Robert Mugabe promises elections this year

http://www.guardian.co.uk

Zimbabwe president says opponents calling for polls to be delayed for
constitutional reforms are cowards

    Associated Press in Harare
    guardian.co.uk, Sunday 19 February 2012 14.52 GMT

Robert Mugabe has said he will definitely call elections this year and
described as "cowards" politicians who say polls cannot be held until 2013.

In an interview with state media before his 88th birthday on Tuesday,
Zimbabwe's president dismissed objections to early polls. "That is what
cowards say. Elections can happen at any time … Definitely, yes [this
year]," he said.

He told the loyalist Sunday Mail newspaper that money would be found to pay
for the presidential and parliamentary elections.

The prime minister Morgan Tsvangirai's party has said polling cannot go
ahead until constitutional reforms are complete, and rights groups have
warned of an imminent upsurge of election violence.

Zimbabwe's power-sharing coalition was formed after disputed and
violence-plagued elections in 2008. Mugabe's Zanu-PF party, in power since
independence in 1980, lost the parliamentary race and Tsvangirai boycotted a
presidential run-off in protest at violence and intimidation of his
supporters.

Mugabe acknowledged in the birthday interview that there were "negative
forces" in his party in 2008 along with factions wanting to see him
defeated. He said he had not groomed a successor.

"There is no one who can stand and win at the moment," he said. Choosing a
successor would "cause much more division in the party". At its annual
convention in December, Zanu-PF nominated Mugabe as its sole presidential
candidate in future elections.

Changes to the constitution have been proposed including a limited
presidential term of 10 years and a ban on candidates older than 70. Mugabe
said any new constitution should reflect the people's views and those
calling for an age limit were afraid of losing the vote to him.

He likened his critics to "barking dogs" and called Tsvangirai's party
"dishonest" and too reliant on support from the west. "They want us to go
back to a system where there is great reliance on foreign investment,
support and on foreign advisers," he said. "They are for whites being the
main players. We rely on our views … the good views we have adopted from
socialists in the past."

As is customary at birthdays, Mugabe referred to his personal life, saying
he cherished his time as a schoolteacher and, later in life, his
determination in politics. "If I believe in something and I am determined, I
don't go back," he said. He wanted to be remembered "just for what I am, a
man, lover of my people and a fighter of oppression".

Mugabe vows to reject 'flawed' constitution

AFP – 9 hrs ago

Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe on Sunday vowed to reject a draft
constitution that does not reflect views gathered during a public outreach
campaign marred by violence and intimidation.

"The issue is, what is not the views of the people ... we will reject,"
Mugabe said in an interview with The Sunday Mail, ahead of his 88th birthday
on Tuesday.

He accused Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai's Movement for Democratic Change
(MDC) of seeking to manipulate the draft constitution to gain advantage at
the next elections.

"I think some of the issues are just their own ideas that were slotted in by
those who thought this would help them as parties, but did not come from the
outreach programme to gather public views.

"It is the thinking of the MDC. They are afraid. They are just cowards."

Mugabe's remarks came after the state-owned Herald newspaper published what
it said was a draft of the constitution which had a clause stating that a
person who has served two terms as president cannot stand in new elections.

Mugabe has been in power since 1980.

He also admitted to jostling in his party among those who want to succeed
him but said none of the contenders was strong enough.

He said "you cannot avoid" factions battling each other to succeed him.

"But they are not as serious. There is no one who can stand and win at the
moment. You have got to groom a candidate. You can't just get someone and
put them in the forefront. You must groom a successor."

Mugabe and Tsvangirai formed a power-sharing government in 2009 to mend the
economy and avoid a descent into full-fledged conflict in the wake of a
bloody presidential run-off election.

Under the pact the two political rivals agreed to a raft of reforms
including amending electoral and media laws and drafting a new charter to
pave the way to fresh polls.

But work on the new constitution has run in fits and starts, hindered by
attacks on meetings by supporters' of Mugabe's ZANU-PF party.

Mugabe has pushed for new elections this year, but the constitution-drafting
commission says a referendum on the charter could not be held before August,
meaning that elections would likely not take place until next year.

Judge refuses to list farms

http://www.timeslive.co.za/

HENDRICKS CHIZHANJE | 19 February, 2012 00:58

A Zimbabwean judge has rejected a request by exiled Movement for Democratic
Change (MDC) treasurer Roy Bennett to disclose the number of farms he owns
in court.

