ZANU PF ‘mischief’ behind EU’s false statements on Gukurahundi

http://www.swradioafrica.com

By Alex Bell
08 February 2012

ZANU PF ‘mischief’ is believed to be behind recent statements attributed to
the European Union (EU) commissioner in the country, who was quoted as
dismissing the Gukurahundi massacres as a ‘tired song’.

The Bulawayo based Sunday News reported over the weekend that EU Ambassador
Aldo Dell’Ariccia had urged the people of Matabeleland “not to continue
living in the Gukurahundi past as it has the effect of blurring their
development vision.” The newspaper quoted Dell’Ariccia as saying that the
issue of “Gukurahundi has become so much of a tired song in Matabeleland.”

“We should focus more on developing the region rather than continuously
blaming underdevelopment and marginalisation on the issue. People should
look ahead and let not history hinder the process and prospect of developing
the region,” the newspaper quoted the Ambassador as saying.

The newspaper also said the Gukurahundi was being used as a “topic for
political grandstanding.”

But the EU Ambassador has angrily denied making such comments, saying the
newspaper misquoted him. In an emailed reply to a Matabeleland activist who
actively campaigns for justice for the Gukurahundi, the Ambassador said that
“NONE of the quotes reported in the article are true.”

“I presume that the source that disseminated the false declarations obeys to
a strategy of defamation of the European Union and tries to create animosity
between us and the people of Matabeleland,” the Ambassador said in the
email.

Zimbabwe’s co-minister of National Healing, Moses Mzila Ndlovu meanwhile
told SW Radio Africa this week that he is “totally convinced that he (Dell’Ariccia)
did not make those comments.”

The minister spoke to the EU Ambassador on Tuesday to get to the bottom of
the story, and he explained that Dell’Ariccia was clearly “outraged that
these comments were attributed to him.”

“He believes it is mischief on the part of journalists at this paper, which
we know is a pro ZANU PF mouthpiece,” Mzila Ndlovu said.

He added: “I am relieved that he has denied this, because if it was true it
would be very contrary to what the EU stands for.”

The minister has vowed that the perpetrators of the massacres in the 1980s
will be prosecuted, but he told SW Radio Africa on Tuesday that ZANU PF is
standing in the way of justice.

“The ZANU PF side of government wants to regard the issue as water under the
bridge, which we find insensitive, vulgar, inhuman and cruel,” Mzila Ndlovu
said.

He continued: “We want the people of Matabeleland, the victims, the
survivors, everyone affected, to know that humanity is standing behind their
fight for justice.”

Principals agree Police chief post now ‘vacant’

http://www.swradioafrica.com

 

 

Posted by Tichaona Sibanda on Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Acting Police commissioner Augustine Chihuri

By Tichaona Sibanda
8 February 2012

The three principals to the Global Political Agreement have agreed that the current position of Commissioner-General is now ‘vacant’ and Augustine Chihuri will serve in the position in an acting capacity.

Chihuri’s contract expired on 31st January and the two MDC formations were demanding a neutral personality within the force to take over. But Mugabe wanted to stick with Chihuri, who has publicly declared his allegiance to Mugabe and ZANU PF.

But following their two and half hour meeting at State House, President Robert Mugabe, Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and his deputy Arthur Mutambara agreed to declare the position vacant.

The three principals agreed that the Police Service Commission must be ‘regularised’ so that it makes recommendations of potential candidates to the President.

The principals also agreed that, in line with the Constitution, the President would then consult and agree with the Prime Minister on the next Commissioner General of Police.

After the meeting, Tsvangirai and Mutambara briefed the media and said that as principals, they agreed that the Minister of Media Information and Publicity, must immediately implement their directive to reconstitute the boards of ZBC, Mass Media Trust and the Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe (BAZ) in line with the agreed formula.

“The licenses already issued by the illegally constituted BAZ board should be revoked forthwith,” a statement issued in Harare said.

On elections Mugabe and his counterparts from the MDC agreed that they would now be monitoring the constitution making process at their level. On Monday next week they will meet commissioners of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) to look at their needs for them to run an election that is free and fair.

