Zim Online
Mon 7
August 2006
MUTARE - President Robert Mugabe had to intervene last
week to stop
war veterans from seizing land owned by ruling ZANU PF party
and government
officials they accuse of wanting to block Vice-President
Joice Mujuru from
taking over as president of Zimbabwe, sources told
ZimOnline.
Mugabe has indicated that he will step down at the
expiry of his term
in 2008, setting off a vicious power struggle between two
factions, one led
by former parliamentary speaker Emmerson Mnangagwa and
another by Mujuru's
husband, the powerful former army general Solomon
Mujuru.
Each of the factions want to control ZANU PF and ensure
their
preferred candidate takes over Mugabe's job. However much of the power
struggles have happened behind the scenes, away from the public
eye.
But things threatened to break into open conflict last Monday
when
militant veterans of Zimbabwe's 1970s independence war converged in the
eastern Mutare city and drew up a list of senior ZANU PF and government
officials they said they would evict from their farms as punishment for not
backing Mujuru.
"Those targeted for eviction
were only saved at the last minute after
Mugabe ordered governor of
Manicaland province (under which Mutare falls)
Tinaye Chigudu to stop the
war veterans from invading the politicians'
farms," said a source, who is a
senior member of ZANU PF.
According to the official, who spoke on
condition he was not named,
Chigudu was only able to convince the war
veterans to call off the farm
invasions after a heated four-hour meeting
with the former fighters' and
during which they accused the governor of
wanting to protect people bent on
destabilising ZANU PF.
"Chigudu remained steadfast that instructions from Mugabe were that
there
should be no farm invasions .. eventually the war veterans' leadership
told
their members who had gathered outside Chigudu's office to disperse and
await further instructions," said another source, privy to details of the
meeting between Chigudu and the ex-combatants.
Chigudu
confirmed meeting the war veterans and ordering them not to
invade farms but
the governor refused to answer further questions on the
matter.
He said: "In Manicaland I am the President's representative, mandated
with
taking instructions from the President. In his speech to parliament,
the
President made it clear that no farm invasions or disruptions of farming
activities would be tolerated. That remains the case and my duty is to
enforce that position, regardless of the situation."
Zimbabwe
National Liberation War Veterans Association secretary for
Manicaland
Godfrey Chitakatira told ZimOnline that they had shelved plans to
invade
farms but refused to discuss why the former fighters wanted to seize
farms
owned by ZANU PF politicians.
Chitakatira said: "We have suspended
the operation. We held a meeting
with the governor on Monday and we left him
a list of our problems we have
with some of these comrades (ZANU PF
officials). There is too much
corruption and they are also being divisive in
their ways."
Among those whose farms were targeted for seizure were
retired army
general and now Energy Minister Mike Nyambuya, former war
veterans chairman
Robert Gumbo, businessman and ZANU PF politician Esau
Mupfumi and provincial
administrator Fungai Mbetsa.
Former ZANU
PF chairman in Manicaland Mike Madiro, who was suspended
from the party by
Mugabe for plotting against Mujuru, was also on the list
of people whose
farms were to be seized.
According to sources, when Nyambuya got
wind that ex-combatants were
planning to seize his farm he reported the
matter to Mugabe who phoned
Chigudu on the morning of the same Monday the
farm seizures were to take
place and told him to stop the farm
invasions.
Nyambuya and others whose farms were targeted for
seizure are believed
to belong to Mnangagwa's camp, working to block Mujuru
from taking over when
and if Mugabe and first Vice-President Joseph Msika
retire in 2008.
Analysts however say Mujuru is a step ahead of
Mnangagwa given she is
already part of the presidency. - ZimOnline
Zim Online
Mon 7 August
2006
HARARE - Unidentified armed people destroyed 250 hectares of
maize at
Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) governor Gideon Gono's farm near
Harare, in
what state media said could be an attempt by some unnamed people
"in
positions of authority" to intimidate the central bank chief from
pressing
ahead with monetary reforms.
Gono in his mid-year
monetary review statement last Monday announced a
raft of measures including
a re-denomination of Zimbabwe's currency with
three zeroes chopped off every
note.
The governor, who also announced a 60 percent devaluation of
the local
dollar, gave Zimbabweans up to 21 August to surrender old money in
exchange
for the new currency with less zeroes.
But Gono said
individuals would be allowed to deposit only up to $100
million of the old
money while companies could deposit five billion dollars
without questions
being asked.
