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

Mugabe glows after sanctions split
By Cris Chinaka


HARARE (Reuters) - President Robert Mugabe's government is basking quietly
in the glow of Nigeria's drive to get Commonwealth sanctions against
Zimbabwe lifted, but his opponents called the move an act of treachery.


Senior Zimbabwean officials said they were pleased with Nigeria's policy
shift but had decided it was not appropriate to dance in celebration yet.


"The government is obviously happy with these developments but we don't
think it is necessary to talk about it at this stage," one official told
Reuters.


The Commonwealth faced fresh controversy after Nigeria and South Africa
urged an immediate end to sanctions against Zimbabwe and accused Australia
of failing to act as an honest broker over the former Rhodesia.


Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo call came in a letter to Australian
Prime Minister John Howard, head of a Zimbabwe sanctions committee set up by
the 54-nation group of mainly former British colonies.


In his letter made public on Tuesday, Obasanjo detailed what he said was
progress made by Zimbabwe since the sanctions were imposed in March 2002
after Mugabe's re-election. Commonwealth observers concluded the polls were
unfair.


Obasanjo said he was backed by South African President Thabo Mbeki, leaving
Howard outnumbered 2-1 as the sole member of the three-nation Commonwealth
committee supporting sanctions.


Howard was in London on Wednesday, where he had been expected to discuss the
crisis with Foreign Secretary Jack Straw and Commonwealth Secretary General
Don McKinnon.


"We have been betrayed, really seriously let down," Moses Mzila-Ndlovu, the
foreign affairs spokesman for the opposition Movement for Democratic Change
(MDC), told Reuters.


"There is nothing on the ground to justify what they are doing," he said.


SOUTH AFRICA BACKS NIGERIA'S MOVE


South Africa, Zimbabwe's giant southern neighbour, has long favoured "quiet
diplomacy" with Mugabe while Obasanjo had supported a tougher line,
diplomats said. But after talks with Mbeki this month and a flying visit to
Harare to see Mugabe on February 8, Obasanjo changed his view.


Asked if South Africa agreed with Nigeria that sanctions should be lifted
when they expire on March 19, Foreign Affairs Minister Nkosazana
Dlamini-Zuma told Reuters on Wednesday:


"Yes, you can safely say that."


Speaking in Cape Town, she declined to discuss the background to the two
countries' decision, saying their position would be fully laid out for
fellow Commonwealth countries.


Western powers have isolated Mugabe over last year's polls, human rights
issues and the mass seizure of white-owned farms for redistribution to
landless blacks.


Brian Kagoro, coordinator of human rights group Crisis Zimbabwe, said
Nigeria and South Africa were prolonging the country's problems.


"If they think that by sanitising the situation they are helping Zimbabwe,
they are not being helpful at all," he said.


Kagoro said Mugabe had neither disbanded pro-government militants blamed for
political violence, nor repealed draconian security and media laws nor
introduced electoral law reforms.


Obasanjo made no reference to the trial of MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai on
charges of plotting to kill Mugabe.


Kagoro said countries like Ghana, Botswana and Kenya could save the
Commonwealth from splitting on racial lines over the Zimbabwe issue because
"these look genuinely democratic."


Beatrice Mtetwa, a Harare lawyer specialising in media freedom cases, said
Obasanjo should have spoken to journalists before repeating Mugabe's
assurances that harsh media legislation might be relaxed.


"As recently as last week I had two journalists in custody under that
legislation," she said.


"The proposed amendments (to the media law) that we have seen are not going
to make any difference on the ground."


In the letter, Obasanjo accuses Australia of compromising its position as an
honest broker in Zimbabwe by imposing its own sanctions on Harare on top of
the Commonwealth measures.
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The Australian

Zimbabwe suspension extended
By James Grubel in London
February 13, 2003
ZIMBABWE will remain suspended from the Commonwealth until the next
Commonwealth leaders' meeting in December, despite the pleas by South Africa
and Nigeria for the ban to end.

Prime Minister John Howard, the current Commonwealth chairman, announced the
decision today after talks in London with Commonwealth Secretary General Don
McKinnon.

He said Zimbabwe had made no progress on democratic reforms.

The move has the potential to split the Commonwealth, with African nations
led by South Africa and Nigeria, calling for Zimbabwe to be readmitted.

Mr Howard, South African President Thabo Mbeki and Nigeria's Olusegum
Obasanjo were appointed at last year's Commonwealth Heads of Government
Meeting (CHOGM) to oversee developments in Zimbabwe.




Zimbabwe was suspended for a year after President Robert Mugabe won
elections which Commonwealth observers ruled to be corrupt.

President Mbeki and Chief Obasanjo told Mr Howard they did not want the
troika to meet again to review and extend the suspension due to end in
March.

But Mr Howard disagreed, and said Zimbabwe remained unwilling to make the
nation more democratic.

Without the troika meeting, he said, the suspension should remain another
nine months and be dealt with at the next CHOGM.

"There has been a distinct lack of progress, and in those circumstances I
would think the appropriate thing is to maintain the suspension until a full
meeting," Mr Howard said.

"It seemed overwhelmingly the common sense thing to do, to continue the
suspension for what will be another nine months."

He said Mr McKinnon agreed that in the absence of progress on democratic
reforms, the suspension should continue.

But he strongly rejected suggestions the issue would divide the Commonwealth
between African nations and the rest of the world.

He said it was crucial for the Commonwealth to treat nations in the same
way, and he pointed to the long suspension of Fiji and the current
suspension of Pakistan.

Mr Howard said the issue had the potential to damage the Commonwealth if not
handled properly.

The prime minister also dismissed a letter from Chief Obasanjo, in which the
Nigerian president said Mr Howard, as Commonwealth Chairman had not acted as
an honest broker because he had promoted a strong position on Zimbabwe.

Mr Howard said he did not accept the criticism, and said there was nothing
stopping the Commonwealth chairman from promoting his nation's policies.

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BBC
 
Wednesday, 12 February, 2003, 12:31 GMT
Zimbabwe to 'abandon' privatisations
Air Zimbabwe logo
Air Zimbabwe faces collapse as money runs out
Economically troubled Zimbabwe is reportedly preparing to abandon its privatisation programme due to national security concerns.

"There is a deliberate policy shift by the government, which now wants to ensure the viability of key parastatals rather than selling them off," a Privatization Agency of Zimbabwe (PAZ) official told state media.

Air Zimbabwe, the heavily indebted airline, Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (Zesa), National Railways of Zimbabwe, the National Oil Company of Zimbabwe and TelOne were named as state-owned companies that may now not be sold.

The southern African country is in the midst of its worst economic crisis since independence in 1980.

Political turmoil resulting from President Robert Mugabe's controversial land reform policy also means the sales may not have attracted foreign investors.

Strategic interest

"Concentration is now on commercializing the entities in order to turn around their fortunes without selling them because of their importance to the country," the PAZ official told state radio.

"Such strategic companies cannot be entrusted into the hands of anybody because this may compromise national security," the official said.

