The ZIMBABWE Situation Our thoughts and prayers are with Zimbabwe
- may peace, truth and justice prevail.

Back to Index

Back to the Top
Back to Index

Zim Online

Government to take over all schools
Sat 6 August 2005

      HARARE - The Zimbabwe government plans to take full control of all
schools including those owned by private firms, individuals or churches,
according to a proposed new law.

      The draft law, now being reviewed by the parliamentary legal
committee, will empower the Minister of Education to prescribe fees and
levies chargeable at schools as well the type of uniforms school children
should wear.

      At present school authorities and parents associations determine the
type of uniforms worn and the levies payable at public schools. The
government sets the fees for public schools while governing boards at church
or privately-owned schools liaise with parents before deciding on levies and
fees.

      Section 69 of the Education Act Amendment Bill will enable the
"Minister of Education to prescribe (by statutory instrument) fees and
levies (and increases in these) of non-government schools."

      Other items listed under Section 69 on which the education minister
will have the final word include: school uniforms, duties of responsible
school authorities, school holidays, size of school classes and hours of
instruction provided by schools, the structure, hygiene and sanitation of
school premises.

      The government last year temporarily closed several private schools
for disobeying orders to charge state-prescribed fees forcing the schools to
appeal to the High Court which ruled that the government had no right to
interfere in the running of the private schools or to prescribe fees payable
at such schools.

      The draft law, if passed, will effectively reverse the High Court
decision and place private and church-owned schools under direct state
supervision.

      The Bill also proposes to empower the education minister to prescribe
and vet the qualifications of teachers employed by all schools including
those not owned by the state.

      The minister will also have the power to make regulations to govern
the conduct of teachers and their associations, under the draft law.

      Education Minister Aeneas Chigwedere, who has in the past said he
wants school children across Zimbabwe to wear the same type and colour of
school uniform, could not be reached for comment on the draft law. -
ZimOnline

Back to the Top
Back to Index

Zim Online

Zimbabwe envoy berates panelists for lying about human rights abuses
Sat 6 August 2005

      GABORONE - Zimbabwe's Ambassador to Botswana, PhekezelaMphoko lost his
cool on Thursday during a panel discussion on alleged human rights abuses in
Zimbabwe labelling the panelists "pathological liars and sellouts."

      The seminar, organised by a Botswana human rights group Ditshwanelo,
was meant to discuss the issue of alleged human rights abuses in crisis-torn
Zimbabwe.

      The panelists were drawn from non-governmental organisations (NGOs)
and the Women of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA) pressure group. Human rights lawyer
Beatrice Mtetwa and Bishop Trevor Manhanga, also took part in the
discussions.

      In their presentations, the Zimbabwean panelists criticised their
government's appalling human rights record with Bishop Manhanga calling on
the ruling ZANU PF party and opposition Movement for Democratic Change party
to engage in dialogue in order to find a lasting solution to the country's
problems.

      Mtetwa dismissed the Botswana government's assertion that the March
poll was free and fair. She said the Zimbabwe government plans to amend the
constitution in order to make it difficult for individuals to challenge its
decisions in court.

      But the ambassador was not amused accusing the panelists of being
sellouts who distort facts about Zimbabwe.

      "The world has been taken for a ride. Please, let us not abuse this
opportunity to lie to the world about the situation in Zimbabwe".

      The West accuses President Mugabe of committing serious human rights
abuses against his political opponents. He denies the charge. - ZimOnline

Back to the Top
Back to Index

SABC

Aid trucks to Zim delayed due to paperwork

August 05, 2005, 21:30

Three trucks transporting food aid and blankets to Zimbabwe have been
delayed in Johannesburg due to outstanding permits, the SA Council of
Churches said today.

Ron Steele, a spokesperson, said in a statement that certain health
certificates were required by the Zimbabwean government before the trucks
would be allowed to cross the border.

The council has to supply a GMO certificate to certify that the maize being
exported had not been genetically modified.

"We are also waiting for a letter from the Zimbabwean government granting us
a duty permit for the goods and clearance for the vehicles," Steele said.

He said the trucks transporting maize, beans, cooking oil and nearly 5 000
blankets should reach their destination next week. "Hopefully the goods,
which are all non-perishables, will reach their destination next week and
will be distributed by Christian Care. an NGO working on food relief on
behalf of the Zimbabwean Council of Churches." Steele said. - Sapa
Back to the Top
Back to Index

Call for new voters' roll after cleanup campaign displacement

[ This report does not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations]

JOHANNESBURG, 5 Aug 2005 (IRIN) - The Zimbabwe Election Support Network
(ZESN) has called on the government to urgently produce a new voters' roll
in the wake of its controversial cleanup campaign, which has led to the
relocation of thousands of urban dwellers to rural areas.

A two-month demolition campaign targeting "illegal structures" - mostly
informal homes and markets in urban areas - has left around 700,000 people
without shelter, while the UN estimates that the forced evictions have
affected up to 2.4 million people to varying degrees.

The ZESN said Operation Murambatsvina ('Drive Out Filth') had resulted in
voters being removed from their constituencies of registration.

"Operation Murambatsvina has resulted in the forcible displacement of large
numbers of urban dwellers. Although they are still on the voters' roll, they
are no longer able to exercise their right to vote, since they are no longer
resident in the constituencies where they were originally registered," ZESN
said in statement on Thursday.

Continued use of the current voters' roll would render the results of any
future poll questionable, the electoral body pointed out.

The statement came as the ruling ZANU-PF and the opposition Movement for
Democratic Change (MDC) prepared to square up for a number of rural and
urban council by-elections. Mayoral elections will take place next week in
Bulawayo, the country's second largest city.