Anyone bringing in more than the stipulated amounts
would have to
explain the source of the extra cash and failure to do so
would result in
the money being seized and deposited into an anti-money
laundering account
to remain there for two years at zero percent
interest.
It is the provision allowing for the RBZ to seize money
that
government insiders say has won Gono enemies among ZANU PF and
government
officials many of who were known to keep billions of cash at home
to finance
deals on the illegal but thriving black-market for foreign
currency and
basic commodities in short supply in Zimbabwe.
Gono's rather overzealous style in implementing the new monetary
measures
could also have earned him hatred from more people even outside
ZANU PF as
RBZ officials, police and government youth militia, all acting on
the
governor's instructions, have seized billions of dollars from people
accusing them of money laundering.
At least 125 people were
arrested since last Thursday for allegedly
hoarding cash. More than $62
billion was seized by RBZ officials and police
over the same
period.
But most of those arrested for illegally keeping cash at
home deny
hoarding money, saying the reason they kept large amounts of cash
was
because of hyperinflation which meant millions of dollars were required
for
even small transactions such as buying a child's school
uniform.
In his address to Parliament last month. President Mugabe
said he was
satisfied with the work of Gono although there were some people
who hated
the central bank governor and even wanted him dead.
In the past Gono, who is one of Mugabe's closest lieutenants, has
clashed
with senior members of the Cabinet, Finance Minister Herbert Murerwa
and
Energy Minister Mike Nyambuya, over policy measures and electricity
tariffs
respectively.
Gono challenged Murerwa to fire him after they had
disagreed on policy
measures. He earlier this year crossed swords with
Nyambuya after convincing
Mugabe and his Cabinet to cancel an increase on
power tariffs that they had
initially approved. Nyambuya wanted tariffs
hiked to keep the state-owned
Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority afloat.
- ZimOnline
Zim Online
Mon 7 August 2006
MUTARE - A faction of Zimbabwe's
main opposition Movement for
Democratic Change (MDC) party led by Morgan
Tsvangirai on Sunday elected a
former white commercial farmer, Brian James,
as its mayoral candidate for
the eastern city of Mutare.
Morgan
Komichi, who is the deputy organising secretary in the
Tsvangirai-led MDC,
told ZimOnline yesterday that James had won the right to
represent the party
in the mayoral election whose dates are still to be
announced by the
government.
"James polled 196 votes against Misheck Kagurabadza's
13. He will
therefore be our candidate once the elections get underway,"
said Komichi.
Kagurabadza is the former mayor of Mutare who was
sacked last year as
part of a purge against MDC-led mayors by President
Robert Mugabe's
government.
Speaking in Mutare after his
election yesterday, James said his
election was a clear message to the
ruling ZANU PF party that racism had no
place in Zimbabwe's
politics.
"My election shows that people do not care about the
colour of
someone's skin as Mugabe wants us to believe. The MDC membership
here has
basically sign-posted a big 'No to Racism' by electing me. I won't
let them
down," he told ZimOnline yesterday.
It was not
possible last night to establish if the other faction of
the MDC led by
academic Arthur Mutambara will field a candidate in the
election.
James is among thousands of white farmers who were
driven off their
land as part of the government's controversial land reforms
six years ago.
Mutare has been run by a government-appointed
commission since the
sacking of Kagurabadza last year. Local Government
Minister Ignatius Chombo
recently extended the commission running Mutare. -
ZimOnline
Zim Online
Mon 7 August
2006
HARARE - Suspected state security agents at the weekend
destroyed
literature and a stand belonging to the Gays and Lesbians of
Zimbabwe at
Zimbabwe International Book Fair (ZIBF) in Harare.
GALZ, which has battled in the past to exhibit their literature at the
fair,
had been allocated a stand at this year's book fair but their
equipment and
literature was destroyed at the weekend by unidentified men
believed to be
state security agents.
GALZ could not be reached for comment on the
matter.
The ZIBF executive director, Greenfield Chilongo, confirmed
to
ZimOnline at the weekend that equipment belonging to the controversial
organisation had been damaged.
"As far as we are concerned,
GALZ were not denied the chance to
exhibit because they were allocated a
stand. But what we are aware is that
there were some people who interfered
with their material," she said.
The Zimbabwe government at one
point banned GALZ from exhibiting at
the book fair but the controversial
group won a High Court banning President
Robert Mugabe's government from
interfering with their activities.
