"Ten years from today,
what will you wish you had done
now?"
- John Mason -
There is something very special about the first of January
of any year. A chance to wipe the slate clean, to start anew, to breathe new
life into ourselves; in essence, the first day of the rest of our lives. We are
all united on this one. No matter where we may be in the world, we get a chance
to start afresh. So, what resolutions will we be making on 01/01/06?
Before we mull over what we would like to achieve this next year, surely
we have to look back at the year we are leaving behind. For to build any dream,
we must surely base it upon a solid foundation which is rooted deep within our
moral, spiritual and emotional values. What are the experiences which we can
take from the past 365 days and cherish or what lessons have we learned? Only
then, can we "see" what our hearts and souls truly want from life. Only then,
can we plan how to get there.
On the Zimbabwe map, how can we know where
we want to go if we don't have the ability to accurately assess where we are
right here and now? I am not talking about those of us still living here. I
speak of all of you out there. No matter where you physically live in the
present tense, if a part of your heart experienced a part of your life journey
on Zimbabwean soil, then I warmly invite you to share a little time with me to
stop, reflect, form our individual resolutions and then perhaps, to go our
seperate ways toward our mutual destination: a spiritual Zimbabwean New Year
Revolution!
Looking back over this year, on the surface it's a disaster!
The economy, the politics, the daily injustices and terrible conditions under
which so many of our people try desperately to live their lives and raise their
children.
Fuel, electricity, water, schooling, medical facilities, one
decent meal ... these are luxuries for the majority of the population including
ourselves many times this last year!!. For all intent and purposes, one could
rightly argue that to live here is dangerous, unpredictable, perhaps even
irresponsible when planning for the future both for ourselves and our families.
Like statistics, one could justify any one reason to leave or to feel hopeless
and depressed with the numbers of those suffering, those who struggle every day,
those who have seen the dark side of politics / the law / the
economy.
Yet, in looking back at all this, dare I tell you that I see the
"reason" behind the reasons for leaving or falling into the dark abyss of
emotional despair. The meaning becomes clearer with each year that we walk
together through this valley of the shadow of the death of our hopes and
preconceived ideas of what and how it all should be.
This year has
afforded us some of the best opportunities to make a difference in so many lives
and so many situations. All around me, I have witnessed people on a massive
scale who simply followed their purpose and shone their light for all around
them to follow towards triumph in every sector of our family, community and
personal lives. The universal outpouring of help in kind, in empathy and in
person right through the echelons in our society especially with the destruction
of so many homes and livelihoods early this year right up to this time. National
and international reactions buoyed us when the angry political waters threatened
to drag us under. Indeed, our faith in humankind was strongly reinforced!
In truth, there are activists all around and amongst us! Those who speak
out and up about what is true and right; no matter the consequences. Those who
quietly visit the mortally ill, the destitute, the homeless. Those who work
tirelessly to improve the lot of our orphans, to give them the things that cost
nothing but are more precious than gold: love, time, education, friendship and
hope.
Those who do all manner of things to raise funds for our aged, our
physically and mentally disabled, our starving, our tortured, our sick and our
abused.
Those who work diligently in their respective jobs; daring to
believe and uphold their principles and personal code of conduct so that they
may live their work in line with how they themselves feel that it should be
done. A friend recently found himself in prison based on false accusation from a
high ranking member of the police force. Prepared to face the worst, he was
amazed to experience good treatment and respect from both other prisoners and
wardens themselves. At the end of the process, the system delivered, the
policeman disciplined, the case thrown out and the judge severely reprimanded
those who should have stopped the offending policeman from proceeding with
imprisonment with no evidence! I am not saying that this is the norm, but just
like the true stories portrayed in the movies "Schindler's List" or "Hotel
Ruanda", it shows us that the power of one is immeasurable! Imagine if each and
every one of us focused all our effort and all our God-given resources to do
whatever we possibly can to make a contribution towards our mutual vision of a
new Zimbabwe? If every one of us acted in faith. Anything is possible.
I
visited Harare Childrens' Home on Christmas Eve ... what love, dedication,
inspiration comes from those angels running that sanctury for 82 of our orphans!