In terms of Zimbabwe's Electoral Act, voters can only cast their ballots in
the constituency where they are registered. Voters also have to undergo a
thorough vetting process that requires proof of residence in urban areas, or
a signed letter from the ward councillor in rural areas, before they are
allowed to cast their ballots.

In Bulawayo, the incumbent mayor and opposition Movement for Democratic
Change (MDC) candidate, Japhet Ndabeni-Ncube, said there had been an
alarming level of voter apathy during the last two months, while the
demolition campaign was being carried out.

"The cleanup operation displaced a lot of people and caused untold suffering
to many more indirectly. Those people who managed to return to their old
places are too busy reorganising themselves. Despite the displacement and
other effects, I am confident of victory," he told IRIN.

In the last mayoral election in 2001, Ndabeni-Ncube got over 60,000 votes,
beating the ZANU-PF candidate, George Mlilo, who garnered an estimated
12,000.

A senior official in the Attorney General's office ruled out the possibility
of a new voters' roll, saying registration was a long, complicated and
costly process, which the government could hardly afford. Calls for a new
voters' roll have mounted in the last five years, amid MDC allegations that
deceased people and absentee voters formed a large percentage of the roll.

Several cases of alleged electoral fraud arising from 'irregularities' on
the voters roll are still pending before the Supreme Court. Zimbabwe has
refused to revise its voters' roll, claiming that its voter registration and
monitoring systems were among the best in the world.

Back to the Top
Back to Index

Combined Harare Residents Association

 

Press Release – Thursday 4 August 2005

 

Justice Delayed means Justice Denied to all citizens of Harare

 

CHRA is concerned at the Judiciary’s delay in setting down our challenge to the extension of the Harare Commission beyond the 6-month term provided by the Urban Councils Act and confirmed by the Supreme Court in the case of Stevenson vs. Chombo, Chanakira Commission et al. in 2001.

 

The six-month term of the Makwavarara Commission expired on 9 June 2005.  The Urban Councils Act requires that before expiry of its term, any Commissioner so appointed shall organize for elections to take place to fill any vacancy arising in Council.

 

CHRA applied for an urgent hearing of this matter, in order to avoid prejudice to residents in terms of rates and charges payments and prevention of their right to be represented by democratically elected councillors.  Our urgent chamber application has still not been heard nearly two months later and this is unacceptable.

 

Residents are being forced to pay huge increases in their rates and charges, despite numerous objections that were lodged with the Municipality. The Makwavarara Commission has failed to respond to these objections in clear contravention of the law.

 

Furthermore hundreds of thousands of residents have had their homes, businesses, property and merchandise destroyed during “Operation Murambatsvina” instituted in the name of this illegal Commission. The wilful and insane attacks upon our citizens and their livelihoods have been condemned by the United Nations and CHRA’s position is vindicated by the international condemnation of the so-called clean up campaign.

 

Now residents are being forced into paying arbitrary and varying amounts from $50,000 to $37 million for “search fees”, “regularization fees” and other dubious fees arbitrarily imposed by this illegal  Commission. There is no rule of law in Harare and residents’ rights to justice have been denied.

 

CHRA will continue to assert its rights as a legally constituted body mandated to act on members’ behalf in its constitution. We therefore call upon all responsible residents to reject the actions of this illegal Commission.  Stand up for your rights to democratic, accountable and transparent local government.

 

Trudy Stevenson

Chairperson, Legal Committee, CHRA

 

For further information, contact CHRA Chairperson on 011 612 860, 011 612 811 or 011 618 595

Back to the Top
Back to Index

BAT denies involvement in selecting tobacco award winner

      By Tererai Karimakwenda
      05 August 2005

      This week we reported how Monica Chinamasa, wife of the Justice
Minister Patrick Chinamasa, accepted an award as the BAT Tobacco Grower of
the Year last Friday night even though she stole the farm now known as
Tsukumai in Headlands.We contacted the Harare headquarters of BAT to find
out why this multi-national corporation would give Mrs Chinamasa a reward
for stealing and ruining the life of a farmer whose output was so vital to
the country. Simukayi Mujanganja, the press officer for BAT Zimbabwe, said
he had to consult other officials about our enquiry. We were not able to
speak to him directly after that. He was in meetings all week and then we
were informed he had gone on leave on Thursday.David Betteridge, who handles
press for BAT in London, said they support the award financially and also
pay for the presentation night, but he said they have no input in the
selection of the winner. This was all that Betteridge would say when
questions were put to him.The whole issue of the responsibilities of
multinational companies operating in Zimbabwe needs to be looked at more
seriously. The United States took a very important step this week by
freezing the assets belonging to certain farms in Zimbabwe. This might force
others to take responsibility for their actions.It is important to let
companies know what you think about their behaviour in Zimbabwe and ensure
that all companies follow ethical procedures in their business dealings. If
it concerns you that a global organisation is prepared to condone theft of
land please phone BAT's managing director in Harare, Paul Adams on (263-4)
754741/754730. Or call BAT managing director in London, Gary Fagan on (44)
(0) 207-845-1000.
      We've not been able to get hold of any email details for BAT London or
Zimbabwe but we do have for BAT South Africa. What you need to do is go to
their website which is www.batsa.com and then open Contact us - you'll find
a form that you can fill out and email directly to BAT South Africa.

      SW Radio Africa Zimbabwe news

Back to the Top
Back to Index

Customs authorities release books for International Book Fair

      By Tichaona Sibanda
      05 August 2005

      Customs officials have released hundreds of copies of a novel by
exiled Zimbabwean journalist, Chris Gande. The books were destined for the
Zimbabwe International Book Fair that ends in Harare on Saturday. The books
were mailed from Washington in the United States, where Gande is now based.
On arrival in Harare they were seized by customs authorities.

