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Beer to be banned Sundays — New law

http://www.thestandard.co.zw/

Sunday, 07 August 2011 09:31

BY JENNIFER DUBE

CABINET is considering a policy that will see supermarkets, shops and bottle
stores only being allowed to sell alcoholic drinks between 6am and 7am,
while the selling of beer will be banned after midday on Sunday.

The tough regulations contained in the National Alcohol Policy that were
first unveiled last year by The Standard will have far-reaching effects on
the sale of beer and the thriving leisure industry.

Timothy Stamps, a health advisor to President Robert Mugabe who is behind
the policy last week revealed that it was now closer to becoming law after
it was forwarded to Cabinet.

But the former Health and Child Welfare minister said the new regulations
were not new but government wanted to ensure that they were properly
enforced.

“There is a misconception that government will introduce a new law,” Stamps
said.

“The law has always been there but was being loosely applied, mainly because
of lack of personnel in the liquor department.Again, regarding times, we
will be controlling retail licences and not people with proper liquor
licences.”

Among other controls proposed under the National Alcoholic Policy being
spearheaded is the confinement of the sale of alcoholic drinks to between
6am and 7pm and the banning of beer selling after midday on Sundays.

Also to be banned is the selling of alcoholic beverages to visibly pregnant
women, people who are deemed to be already drunk and minors.

Proper advertising is also to be encouraged, with Stamps saying a workshop
for advertisers of alcoholic beverages was slated for the end of September.

“We are simply bringing together all the laws that have something to do with
alcohol so they can work properly to protect the young and those who react
badly to alcohol,” Stamps said. “We involved manufacturers at the ground
level and they are all agreeable to the new measures because we all want to
protect the health of our nation.”

The alcohol industry is important to Zimbabwe’s economy and at one time it
was reported that taxes on beer and cigarettes were holding up the economy.

Delta Beverages, the largest brewer in the country, is one of Zimbabwe’s
biggest employers. nHowever, Stamps said the proposed regulations were not
meant to punish industry players or make life difficult for ordinary
Zimbabweans.

“As a doctor, I know that alcohol is no ordinary food and taking it in
excess can have serious repercussions,” he said. “Alcohol taken in excess
has caused deaths of people and many would remember the story of former
South African Health minister Tshabalala Msimang who died two years ago
because alcohol badly affected her liver.”


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Embattled Makandiwa gets reprieve

http://www.thestandard.co.zw/

Sunday, 07 August 2011 09:40

BY PATIENCE NYANGOVE

EMBATTLED church leader Emmanuel Makandiwa (pictured) yesterday got
temporary relief when a High Court Judge threw out a case where he is being
sued for US$680 000 over his airtime communication project.
Pascal Nyasha, a motivational speaker and entrepreneur, last week made an
urgent High Court application where he also sought to bar Makandiwa’s United
Family International (UFI) church agents and workers from manufacturing,
producing, selling, dealing and distributing Christian Spiritual Link cards.

But High Court Judge Justice Tedious Karwi ruled that the case was not
urgent, giving Makandiwa some breathing space.

The popular pastor is being investigated by the Postal and
Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe over the airtime cards.
There were reports that Makandiwa had fled the country but his church said
he was on holiday.

In a High Court application last week through his lawyer Wellington
Pasipanodya, Nyasha accused Makandiwa of hijacking his airtime communication
project.

Nyasha, claims “Christian Spiritual Link” system was his invention arguing
that Makandiwa and his church only changed the name from the original
“Evangelicard.”

Makandiwa’s lawyer Nickiel Mushangwe from Mushangwe and Company, said he was
happy with the ruling.

“We are happy. I think it was frivolous for them to approach the courts,” he
said.

“They should stop bothering the man of God. However, they are free to
negotiate with us but the concept of the cards was my client’s.”

Pasipanodya said his client was willing to sit down with Makandiwa and
negotiate an out of court settlement.

The communication link requires church members to buy an airtime card
inscribed “Christian Spiritual Link” which costs US$3.

Members scratch the card and send the numbers to some cellphone numbers
depending on each member’s network service.

Those with Econet lines send the secret numbers to 0773 341 040 to 59,
Telecel subscribers to 0714 768 502 to 11 while those with NetOne lines send
to 0735 451 851 to 60.

After sending the numbers and receiving confirmation a subscriber receives
devotional SMS messages from Makandiwa for six consecutive days. Those
interested members can recharge through buying more airtime.


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Welshman Ncube says Tsvangirai is ‘empty’

http://www.thestandard.co.zw/

Sunday, 07 August 2011 09:43

BY OUR STAFF

INDUSTRY and Commerce minister Welshman Ncube has accused Prime Minister
Morgan Tsvangirai of sinking to “despicability and emptiness” after he
claimed that his smaller MDC faction is a regional party.