Discipline, community, friendship, direction, education and purpose given to
every single child in a family environment which must be relying almost
exclusively on charity. Go down there and give a child a hug ... you will be
amazed what you will receive in return!! I promised the matron (working there 23
years) I would ask for any donations of clothes (socks and pants most important)
, shelves for their library and almost anything you don't want is carefully
restored and deeply appreciated. So ... passed that on to you :)
This
year has seen courageous men and women of every colour standing up to speak out
and against higher powers when our schools were threatened. We are all united
when it comes to our childrens' health or education for those are the tenets
upon which we avail every purposeful action in our day, regardless of political
affiliation or cultural background, race or colour! Our teachers have stood firm
when taking our children into their hands ... even when the stormy waters
threatened to engulf their schools, their livelihoods, their sanity. They will
never know just how indebted we are to them for guiding our children through
these dark days with dicipline, courage, spirit and principle ... even when it
seemed that all around were losing all of theirs!
So, with all this in
hindsight, we look forward to 2006. We can dread what lies ahead and wait to see
what happens, hoping that "things will change". Or we can build on the strength
of that rock called community that we have unearthed especially these last few
years and our hope will be that of living long enough to see the fruition of all
that together we have worked towards. This is the revolution that is inspiring
us today; that God's purpose for us has actually come almost full circle. The
revolution in our evolutionary wheel is almost complete. I can't tell you when
it will be, but by every indication our circle of life in the birth of our new
nation is well and truly in motion!
Our "New Year Revolution for
Zimbabwe" is one where we take matters into our own hands. We have our own
"clean up". For example, if each of us paid someone on the street desperate for
a meal or a few bucks, whatever we could afford so that they could pick up say,
two plastic bags full of rubbish - we would be making a difference to both our
environment and our community (not to mention our own sense of purpose).
If we stopped moaning about the municiple lack of fuel to come out and
clean up and instead, if we did something. Are we to watch our environment
become a health hazard and a rubbish dump or are we going to proactively take a
pride in our immediate surrounds and make it our responsibility to see to it
that every blade of grass, living insect and human being that ventures into our
neighbourhood has a beautiful, clean and healthy place to live and
play?
If we could forgo our DSTV subscription or a few monthly luxuries
(would amount to US$500 equivalent a year) so that we could ensure that our
teachers' pensions are garanteed long after they have given their all to
ensuring our kids have a fantastic education, we will have invested in not only
our generation, but the generations to come and who will take over from us in
rebuilding this country. We can reassure them on many things but the simple fact
right now is that with their pension secured, our education is secured. I beg
every parent-teacher's association to look seriously into this critical concern
... and soon!
If each of us could simply treat every member of our
community with respect, patience and understanding, ensuring that every time we
meet a soul, we leave them a little happier, brighter or hopeful, then we are in
the business of public relations - and the backbone of any society is either
strengthened or weakened by the ability of it's individual members to work and
play together on common ground and mutual understanding, and never forget that
the children are watching us, taking what they see with them into the future of
this country. Walk your talk and watch the magic unfold!
If each of us,
within our ability, could speak, write, email, say a few words, act out a play,
sing a song from our heart to another human being that promises hope, love,
understanding and empathy, we have contributed to a national "uprising" in
spirit! I heard Henry Olonga's "Our Zimbabwe" sung at Kirsty Coventry's
celebration of her achievements function ... not a dry eye in the house and the
power to stir our dreams from their slumber in those words was tangible! Henry
... if you get to read this - your spirit lives on my friend; you are not and
never will be forgotten and I look forward to the day we bring you home with a
hero's welcome, and sing your prophetic and visionary words as a new national
spiritual anthem!
So, in closing, let us look to this new dawn in our
history as completely within our control. Our response to every single situation
is in our hands and if we listen carefully to our hearts, they will lead us to
doing what is right and good for the country and people who have formed us.
After all, this is the place where we were born; mentally, physically,
emotionally, spiritually. I invite you to be a part of our country's New Year
Revolution - by continuing to believe and work tirelessly towards our dream. The
best way to know our destiny friends and countrymen ... is to go right out there
and create it for ourselves!! Come, take my hand and let us walk together ...
God Bless you. God Bless us. God Bless Zimbabwe in 2006.
Debbie Jeans
Zim Daily
Friday, December 30 2005 @ 12:05 AM GMT
Contributed by:
Reporter
President Robert Mugabe is set to spend a month of luxury with
his family in
the Far East as part of his annual holiday. Mugabe, who is
already on leave
will tour picturesque tourist destinations in Malaysia and
China away from
the hustle and bustle of the Zimbabwe situation. The
ministry of Information
and Publicity announced the vacation that will see
presidential apprentice
Joyce Mujuru harnessing the presidential
robes.