PAZ advises the government on privatisation of public companies and is expected to lead the commercialisation programme.

In his 2001 budget speech, former finance minister Simba Makoni said that the government would speed up privatisations to help pay-off accumulated interest on foreign debts of $488m.

Since then, the state has only sold its equity in the Cotton Company of Zimbabwe and Dairibord Zimbabwe.

Troubled

On Tuesday, a Zimbabwean parliamentary inquiry said the national airline was one of the worst international carriers and could collapse because of the economic crisis and cash shortages.

Two of Air Zimbabwe's six planes are grounded because there was no hard currency to buy spare parts, the head of the inquiry Silas Mangono told ZBC.

Mr Mangono said Air Zimbabwe, the only carrier still flying in the country, would make an operating loss of $21m this year.

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BBC
 
Wednesday, 12 February, 2003, 15:59 GMT
Chinese firm 'awarded Zimbabwean land'
damage at farm after seizure
Food production has stopped at seized farms
Land seized from white farmers in Zimbabwe is going to be given to a Chinese utility firm, according to state media reports in Zimbabwe.

China International Water and Electric Corporation has reportedly been awarded a tender to grow crops on 100,000 hectars and help ease the food shortage.

Professor Tony Hawkins at the University of Zimbabwe in Harare said President Mugabe had turned to other countries to help it alleviate some of its many problems.

Zimbabwe has signed agreements with Libya for oil, Malaysia for foreign investment and trade and now China to farm its land.

But none of the deals seem to have any long-term effect.

Desperate measures

"It's all snatching at straws," Professor Hawkins told the BBC's World Business Report.
You'll find a number of African countries that say the future in terms of trade and investment is coupled with Asia

Professor Tony Hawkins

"The Libyan example with oil is classic - over time, the shortage has become more severe," he said.

The Malaysian trade agreement is highlighted in the state media every three or four months but the foreign currency position keeps getting worse.

"Obviously the Malaysian trade package is not achieving very much - if anything," he said.

Turning east

The moves are also seen as Zimbabwe trying to gain help from Asian countries at the expense of the West.

"You'll find a number of African countries that say the future in terms of trade and investment is coupled with Asia," he said.

He believes the reaction of Zimbabweans to the prospect of foreigners arriving to take over the farms will be hostile.

Zimbabwe's permanent secretary at the Ministry of Land and Agriculture did not respond to questions about the land transfer.

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EU renews diplomatic sanctions against Zimbabwe
      for one year

      By The Associated Press




      BRUSSELS, Belgium - The European Union on Wednesday agreed to renew
diplomatic sanctions against Zimbabwe for another year but to allow
President Robert Mugabe attend a Franco-African summit in Paris.

      Ambassadors from the 15 EU nations solved the contentious issue which
has caused deep divisions between Britain and France by granting Paris an
exemption to host Mugabe at next week's summit.

      The agreement extends the EU visa ban and other sanctions on Zimbabwe
beyond their current Feb. 18 expiration date.

      The decision of the ambassadors will have to be officially approved by
a meeting of EU finance ministers next Tuesday, EU officials said. The
three-day summit in Paris opens one day later.

      The EU nations remained divided though whether to cancel an EU-Africa
summit scheduled for April 5 in Lisbon, Portugal, if Mugabe is allowed to
attend.

      Ambassadors will meet again Friday to settle that issue. Greece, which
holds the EU presidency is continuing to seek a way to keep the summit on
the agenda while making sure that Mugabe will not attend.

      Under Wednesday's compromise, France is now able to invite Mugabe to a
Feb. 19-21 Franco-African summit in Paris. "The ambassadors noted there was
no formal objection to the request for an exemption," said an EU official
who asked not to be identified. When France asked for an exemption to the
sanctions last month, Britain, Germany, Sweden and the Netherlands raised
official protests.

      In Wednesday's decision however, the four countries made it clear they
continued to have serious concerns about the visit.

      Already at odds over the Iraq crisis, the decision Wednesday made sure
diplomatic tensions between the EU nations did not worsen further.

      Euro MP Glenys Kinnock, who heads a parliamentary committee dealing
with Africa, welcomed the decision.

      "I'm glad EU governments have maintained their resolve. Now there is a
need to extend sanctions to elements of the business community in Zimbabwe
which have strengthened Mugabe's regime," she said.

      The EU nations imposed diplomatic sanctions last year, saying Mugabe's
government violated human rights and pursued policies that have led Zimbabwe
into economic and political chaos. It imposed an EU travel ban on the
president, his wife and more than 70 political associates and their
families.

      However, France wants Mugabe to attend the Paris summit, arguing it
would use the occasion to raise political and human rights complaints.
France also fears other African nations would boycott the summit if Mugabe
were not invited.

      Mugabe has cracked down on the independent press, the judiciary,
opposition officials and human rights workers in recent years.
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Daily Telegraph
 

France wins summit 'opt out' of Mugabe travel ban
(Filed: 12/02/2003)

Robert Mugabe, Zimbabwe's president, will be allowed to visit Paris next week for an African leaders summit, European Union governments have reluctantly agreed.

 
Robert Mugabe

The go-ahead was given despite an EU travel ban on the president, his wife and more than 70 members of his political circle and their families in protest at human rights abuses by Mr Mugabe's regime.

EU ambassadors meeting in Brussels renewed the ban for a year - but with a temporary "opt-out" for France so President Jacques Chirac can play host to Mr Mugabe at a Franco-African summit discussing human rights on February 19.

The UK's disapproval of the French action was marked by a formal reservation written into the accord expressing "grave concern" - a view echoed by Germany, the Netherlands and Sweden.

And, privately, many more EU governments are uncomfortable that Paris is according respectability to a man seen as an international pariah.

But, with enough European discord already on display over Iraq, the temptation to deepen rifts by taking on the French was resisted.

Another potential foreign policy row - over Portugal's bid to invite Mr Mugabe to an EU-Africa summit in Lisbon in April - was put off, with a decision due on Friday on whether to cancel the meeting altogether.

Mr Chirac insists it is better to engage with Mr Mugabe than to freeze him out - and he was worried that if the EU turned away Mr Mugabe his summit would be boycotted by other African leaders.

The dispute has soured the EU mood when rows over Iraq have already put paid to any immediate hopes of establishing a "common foreign policy" for Europe.
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The Daily News

Feature

      Scramble for Freedom Trains a recipe for disaster

      2/12/2003 6:43:21 AM (GMT +2)


      By Sam Munyavi

      There is a disaster waiting to happen on the overcrowded commuter
trains, particularly those plying the Mufakose and Dzivaresekwa routes in
Harare.

      Passengers hang precariously from the handrails in all the doorways
and it will take just one slip to send most of these daring or reckless
people tumbling onto the ground or under the wheels, with disastrous
consequences.

      The overcrowding on the cheap trains graphically illustrates the
economic hardships that thousands of commuters are going through daily.

