The Zimbabwe Situation

http://online.wsj.com

FEBRUARY 28, 2012, 12:43 P.M. ET

By PETER WONACOTT

HARARE, Zimbabwe—The country's fraught "unity" government will survive
another year, Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai said Tuesday, despite his
rival's calls for early elections that have unnerved investors and African
neighbors worried about a repeat of a violent 2008 vote.

"I think the coalition will hold," he said in an interview. "Across the
political divide, does anyone want to go back to 2008? The answer is an
emphatic 'no.'"

In the wake of the disputed 2008 elections, South African mediators
persuaded Mr. Tsvangirai to form a governing coalition with President Robert
Mugabe, who has run Zimbabwe since its independence in 1980. Mr. Mugabe said
at his 88th birthday last Saturday that he wants elections this year to
escape that problematic partnership.

Mr. Tsvangirai, the 59-year old former trade unionist who built his
political career on calls for Mr. Mugabe to step down, wants first a new
constitution in place that includes presidential term limits. He says the
two leaders must agree on an election date, and dismisses the prospect of a
vote before Zimbabwe's parliament's term expires in March next year.

The clash over when to end one of the world's oddest political pairings has
played out in public, heightening investor uncertainty in the mineral-rich
country.

The tenor of election discussions differ sharply in private meetings between
the two leaders, according to Mr. Tsvangirai. Both men, he said, want to
ensure preparations are in place for a peaceful vote that supports
Zimbabwe's economic recovery.

"I don't think he's really driving for elections," Zimbabwe's prime minister
said of Mr. Mugabe. "There's no rhetoric, no banging of tables. It's a
conversation between two people who have worked three years together for the
good of their country."

At his birthday celebration Saturday, Mr. Mugabe also signaled a shift in
political tone. He told supporters to stop thinking of political opponents
as enemies, and to refrain from physical assaults on them come election
time.

Zimbabawe's economy has staged a steady recovery since the 2008 vote, when
political violence and hyperinflation spurred an outflow of people and
capital from the country. Last year, the economy expanded 9.3% and the
government expects around a 9.4% clip this year. But the government is still
struggling to reduce 90% unemployment and persuade reluctant investors
Zimbabwe is a safe bet for their money.

The coalition government is locked in an acrimonious debate over how to
address these issues. Mr. Mugabe's Zanu-PF party wants an indigenization
policy applied to platinum and diamond miners—as well as other big foreign
investors—that compel them to hand over majority control to black
Zimbabweans. Mr. Tsvangirai's Movement for Democratic Change seeks an
empowerment policy that puts money into education and job programs, but
doesn't necessarily have an ownership target that would scare away
investors.

"It's an area of discord," admits Zimbabwe's prime minister. "There's no
consensus on this."

Write to Peter Wonacott at peter.wonacott@wsj.com

PM, Mugabe discuss polls

http://www.dailynews.co.zw

By Thelma Chikwanha, Community Affairs Editor
Tuesday, 28 February 2012 11:52

HARARE - President Robert Mugabe and his arch rival Prime Minister Morgan
Tsvangirai who are keen on ending their marriage of convenience are slowly
moving towards clearing hurdles that might lead to elections.

Mugabe insists elections should be held this year but Tsvangirai and Sadc,
the guarantors to the Global Political Agreement (GPA) that brought about
the coalition government, are adamant that there can be no elections without
reforms.

The two leaders met in Harare yesterday where they discussed the
constitutional process, which is one of the main hurdles left to be cleared
before elections are held.

The principals who have issued conflicting statements on when elections will
be held will not be able to determine when the poll will take place in the
absence of a report from the Constitutional Parliamentary Committee (Copac)
management committee.

According to sources, the report from the management committee of the
parliamentary select committee tasked with coming up with a new constitution
will give details on when the all stakeholders convention will take place.

Tsvangirai’s spokesperson Luke Tamborinyoka confirmed that the Prime
Minister and Mugabe met and discussed the constitutional process among other
issues.

“The Prime Minister insists that elections are process driven and like he
said on Friday, if there is anyone preventing elections from taking place,
it is Zanu PF ministers because of their failure to implement key reforms
that are in Zanu PF run ministries.”

Tamborinyoka added: “There has been arrogance from some in those ministries
but the principals reiterated their position.”

The first all stakeholders convention was held in July 2009 where the Kariba
draft penned by the three political parties in government was out-rightly
rejected by the people.

But the 88 year old Mugabe says elections will take place this year with or
without a new constitution, a condition which is at variance with the
guarantors of the GPA, Sadc and the African Union (AU) who have so far
insisted that elections should only be held when the political pact has been
implemented in full.

Besides the constitutional process, the leaders also reportedly discussed
media and security sector reforms among other necessary reforms that Sadc
and the AU say must be implemented before fresh elections can be held.

In his speech during his 88th birthday celebrations in Mutare on Saturday,
Mugabe told guests who thronged Sakubva Stadium that elections would
definitely be held this year.

Tsvangirai on the other hand says the envisaged fresh elections will only be
held when all necessary reforms were made.

Mugabe who has already served six terms and is arguably the oldest
president on the continent said: “I am still strong, there is no going back,
kudududza hatikuzive kana une chinangwa haudududze(I do not know how to
retreat, when you have a purpose you pursue it),” Mugabe said.

The leader who has not been enjoying good relations with his African
brothers in the AU whom he called naive and politically weak because of
their failure to live up to the principles of the founding fathers of the
Organisation of African Unity said the MDC did not want elections because
they were afraid of losing.

Mugabe who has suffered betrayal by members of his inner cabal who are no
longer confident with his leadership said that the delays in the
constitution making process were caused by the MDC.

He also accused the party which polled more votes than his in the last
election of trying to use a constitutional clause that might bloc him from
standing in the next election because they were afraid of losing to him.

“A person is disqualified for election as President if he or she has already
held office for one or more periods, whether continuous or not, amounting to
10 years.”

Last week, Tsvangirai told journalists that Zanu PF was delaying the process
that will lead to elections.

During their meeting last week, the issue of security sector reforms came
under review after Mugabe unilaterally re-appointed Augustine Chihuri as
police commissioner general.

The MDC said the move was unconstitutional and said they would not recognise
him as the country’s top cop.
According to Section 20 of the Zimbabwean Constitution, any executive
appointment should be made in consultation with the Prime Minister.

But Mugabe insists the power to make executive appointments is vested in him
alone.

Zim parties must honour pact: SA

http://www.zimonline.co.za

by James Mombe Tuesday 28 February 2012

JOHANNESBURG –Zimbabwe’s three ruling parties must honour an agreement to
write a new constitution before holding elections to choose a new government
to replace their coalition administration, South Africa has said.

In a thinly veiled warning to President Robert Mugabe that Pretoria and the
Southern African Development Community (SADC) would not tolerate him calling
elections before adoption of a new constitution, South African International
Relations Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane said the SADC expected the
Zimbabwean parties to fully implement the agreement known as the global
political agreement (GPA).

SADC remains the guarantor of the present political agreement. In the GPA
they have undertaken that they will draft a new constitution,”
Nkoana-Mashabane said Monday. “The constitution will be taken to a process
that will lead to a referendum and the adoption of a constitution and that
will be immediately followed by elections.”

Nkoana-Mashabane spoke after Mugabe last week told state media that Zimbabwe
will go to polls this year with or without a new constitution in place,
while he also accused Tsvangirai’s MDC of delaying constitutional reforms
and of seeking to use the proposed new governance charter to oust him from
power.

Under the GPA Zimbabwe must first adopt a new constitution to underpin
democracy and implement a raft of electoral and security law reforms to
level the political field before holding new polls.

But the constitutional reform process is terribly behind schedule, slowed
down by a shortage of funds and incessant squabbling among the political
parties over what to include in the charter.

Barring further delays a referendum on the new constitution should be held
later this year and if approved by Zimbabweans the proposed charter will be
taken to Parliament for endorsement before Mugabe signs it into law. But
this would mean elections can only take place sometime in 2013 and not this
year as demanded by Mugabe.

Zimbabweans hope a new constitution will guarantee human rights, strengthen
the role of Parliament and curtail the president's powers, as well as
guaranteeing civil, political and media freedoms. -- ZimOnline

Posa high on parly agenda

http://www.dailynews.co.zw

By Gift Phiri, Senior Writer
Tuesday, 28 February 2012 13:50

HARARE - Legislators head back to Parliament to continue the Fourth Session
of the 7th Parliament after the Christmas break, with the restoration on the
order paper of the Public Order and Security (Posa) Amendment Bill high on
the agenda.

Both houses of Parliament, the House of Assembly and the Senate, will resume
sitting today.

But it is the continuing fight between President Robert Mugabe’s Zanu PF and
the two MDC’s in the hung Parliament to amend the draconian Posa that is
expected to take centre stage in the lower house at a time of deep
uncertainty over Zimbabwe’s direction.

The Posa Amendment Bill, moved by MDC chief whip Innocent Gonese as a
Private Members Bill, is a centrepiece of key reforms envisaged under the
2008 Global Political Agreement (GPA) that created the framework for the
current GNU — and aims to amend one of the most repressive laws on
Zimbabwe's statute books.

Posa proscribes several political activities, punishes being present at a
gathering where words critical of the government are used, makes criticising
the president a criminal offence, or publishing any information likely to
“excite people or express dissatisfaction with the president, the government
or the police” an offence.

The proposed amendments to Posa were referred back to the lower house after
Zanu PF senators blocked them, referring to Justice and Legal Affairs
minister Patrick Chinamasa’s contention that the Bill should not be further
debated because Posa is being considered by the GPA party principals.

Chinamasa was not immediately available for comment.

But the MDC chief whip admitted yesterday that the amendments were facing
fierce resistance especially in the Zanu PF-controlled Senate but insisted
he was moving to revive his Private Member’s Bill.