Analysts and ordinary people have attacked the first family for
choosing to
enjoy in an extravagant fashion at a time the country is
struggling to make
ends meet against the background of galloping inflation
and massive brain
drain. "This is ridiculous and heartless of a president to
enjoy an opulent
life when his people are under serious economic problems,
in normal
circumstances he is supposed to fight with the people", said
Mandlenkosi
Sibanda, a Harare resident.
President Mugabe, has of late
been on a crusade to befriend the Far East
countries in order to cover up
for the isolation by Western Nations. He
offered various business
opportunities ranging from agriculture, mining and
manufacturing sectors.
Latest statistics from the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority
reveal that Asian
countries are the least contributors to Zimbabwe's trade
and tourism circles
with only a 15% contingent. Political Analyst Gorden
Moyo dismissed
President Mugabe's look East policy as a futile exercise.
Moyo said China
and other Asian nations are small players in international
trade.
"Mugabe is grovelling to Asian nations for nothing, Zimbabwe
will never
salvage any meaningful benefit from these countries", said Moyo
Harare
authorities have been under incessant attack from local manufacturers
who
were jettisoned out of business by China's cheap and nondurable goods.
The
Chinese goods are now sarcastically called Zhing-Zhongs in Zimbabwe.
"One
wishes the far east would just swallow him alive and never touch
Zimbabwe
soil again" added another disgruntled Harare resident.
Zim Daily
Friday, December 30 2005 @ 12:04 AM GMT
Contributed by: correspondent
The Zimbabwe government yesterday
warned that it will deal
severely with the opposition if it carries out a
threat to mobilise
Zimbabweans to roll out mass protests aimed at ousting
President Mugabe from
power. The main opposition Movement for Democratic
Change (MDC) party this
week said it had resolved to use confrontation next
year to end Mugabe's
uninterrupted 25-year rule.
Home
Affairs Minister Kembo Mohadi, said the government took the
opposition
threats "very seriously". But he "sternly warned those who would
like to
cause unrest and civil commotion in this country under the guise of
freedom
of expression and democracy that they will be dealt with severely".
"We will
not allow anybody to protest against the Head of State," Mohadi
said.
Repeating the same mantra, police commissioner
Augustine Chihuri
said: "People must eat and learn to fill their stomachs
where they are
without dreaming or sometimes being illusionary or
sleepwalking." The Home
Affairs chief also told Zimdaily: "Members of the
opposition now advocating
for a resurgence of political violence should know
that no kid gloves will
be used in future."
MDC spokesman
Nelson Chamisa said this week that the party will
next year mobilise
Zimbabweans to take on President Mugabe's government on
the streets in a bid
to oust it from power. "There will be mass arrests,
injuries and agony. But
that is the price we should be prepared to pay for
our freedom because next
year we are going to be as confrontational as we
have never been before,"
said Chamisa. "We have in the past engaged in a lot
of passive resistance.
We will now have a paradigm shift and 2006 will see
us using a different
delivery route - fighting fire with fire. It is now
clear that Mugabe's
misrule will not be liquidated through elections."
Tsvangirai
repeated his call for peaceful mass action against
Mugabe's government. "The
struggle we now want to embark on is not a one-day
wonder or quick fix
episode," he told some 40 diplomats in the capital
recently. "They are long,
hard and dangerous, taxing the resoluteness of
even the most committed
democrats. We face exactly the similar circumstances
as those who struggled
before us in many places throughout the world." Later
on Tsvangirai said:
"There can be no compromise or surrender. Mugabe must
unconditionally yield
or face decisive mass action from the people."
Expressions of
dissatisfaction are likely to be met with increased
government sponsored
violence.
Zim Daily
Friday, December 30 2005 @ 12:04 AM GMT
Contributed by: correspondent
By Johannes Mutyanda
The existence of Zimbabwe African National Union (Patriotic
Front) in the
last twenty-five years has been a shrewd act, until now. The
evidence that
has come out of the split within the Movement for Democratic
Change of
Zimbabwe is nothing new after all. The point is the split failed
but not
completely, however. The largely failed part of the split is the
sticking
point right into the eyeballs of Robert Gabriel Mugabe, his entire
Politburo, and the evil intelligence. Taking track back memory lane during
the failed Esap I, and perhaps more appropriately Esap II. This serial
program coined by the Bretton Woods institutions was partly responsible for
the creation of the current political challenges Mugabe dares
today.