Bennett's lawyer, Beatrice Mtetwa, had asked high court judge Chinembiri
Bhunu to disclose all the farms that he had laid claim to over the past 10
years when President Robert Mugabe's previous administration began its
violent land seizures.

The request was made to enable Bennett to plead to the judge's $1-million
defamation suit against the former Chimanimani legislator.

Mtetwa asked Bhunu to reveal the name and location of the current farms that
he occupies, the duration of occupation of each farm, and whether previous
farm owners who were dispossessed of their farms were fully compensated.

Bhunu is claiming $1-million from Bennett for alleged defamation arising
from an interview with the Guardian newspaper (United Kingdom) before his
acquittal on insurgency charges.

Bhunu, who presided over Bennett's trial, says Bennett told Guardian
reporter, David Smith, that he would not get a fair trial because Bhunu was
given a farm by the Zanu-PF administration and would therefore be biased in
favour of the state.

But in response to Mtetwa's request for an inventory of his farms, Bhunu,
through his lawyers Chikumbirike and Associates Legal Practitioners, refused
to respond to the request and insisted that the onus is on the former
commercial farmer to prove his claims.

"The defendant (Bennett) professes knowledge of the information requested.
The information requested is therefore not necessary to enable the defendant
to plead," reads the response to Bennett's request for further particulars.

In December 2010, the Sunday Times revealed that Bhunu was involved in a
farm ownership dispute with a University of Zimbabwe lecturer, Professor
Lovemore Gwanzura, in a saga that exposed the often-chaotic manner in which
the country's land grab exercise was implemented.

Court papers showed that both Bhunu and Gwanzura claimed ownership of
Dasktop Subdivision 4 farm in Mashonaland East province.

The court documents also suggested that Bhunu had the pick of a number of
alternative properties before finally settling for Dasktop farm.

Bennett, whose farm was seized, is now living in exile after giving up on
his deputy ministerial post.

Although he was acquitted of the terrorism charges, state prosecutors have
appealed against the verdict to the supreme court.

No Water At Parirenyatwa General Hospital

http://www.radiovop.com/

HARARE, February 19, 2012 - THERE is no running water at Parirenyatwa
General Hospital, Zimbabwe's largest medical facility.

"Water has run out and we are worried that we could get cholera and
typhoid," said one of the male nurses in an exclusive interview with Radio
VOP.

"Funny enough there are boreholes but the water there is outside and so we
have to go outside when we do dirty labour. Right now I have blood on my
hands and have to go outside to get them cleaned. This is very serious."

Last year the Prime Minister, Morgan Tsvangirai, said he was shocked at how
the former ruling party, Zanu PF-controlled government could neglect
Marondera General Hospital and allow a new wing to lie idle for 16 years.

The government has since 1980 been led by 87-year-old President Robert
Mugabe.

Parinrenyatwa General Hospital, formerly Andrew Flemming Hospital,
ironically recently had a major refurbishment programme which cost more than
US$600 000.

The wards were spruced up and furniture was changed in the facility.

Zimbabwe's health system has all but collapsed and a new Health Transition
Fund, launched last year in Marondera.

The Fund is meant to help kick start the health system and allow women and
children to receive free medical treatment at all hospitals countrywide.

"How can they not have running water at such a major institution," said a
medical practitioner in an exclusive interview.

"This is very serious and the officials must move and act fast before a
major disease breaks out."

Last year PM Tsvangirai said in Marondera: "The inclusive Government of
Zimbabwe remains committed to achieving its health related Millennium
Development Goals (MDGs).

"There is a need for a unified, national effort towards improving access to
quality health care, especially for women and children."

The Health Transition Fund, meant to improve the health system, currently
has about US$150 million in its kitty.

Sanitation crisis puts lives at risk

http://www.timeslive.co.za/

VLADIMIR MZACA | 19 February, 2012 00:58

The water and sewer systems of Zimbabwe's major urban centres are on the
verge of collapse, thus putting millions of people in danger of consuming
contaminated water, including that from underground sources.

Last year it was reported that the Bulawayo sewer reticulation system was on
the brink of collapse amid revelations that the city council needed about
$7-million for repairs. It was also said that Harare required $1.4-billion.

