Zimbabwe minister scolds EU, German, US envoys

http://news.yahoo.com/

AFP

2 hrs 10 mins ago

HARARE (AFP) - Zimbabwe's foreign minister Wednesday summoned three Western
envoys to scold them for leaving early from the burial of President Robert
Mugabe's sister, after being told in a speech to go "to hell".

The envoys from Germany, the European Union and the United States left early
from the funeral Sunday for Sabina Mugabe, which foreign minister Samuel
Mumbengegwi said was "unacceptable and will not be tolerated".

"Your conduct was therefore very disrespectful to our national heroes
shrine, the heroine who was being honoured and his excellency the
president," he said in a statement.

"We are disappointed that you chose such a bad occasion to show your
disrespect for Zimbabwe, its leaders, its fallen heroes and its people."

On Sunday, Zimbabwe's veteran leader lashed out at the West for maintaining
sanctions on Zimbabwe and meddling its politics.

"They say 'remove so and so,' Of course they mean 'Mugabe must go before we
can assist you," Mugabe said at burial of his sister.

"To hell with them. Hell, hell, hell with them whoever told them they are
above the people of Zimbabwe that they decide what Zimbabwe should be and by
who it should be ruled."

Mumbengegwi said the diplomats had left shortly after Mugabe's speech,
despite that a programme had been provided to them which "clearly indicated"
when proceedings would come to an end.

"If you decide to attend such functions in future, you are expected to show
respect and observe the protocol befitting these important occasions."

However, US ambassador Charles Ray said he left because he could not stand
the attacks from Mugabe.

"When America is treated in the manner it was treated on Sunday, I will
react," Ray told reporters.

Relations between Harare and Western capitals have been tense for 10 years
since elections marred by violence and widespread allegations of human
rights abuses by Mugabe's government.

In February, the EU renewed sanctions against Mugabe and his inner circle
for another year, citing a lack of progress in implementing political and
human rights reforms.

Diplomats won't apologize for Mugabe walkout

Associated Press

Aug 3, 1:07 PM EDT

HARARE, Zimbabwe (AP) -- American and European diplomats say they were
summoned to Zimbabwe's foreign ministry and asked to apologize for walking
out of a speech in which President Robert Mugabe attacked the West.

U.S. Ambassador Charles Ray said Tuesday he refused to apologize for walking
out of a state funeral Sunday after Mugabe told Western nations to "go to
hell" after alleging that they interfered in Zimbabwean affairs. The U.S. is
Zimbabwe's biggest aid donor.

Ray said he followed normal diplomatic protocols in attending the funeral of
Mugabe's sister Sabina, who died aged 80. But he said that when Mugabe began
his invective, "we walked away as we were very disappointed in his conduct,
so we have nothing to apologize for."
 

Teachers Again Targets of Intimidation in Zimbabwe Constitutional Revision Process

http://www1.voanews.com

The Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe charged that a new wave of
violence is rising against teachers under 'Operation Vharamuromo,' Shona for
'Operation Close Your Mouth' intended to suppress non-ZANU-PF views

Patience Rusere and Jonga Kandemiiri | Washington DC 02 August 2010

Zimbabwean teachers unions said their members have again as in 2008 become
targets of political violence intended to silence them in the country's
ongoing constitutional revision public outreach process.

The Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe charged that a new wave of
violence is rising against teachers under an operation alleged to be mounted
by the ZANU-PF party of President Robert Mugabe called "Operation
Vharamuromo," Shona for "Operation Close Your Mouth" intended to suppress
non-ZANU-PF views.

The union has accused the Ministry of Education of failing to speak out
about the alleged intimidation of and violence against rural teachers, who
were politically targeted during the turbulent 2008 election period.

The PTUZ has appealed to the leaders of the three parties in the national
unity government in power since early 2009 to protect teachers as the public
comment process continues.

Ironically, three teachers and an employee of the Haskett Primary school in
Karoi, Mashonaland West province, were in Karoi magistrates court on Monday
facing assault charges. They were accused of assaulting a ZANU-PF activist
after they were ejected from a constitutional outreach meeting last
Thursday.