Ncube was reacting to statements attributed to Tsvangirai in a recent
interview with the France-based Africa Report where he ruled out an election
pact with MDC saying it had become a regional party.

“I do not know what seized the PM to cause him to accuse us of retreating
into being a regional party,” Ncube said.

“Could he be suggesting that a party becomes regional once its president
originates from outside Mashonaland and his or her mother language is
Ndebele? I hope not.”

Ncube said he hoped it was the last time “we have to sink to this level of
shamelessness, despicability and emptiness”.

He said Zimbabweans expected politicians to be discussing issues and
policies.

Tsvangirai was quoted saying: “Now they have retreated to be a regional
party; so I don’t think that is healthy for uniting the people.

“So we will have to put that into consideration, as to whether they want to
be a national flag or (sic),” Tsvangirai was quoted as saying.

But Ncube said his party was probably more representative of the country’s
ethnic groupings than MDC-T.

Ncube is from the Midlands, his deputy Edwin Mushoriwa is from Harare and
the party’s chairman Goodrich Chimbaira hails from Chitungwiza.

“Just for the record, I wish to assure the PM that we will contest his
party, himself, Zanu PF and its leader, at the next election, in every ward,
every constituency and in the presidential election,” he said.

“We will seek the vote of every Zimbabwean in every village, every city,
every town and every compound where ever found.

“We promise the PM that he will not only find us in the region he presumes
our party is found in but in every other region of the country.”

The charged exchange between Ncube and Tsvangirai will dash any hopes that
the two MDC factions will unite to challenge Zanu PF in the next elections.

Tsvangirai has also refused to support Ncube’s party in its fight to remove
Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara from his post.

Mutambara refused to relinquish the post after he lost the MDC presidency to
Ncube at the party’s congress early this year.


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MDC-T unveils own heroes

http://www.thestandard.co.zw/

Sunday, 07 August 2011 09:45

BY SILAS NKALA

BULAWAYO – MDC-T yesterday unveiled its own list of national heroes and
dismissed some Zanu PF officials buried at the Heroes Acre as murderers.
Bekithemba Nyathi, the party’s provincial youth chairperson said the party
will boycott the Heroes Day celebrations tomorrow.

“We remember those great men and women who fell for the cause of our freedom
and salute the living heroes who continue to work and fight for a better
Zimbabwe for all,” Nyathi said.

He said the youth assembly would conduct its parallel commemorations of the
heroes at the party offices where relatives of the late MDC-T “heroes will
be issued with certificates of appreciation”.

The family of the late Matabeleland North governor Welshman Mabhena will be
among those to be honoured.

MDC-T’s list of heroes includes the following: Learnmore Jongwe, Susan
Tsvangirai, Gibson Sibanda, Mthokozisi Ncube, Nkosana Moyo, Remember Moyo,
Tonderai Ndira, Kauzani Msoja, Isaac Matongo, Beta Chekururama, Talent
Chiminya, Shepherd Jani, Patrick Kombai, Mufandayidze Hove, Ntombizodwa
Mbambo, Patrick Nabanyama, Getrude Mthombeni, Joyce Mugova Sibanda, Zanele
Ncube, Freedom Sibanda, Linda Mathuthuka, Gloria Olds, Martin Olds, Fanelo
Khupe, Catherine Khupe and Thembelani Ndebele.


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AAG official nabbed for gold panning

http://www.thestandard.co.zw/

Sunday, 07 August 2011 09:46

BY NUNURAYI JENA

Mashonaland West Affirmative Action Group (AAG) chairman Clifford Hlupeko
(34) and six alleged accomplices were on Friday charged with prospecting for
minerals without a licence and keeping explosives.
They were remanded to September 6 for trail.

The seven are being charged with contravening Section 368 of the Mines and
Minerals Act Chapter 21: 05 and contravening Section 3 of the Explosives Act
Chapter 10.08.

It is the state case that on July 8, the seven: Hlupho and Tongai Mujenge
(33), Philip Chirume (37), Ronald Dhabheni (36), Tendai Musaka (31), Fanuel
Muzeza (27) and Takunda Chiparaushe (25) were caught mining gold at an open
space in the Mzari extension in Chinhoyi.

They were extracting gold ore from a mine channel using horse power
generator and a submersible pump to draw water from the hole.

The police were acting after a tip from members of the public.

When they were searched, they were found in possession of 12 mega mites
detonators and 12 x 9mm capped detonator fuses about two metres from the
channel hole. The accused were not licenced to possess the explosives.

The seven, who were initially refused bail when they first appeared in court
on July 20 were granted US$50 bail at the High Court each.