“There were brick walls we met in the Senate, so at the moment we have
shelved it because we would want to engage the negotiators,” Gonese said.

“We want to negotiate for the restoration of the Posa Amendment Bill on the
order paper. We would want to see its revival but becauseof the numbers, as
you know we don’t have the numbers in the Senate; we need that consensus.”

“Otherwise we would like to negotiate. We want the negotiators to be taken
on board,” he said.

It is not clear if the talks will take place in Parliament or at the
negotiators’ forum.

Both the Senate and House of Assembly adjourned in mid-December last year.

However, Senate thematic committees and House of Assembly portfolio
committees have been sitting since mid-January.

On today’s Senate order paper is a motion by MDC Senator Morgan Komichi on
partisan reportage by the State media and a motion on the African
Parliamentary Speakers Conference held in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea from
November 29 to December 3.

There are two questions for reply by the minister of Constitutional and
Parliamentary Affairs Eric Matinenga on why senators were not getting
Constituency Development Funds and why there were only deputy whips in the
Senate when the lower House of Assembly has chief whips.

The National Incomes and Pricing Commission Amendment Bill was the only Bill
that was ready to be tabled for debate after the legal committee passed a
non-adverse report on the proposed Bill.

The third session’s legislative agenda outlined 24 Bills, but of these, only
seven were introduced.

Leader of government business in Parliament, Prime Minister Morgan
Tsvangirai has expressed grave concern about the “very slow progress in
bringing Bills to Parliament” and said “significant improvement is needed in
this area.”

“There is no seriousness by the various Cabinet ministers to bring forward
the bills before Parliament and this is an issue that I have raised with the
President,” Tsvangirai said in his end-of-year address to Parliament.

“What is only commendable is that of those seven Bills, key Bills were
brought before Parliament and these include the Electoral Amendment Bill and
the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission (ZHRC) Bill. However, these Bills need
to be finalised before the first quarter of 2012 to enable these
Constitutional Commissions to become operational.”

However, the Bills for the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission and the ZHRC have
not yet been finalised in Parliament and this has severely affected the
ability of the rights commission in particular to
operate.

Important Bills which were supposed to be brought before the third session
include the Media Practitioners’ Bill, the Mines and Minerals Amendment Bill
and the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Amendment Bill.

Tsvangirai said no explanation has been given for why these important Bills
have been dropped off the legislative agenda.

Even though the legislative agenda for the fourth session was enunciated in
September 2011, Tsvangirai says the principles of four key Bills: the
Referendums Amendment Bill, the Diamond Bill, the State Enterprises
Restructuring Agency Bill and the Zimbabwe Investment Authority Bill have
not yet even been introduced before Cabinet.

Zim Needs New Government To End Crisis

http://www.radiovop.com

Harare, February 28, 2012 - The Zimbabwean crisis needs an election that
ushers in a legitimate government chosen by the people, according to a
report by the Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN).

"Elections are meant to provide citizens with real and genuine opportunities
to make choices. Let the citizens speak through the ballot," noted the
report entitled: Zimbabwe Election Support Network consolidated Ballot
update 2011 an analysis of 2011: Respect for human rights and implications
for free and fair elections.

It noted that differences in political ideologies as well as lack of
political will to reform remain evident, characterised by increased
polarisation, hate language, simmering violence and tensions in Zimbabwe's
Inclusive government.

"The need for political reform remains alive and critical in Zimbabwe as we
prepare for the referendum and the general election."

The report was compiled after 210 observers had been deployed in the country
throughout 2011 to monitor Zimbabwe's political situation.

The report among others noted that Zimbabweans were coerced to attend Zanu
(PF) gatherings against the spirit of the Global Political Agreement (GPA).

"Thirty-three percent of reports revealed that people were forced to attend
Zanu (PF) meetings. This undermines the notion of voluntary participation in
political party activities," stated the report.

Zanu (PF) was able to conduct meetings to the exclusion of other parties
because it was not subjected to the rigorous requirements to convene
meetings as was required for the two Movement for Democratic Change (MDC)
formations and civic organisations. In addition, about 27 percent of people
were forced to buy Zanu (PF) membership cards.

The report also showed that over 60 percent of Zimbabweans were not free to
express themselves even through wearing partly regalia unless if the regalia
belonged to Zanu (PF). Violence was a real threat in most parts of the
country.

"In 30 per cent of cases, observers reported political harassment to
citizens such as threats of violence, forced attendances to political
meetings and denial of the right to read newspapers of their choice," read
the report.

The report stated that the existence of different forms of violence can be
explained by the activities of various groups such as the Mbare based
Chipangano militant group backing Zanu (PF) in Harare and the presence of
war veteran leader Jabulani Sibanda in some provinces such as Masvingo in
2011. In areas such as Mashonaland West and Mashonaland Central, the
presence of political “bases” which were later dismantled accounted for the
presence of violence. While the report noted that in some cases the
existence of the bases was denied, they were a cause for concern because
they served as places of torture and where gross acts of human rights
violations were perpetrated.

The observers noted in the report that there was no political will to come
up with a new constitution given the false starts to the process and the
many disturbances that followed the process. Political party preferences
also affected smooth progress of the constitution making process.

In the area of national healing only four percent of apologies had been
made."Observers’ reports reveal that 96 per cent of the victims have not
received any compensation for losses suffered due to human rights
violations."The Organ on Reconciliation and National Healing has been viewed
as ineffective.

Beitbridge prosecutors ‘too scared’ to handle MDC arrests

http://www.swradioafrica.com

By Tichaona Sibanda
28 February 2012

State prosecutors in Beitbridge on Monday refused to handle a case involving
MDC-T officials, who were arrested over the weekend for attending a party
workshop.

The prosecutors said the case was ‘too sensitive’ to handle, but our
correspondent in Bulawayo told us they feared the powerful co-Home Affairs
Minister and local MP Kembo Mohadi.

Lionel Saungweme said as the case involved MDC-T activists arrested in
Mohadi’s constituency, expectations were that they should be tried and found
guilty at all costs. Anything less than that is usually met with serious
repercussions from Mohadi.

‘They have been put in a very difficult situation by Mohadi. Prosecutors
know very well they can never secure convictions or a custodial sentence in
cases like these, so its better for them not to handle the cases,’ Saungweme
said.

He added that the powerful ZANU PF politburo member wields so much power in
Beitbridge that most government employees at the border town are wary of
crossing his path as they fear losing their jobs at the whim of the
minister.

This was amply demonstrated on Monday when all the state prosecutors in town
refused to handle the bail hearing of 13 officials from the MDC-T. The group
was part of 35 people arrested on Saturday for attending a district party
workshop in Beitbridge East. Twenty-two were released from police custody on
Sunday.

The rest, described as the top leadership and ‘brains’ behind the MDC-T in
the area, were taken to court on Monday.

‘When it was clear no one was willing to deal with the case, the state
brought in a police officer identified as T.B. Moyo to help with the
prosecution. In his submission, Moyo urged the court to deny the activists
bail, saying if released the group would influence other residents of
Beitbridge.

‘Another absurd reason he gave was that enemies of the activists will beat
them if they are released, at which juncture the magistrate said it was the
duty of the police to keep peace in the border town,’ Saungweme said.

The magistrate went on to grant the 13 activists $50 bail each but the state
invoked section 121 of the Criminal Procedure and Evidence Act. This is a
counter measure which prosecutors invoke to defeat the bail order and retain
accused persons in custody for a further 7 days, allegedly to allow the
state time to file an appeal against the bail ruling.

This draconian piece of legislation has always been arbitrarily invoked
against members of the MDC formations and human rights defenders.

In January Mohadi himself was dragged to court by a war vet, over a property
ownership feud. War vet Given Mbedzi, claimed to have been threatened with
unspecified action after he and his brother refused to leave a property they
allege had been allocated to them in 2003.

The ex-combatant claimed that Mohadi’s son went berserk and assaulted his
mother and deflated the tyres of a hired car that the war vet was using. The
case was reported to the police and when it went to court public prosecutor
Blessing Gundani referred it to the Gwanda Provincial magistrate, for
unspecified reasons.

Saungweme believes Mohadi, who has his thumb on every facet of business in
Beitbridge, is an extremely intimidating figure who uses his past connection
with the CIO to intimidate and silence his business and political opponents.

State Blocks Release of Arrested 13 MDC T Officials

http://www.radiovop.com

By Vusisizwe Mkhwananzi Beit Bridge, February 28, 2012 – The state has once
again invoked the controversial section 121 of the Criminal Procedure and
Evidence Act (CPEA) to deny bail to 13 officials belonging to the Morgan
Tsvangirai led Movement for Democratic Change (MDC- T) arrested on Saturday
on allegations of contravening the Public Order and Security Act (POSA).

The group includes Farai Chinova, Islam Magosi, and Kimberly Bhebhe were
arrested alongside 10 of the party’s Beit Bridge District Coordinating
Committee members including two Councillors for holding a public gathering
without police authorisation.

Magistrate Auxillia Chiumburu had granted $50 bail each and ordered the
accused to reside at their given addresses but state counsel immediately
invoked Section 121 which allows the state seven days in which to oppose
bail with the High Court while accused persons remain in custody.

In opposing bail the state argued that the offence the accused had allegedly
committed was politically motivated and the accused risked being attacked by
Zanu (PF) supporters if released on bail.

Under POSA, any political gathering that is to be held publicly should be
sanctioned by the police.

Through their lawyer Patrick Tererai of Masawi and Partners the group denies
the charge saying they did not hold a public gathering or rally, the matter
was remanded to the 12th of March.