The recent typhoid outbreak in Harare has been attributed to the
disintegration of sewer systems, bad policies and the decline of health
services.

This development has made it dangerous for communities to rely on natural
underground water sources such as boreholes. In recent years the government
drilled boreholes in almost every township - a move meant to counter water
shortages in times of drought.

The Environmental Management Agency (EMA) director-general Mutsa Chasi said
it was no longer safe for people to use borehole water without it being
treated.

"Borehole water is no longer safe. We encourage people who are using it to
take a sample of the water and get it tested by professionals before using
it, because one may unknowingly be drinking contaminated water," she said.
Chasi stressed that testing of the water should be done on a regular basis.

"Because of the constant sewage bursts, where the city councils are failing
to repair the sewerage system, underground water is being affected," she
said.

Sewage disposal has become a challenge to many local authorities, which are
failing to repair burst sewer systems.

There have been reports of councils discharging almost raw effluent into
public waterways.

Improper disposal of dangerous waste material by some careless companies in
cities was also compounding the situation.

The United Nations Children's Fund (Unicef) said the catastrophic cholera
outbreak of 2008 was a result of the failure to access clean water.

"The cholera outbreak of 2008/2009 was mainly a result of many households
not being able to access safe water for consumption. Many households
accessed water from shallow wells after failing to secure water from the
household taps. Nearly 100000 people were affected by the disease, while
more than 4000 people died. Provision of safe water to households in
Zimbabwe is still a challenge," Unicef said in its review of the water
situation in the country.

Most low-income families are having to do with Unicef-donated domestic water
purification products. Those that can afford it have resorted to mineral
water, which is now available for sale in most supermarkets.

Mineral water prices range between $1 and $10, depending on the brand and
quantity.

Mugabe rules out Chihuri re-think

http://www.newzimbabwe.com

None better ... Zimbabwe's security services top brass
18/02/2012 00:00:00
    by Gilbert Nyambabvu

PRESIDENT Robert Mugabe has ruled out further discussion of ZRP boss
Augustine Chihuri’s contract insisting that the appointment of security
services chiefs was his exclusive preserve as commander-in-chief.

Mugabe outraged his coalition partners when he unilaterally extended Chihuri’s
contract and reappointed defence forces chief General Constantine Chiwenga,
army commander Lieutenant-General Philip Valerio Sibanda as well as Air
Force of Zimbabwe Commander Perence Shiri.

Leaders of the MDC formations, Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and his
deputy Professor Arthur Mutambara disputed the appointments arguing Mugabe
could not make unilateral decisions under the terms of the Global Political
Agreement.

Mutambara and Tsvangirai later claimed that Mugabe had agreed to consult
them and review the appointments during a meeting of the coalition
principals.

But Mugabe who has not spoken publicly over the furore on Sunday scathingly
dismissed their complaints as the barking of dogs without any bite.

"Musha haungashaye zvinohukura zvirikure. Hazvirume imiwe! (Most homes have
their barking dogs. But they never bite)," Mugabe said in an interview with
the Sunday Mail.

"I don't know why the appointment of security chiefs was being discussed.
How were they appointed in the first place? They continue to be appointed by
those who appointed them in the first place.

"This is an important issue to do with national security. It is an issue
that rests with the President only. The President is the Commander-in-Chief
of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces.”

The MDC formations want the army and police bosses removed as part of a
broad reform of the top echelons of the country’s security services.

Tsvangirai’s MDC-T party, in particular, accuses security service chiefs of
brutalizing its supporters and helping subvert the will of the people in
elections to help keep Mugabe and his Zanu PF party in power.

Mugabe though, scoffed at the allegations, insisting there was no-one better
qualified for the crucial job of keeping the country secure.
Said the Zanu PF leader leader: "Do they (Tsvangirai and Mutambara) know the
meaning of defence forces?

"Just consider where they came from and then consider where we have come
from. Analyse, who has gone through the grill? Which ones are conversant
with war tactics? Which ones know how to handle a country and ward off the
enemy?

"The commanders Chiwenga, Sibanda, Shiri, Chihuri, all four are part of the
cream from the warfront.
“Ask Tsvangirai to produce candidates of similar calibre. This is just talk,
just politicking."