PTUZ Programs and Communications Officer Oswald Madziwa said the four
accused - Innocent Nyoni, Rodney Matsaure, Patrick Murira and Clifford
Muchingami - will be back in court on August 16. He told VOA Studio 7
reporter Patience Rusere  that they had insisted that their views be heard
during area outreach meetings.

He said the teachers were chased out of the meeting and ZANU-PF supporters
caught up with them the next day at a drinking place where the assault is
alleged to have taken place.

Madziwa said teachers countrywide are being harassed by ZANU-PF supporters
at meetings and ejected on the pretext they do not come from the
constituencies where meetings are held.

Elsewhere, civil society organizations in Matabeleland region said they are
unhappy with how the outreach is unfolding there.Under the umbrella of the
Matabeleland Civil Society Consortium, the groups have voiced their
grievances in writing to the parliamentary select committee heading the
constitutional revision process.

Sources said a meeting was set for Thursday between the groups and the
committee.

Bulawayo Progressive Residents Association Coordinator Roderick Fayayo told
VOA Studio 7 reporter Jonga Kandemiiri that the committee is not
disseminating information well, leading to poor turnout at meetings.

Select Committee Co-Chairman Douglas Mwonzora said people in Matebeleland
miss important information about the sessions as they do not want to read
the state newspapers in which his panel has placed ads

Karoi Teachers Freed on Bail

MDC warned about Zanu-PF election mode

http://www.swradioafrica.com/

By Irene Madongo
3 August 2010

The MDC needs to get serious as Zanu-PF intensifies its election strategy of
intimidation and violence, an analyst has warned.

Commentators point to how Zanu-PF has used the troubled constitutional
outreach exercise to mobilise support, with widespread reports of its
members intimidating and assaulting locals and MDC activists, trying to
force them to endorse its views. In addition to this campaign of violence,
Zanu-PF has stated that it is completely ready for an election.

More recently the Information and Publicity Minister Webster Shamu organized
for ZBC to broadcast pro Zanu-PF jingles which encourage Zimbabweans to
rally behind Robert Mugabe while denouncing the MDC-T party.
Poliical commentator Dr. Brilliant Mhlanga said on Tuesday: "The MDC have
been behaving as if it is business as usual, when they know that Zanu-PF is
playing the game during the day, and then at night they are politicking,
doing things that are completely opposite to the letter and the spirit of
the Global Political Agreement. They must have learnt this by now, they
should be smart enough to understand this."
He added; "It is simply one way of keeping their supporters abreast in terms
of understanding political developments of the country, and it is a way of
mobilizing their supporters." He also said: "Zanu-PF is just trying to prove
to everyone that they are raging, raring to go any minute."

But MDC-T spokesman Nelson Chamisa said his party is fully aware of Zanu-PF's
election mode: "It would appear they are ready for an election, their
conduct, body language, behavior is reminiscent of a party that is trying to
position itself for a fight. It would appear they are trying to get their
ducks in a row for the purpose of an election."

Chamisa furiously denied the MDC-T was not acting seriously, saying the
party is working towards a legitimate election. "We need a legitimate
election that will produce an outcome that is not going to breed another
outright outfit of illegitimacy."

But Mhlanga said that the MDC needs to shake itself out of the game that
Zanu-PF has led it into. "The situation is simple, the MDC needs to come out
of this Mercedes Benz mode of assuming they are already in power." He added;
"The reality is that the MDC must fold up their shirts and begin to be on
the ground, digging with the people."

 

South Africa questions SADC’s legal reach

http://www.swradioafrica.com

By Alex Bell
03 August 2010

Concern is being raised over the South African government’s intention to
seek a legal opinion on the legal reach of the Southern African Development
Community (SADC), over Zimbabwe’s refusal to honour the SADC Treaty.

The SADC Tribunal in 2008 ordered the Zimbabwean government to compensate
farmers for the farms that were seized and to protect the farmers’ rights to
their land. Those orders have all been ignored in Zimbabwe and the Tribunal
has since ruled the government as being in contempt, three times.