Mugabe has in the past condemned
gays and lesbians saying they are
"worse than dogs and pigs." -
ZimOnline
Zim Online
Mon 7
August 2006
MUTARE - Two Harare residents clinched the top honours
in the 42km,
Africa University International Peace Marathon held here at the
weekend,
with each collecting US$2 000 in prize money.
Tapiwa
Chingadayi, 30, came first in 2 hours, 23 minutes and 14
seconds in the
men's main category, beating Felix Mushurwa of Eiffel Flats,
Kadoma, and
Ogeto Kerdirdden Boba of Negashe, Ethiopia, who came second and
third
respectively.
The women's top prize went to Margaret Mahohoma, 27,
who dismissed
challenges from second place winner Chiyedza Chokore and
Tapawo Bhiri, who
came in third.
Chingadayi of the Zimbabwe
Prison Services and Mahohoma, a school
leaver who clocked 2 hours, 52
minutes and 12 seconds, were awarded US$2 000
each for their
efforts.
Second place winners in the men's and women's categories
each received
Z$120 000 (revalued) and third place finishers were given Z$60
000 each.
The marathon, now in its fifth year, attracted more than
500
participants from Africa, Japan and the United States. Millions of
dollars
were awarded to winners in various categories - which included the
"wheel
chair", the "armed forces", the "pre-schoolers" and "senior citizens"
categories.
Sheila Siwela, Zambia's ambassador to Zimbabwe,
donated a floating
trophy for the marathon on behalf of all the African
ambassadors based in
Harare.
"As ambassadors, we support Africa
University and its Peace Marathon
because we believe the sporting event is a
unifying occasion that cuts
across boundaries in politics, culture, age and
religion," said Siwela.
The ambassador of Mozambique, Vincente M
Feloso and John M Gbenala of
Ghana were also present.
Tomoko
Ueta, 37, a marketing executive in Tokyo, Japan, flew into
Zimbabwe for the
marathon. She was not disappointed: she came in tenth
position among women
in the main 42-km race.
"I didn't really expect to win," she said
as she collected her cash
prize, Z$6 000. "I found the terrain and the
people here so good, it's
unbelievable. I intend to come back next year and
bring my friends and
collegues at work with me."
Rukudzo
Murapa, the university vice-chancellor, said he was confident
the AU Peace
Marathon would evolve into a global household name "along such
lines as the
New York Marathon, the French Marathon in Paris and the London
Marathon in
England". He added: "We can do it with your support". -
ZimOnline
Reuters
Sun Aug 6, 2006
8:48 AM BST
By Cris Chinaka
HARARE (Reuters) - Zimbabwe's
international book fair, once Africa's
proudest annual literary celebration,
now has only one tale to tell -- the
decline of a country brought to its
knees by political and economic woes.
The cultural life of the southern
African country -- books, music, film and
theatre -- is being strangled by a
severe economic crisis many critics blame
on President Robert Mugabe's
government.
Up until 2002, the Zimbabwe International Book Fair was one
of the
continent's biggest shows, attracting African, European, American and
Asian
publishers to exhibit their work, and Africa's top writers to attend
conferences.
But the fair held in Zimbabwe's capital this week
remains "international" in
name only, shunned by foreign publishers and
writers who see little mileage
from travelling to a country the United
States has branded an "outpost of
tyranny".
"We have lost out to
politics," mourned one man minding an exhibition of
give-away pamphlets on
rural development.
"There are very few people coming here because it's no
longer the same," he
said. "But I guess we have got to keep the idea alive
so that when things
get better we will not start from
scratch."
During Zimbabwe's sunnier days, when Mugabe was still hailed as
the man who
ended white rule in the former Rhodesia in 1980, the Harare book
fair drew
Africa's literary giants.
Nigeria's legendary Chinua
Achebe, who became famous with his first novel
"Things Fall Apart," and
Kenyans Ngugi wa Thiong'o and Ali Mazrui were among
those who graced the
shows.
"It was Afro-centric ... people came for brainstorming sessions on
African
literature and lots of ideas emerged from these meetings. It was
extremely
fun and very laid-back," said Veronique Tadjo, an author from
Ivory Coast.
But now the big writers and publishers are staying away and
the fair
resembles a small village show, its largely empty book stalls
standing under
thatch shades in a vacant, windswept park.
Although
Zimbabwe has a 90 percent literacy rate -- one of the highest in
Africa --
its economic woes have left it almost unable to sustain a
publishing
industry as consumers struggle with inflation now well over 1,000
percent.
Book lovers are not alone in bemoaning the slow death of
Zimbabwe's cultural
life.