      In an interview from Washington Gande expressed the hope his books
will eventually make it to the Book fair, but did not rule out sabotage.

      He said; 'I was told last night that the books have been released, but
I cannot discount theories of sabotage. Maybe someone did not like the books
to be at the Book Fair.'

      The book, Section 8, is based on the government's controversial land
reforms that saw white commercial farmers being violently forced off their
land by Zanu (PF) politicians and party supporters.

      According to Gande, who witnessed the horrors of the land grab
exercise while working for the Daily News, the book dramatises a love
relationship between the daughter of a white commercial farmer and the son
of a government minister. The minister wants to take over the farm belonging
to the parents of his son's girlfriend and it is the epilogue of the book
that epitomises the dark side of the land reform exercise.

      SW Radio Africa Zimbabwe news

Back to the Top
Back to Index

  Humanitarian AID for Murambatsvina victims goes missing in Zimbabwe

      By Violet Gonda
      05 August 2005

      South African officials are frantically trying to find the whereabouts
of 3 trucks loaded with food and blankets dispatched to Zimbabwe on Monday.
The South African Council of Churches (SACC) sent 6 000 blankets and 37
tonnes of food as part of their assistance to the humanitarian crisis that
has affected more than 2 million lives as a result of "Operation
Murambatsvina."

      Selvan Chetty, the Deputy Director of the Solidarity Peace Trust in
South Africa, said churches in Bulawayo and Manicaland, who are working with
the victims, had up to now not received the aid to distribute to affected
areas. Chetty, who says the trucks which were seen crossing the
Zimbabwe/South Africa border earlier this week, should have reached the
victims by now. The South African activists said there are worries that when
there is a delay it's very possible that something has happened to the aid
package along the way. Chetty said the food is supposed to be distributed to
the most vulnerable groups hit by Operation Murambatsvina and not the
perpetrators. "Food is destined for the victims and not for storage," he
added.
      Zimonline reported that the Zimbabwe government had said it would not
bar the South African churches from delivering aid to thousands of displaced
people, but accused the churches of pushing a political agenda under the
guise of aid.

      SW Radio Africa Zimbabwe news

Back to the Top
Back to Index

NASDAQ

Zimbabwe Doctors' Strike Over; End Promised To Blackouts

HARARE, Zimbabwe (AP)--Several hundred striking junior and middle level
doctors returned to the wards of state hospitals Friday after pledges that
the government would consider their demands for pay rises of nearly tenfold.

The strike compounded the woes of the crumbling health service. Due to
chronic underfunding in the face of runaway hyperinflation, state hospitals
frequently lack medicines, food, linen and even sufficient nurses to attend
to patients, calling on relatives to supply deficiencies.

The weeklong walkout involved about 40% of the country's 1,000 qualified
doctors, who risked arrest for disrupting an essential service. Arguing that
their pay is less than a sixth of that in neighboring South Africa and
Botswana, doctors are seeking an increase to 47 million Zimbabwe dollars
($1=ZWD17,501) a month from an average ZWD5 million set during the last
dispute four years ago.

"The prices of everything have gone up and we as doctors are some of the
worst affected," said Wonderful Mutangire, speaking for doctors in
Zimbabwe's western second city of Bulawayo. He said the wages didn't even
cover basic living costs.

In another indication of Zimbabwe's dizzying rate of price increases, the
government Friday announced fees at its junior schools had been raised from
ZWD300 a term to ZWD300,000.

For the fifth straight day Friday, many areas of the capital were hit by
"load shedding" lasting up to 12 hours, bringing store checkout points,
computerized offices and telephone switchboards to a standstill.

Shortages of coal at thermal power stations, lack of imported spares, and a
breakdown of links with supplies from the Democratic Republic of Congo were
blamed for a 450 megawatt shortfall on 2,100-MW daily national needs.

The state electrical power monopoly said faulty generators were being
repaired and promised that the current countrywide blackouts would end by
Monday.

With Zimbabwe's chronic economic crisis deepening, inflation recently
bounced back to 164.3% after falling to 122% from 622% in 2004. Blaming
black marketeers and informal street traders for shortages and soaring
prices, the government launched a two month blitz, code named "Operation
Murambatsvina," or drive out filth, destroying tens of thousands of houses,
prefabricated cabins and shacks.

Agricultural production, once the mainstay of Zimbabwe's economy and
exports, has crashed since President Robert Mugabe ordered seizure of 5,000
white owned farms in February 2000. The country faces a crippling foreign
debt and there is growing unease in neighboring South Africa that the once
prosperous former U.K. colony risks total economic collapse.

South African Finance Ministry spokesman Logan Wort said discussions on
financial assistance to Zimbabwe were at a sensitive stage and should be
concluded "very soon." The South African cabinet has agreed in principle to
pay off some of Zimbabwe's debt to the International Monetary Fund.

The doctors' strike was illegal under draconian new security legislation
which states that attempts to "coerce" the government can carry a 20 year
jail term.

Many doctors ignored the strike call and private hospitals, to which most
formal sector workers have access through medical aid schemes, were
unaffected.

The president of the Zimbabwe Hospital Doctors' Association, Dr Takaruda
Chinyoka, said it had decided to call off the action on humanitarian
grounds.

"We have decided to put the lives of our patients first. They suffer most
when such things take place," he told the government-controlled newspaper,
The Herald.