But in Zimbabwe the Tribunal has been openly snubbed by the government, with
Robert Mugabe and Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa declaring that the
Tribunal’s rulings were null and void. A shock High Court decision then
followed this year with Justice Bharat Patel ruling that the Tribunal’s
orders on land reform have no authority in Zimbabwe.

South African courts on the other hand have become the first regional
country to enforce a SADC ruling against another member state in their own
territory. The High Court ruled earlier this year ruled in favour of farmers
who were meant to be protected by the SADC Tribunal ruling. As a result of
this High Court decision, a number of Zimbabwean government assets were
identified for possible auction, to compensate farmers’ costs.

But it now seems that the South African government could stand in the way of
this, after Justice and Constitutional Development Minister Jeff Radebe on
Monday questioned SADC’s legal reach. The MP has requested a legal opinion
on the reach of the SADC Treaty and its related institutions, in light of
Zimbabwe choosing to ignore the Tribunal's rulings. He also wants
clarification on the enforceability of those rulings in both Zimbabwe and
South Africa, already mandated under international law.

Concern has been raised by South Africa’s main political opposition, the
Democratic Alliance (DA). The party’s Member of the SADC Parliamentary
Forum, Dr Wilmot James, has demanded answers from Radebe this week.

“We must ask what his underlying motives are. Is he trying to trump the SADC
Tribunal and both domestic courts? Why does he wish to reassess the
Tribunal's powers? Is he aware of the fact that if South Africa is party to
such a move, there will be an international legal uproar?” James told SW
Radio Africa on Tuesday.
In a parliamentary question to Minister Radebe, James asked whether the SADC
Justice Ministers had considered the ongoing failure of the government of
Zimbabwe to comply with the judgment and orders of the Tribunal and the
refusal of Zimbabwe's High Court to register the Tribunal's rulings. He also
questioned finally, whether SADC Justice Ministers would bring the issue to
the SADC Heads of State.

James told SW Radio Africa that there should be no question that rulings by
the legal arm of SADC should be observed, explaining there are “critical
consequences if role of the Tribunal is brought into question.” He said that
the Tribunal was the “most credible part of SADC” saying: “What’s at stake
is any progress this institution can make for regional human rights and
respect for the rule of law.”

“The more Southern Africa descends into a state of misgovernance, the easier
it is for despots like Robert Mugabe to get away with tyranny,” James said.

Responsible Jewellery Council Welcomes Zimbabwe Agreement

http://www.diamonds.net

By Responsible Jewellery Council Posted: 08/03/10 08:53

Press Release: The Responsible Jewellery Council (RJC) welcomes the
agreement reached by the Kimberley Process (KP) that will enable the renewal
of rough diamond exports from the Marange diamond fields in Zimbabwe. The
agreement was reached during the World Diamond Council meeting in St.
Petersburg on July 15, 2010.

The RJC, like all other stakeholders, is encouraged by this agreement and
looks forward to its full and complete implementation by all relevant
actors.

RJC congratulates all participants on this outcome which was reached after
many hours of diligent negotiation at KP meetings in Tel Aviv and St.
Petersburg. RJC particularly acknowledges the efforts of the KP chairman,
Boaz Hirsch, the World Diamond Council's chairman, Eli Izhakoff, the
president and CEO of Jewelers of America and chairman of the RJC, Matt
Runci, Rio Tinto's general manager of external affairs and RJC's vice
chairman, John Hall, the CEO of the Jewelers Vigilance Committee, Cecilia L.
Gardener, the WFDB president, Avi Paz, the IDMA president, Moti Ganz, as
well as the government and civil society delegations to the St. Petersburg
meeting, for their joint efforts in achieving this successful result.

"The RJC Code of Practices includes four provisions requiring conformance
with the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS) for rough diamonds.
Full compliance with the KPCS is vital for RJC members and for the entire
jewellery industry. As part of the RJC certification process, RJC members
will undergo independent, third party auditing of their relevant business
practices to evidence their conformance with the RJC's requirements for KPCS
compliance," says Michael Rae, RJC's chief executive officer.