Ironically Clarence Madhuku, Godfrey Koster, Sally Mlambo and Limukani Nyoni
arrested Saturday in Gwanda on similar charges were released without being
charged Monday afternoon having spent two days in police cells.

High court judge Justice Nicholas Mathonsi last month reprimanded the
Attorney General’s office (AG) for its continued invocation of Section 121
in a ruling where the AG opposed bail to Media Monitoring Project of
Zimbabwe (MMPZ) advocacy officers.

Justice Nicholas Mathonsi said unjustified invocation of Section 121 brought
the administration of justice into disrepute.

“The abuse of Section 121 to keep persons in custody who have been granted
bail has tendered to bring the administration of justice into disrepute,”
read the judgement.

ZANU PF MP arrested for diverting community funds

http://www.swradioafrica.com

By Lance Guma

28 February 2012

The ZANU PF MP for Magunje was on Monday arrested on allegations of abusing
the Constituency Development Fund (CDF). Franco Ndambakuwa failed to account
for US$39,000 from the US$50,000 meant to develop his constituency.

Ndambakuwa becomes the second MP to be arrested after Marvelous Khumalo, the
MDC-T MP for St Mary’s, was arrested last week for abusing the same fund.
Khumalo bought himself a lorry and pocketed part of the money. He claimed to
have used part of the funds to sink a borehole in his constituency, but in
fact it had been done by an NGO.

Meanwhile it’s reported that Ndambakuwa was detained at Rhodesville Police
Station in Harare and was expected to have appeared in court on Tuesday.
Other MP’s likely to be arrested include Cleopas Machacha (MDC-T, Kariba)
and Peter Chanetsa (ZANU PF, Hurungwe North).

Although Constitutional and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Eric Matinenga
initially said 10 MPs (6 from ZANU PF and 4 from the MDC-T) had failed to
submit returns proving how they had used the US$50,000, it appears several
have since provided evidence of how they used the money for developmental
projects.

Some of the MP’s initially reported as having failed to submit their
returns, include Ministers like Sekai Holland (National Healing), Lucia
Matibenga (Public Service) and Douglas Mombeshora (Deputy Minister of
Health). It appears most have submitted their returns.

According to Matinenga some 65 audits have been done and the problem
constituencies remain St Mary’s, Hurungwe North, Magunje and Kariba. Two of
those 4 MP’s (Khumalo and Ndambakuwa) have already been arrested.

Meanwhile Ndambakuwa is not new to controversy. Last year he was arrested on
allegations of raping a 15-year-old girl, with claims that 10 more rape
charges were hanging over his head. The previous year he was accused of
impregnating a 17 year old girl, who later committed suicide under unclear
circumstances.

Clerics pile pressure on Mugabe over reforms ahead of poll

http://www.nation.co.ke

By KITSEPILE NYATHI NATION Correspondent
Posted Tuesday, February 28 2012 at 22:09

HARARE, Tuesday

Zimbabwe’s church leaders have launched an offensive to force President
Robert Mugabe to implement key reforms ahead of elections he wants held this
year.

The clerics, under the auspices of the Zimbabwe Heads of Christian
Denominations, have prepared a report detailing stumbling blocks to free and
fair elections, which they are presenting to Southern African Development
Community (Sadc) ministers of justice.

The document is titled The role of the church in nation building in
Zimbabwe. It identifies media, security and electoral reforms as a must if
the country is to hold a credible poll.

They have already met Mozambican Justice minister Maria Benvida Delfina Levi
and plan to meet other ministers in the next few weeks.

The church leaders said they expected Zimbabwe to delay fresh polls until a
constitution making process was concluded.

People-driven constitution

“Our own desire is that there should be a people-driven constitution,” reads
part of the document quoted by the state-owned Herald newspaper on Tuesday.

“After the adoption of the new constitution, we expect political,
legislative, electoral, media and security reforms to take place before
holding free and fair elections.

“Zimbabwe needs a new voters’ roll. We believe Sadc needs to explore a more
appropriate model of monitoring elections.”

The clergymen are also urging Sadc to push for its presence in Zimbabwe six
months ahead of any election.

“During the pre-election period Sadc would have to open satellite offices in
provinces and districts.”

Anglican Church Clarifies 'Confusion'

http://www.radiovop.com

Harare, February 28, 2012 - The Diocese of Harare (CPCA) led by Bishop Chad
Nicholas Gandiya has written to its church members pleading with them not to
be confused by the rival Anglican Church being run by Nolbert Kunonga.

"There is still a lot of confusion regarding the Diocese of Harare (CPCA)
and the ‘Anglican Church in Zimbabwe’ also referred to as Province of
Zimbabwe. We want to clarify this position to all our parishes and the
members of the public so that our members can continue to congregate and
worship God freely as members of the Diocese of Harare (CPCA) which is
different, independent and has no communion with Dr. Kunonga’s ‘Anglican
Church in Zimbabwe’," noted a statement released by Gandiya this week.

"The Diocese of Harare, Church of the Province of Central Africa (CPCA) is
part of the worldwide Anglican Communion with over 70 million members. It is
not a part of the ‘Anglican Church in Zimbabwe’ or Province of Zimbabwe
which was formed and headed by Dr Nolbert Kunonga."

Gandiya noted that the dispute that remained between Dr. Kunonga and his
Anglican Church in Zimbabwe and the Diocese of Harare CPCA centred on the
properties that Kunonga took with him when he withdrew and was subsequently
excommunicated from the Church of the Province of Central Africa and
therefore the Worldwide Anglican Communion in 2007.

"This matter is still before the courts and we wait for the final resolution
of the matter by the courts of law in Zimbabwe."

On the issue of homosexuality, Gandiya said his church was opposed to the
practise, noting Canon 22.5 states that: “The Church of this Province
believes that marriage, by divine institution, is a lifelong and exclusive
union and partnership between one man and one woman”. It does not encourage
or approve same-sex unions or relationships.

Kunonga used the issue of homosexuality as an excuse to break away from the
Gandiya led Anglican Church which he accuses of supporting homosexuality.
Gandiya said in the statement that Kunonga's allegations over the issue of
homosexuality were meant to confuse members of his church. Gandiya said his
church had the freedom to worship anywhere including under trees without
fear of any harassment. On several occasions, the Gandiya led Anglican
Church members have been subjected to harassment from police who have
blocked them to worship.

Ship Accidents Sever Data Cables Off East Africa

http://online.wsj.com/

FEBRUARY 28, 2012

By SOLOMON MOORE

NAIROBI—Undersea data cables linking East Africa to the Middle East and
Europe were severed in two separate shipping accidents this month, causing
telecommunications outages in at least nine countries and affecting millions
of Internet and phone users, telecom executives and government officials
said.

A ship dragging its anchor off the coast of the Kenyan port city of Mombasa
severed a crucial Internet and phone link for the region Saturday, crippling
electronic communications from Zimbabwe to Djibouti, according to a
public-private consortium that owns the undersea cable.

The Indian Ocean fiber-optic cable, known as The East African Marine
Systems, or Teams, is owned by a group of telecom companies and the Kenyan
government. It was the fourth cable to be severed in the region since Feb.
17.

The Teams cable had been rerouting data from three other cables severed 10
days ago in the Red Sea between Djibouti and the Middle East. Together, the
four fiber-optic cables channel thousands of gigabytes of information per
second and form the backbone of East Africa's telecom infrastructure.

Telecom companies were reeling over the weekend as engineers attempted to
reroute data south along the East African coast and around the Cape of Good
Hope.

"It's a very unusual situation," said Chris Wood, chief executive of West
Indian Ocean Cable Co., the largest shareholder of the Eastern Africa
Submarine Cable System, or Eassy, and a major owner of data-capacity rights
on the two other Red Sea cables. "I believe these were accidental incidents,
although more will be known when we bring the cables up from the sea bed."

Mr. Wood said the Eassy cable, the Europe India Gateway (EIG) and the South
East Asia Middle East Western Europe-3 (SMW-3) cables were all severed at
the same time about 650 feet below the Red Sea. The cables were all severed
far out to sea, but Mr. Wood said that a passing ship could have caused the
damage because the Red Sea is unusually shallow.

He said cable ships would repair the Red Sea cables within about three
weeks.

Joel Tanui, general manager of Teams, said plans also were under way to fix
the Mombasa cable.

"We wish to notify all our stakeholders of ongoing emergency repair works
and apologize unreservedly for any inconvenience this may cause," Mr. Tanui
said. "The cable should be fully operational within the next three weeks."

The repair operation will use remote-controlled submarines to survey the
damage and lift the cables to the ocean surface. Engineers will then splice
the cables and repair them in sanitized rooms aboard cable ships.

Each submarine fiber-optic cable is typically composed of about four
strands, each one the diameter of a human hair and sheathed in a thick steel
armor. The strands are capable of carrying millions of phone calls and data
connections at once.

The first submarine fiber-optic cables were activated in East Africa in 2009
and since then Internet speeds and cellular coverage have increased
dramatically alongside an explosion in e-commerce. Telecom firms like
Safaricom and Africa Online are now among the most prominent companies in
sub-Saharan Africa.

Detained farmer released after third weekend in custody

http://www.swradioafrica.com/

By Alex Bell
28 February 2012

A former Lowveld farmer who was arrested in connection with his attempts to
keep hold of his retirement home was finally released on Monday, after
spending his third weekend in jail.

74 year old Peter Hingeston was arrested almost three weeks ago after
failing to appear in court as part of the four year battle he has fought to
secure the rights to his Vumba home.

Hingeston was forced off his Lowveld sugar cane farm in the mid 2000s and
‘retired’ to a house and plot of land in the Vumba Mountains. But it’s
understood that a top Mutare police commissioner wants the property for
himself and, in an attempt to get rid of Hingeston, has charged the farmer
for refusing to vacate ‘State’ land.