The program enabled expose the inability
of Robert to feed the
resource that stimulates the economic, instead he went
on a binge race
pocketing the financial package that came his way. The
traits to deprive,
and oppress have been there Mugabe is not a "dear
leader". The Senate
election has and is still sending the wrong and right
signals about the
wanton of power.
That is the challenge
that faces Zimbabweans, albeit in a small
way, patience must not necessarily
be nurtured, the country is bleeding out
rapidly. That is being done at
unprecedented levels. The creation of the
bicameral parliament is sucking in
US$4.8 million. That amount of money to
buy duty-free four-by-four the MPs
and Senators, for what in a starving
impoverished nation. The government
does not have that kind of money, but to
buy out into opposition MPs, Zanu
(PF) can get the money anyway anyhow. The
reason why Zanu (PF) is termed
Zanu yeropa (the slaughter, the murderer) is
because it does not care what
we are going through. We do not advocate
violence of any nature. Zimbabweans
we must move into voluntary suffrage to
strike out a cord of
well-orchestrated civil disobedience.
What purpose does it
serve to elect an unnecessary cost? If
Mugabe must cushion himself with
zombies the cost is warranted only for him.
The significance of the Senate,
especially in view of the MDC split, so
lauded by the Zanu (PF)-run media,
is a plot to sustain Robert even after he
quits, quitting is tough for him
at the moment. Mugabe will face the wrath
equivalent to the NO-VOTE defeat.
He is scared. The Senate is an issue that
sent a victorious NO-VOTE success
during the February 2000 referendum.
Mugabe lost because the accord of civic
organizations and the ZCTU
leadership was concrete, it is still so but
Robert's team has found among
the MDC donkeys that are eager to eat the
dangled carrot. Robert never gave
up on the senate establishment. Because we
defeated him in the NO-VOTE
referendum, his determination to see the senate
being set-up effected on the
escalation of violence through the years up to
the March 2005 elections.
When elections we rigged and
announced, the violence seized. The
deal had gone through. The back
introduction of the Senate was an easy
passage. We cannot enter into any
referendum ever! Robert introduced the
backdoor entry of recreating the
Senate, this time not through Zimbabwe but
his two-thirds majority MPs. The
Senate debate was executed, and elections
held in November 2005. Where did
you stand? We are ruled by the influence of
a minority. The pro-Senate
faction fell hook-and-sinker into Zanu (PF)'s
political gallery arena. But
that is now the pro-senate problem.
Our concern is addressing
the issue that the MDC has never been
split or divided. The MDC had let
normal business into the wrong hands, but
God forbids. Evil cannot triumph
over Good. The pro-Senate faction will
remain in the cold, the people have
shut the door, not Morgan. It is the
suffering masses that struggle to work,
farm, service, and is taxed by the
nefarious regime that shut Mugabe's vices
out of the MDC. Vanhu varamba.
Morgan is a messenger, an honorable one,
given the mandate to protect the
principles of the MDC from the onset,
February 1999, and reaffirmed in
September 1999.
We
remember the labor movement leadership hammering consistently
about the
workers' living wage. Cornered and battered by a borrowed Esap II
package,
Mugabe with no way to run slapped his hand on the table and told
ZCTU to
challenge him as a political movement. Plain and simple, "if you
think you
can fix it, then change my government". Stubborn huh. That
signaled the
first time that the guerilla-leader stopped addressing the
May-Day workers'
rallies. The ZCTU took over addressing May-Day rallies at
Rufaro Stadium,
and thus began the fix. The workers and all concerned are
still within that
fight expect the pro-Senate few. The pro-Senate failed
Mugabe, they will in
due course pay their dues.
The labor movement and all civic
organizations were driven to
the same accord - workers' living wage and
suffrage - a bond was formed and
forged. The outcome was one consultation
after another within the daring
workers' unions. All activities were done
underground because the bloody
hound was sensing the sting in the air. The
battle to change the political
structure started then, than now. The ideas
to split the unions started
then, than now. Within the ruling party's
corridors of power, the ZCTU-NGOs
alliance was a dead hit. Changing the
structures of government from a
unicameral to a bicameral one was a way out,
but only if Zimbabweans would
allow it. Contrary to this the labor-civic
marriage worked hard on a change
of the Zimbabwean Constitution only and
only if Zanu (PF) would not be the
dominant force to executive the
constitutional account.