RJC has established a consultative panel of external stakeholders to engage
in ongoing standards development activities with the council. Of particular
relevance to the recent KP decision is the focus the RJC and its
consultative panel will bring to investigating the feasibility of
chain-of-custody certification for the diamond, gold and platinum jewellery
supply chains. A voluntary RJC chain-of-custody certification for eligible
products would be complementary to the RJC's existing system for the
independent third party certification of its Members' responsible business
practices and a logical next step for the council.

The Responsible Jewellery Council is the trading name of the Council for
Responsible Jewellery Practices Ltd.

The Council for Responsible Jewellery Practices Ltd, First Floor, Dudley
House, 34-38 Southampton Street, London, UK, WC2E 7HF.

The Council for Responsible Jewellery Practices Ltd is registered in England
and Wales with company number 05449042.

"We are grateful for the positive responses received from the many
stakeholders who have expressed enthusiasm and interest in participating in
the RJC Consultative Panel. Participants in the Consultative Panel include
leading non-government organisations, standards/supply chain associations,
research institutions, and companies that operate product tracking systems.
Future standards for chain-of-custody certification in the jewellery
industry can only benefit from this broad multistakeholder engagement," said
Rae.

Govt, UN to launch aid appeal

http://www.zimonline.co.za

by Own Corespondent Tuesday 03 August 2010

HARARE - United Nations and Zimbabwe government officials will today launch
a revised 500 million appeal for humanitarian aid to cater for the remainder
of the year, officials said.

A senior United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) officer in Harare said
the Consolidated Appeal Process (CAP) had been revised upwards following
significant increases in requirements for the health, food and agriculture
clusters.

The initial appeal of 370 million dollars was meant to run until April but
is being extended owing to increasing humanitarian requirements.

"(The revised appeal) was necessitated by outbreaks of disease such as
measles in some parts of the country while other provinces were affected by
drought which need funding which is yet to be secured," said a UN official
yesterday.

According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
(OCHA) said at least 15 percent of Zimbabwe's rural population would queue
for food aid between January and March next year as the world body projects
a cereal shortfall of 98 000 metric tonnes during the 2010/11 marketing
season.

The results of the 2010 Zimbabwe Vulnerability Assessment Committee (ZimVAC)
presented at the June agriculture cluster meeting indicate that the food
security situation is similar to that which prevailed last year at national
level, but different at sub-national level.

As at 30 June 2010, the safety net programmes led by the UN's World Food
Programme reached a total 190 470 people with 3 536 tonnes of food.

The OCHA however said Zimbabwe's overall food security situation was
 "stable" despite localised hunger in areas hardest hit by a mid-season
drought experienced in January.

The new UN figures released last week come in the wake of another report by
the world body's Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) which stated that
Zimbabwe's troubled agriculture sector was showing signs of recovering from
President Robert Mugabe's decade-long chaotic and often violent land seizure
drive.

FAO reported a slight increase in maize output from 1.2 million tones in the
2008/09 season to 1.3 million tonnes last year.

The southern African country, which was once a breadbasket of the region,
has since 2001 experienced acute food shortages and had to rely on foreign
food handouts to feed itself.

At the peak of Zimbabwe's crisis in 2008, aid agencies fed half of the
country's population. -- ZimOnline

Profits fall as Zimplats output surges

http://www.zimonline.co.za

by Caroline Mvundura Tuesday 03 August 2010

HARARE - Zimbabwe's biggest platinum producer, Zimplats Holdings, on Monday
reported a five percent increase in platinum ore mined in the second quarter
of 2010 but said revenues declined over the same period.

Profits for the Australian Stock Exchange-listed Zimplats have been on an
upward trajectory since the end of the global financial crisis in 2009 but
the firm said in a statement that slower platinum sales in the second
quarter of the year had seen a slump in operating profits and revenues.

"Revenue and operating costs for the quarter were marginally lower than the
previous quarter in line with the decrease in sales volumes. Consequently,
an operating profit of US$56 million was recorded, one percent lower than
the previous quarter," Zimplats said.