The country -- which drew famous
musicians in the 1980s and 1990s such as
Bob Marley and The Wailers, UB40,
Peter Gabriel, Paul Simon, Osibisa and Sam
Mangwana -- cannot afford to pay
top profile foreign artists.
Even smaller pleasures, such as cinema
outings and DVD rentals, are feeling
the pinch.
Back at the book
fair, organisers are hoping they will be able to turn the
page on the
event's current troubles. But they acknowledge that, like
Zimbabwe, the fair
will have a long way to go to reclaim its former glory.
"We working on a
programme to impress on the authorities that our industry
is as important as
other critical sectors," said acting book fair director
Greenfield
Chilongo.
"We are struggling but we are not dead," he said.
Sunday Times, SA
Sunday August 06,
2006 19:08 - (SA)
HARARE - Zimbabwe has ordered a new freeze on prices of
goods following a
spate of increases on the heels of last week's currency
reforms to combat
the effects of the country's nearly 1,200% inflation, a
state-run paper
said.
"No trader, manufacturer, wholesaler, dealer or
retailer shall as a result
of the conversion of the price of a commodity
from the old currency to the
new currency, increase the price of that
commodity by any amount," the
Sunday Mail quoted Trade Minister Obert Mpofu
as saying.
Many traders last week had upped prices after the central bank
knocked off
three zeroes from the local currency and introduced a new series
of bank
notes.
Commuter fares on some routes in Harare doubled from
100,000
Zimbabwe dollars (40 US cents) to 200,000 a day after Reserve
Bank chief
Gideon Gono announced the change in currency and a 21-day
ultimatum to hand
in old bank notes.
Gono had said the reforms were
aimed at snuffing out a burgeoning parallel
currency market and help
shoppers who had to carry bags and rucksacks of
cash even to buy
groceries.
Mpofu ordered businesses to reverse "with immediate effect,
any price of any
commodity that was increased in excess of that obtained by
converting from
the old to the new currency." He said traders who defied the
order would be
prosecuted.
Zimbabwe four years ago introduced price
controls to fight a flourishing
black market for staples such as cornmeal,
cooking oil and bread, and had
instituted a fine of one million Zimbabwean
dollars for violators.
Zimbabwe's economy has been on a downturn in the
last five years
characterised by runaway inflation and perennial shortages
of basic
commodities.
The situation has been blamed partly on
controversial land reforms that have
hit food production after white-owned
farms were seized for redistribution
to landless blacks, often with no
farming expertise.
The country's isolation from its traditional trading
partners in Europe
following the 2002 elections, which returned President
Robert Mugabe to
power and which western observers say were rigged, did not
help.
Sapa-AFP
zimbabwejournalists.com
By a
Correspondent
HARARE - SOON after telling Zimbabwe's former
liberation fighters
where to get off and to stop intimidating him from doing
his job, Reserve
Bank Governor, Gideon Gono's two properties were ransacked
by unknown gangs
resulting in raging fires destroying 250 hectares of
seedmaize worth Zd$50
billion, now $50 million after last week's currency
conversion, at his
Donnington farm in Norton.
Gono on Thursday
told former liberation fighters, most of whom grace
senior offices within
the government and the Zanu PF party to grow up and
leave him to try and
find solutions to revive Zimbabwe's ailing economy.
Someone was
obviously not happy with the statement and late that
Thursday an armed gang
of smartly dressed men, according to the
state-controlled Sunday Mail, in an
unregistered 4 x 4 double cab vehicle,
caused commotion at Gono's flower
project about 20 km outside Harare.
The Sunday Mail reports the
gang asked for Gono's residential address
and fled after being confronted by
some security guards manning the
premises.
A source close to
Gono told zimbabwejournalists.com four armed gangs
had actually gone to the
main house at his flower project just outside
Harare looking for the
Governor but he was not there.
It is believed the gangs were acting
at the behest of some senior Zanu
PF officials who want Gono eliminated.
They caused a commotion and left
after the security guards refused to give
them Gono's residential home
address.
"It was around 1 am that
the gangs arrived and caused mayhem," said
the source. "They demanded to see
Gono but he was not there. They demanded
his address and only left after
being confronted by the security guards at
the flower project. Some of the
politicians have been hit hard by the new
currency policy and they want him
to go, which is sad really because they
are looking after their interests
only and not the country."
Most senior government officials and
other rich people in the private
sector have been oiling the wheels of the
black market and had billions of
dollars in their houses which has now been
rendered useless by Gono's new
policy pronouncement last week. They wanted
more time to dispose of the
money and they were irked by Gono's refusal to
backtrack.