(END) Dow Jones Newswires
Back to the Top
Back to Index

Zim Online

Banned paper vows not to water down editorial policy
Sat 6 August 2005
  HARARE - Zimbabwe's banned Daily News newspaper has vowed not to tone down
on editorial policy or to seek "political accommodation" with President
Robert Mugabe's government in order to be allowed to reopen.

      A top official of Associated Newspapers of Zimbabwe (ANZ), which
published the Daily News and its also banned sister publication, the Daily
News on Sunday, said the firm would rather battle it out with state media
authorities in the courts than compromise on editorial independence.

      "The Daily News won't seek political accommodation. Once we seek
political accommodation, kiss goodbye to the Daily News and I resign," ANZ
chief executive Sam Sipepa Nkomo told a public meeting of human rights
lawyers in Harare last Thursday night.

      ANZ has petitioned the High Court over the conduct of the government
Media and Information Commission (MIC) when it refused last month to grant
the company permission to publish its two titles.

      The newspaper company also has another application before the
Administrative Court challenging the reasons given by the commission for
denying it permission to resume publishing.

      Armed police forcibly shut down the Daily News and its stable mate two
years ago after the Supreme Court declared that the two papers were
operating outside the law because they were not registered with the MIC.

      The paper had refused to register with the commission pending the
outcome of a challenge at the Supreme Court against the constitutionality of
the requirement that they register. But the court refused to hear the
application and instead ruled that the papers were operating illegally
because they were not registered.

      In a later ruling in March this year, the Supreme Court upheld as
constitutional the requirement that the newspapers register with the MIC but
the court also said the Daily News and its sister publication could submit
to the commission fresh applications for operating licences.

      The commission last month turned down the Daily News's new application
for registration, a decision the company is now challenging at the High and
Administrative Courts. - ZimOnline

Back to the Top
Back to Index

Zim Online

SA hopes for quick talks with troubled Zimbabwe
Sat 6 August 2005

      JOHANNESBURG - South Africa's Treasury on Friday said it expected
talks with Zimbabwe over a financial bail out to the troubled country to be
concluded soon.

      Addressing reporters yesterday, Treasury spokesman Logan Wort said:
"We are hopeful that the discussions can be concluded very soon. We don't
expect to wait too long."

      "Discussions are ongoing. They are at a very sensitive stage . . .
Once the agreement has been reached we will make all the information
available. Until then we are not saying anything."

      Earlier this week, South Africa's cabinet agreed in principle to throw
a lifeline to its troubled northern neighbour. Government spokesman Joel
Netshitenzhe said South Africa will assist Zimbabwe with a loan subject to
parliamentary approval.

      But opposition parties in South Africa have criticised the plan to
bail out Zimbabwe arguing the loan will be used to prop up President Robert
Mugabe's faltering government which stands accused of perpetrating serious
human rights violations.

      Finance minister Herbert Murerwa and Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe governor
Gideon Gono are leading the Harare team for the crucial talks.

      Zimbabwe, in its fifth year of recession desperately needs massive
financial assistance to avert a looming meltdown which is threatening to
bring down the country to its knees.

      The crisis-sapped country desperately needs hard cash to pay for fuel
and food which are in short supply in the country. About four million
Zimbabweans, a quarter of the country's population are in urgent need of
food aid or they will starve this year.

      Zimbabwe also needs the funds to clear a huge debt with the
International Monetary Fund urgently or else the country will be expelled.

      Pretoria says the loan is subject to Harare complying with certain
tough conditions which are intended to lead to the country's rehabilitation.

      Mbeki wants Mugabe to initiate dialogue with the main opposition
Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party to find a negotiated settlement
to the country's political crisis and restore the freedom of the press.

      Mbeki, who has consistently refused to openly chide Mugabe in the last
five years, also wants the veteran Zimbabwean leader to halt a controversial
clean-up exercise which according to United Nations envoy Anna Tibaijuka
left close to 700 000 people homeless.

      But Mugabe last week angrily dismissed Mbeki's call for political
dialogue with the opposition saying Harare will not take orders from anyone
to speak to the MDC.

      Mugabe returned from a trip to China where he had gone to seek a
similar financial deal virtually empty-handed after the Chinese offered far
less than what Mugabe sought. - ZimOnline

Back to the Top
Back to Index

Zim Online

SADC reopens peacekeeping training centre
Sat 6 August 2005

      HARARE - Southern African Development Community (SADC) regional bloc
yesterday reopened a peacekeeping training centre in Harare shut down four
years ago after the main donor withdrew funding in protest.

      The centre was shut down in 2001 after Denmark which was the main
funder of the project withdrew support in protest over President Robert
Mugabe's human rights abuses and stealing of elections.

      South Africa's Defence Minister Mosiuoa Lekota, who is also the
chairman of the SADC inter-state defence and security committee, said
yesterday member states will now fund the centre's operations themselves.

      "While we will continue to rely on the support of our friends
elsewhere around the world, in assuming and taking over this institution as
we do, we are also accepting the responsibility that primary resources of
all types must now come from the country member states of the SADC
community," he said.

      Lekota said the centre will remain in Harare in recognition of
Zimbabwe's role in promoting freedom in the region.

      Last month, the European Parliament urged SADC to close down the
peace-keeping centre in Harare to show its displeasure with Mugabe's
repressive rule and violation of human rights.

      But yesterday's move by SADC will likely ruffle feathers within the
European Parliament which together with Denmark was among the major sponsors
of the training centre.

      SADC states led by regional powerhouse South Africa have generally
refused to openly criticise Mugabe's human rights violations preferring to
back to the hilt the 81-year old Zimbabwean leader. - ZimOnline

Back to the Top
Back to Index

Zim Online

Zimbabwe envoy berates panelists for lying about human rights abuses
Sat 6 August 2005

      GABORONE - Zimbabwe's Ambassador to Botswana, PhekezelaMphoko lost his
cool on Thursday during a panel discussion on alleged human rights abuses in
Zimbabwe labelling the panelists "pathological liars and sellouts."