"Ore mined was five percent higher than the previous quarter as the Bimha
Mine ramp up in production continued. Ore milled was two percent above the
previous quarter," the platinum producer said.

Zimplats, which is majority, owned by South Africa's Implats, the world's
second largest platinum miner, said it mined 967,000 tonnes of ore in the
quarter ended in June as it increased production of nickel and copper.

Its metal output in concentrate was 95,144 ounces, up from 93,845 in the
previous quarter.

Its revenue was US$115, 3 million, down from US$116.6 million in the first
quarter while operating profit was US$56 million, about one percent lower
than the previous quarter, it said.

It said Zimbabwe's government had appointed an independent expert to review
the additional profits tax provisions of the Income Tax Act that have caused
friction between the company and authorities in Harare.

The review is scheduled to be completed by end of December 2010 as part of
an on-going overhaul of the Income Tax Act, said Zimplats.

"Discussions on the repayment of the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe debt of US$34
million by the government are still to be concluded," added Zimplats.

Mining remains a key revenue earner for Zimbabwe which in addition to
platinum also boasts large quantities of diamond, gold and coal deposits. -- 
ZimOnline.

Zimbabwe State Broadcaster Continues to Defy Cabinet Over Pro-Mugabe Spots

http://www1.voanews.com

Analysts say the advertisements on ZBC, a ZANU-PF mouthpiece, indicate that
the former ruling party of President Robert Mugabe is gearing up for
elections that are increasingly expected to take place in 2011

Ntungamili Nkomo | Washington 02 August 2010

The Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation has continued to defy a Cabinet
decision banning the airing of ZANU-PF jingles or musical spots deemed
divisive and offensive by the Movement for Democratic Change, a governing
party.

Reiterating its position last week, the Cabinet ordered the state
broadcaster to stop playing the spots on radio and television, but it has
yet to comply. ZBC Chief Executive Happison Muchechetere has said he won't
pull the spots.

Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara said last week that government had
instructed Information Minister Webster Shamu to issue a directive
instructing the state broadcaster to cease airing the offending jingles,
which glorify ZANU-PF and President Robert Mugabe, declaring that he remains
in charge despite the national unity government.

Political analyst Mlamuli Nkomo told VOA Studio 7 reporter Ntungamili Nkomo
that the ZBC is getting its orders from ZANU-PF, adding that the brouhaha
reflects underlying divisions within the 17-month-old inclusive government.

Other analysts say the advertisements on ZBC, which remains a mouthpiece for
ZANU-PF, signal that the former ruling party is gearing up for elections
that are increasingly expected to take place in 2011.

Zimbabwe Government to Commission Independent Audits of State Enterprises

http://www1.voanews.com

State Enterprises Minister Gorden Moyo said independent audits will pave the
way for good corporate governance in state enterprises that have been run
down by outright corruption and a lack of transparency and accountability.

Gibbs Dube | Washington 02 August 2010

Zimbabwean State Enterprises Minister Gorden Moyo said Monday the government
will commission independent audits of floundering state enterprises to
assess the value of their assets and and to determine the extent of corrupt
activities in the country's parastatals, many of which are on the verge of
collapse.

Moyo said this process will pave the way for improved corporate governance
in state enterprises that have been run down over many years by outright
corruption and a lack of transparency and accountability.

He said most of the country's 76 state enterprises hired thousands of
workers without following proper government procedures. Some workers have no
defined tasks and spend most of their time stripping assets in lieu of pay.

"It is shocking that most of these workers who were hired without the state
enterprises following proper procedures have nothing to do," he said. "They
are in fact, engaged in corrupt activities in an effort to make a living."

He said the Zimbabwe United Passenger Company used to have a fleet of 400
buses but it now has fewer than 100. The National Railways of Zimbabwe and
74 other state firms are unable to pay creditors millions of dollars.

Moyo told VOA reporter Gibbs Dube that although parastatals must get rid of
redundant workers, the government is not in a position to pay out
retrenchment compensation to those laid off.

Economic commentator Rejoice Ngwenya in Harare said state enterprise
executives and workers who engage in corrupt activities should be
prosecuted.