That still remains so today and has
culminated in what most of
the world see as the MDC-split. As the momentum
gathered force within the
urban areas, and even within some rural areas,
certainty gave the
labor-civic union a unique marriage. That marriage
confirmed its endorsement
of custody of principles through entrusting the
ZCTU leadership with
Movement for Democratic Change because it had the
structure and support base
against the milking and butcherman, Robert
Mugabe. The values to entrust
this leadership for and on behalf of
Zimbabweans set up principles to which
a safeguard was
needed.
Fortunately that safeguard is still there, thanks for
once to
Morgan Tsvangirai. The pro-Senate participants carried out the
blatant
slaughter of one of the principles. When the MDC was set up,
challenges of
never entertaining Zanu (PF)leadership were endorsed. One of
these was to
preclude Zanu (PF) in the formation of the Zimbabwean
Constitution. Zanu
(PF) never wanted to change the Constitution, it still
has not because it
renamed/paraphrased the colonial legislation to suit its
bill, that is, to
oppress the hands that it feeds from. The MDC adheres to
principles, set
principles, agreed principles, the principles that make
Mugabe quiver.
If you uphold these principles, and never look
at the super
corrupt handovers that Mugabe dangles in front of you, then uri
munhu.
Tsvangirai stood, initially by the principles that were set, not only
by the
labor movement, but also by the larger body, the civic organizations,
and
then used the Movement's Constitution to stick his senses out, that is
what
a leader does. The constitution was never violated, here is why. First,
the
Senate issue is a national issue. Second the sole announcement on
national
issues is by the president, and not anyone else. Movement was
making a
decision to veto and to protect the entrustment of principles by
the
electorate of MDC. Morgan amply executed that avenue. If Morgan has
never
appeared a leader, it is these events that maketh him so, a trusted
leader,
in spite of a wholesale national council.
But who
was the really winner/loser in all this. It would have
been a crushing
defeat for Zimbabwe had Tsvangirai let go the principle on
Constitutional
change under Zanu (PF). The other six brothers lost the ball,
the Congress
will dictate who was right or wrong. We hope they will scrap
through. The
Senate is one issue the Movement will never dance with the
devil about. The
split, therefore Zimbabweans, is a litmus test that God
Himself makes out of
His wisdom to show us who really is for or against us.
And this split is not
the first one. Zanu yeropa has used divide-and-rule
several times but
particularly when Edgar Tekere left (was fired as
secretary-general of Zanu
(PF) Central Committee) to form Zimbabwe Unity
Movement, it split United
Parties to shreds, and who gained, Mugabe, we
lost. We cannot let Robert win
again. If you look at this tactic it is a
really old one, used
unfortunately, on brothers who see the opportunity of
not missing the very
corrupt gravy good train. We are fortunate, as a result
of this "split", two
fold, first to know dedicated leaders, and second,
bargain hunters. As an
electorate, Zimbabweans, we are learning fast to see
beyond the closed
curtains. Our political awareness must not been taken for
granted by
anyone.
The Herald
(Harare)
December 29, 2005
Posted to the web December 29,
2005
Harare
ECONOMISTS believe the sustained fall of the Zimbabwe
dollar against other
key currencies in recent weeks signals the beginning of
a race to catch up
with the parallel rate.
For others it was likely
that a modest gap will remain between the interbank
rate and what holders of
free funds are asking from those buying free funds.
The two rates would
only come into line once capital inflows are equal to
capital outflows. But
as rates converge, the possibility of a single
exchange rate, regardless of
the source of funds or desires of users, comes
tantilisingly
close.
"It is our view that the interbank rate will stabilise at levels
between the
parallel market rate and the fair value rate, before they unify
in the
longer term," according to a recent economic report by Interfin
Securities.
"It can be clearly seen that the interbank rate is well above
the fair value
rate, thus providing an attractive environment for
exporters."
By January, the report predicts the interbank rate would be
$83 000 against
US$ while the fair value rate would be around $56 700 to the
greenback. The
parallel rate is currently fluctuating between $85 000 and
$95 000.