      The seminar, organised by a Botswana human rights group Ditshwanelo,
was meant to discuss the issue of alleged human rights abuses in crisis-torn
Zimbabwe.

      The panelists were drawn from non-governmental organisations (NGOs)
and the Women of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA) pressure group. Human rights lawyer
Beatrice Mtetwa and Bishop Trevor Manhanga, also took part in the
discussions.

      In their presentations, the Zimbabwean panelists criticised their
government's appalling human rights record with Bishop Manhanga calling on
the ruling ZANU PF party and opposition Movement for Democratic Change party
to engage in dialogue in order to find a lasting solution to the country's
problems.

      Mtetwa dismissed the Botswana government's assertion that the March
poll was free and fair. She said the Zimbabwe government plans to amend the
constitution in order to make it difficult for individuals to challenge its
decisions in court.

      But the ambassador was not amused accusing the panelists of being
sellouts who distort facts about Zimbabwe.

      "The world has been taken for a ride. Please, let us not abuse this
opportunity to lie to the world about the situation in Zimbabwe".

      The West accuses President Mugabe of committing serious human rights
abuses against his political opponents. He denies the charge. - ZimOnline

Back to the Top
Back to Index

Optimism As New Tourism Company is Launched

The Herald (Harare)

August 5, 2005
Posted to the web August 5, 2005

Harare

Zimbabwe flights to China have started to yield results that would see the
tourism industry improving after experiencing a general thawing of relations
between the country and its traditional markets in Western Europe in the
past few years, the Minister of Environment and Tourism Cde Francis Nhema
said yesterday.

Cde Nhema said load factors by Air Zimbabwe on the Middle and Far East
routes were close to saturation and that was most encouraging, given the
fact that China and other countries in that region now constitute the
largest middle class population in the world.

"The results of this state of the market is that these countries are not
unduly affected by the problems generated by western media," he said.

Cde Nhema said this when he addressed various captains of industry gathered
in Harare to witness the official launch of Arena Travel and Tours, a new
company that has set its goals on becoming a major player in Zimbabwe's
tourism industry.

Arena Travel and Tours was born out of a merger of two major travel agents,
Barnfords Travel and Tours and The Travel Company in April this year.

Cde Nhema commended the formation of the new company whose major focus is
unique in that it has positioned itself as being more than a travel agency
but a travel management company.

He said the formation of the travel company at a time when some operators
were closing due to the continued negative media onslaught on Zimbabwe
worldwide, was a clear vote of confidence in the future of the tourism
industry.

"As Government, we will continue to offer all the necessary support to
ensure the continued growth and viability of operators such as Arena Travel
and Tours by investing in tourism," said Cde Nhema.

"We, therefore, urge Arena Travel and Tours to join the rest of the industry
and aggressively market themselves and our country's unique products in
these new markets."

The minister also commended the directors of the new travel company for
re-affirming the Government's policy in placing tourism on the cutting edge
of the country's economic turnaround strategy.

Cde Nhema noted that the country's tourism products, including one of the
seven natural wonders of the world - Victoria Falls - could not be
reproduced anywhere in the world and would always give the country a strong
competitive urge to attract international tourists.

On the domestic and regional fronts, Cde Nhema said, the tourism market had
been enhanced by the acquisition of the two MA 60's aircraft from China,
which are now covering Kariba, one of the previously "forgotten" routes -
with a view to re-establishing the Hwange and Buffalo Range flights, in the
medium to long term.

Regional flights have also been introduced to Lilongwe and Lusaka in a move
to help rebuild the country's tourism industry, the minister said.

One of the directors of Arena Investments, Mr Herbert Nkala said his company
was committed to help the less fortunate in the society.

He said for every air ticket Arena Travel and Tours sell, the company would
donate US$1 to Chinyaradzo Children's Home to help the home to purchase
food, drugs and improve the lives of the under privileged children.

The first cheque to the home would be issued in December this year.

However, the company's directors indicated that while they acknowledged that
the tourism industry was in recession, they would continue to invest in
marketing their company and destinations, creating a solid and competitive
base in preparation for the inevitable recovery of the industry.
Back to the Top
Back to Index

Daily Mirror, Zimbabwe

Chiefs urged to accept clean-up victims

The Daily Mirror Reporter
issue date :2005-Aug-05

CHIEFS should accommodate people affected by the government clean-up
launched in May to rid Zimbabwe of vice and illegal structures, a government
minister has said.
The deputy minister of Finance and MP for Mutoko North, David Chapfika said
despite the fact that some of the people affected by Operation
Murambatsvina/ Restore Order left their original rural homes years back, it
was crucial that traditional leaders shelter them in their areas regardless
of their past. "It is known that some people left their rural areas for
different reasons, some at the height of the war of liberation and decided
never to trace their footsteps to their rural areas," Chapfika said. "When
they come back, the local leaders including chiefs and headmen should be
accommodative and provide them with land for farming."
The deputy minister added: "It is also known that some were running away
from justice after committing crimes.
"They should be forgiven and it is the duty of a chief to make sure that
those people are accepted back into society ,they should be  given the
opportunity to earn a decent living through farming to develop the
nation."
Chapfika was touring his constituency donating blankets to the  elderly and
books to selected schools .
"Victims of the clean-up should be given land to empower them and the
community should accept them. Chiefs and the community at large should
assist whenever necessary by complimenting government efforts ensuring that
everyone affected by the clean-up exercise is accommodated," he stressed.
Chapfika's statement comes amid complaints that some traditional leaders
were refusing to take on board clean-up victims labelling them opposition
supporters.
Government in May embarked on the nationwide blitz, which security
authorities say has helped bring down crime.
Back to the Top
Back to Index