Farmers move to recover legal costs

http://www.iol.co.za

    August 03 2010 at 01:16AM

Johannesburg - Three farmers whose farms were seized by the Zimbabwean
government will apply for a special order to recover legal costs in the
Pretoria High Court, their attorney said on Monday.

The farmers would launch the application against the Zimbabwean government
on Tuesday, Willie Spies, their attorney from AfriForum, said in a
statement.

The move followed the government's scrapping an initial urgent application
against the farmers without offering to compensate them for wasted
expenditure.

Spies said the Zimbabwean government brought the action against the farmers
because it was apparently under the impression that the auction of its
properties in Cape Town was organised by AfriForum and the farmers.

"Although the farmers were the first ones to seize the properties, the
auctions were organised by German banking group KFW Bankengruppe."

The auctions had been scheduled for July 27 and August 10 by the bank, which
was the legitimate holder of significant claims by a group of white farmers
contesting the seizure of their Zimbabwean farms.

"Despite the fact that the correct facts had been widely reported in the
media, the Zimbabwean government erroneously lodged an urgent application
against the Zimbabwean farmers Louis Fick, Richard Etheredge and Michael
Campbell."

The initial urgent application against the farmers was to be heard on
Wednesday in the High Court in Pretoria.

But Zimbabwe launched another urgent application in the High Court in
Johannesburg last week, a day before the first auction of its South
African-owned properties was held, in a bid to stop it.

Bank spokesperson Axel Breitbach said the auctions had been suspended until
the court process was finalised.

Spies said it was clear the Zimbabwean government was trying to further
jeopardise the three farmers with random court applications.

"Although they were deprived of their income by the Zimbabwean government,
they have to incur high legal costs for their court cases against the
Zimbabwean government."

That country's government, in turn, was refusing to honour orders to pay
costs older than one year, including one by the Southern African Development
Community tribunal, Spies said. - Sapa

Malawi feeds hungry Zimbabwe

http://www.africanews.com

      Posted on Tuesday 3 August 2010 - 12:29

      Mtheto Lungu, AfricaNews reporter in Lilongwe, Malawi

The Government of Malawi has approved export of 300,000 tonnes of maize to
Zimbabwe. The International Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FewsNet),
however, projects 1.5 million Malawians could face food shortage from next
September.
      SA turns Zimbabweans back to the border
      Deputy Minister for Agriculture, Margaret Mauwa, said Malawi had
surplus maize stores and government was offloading some of the staple food.
Malawi, she added, is confident there were enough stocks to meet the
country's needs up to the next harvest.

      "We have over 1 million tonnes of surplus maize," she told the local
Daily Times. "We are only exporting 300,000 tonnes and we shall still have
enough maize."

      She argued FewsNet would be better placed to carry out a comprehensive
and informed survey before releasing outrageous figures to the public.

      The network projects the lower Shire belt districts of Chikwawa,
Nsanje and several districts in the southern region would be negatively
affected.

      "They do not know how much we have in reserves. Did they say that we
will not be able to feed those who will run out of maize from our reserves?
They need to do a lot of work and come out with information in their
reports," she added.

      Her Trade and Industry counterpart, Eunice Kazembe, also confirmed the
export and that the Grain Traders Association of Malawi has since found a
market in Zimbabwe where government is in need of 600,000 tonnes.

      Chairperson for the association, Grace Mhango, confirmed its members
had already secured export licences and were working on financing mechanisms
with banks to facilitate the export, according to the Daily Times.

      The struggling Zimbabwe economy has affected food requirements in the
country.

      This is the second time Malawi has exported maize to Zimbabwe. In
2007, 400,000 tonnes found its way to Harare after official estimates
indicated a surplus. However, Malawi experienced food shortages which led to
higher market prices for maize on the local market.

      People queued and fought on long lines trying to purchase the staple
at government run ADMARC markets. Some children died in the process.

Zimbabwe's Mugabe not 'serving his people well': Obama

http://news.yahoo.com/

AFP

37 mins ago

WASHINGTON (AFP) - US President Barack Obama said on Tuesday he was
"heartbroken" over the situation in Zimbabwe, and that President Robert
Mugabe was not "serving his people well."