The Reserve Bank plans to have a unified exchange rate next
year. Currently,
the official exchange rate, also known as the auction rate
and the interbank
rate, are in existence. The auction rate trades at $26 000
versus the US$.
Insufficient supply vis-a-vis high demand has exerted a
lot of pressure on
the local unit, which has been on a free-fall since the
start of the year,
and worsened since October.
Since the introduction
of the Tradable Foreign Currency Balance System two
months ago the Zimbabwe
dollar has lost over 35 percent of its value to the
US$, as market forces
moved in to determine the rate of exchange.
The Z$ has fallen to $81 000
from around $61 000 against the United States
dollar.
Against the
British pound it has dropped to $143 100 from nearly $75 000
while versus
the South African rand the dollar has dropped to $13 000.
The report
said: "We believe that the market-based system, provided it is
allowed to
reflect the forces of supply and demand, will likely attract
inflows of
foreign currency from the parallel market to the formal market."
However,
inflows at the interbank system are still depressed as most
exporters would
prefer to hold on to their funds up to the mandatory
liquidation period in
anticipation of a further depreciation in the local
currency.
The Herald
(Harare)
December 29, 2005
Posted to the web December 29,
2005
Midlands Bureau
Harare
THE Midlands Chapter of the
Zimbabwe Red Cross Society (ZRCS) has embarked
on a $1 billion housing
project to provide accommodation for orphans in
Lower Gweru.
In an
interview, ZRCS Midlands provincial manager Mr Maxwell Phiri said
three
houses for child-headed families were currently under construction at
Insukamini and work was expected to be completed by the end of
January.
"The families will get the houses permanently," said Mr
Phiri.
However, he said ownership of the houses would remain in the hands
of the
organisation to safeguard the children from dispossession and
eviction by
greedy relatives.
Vungu Rural District Council provided
the stands to the Red Cross for free.
Mr Phiri said apart from providing
houses, his organisation was also paying
school fees for orphaned children
across the Midlands Province with more
than 2 577 benefiting from the
scheme.
He said the society was meeting the fee requirements of 1 065
children in
Shurugwi District while 727 were benefiting in
Zvishavane.
"In Gweru we have 788 children who we are paying fees for. We
also buy
uniforms for the children.
"The organisation is also
providing 10kg of mealie-meal, 500ml of cooking
oil, 2kg beans and 2kg soya
blend for each child every month," he said.
He said they had further
allocated 10kg of maize seed, 2kg sorghum and
fertilizer to each
child-headed household for the current farming season as
a way of enhancing
food security.
VOA
By
Patience Rusere
Washington
29 December
2005
About 160 Zimbabweans deported from South Africa by air this
week found
themselves detained at Harare International Airport facing the
intense
scrutiny of their country's Central Intelligence Organization and
local
immigration authorities.
South African authorities removed the
Zimbabweans from the Lindela
repatriation camp outside Johannesburg and flew
them to Harare on Tuesday.
News reports said that the deportation flight
was intended to relieve
overcrowding at Lindela, which drew scrutiny earlier
this year after several
Zimbabweans died there.
One of the deportees
in Harare said she and others on the flight were
searched upon their arrival
and interrogated for hours by security officials
who questioned them about
their political affiliations and accused them of
attempted economic
sabotage.
Police sources said the deportees were detained for
fingerprinting to
determine if they are being sought by Zimbabwean police;
if not, they would
soon be freed. But one report said many of the deportees
could be held for
up to a week for processing.
An estimated 2 million
Zimbabweans have headed south across the Limpopo
River into South Africa
seeking economic opportunity and relief from
political crisis at home. Some
300,000 have been deported in the past five
years, South African officials
say. Very few of the 8,000 who applied have
been granted political
asylum.
Some observers said the deportations looked like Pretoria sending
a
political message to Harare. But spokesman Nkosana Sibuyi for the South
African Department of Home Affairs said there was no political dimension to
the high-profile expulsions, which, he said, were in line with Pretoria's
just-amended immigration legislation.
Reporter Patience Rusere of
VOA's Studio 7 for Zimbabwe asked Mr. Sibuyi
what he made of the harsh
reception accorded to the air deportees by Harare
officials.
Spokesman Rojers Mudarikwa of the Zimbabwe Action Support
Group, an advocacy
organization for Zimbabweans in South Africa, told Studio
7 reporter Rusere
that the Pretoria government expelled the Zimbabweans to
punish critics of
its policies.