      From Monday to Friday there is a mad scramble for the morning and
evening $30 trains to and from Mufakose and Dzivaresekwa west of the city,
and the $50 train to and from Ruwa, to the east.

      The commuter buses charge $80, $70 and $80 respectively.
      The government introduced the so-called Freedom Trains from late July
2001 in Harare and Bulawayo in a move that was largely viewed as a
vote-buying gimmick ahead
      of the March 2002 presidential election.

      The fare then was $15 a trip, with Zimbabwe United Passenger Company
(Zupco) bus rides home from the station thrown in.

      The commuter buses on the other hand charged $35 a trip.
      The trains are a joint project, on the orders of the government,
between two parastatals, Zupco and the National Railways of Zimbabwe.

      The Mufakose train is the most overcrowded, with the 21 coaches always
crammed with passengers.

      Some dice with death as a matter of routine, and it is amazing the
lengths that they will go to to avoid paying the $30 fare, to the extent of
hanging desperately barely a metre above the ground as the train hurtles on
its way.

      Hanging in the doorways serves another purpose for those who try to
avoid paying. They disembark and stand around when the train stops, and then
jump aboard as soon as the train starts moving again.

      Some try to cheat, producing expired tickets.

      A young man proffers yesterday's ticket and the conductor immediately
rejects it.
      Another says: "They should lay on another trainto ease this
congestion."

      He is having a hard time trying to keep his place as more passengers
come aboard in Workington industrial area.

      Scores of the more enterprising board the locomotive itself.
      There is hardly any elbow room in the coaches on the Mufakose train.
Every available space is taken, the passageways, even the toilet
compartments.

      And it's suffocatingly hot.
      No one says anything much. They seem so subdued, like people who have
lost all hope that their lot will ever improve.

      These are people who join endless, crushing queues for maize-meal, for
bread, for virtually every basic commodity that is in short supply, and
sometimes pay through the nose for it.

      And to go to work and back home, they are packed like kapenta, the
tiny fish that used to be the poor person's version of a good fish dinner
but is now priced way beyond the reach of most.

      At Aspindale on Thursday last week, the Mufakose train stopped for
almost 30 minutes, resulting in hundreds of passengers disembarking, some to
escape the stifling heat, others to go and confront the enginemen over the
delay.

      Those who headed for the front of the train only realised when they
got there that the locomotive was at the back, pushing, not pulling the
train.

      Then when the whistle blew there was a mad scramble back aboard, with
people jamming the doorways. This writer failed to get back aboard.
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The Daily News

      Murerwa proposes devaluation

      2/12/2003 7:22:21 AM (GMT +2)


      By Dumisani Ndlela

      Finance Minister Herbert Murerwa yesterday presented before Cabinet
far-reaching proposals for a devaluation of the Zimbabwe dollar, with
government sources indicating that he had managed to win crucial support
from key members to avoid opposition that might imperil his career.

      Devaluation of the Zimbabwe dollar, which Murerwa and other members of
Cabinet keenly opposed as machinations by the country's economic saboteurs
when it was proposed by his predecessor, Simba Makoni, last year, has been
vehemently resisted by President Mugabe.

      But Murerwa is said to have avoided presenting proposals from
stakeholders for the re-establishment of bureaux de change, fearing this
would incur the wrath of Mugabe, who is said to have personally instructed
him to ban them in his 2003 Budget presentation.

      Sources said the issue of the bureaux de change remained a sensitive
one to Mugabe. He felt some of his Cabinet ministers had let him down
because they were heavily involved in their operation, which had fuelled the
parallel market for foreign currency. The decision to ban the bureaux took
the central bank by surprise as it had not been informed of the move.

      Sources indicated that there was little room for manoeuvre as Cabinet
had to abandon crude populism, which had in the past overridden prudent
fiscal decisions, and tackle the issue of devaluation once and for all in
order to curtail the collapse of key economic
      institutions now on their knees because of an acute foreign currency
shortage.

      They told The Daily News that a delegation from Mozambique's
Cabora-Bassa Hyro-electricity project had visited the country two weeks ago
after threatening to cut off supplies because of non-payment.

      They had already reduced supplies of electricity from 500MW to 200MW
and any further reduction was likely to result in load-shedding by Zesa, the
country's sole power utility.
      Investigations indicated yesterday that proposals by the Confederation
of Zimbabwe Industries (CZI), led by Dairibord chief executive Anthony
Mandiwanza, for a multiple exchange rate regime had been thrown out after
counsel from the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) that it would be disastrous
for the economy.

      At a meeting between Cabinet ministers and stakeholders last Thursday,
an agreement had been hammered out that proposals be submitted to Cabinet
for a devaluation that would slide the official exchange rate from the
current 55 to around 800 against the greenback.

      Sources said ministers July Moyo, Joseph Made, Samuel Mbengegwi,
Witness Mangwende, Francis Nhema, Amos Midzi, Edward Chindori-Chininga and
Paul Mangwana had endorsed the proposal, with Jonathan Moyo, the Minister of
Information, who had been largely expected to resist the move, moving in to
suggest that the level of devaluation be left open to be determined at
yesterday's Cabinet meeting.

      The RBZ has informed the government that the fair value of the
Zimbabwe dollar based on purchasing power parity should be 500 to the US
dollar.

      "It should go to $800 so that we persuade inflows into the interbank
market," a source said.

      Cabinet had by yesterday endorsed that the dollar should be devalued,
but it was to task technocrats in the Ministry of Finance's economic
planning section to come up with a suitable level.

      Initially pegged at 38 to the greenback for 19 months since a
gentleman's agreement between bank executives and the central bank in
January1999, the Zimbabwe dollar was devalued to 50 against the US unit in
August 2000 and fell seven times in a month to 55 against the US dollar.

      It has been kept at that level for the past 29 months, prompting the
emergence of a parallel market where the US dollar is fetching about $1 500.

      Mugabe, it is understood, had warned that devaluation would trigger
economic exploitation that would create a disastrous social dislocation.

      The government would eventually chalk up huge debts from oil procurer,
National Oil Company of Zimbabwe and power utility Zimbabwe Electricity
Supply Authority because they were heavily dependent on foreign currency for
imports.

      The RBZ had informed the government that it projected that proposals
for multiple
      exchange rate, which had been proposed by the CZI, had the effect of
subsidies which would translate into a bill to the government to the tune of
$715 billion when the total expenditure and net lending for the 2003 Budget
stood at $782 billion.

      "The subsidy to the exporting sectors will imply that government would
have to double its expenditures with consequent impact on money supply
growth and resultant inflation.

      "This scenario is, therefore, clearly unsustainable," the RBZ had
advised in its recommendations forwarded to the technical committee of the
Tripartite
      Negotiating Forum.

      Business was understood to have pledged to meet production and export
targets negotiated and agreed to at various sectoral levels if the
government moved fast to devalue the dollar.
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The Daily News

Leader Page

      Troika could be worse than toothless bulldog

      2/12/2003 7:24:43 AM (GMT +2)



      IT IS becoming difficult to fathom the extent to which two African
leaders will go to defend the atrocities committed against the people of
Zimbabwe by President Mugabe's government in 23 years.