Obama told a forum of young African leaders at a White House gathering he
was "heartbroken when I see what" is happening in Zimbabwe.

"I do not see him serving his people well," he added of Mugabe, who on
Sunday lashed out at the West for maintaining sanctions on Zimbabwe and
meddling in its politics.

Relations between Harare and the West have been tense for 10 years since
elections marred by violence and widespread allegations of human rights
abuses by Mugabe's government.

Killer Police Chief Trial Opens

http://news.radiovop.com

03/08/2010 08:33:00

Bulawayo, August 03, 2010 - The trial of a police chief who shot and killed
a Bulawayo man in 2007 opened at the High Court on Friday.

Superintendent Milos Moyo, the Officer Commanding Police Camps in Bulawayo,
allegedly shot Artwell Magagada who was on his way home after work on the
night of January 1, 2007.

Moyo was formally charged in February this year three years after he
committed the murder crime. He has been out on US$100 bail since then.

Appearing before Bulawayo High Court judge, Justice Nicholas Mathonsi for
the opening of the trial Moyo pleaded not guilty to the murder of Magagada.

In his defence the police chief claimed that Magagada was shot by a man who
was driving an Isuzu truck with South African registration numbers whom he
was trying to arrest.

He said before Magagada was shot he had observed the driver of the Isuzu
truck pulling out a black pistol and cocking it.

However a  police constable Fani Katiyo who  was  at the scene the day
Magagada was shot testified against Moyo and told Judge Mathonsi that  "he
did not see a gun with the driver of the Isuzu truck on the fateful and he
is very sure that the police chief shot and killed  Magagada"

Magagada, who was working as a cashier for Chicken Inn food outlet, was shot
in the head along Fort Street and Leopold Takawira Avenue in the city
centre.

He died after spending four days on a life support system at Mater Dei
Hospital with the bullet still lodged in his head.

Moyo's trial was expected to continue yesterday (Wednesday 04 August) he is
being represented by a state lawyer Tanaka Muganyi.

Widow of murdered MDC activist Nabanyama speaks out

http://www.swradioafrica.com

By Lance Guma
03 August 2010

The 54 year old widow of an MDC activist, murdered in 2000 by state security
operatives, has spoken out about her search for his remains and her battle
to survive the harsh economic climate. Patricia Nabanyama's husband Patrick
was the MDC District Organising Secretary for Nketa, and also the party's
election agent for the current Education Minister David Coltart.

On the 19th June 2000 a gang of 10 armed state operatives, in a Mazda truck
with no registration plates, descended on their home, dragging Patrick
outside and beating him all over his body in front of his 6 children. They
claimed at first that they wanted to ask Nabanyama some questions and he
should 'accompany' them to the local ZANU PF office. But when he refused to
leave his house they assaulted him, bundled him into their car and drove off
at high speed.

Speaking to the MDC Real Change Times newsletter Mrs. Nabanyama said; 'That
was the last time we saw him. We promptly made a police report but to no
avail, as it took the police two weeks to act after a public demonstration
by MDC members who demanded an investigation into the abduction and
disappearance of my husband," she said. All she wants now is to find her
husband's remains 'so that we will afford a proper burial for him.'

Although police investigations led to the arrest of 7 men, who included Cain
Mathema, Howard Ncube, Stanely Ncube, Julius Sibanda and the driver of the
truck among others, 4 were acquitted by the Bulawayo High Court in May 2001.
Because Nabanyama's body has never been found to this day the perpetrators
simply claimed that although they abducted him they released him on the same
day unharmed and could not be held responsible for his disappearance.

To add insult to injury the perpetrators even accused Mrs. Nabanyama of
faking Patrick's death, claiming she visited him fortnightly in South
Africa. She said her husband's killers were actually her neighbours and that
3 of them have since died while one has gone blind. "Maybe if they had
cooperated with the family, we would have at least found the remains of my
husband and painfully acknowledge he is dead," she said.