19th Feb 2012 17:59 GMT
Mugabe accuses rivals of plotting constitutional coup: Sunday Mail

http://www.zimbabwejournalists.com

By Chris Chinaka

HARARE (REUTERS) - Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe accused his political
rivals of trying to use constitutional reforms to get rid of him, but warned
that his ZANU-PF party would reject any changes threatening its future, the
Sunday Mail newspaper reported.

Mugabe, who turns 88 on Tuesday and was forced into a coalition government
following disputed elections in 2008, is seeking to extend his 32 years in
power in an early poll that he wants held this year, a year ahead of
schedule.

In an interview with the state-owned newspaper, Mugabe charged that lawyers
hired to draft a new national charter and rivals from Prime Minister Morgan
Tsvangirai's Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) had "erred" by including
issues not gathered from a public survey.

Asked about clauses in the first draft that could bar him from running for
another term, Mugabe said although he had not yet read the document, such a
proposal and the inclusion of gay rights would not be accepted by his party.

"The issue is that what is not the view of the people and not in the present
constitution or has not been discussed, we will reject," he said.

"Such a constitution would be thrown out by ZANU-PF. We would not accept
that. They erred if it is like that," he said, branding the MDC cowards for
trying to exclude him from the polls.

A draft constitution published early this month trims presidential powers
and limits terms to a maximum of 10 years, barring Mugabe who has been in
office since the southern African country's independence from Britain in
1980.

Mugabe has been nominated as his ZANU-PF party's candidate and intends to
run in an election he wants held in 2012. Under the power-sharing deal with
Tsvangirai, elections must be held by next year with a new constitution
drawn up ahead of the poll.

A referendum on the new constitution is expected to be held later this year.

In the interview, Mugabe mocked Tsvangirai and the MDC as impotent for
protesting his recent reappointment of security commanders accused by the
opposition of blocking democratic reforms.

"We don't pay attention to that because they are like barking dogs with no
bite, and every village has such dogs," he said in the local Shona language.

FARMING SECTOR FUNDS

There was no immediate comment from the MDC on Mugabe's interview in which
he also attacked Finance Minister Tendai Biti, a senior MDC figure, for
slowing Zimbabwe's economic recovery by starving the key farming sector of
funds.

"He makes some decisions and those decisions are not always of a nature that
is promotive economically," he said.

In the past Biti has denied accusations that the MDC is deliberately
withholding state loans to farmers from Mugabe's party who grabbed
properties from white-owned commercial farms under ZANU-PF's controversial
land redistribution programme.

Biti maintains that Zimbabwe's slow recovery from a decade of severe
economic recession caused by Mugabe's policies is largely due to delays by
ZANU-PF in adopting reforms.

These include privatising loss-making state firms across the economy and a
damaging drive to force foreign-owned firms to sell a majority shareholding
to local blacks.

Mugabe told the Sunday Mail ZANU-PF had chosen him to continue because none
of his potential successors in the party could win an election against the
opposition.

He said eventually he would groom a successor but was not doing so now to
avoid worsening divisions in ZANU-PF.

The interview made no mention of Mugabe's health despite regular local media
reports that the veteran leader is receiving regular treatment for prostate
cancer in the Far East.

Asked how he would like to be remembered, Mugabe said: "Just for what I am.
A man, a lover of my people and a fighter of the oppressors of my people."

Robert Mugabe birthday plans hit by lack of money

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/

 

 

Plans for a lavish 88th birthday party for Robert Mugabe, the Zimbabwe president, are in trouble as organisers say they cannot raise enough cash for more than a modest celebration.

Photo: EPA

By Peta Thornycroft in Johannesburg

3:32PM GMT 19 Feb 2012

Mr Mugabe's party will be at a shabby soccer field in Mutare, in eastern Zimbabwe, particularly hard hit by his destructive economic policies.

Zanu PF youth leader, Absolom Sikhosana, 63, is "begging" businessmen for money to fund the birthday lunch of chicken stew, maize meal porridge and a giant cake.

"Zanu PF is begging us for money but we haven't got any as every factory in Mutare is either closed or for sale," said a former industrialist.

"Maybe we will go to the party and try to get a free meal and watch the soccer afterwards." Anti Zanu PF groups say that the celebrations will be "lavish" but insiders predict the party will, as usual, be far more modest than advertised by Zanu PF's propaganda machinery with many "guests' going home unfed.