      Olusegun Obasanjo of Nigeria and Thabo Mbeki of South Africa seem
determined to go down in history as the men who defended the torture of
fellow Africans because they shared certain values with the chief torturer.

      They have not been heard to publicly rebuke Mugabe for a whole
catalogue of human rights abuses, let alone the alleged theft of a
presidential election.

      After his talks with Mbeki during a visit to South Africa last week,
Obasanjo was quoted as saying: "If there are points to be raised in
Zimbabwe, like brothers we put ourselves into a room, we lock the door and
we tell ourselves the truth."

      In this case and on the basis of African political cronyism, the truth
could be said to be in the eye of the beholder.

      Obasanjo later came to Harare for talks with Mugabe and Morgan
Tsvangirai, the MDC leader. A few hours later, as he flew to Washington,
John Howard, the Prime Minister of
      Australia, said he received a call from Mbeki informing him that their
planned troika meeting would not be taking place as scheduled in March.

      The widespread interpretation of this postponement is that Mbeki and
Obasanjo intend for the deadline for the renewal of Zimbabwe's suspension
from the Commonwealth to lapse. This would automatically result in the
readmission of Zimbabwe.

      Howard has not publicly described this as a dirty, despicable trick,
but there must be many, in Zimbabwe and elsewhere, who feel Mbeki and
Obasanjo have sunk to murky, unpresidential depths in their support for
Mugabe.

      Howard is right to insist that Mugabe has done nothing to deserve kid
glove treatment by the troika. If anything, on the basis of his government's
performance since the suspension last year, expulsion from the Commonwealth
would be the most logical next step.

      What Obasanjo and Mbeki are trying to achieve, probably through the
back door, is for Mugabe to be forgiven for all the sins for which his
government was suspended from the Commonwealth in the first place.

      If they themselves don't stand to reap political benefits from this
betrayal of the people of Zimbabwe, then perhaps it is time to review their
suitability as members of the troika.
      Mbeki's vice-president, Jacob Zuma, is embroiled in a major bribery
scandal. The Scorpions investigation team probing allegations that Zuma
attempted to solicit a bribe from a French defence contractor has subpoenaed
and obtained the deputy president's personal banking records.

      A warrant of arrest has been issued against Alain Thetard, the man
alleged to have met secretly with Zuma and his financial adviser, Schabir
Shaik, in a Durban hotel to confirm Zuma's supposed demand for payment.

      Zuma has vehemently denied the allegation that he asked for R500 000
(Z$3,2 million) a year from Thetard's company.

      Mbeki's own political future could hinge on the outcome of the
investigation into his deputy's probity.

      Obasanjo has his own political problems: he ordered a judicial inquiry
into the killing in 2001 of more than 200 civilians by Nigerian soldiers in
the central state of Benue.
      The soldiers were avenging the killing of their colleagues by
civilians in the area Obasanjo failed to criticise the army's actions.
Instead, he condemned the deaths of the 19 soldiers at the hands of a local
militia.

      If both men feel a certain kinship with Mugabe, this would be
perfectly understandable: they are birds of the same feather.

      Yet they must look beyond their own political problems.
      By not reining in Mugabe, they could be worse than the British
government which was described as a "toothless bulldog" for not reining in
Ian Smith before UDI in 1965.

      The result of that negligence was the liberation war.
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The Daily News

      State urged to revive commercial farming

      2/12/2003 7:13:50 AM (GMT +2)


      From Ntungamili Nkomo in Bulawayo

      THE Nyamandlovu Farmers' Association (NFA) says the government should
seriously consider reviving large-scale commercial farming to avert a
humanitarian crisis arising from acute food shortages.

      Christopher Jarret, the NFA spokesperson, said yesterday farmers were
deeply concerned at the widespread shortage of food now threatening more
than half the population.

      He said the re-introduction of full-scale commercial farming was the
only way the country could be saved from its socio-economic crisis.

      Jarret said: "There is only one way to minimise the magnitude of the
humanitarian disaster inflicted by this calamitous land policy, and that is
to resuscitate what remains of commercial agriculture, and encourage the
industry to grow as much food as possible."
      Jarret warned that if corrective measures were not implemented, the
country was "headed for disaster".

      "The inevitable results of this destructive policy are now being
visited upon industry and commerce. The rot on commercial agriculture is
eating its insidious way through the rest of the economy and, inexorably,
will continue until all is destroyed," he said.
      He said it was naive of the government to think that peasant farming
could sustain the country.

      "No industrialised country has ever fed itself on peasant subsistence
agriculture. We fail to understand why the Zimbabwean government thinks that
things will be different here."

      The association, which comprises displaced white farmers, has blamed
the government and its chaotic land reform programme for the starvation
currently ravaging the country.
      Jarret said some of the farms forcibly acquired by the government were
lying idle.
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The Daily News

      AirZim blames government for financial woes

      2/12/2003 7:13:15 AM (GMT +2)


      Staff Reporter

      Air Zimbabwe's management on Monday blamed government interference for
its financial woes.

      Speaking to journalists after visiting the airline on Monday, Silas
Mangono, the chairman of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Transport
and Communications, said: "Management feels the problems can only be solved
if they are left to make independent decisions.

      "They said there is too much government interference and they are not
left to make decisions. They said even decisions concerning employees cannot
be made because of government interference."

      Mangono (Masvingo Central), Hilda Mafudze (Mhondoro), and Giles
Mutsekwa (Mutare North) all MDC visited the airline after the crisis created
by the engineers' four-month strike.

      The strike ended with their reinstatement last month, which was
ordered by the Ministry of Transport and Communications.

      Mangono said Rambai Chingwena, the airline's managing director, told
the committee it would close its office in Brussels, Belgium.

      Air Zimbabwe stopped servicing the route in the middle of last year
but kept the office open.

      The office is run by Tesfaye Bekele, who is married to Ghanaian
Patricia Hayfron, the daughter of the sister of President Mugabe's late
wife, Sally.

      Mangono said Air Zimbabwe, which had for years serviced the
Harare-Kinshasa-Brussels route with LAC, the Democratic Republic of Congo
airline, collecting the revenue, was owed US$4 million (about Z$227,6
million) by the Congolese.

      He said: "LAC have refused to pay. Air Zimbabwe management say the
Congolese are bad business people and they have since abandoned the deal.
      "It was explained that Bekele was there precisely because of the deal
with LAC. Now that they have discovered that the issue is not going to be
resolved, they are moving him to London. They did not say precisely when."

      Mangono said the management had complained about the damaging Press
reports on the airline's troubles.

      He said: "Chingwena said you (the media) are further damaging the
airline as your articles discourage potential clients and affect Air
Zimbabwe's credit-worthiness."