Daily Mirror, Zimbabwe

Bulawayo water shortages force school to close early

From Our Correspondent in Bulawayo
issue date :2005-Aug-05

AT LEAST four schools in Bulawayo prematurely closed the second term on
Wednesday due to critical water shortages facing the city's western suburbs.
Officially schools went on holiday yesterday, but a survey conducted by The
Daily Mirror in the city yesterday revealed that Mkhutika, Thebe Tategulo,
Mahlathini and Emakhandeni primary schools closed on Wednesday due to the
water crisis, which is posing a health hazard in the affected suburbs.
Pupils who spoke to The Daily Mirror said they had been told to go home as
the four-day water crisis had worsened.
"We have been told to go home because there is no water to clean toilets.
It is so bad," said one student.
The water crisis was a result of reduced flows in the city water supply
network, caused by the disconnection of lower Ncema and Umzingwane Dams from
the supply chain.
Council now draws water from Insiza and Inyankuni dams.
Under normal circumstances four pipelines are used to draw water to
Bulawayo, but only two are in use due to low water levels.
The city's town clerk, Moffat Ndlovu, yesterday said council was negotiating
with the Zimbabwe National Water Authority (Zinwa) for the speedy connection
of the city to Nyamandlovu Dam.
In June, the local authority introduced water rationing owing to frequent
breakdown of pumping equipment and the deteriorating water levels in its
supply dams.
Back to the Top
Back to Index

Mail and Guardian

      Zim aid talks to be concluded 'soon'

      Pretoria, South Africa

      05 August 2005 03:43

            Talks on financial assistance to Zimbabwe are expected to be
concluded soon, the South African finance ministry said on Friday.

            Discussions between the two countries on a "principled decision"
to assist Zimbabwe are at a sensitive stage, spokesperson Logan Wort said.

            "We are not confirming or denying any meetings or indicating how
far we are in the process," he told reporters before the start of an
unrelated press conference in Pretoria.

            "When things are finalised, the government will make a full,
detailed announcement."

            No information will be made available until then, he said.

            "We are very hopeful that the discussions will be concluded very
soon."

            The African Development Bank's newly appointed president, Donald
Kaberuka, could not say whether the institution has been approached for help
by Zimbabwe.

            He told a media conference there is an internal,
"performance-based" formula for allocating resources to a country, but could
not say if Zimbabwe would qualify.

            On Thursday, the Cabinet confirmed South Africa's openness, in
principle, to assist Zimbabwe -- including a loan to cover that country's
International Monetary Fund debt.

            The government took the approach that such assistance should
benefit the Zimbabwean people as a whole, "within the context of their
programme of economic recovery and political normalisation", spokesperson
Joel Netshitenzhe said.

            Asked about conditions to be imposed on the help, he said: "We
do not believe in behaving like big brother."

            Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe has asked South Africa for
$1-billion (R6,44-billion) to help relieve the country's economic woes.

            It owes the IMF about $900-million.

            The United Nations last month criticised Harare's urban
slum-clearance campaign, which reportedly left about 700 000 people left
homeless. -- Sapa

Back to the Top
Back to Index

From The Mail & Guardian (SA), 5 August

Mugabe extends Operation Clean-up

Godwin Gandu

Harare - As South Africa was announcing a partial finance rescue package for
Zimbabwe on Wednesday, President Robert Mugabe instructed his Zanu PF
politburo to extend Operation Murambatsvina to urban suburbs. Mugabe accused
his local government and security arms of "hypocrisy" for halting the
demolitions. Local Government Minister Ignatius Chombo had called off the
operation in low-density suburbs last month and gave residents a 10-day
reprieve to regularise structures. Most government ministers and MPs live in
the suburbs. The police and intelligence had tipped off Mugabe that
politicians had built unauthorised structures on their properties, and some
were even farming with pigs in residential areas. "Why are you not
destroying your own structures," Mugabe is alleged to have charged. "We must
not be seen to be discriminatory, we are a party for the poor, not the rich.
We must have the guts to deal with all sections of society equally." Sources
who attended the politburo briefing on Wednesday told the Mail & Guardian
that Zanu PF members were astonished by Mugabe's tirade. "Nobody responded.
No one would certainly agree with him in light of the worldwide condemnation
of the manner in which the operation was carried out in the first place."

Mugabe left the meeting early to travel to an African Union meeting in Addis
Ababa on United Nations reform. A visibly rattled Chombo then reportedly
sought the politburo's sanction for the army, police and other government
agencies to be deployed to the reconstruction of houses in informal
settlements. oncerns were raised that those earmarked for the houses would
be unable to afford the monthly rent payments, given the high rate of
unemployment. But Chombo's bigger headache, sources say, will be "revisiting
the demolitions in urban areas or risk the wrath of Mugabe when he returns".
It's also understood that Mugabe was keen to stall United Nations Secretary
General Kofi Annan's envisaged visit to the country. And, for once, there
appears to be a convergence with the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC)
leader Morgan Tsvangirai, who told the M&G shortly after his acquittal on a
second treason charge, "I don't think it's appropriate for Annan to come to
Zimbabwe when he has already sent a mission." He was, however, at odds with
continued statements that historical imbalances were to blame for the
country's economic meltdown. "My goodness, let's be realistic, 25 years
after independence is a long time to still make excuses of colonialism. It's
all about a failed leadership. When you have three to four million of your
own citizens running away from political and economic hardships, you cannot
blame colonialism."