Ahead of his birthday Tuesday Mr Mugabe told the pro Zanu PF Sunday Mail that elections would be held this year as he was not a "coward." He said money would be found for the poll even though he signed off the 2012 budget which made no provision for elections. Mr Mugabe previously pledged elections would be held last year.

Mr Mugabe says he has no successor. "All the people support that I stand. There is no one who can stand and win (in Zanu PF) at the moment. You have got to groom a candidate but not yet that will cause much more divisions within the party."

After losing the last violent elections in 2008 Mr Mugabe signed up to an inclusive government with the Movement for Democratic Change to negotiate a new constitution ahead of fresh polls.

Zanu PF rejected the first draft last week because it would prevent Mr Mugabe standing for re election because he is too old.

 

Gold Panners Killed in Zanu PF Officials’ Mine

http://www.radiovop.com/

Gwanda, February 19, 2012 - Two gold panners working for former ZANU PF
Matabeleland South Chairman Rido Mpofu succumbed to carbon monoxide after
they blasted John 14 mine Saturday morning.

The mine which Mpofu grabbed at the height of the land reform programme is
disused and no longer safe to operate.

The two have been identified as Tichaona Dube while the other only
identified as Siziba is a young brother to Mpofu’s wife.`

Rescuers told Radio VOP that the panners were pulled 35 metres underground
already dead.

“One of the panners went down to blast the mine and while there he started
suffocating and the other then went down to try and rescue his partner but
the carbon monoxide was just too much and they could not make it to safety,”
said an official from the Fire Brigade.

Two years ago four of the six gold panners who were trapped at Anterior Mine
were rescued while two were declared dead after they were trapped
underground for a week; the mine belonged to yet another Zanu PF official,
Faison Siduli.

Zanu PF officials have ignored warnings from the ministry of mines to stop
mining in disused mines; the safety of miners has also come under scrutiny
amid reports that panners who died at Mpofu’s mine did not have protective
clothing.

Buletsi Nyathi of Youths in Mining Council of Zimbabwe lamented the tragic
loss of life.

“It’s sad that young people continue to perish in disused mines due to the
negligence and reluctance by mine owners to put in place proper safety
measures which could have saved lives,” said Nyathi.

Many youths have resorted to gold panning as Zimbabwe battles to create
jobs.

Hospitality industry on mend as tourists keep coming

http://www.timeslive.co.za

TAWANDA KAROMBO | 19 February, 2012 00:58

Zimbabwe's tourism sector, buoyed by a significant improvement in tourist
arrivals, is looking increasingly lucrative, with hotel operators giving
their properties a facelift and boosting services.

This follows a jump in occupancy levels recorded for the quarter to the end
of December. Local hotel operators have ditched their South African
operations, following moves to dispose of Meikles' Cape Grace Hotel and the
closure of African Sun's Lakes and Grace hotels in SA last year.

Both are now looking at boosting their operations at home and hope to
capitalise on the steady recovery in the economy and the improvement of the
tourism and hospitality industry.

Industry players told the Sunday Times this week that despite the recent
improvement in room occupancy, the country's hospitality sector still faced
an uncertain future, as the industry is prone to political disturbances,
especially if there are early elections this year.

Officials also warned overzealous youths who have been invading tourist
attractions that this "will send wrong signals to the international
community" and impact heavily on tourism.

"We have been doing well in the sector, with tourists making their way into
the country. The entry of Emirates has boosted things. But there is still a
lot of uncertainty because if you look at recent years, hotel operations and
tourism have always been disturbed by the political environment, especially
with elections expected this year," said one industry executive.

Meikles, which operates the Meikles hotels in Harare and Bulawayo, this week
reported firming occupancy rates at its hotels.

"The hotels had an encouraging last quarter of 2011," said Meikles in a
management report. It said hotel "occupancy levels improved markedly,
particularly at the Victoria Falls Hotel, where the occupancy was 57% for
the period to the end of December."

The Meikles Hotel in central Harare had 49% occupancy during the same period
while the company's revenue per available room surged by 43% and 10% for the
Victoria Falls Hotel and Meikles Hotel, respectively.

The report also noted the hotel arm was "trading profitably and will report
a profit" for the financial year to end of March.

Meikles and competitor African Sun are refurbishing their flagship hotels to
help attract more guests. Work on Meikles Hotel is scheduled to start early
next month and will be done over seven months. African Sun said it would
spend $10-million, introducing the Intercontinental Hotels Group brand in
Zimbabwe and refurbishing its Holiday Inn hotels.