After disturbances at Gono's flower project, huge fires
on Friday
consumed his maize crop that could have produced 1 300 tons maize
seed worth
Zd$50 billion at his Norton farm. The fire, whose origin is still
being
investigated, also extensively damaged neighbouring
farms.
Police confirmed both incidents. They said investigations
were already
under way yesterday. Gono also confirmed the
incidents.
The two incidents followed Gono's speech in Bulawayo
Thursday where
hinted he was aware some senior Zanu PF and government
officials were going
out of their way to frustrate his efforts to make sure
he failed to achieve
his goals at the central bank.
"Your
history does not matter, your history does not make you a
bloodsucker," the
Reserve Bank Governor said in apparent reference to the
powerful block of
former liberation fighters that control most of the
government
departments.
Some senior government officials have reportedly been
calling on Gono
to reverse some of the tough measures he introduced in last
week's mid-term
monetary policy statement.
The powerful block
of politicians has been trying to intimidate him
into abandoning his
turnaround programme under "Project Sunrise" that was
announced during the
monetary policy review statement last Monday.
"Discipline is the
starting point for any turnaround so we are
determined to enforce it. Don't
intimidate us, forget it. There are some
people who think they are above the
law and are producing liberation war
credentials to intimidate us," said
Gono in his Bulawayo address Thursday.
"Let me just tell you that
there is only one monetary authority in
this country and some of us take
this as a calling, so you can bring all
your guns and spears but we will not
be deterred."
He continued: "Your history does not matter, your
history does not
make you a bloodsucker. We have common rules for everybody
and not for the
rich or the poor, the tall or the short," he
said.
His boss, Robert Mugabe recently warned senior party and
government
officials off Gono's back saying without the work he is doing,
Zimbabwe
would be in a worse situation. He said he knew that some of the
crooked
officials even wished the Central bank chief dead.
zimbabwejournalists.com
By a Correspondent
BULAWAYO -
BOUYED by recent statements by President Mugabe asking the
vultures within
Zanu PF's top echelons to leave him alone, Gideon Gono has
told the powerful
former freedom fighters of the 1970s liberation struggle
to "grow up" and
leave him to do his job of trying to revive the country's
ailing
economy.
Speaking in Bulawayo Thursday, Gono hinted he was aware
some senior
Zanu PF and government officials were going out of their way to
frustrate
his efforts to make sure he failed to achieve his goals at the
central bank.
"Your history does not matter, your history does not
make you a
bloodsucker," the Reserve Bank Governor said in apparent
reference to the
powerful block of former liberation fighters that has held
the nation at
ransom since the late Chenjerai Hunzvi led them to arm-twist
Mugabe into
printing huge amounts of money to pay them gratuities and
monthly pensions.
The war veterans and their leaders in senior
government positions
became particularly powerful after Mugabe used them to
lead the
state-sponsored land invasions that began in 2000 after the failed
constitutional referendum.
Some senior government officials
have been calling on the central bank's
boss to reserve some of the tough
measures he introduced in last week's
mid-term monetary policy statement.
Under the new measures, a new currency
conversion system is said to have
caused mayhem not only with the ordinary
people but with many within senior
positions in the government who were
caught unawares and had to quickly
dispose of the huge amounts of money they
had been holding in their houses
either for speculative purposes or for use
on the parallel
market.
"Discipline is the starting point for any turnaround so we
are
determined to enforce it. Don't intimidate us, forget it. There are some
people who think they are above the law and are producing liberation war
credentials to intimidate us," said Gono.
"Let me just tell you
that there is only one monetary authority in
this country and some of us
take this as a calling, so you can bring all
your guns and spears but we
will not be deterred."
He continued: "Your history does not matter,
your history does not
make you a bloodsucker. We have common rules for
everybody and not for the
rich or the poor, the tall or the short," he
said.
Gono became the country's first central bank chief to have
security
guards from the State after assuming his new role as RBZ Governor
as threats
on his life mounted. Mugabe hinted two weeks ago that he knew
there were
many crooked senior government officials who wished Gono
dead.
Said Gono on Thursday: "Some of us here are benefiting from
the
difficulties we are going through and are now forging weapons of mass
destruction in bars and at various meeting places. Hanzi tikamurega anyanya,
azvimba musoro. But if I do nothing voti atadza basa ngaabve." Literally,
Gono was saying the senior Zanu PF officials were saying he has become big
headed but would be the first ones to cry out for his head if he failed in
his duties.