Annan described the situation in Zimbabwe as "profoundly distressing" and
urged that humanitarian relief to the country's destitute be expedited. The
South African government too, in announcing its readiness to extend up to
$150-million to help ease its neighbour's debt woes, rallied behind the
South African Council of Churches's Operation Hope, which this week
delivered 6 000 blankets and 37 tonnes of food to destitute Zimbabweans. But
their efforts have been ridiculed as pushing a political agenda in the guise
of aid. Zimbabwe Minister of State Security Didymus Mutasa told Zim Online:
"Surely we are not going to stop them ... but they will not find any victims
of Operation Murambatsvina." This week, South Africa insisted that any
assistance rendered to Zimbabwe should benefit ordinary Zimbabweans. The
government will, however, come under scrutiny to ensure that any economic
bail-out is accompanied by political reforms, including talks between Zanu
PF and the MDC and the scrapping of repressive laws that inhibit freedom of
association and expression.

Back to the Top
Back to Index

VOA

Pretoria Officials Tight-Lipped on Zimbabwe Loan - But Leaks Point to $500
Million Deal By Jonga Kandemiiri
      Washington
      05 August 2005

Despite reports that a $500 million bailout package for Zimbabwe was close
to being agreed with South Africa, a Pretoria official said Friday that
talks with Harare were still under way and that all details would be
withheld until their completion.

Finance Ministry spokesman Logan Wort said reports as to the loan size were
purely speculative. Mr. Wort neither confirmed nor denied reports that
Harare was adamantly rejecting a key loan condition - talks between Harare
and its political opposition.

He told reporter Jonga Kandemiiri of VOA's Studio 7 for Zimbabwe that
Pretoria and Harare were looking into the reports quoting a senior ruling
party official.

Despite such words of caution from officials, the South African press was
awash with leaks setting the size of the prospective loan at $500 million.

Reports said this would let Harare retire International Monetary Fund debt
of around $300 million, leaving it with $200 million to relieve acute food
and fuel shortages.

Reporter Blessing Zulu of VOA's Studio 7 for Zimbabwe turned to foreign
affairs expert Innocent Sithole of Leicester University, Britain, for his
perspective.

Back to the Top
Back to Index

Anti-Corruption Commission Ready

The Herald (Harare)

August 5, 2005
Posted to the web August 5, 2005

Kudzai Chawafambira
Harare

The Anti-Corruption Commission is expected to be sworn into office next week
as part of efforts by Government to tackle corruption which has reached
alarming proportions in recent years.

"The commission is expected to be sworn-in by the President when he comes
back from the African Union meeting," the Minister of State Enterprises,
Anti-Monopolies and Anti-Corruption, Mr Paul Mangwana, said in an interview.

"It will work hand-in-glove with my ministry to put in place strategies that
will be employed to curb corruption and also complement policy formulation
in the fight against this endemic," said the minister, who also chairs the
inter-ministerial committee on corruption.

"Our fight against corruption is based on our adoption of a three-pronged
approach - the prevention of corruption, public awareness and prosecution.

"We will structure the commission with the view to achieving these three
fundamentals that must complement each other.

"While prosecuting and arresting offenders as well as investigating cases of
corruption, we should at the same time look at systems that prevent
corruption in both the public and private sectors," said the minister.

Government has already set aside $300 billion as an initial injection into
the commission and is currently liaising with other agencies to augment the
amount.

The funds will allow the setting up of the commission as well as relevant
structures.

Under the proposed anti-corruption and anti-monopolies operating guidelines,
the country is expected to set up a financial intelligence centre, introduce
a code of ethics for both public and private sector players and improve
conditions of service in the public sector where corruption is understood to
be rife.

Apart from the Ministry of State Enterprises, Anti-Monopolies and
Anti-Corruption, the inter-ministerial taskforce includes ministries such as
Justice (prosecutions), Home Affairs (investigations), Finance (public
procurement systems), Defence and Information and Publicity as well as key
arms such as the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe and Zimbabwe Revenue of Authority.

Since a holistic national approach has been adopted to fight corruption, it
is anticipated that the commission will work with all stakeholders including
the inter-ministerial committee that was established early this year.

The anti-graft taskforce will be made up of nine full-time members.

According to recent Press reports, former Comptroller and Auditor-General Mr
Eric Harid is tipped to head the Anti-Corruption Commission.

Back to the Top
Back to Index


I voted for MDC because I have AIDS!

More than three years have passed since the last Presidential election. No
hope has come to me except the loss of my husband in 2004 and the recent
loss of my only daughter Medusa. They all died of AIDS, they say. Although I
am not a doctor, this might be true because as I speak now, I am just a heap
of bones waiting to rot. All I can remember is that I voted for MDC in 2002
and 2005.

In the queue there I was, coughing and spiting blood, with very little
energy I was determined to cast my vote. I could hear people saying that
your vote is your secret, to me it was your vote is your cure. I was not
voting for Tsvangirai or MDC but I was voting for antiviral drugs or just
medicines to easy my pain. I new the only hope was a change of government
because how on earth could the west give medicines to Mugabe. If there was
hope it was going to come through Tsvangirai. I talked to my MP who assured
me that an MDC government would make health for all a realty. I understand
in the western world an AIDS patient can live a normal life if he/she lives
positively with it. I was determined to vote for my life and that for my
husband and daughter. I have not seen my MP since I voted for him, not that
I except medicine from him but just a last goodbye for I will not last to
vote for him again. I can feel my lungs collapsing and my legs can no longer
withstand my weight any more, I am just bed ridden.