Hingeston’s missed court appointment earlier this month was on medical
grounds, and he was arrested that same day for ‘contempt’. He was held
behind bars until Monday afternoon, with repeated delays stopping his bail
hearing.

On Monday his hearing was finally heard and he was released on US$50 bail.
His case for allegedly occupying ‘State’ land illegally will continue next
month.

CIO officers in court over extortion and kidnapping of ZIFA boss

http://www.thezimbabwemail.com

Staff Reporter 27 minutes ago

HARARE - Two officers in President Mugabe's notorious State spy agency,
Central Intelligence Organization (CIO), Richard Mubaiwa and his accomplice,
John Chari have appeared before the court on allegations of extortion and
kidnapping of ZIFA Chief Executive Officer Jonathan Mashangaidze.

The two who work in President Mugabe's close security allegedly connived
with four others who are still at large to extort US$2 000 from the ZIFA
boss.

It is the state’s case that the accused approached Mashingaidze and alleged
that he was due to be arrested for his involvement in the Asiagate scandal.

They then asked him to pay US$10 000 as protection fee.

Chari was however arrested upon receipt of US$2 000.

Meanwhile, Mubaiwa and Chari have applied for bail, saying the facts
available do not constitute an offence.

The Asiagate footballing crisis involving Zimbabwean football took a new
twist this week following allegations that the chief executive officer of
the country’s Football Association had been kidnapped.

NewsDay reports that Jonathan Mashingaidze was taken hostage just outside
Harare on February 21 and told he was on a hit-list of people involved in
investigating the alleged match-fixing, which involved matched between 2007
and 2009.

One of the suspects was due to appear in court today on charges of
kidnapping and extortion; the latter being in relation the kidnapper asking
for money for the alleged hit-list.

Mashingaidze was allegedly also questioned on why he would arrange a meeting
between FIFA president Sepp Blatter and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai in
July last year, with the kidnapper reportedly saying “anybody who associates
with the opposition is not fit to hold such a big office in Zimbabwean
football”.

This is a latest in a serious of setbacks for fgootball in the country, with
former ZIFA chief executive officer Henrietta Rushwaya arrested two weeks
ago on charges of bribery, concealing information to a principal and
corruption in relation to Asiagate.

She was last week released on $500 bail.

Millions face SABC blackout

http://www.newzimbabwe.com/

28/02/2012 00:00:00
by Showbiz Reporter

MILLIONS of Zimbabweans will lose free access to South African TV channels
by mid-May after a court closed a signal loophole that had also been
exploited by half a dozen other regional countries.

South African TV signal carrier, Sentech, was last week found by the
Johannesburg High Court to be “wrongful, negligent and in breach” of its
“duty of care” to regional TV channels for failing to encrypt its signal.

Botswana TV channel, eBotwana – a sister organisation to South Africa’s
first free-to-air commercial television station e.tv – went to the High
Court in Johannesburg last June to challenge Sentech’s apparent reluctance
to secure the encryption on its Vivid digital satellite platform.

Sentech, which is state-owned, introduced Vivid decoders for South Africans
who could not access its subscription-only terrestrial signal.

But millions of Zimbabweans, Malawians, Namibians, Angolans, Tswanas,
Swazis, Sothos and Mozambicans were able to tap into the free channels by
buying decoders supplied by two companies – Philibaos and Wiztech.

eBotswana general manager Dave Coles estimated that about 70% of Botswana’s
population was watching the pirated SABC channels. This, he said, was
“seriously damaging growth in the local broadcast, production and
advertising industries through the loss of potential advertising revenue”.

Millions of Zimbabweans forced to watch only the state-run Zimbabwe
Broadcasting Corporation TV channel had bought the cheap decoders which
allowed them access to three SABC channels and to follow popular programmes
such as Generations, Muvhango and Zone 14.

Zimbabweans still can access South African TV channels by subscribing to
DTSV through MultiChoice, but few can afford the charges which start from
US$10 per month rising depending on the number of channels.

Ambrose Sibindi of the Progressive Bulawayo Residents Association explained
that it was easy to watch South African channels for free due to the signal
loophole.

“People were buying the satellite dishes and the decoders, then get someone
to connect it for them. In an instant, they had access to SABC 1, 2 and 3
although it was harder to get the sports channels,” he told the Voice of
America’s Studio 7 last night.
Sibindi blamed the ZBC’s “monotonous” programming for millions of the city’s
residents switching off to find alternatives.

He added: “The ZBC unfortunately became the mouthpiece of Zanu PF. You watch
the news on ZBC and it’s the same thing repeated for two to three days, and
the people naturally started switching off.”

He said the court ruling in South Africa could see a small fraction of those
illegally tapping into the South African channels subscribing to DSTV, but
said a large majority would be unable to due to the prevailing economic
climate and low wages.

Sentech – which now faces a damages claim from eBotswana – must take “all
reasonable steps necessary” to ensure that viewers in the region are
prevented within three months, from pirate viewing of the SABC channels
carried on the Vivid platform, according to the Johannesburg High Court
ruling.

Sentech has the right to apply to the court for an extension provided it can
show “good cause” why it such an extension would be justified.

Zimbabwe Splinter Union Calls Worker Street Protests on Wednesday

http://www.voanews.com

27 February 2012

Secretary General Japhet Moyo of the union’s main formation said his
organization will not be joining the protests although the trade union
federation identifies with its rival's stated concerns

Sandra Nyaira | Washington

The breakaway Lovemore Matombo faction of the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade
Unions says it will lead national protests Wednesday against low salaries
for workers.

Matombo told reporters Monday that 90 percent of workers are living below
the poverty line with senior citizens the worst affected. He said protests
will be held in all cities, but Harare police spokesman James Sabau says no
demonstrations are authorized.

Matombo told VOA that his union will go ahead with the protests regardless.

"I think that we are all agreed, even with the employers, that more than 90
percent of the country's families are living below the poverty datum line,"
he said.

"People continue to earn peanuts while a few in the country get the cream.
It's time things changed for the better for the ordinary person and so
that's why we will be going into the streets Wednesday," Matombo declared.

Secretary General Japhet Moyo of the union’s main formation said his
organization will not be joining the protests although the union identifies
with the stated concerns.

"What we are against is them saying that this is a ZCTU protest because it
is not," said Moyo. "But the concerns that they are raising are the concerns
of everyone who cares about the workers in Zimbabwe but we will not be
joining them on the streets."

Moyo said it was up to Matombo and his colleagues, among them General
Secretary Raymond Majongwe of the Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe to
re-join the larger trade union federation and the fight for workers' rights.

"They left on their own will and we have told them and continue to tell them
that they are free to come back," said Moyo.

But Matombo said his group will not re-join the main umbrella body of the
workers in Zimbabwe until issues to do with voter fraud have been properly
addressed.

Indigenisation scheme partisan: Tsvangirai

http://www.dailynews.co.zw

By Everson Mushava, Staff Writer
Tuesday, 28 February 2012 13:28

HARARE - Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai says lack of a community share-
ownership scheme in Marange has exposed the hypocrisy of the government in
the way the indigenisation programme was being implemented.

Tsvangirai said this while addressing a press conference in Harare last
week.

The government, through the ministry of Youth Empowerment and Indigenisation
embarked on an ambitious programme that will see all foreign-owned firms
cede 51 percent shareholding to indigenous Zimbabweans.

In a bid to ensure that all Zimbabweans benefit from the indigenisation
programme, part of the indenisation plans include establishment of sovereign
wealth funds for the community.

President Robert Mugabe has already commissioned several community
share-ownership schemes in mining communities in Shurugwi, Zvishavane and
Ngezi.

Tsvangirai is on record saying he supports the empowerment programme but
does not support the way it is being implemented.

He says he is against the partisan nature of the programme, the same way the
land reform programme was executed.

“I visited the displaced families at Arda Transau and I appreciate the
decent houses the mining companies have built for them. But life is not
simply about a decent house. It is about sustaining your livelihood through
personal enterprise."

“The resettled families still have genuine concerns about their land being
inadequate for agriculture, among many other concerns,” said Tsvangirai.

The Premier said he was touched by the plight of the villagers.

“There is no direct benefit to the people whose lives were disrupted and on
whose traditional land this treasure is being mined.”

“If we are genuine about community share-ownership schemes, why have we not
accorded the same shares to the communities in Marange so that these people
benefit from the resources around them?” asked Tsvangirai.

“Those diamonds will mean nothing to the country if they fail to transform
people’s lives, starting with the Marange community itself and so far, it
appears diamond proceeds can still do more for this country and for the
Marange people if there is more transparency in the disposal of this
resource,’” the Premier said.

Tsvangirai called for transparency in diamond mining and marketing to ensure
that all people benefit from diamond revenue.

“I saw massive equipment tearing apart the belly of the earth. But a simple
tour is only half the story. Even after the visit, I still feel that with
more transparency and plugging of leakages, we can be able to finance the
budget and to respond to critical issues such as civil servants’ salaries,”
said Tsvangirai.

Tsvangirai said the country’s budget was largely dependent on assumed
revenue from the sale of diamonds hence the need to account for the revenue
realised from the Marange mines.

Meeting was academic: Gwisai

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

By Tendai Kamhungira, Court Writer
Tuesday, 28 February 2012 13:37

HARARE - Socialist firebrand Munyaradzi Gwisai yesterday took to the witness
stand and told the court that the alleged meeting that led to his arrest was
an academic gathering.

The former parliamentarian who is jointly charged with five others was the
first to give evidence in defence after Harare magistrate Kudakwashe
Jarabini dismissed their application for discharge on February 15.

Gwisai is jointly charged with Antonater Choto, Tatenda Mombeyarara, Edson
Chakuma, Hopewell Gumbo and Welcome Zimuto.