Tourism Minister Walter Mzembi this week slammed youth groups for invading
hotels, holiday homes and conservancies. "Cabinet deliberated the issue of
alleged invasions. We resolved that those are acts of lawlessness."

Terror gang stalls $1,2m project

http://www.dailynews.co.zw/

By Gift Phiri, Senior Writer
Sunday, 19 February 2012 12:13

HARARE - Construction of a $1,2 million service station and food court in
Mbare has temporarily ground to halt after the project encountered fierce
resistance from the Mbare-based Chipangano members.

After a flurry of construction activity through to Monday last week, work
stalled shortly after the Zanu PF-affiliated Chipangano militia swooped on
the site being built by Mashwede Diesel, and viciously attacked workers
including the developer Alex Mashamhanda, 62, alleging he was an MDC
sympathiser.

Mashamhanda strenuously denies he is an MDC official, saying he was a
businessman who is not affiliated to any political party in Zimbabwe.

The site is gradually turning into a desolate site strewn with plastic bags
and other garbage. Construction equipment is gone.

A “Construction-Ahead” sign lies crumbled by the roadside, which is peeled
back in some places.

Anything stronger than a gentle breeze kicks up dust from the site onto
pedestrians and passing vehicles.

According to the owner and developer Mashamhanda, the primary reason for the
work stoppage is due to a delay in securing necessary security guarantees
from the authorities.

“We could not continue risking the life of workers,” Mashamhanda told the
Daily News on Sunday.

At least 100 workers, mainly from Mbare, were engaged by Mashwede Diesel for
the project, which will see a filling station and a food court constructed
just next to Matapi Police Station.

“We are engaging relevant authorities to see whether we can work in peace.
We have applied for a protection order from the High Court so that we can
commence,” the businessman said.

The Daily News on Sunday understands High Court judge, Justice Samuel Kudya
on Friday night delivered judgment in favour of Mashamhanda’s application
for a protection order against Zanu PF Politburo member Tendai Savanhu, Zanu
PF Harare province youth chairman Jim Kunaka and Alfonse Gobvu, who
Mashamhanda alleges are hell-bent on derailing his project.

Hardly a day after Justice Kudya’s ruling, Mashamhanda’s Mashwede Towers in
Graniteside industrial site was raided around 5am yesterday.

The dawn raid was led by the head of the Harare Central Police Station Law
and Order Division, Chief Supt.

Chris Makedenge and an anti-riot police team that included a team of
detectives.

A source who witnessed the raid said the officers arrived around 5am in two
trucks, an Isuzu double cab and a Land Rover while Chief Supt. Makedenge was
in a white Ford Ranger.

They said they were looking for weapons, according to sources who witnessed
the dawn raid.

Mashamhanda yesterday confirmed police had raided his offices just next to
Arcadia but declined to comment further.

“They had a search warrant addressed to me,” he said. “It said they were
searching for weapons but they didn’t find anything.”

Mashamhanda has said it would be sad if the project was to be stalled due to
thuggery.

He said the community stands to benefit immensely from the service station
and food court, which is set to employ some of the unemployed youths in the
populous ghetto.

EU Studying NGOs Information

http://www.radiovop.com

Harare, February 19, 2012 -The European Union says Non Governmental
Organisations which ZANU(PF) in Masvingo said want to ban their operations
have not registered because they since stopped operating adding that the
western bloc is studying information of registered and unregistered NGOs
before reacting to ZANU(PF) position to ban their operations in the country.

“From the information which we have received some of the NGOs which have
been banned are no longer working in that province that’s why they did not
register and those which are registered can continue working,” EU Ambassador
to Zimbabwe Aldo Dell'Ariccia told Radio VOP in Harare at the weekend.

On Tuesday Masvingo governor Titus Maluleke threatened to ban 29 NGOs
operating in the province saying they were operating illegally.

He accused the NGOs of ignoring his calls to register with his office,
insisting that his office was the authority that grants permission to the
voluntary organisations to start operating in the area.

Maluleke said the ban was with immediate effect.The EU ambassador said they
are however studying information of all the NGOs operating in the country to
see which ones have registered and which ones have not before responding
ZANU (PF)’s threats.