      On Monday Chingwena himself ordered that the two reporters from The
Daily News and the State-controlled Herald be barred from covering the
Parliamentary committee's visit despite being informed that they had written
invitations from the committee.
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The Daily News

      Judge orders police to stop torturing suspects

      2/12/2003 7:11:07 AM (GMT +2)


      From Energy Bara in Masvingo

      JUSTICE Moses Chinhengo on Monday said the police should stop
harassing and torturing suspects and only detain them when there is
sufficient evidence to warrant such action.

      Officially opening the 2003 legal year in Masvingo, Justice Chinhengo
said the police should not bring the administration of justice into
disrepute by brutalising and torturing citizens.

      Chinhengo said the police should not be perceived as an instrument of
power or as a tool in the hands of the authorities but as an institution,
organisation and profession that helps to guarantee protection of
constitutional rights.

      Chinhengo said: "The police must act with fairness to the accused and
in particular they must not brutalise an accused person.

      "The force must in general investigate in order to arrest and not to
arrest in order to investigate.

      "The police must act in accordance with the law which presumes that an
accused person is innocent until proven guilty."

      Chinhengo's remarks come in the face of increasing cases of police
brutality.
      Several citizens, including Members of Parliament, have either been
harassed, tortured or detained illegally by the police.

      Victims of alleged police brutality include Job Sikhala the MP for St
Mary's, and Douglas Mwonzora, a Masvingo lawyer.

      Sikhala was allegedly tortured following his arrest in connection with
allegations
      of trying to topple the government.

      Mwonzora was allegedly assaulted by 16 detectives in Bulawayo
following his arrest on allegations of fraud.

      Mwonzora is suing the Minister of Home Affairs Kembo Mohadi, and
Augustine Chihuri the Commissioner of Police, for $65 million for illegal
detention.

      While acknowledging the difficulties faced by the force, Chinhengo
said the they should thoroughly investigate cases to avoid the illegal
detention of suspects.

      Chinhengo said: "An arrest must be lawful. To be lawful it must have
probable or reasonable cause.

      "If a case has been properly investigated the likelihood of securing a
conviction is great."
      The judge described as unfair complaints that the courts readily grant
bail for persons who would have committed serious offences.

      Chinhengo said as long as the courts gave sound reasons for releasing
suspects on bail, there should be little justification if any, for
criticising them.
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The Daily News

      MDC youths petition Aussie team not to come

      2/12/2003 7:14:46 AM (GMT +2)


      Staff Reporter

      TWENTY MDC youths yesterday petitioned John Brown, the Australian High
Commissioner to Zimbabwe to convince his country's cricket authorities not
to allow their cricket team to participate in the World Cup matches which
started yesterday.

      Although the group later dispersed when they saw a police vehicle
passing by the High Commission premises, they managed to present their
petition. In their petition, the youths said playing cricket in Zimbabwe at
a time when millions were suffering, hungry and were under an "illegitimate"
government was an insult.

      "Sport is meant to unite the people and make them happy. It does not
make sense to celebrate any victory in a country where millions cannot
express themselves because of one old man who seeks to remain in power by
all means necessary," the petition read in part.

      "To therefore come and play cricket when the situation is so pathetic
is not only a callous act, but also a clear and deliberate policy of
hear-no-evil and see-no-evil."

      They said it was ironic that President Mugabe's government would do
everything possible to create a false sense of security and stability during
the cricket matches.
      But the same police officers who provided tight security for the
cricket players were notorious for torturing and harassing MDC supporters.

      "Our question is why would Australian cricket players enjoy the
security that millions of Zimbabweans are denied? A police force that
protects foreigners only is not a professional force but a gang of
mercenaries without a conscience," the petition read.

      "Your cricket players will also be provided with the best
accommodation in the country while millions of Zimbabweans are denied food
on a daily basis just because they do not support the Mugabe regime."

      Meanwhile, Paul Themba Nyathi, the MDC spokesperson, yesterday
applauded Henry Olonga and Andy Flower for speaking out about the
deteriorating situation in the country.

      "The MDC has high respect for these brave young men who have managed
to tell the world that all is not well in Zimbabwe though the cricket
matches are going ahead," Nyathi said.

      "The hosting of the matches in Zimbabwe must be an embarrassment
considering that some teams have said they will not shake Mugabe's hand,
though he is the patron of the Zimbabwe Cricket Union."

      He urged other Zimbabweans to emulate the two players' example and be
brave enough to speak their minds without fear of victimisation.
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VOA

Zimbabwe Cricket Union to Weigh in on England Controversy
Peta Thornycroft
Harare
12 Feb 2003, 18:14 UTC


The Zimbabwe Cricket Union is sending a delegation to South Africa to give
its side of the controversy over England's refusal to play its scheduled
World Cup match in Harare.

The World Cup technical committee will meet Friday in Cape Town to decide
whether to move the match or punish the England team for not playing it as
scheduled.

The Zimbabwe Cricket Union says it has lost at least tens-of-thousands of
dollars through the cancellation of the match scheduled to be played
Thursday.

Its chairman, Peter Chingoka, says players, ground staff and organizers were
all disappointed that England refused to play in Zimbabwe, citing security
concerns. Several members of the English cricket team have also said they do
not want to travel to Zimbabwe because of its extended political and
economic crisis.

Mr. Chingoka says the World Cup technical committee will make a final
decision Friday on whether England loses four-points to Zimbabwe in the
tournament, and pays a fine, or whether the match will be moved to South
Africa.

Well-placed sources believe the Zimbabwe Cricket Union will strongly oppose
rescheduling the match. President Robert Mugabe is the patron of the Union.

On a related issue, the Zimbabwe Cricket Union said it has asked the World
Cup technical committee to rule on a protest by two Zimbabwe players

Bowler Henry Olonga, the first black to play for the national team, and
world-class batsman Andy Flower, who is white, issued a statement before
their first World Cup match Monday in which they said they mourned the death
of democracy in their country. The two wore black armbands in their first
match and say they will keep them on throughout the tournament.

Both players deny they have brought Zimbabwe cricket into disrepute by their
statement and by wearing the armbands. They say they spoke out as
individuals, whose consciences are troubled by Zimbabwe's continuing
political repression and widespread hunger.
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FinGaz

      Zim to ignore DRC looting report


      2/13/03 1:50:50 AM (GMT +2)

      THE Zimbabwean government will not take any action against officials
named in a United Nations (UN) 2002 report on the plunder of resources in
the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), despite a recent UN resolution,
it was learnt this week.

      The UN two weeks ago resolved to extend the mandate of the
investigating panel that compiled the report, tasking it to assess how
governments had responded to allegations made by the team.

      According to the UN resolution, the 54 companies and individuals named
in the report are required to respond to allegations by March 31.

      However, Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Patrick
Chinamasa said the Zimbabwean government was not planning to act against
several top government and army officials named in the UN document.

      He told the Financial Gazette: "We do not respond to malicious
allegations by the British masquerading as the United Nations. We did a good
job in the DRC and we won't act on anyone."