The group was initially charged with treason before the state later settled
for a lesser charge of conniving to incite public violence.

Referring to the meeting Gwisai said: “I was supposed to speak in general
about events in Tunisia and Egypt in relation to the global financial
crisis, the state of capitalism globally today and the responses of the
working classes as well as the relationship of the above events to the
struggle for democracy and constitutionalism in Africa and Zimbabwe.”

Gwisai further told the court that the meeting had two objectives which were
to discuss events taking place in North Africa and to commemorate the life
of an Aids activist Navigator Mungoni who had passed away.

Prosecutor Michael Reza closed the state’s case on February 1 after calling
four witnesses.

The first witness, Rinos Chari testified on September 14 when trial kicked
off, after being postponed on numerous occasions for various reasons.

Chari told the court that he was severely assaulted by police as an
accomplice before he was turned into a witness.

Jonathan Shoko, an undercover police officer who claims he was part of the
meeting that led to Gwisai and his colleagues’ arrest was the second to
testify. Gwisai’s lawyer Alec Muchadehama doubted Shoko’s identity, arguing
that his real name was Rodwell Chitiyo and that he was a Central
Intelligence Organisation (CIO) agent.

The other two who testified in the case were Arimon Mirimbo and chief
superintendent Charles Ngirishi, who told the court how they arrested the
group.

After prosecutor Reza led evidence from chief superintendent Ngirishi,
Muchadehama on behalf of his clients, made his application for discharge.

Gwisai was arrested together with 44 others after watching video footages of
revolutions that took place in Egypt and Tunisia leading to the deposition
of long-serving leaders in those countries.

The state alleged the group used the video footages to mobilise the people
to revolt against the government and demand the resignation of President
Robert Mugabe on February 19 last year.

The state later dropped charges against the other 39 in March last year
leaving Gwisai and five others, to answer to charges of inciting public
violence.

Mugabe Preaches Non-Violence - But Bashes NGOs

http://www.voanews.com

27 February 2012

Mr. Mugabe told thousands of supporters gathered for his 88th birthday bash
in Mutare over the weekend that they should shun political violence and live
peacefully with their rivals, vowing that elections are on this year

Studio 7 Reporters | Washington

Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe this week as on a number of occasions in
the past few months has spoken against political violence and intimidation,
much to the satisfaction of some – but many others are not convinced of his
sincerity.

Mr. Mugabe told thousands of supporters gathered on the weekend for his 88th
birthday bash in Mutare, Manicaland province, that they should shun violence
and live peacefully with their rivals, vowing that a new round of elections
will be held this year.

“We used to fight each other, but time has come for us to do our politics in
a much more cultured way,” Mr. Mugabe declared. “Although our differences
are political, we should not regard them as a source of hatred. No violence,
no violence, no violence.”

President Mugabe has denounced violence in almost every public address since
holding a joint anti-violence meeting with Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai,
head of the larger formation of the Movement for Democratic Change, and
Welshman Ncube, leader of the smaller MDC faction, late last year.

A second such rally to be held in Bulawayo though the date has not been set,
unity government sources said. Mr. Mugabe’s continuing anti-violence message
has pleased some Zimbabweans - but others accuse him of merely paying
lip-service.

Political analyst Psychology Maziwisa, an adviser to the Indigenization
Ministry, said the president's sincerity should not be doubted, and urged
Zimbabweans to heed his call.

"There is an acknowledgment by Mr. Mugabe that the political situation in
Zimbabwe was a little bit concerning," he said. "But there is now a desire,
a genuine desire on the part of the president to do things differently."

But analyst Effie Dlela Ncube said that to prove his commitment, Mr. Mugabe
must deal with members of his ZANU-PF party known to have committed
political crimes.

"This is the same message he preached in 1980. Whilst he was talking of
turning swords into plowshares, he was training the 5th brigade to destroy
the people of Matabebeland with Gukurahundi. Mugabe can't be trusted," Ncube
commented.

Non-governmental organizations meanwhile, say despite his call for peace,
Mr. Mugabe is putting pressure on civic groups, which he has accused of
plotting his overthrow.

In the same speech Saturday, the president accused non-governmental
organizations of financing a sustained campaign to oust him through
unconstitutional means.

Mugabe’s comments came in the wake of a move by Masvingo Governor Titus
Maluleke to suspend 29 NGOs in his province. Labor and Social Welfare
Minister, Paurina Gwanyanya-Mpariwa has declared that Maluleke has no such
authority.

Many rural communities in Masvingo and other provinces depend on NGO
assistance and advocates fear Mr. Mugabe’s remarks could derail such aid.

National Association of Non-Governmental Organizations Director Cephas
Zinhumwe told VOA reporter Tatenda Gumbo that Mr. Mugabe’s remarks will
brace Maluleke.

"When our members talk about rights, rights of men and women in Zimbabwe, we
are only wanting to have rights. If talking about rights and demanding them
is equivalent to regime change, then it's something else," Zinhumwe said.

Independent political analyst Charles Mutasa opined that by painting all the
non-governmental organizations with one brush, the president is putting at
risk even groups that are working for human development in the rural areas.

Gay Zim man pulls out of international competition

http://www.swradioafrica.com/

By Alex Bell
28 February 2012

A gay Zimbabwean man who was set to represent the country at the fourth
annual Mr. Gay World competition in South Africa in April has pulled out of
the event, citing ‘personal reasons’.

Taurai Zhanje was one of three black Africans making history by entering the
contest, which has never had gay black African entrants before. The other
black delegates representing Africa are Robel Gizaw Hailu from Ethiopia and
Wendelinus Hamutenya from Namibia.

Taurai’s decision to represent Zimbabwe was greeted with a very mixed
reaction, with anger on one side from traditionalist Zimbabweans, and pride
from gay rights activists and supporters.

He has now pulled out of the event, although it’s not yet clear what has
motivated this decision.

Mr. Gay World’s Director for Africa, Coenie Kukkuk, said in a statement over
the weekend: “We are sad to lose Taurai, but in Africa the personal
sacrifice for gay and human rights is sometimes too much to expect from
people.”

“Taurai already made a very brave stand against the oppression of the rights
of gay, lesbian, bisexual, transsexual and intersex persons and we have to
respect his decision. We wish him and his family only the best for the
future,” Kukkuk said.

Kukkuk added that while efforts would be made to replace Taurai, the
political climate in Africa made it unlikely that another African contestant
would step forward.

WOZA protest for media freedom and fair ZBC licensing fees

Press statement Women of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA)

Women of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA) members have collected 99 974 petition
signatures calling on a reform of the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation and
reduction of licensing fees for areas that only have one television channel.

Since Monday seven separate protests involving 680 members have been
conducted in Bulawayo where petition signatures were handed over to local
Post offices which are the paying point for the Zimbabwe Broadcasting
Corporation.

The post offices visited were Tshabalala; Sekusile in Nketa; Mpopoma;
Mzilikazi; Entumbane; Magwegwe and also the Main post office in town.
The post offices were selected to be a focal point of the protest due to the
armed and dangerous offices of the state broadcaster in Montrose suburb of
Bulawayo.

Most post office managers received the petitions and indicated that they
would pass on the message on but one manager referred the activist to
Nonceba Mkandla at Montrose Studios who is apparently in charge of ZBC
Bulawayo.

WOZA call on all Zimbabweans residing outside Harare to join the call for a
lower licensing fee and for a total reform of programming.

Former Senior Army Officer Kicked Out Of Bar By CIOs

http://www.radiovop.com

Harare, February 28, 2012 - A former senior army officer and official of
Simba Makoni’s Mavambo/Kusile/Dawn was roughed up and kicked out of an
upmarket Harare bar for speaking his mind.

Mbudzi who recently rejoined Zanu (PF) was pushed out of ZimCafe bar along
Kwame Nrumah and Fifth Avenue in Harare by suspected members of the Central
Intelligence Organisation (CIO) after he openly spoke against President
Robert Mugabe’s continued stay in power.

Mbudzi was fished out of the crowded corner bar by two overzealous and
heavily built men as he was engaging in a political conversation with other
patrons on Friday evening, the eve of President Robert Mugabe’s birthday
party celebrations.

A Radio VOP reporter witnessed the fracas which started soon after Mbudzi
spoke loudly suggesting the replacement of Mugabe as the Zanu (PF)
presidential candidate with either Vice President Joyce Mujuru or Defence
Minister Emmerson Mnangangwa.

Mbudzi had his pilsner beer drink violently emptied before he was pushed and
shoved into a corner. He however put up a spirited fight against the CIOs
accusing them of disrespecting him since he is a former army officer who has
rights like anyone else in present day Zimbabwe. But he was overpowered and
later gave up.

Mbudzi argued with the CIOs for a few minutes with terrified patrons
streaming out of the bar.

“You can’t push me out of this bar, who are you? I ... don’t know what is
your problem,” shouted Mbudzi as he was being drugged out of the bar. His
jean suit was left torn as a result of the fracas.

Mbudzi later told Radio VOP: “I was kicked, they were beating me up and I
have made an official complaint against the CIOs to the minister. They have
no right to go around beating up people. I am a soldier and if they treat me
like this then what more to other ordinary Zimbabweans. This is bad. I was
only speaking my mind.”

Mbudzi, a Zanu (PF) prodigal son and probably the most outspoken politician
from Masvingo, was part of former Finance Minister Simba Makoni's
Mavambo/Kusile/Dawn political project before he returned to Zanu (PF) last
year. He has in the past openly spoken against Mugabe saying the man who
turned 88 on Tuesday and celebrated his milestone on Saturday with a big
birthday bash, was now past his prime.