More sadly Mrs. Nabanyama is said to be struggling to make ends meet, since
her husband was the sole bread winner. "I owe a lot in arrears and am
struggling to pay fees for the two kids who are still in school. I have even
failed to get a birth certificate for the last born who is now in Grade Six
because the Registrar-General's office wants the father's death certificate
and for the same reason I have failed to benefit from the employer's welfare
fund," she said.

Boost Cross-Border Trade for Food Security

http://www.ipsnews.net

Lewis Mwanangombe

LUSAKA, Aug 3 (IPS) - Small-scale traders on either side of the Mwami Border
Post between Zambia and Malawi are key to meeting local demands that larger
importers do not.

During acute food shortages in Malawi during the drought in the early 1990s,
small-scale traders brought maize across the border from Zambia to Malawi;
the same traders bought unused fertiliser in Malawi and brought it back to
Zambia. At the time, Zambia had adequate rainfall, but serious problems with
fertiliser imports left farmers short of the critical farm input.

The Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa recognises this kind of
activity as key to ensuring supply and access to basic needs by border
communities, able to quickly meet local demand that larger importers ignore.

A Simplified Trade Regime which waives all customs duties and taxes on
shipments worth $500 has now been in operation for three months. The STR is
intended to strengthen food security as well as improving rural incomes for
smaller traders.

The kind and quantity of food available on one side of the border is often
quite different from just 20 or 50 kilometers away.

For example in the Luangwa valley of Chama District on the Zambian side,
significant quantities of rice are grown; a strong market for this exists
across the border where conditions are ill-suited to grow rice. With the
price of rice imported from faraway places like Thailand rising steeply in
the global food price hike in 2008-2009, the Zambian farmers can find a
ready niche for their crops.

In Chipata town, fish is scarce, meaning opportunities for fishing
communities on Lake Malawi have opportunities to supply an important source
of protein from across the border.

The STR dovetails neatly with trade programmes such as the 10 million euro
Regional Food Security and Risk Management programme (REFORM) of the
European Union, which aims to help small traders increase the supply of
locally-produced food crossing borders.

"(REFORM) specifically aims at improving regional and national trade, social
protection and disaster risk management," Alexander Baum, head of the
European Union Delegation in Malawi said.

"And one component of this programme is to enhance Cross Border Trade in
agricultural commodities and is implemented by COMESA. Indeed, areas of
surplus food production should have ready access to markets, especially
those close to borders. A stable and uninterrupted demand for food from
neighbours will result in farmers in surplus regions investing more to
ensure long-term supply."

Simplified tariffs will also benefit a different class of small-scale
traders. In Lusaka's "COMESA Market" - named for and situated behind the
headquarters of the actual headquarters of the regional trade body - much of
the merchandise is cheaper than equivalents in formal retail outlets like
the multinational-chain store Shoprite. This is mainly because they are
brought into the country in small amounts by small traders who evade
official border posts.

Aggrippa Miti says he buys the goods he sells at the market from petty
traders near the Mwami Border Post.

Miti explains that he calls someone on the Malawi side of the border to
explain what goods he needs. "When I go to Mwami, I will find them -
sometimes stored in a safe house in a small village. I pay and bring them to
Chipata where I will load them on the bus leaves early in the morning."

"There are many people who bring in things from Malawi. Some will come
through the border post, but many do so using [clandestine] routes that are
known here as 'zalewa'," Gloria Mwape an official at the border post told
IPS.

Felix Mutati, the Zambian Minister of Commerce, Trade and Industry, observes
that the new rules are eliminating bribes and corrupt practices that were
endemic and border posts like Mwami as well as encouraging traders who
previously evaded the border post to bring their goods through it, enabling
both countries to gain a better picture of real volumes of trade between
them.

"The old rules led some traders to go round the check points at the border
for fear of paying high customs duties and other taxes on even small amounts
of goods," Mutati said.

He is confident that the STR will also encourage increased trade of goods
between the neighbours. In June, Zambia initiated the Simplified Tariff
regime to cover Zimbabwe as well.

LM Edition 56&55

Two editions of Legal Monitor, put out by Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights.

LM Edition 55

LM Edition 56