      Officials named in the report include Speaker of Parliament Emmerson
Mnangagwa and the Commander of the Defence Forces, Vitalis Zvinavashe, both
of who have denied allegations that they were involved in the exploitation
of DRC resources.

      Zimbabwean troops, deployed to the DRC to help quell a rebel uprising,
are said to have participated in the looting of Congo diamonds, charges that
are denied by the government.

      Chinamasa said yesterday: "We know where these allegations are coming
from and what is motivating them. As a government, we have more important
business to do."

      -Staff Reporter

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Olonga, Flower Abandon Hotel



The Daily News (Harare)

February 12, 2003
Posted to the web February 12, 2003

Tendai Madinah


TOP Zimbabwe cricketers, Henry Olonga and Andy Flower, have checked out of
the national team hotel in Harare for security reasons.

Olonga yesterday said they were now staying at their homes following their
scathing attack on the government's appalling human rights record and lack
of democracy on Monday.

Olonga said: "For security reasons we checked out of the hotel the night
before the Namibia match." The first black cricketer to represent Zimbabwe,
Olonga said he would not stay at the hotel again for the rest of the cricket
World Cup games.

Zimbabwe are scheduled to play England, India, Pakistan and Australia in
their remaining matches.

On Monday, Zimbabwe beat Namibia by 86 runs in their opener at Harare Sports
Club. Olonga and Flower, a veteran batsman, wore black armbands during the
match, saying they were mourning the death of democracy in Zimbabwe.

Olonga yesterday said he had not received any negative comments about the
statement they issued but their decision to move out of the hotel was a
precautionary measure. He said many people had phoned him saying they were
behind them.

Olonga said it was, however, possible that there could be some who have been
disappointed by their move and might harbour other ideas.

But the two players trained with the rest of the players yesterday and
Olonga said they would continue to do so.

He said: "The reason we released the statement is that we believe its time
people begin to stand up for what is right."

Olonga said their enthusiasm for the World Cup matches had not been affected
and stressed that what they did was "deeply personal."

He said their relations with other players still remained the same as they
made it clear to them that they were expressing their feelings and they did
not attempt to force their team-mates to join sides with them.

Olonga said: "It must come by conviction not coercion." Asked what had
changed in a short period of time since he was part of the song Our
Zimbabwe, the theme song for the World Cup, Olonga said: "The song Our
Zimbabwe is a prophetic song. It speaks of the promised land, we are not
there yet. The promised land has giants. They must be confronted."

No immediate comment could be obtained from Flower, who last year, was
turning out for English county side, Essex.

But Olonga reiterated that they were together in this. The Zimbabwe Cricket
Union yesterday said it would issue a statement when it was ready.

Meanwhile, Olonga, could face sanctions from his club Takashinga. Givemore
Makoni, the chairman of the club, yesterday said Olonga violated club rules
and the constitution by commenting on issues outside cricket.

Makoni said:"Olonga took a stand which the club obviously does not support.
He violated the club's rules and constitution by making political
statements. We obviously disassociate ourselves from his protest."

Makoni said the club's executive will meet "within a week" to deliberate on
the case. He, however, would not say what sanctions the player could face if
found guilty. He said there were several options, which he was not at
liberty to disclose.

Makoni said: "We have not even spoken to Olonga. We still have to establish
the authenticity of what he is said to have said.

"So, we do not want to make too many comments on the matter until he appears
before the club to answer the charges being levelled against him."

Makoni said he was only talking on the issue to put paid to reports in the
international media that the club had suspended Olonga.

MDC APPLAUDS HENRY OLONGA AND ANDY FLOWER

The Movement for Democratic change salutes Henry Olonga and Andy Flower for opening up their hearts unlike some Zimbabwean sportpersons who have remained quiet.

Olonga and Flower are our heroes not only in the cricket field but they are the voices of the voiceless as they have movingly spoken about the deteriorating situation in Zimbabwe. The MDC has high respect for these brave young men who have managed to tell the world that all is not well in Zimbabwe though cricket matches are going ahead.

The hosting of the cricket World Cup in Zimbabwe is a blessing in disguise in that the international community will take note of Zanu PF atrocities. The hosting of cricket matches in Zimbabwe must be an embarrassment considering that some teams have said they will not shake Mugabe’s hand though he is the patron of Zimbabwe Cricket union.

Mugabe had been taking the Cricket for granted thinking that all the rape, torture and murder would be swept under the carpet in a day or week. We hope other Zimbabwean sportpersons will emulate these players and be brave enough to speak their minds without fear of victimisation

MDC Spokesperson
Paul Themba Nyathi

"Re : the Media Statement put out by Andy Flower and
Henry Olonga of the Zimbabwe One Day Cricket Team. If
you support their actions, please show it by sending an email to the
Zimbabwe Cricket Union to state your support for their stand. Please include
your country of residence to show world-wide support for these
2 guys.

The more support Andy and Henry get, the more impact it has on the ZCU
administration and Zimbabwean cricket in general.

ZCU email address is    zcu@mweb.co.zw"
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FinGaz

      ZANU PF, France have more in common than meets the eye


      2/13/03 1:55:46 AM (GMT +2)

      JACQUES Chirac, the President of France, is to again host his own
Africa summit in Paris.

      Only naïve or unknowledgeable Zimbabweans would have been more than
astonished by the insistent invitation by Chirac to host President Robert
Mugabe to a red carpet reception and plumed parade up the Champs Elysees.

      Chirac, if he is awake and aware at the occasion, will no doubt sing
"La Marseillaise" in person to Mugabe in honour to his anti-Anglo African
hero. Of course this trip will be the usual "built-in" benefits of a
propaganda opportunity, and for the usual extended family shopping trip.

      This invitation to Mugabe is clearly an undisguised attempt by Chirac
to give Mugabe another opportunity to pour out his anti-British diatribe and
vitriol to an international audience.

      At the moment the French are seen to be particularly enjoying giving
the British another two-fingered gesture over this particular Mugabe-centred
fiasco that Chirac has instigated. Chirac appears to get sadistic pleasure
from giving petty slaps in the face to Tony Blair.

      France's solidarity and allegiance to anything pro-ZANU PF has been
epitomised by not less than the French Ambassador to Harare, Didier Ferrand.
He reportedly said in August last year: "We on the French side have done our
part as a friendly country anxious to develop its relations with Zimbabwe".

      Then last month he allegedly said: "France enjoys cordial relations
with Zimbabwe."

      The absence of any condemnation in these statements is indicative of
France's affinity to ZANU PF.

      France is now confirmed to be like Portugal, Belgium and Greece - just
another Eurowimp nation. These countries are led by vacillating, no-brained,
soulless leaders that exhibit grand hypocrisy on all matters related to
Zimbabwe, and on other major international issues as well.

      Of course the decision by the government of France to entertain Mugabe
in Paris is an abominable discredit to the French intelligentsia by their
government's efforts to curry favour to themselves. That they need to stoop
so low for quasi-friends is indicative of the progressive demise of French
values and morality, and their diminished relevance in international
affairs.