“We are however waiting for full information regarding this issue. There is
a certain legislation that has been put in place which requires NGOs to
register for them to work in a certain area and those which have done so
have no difficulties in working in provinces as far as I know. Some of NGO
have not registered and the legislation has been applied and they have been
said to not have complied. We are still looking for additional elements in
order to assess the real situation on the ground,” he added.

National Association of Non Governmental Organisations (NANGO) Thursday met
after Maluleke’s statement and said the Masvingo governors’ threats were
illegal.

On it  December 2011 conference, Zanu PF declared war on local NGOs which it
said were abetting a western sponsored regime change agenda through
campaigning for MDC-T under the guise of giving humanitarian assistance.

Plan International Response to Radio VOP published Article

http://www.radiovop.com

Reference is made to a story published on your Radio VOP online edition of
15 February 2012 entitled “Thousands face starvation as Masvingo Governor
bans NGOs” written by your Roy Chikara.

Plan International wishes to clarify and correct inaccuracies contained in
that story for the benefit of the reading public, as follows:

1.       The story mentions Plan International as one of the NGOs banned
from operating in Masvingo Province – this is not true as Plan International
was not banned in Masvingo. Plan International is duly registered in
Zimbabwe under the Private Voluntary Organizations (PVO) Act and its mandate
in the country is to facilitate programs that: "enable deprived children,
their families and communities to meet their basic rights and to increase
their ability to participate in and benefit from their societies".
2.       Given our mandate and promise to the children and communities we
work with, Plan International’s operations are guided by regulations issued
by relevant authorities in order to facilitate the implementation of
programs that enable children to enjoy their rights and realise their full
potential.
3.       We wish to categorically state that Plan International’s operations
in Chiredzi District of Masvingo Province have not been stopped or banned.We
urge you to urgently correct the error.

Else Kragholm Plan Zimbabwe Country DirectorFebruary 2012

Land developer slams council for corruption

http://www.dailynews.co.zw

By Bridget Mananavire, Staff Writer
Sunday, 19 February 2012 12:16

HARARE - A Harare City Council top official has been fingered in a land scam
by a property developer who claims he missed on land because he did not
grease his palms.

Leonard Nyamutsamba, a land developer and property owner made the startling
claims against the HCC official referred to as Fransisco after one of his
stands was repossessed.

Nyamutsamba did not get the land he deserved because he had not offered a
bribe to Fransisco who was responsible for allocating stand 18 675 Salisbury
Township, along Samora Machel.

Fransisco told the Daily News on Sunday that he could not comment on the
issue although he said Nyamutsamba was free to report him to the police.

“You can get a comment from the city treasurer, my boss. We did our internal
investigations which made us reach that decision,” he said.

In a letter addressed to the city treasurer, Nyamutsamba claims that he had
been given two stands (stand 18 675 and 18 674) by council but was only
allowed to develop stand 18 674 for no apparent reason.

In his communications to council, Nyamutsamba claims that one of his stands
was repossessed and given to one Danny Meyer who was councillor then.

According to council regulations, the designated authority has the power to
repossess land if the allocated person fails to develop it after a
stipulated time.

However, Nyamutsamba claims that council instead gave the land to car
dealers without following laid down procedures.

“City council was supposed to give the stand to the next developer, who was
me, but it never did that and gave it to car sales, which the stand was not
meant for.” Nyamutsamba charged.

In one of the communications by council, a copy which is in the hands of the
Daily News on Sunday, it states that council had planned to use the land in
question for building a medical facility, which is the same land that was
given to car sales.

“I know so many other places which are running, but which the council cannot
account for because there were handed out in corrupt ways. And the money is
not going to the council coffers but to certain officials who would have
given out the land,” alleged Nyamutsamba.

Harare City Council wrote back to Nyamutsamba telling him that the same
stand he wanted to develop into an office park was meant for a medical
centre and so they could not give it to him.

Harare Residents Trust (HRT) said they are doing investigations to expose
all corrupt officials who are taking part in the corrupt allocation of
stands.

“In Shortston, land that had been reserved for schools and a clinic have
been allocated as residential stands and HRT is looking to make those
responsible answerable for such reckless and irresponsible decisions which
undermine community development for personal benefit,” said HRT
communications officer Tariro Manhendere.

ZCTF Report - February 2012

   

Mugabe’s birthday gifts – Zimbabwe Vigil Diary: 18th February 2012