See Principals to GPA Statement

 

GPA monitors witness brutal police assault on WOZA members

http://www.swradioafrica.com

By Tererai Karimakwenda
08 February 2012

Riot police in Bulawayo assaulted members of the Women Of Zimbabwe Arise
(WOZA) pressure group on Tuesday, and arrested coordinator Jenni Williams as
she emerged from a meeting with the Joint Monitoring and Implementation
Committee (JOMIC).

The brutal assaults of WOZA members and bystanders took place in full view
of the JOMIC team, who had just held a meeting with WOZA coordinators
Williams and Magodonga Mahlangu.

According to Mahlangu, seven other WOZA women and six bystanders were also
arrested while behaving peacefully outside the JOMIC offices, where the
group had gathered to commemorate their 10th anniversary. A pregnant woman
and a minor were among the arrested group.

In the meeting, WOZA had appealed to JOMIC to forward their complaints about
police abuse to the principal leaders in the coalition government. The JOMIC
team said they needed concrete proof and moments later, police used baton
sticks to bash WOZA members just outside.

“I can’t believe that JOMIC would want us to go through brutal beatings so
they can have evidence. We hope they can now take some action to stop the
police from abusing us,” Mahlangu told SW Radio Africa on Wednesday.

She added: “I spoke to Jenni early this morning and they spent the night
sitting on a wet floor in a cage. They are being bitten by mosquitoes.”

The arrested women are reportedly being moved from one office to another as
each division fails to press charges.

Mahlangu said a lawyer was allowed to visit the WOZA members, who are
currently detained at Bulawayo Central Police Station. A Chief Inspector
Mandere told the lawyer no specific charges had been determined and police
were meeting to decide how to proceed.

“It’s unfortunate that Jenni is in custody just because she is a WOZA
leader. It’s very sad the others were arrested as well since they were not
part of the demonstration yesterday,” Magodonga explained.

A statement from WOZA said: “We believe that JOMIC now has their evidence
and expect them to take urgent action to correct the situation.”

Panic As Zim Banks Run Out Of Cash

http://www.radiovop.com/

By Ngoni Chanakira Harare, February 08, 2012 - Some commercial banks in
Harare have run out of United States dollars, sending shock waves within the
business community.

A survey done in Harare today showed that mainly indigenous owned and
controlled commercial banks had no cash this morning.

Interfin Bank Limited, a subsidiary of Interfin Financial Holdings Limited
had no cash at its Towers Branch along Samora Machel Avenue.

"You can come later this afternoon," a teller said in an interview. "There
is no cash right now because the Reserve Bank did not give us any last
night."

Interfin is listed on the Zimbabwe Stock Exchange (ZSE).

CABS, Zimbabwe's largest building society, also did not have cash and there
were long queues outside most of its branches.

However, Barclays Bank of Zimbabwe Limited and Standard Chartered Bank
Zimbabwe Limited had cash.
They are foreign owned and controlled but Barclays is listed on the ZSE.

Other commercial banks were limiting customers especially from ATM machines
this morning.

Zimbabwe is facing a serious cash crisis ever since sanctions were
introduced on its economy by the US and the European Commission as well as
Australia and New Zealand.

The Minister of Finance, Tendai Biti, has come out clearly admitting that
the country has run out of cash and, therefore, he could not allow the civil
service to get their annual salary increase resulting in a nationwide
strike.

The RBZ had not issued any statement on the cash crisis by Wednesday.

Zimbabwe general's death marked by many mysteries

http://news.monstersandcritics.com/

By Jan Raath Feb 8, 2012, 2:06 GMT

Harare - An inquest to clear up the cause of a fire that killed an
influential former general in Zimbabwe's army has left many questions
unanswered, amid suspicion he was assassinated.

The last testimony to a commission of inquest on the death of Solomon
Mujuru, aged 66, was given on Monday. The magistrate heading up the
investigation would not say when a final report would be issued.

Mujuru, a veteran of the liberation war against the whites-only government
in former Rhodesia, was regarded as one of the most influential and wealthy
figures in the southern African country.