Harare Council Continues to Pump Raw Sewage into Fresh Water Lake

http://www.voanews.com

27 February 2012

Town Clerk Mahachi said the entire city sewage system had collapsed and the
council has secured funding from government, the African Development Bank
and China to rehabilitate and expand the system

Violet Gonda & Irwin Chifera | Washington

With typhoid still an active concern in many suburbs of Harare, Zimbabwe,
Town Clerk Tendai Mahachi revealed Monday that the city has continued to
pump 90 megalitres of raw sewage a day into Lake Chivero for lack of
treatment capacity.

Mahachi told Parliament’s committee on natural resources and environment
that the problems is compounded by Chitungwiza Town Council which is
releasing 60 megalitres of raw sewage a day into Lake Chivero, resulting in
huge water treatment costs.

He said the city’s main sewage treatment plant at Firle can only process 54
megalitres of its normal 144 megalitres capacity. Mahachi said the city is
using nine chemicals costing some $2 million monthly to ensure that
residents are receiving safe water.

Mahachi said the entire city sewage system had collapsed and council has had
to secure funding from central government, African Development Bank and
China to rehabilitate and expand the system. He noted that the Harare water
system was designed for a population of 250,000 - one tenth of the current
population of the capital.

Mahachi said the council intends to expand the sewage system to handle the
waste of four million people because new suburbs are being constructed
around Harare.

He said sewage system rehabilitation and expansion should be completed by
year's end.

Harare City Council has on many occasions been fined by the Environmental
Management Authority for polluting the environment and failing to collect
refuse. But Mahachi said the council will not pay the fines as it is
contesting some of them.

Mahachi said Harare will start cleaning and collecting refuse in the city
center at night to ensure personnel and refuse trucks work in crowded
suburbs during the day.

He said the council, in conjunction with the EMA and the police, beginning
next month will start arresting residents and shop owners caught littering.
This includes motorists whose vehicles will be impounded if they are caught
throwing litter onto the streets.

Harare Residents Trust Director Precious Shumba said the town clerk lacks
competency in municipal management and has no capacity handle environmental
issues.

Shumba said the fact that Mahachi admits the city continues to release raw
sewage into the water proves poor planning, explaining why typhoid outbreaks
continue.

Vigil for Paul Chizuze

Transcript of Job Sikhala on Question Time: Part 1

http://www.swradioafrica.com/

Posted by Lance Guma on Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Job Sikhala

Outspoken and controversial politician Job Sikhala is the guest on Question Time and joins Lance Guma to answer questions sent in by SW Radio Africa listeners using Facebook, Twitter, Skype, email and text messages. Sikhala is asked to explain why he called his party MDC-99. Why despite calling for Mugabe to be toppled he has not been targeted in the same way as other activists.

Interview broadcast 08 February 2012

Lance Guma: Outspoken and controversial politician Job Sikhala is my next guest on Question Time. The former St Mary’s MP is now the president of the break-away MDC-99 party and has had his fair share of arrests and torture by state security agents. Mr Sikhala thank you for joining us today.

Job Sikhala: Good evening Lance, how are you?

Guma: We are okay here. Several questions from our listeners; obviously you are aware of the format of the programme – they send us questions via Facebook, Twitter, email, Skype and many other platforms. Just to start off, when the MDC split in 2005, you chose to side with the faction led by Welshman Ncube and company; in 2009 you broke away to form your own party. Let’s revisit what prompted you to make this decision?

Sikhala: These decisions were all prompted and inspired by the founding principles and values of MDC. When we formed MDC in 1999 the major inspiration to that was that we wanted to build a new culture that is different from the culture that has been created by Zanu PF from 1980; the culture of constitutionalism, the culture of bringing new governance, the culture of non-violence and also the culture to see that human rights are observed both from within the party and outside it.

Guma: So what sort of problems did you encounter then that made you decide – I’ve had enough of this, let me form my own party?

Sikhala: The first thing is that there was now total disregard of the public decision by the supreme decision organ of the party especially the national executive at the national council. The party was then infiltrated by individuals who were not founders of the MDC but who wanted to take advantage of the growth of the party and for them to have total and absolute control of the party.

And these people are very clear and they are on the public domain, they are called the ‘kitchen cabinet’. These are people who constituted that group that divided the leadership of the party and they wanted the total and absolute control of the decision making in the party. These people are still alive today and also still causing a lot of problems.

These are Ian Makone, Dennis Murira, Ghandi Mudzingwa and Ian Makone’s wife Theresa. What you have to understand is these people are not even founders of the MDC; I happened to know Ian Makone in 2002 when he wanted to contest as a candidate for the mayoral election in Harare and the moment he entered the party, the party started to have its power being usurped in terms of decision making by some of the things that he has been partaking in the party.

Guma: Now that would explain the split in 2005 but then you were part of what is now referred to as the smaller MDC led by Welshman Ncube, then led by Mutambara. Why did you quit from that faction?

Sikhala: The problem is that we had had a very serious problem again in terms of us having to admire the values that we started the MDC in 1999, when Arthur Mutambara came and did not understand the MDC politics. He started to talk about issues that were not in resonate with the people.

Issues to do about the liberation struggle when the people have said that the liberation struggle is a process that has come and gone and secondly that the people are no longer interested to talk about the past but are interested to talk about the future.

Secondly Mutambara started to see no any reason and problems why we have been fighting Robert Mugabe for all one decade long when he started to praise Robert Mugabe. Robert Mugabe whom the people of Zimbabwe know that he has been a murderer, he has killed quite a number of people both during the periods of elections and also Mugabe has butchered thousands and thousands of Zimbabweans.

And also secondly that Zimbabwe is the only country in the world where it has lost nearly 60000 people directly or indirectly through the actions of Mugabe since 1980. Every time when we are going into elections, Zimbabwe is the only country outside the war zone which has had more than five million of its citizens moving out of the country to go and seek refugee on the basis of the political situation in this country.

Mutambara saw no reason why Mugabe should go; he started to be Mugabe’s number one praise singer and we said basically in the MDC we know that Mugabe remains public enemy number one, for you to try and convince the whole country and all of us that we have been engaging in a futile programme for us to overthrow Robert Mugabe, then I think you have lost the founding principles and ideals of the MDC.

Guma: But as things stand, Mutambara is no longer the president of the party; Welshman Ncube leads the party, why would you not go back?

Sikhala: You have to understand that Welshman Ncube and Arthur Mutambara at that material time when I was openly challenging Mutambara to withdraw his obnoxious and irritating statements, started to talk that they are the leadership of the party, they can hire and fire people and at the material time you have to understand that it was myself, Abedinico Bhebhe and others who Mutambara and Welshman Ncube supported to have expelled from the party which however they had no constitutional right for them to have taken that action and for you to say that – why didn’t I go back? – is on the basis that these people started to violate the principles of the MDC by unilaterally hiring and firing the founder members of the MDC.

They wanted to hijack the MDC project and they wanted to make it their own personal property. That’s why you realise that it has not been possible for me to reconcile with Welshman Ncube who supported at that material time who fired me from the MDC which I founded.

Guma: The name of your party, the new one, is MDC-99; most of our listeners like Kudakwashe Chikwiramakomo on Facebook want to know why you adopted such a name. Kudakwashe for example says and I quote – How do you expect to lead the country if you cannot come up with a name of your own for the party? – close quote.

Sikhala: The name of the MDC, I am the one who contributed to the foundation of the name MDC; I am the founder member of the MDC; I was representative of the constituency of the students’ movement. Myself and Tsvangirai and others, we are the original founders of the party.

There is no way at all when you will be able to leave your home, for you to leave it to people who have never been founders of the MDC, for you to find your own way, we have already found the name in 1999, MDC, and I am just appealing to my colleagues and others who are currently within the inclusive government set-up, that our original agenda was to bring up a new Zimbabwe and a new beginning that entailed the issues of the rule of law, the respect for human rights, issues of good governance and also the respect for democratic outcomes when we are associated outside with makers of violence.

So specifically nobody can ever tell me to find my own name, why should I? I have already found this name. I was in the committee which decided the name of the Movement for Democratic Change when it was still an idea it was myself, Grace Kwinjeh, Tafadzwa Musikewa and Muzhuzha we have been in that committee. That’s why we realise that some of us, we are quiet when others are fighting on who originated the name MDC but I was a member of that committee who suggested and also came out with that resolution as a full member.

Guma: But not everyone who was not part of that committee could lay claim to the MDC name because you could then mean if Grace Kwinjeh wants to form her own party she will use the MDC name, if Tafadzwa Musikewa wants to form his own party he’ll use that name – is that not problematic?

Sikhala: It’s not problematic because basically what we are doing is that in terms of interpreting our founding values and principles, we differ in the way how we founded them. That’s why you realize that Zanu PF and Zanu Ndonga in 1979 had a serious clash for them to have distinct political formations but they said – no, we are all founders of Zanu.

We have been together when we have been starting this idea in Gweru and we attended our Congress together in Gweru and when we were together at Enos Nkala’s house in Highfields, so for you Ndabaningi Sithole to say that you are the sole appropriator of the name Zanu, it doesn’t work so the same applies also to the founders of Zanu PF at that time, Enos Nkala and others to say no, Sithole does not have sole proprietor’s rights to the name Zanu.

That’s why we said when we went to the 1980 elections, when we had two Zanus. So specifically it’s not a unique trend in our country; it has been there since time immemorial, since Zimbabwe obtained independence in 1980 so it should not surprise anyone.

Guma: In the context of the fact that we already have the MDC-T, we have the so-called MDC-N and then to add an MDC-99, is that not confusing for people?

Sikhala: Thank you very much. You have said that there’s already MDC-T which means MDC-Tsvangirai; there’s MDC-N which is MDC-Ncube; when we founded the MDC in 1999 at no point did we ever agree on the personification of the institution called the MDC. The people started to build around the issue of personality cults by naming the MDC after their totems, their girlfriends and their surnames which was in total disagreement with all of us.