"But let me tell you that we will not leave any
stone unturned. As we
speak, there are Zimbabweans in positions of authority
who are saying they
will make sure that our policies will never work because
their deals will be
frustrated," he said.
"Let's take economic
destinations of our country to our hearts. Let's
be more upright and
together we can do it. It is a battle that has only one
outcome -- to win.
Failure is not an option."
His parting shot: "My appeal to my
brothers and sisters in politics is
please grow up. Let's avoid tearing
Zimbabwe apart and simply make sure that
we do things in the national
interest."
Yahoo News
by Fanuel Jongwe
1 hour, 28 minutes ago
HARARE (AFP) - Zimbabweans last week flooded banks
to hand in old notes
after the central bank slashed three zeroes from the
local currency, but
analysts said the new money would not provide relief
from record inflation.
Zimbabwe's Reserve Bank slashed three zeroes from
its currency last Monday
to help consumers battling with bundles of money on
shopping trips which can
cost billions and trillions of local
dollars.
The change, which ushered in a new currency, is also aimed at
compelling
individuals and companies to bring in billions of dollars stashed
away in
safes and combatting a burgeoning black market in currency, central
bank
chief Gideon Gono said.
Since Monday state television has been
screening an advertisement in which
an ecstatic housewife hails the currency
change saying a loaf of bread which
cost 200,000 Zimbabwe dollars "now costs
only 200 dollars."
Independent economist John Robertson told AFP: "The
currency change is a
purely cosmetic exercise which won't overcome the
problems facing the
country.
"It will only work as far as reducing
the volumes of bank notes people will
carry but it does not provide
solutions to the main problems of inflation,
lack of investment and high
unemployment."
Best Doroh, an economist with a leading bank, said the
currency change "does
not entail an immediate reduction in the prices of
goods and services.
"Availability of basic commodities will also not
necessarily improve.
Inflationary pressures will most likely remain alive in
the economy."
Zimbabwe is in the throes of an economic crisis
characterised by
world-record inflation hovering over 1,000 percent, high
unemployment and
chronic shortages of foreign currency and basic goods like
fuel and cooking
oil.
At least 80 percent of the population lives
below the poverty threshold
often skipping meals and walking or cycling long
distances to work as they
battle to stretch income to the next
pay-day.
Economist Eric Bloch lauded fiscal and currency reforms
introduced by Gono,
however, saying they would reap rewards in the long
run.
"The benefits will not come overnight," Bloch said. "But the
government must
refrain from printing money and financing its projects. The
governor also
did well to remove subsidies which have contributed greatly to
inflation."
Zimbabwe started printing high denomination bearer cheques, a
bank note
equivalent, following cash shortages which saw banks running out
of cash and
customers waiting long hours for cash deliveries.
As
hyper-inflation struck, millions became "millionaires" overnight carrying
wads of notes to buy groceries.
The central bank gave a 21-day
ultimatum to hand in the old bearer cheques
and imposed thresholds on
amounts that can be deposited in banks in an
apparent crackdown on
hoarders.
Those found with cash exceeding the limit will have to reveal
the source or
forfeit the money and face prosecution for money
laundering.
Shopowners have also been barred from accepting cash payments
of more than
100 million Zimbabwe dollars (400 US dollars) for goods and
services.
Critics say the currency reforms were a psychological ploy to
hoodwink
ordinary Zimbabweans into believing prices had gone
down.
"The government wants to create the impression that goods are
cheaper which
is not the case," said a taxi driver in central
Harare.
A Harare-based economic thinktank, KM Financial Solutions, said
unless
President Robert Mugabe's government changed its economic policies,
the
country would keep on playing with the currency.
"One also hopes
that the government will be able to fuel the functioning of
the economy
since most of the fuel was being financed by black market
dealers," another
analysts said.
The government blames the country's economic woes on
sanctions imposed by
western countries four years ago while its critics say
the economic downturn
is a result of corruption and mismanagement.
Business Report
August 6, 2006
By Stella Mapenzauswa
Bulawayo -
Zimbabwe's struggling industrial sector looked set to recover
after the
central bank eased exchange controls to let exporters retain the
bulk of
their earnings in bank accounts, said Callisto Jokonya, the
president of the
Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries.
"Give it another 12 months and we
will be back on our feet. I am positive
about that," said Jokonya. In a rare
note of private sector optimism, he
said the future looked
brighter.