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Sadc raps Mugabe over elections

http://www.thestandard.co.zw/

Sunday, 07 August 2011 09:55

BY KHOLWANI NYATHI

The Southern African Development Community (Sadc) has put its foot down on
Zimbabwe and declared that it will not tolerate rushed elections.
Sadc also rejected calls by Zanu PF hardliners that South African President
Jacob Zuma step down as a mediator in the inter-party talks.

The Zanu PF hawks despise Zuma for insisting that the parties must stick to
a roadmap that will ensure that Zimbabwe holds a free and fair election.

Tomaz Salamao (pictured),  the Sadc executive secretary, told journalists in
Gaborone that calls for early polls by President Robert Mugabe and Zanu PF
were just political grandstanding.

He was speaking ahead of the Sadc heads of state summit on August 17-18
where Zimbabwe is expected to feature prominently.

“The main objective of establishing a government of national unity was to
pave the way for elections,” Salamao said.

“So you cannot disconnect the GPA (Global Political Agreement) and
elections.

“Elections in Zimbabwe are part of the GPA because it was said elections in
2008 were not recognised as free and fair, let’s put in place a mechanism to
prepare for a free and fair election in Zimbabwe, hence the GPA.

“In a nutshell, when you speak about elections you speak about the GPA and
that’s why we encourage all the parties to fully implement the GPA.”

Zanu PF has tried to wriggle out of the Sadc-sponsored roadmap claiming that
the timelines set for the much-needed reforms were too long.

Mugabe has threatened to unilaterally call for elections but Salamao said
this would not be accepted by Sadc or the African Union (AU), the guarantors
of the power- sharing agreement.

“The GPA states that the three political parties will submit to Sadc and AU
the date of elections in Zimbabwe,” he said.

“The date should come from the parties who signed the GPA and it is binding.

“They have to sign on that paper that they agree to the date of elections
and they have to do that via the Sadc facilitator President Jacob Zuma.”

The roadmap drawn by negotiators from Zanu PF and the two MDC formations
makes it almost impossible for elections to be held this year.

It categorically states that the polls must be held after the completion of
the constitution-making process and the implementation of media and
electoral reforms.

Sadc is keen to address the Zimbabwe crisis once and for all and elections
are seen as the best route to settle the matter.

“What we want as a continent is for the next election in Zimbabwe to be free
and fair so that they are recognised by everybody and we can have Zimbabwe
back on track so that this country can play its  role in the socio-economic
development of our region,” Salamao said.

At the Luanda summit, Zuma will take over as the chairman of the troika and
this is likely to pile up pressure against Mugabe and Zanu PF.

Sadc tired of Zimbabwe crisis
Analysts say Sadc is now tired of Zimbabwe’s decade-long political crisis
and regional leaders are eager to see it resolved.

The impatience became apparent in March when the Sadc troika on peace and
security came hard on Mugabe and told him to stop political violence and the
selective application of the law.

Mugabe reacted angrily and accused Zuma of dictating instead of facilitating
dialogue between the governing parties.


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MP arrested

http://www.thestandard.co.zw/

Sunday, 07 August 2011 09:47

BY TATENDA CHITAGU

MASVINGO — MDC-T MP for Zaka West Festus Dumbu and the party’s Triangle ward
28 party secretary Tawanda Chiriga Imbayago were detained for three hours on
Friday for organising a funeral procession.
The two were charged under the notorious Public Order and Security Act
(Posa) for leading the funeral procession of a daughter of a party member
last weekend.

Dumbu, an employee of sugar conglomerate, Tongaat Hullet said he was
summoned to Triangle Police Station where he was asked to answer to the
charges of violating Posa.

He said they had ignored Zanu PF orders not to put on party regalia at the
funeral wake.

of the daughter of MDC-T deputy district organising secretary for Chiredzi
West, Victor Nyahuma.

“I spent about three hours at the police where they took a statement from me
and charged me with violating POSA saying we had not notified them of the
procession we had while burying the daughter of our party member last
Sunday,” Dumbu said.

He said ZANU PF youths identified as David Chiwa, Peter Murambwa and one
Hlatshwayo intimidated and scared away mourners, including the local AFM
church members, from attending the funeral wake of Bliss Nyahuma, but
nothing has been done to them.

He said it was surprising that he and Imbayago were arrested for not
notifying the police about the funeral.

Police spokesperson, Inspector Tinaye Matake, could neither confirm nor deny
the incident, but said he was yet to be briefed over the arrest.


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Councillors endorse town clerk’s suspension

http://www.thestandard.co.zw/

Sunday, 07 August 2011 09:47

BY NUNURAYI JENA

CHINHOYI – Councillors last week endorsed the suspension of the town clerk
Ezekiel Muringani by the mayor Claudius Nyamhondoro over alleged fraud.
But as the full council meeting was endorsing Muringani’s suspension,
Muringani was telling journalists at the Chinhoyi press club that he is
still calling the shots at the council.
Councillors say Muringani is getting backing from Local Government, Urban
and Rural Development minister Ignatius Chombo, who is said to be  backing
him while his deputy Sessel Zvidzai is behind the mayor.