That’s why we realize that to go to our 1999 original agenda where we will say that we are the MDC which still aspires to the 1999 resolution and also the 1999 founding principles and ideas. Why do we celebrate people who name political institutions after their surnames and their totems? And also naming political organisation after their girlfriends and their mothers.

That is why I am in total agreement with the other political parties that you said there is another MDC-T which is MDC-Tsvangirai and MDC-N which is MDC-Ncube. We believe in the supremacy of ideas, we believe in the supremacy of the founding ideas and principles of the organization, not to worship individual totems and also surnames.

Guma: Some will say the MDC-T distinction was necessary to separate from the other MDC and that was just done for electoral purposes to avoid confusion of having two MDCs. Now the question would be for you, why not just come up with another name and avoid the confusion and be able to build your own brand rather than be in the shadow of the other two MDCs?

Sikhala: Why didn’t they find another distinction outside another individual’s totem and surname? That would have been more plausible. You cannot tell us that it is justified when they have named it after personalities. That is intolerable to some of us who are the founders of the MDC.

It now appears as if it is the private property of Morgan Tsvangirai, that’s why it is called the MDC-T and for anybody to try and accuse me, why am I not finding the brand, why should I be forced out of my own family and my party is not named after Job Sikhala – it is the MDC that we had ideas of in ’99 and that’s why we are calling it MDC-99.

Why don’t they remove the personalities around the name of political organizations? We have been allowing these things to take place for the past 30 years, when Zanu PF claim that Zanu PF is close to Mugabe, those are things that we have been fighting against.

Guma: Okay let’s quickly move on to the next question, last year in December you were arrested after leading a protest march calling on Zimbabweans to stage Egyptian or Tunisian style revolutions against Mugabe, let’s explore the reasoning behind your calls. Several listeners like Lillian in Harare want you to explain your strategy for achieving democracy in Zimbabwe.

Sikhala: Thank you very much Lance Guma – why we embarked on that demonstration was clearly to tell the world that any call to elections in our country is a call to bloodbath. We have statistically produced and gave everyone our own views as to the political situation in Zimbabwe since 1980; that from 1980 to 1990, Robert Mugabe killed more than 20000 people who had been opposed to his political party during the period of Gukurahundi.

And also he massacred, raped and tortured lots of supporters who were supporting the opposition ZAPU party led by Joshua Nkomo and in 1990 Edgar Tekere’s Zimbabwe Unity Movement lost 165 supporters during the period of elections and also in 1995 Robert Mugabe repeatedly did the same when Ndabaningi Sithole’s, Zanu Ndonga and Abel Muzorewa’s United African National Congress UANC came together to form the United Party.

They wanted to contest against Robert Mugabe. Mugabe immediately alleged that Sithole of having planted a claymore mine bomb along the road to the National Sports Stadium. That led to the retribution of more than 13 supporters of Ndabaningi Sithole being killed in 1995.

From 2000 to present, in all elections in 2000, 2002, 2005 and 2008 the MDC family has lost more than 6000 people directly, who have been killed by Robert Mugabe because of elections. So we are saying that Robert Mugabe has never appreciated elections as a contestation of ideas but he has taken it as how many people are you able to kill and how much bloodbath are you able to spill for you to be able to govern in this country.

We are no longer interested to see Robert Mugabe being a contestant in our elections, he has to be overthrown first before any elections because if any elections are called again in our country it will lead us to lose more lives. Zimbabwe is the only country outside a warzone where more than 60000 people have been killed from 1980 to present on the basis of elections.

Zimbabwe is the only country outside a warzone that has had more than five million people who have gone outside the country in search of refugee on the basis of Robert Mugabe. So Mugabe causes more casualties of people who have been killed in a whole military confrontation in Libya against the people who have been opposed to him.

So we are saying Mugabe has to be overthrown first before any elections are held in Zimbabwe. Our strategy which Lillian wants to know how are we going to be able to achieve change in Zimbabwe – we are going to approach it in a two pronged way; the first one is for us to continuously embark on our principled demonstrations and march in the streets until Mugabe is overthrown.

In early March, that’s for your own information, we’re going to engage as the MDC-99 leadership – there are 70 of us, we are going to gather in Africa Unity Square on a hunger strike. We are not going to talk to anybody, we will not throw stones or axes or what but we are going to embark on a 66 day hunger strike in Africa Unity Square until Mugabe is gone.

We will eat only the time when Mugabe is gone, we are going to engage in peaceful means to deliver our change at this moment. If it fails and the dictator continues we will go also into the overdrive for us to clearly demonstrate and show the dictator that we are tired of his arm-twisting tactics every time we go to elections.

Guma: Now Munyaradzi Gwisai and others were arrested for watching video footage of protests in Egypt and Tunisia and they spent weeks in custody; you have not watched any videos but have actually called for Egypt and Tunisia style protests and yet, as one listener points out, you spent a few hours, if not a weekend or so in custody. He is querying this disproportionate reaction by the regime towards you saying how come you in the context of this, have been treated much better than Gwisai and his colleagues?

Sikhala: What you have to understand is that it differed because my lawyer asked me to go and confront the police why they have gone to ransack my family and they’ve attacked my family. The truth of the matter is that the matter is still pending before the courts, the time hasn’t yet kicked out but I did not go only for hours in prison. I was taken during the day, on the first day until early hours of the next morning when the lawyers got from human rights organization ZLHR strongly protested against my arrest.

There was a lot of vigilance and a lot of action the moment I was arrested. And I want to thank those lawyers for the job well done. They have been there and have even volunteered to sleep with me in prison and that has caused the regime to quickly write the warned and cautioned statement for me to appear in court and that matter is still pending before the courts. The date of trial haven’t yet been reached.

Guma: Are you saying it’s down to reaction of the lawyers because Gwisai and his colleagues also had quite a strong team behind them? Are you saying it’s down to the lawyers how long you are held?

Sikhala: Well I was held for almost a day, overnight in prison of which people cannot say it’s not enough. Secondly there was no proof or evidence, the police which they heard that I might be in Harare. We quote the manner where like what has happened during the recent demonstration by MDC-T youths in Masvingo, where they demonstrated and quote the enemies of the people unaware.

The moment they heard this it was too late, so they were not sure whether the demonstration took place or not, they were only hearing through hearsay but as soon as they reacted already the message was throughout the world.

Guma: Several times Mr Sikhala you have openly said Mugabe needs to be toppled and a lot of people feel you get away with saying these statements whereas other individuals in civil society, in opposition could never get away with saying exactly the sort of things you say so I have close to five questions from listeners on this particular subject. They want you to tell them why it is that you are able to get away with saying what you say.

Sikhala: No I never get away with what I am saying; I am the most incarcerated and the most arrested political player in our country and Zanu PF have noticed that for more than 60 arrests that they have effected to me, since the time I have been in active politics in the late 1990s, there’s no single matter that they’ve won in court.

So by calling Mugabe to be overthrown and toppled is within the parameters of my constitutional rights and for them to challenge my right to my personal opinion will really need a Herculean task for me to get a conviction in court. So they have been trying to find evidence on even unique and minor matters which they think they will get conviction on myself. So specifically I am within the parameters of my own constitutional right for me to call for Mugabe’s overthrow because Mugabe is not a god.

Guma: Well Zimbabwe, that’s the former St Mary’s member of parliament, Job Sikhala, he’s now the president of the MDC-99 political party. We have so many questions to ask Mr Sikhala so we’ll invite him over for Part Two next week Wednesday so keep sending in your questions if you didn’t get the chance to do so but certainly those whose questions I have not asked, we will ask Mr Sikhala next week on Wednesday he will join us once again. Mr Sikhala thank you so much for your time.

Sikhala: Thank you very much Lance Guma and thank you very much for the good programme.

To listen to the programme:

http://www.swradioafrica.2bctnd.net/02_12/qt080212.mp3

Feedback can be sent to lance@swradioafrica.com http://twitter.com/lanceguma or http://www.facebook.com/lance.guma

Transcript of Job Sikhala on Question Time: Part 2

http://www.swradioafrica.com

Posted by Lance Guma on Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Job Sikhala

Outspoken and controversial former St Mary’s MP, Job Sikhala, joins SW Radio Africa journalist Lance Guma for Part 2 of this Question Time interview. Sikhala, who leads the breakaway MDC-99 political party, launches a scathing attack on Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai for ‘not being consistent in his fight against Mugabe’.

Interview broadcast 15 February 2012

Lance Guma: Good evening Zimbabwe and thank you for joining me on this edition of Question Time. My guest tonight is the outspoken and controversial politician Job Sikhala who joins us for Part Two of this interview. The former St Mary’s MP is now the president of the break-away MDC-99 political party. From our interview last week Mr. Sikhala I’d first of all like to say thank for joining us again for Part Two.

Job Sikhala: Thank you Mr. Guma.

Guma: Okay now last week you spoke about going on a hunger strike demanding Mugabe’s removal; we have a question from Chitungwiza, Miriam sent in an email wanting you to explain why you believe a hunger strike is the best strategy to force Mugabe out.

Sikhala: Well hunger strikes have been used substantially since time immemorial in several political developments throughout the country by those people who have been agitating for change of government in their various countries so specifically this will not be the only activity of isolation;

I think if she has been following world events recently, last year in India, there were some people who, there’s one person who went on hunger strike in protest against the government’s corrupt activities and that individual was able to raise the awareness about the corruption that has been taking place within the regime in India and it later led to thousands and thousands of Indians to join him in the streets and demand for fair and justice and also for action again by government against corruption in India.

