassy). As Malawi hits hard times there are
increasingly vocal demands for the repayment of a $20 million loan to Zimbabwe.
Not much chance of that we fear.
For latest Vigil
pictures check: http://www.flickr.com/photos/zimbabwevigil/.
Please note: Vigil photos can only be downloaded from our Flickr website – they
cannot be downloaded from the slideshow on the front page of the Zimvigil
website.
FOR THE
RECORD: 86 signed the
register.
EVENTS AND
NOTICES:
·
The Restoration of
Human Rights in Zimbabwe (ROHR) is the Vigil’s
partner organisation based in Zimbabwe. ROHR grew out of the need for the Vigil
to have an organisation on the ground in Zimbabwe which reflected the Vigil’s
mission statement in a practical way. ROHR in the UK actively fundraises through
membership subscriptions, events, sales etc to support the activities of ROHR in
Zimbabwe.
·
ZBN News.
The
Vigil management team wishes to make it clear that the Zimbabwe Vigil is not
responsible for Zimbabwe Broadcasting Network News (ZBN News). We are happy that
they attend our activities and provide television coverage but we have no
control over them. All enquiries about ZBN News should be addressed to ZBN News.
·
The Zim Vigil
band
(Farai Marema and Dumi Tutani) has launched its theme song ‘Vigil Yedu (our
Vigil)’ to raise awareness through music. To download this single, visit: www.imusicafrica.com and to watch the video
check: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QukqctWc3XE.
·
ROHR Manchester
Vigil. Saturday
27th August from 2 – 5 pm. Venue: Cathedral Gardens, Manchester City Centre
(subject to change to Piccadilly Gardens). Contact; Delina Tafadzwa
Mutyambizi 07775313637, Chamunorwa Chihota 07799446404, Panyika Karimanzira
07551062161, Artwell Pfende 07886839353. Future demonstrations: 24th
September, 29th October 26th November, 31st
December. Same time and venue.
·
ROHR
Woking General Meeting. Saturday 3rd September from 2 – 6
pm, Venue: Woking Homes, Oriental Road, Woking, GU22 7BE. Contact, Isaac
Mudzamiri 07774044873, Sithokozile Hlokana 07886203113, Saziso Zulu 07861028280
or P.Mapfumo 07915926323/07932216070.
·
ROHR Manchester
Meetings. Saturday
10th September (committee meeting from 11 am – 1 pm, general meeting
from 2 – 5 pm). Venue: The Salvation
Army Citadel, 71 Grosvenor Road, Manchester M13 9UB. Contact; Delina
Tafadzwa Mutyambizi 07775313637, Chamunorwa Chihota 07799446404, Panyika
Karimanzira 07551062161, Artwell Pfende 07886839353. Future meetings:
8th October, 12th November, 10th December. Same
times / venue.
·
Vigil Facebook
page: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=8157345519&ref=ts.
·
Vigil Myspace
page: http://www.myspace.com/zimbabwevigil.
·
‘Through the
Darkness’, Judith Todd’s
acclaimed account of the rise of Mugabe. To receive a copy by post in the UK
please email confirmation of your order and postal address to
ngwenyasr@yahoo.co.uk and send a cheque for £10 payable to “Budiriro Trust” to
Emily Chadburn, 15 Burners Close, Burgess Hill, West Sussex RH15 0QA. All
proceeds go to the Budiriro Trust which provides bursaries to needy A Level
students in Zimbabwe.
Vigil
co-ordinators
The Vigil, outside
the Zimbabwe Embassy, 429 Strand, London, takes place every Saturday from 14.00
to 18.00 to protest against gross violations of human rights in Zimbabwe. The
Vigil which started in October 2002 will continue until
internationally-monitored, free and fair elections are held in Zimbabwe.
http://www.zimghvigil.co.uk.