Nyamhondoro a fortnight ago reported Muringani to the police after an audit
revealed massive abuse of council funds.

Muringani has refused to be suspended by the mayor while finance director
William Mandinde, who was also implicated in the scam, was fired by council.
Nyamhondoro told The Standard that he feared nothing would be done to
Muringani because of his alleged political connections.

The mayor is also not happy with the appointment of Chinhoyi district
administrator Webster Mandinde to lead a resuscitation team for the local
authority because he recognises the “suspended town clerk”.

On July 25, Tembo spoke against the suspension of council employees fingered
in the audit report.

In a letter to the chairman of the resuscitation team this week Nyamhondoro
complained that Tembo had interfered with his duties when he stopped the
recording of minutes during a meeting.

The mayor was also not amused by Tembo’s interpretation of the Urban Council
Act to mean that the mayor must not be involved in the signing of
authentication, authorisation or execution of council documents which the
resuscitation team leader said was the prerogative of the management
committee.

But Nyamhondoro says it his responsibility and that of the council’s finance
committee chairperson to sign such documents.


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Cross-border traders hit by duty on blankets, shoes

http://www.thestandard.co.zw/

Sunday, 07 August 2011 09:50

BY JENNIFER DUBE

The Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) on Monday introduced 40% import duty
on blankets, footwear, refrigerators and stoves, in a move that has left
cross-border traders facing an uncertain future.
The products were previously included in the traveller’s rebate where a
person was allowed to bring in products duty- free once in a calendar month.

Zimra said: “Travellers who wish to import blankets, footwear, refrigerators
and stoves will continue to benefit from the reduced rates that were
implement with effect from January 1 2011.”

But hundreds of travellers were caught unawares by the changes and were
reportedly forced to leave their goods at border posts because they could
not raise money to pay duty.

Bus crews and taxis at Harare’s Roadport said the move had hit their
business hard as people were no longer bringing goods from South Africa and
Botswana.

“I was into buying and selling blankets and I was doing very well but I left
my blankets in South Africa after the driver told me I will be required to
pay US$40 for each blanket as duty,” said Laina Mateko who had just arrived
from South Africa.

“I ended up coming with just one and I paid R80 for it.

“I also left some shoes which I intended to resale after being informed that
I would have to pay duty for them.

“Some people I travelled with were forced to leave their potatoes at the
border after failing to pay the duty.”

Many people in the informal sector were cashing in on the sale of blankets
and footwear, especially during winter.

A Zimra official said the aim of the import duty was to protect local
industries.

“People are still allowed to bring in goods worth US$300 for free per month
but electronic goods, such as fridges and stoves, and footwear and blankets
are no longer part of that list,” he said.

Finance minister Tendai Biti announced in his mid-term policy statement that
customs duty on rice, maize, maize-meal, flour, cooking oil and salt would
be introduced from September 1.

He said the move was meant to protect local industry from cheap imports.


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Mutinhiri cleared of conspiracy against Zanu PF

http://www.thestandard.co.zw/

Sunday, 07 August 2011 09:52

BY PATIENCE NYANGOVE

DEPUTY Labour and Social Welfare Minister Tracy Mutinhiri was on Friday
cleared of charges of working against Zanu PF at an internal hearing,
sources have revealed.
Mutinhiri, who is also the Mashonaland East MP, was accused of working with
MDC-T and allegedly voting for the party’s chairman Lovemore Moyo in the
March elections for Speaker of Parliament.

Zanu PF had fielded its own chairman Simon Khaya-Moyo who lost to the MDC-T
chairman.

According to sources, the disciplinary committee chaired by vice-chairman
Stephen Chiurai agreed that the allegations against Mutinhiri could not be
substantiated.

The case allegedly crumbled after the witnesses who were called failed to
build a case against the MP.

But Zanu PF Mashonaland East chairman Ray Kaukonde yesterday said the case
had not been finalised.

“The outcome is not yet out, check with me Friday next week,” he said.

“However, the hearing will be fair and firm, it will be done fairly. She
will be tried using a Zanu PF bible and this will be fair.”
Mutinhiri could not be reached for comment.

Last month Zanu PF activists invaded Mutinhiri’s farm in Marondera but they
were encouraged to leave by party officials.

She claimed State Security minister Sydney Sekeremayi was behind the
invasion because he wanted to replace her with Zanu PF’s provincial
secretary for security Lawrence Katsiru.

Sekeremayi is the senator for the area.

Kaukonde said Zanu PF was not going to repossess her farm as she had
benefited from a national programme.