So specifically the hunger strike strategy; it’s one peaceful means of the individual expressing disaffection over the way and how things are being done in a particular society, so like what we have said that we are not satisfied about what is happening in Zimbabwe, we are not satisfied with Mugabe’s continued rule of oppression, Mugabe’s continued rule of dealing with those people who are opposed to his regime, the rulership which causes many people to be incarcerated in jail without even commission of a crime. So specifically we will bring to the fore and also to the core the really challenges the people of Zimbabwe are facing under Mugabe’s dictatorship.

Guma: Now by your own admission, Mugabe has been responsible for the murder of over 20000 people in Matabeleland under the Gukurahundi and from our interview with you last week; you said the MDC family alone has lost over 6000 of its foot soldiers to Mugabe’s state security agents. Now why would somebody who has done all that, cave in to a hunger strike?

Sikhala: We cannot allow him again to continue killing more people in our country. If he will not be able to get the call that we would have done through a hunger strike, we’ll also find other strategies to make sure that both the people of Zimbabwe and the international community are given attention to what Mugabe is – a murderer of those people who are opposed to his dictatorship and I think in the initial phase, this is the best way to bring to the core Mugabe’s abuse of mankind here in Zimbabwe.

Guma: Now you spoke about this hunger strike being 66 days; what’s the significance of 66 days?

Sikhala: Sixty-six days is specifically because many people who have been engaged in a hunger strike and those people who have done scientific research around that area, is that around the 66^th day the people will lose their life if they will continue on with the hunger.

So specifically among my national executive members there are those that are saying that we must take the 66 days for us to be able to express ourselves. (inaudible) to our hunger strike, then we should go back to the drawing board and find other strategies and means of how to express our disaffection on the way Zimbabwe is being governed.

Guma: Now you were recently arrested, I believe last year, over what was described as an immigration matter. Godfrey in Nyanga sent in a question wanting to know what happened.

Sikhala: Yes that has been a Zanu PF creation. I think if that listener is following up events here, the trial kicked off last week and today again I was at court where a plan has been hatched by Zanu PF for them to accuse myself of having facilitated a South African citizen to come and work for my political party in Zimbabwe without necessary papers.

But the truth of the matter is that there is nothing like that existed and it is also the creation of Zanu PF for them to find a matter where they think that they stand a chance to convict me as they have been failing in all other cases that they have been alleging against myself to find a conviction. So this is one which they think that stakes are so high that they might convict me on such a matter.

But specifically it’s nothing, it’s falsified, these are Zanu PF tactics they have been using against those people who are opposed to themselves. They create almost everything that they can create against any individual. The only thing that they have so far not accused me of is rape which we think they’d have also tried in their desperate attempt to simply fashion cases for us to answer and get a conviction.

So they think that they stand high prospects and high chances for them to convict me and send me to prison. So that you know some of these that things you are speaking today will be dead.

Guma: Now the person that you got from South Africa to come and work for your party – I’ve several questions on this, people wanting to know what was the nature of this work for your party – what were they meant to do, or what did they do?

Sikhala: No specifically you know this is an adult, 41 years old who is a publicist, a person who is in publicity work whose job it is to build up the profile of a political leaders and political individuals. The party had no right for them to know how she travelled to come to Harare and how she would do her job and so forth.

You know these are public consultancy companies and for us, we can’t say how she got in Zimbabwe because we are not immigration officers. So when immigration officers caught up with her they must have an issue with her and not with the party but they want to include the party into this thing and at the end of the day we are really shocked and surprised by the behaviour of Zanu PF.

Guma: We have a question from Owen in Beitbridge; Owen says – Lance could you please ask Mr. Sikhala if he will be running for president in the next election?

Sikhala: We are not talking about being president at the next election but obviously anybody who contests an election would really look at the prospects of him one day governing this country.

It has never happened in the history of mankind that a person would win elections at the first go but what is important is for you to give the balance of power in terms of the voices of democratization when the time to strike hard comes that’s when you would realise that you will be able to take over power.

Of course with the momentum that we are building in the country there are still many people who are living under illusions, thinking that they are still owning people with support which they enjoyed in 2008. 2008 and 2012 are now two totally different years.

There are many things that have happened between 2008 and 2012 and the groundwork that we have done in the country, the movement that we are doing throughout the country at the present moment, if anybody underestimates us – yes – they can do it at their own peril.

Guma: So are you saying you are going to be running or not?

Sikhala: What we are saying is that we are not prepared for us to get into any elections as long as Robert Mugabe is there because any call to elections in our country is a call to bloodbath. Our statement at the present moment is for us to focus on the issue to see how we are going to limit the deaths of many people who will be agitating and fighting for democracy in our country.

That is currently our preoccupation. Elections will come as a bonus after we have achieved our main objective and our main agenda. Our main agenda is for us to get into a political contest with civilized political opponents not with the murderers, not with those people who will be raping our wives, not with those people who will be jailing those people who are opposed to their rule, not with those people who go and kill our sisters and brothers on the countryside, not with those people who’ll be committing arson and also slaughtering people’s cattle and chickens in the villages.

We want to go to elections with a civilized community where the contestation will be based on ideas not on how much big and how heavy is your fist.

Guma: Well Zanu PF have already endorsed Mugabe as their candidate so what would you do if all the other parties went into an election after other reforms have been done, with Mugabe as the Zanu PF candidate, what would your position be?

Sikhala: It’s really surprising how Zanu PF is so desperate to get leadership renewal in their party. How on earth can they find a senile 88 year old man still being propounded around as their candidate? It shows definitely the desperation within Zanu PF, it has no any leader, no any person with leadership qualities who can challenge to become president of this country. There are many other people who have not noticed that Zanu PF has, do not have any other leaders except their 88 year old senile leader.

Guma: Much has been made about the constitution making exercise. Zanu PF is clearly not happy with what the drafters have come out with. What’s your position on with this whole exercise?

Sikhala: No, I think our position since this process has started has been very consistent. We have been saying that the constitution making process must not be a political parties driven process but what we have noticed is that the so-called three political parties in the inclusive government sat around and concluded among themselves that these are the only people who have got the God-given right to author the people’s constitution which with us we are in totally disagreement with it.

Those people who are not in government and who are not members of those three political parties who are interested to see a document which will govern them for the rest of their lives so specifically what you are realising at the present moment is the fight over the personal interest of political leaders.

Another (inaudible) clause where a leader of 70 years and above cannot be allowed to contest. These are personality targeted clauses which are not the aspirations of the people of Zimbabwe; these are short term personality interests that we are fighting against. What we want is a document that is authored to govern the people of Zimbabwe for the coming 100 years.

We want this document to be the one that will govern the people of Zimbabwe for the coming 1000 years but we cannot have a situation where we have a short gap constitutional reform process that will not produce a document that will be everlasting.

That is what the NCA, ourselves and other political parties that are outside the inclusive government have been saying, that you are the betraying the people of Zimbabwe, these are not their goals and aspirations, even ourselves the time we formed the MDC in 1999 we have been saying that we want a people driven constitution.

The people driven constitution that will involve and include all stakeholders in the country not this exclusive process where three political parties connived to engage in a money looting spree masquerading as COPAC.

This process should have ended 18 months after the installation of the inclusive government but three years down the line the process is not yet over. So really it’s that the three political players in the so-called inclusive government are total failures, they’ve failed to produce the people’s constitution within the regulated parameters so they cannot claim to represent the interests of the people of Zimbabwe anymore. They are failures and we underline that, we support the position of the NCA.

Guma: Final question for you Mr. Sikhala – some will say it is the small parties that hold back democracy because you unnecessarily split votes instead of focusing your energies in united blocs. What would you say to that argument being the leader of one of the smaller parties?

Sikhala: There is no smallness in democracy. Democracy has never been small or big but it’s been the desire of people to have the multiplicity of views, the people who hold those views are the ones who are anti-democracy, those people who want us to install another dictatorship.

One party dominated systems (inaudible) democracy in Africa where political parties will not be answerable to the electorate so that system we will never, never allow it. We like the democracy which these people in Scandinavian countries are enjoying.

If you go to Sweden today you realize the government is made up of five political parties. Five political parties of different political persuasions but coming together on a goal to form a government. If you go to Belgium I think it has been the country which for a long time has not been able to come out with a government on the basis that there was no outright winner in that country.

Guma: But the examples that you are giving Mr. Sikhala, those people are not fighting dictatorships. Some will give examples of Kenya in the past where it took a rainbow coalition to defeat a long time dictator and say in Zimbabwe a similar approach is needed where you have the incumbent who has been in power for a very long time and only a united front is able to take someone like that down.

Sikhala: Of course you can have a united front but the issue is that at the present moment those people whom we would wish to be with them in a united front are sitting with the same dictator and they are giving unprecedented adulations to the dictator.

Some of them saying he is God-given, some of them saying that this is the man who has been created to govern Zimbabwe in a democratic manner. So those views are the ones that are throwing around, views that we don’t see the problem the same way we see it.

Ourselves we see that Mugabe has been the stumbling block towards democracy and that we prefer to define him as an enemy of democracy in our country and that we must be prepared to bring a new breath, a new fresh of air to breathe democracy to our body politic.

So specifically, those people who would think it’s easy to get a coalition others are praising Mugabe, while others are saying Mugabe remains the people’s enemy, others saying Mugabe is God-given, we have to pray for him so that he will govern you well, he’ll be given mercy and guidance by God so that he will govern the people of Zimbabwe well.

So that’s a different view that we have. It means that if we want to fight a dictatorship, we must define how that dictatorship must be toppled not that one day another side of the mouth we condemn him, on the other side we are the loudest adulators of Mugabe’s leadership.

Guma: Well Zimbabwe that’s the outspoken and controversial politician Job Sikhala joining us for Part Two of this Question Time interview. Mr. Sikhala thank you so much for your time.

Sikhala: Thank you very much Mr. Guma. Thank you very much for the good interview.