Earlier this week the governor of the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe,
Gideon Gono,
said exporters could now keep 70 percent of their receipts in
corporate
foreign currency accounts while selling the remainder to the
central bank at
the official rate. Gono also devalued the Zimbabwean dollar
by 60 percent to
the US dollar, offering further relief to
industries.
A shortage of foreign exchange over the past seven years
forced firms to
source currency for crucial imported raw materials at
exorbitant prices on a
thriving black market.
"The biggest
ill we had in the economy was the imbalance in the price of our
dollar
versus foreign currency . and I think that has now been addressed,"
said
Jokonya.
Zimbabwe's foreign currency crunch was one of the most visible
signs of a
crisis widely blamed on the policies of President Robert Mugabe's
government. It has been worsened by the withdrawal of key foreign aid over
policy differences.
But business leaders said companies remained
vulnerable to Zimbabwe's
inflation rate, the world's highest at 1 193
percent, along with fuel
shortages and frequent electricity and water
cuts.
Unemployment soared to more than 70 percent. The economy has shrunk
by more
than a third in the past eight years.
Mugabe denies
responsibility for the country's economic woes, and in turn
accuses his
foreign and local opponents of sabotaging Zimbabwe's wealth. -
Reuters
Much anxious discussion at the
Vigil following the court ruling overturning
the blanket ban on sending home
Zimbabwean failed asylum seekers. Perhaps
unrealistic hopes had been
raised. A senior member of the Vigil, Ephraim
Tapa, cautioned people to be
careful to whom they turned for help. "There
are wolves in sheep's
clothing," he warned, "they will take your money and
give you bad advice".
He said new groups were always popping up, aspiring to
represent all
Zimbabweans, but Zimbabweans should ask what they are actually
doing, apart
from making money. Ephraim said the Vigil would help all
genuine asylum
seekers, working through its coalition partners, such as the
Zimbabwe
Association. He pointed out that the Vigil had been on the streets
for 4
years with a message that things must change in Zimbabwe. Asylum
seekers
who could not show that they were genuinely politically involved
would have
difficulty getting asylum in Britain. Speaking about the way
forward on
the asylum issue, he said the judicial process could only go so
far and we
must explore a political route. An appeal had already been made
to
opposition leaders in Zimbabwe to intervene at the highest level. In the
meantime, asylum seekers should approach their local MPs. Vigil supporters
were keen that a demonstration be held with a petition on the asylum issue
to the Prime Minister.
Other Vigil supporters said that we should not
be sidetracked by the asylum
issue: our focus should be what is happening at
home where people are
dropping like flies from HIV/AIDS (see:
http://www.swradioafrica.com/news040806/bulilima040806.htm)
or being robbed
at checkpoints run by Robert (the Hood) Mugabe - stealing
from the poor to
pay the rich! (See: http://africantears.netfirms.com/august2006.shtml.)
Over
our years here, we have developed ties with our locals - some of them
homeless. Wiz gave two of her old Zimbabwe t-shirts to one of them, whose
mother had been born in Rhodesia. He reported how he and his other homeless
friends would sit on the steps of the Embassy at night and last Saturday
formed a "welcoming committee" for smartly dressed people arriving at a
function at the Embassy. "I feel so strongly about it", he said. It was
chastening to realise that one of best dancers at the Vigil, Jarnell, was
scarcely older than the Vigil. He was also such a stalwart packing up the
Vigil when we finally dispersed long after the scheduled close.
For
this week's Vigil pictures:
http://uk.msnusers.com/ZimbabweVigil/shoebox.msnw.
FOR
THE RECORD: 70 signed the register.
FOR YOUR DIARY:
1. Monday
7th August, 7.30 pm, Zimbabwe Forum will be continuing its
work on a
multi-signatory letter targeting South Africa to coincide with the
next
session of the UN Human Rights Council on 18th September. NB CHANGE OF
VENUE as our regular venue is booked. We will be meeting at the Rose and
Springbok, 14 Upper St Martins Lane, WC2H 9DL. Nearest tubes: Leicester
Square and Covent Garden (maplink: http://makeashorterlink.com/?N2D231EA6).
We should be back in our regular venue next week.
2. Wednesday,
9th August, 8pm. Mrs Debbie Jeans and Dr Ingrid
Landman, who live in Harare
will share their struggles and hopes. Venue:
Rose and Springbok Bar, 14
Upper St Martins Lane, London WC2H 9DL (a new
Southern African pub who came
to the Vigil today to invite our support).