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Murder suspect appeals for ARVs

http://www.thestandard.co.zw/

Sunday, 07 August 2011 09:53

Our Staff

A Zimbabwean murder suspect has appealed to the Botswana High Court to
compel prison authorities to provide him with anti-retroviral (ARV) drugs as
he is suffering from Aids.
Labson Nduna, who was arrested last year for allegedly killing his Motswana
girlfriend, said he had defaulted on treatment for the past seven months.

“After I was arrested in November 2010 I stopped taking medication because
of my status as a non-citizen of Botswana,” Nduna told the court.

“I have been told that the government cannot provide this medication for
 me.”

Botswana does not provide ARVs to foreign prisoners.

Nduna was denied bail because he was allegedly found with an expired
passport and is considered an illegal immigrant.


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MDC-T youths vow to block early elections

http://www.thestandard.co.zw/

Sunday, 07 August 2011 09:54

BY NQOBANI NDLOVU

The MDC-T youth assembly has resolved to disrupt any election called by
President Robert Mugabe before the implementation of an election roadmap to
guarantee free and fair polls.
The youths also resolved to defend the party leadership against intimidation
and violence by Zanu PF political activists.

“After intensive debates and deliberations, the national council of the MDC
Youth Assembly resolved to reaffirm our commitment to stop, through
disruption and other necessary means, any attempt to conduct an illegal
election in Zimbabwe,” Promise Mkhwananzi, the MDC-T youth assembly
secretary general said on Wednesday after the assembly’s first national
council meeting.

“The national council of the MDC-T youth assembly resolved to defend the
party, its leadership, members and the people of Zimbabwe against violence
and all forms of oppression.”

Mugabe has indicated that the country will go for polls with or without a
new constitution this year to undo the unity government between his Zanu PF
party and the former opposition MDC factions.

But there have been calls for the postponement of polls until after reforms
guaranteeing free and fair polls.

Analysts say the country is not ready for fresh polls while the business
community has called for their postponement to ensure the economy recovers
first after years of collapse.

The MDC-T youth assembly also said it had launched a campaign to mobilise
the country’s youths to register as voters during the next elections.

“The national council of the MDC Youth Assembly resolved to reaffirm our
commitment to engage in mass mobilisation of all young people to register as
voters, to vote and most importantly to defend the election outcome,”
Mkhwananzi said.

A report released recently by the Zimbabwe Election Support Network (Zesn),
noted that youths are absent from the voters roll as “they have lost active
interest in participating in national elections”.


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Parents of police shooting victim vow to seek compensation

http://www.thestandard.co.zw/

Sunday, 07 August 2011 09:57

BY NQOBANI NDLOVU

The father of a Bulawayo man who was shot dead by a senior police officer
for celebrating the dawn of the new year in 2007 says they will demand
compensation following his death last week.
Caleb Magagada, the father of the late Artwell said, although they felt
justice had been done following the death of Superintendent Milos Moyo, they
will not rest until they get compensation from the officer’s family.

Artwell was shot by Supt Moyo, the then Officer Commanding Bulawayo Police
Camps at the Tredgold food court in the city centre.

Supt Moyo died on Saturday after an undisclosed short illness and was buried
on Tuesday at the West Park Cemetery in Bulawayo.

Artwell’s father told The Standard that God had listened to the family’s
prayers for the senior cop to be punished.

“We have been praying as a family for justice to be done, for Supt Moyo to
be punished for killing my son,” he said.

“Our prayers have been answered but as a family we are still hurt. We are
still mourning the death of our son.

“We want compensation from Supt Moyo’s family and we will continue demanding
it. My son cannot just go like that.

“Supt Moyo never apologised and never compensated us. His family should
apologise and compensate for the killing of our son.”

Supt Moyo was only fined US$500 for the offence after being convicted of
culpable homicide by High Court Judge, Justice Nicholas Mathonsi at the
Bulawayo High Court three years after committing the offence.

In his ruling, Mathonsi lashed out at Supt Moyo for being an irresponsible
senior police officer who failed to conduct himself properly.


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Paying the price for insulting Mugabe

http://www.thestandard.co.zw/

Sunday, 07 August 2011 09:58

BY NQABA MATSHAZI

LONG-suffering Zimbabweans, frustrated with President Robert Mugabe’s
seemingly unending rule, have taken to cracking jokes about their leader,
but these have seen many falling afoul of the law.
In a country with harsh free speech laws, there is a thin line between a
joke about the president and an insult undermining him and many have been
trapped in this minefield.

As Mugabe strengthens his 31-year grip on power, the jokes have increased
and proportionally, so have the cases of people arraigned for insulting the
veteran ruler.

The cases vary from those that have called Mugabe “old” to those that
allegedly have called him a liar and to those that accuse him of overseeing
the collapse of what was arguably a vibrant economy.