I don't know whether the politicians know that we are an important
constituency. If my facts are right, a quarter of us Zimbabweans are
infected with AIDS. In a population of 12 million, this gives us 3 million
people living with AIDS. If we look at the total votes for presidential
election, 1, 6 million voted for ZANU (PF) and 1, 2 million for MDC. The
total number of people who voted was 2, 8 million. It is likely that all
those who voted are living with AIDS for there are 3 million people living
with AIDS more than the number of people who voted. I have no doubt that
going by the statistics, one of the presidential candidates might be living
with AIDS, and I don't know who that candidate is but how much I wish that
could be Robert Mugabe. Not because I hate him but because he would give our
health a priority over land redistribution and Operation Murambatsvina. I
understand that Mugabe as an Executive President, can easily flood this
country with critically needed medicines overnight and stop the brain drain
of doctors to neighbouring countries. It seems he is waiting for me to die
before he can realise that we Zimbabweans need to live as long as him at 81.
I am only 25 years, I don't deserve to die, I have been clinging to dear
life for long, my hands are now tired I might give up any time now. I
understand that life expectancy is now 32, only 5 years ago we used to say
life begins at 40. Even if life expectancy is 32 but I am only 25, who is
going to take over my remaining 7 years and on what basis, I guess this will
be one of the fat boom, boom ministers living with AIDS.

I hear this nonsense about talks against talks. Mugabe once again is globe
trotting what happened to the targeted sanctions? I understand that Mugabe
was promised Chinese medicine but failed to understand the Chinese language
and ended up refusing out of ignorance. How I wish I was there. All
politicians seem to be the same, they unpack their manifesto towards the
election and withdraw in their insulation sheath once defeated or win the
election, and surely somebody must pay the prize! Nobody talks of health
anymore, I feel used and dumped.

I am staring at the wall of my house which I am told the sheriff came today
to attach because of unpaid mortgage. I had two structures at the back of my
house for rent which was able to pay my mortgage and at least one meal a day
but the government has demolished everything and the lodgers have deserted
me. I am not working, relatives and friends have deserted me, and how much I
wish my husband was still alive. I did not choose to be a victim of AIDS. I
graduated at the University of Zimbabwe with BSc (Hons) in Engineering, my
picture still hangs on the wall, in a gown smiling and innocent, receiving
my degree. I was then still a virgin and all I wanted was to forge ahead
with my career and contribute to the development of my country. Zimbabwe
never gave me a chance, suddenly the economy collapsed under my feet. I
needed to survive, the system let me down and my only survival was to get
married. Like everybody else in Zimbabwe, I had to choose a husband with 3 C's
(Car, Care & Cash). He was healthier than a doctor, at least by then. I had
no idea of what was in his blood like most AIDS victims like me. All I
wanted was to be happy and have a family. I needed a husband to take over
where the society had failed me after all I was highly educated but with no
job.

I think its time to leave my will before I die. I have no child and no
husband left. My only will is for you all Zimbabweans. Vote for a
presidential candidate who will openly admit to have AIDS, that way you are
assured that 3 million people at the verge of extinction will survive, after
all the winning candidate will only need about half of the number  of people
with AIDS.

Long live Zimbabwe, long live the struggle for total emancipation, aluta
continua, Hondo ngaienderere mberi, amandla ngewethu.

Elliot Pfebve

Lecturer & Political Analyst

www.itrc-pfebve.com
Back to the Top
Back to Index

UN Will Launch Humanitarian Appeal for Zimbabwe Next Week

UN News Service (New York)

August 4, 2005
Posted to the web August 5, 2005

A humanitarian appeal to provide shelter for the 300,000 people worst
affected by Government evictions in Zimbabwe will be launched next week, the
United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)
said today.

Its main priority is providing shelter, then food and sanitation, it said.

A report released last month by Anna Tibaijuka, the UN Special Envoy on the
evictions who is also the UN Human Settlements Programme's (UN-HABITAT)
Executive Director, said some 700,000 people had lost homes or businesses in
the Government of Zimbabwe's Operation Murambatsvina (Restore Order)
demolitions.

The operation "breached both national and international human rights law
provisions guiding evictions, thereby precipitating a humanitarian crisis,"
she said.

In a statement issued after the release of Ms. Tibaijuka's report,
Secretary-General Kofi Annan pledged urgent UN action to mobilize immediate
international humanitarian assistance to prevent further suffering.
Criticism, while fully justified, was not enough, he said.

Mr. Annan added that once the most acute human needs had been addressed, the
UN would give whatever help it could with implementing the report's other
recommendations, such as establishing a dialogue between the Government, the
domestic constituencies and the international community to address
Zimbabwe's serious social, economic and political problems.
Back to the Top
Back to Index

Sent: Friday, August 05, 2005 9:04 PM
Subject: JAG Legal Communique dated 05 August 2005

JUSTICE FOR AGRICULTURE LEGAL COMMUNIQUÉ - August 5, 2005

Email: justice@telco.co.zw; justiceforagriculture@zol.co.zw
Internet: www.justiceforagriculture.com

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Today's Herald, Friday 5 August 2005, contains no new listings of farms.
However last week's listings of Section 5 Notices, Section 8 Orders and
Section 7 Notices have all been repeated today.

The JAG Team attended yesterday's Parliamentary Portfolio Committee Public
hearing on the proposed Bill No. 17 amending the Zimbabwe Constitution and
needless to say gave an adverse report strongly condemning and rejecting
the proposal especially with regard to the nationalisation of agricultural
land.

Please note that the JAG offices will be closed from 8 August to 15 August.
In the case of any emergency the JAG Team can be contacted on any of the
following numbers: 011 631 542, 091 233 415 or 091 239 081.
Back to the Top
Back to Index