      At the last Franco/African meeting in Paris in 1998, 49 countries and
35 heads of state attended - including Mugabe. These summits have, in
outcome result, been appraised as no more than expensive money and
oxygen-wasting debate sessions or talk shops.

      Notably, the French have been essentially silent, and tight-fisted
with money on the aid and principle that they may have been properly given
to Zimbabwe to alleviate AIDS, hunger, poverty, or to promote human rights
and democracy. Many observers note that France has done less than little
towards solving Africa's problems.

      In fact, the record shows that France's intervention has aggravated
the strife in the area that it chose to be prophet on, such as the Ivory
Coast. France's standing in a continent in which it claims a "special
relationship" has evolved to be not less than an internationally assessed
missions of futility that is commensurate with the ongoing typical "modern"
retrogressive France.

      For obvious reasons, like to avoid exposure and more global ridicule,
the French have not shared transparently with the world what they have done
to further prop up and financially enable their anti-west African heroes -
ZANU PF. The same applies in regard to their hidden agenda on Iraq.

      France keeps ensnaring itself in expensive and futile commitments in
insignificant places, and at the moment is no doubt furious that four
African countries have been moving towards the Anglo-Saxon sphere of
influence. One formerly Portuguese and three of them Francophone. These
countries are Rwanda, Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and
Mozambique.

      The French, like Mugabe, are somewhat immune to disgrace so they have
become impervious to the ramifications of their blatant hypocrisy,
immorality, irrelevance and stupidity. Scandals related to corruption and
adultery have surrounded the presidents of both countries - so they have
much in common with regard to morality and ethics than some may be aware of.

      Both leaders have sought re-election to avoid prosecution for not less
than corruption. The question so far unresolved is that who is whose whore?
After all, Paris is famous for prostitution of all kinds, and not much seems
to have morally improved there at any level over the last 100 years.

      To know more about the French's history, values, shame and culture
will explain a lot. One needs to know their durably embittered mentality to
actually understand that this invitation to Mugabe was entirely predictable.

      In the archives, to the eternal shame of modern France, there is the
following:

      Armed with their Burgundy-enabled courage there was their easy
capitulation to the Nazis, and the quick adaptation of allegiance by a large
number of their nationals to join the Nazi terror regime.

      The French supplied the "land-grabbing" undemocratic Argentine
government with Exocet missiles that were used in 1982 to kill British
military forces when that country invaded the Falkland Islands.

      Since not many countries of substance consider the French to be
important anymore, the French try to gain importance with anyone who will
listen and take their money. They are only seen as attractive to pariah or
deadbeat states. To draw attention, France has become the haven of terror
groups, misfits from all over the world for too many years to recount.

      The French are always ready to condemn those that actually protect
them from the insane forces in the world.

      They have a visible exasperation at the loss of French as a language
of international relevance at the expense of others, particularly English.
They are aggrieved and envious of the successes of Britain and the United
States.

      France now clings onto an undeserved position in the Security Council
of the United Nations. It is a matter of time, the way that it is going,
before it becomes totally irrelevant and obsolete. As suggested by the
Washington Times of January 24 2003:

      "Chirac presides over a nation besotted with nostalgia for
long-vanished military glory, an obsessive longing to be taken seriously
once more, but he understands that France is capable now only of obstructing
the efforts of others to order the world enough to enable civilisation to
survive."

      At the root of French foreign policy the following simple criteria
apply:

      lFavour our businessmen and your human rights record won't be a
problem.

      lThey are devastated by their diminishing influence in international
affairs - thus they will do anything opposite to what the Americans or
British want to do as a matter of first principle.

      lThe only power that France has left is to say "no" at the United
Nations.

      Indeed, France and ZANU PF have more in common than may initially be
apparent. Their affinity for each other is a natural event under the
circumstances.

      l"Frog Exposure" is a concerned Zimbabwean based in Pretoria, South
Africa.

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FinGaz

      ZANU PF set to pull rug from under MDC

      By Luke Tamborinyoka News Editor
      2/13/03 1:54:31 AM (GMT +2)

      ZIMBABWEAN political parties will battle it out next month for the
Harare constituencies of Highfield and Kuwadzana, but analysts fear the
scheduling of two parliamentary by-elections on the same weekend could pull
the rug out from under the main opposition Movement for Democratic Change
(MDC) by severely stretching its resources.

      The two constituencies became vacant last year after the death of MDC
Kuwadzana legislator Learnmore Jongwe and the expulsion of the party's
Highfield MP Munyaradzi Gwisai.

      The government last week announced that by-elections for the two areas
would be held simultaneously on March 29 and 30.

      Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Patrick Chinamasa
indicated that the by-elections had been pencilled in for the same weekend
in a bid to cut costs.

      But political commentators told the Financial Gazette this week that
the scheduling of the elections could prove costly for the MDC, for which a
victory in Highfield and Kuwadzana is as crucial as for the ruling ZANU PF.

      Zimbabwe's urban areas have been a stronghold for the MDC since its
formation in 1999 and analysts say the opposition party will be anxious for
a victory next month to show that it is still strong despite recent public
criticism and attempts by the government to undermine it.

      They pointed out that ZANU PF, which is stronger in the rural areas,
was also keen to demonstrate that it had made inroads in towns and cities,
which have been hard hit by the economic crisis that is widely blamed on the
ruling party's mismanagement of the economy.

      "We are not fooled by Chinamasa's story," said civil rights lawyer
Brian Kagoro. "The human and financial costs on the government remain the
same, whether the two by-elections are held at the same time or not.

      "The manpower needed to run the elections remains the same, the
polling stations and the number of ballot boxes needed in Kuwadzana and
Highfield will remain the same and it will not change simply because
Chinamasa has said the dual election must take place on the same weekend."

      "It is common knowledge that ZANU PF is under immense pressure to rid
itself of the rural party tag. It wants to show the world that it has broken
the MDC's urban fortress and there is likely to be pandemonium arising out
of that decision and in situations such as that, it is easy to manipulate
the voting process," he added.

      Analysts said the scheduling of the two by-elections for the same
weekend could affect the MDC's chances of holding on to Highfield and
Kuwadzana by severely stretching its resources.

      They said although the MDC was able to contest in 120 constituencies
during the 2000 general polls, there could have been significant changes to
the party's financial and manpower situation since then.

      A large number of MDC members have been the victims of political
violence and intimidation that has rocked the country since 2000 and might
not be as willing to serve as polling agents and monitors if they suspect
they might face similar treatment next month.

      In fact, several of the party's polling monitors were forced to
abandon their posts in a number of constituencies during the rural district
elections held towards the end of last year, making it impossible for the
MDC to effectively contest the polls.

      Restrictive legislation also makes it very difficult for Zimbabwean
political parties to access funds from outside the country at a time a
serious economic crisis has pushed up operating costs.

      "I believe the government has noted that the current MDC is not the
old MDC that was once awash with donor funds," said National Constitutional
Assembly chairman Lovemore Madhuku.