In recent weeks there has been an upsurge of people being arrested for
insulting the president, but bizarrely, a prison warden was fired for
allegedly insulting the president’s sister.

Joel Ndlovu, a chief superintendent with the Zimbabwe Prison Services (ZPS)
was last week fired after a disciplinary hearing, where he had been charged
with insulting Sabina Mugabe, the president’s late sister.

Ndlovu, who was based at Khami prison, allegedly described Sabina as a woman
of loose morals, who did not deserve to be buried at Heroes Acre.

A security guard is also facing the wrath of the law after he accused Mugabe
of presiding over the collapse of the economy, while paying homage to the
MDC-T, which the guard claimed had healed the economy.

Another strange case is that of Gift Mafuka, who was convicted for one year
after he chided some children for wearing T-shirts of an “old and wrinkled”
Mugabe.

Mafuka appealed against the conviction and the matter is yet to be
finalised.

In the initial ruling, two months were suspended from the 12- month
sentence, on condition that Mafuka did not commit a similar offence in the
next five years, by then Mugabe would be 91.

The most high-profile case, however, should be that of Jameson Timba, a
Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office, who was accused of calling
Mugabe a “liar” in a press release in the aftermath of the Sadc summit in
South Africa that deliberated on Zimbabwe.

Hardliners within Zanu PF, Mugabe’s party, claimed the statements undermined
the president and Timba had to be brought to book for disrespecting the
president.

He was later released but not before lodging a High Court appeal and
spending two nights behind bars.

Law meant to intimidate people, says rights lawyer

Nyanga North legislator, Douglas Mwonzora leads a host of MDC-T officials
who have been arraigned before the courts for allegedly insulting Mugabe.
Mwonzora allegedly described the president as a “goblin”, who would be
forced to flee.

As if that was not enough, Mwonzora was again in the dock for denigrating
the octogenarian leader after he allegedly pointed at Mugabe’s portrait and
chided “. . .how are you father, how is your health and how is your eye?”

But human rights activists believe that the laws that make it an offence to
insult the president are archaic and should be declared unconstitutional.

“Such laws are kept in place to maintain a repressive and closed environment
that does not promote freedom of speech and hence tilt the political scale
in favour of the incumbent,” Dzimbabwe Chimbga, a programmes officer at the
Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR), said.

Despite the laws being difficult to prosecute, Chimbga said they served a
strategic purpose, as it muzzled criticism particularly when it was directed
at the president.

“This is a futile attempt to deny people the opportunity to publicly discuss
issues of governance and more specifically issues concerning how the
executive is discharging its duties or in any event failing to do so,” he
continued.

The rights body said it had referred several cases to the Supreme Court and
a number were pending at the constitutional court.


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Dream comes true for ZCC followers

http://www.thestandard.co.zw/

Sunday, 07 August 2011 10:02

BY WALTER MARWIZI

SIX years ago, travellers along the Mutare-Masvingo highway could not miss
the big “ZCC” letters implanted on a hilltop, just 50km east of Masvingo
city.
The letters, made up of huge stones coated with white paint, were a bold
sign for travellers that they were passing through the famous Mbungo
Estates, the spiritual home of the Zion Christian Church.

But now the unmistakable letters have been eclipsed by a green and white
majestic conference centre with a capacity to accommodate over 15 000 people
that is now the main spectacle in rural backwater, Bikita.

So imposing is the church complex that it’s a game changer for the faithful,
sending a message to outsiders that ZCC, whose roots can be traced back to
1913, remains vibrant in the face of sprouting Pentecostal churches led by
young charismatic preachers.

And indeed this is a reality.

A team from The Standard that visited Mbungo last week was amazed by the
transformation of the once dull headquarters of the ZCC into modern church
headquarters, replete with a guest house, offices, library and a
communications centre.

The big church complex constructed at an estimated US$2 million, is a sign
of the rapidly changing fortunes of what used to be a dusty compound dotted
with small huts that housed the church faithful in the early 90s.

On Wednesday, Mbungo was brimming with young and old people, some in
designer suits, and others with crude home-made sandals.
They were the first to turn up for the annual ZCC pilgrimage that has been
held at Defe for the past 34 years to commemorate the death of founder
member, Bishop Samuel Mutendi.

This year, the pilgrimage was moved to Mbungo for the consecration of the
new conference centre in a jamboree that ended yesterday.
There was this mix of rural and urban people, one church official remarked,
that made the ZCC such a formidable force on the religious landscape, with
close to a million active members.

Now the church has branches in Botswana, Lesotho, UK, America and SA, among
other countries.

While it was impossible for The Standard to meet ZCC leader Bishop Nehemiah
Mutendi who was locked up in a dare (church meeting), officials described
developments at Mbungo as exciting.

Sanctions Mutendi, who is the headmaster at Mutendi High School and an
advisor to the Bishop, said it took them five years to construct their
multi-purpose centre.