The Chronicle
By Brian
Chitemba
SCORES of Ordinary Level pupils at Mzingwane High School in
Esigodini were
in November made to sit for a wrong Geography paper, a
development that
might have a bearing on their future, Chronicle can
reveal.
Sources at the school told Chronicle yesterday that the original
Geography
Paper Two (056974) leaked, leading to the Zimbabwe Schools
Examination
Council resetting the examination, (056687).
Chronicle was
also shown the papers.
"The person who was responsible for distributing the
paper got it wrong and
no one, including the school authorities, noticed,"
said the source.
The source revealed that the pupils were the only ones in
Matabeleland
region to sit for the wrong paper, adding that the school
headmaster and his
deputy remained mum on the issue.
The source suggested
that the school authorities wanted to conceal the
"mistake" until the OLevel
results have been released sometime next year.
"What these people (school
authorities) are doing is very bad. I think they
have to be exposed because
if people keep quiet, they will repeat it on
another day," he said.
The
source disclosed that the Geography Paper Two has not been marked
despite
the fact that results would be released in less than two months
time.
"We
have phoned ZIMSEC and we gathered that the exam is yet to be marked.
What
happens if the paper is not marked considering the pupils' future," he
said.
Repeated efforts to get a comment from the school headmaster, Mr
Tapu
Vincent Moyo, were fruitless as he was said to be in Gwanda on
holiday.
The ZIMSEC spokesperson, Ms Faith Chasokela, requested the questions
in
writing, which she confirmed having received but never replied until the
time of going to press.
"I got the questions but I'm still trying to get
in touch with the person
responsible for the examinations. I will get back
to you," she said from
Harare.
The Geography paper was cancelled together
with the English 1122/01 and the
Economics 2283/02 examinations after the
papers fell off a truck in October
between Chivhu and Murambinda Growth
Point when they were being taken to
Manicaland and Mashonaland East
Provinces.
This was the second time this year that ZIMSEC public examination
papers
have leaked after another truck carrying June examination papers was
reportedly hijacked in South Africa on its way to Zimbabwe.
The driver of
the truck was allegedly beaten up and left for dead before his
assailants
got away with the consignment leading to the postponement of the
examinations.
The Chronicle
Harare
Bureau
Zesa Holdings has received a consignment of 166 vehicles and
electricity
distribution equipment worth US$11,6 million (about $90,4
billion) from
China.
The consignment is an offshoot of a strategic
swap deal Zesa entered into
with China which would see the power utility
funding and supporting the
production of tobacco and cotton for export in
exchange for equipment that
would otherwise need foreign currency to
import.
Zimbabwe is facing foreign currency shortages compounded by sanctions
imposed on the country by Britain, the United States and other Western
countries.
This has negatively affected the operations of several
companies and
essential service providers such as hospitals who are finding
it difficult
to import drugs.
Part of the consignment is already in the
country while the rest awaits
clearance.
The consignment comprises
transformers and cables among other things.
In an interview yesterday, Zesa
Holdings executive chairman, Dr Sydney Gata,
said the equipment and vehicles
would be used in the rehabilitation and
expansion of the urban electricity
distribution infrastructure.
"We received a consignment from China during the
Christmas holiday and some
of the equipment is ready for installation in our
major urban areas,
particularly Harare and Bulawayo, " said Dr Gata.
Dr
Gata said the urban rehabilitation and expansion programme was the first
major capital investment Zesa had undertaken and would see worn out cables
and infrastructure being replaced.
"During this phase, worn out cables
that often present problems when it
rains and transformers would be
replaced," he said.
Electricity infrastructure in Harare and Bulawayo which
was installed about
60 years ago has become too old resulting in power cuts
whenever it rains.
Ageing electricity distribution infrastructure has
resulted in intermittent
power cuts in the country's major urban
centres.
Under the arrangement nonregulated Zesa Enterprises subsidiaries
contract
farmers to produce cotton and tobacco for export to countries in
the Far
East such as China, Pakistan and India.
The crop is valued and
exported in exchange for equipment Zesa needs.
Last season 200 tonnes of
tobacco were exported at a cost of US$8,5 million
and US$1,5 million was
realised from cotton exports.
A consignment of 192 vehicles worth US$22
million for the rural
electrification programme which has seen previously
remote and under
developed areas getting electricity was received in March.