      "It is now difficult for the MDC to marshall massive resources as it
did in 2000 and the ploy is probably to stretch the little resources over
the same weekend.

      "It is obviously a scandal, but the whole thing is meant to manipulate
the election and cheat in the process. We are dealing with people with a lot
of experience in electoral fraud and lumping elections over the same weekend
will obviously help any such evil intentions," the NCA chairman added.

      Analysts said holding the Highfield and Kuwadzana elections on the
same weekend could result in the ruling ZANU PF pulling off a victory in one
of the constituencies, with the MDC winning the other.

      They pointed out that a similar result was achieved last March when
the government set historic presidential elections on the same weekend as a
mayoral poll for the capital city, Harare.

      President Robert Mugabe controversially pulled off a victory in the
presidential election, while the MDC's Elias Mudzuri won the mayoral
election.

      Nelson Chamisa, the MDC's candidate in Kuwadzana, told the Financial
Gazette: "I smell chicanery in the air. The strategy is very clear: the
government is trying to steal the election by giving a seat to us with the
right hand and taking away another with the left.

      "I believe they want to donate one constituency to us and rig another
so that they muffle the outcry as the people will not have enough time to
concentrate on what really happened in each of the two constituencies. They
used the same tactic during the presidential election."

      ZANU PF has however denied any misconduct in the presidential election
and has in the past dismissed allegations that the Registrar-General's
Office, which administers elections and whose head is widely viewed as a
ruling party sympathiser, is partisan.

      But the MDC has already questioned the administration of the Kuwadzana
poll, saying an audit of the voters' roll has shown several phantom
potential voters.

      The Registrar-General's Office is also said to be registering people
from the illegal settlement of Whitecliffe, near Kuwadzana, to vote in next
month's by-election.

      MDC spokesman Paul Themba Nyathi was this week however more optimistic
about the opposition party's chances of victory next month, saying ZANU PF
would find it difficult to win over urban voters because of the impact of
the economic crisis.

      Zimbabweans in urban areas are battling escalating prices that have
eroded their purchasing power, as well as fuel and food shortages that are
partly blamed on government policies.

      "We have faith in the people of Highfield and Kuwadzana," Nyathi said.
"It is a futile exercise to try and rig these elections because we believe
the people in these constituencies will not allow ZANU PF to scuttle the
democratic process."
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FinGaz

      Chinamasa not yet off the hook


      2/13/03 1:53:56 AM (GMT +2)

      THE Registrar of the High Court, Jacob Manzunzu, will soon request
Judge President Justice Paddington Garwe to appoint a judge to try the
contempt of court case of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister
Patrick Chinamasa.

      Manzunzu told the Financial Gazette that Chinamasa was still facing
contempt of court charges despite an order setting aside a three-month jail
term imposed on him last year.

      He said he had to request Justice Garwe to appoint another judge to
handle the case because former High Court judge Fergus Blackie, who was
originally in charge of the case, had retired.

      "I'll send his (Chinamasa's) file to the Judge President for him to
appoint a new judge to handle the case," Manzunzu said.

      Blackie last year convicted Chinamasa on two counts of contempt of
court after his criticism of a judgment handed down in 1999 by Justice
Mahomed Adam in a case involving three Americans who were sentenced to six
months imprisonment for the illegal possession of arms.

      Blackie sentenced the minister to three months in jail and imposed a
$50 000 fine, a ruling Chinamasa successfully appealed against, saying he
was out of the country when he was convicted.

      Justice Charles Hungwe set the sentence aside last August and ordered
a fresh trial.

      Manzunzu said he had not received Justice Hungwe's judgment
immediately after it was released, blaming this for the delay in setting a
new trial date.

      Meanwhile, he said judgment in the contempt of court case of permanent
secretary in the Department of Information George Charamba was yet to be
delivered.

      Charges against Charamba arose from his criticism of a High court
ruling that barred the police from attending closed-door meetings of the
Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions. - Staff Reporter
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FinGaz

      Human rights lawyer flees country

      Staff Reporter
      2/13/03 1:51:51 AM (GMT +2)

      GABRIEL Shumba, a human rights lawyer allegedly tortured while in
police custody, has fled Zimbabwe after receiving death threats following
his acquittal last week on charges of plotting to overthrow the government.

      Shumba, who spoke to the Financial Gazette soon after his appearance
at the Harare Magistrates' Court last Wednesday, said his life was
threatened immediately after he left the court.

      He said: "I have sent my wife to collect my personal items because I
can't even go home. My phone has been tampered with and my life is at risk.
I will be moving out of the country shortly because of the death threats I
have just received."

      Shumba, who left Zimbabwe last Thursday, is believed to have flown to
Botswana before travelling on to South Africa.

      He was arrested last month along with his brother Bishop, opposition
Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) legislator Job Sikhala and Sikhala's
aide Innocent Kanjedzana.

      At the time of the arrest, Shumba was taking instructions from his
client Sikhala on a case in which the MDC parliamentarian was accused of
assisting to burn down a bus owned by the state-controlled Zimbabwe United
Passenger Company.

      Shumba, who was accused of compiling a document that detailed plans to
topple President Robert Mugabe's government, and his colleagues told the
magistrates' court that they were tortured while in custody.

      Government and independent medical reports confirmed the allegations,
resulting in Harare magistrate Caroline-Ann Chigumira last week throwing out
the charges against the four.

      She said the state's evidence-in-chief, the document allegedly written
by Shumba, was obtained under duress and was therefore inadmissible.

      During the hearing, the state did not deny that the four were
tortured.

      Shumba said after his acquittal, four men clad in dark suits
approached him outside the Rotten Row building that houses the magistrates'
court and threatened him with death.

      He said the four told him that although he had been acquitted, they
would silence him forever "in (their) own way".

      Shumba said: "They told me: 'so you think you've won? Do you think you
are going to survive? You think we were joking when we told you we would
kill you?'"

      The human rights lawyer and Sikhala say the state security agents who
tortured them in custody constantly threatened them with death if they
continued to be involved in Zimbabwean politics.

      "After my experiences and the subsequent death threats, I doubt if my
safety can still be guaranteed, hence the decision to leave," said a visibly
shaken Shumba.

      There was no immediate comment on the issue from the Ministry of Home
Affairs.

      However, police spokesman Wayne Bvudzijena said: "Any person who has
been threatened should report to the nearest police station, that is the
standard procedure. This idea that he (Shumba) is out of the country because
of any threats he might have received is very misleading."

      The government has in the past denied condoning the torture of
political opponents in prison and the police recently launched
investigations into allegations that Shumba and his colleagues were tortured
while in police custody.

      Sikhala this week told the Financial Gazette: "Shumba's decision is
understandable in that he is not a politician but a lawyer, and any threats
on his life are bound to shake him, while some us are prepared to die
fighting.

      "After eight hours of torture, we were told that we would be killed if
we made the issue public. But there is no way we could allow such acts of
criminality go unknown. It's better to die while the whole world hears the
truth."

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