He said ZCC meetings were never destined to be held under the trees.

“The ZCC built churches in the colonial times starting with one at
Mutawarira,” he said.

“Six of these churches were however destroyed by authorities who associated
the rise in black independent church movements with nationalism.”

He also talked about opposition by main line churches against the founder of
ZCC, who was also building schools.

The history of the Zion Christian Church

According to church officials, the founder of ZCC, Bishop Samuel Mutendi,
started speaking in tongues in 1913 while he was still a member of the
British South African Police in Chegutu, then Hartley.

Some in the Dutch church developed a dim view of him thinking he was
possessed by multiple demons.

Mutendi had to go to South Africa where he identified himself with the ZCC
in Transvaal. The former policeman came back a powerful preacher armed with
a spiritual rod dubbed mapumhangozi.

How the charismatic Mutendi acquired and used mapumhangozi is steeped in
both mystery and controversy but what is generally agreed is that the stick
was handy when he performed miracles.

This, together with his powerful teachings, helped him grow his church from
a small congregation in Bikita to one of the largest religious organisations
with wings across the country and beyond.

Bishop Mutendi was forced to relocate to Defe in Gokwe in the 60s. When he
died on July 20 1976 his son, Nehemiah, moved the church back to Masvingo in
1981.

Nehemiah pursued his father’s dream by building schools and modernising the
church.

Double storey structures at Mbungo, dubbed “The Land of Peace”, bear
testimony to his transformative agenda.

Nyasha Marufu, a telecommunications student, travelled all the way from
Algeria for the pilgrimage.

“I wasn’t born in ZCC, I was converted,” said Marufu beaming with pride.

“Some people look down upon our church, but they do know that it is offering
the community schools, values and shoko rowedenga (word of God) that is
helping many people,” he said.

ZCC criticised for ‘exploiting’ the faithful

But like other churches in Zimbabwe, ZCC, which is well-known for faith
healing, has received its fair share of criticism for accepting donations
from people who are too poor to part with their cash and beasts.

Villagers also trek to Mbungo estates to plant church crops and they are
involved in harvesting them.

However, a church official, who preferred not to be named for protocol
related reasons, said such criticisms by outsiders were unfounded.

“ZCC, unlike other churches, has no donors. Party members fund whatever
costs that are associated with running the church. They do it voluntarily,
knowing that if they don’t do it, the church will collapse,” said the
official.

He pointed at the massive buildings at Mbungo as the result of the work of
church members’ sacrifices.

He said ZCC was also giving back to the community by running a number of
schools and sponsoring more than 300 disadvantaged children to acquire an
education.

Between 61 to 100 students were being assisted with university fees, he
added.


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SundayOpinion: Succession failure, Zanu PF’s undoing

http://www.thestandard.co.zw/

Sunday, 07 August 2011 10:09

By Gumisani Nyoni

If a player of any game gets the blessings of being included in a team by
his or her coach, but finds pride in spending most of the time relaxed on
the bench as an inactive substitute, the most viable option will be for that
person to resign and join the spectators watching from the terraces.
The politics of Africa have largely been inflicted by the plague whereby the
ruling parties believe in the leadership system in which a single being is
granted unlimited, but dangerous powers.

Party members, especially from parties that fought liberation wars, stand
firm to support dictatorial tendencies, which provide them with
opportunities to loot from state coffers and at the same time according them
powers to justify policies that are detrimental to the welfare of the
majority. These politicians are undemocratic to an extent that even if a
leader deserves rest, they swiftly move in to thwart chances of succession
from among themselves. They are all power-greedy, but they lack the courage
to challenge their “charismatic king”.

The common result is the creation of intra-party camps that will only unite
if the lion roars. Such fragments within the party can hardly identify
appropriate solutions to resuscitate the ailing economies of their nations,
nor do they have any capacity to think beyond “lootocracy”.

Their core business as government ministers or as parliamentarians is to
siphon mineral and other resources for nothing more than
self-aggrandisement. Being a top government official in most cases,
translates into being an instant millionaire. The views of the masses are
regarded as irrelevant and incompetent. If through the ballot, citizens
express their desire for fresh leadership and register their dismay towards
parties that have failed to deliver since gaining power from colonialists,
they get beaten up.

Jingles and slogans are crafted to buttress the skewed notion that only one
leader is perfect.

The demonstrations that swept across the Middle East and North Africa and
are still infiltrating other parts of the world today, are all products of
monolithic political tendencies that will eventually degenerate into
dictatorship.

Ruling by intimidation serves to curtail ambitions of succession from other
party officials. That disease is worsened particularly by the militarisation
of the state.