The speakers will also be at Zulu
Bar, 4 Fulham High Street, London SW6 3LQ
at 8 pm on Thursday, 10th
August.
Vigil co-ordinator
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 by the current regime in
Zimbabwe. The Vigil which started in
October 2002 will continue until
internationally-monitored, free and fair
elections are held in Zimbabwe. http://www.zimvigil.co.uk
zimbabwejournalists.com
By a
Correspondent
LONDON - Organisations representing Zimbabweans
in the UK are making
strenuous efforts to appeal against last week's ruling
allowing the British
government to forcibly remove failed asylum seekers
back to Zimbabwe.
Ephraim Tapa, the opposition Movement for
Democratic Change's London
branch chair, yesterday said efforts were
currently underway to appeal
against the ruling but there was an urgent need
for Zimbabweans to unite and
work hard to protect genuine asylum seekers and
human rights activists
already on the list for deportation after their
claims were thrown out. He
says there is an urgent need for a political
solution to help save the
failed asylum seekers from eminent
deportation.
Tapa spoke as news spread of failed asylum seekers
being put in
detention in preparation to be flown back home as they went to
report at
police stations around the UK. By the end of the day yesterday at
least four
new cases of detention had been reported. There were 16 failed
Zimbabwean
asylum seekers in detention last week when an immigration
tribunal ruled it
was safe to deport people back to Zimbabwe.
Since then failed asylum seekers who report monthly at police stations
near
them have been arrested and put in detention and are now awaiting
deportation. One activist who was detained yesterday was told she would be
flown home on the 25th of August.
The case can only be appealed
at the House of Lords and if it fails,
lawyers representing the failed
asylum seekers can take it up with the
European Court. Many doubt the case
can be won at the EU court. Most EU
countries have immigration laws that are
much stricter than the UK ones.
"What else can we do as Zimbabweans
in the UK to protect genuine party
members and human rights activists? I
believe this issue is very political
and calls for a political approach,"
said Tapa yesterday.
He said some of the things that the Zimbabwean
organisations here in
the UK are working on include requesting an urgent
meeting with the
immigration minister where an appeal can be made on behalf
of member
activists and others, approach MPs in constituencies with a
Zimbabwean
communities to conscientise them on the plight of the failed
asylum seekers
and related issues.
He said a big demonstration
in London and a petition to No 10. Downing
Street were being planned. A
direct appeal to the MDC leadership back home
was also being made for them
to intervene.
"This is a serious issue and we need to work on it
now rather than
later," said Tapa. "We believe that this was a hasty
decision that is going
to put the lives of activists on the line. The
implication of this ruling is
that the home office can start the
deportations immediately after the 10-day
grace period for appeal. The
Immigration Minister is so far reported to have
indicated that deportations
will start within a month."
He continued: "My thoughts are with
those 16 or so of our countrymen
currently being held in detention subject
to deportation. Then there are
those due to report today, tomorrow, next
week or month. I can imagine the
distress, the anxieties, and the psychic
fragility arising from the
unpredictability of the next hour, day, week or
month."
"For example, John was due to report this morning and it
took a lot of
persuasion from friends for him to go. On arrival at the
reporting centre,
he was told to wait and usually the wait lasts for 5mins.
He went back after
five minutes and still was told to wait this time after
waiting for 15
minutes he slipped away. Can you imagine what was going
through his mind
during the unusually long wait? And what now for the
future?"
Tapa said he shuddered to think of those who still are to
make their
asylum claims or those with cases still to be
decided.
"And what of those who have been politically active in the
UK, who
have exposed themselves at demonstrations, vigils, meetings and so
on. What
is the likely reception that await such activists should they be
deported
back to Zimbabwe and just imagine how nasty the situation can be
during
election campaigns! What of loved ones back home, in light of likely
biased
reporting from state media, surely such news must be sickening as it
is
worrisome."
Adds Tapa: "The effect of deporting people to
Zimbabwe is tantamount
to decreeing the country safe. Imagine what political
capital Mugabe stands
to make out of this. He has now been given the licence
to boast of things
not there: that there are no human rights abuses; there
is peace, democracy
and so on. What a shame! You all know what awaits those
deportees home."
Patson Muzuwa of the Zimbabwe Association said all
Zimbabweans in the
UK must now be wary and stay away from trouble as a
slight mistake like
driving without a licence, insurance or drunken driving
may just pave the
way for their deportation.
"People need to be
very careful now, whether or not your papers are in
order. There is a lot at
stake here," he said.