This scenario succinctly applies to Zimbabwe, whose  volatile political
landscape seeks to derail smooth transition of power from President Robert
Mugabe to any other person within or outside Zanu PF. Mugabe has been
treated as a supernatural being, whose power cannot be challenged. Thinking
of succeeding him from within Zanu PF has been made impossible and those who
have tried it have found themselves being labelled as outcasts.

All those who participated in emancipating Zimbabwe but quit the ruling
party become villains. Heroes speak, eat and dream Zanu PF! No wonder an
indoctrinated member of Zanu PF, born 10 years after independence can become
a hero for killing anti-Zanu PF activists during election campaigns.

Zanu-PF thrives on docility, drunkenness and irrationality. This has been
proven by the way it handles issues that relate to the holding of political
rallies, whereby the police are instructed to arrest the innocent citizens
and in the process violating their democratic right to support what they
believe in.
By using coercion to streamline the masses, Zanu-PF suicidally chases away
its sympathisers. Without a notable successor, the party is forced to rely
on outdated policies, intolerance and the torture of those who seek justice.

The party’s tight grip on the broadcast media and the state-controlled press
is a clear testimony that it lacks innovation — an ingredient that may allow
it to convince its already existing support base. Jingles can become
senseless when listeners oppose the propagated ideology. Excessive
propaganda in the press trying to sanitise Mugabe and Zanu-PF has since
become an ineffective campaigning tool.

For lacking a clear successor, Zanu PF in the end serves to propel its
rivals’ appeal. Despite negative publicity against the MDC formations by
state-controlled media, the masses, whose wishes have been thwarted since
the 2000 parliamentary poll, will never be fooled into believing that a
decomposing dog will resurrect to bite again.


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SundayView: African leaders pay lip service to true democratisation

http://www.thestandard.co.zw/

Sunday, 07 August 2011 10:13

In a White House meeting recently, President Barack Obama praised four
recently elected heads of African states as “effective models” for
democratisation who are “absolutely committed” to good governance and human
rights. Yet, as the New York Times noted ambitious promises and lofty
rhetoric in Washington glossed over troubling, but all too familiar, reports
of coup plotting, an assassination attempt, and fresh human rights and press
freedom violations.

With the exception of President Boni Yayi of Benin, three new African
leaders, Mahamadou Issoufou of Niger, Alassane Ouattara of Ivory Coast, and
Alpha Condé of Guinea, have each been in office for less than a year after
emerging from some of the most contested ballot tussles on the continent.
Yet, in their short time in office, two of the leaders Washington has most
embraced in “building strong democratic institutions,” Ouattara and Condé,
have already been implicated in human rights abuses.

Perhaps no one has spent more time in the opposition, ironically, fighting
for democracy than Condé.  Washington condemned a July 19 assassination
attempt on Condé, seven months after he took office following an agonising
military transition. Ironically, the same week Condé was in Washington
committing to building Guinean democracy, but a censorship order had already
been issued that banned any broadcast programmes and articles in Guinea
discussing the assassination attempt altogether because it was deemed that
listeners’ questions about the circumstances of the attack incited tensions.

Washington’s expectations of African democracy have been disappointed before
by a previous generation of African leaders once hailed by the West as
democratic reformers, including Meles Zenawi of Ethiopia, Paul Kagame of
Rwanda and Isaias Afewerki of Eritrea. Since assuming power, these leaders
have dropped the rhetoric of democratisation while growing authoritarian.
“We do not follow the liberal democratic principles which the Western
countries are pushing us to follow,” declared Ethiopian Deputy Prime
Minister Hailemariam Desalegn in a 2010 interview with US government-funded
broadcaster Voice of America.

Perhaps Washington’s highest expectations fall on Ouattara, once a deputy
managing director of the International Monetary Fund. Strongly backed by
Washington in his five-month power struggle against Gbagbo, Ouattara
declared in a New York press conference at the United Nations last week: “We
want to abide by human rights, this is very important for us.”

Yet, while Ouattara has spoken a great deal about national reconciliation
after an ethnically divisive and bloody post-election conflict, his
government has sought to settle scores with members and associates of the
deposed regime, detaining and prosecuting many, including a journalist.
Ouattara told reporters last week that the scribe was “not in prison,” but
simply “questioned” for hosting a programme that “really called on hate,”
while issuing fresh accusations that the journalist had received money to
buy arms for mercenaries. While abuses were committed by both sides of the
Ivorian conflict, Ouattara has yet to hold to account fighters who brought
him to power.

Of the four African leaders, perhaps it is Issoufou who has taken the most
instant and significant step in building democratic institutions. On his
100th day in office for example, Issoufou held his first press conference
where he faced scores of probing journalists. That was the first time in the
country’s history that journalists were allowed to ask questions to the head
of state without submitting them in advance for approval.

Mohamed Keita is Africa advocacy coordinator for the Committee to Protect
Journalists.

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