Observers considered him a king-maker within the ruling Zanu-PF party. He
was reportedly pushing for his wife, Joice - one of two vice-presidents - to
become the country's leader after long-serving President Robert Mugabe.

Zimbabwe's president, aged 87 and believed to be in poor health, has stated
his intention to retain his seat and contest the next election.

The country will likely go to the polls this year or next, although
political squabbling has prevented a date from being set.

One evening in August 2011, the retired general - who owned mining interests
in the south of the country - is said to have gone to a local bar. Mujuru
drank whiskey with other patrons before announcing he would turn in for the
night at his nearby farm.

In the middle of the night, police guards awoke to find Mujuru's house an
inferno. The general was declared dead and an inquest was opened into the
incident.

Highlighting his popularity across the country's political divides, Mujuru's
closed-casket funeral drew tens of thousands - one of the largest such
gatherings in Zimbabwe since independence in 1980.

The former guerilla commander - who seldom spoke and cut an enigmatic
figure - had a reputation as one of the few within the ruling party who
would criticize Mugabe to his face.

'The Mujuru affair has the potential to severely destabilize Zanu-PF in the
months before the election,' warned a Western diplomat, requesting
anonymity. 'They really needed a clear-cut outcome of accidental death.'

A police statement at the opening of the inquest stated there was no
evidence of foul play, but the 37 witnesses who gave testimonies at the
hearings painted a more complex picture.

During the three-week inquest it emerged that the police had mishandled
crucial evidence, using a contaminated plastic shopping bag to bundle up the
remains of Mujuru's carbonized body.

His security guards were unprepared for the fire, lacking even radio
equipment to call for help, the commission was also told.

The fire department too was tardy in responding. The truck that eventually
arrived was useless, as it had a leak in its water tank and showed up empty.

Further fueling suspicion of foul play, Mujuru's housekeeper, Rosemary
Shoti, said she heard gunshots two hours before the fire was discovered. An
AK47 assault rifle lay near the burned body.

Police pathologist Gabriel Alvero even admitted he was uncertain the corpse
he examined was that of the general, as he lacked equipment and access.

Critics of Mugabe, including some former fighters in the liberation war, say
they would not be surprised if scores were being settled.

They cite a long list of prominent political figures who they claim were
killed by Zanu-PF since the battle against the white minority-led government
kicked off in 1975.

Magistrate Walter Chikwanha, in closing the testimony phase of the inquest,
also rejected calls by Mujuru's family for the body to be exhumed for
independent examination.

Nurses reject 22.5 percent pay hike

http://www.newzimbabwe.com

07/02/2012 00:00:00
    by Phyllis Mbanje

STATE-EMPLOYED nurses have rejected a 22.5 percent salary hike offered by
the government raising the prospect of a damaging strike for the country's
struggling health sector.

The Zimbabwe Nurses Association (ZINA) dismissed the proposed increment as a
mockery.

Under the proposal, 7.5 percent of the offer which was made during a meeting
between the ZINA and the Health Services Board (HSB) would have comprised a
direct salary hike while the balance would come as housing and transport
allowances.

The adjustment would have added US$57 to the package of the lowest paid
health worker, increasing their monthly salary to about US$310.

But ZINA President Regina Smith said the government’s offer was way below
the poverty datum line which is now estimated at more than US$500 and
therefore unacceptable.

Smith, who is also the Chinhoyi Provincial Hospital Matron, said
negotiations with the HSB had reached a deadlock adding ZINA members – some
6000 nurses across the country – were now waiting for another scheduled
round of talks before deciding the way forward.

The ZINA chief said her members found it difficult to relate government’s
default plea that state coffers are practically empty with the recent
decision to award legislators backdated allowances of up to US$15 000 each.
The government also splashed millions of dollars on new vehicles ministers,
their deputies and senior civil servants.

Finance Minister Tendai Biti argues the government wage bill, at more than
60 percent of overall income and expenditure, is already too big and
unsustainable.

Meanwhile, the deadlock in the nurses negotiations comes after teachers and
other state employees – most of whom earn just over US$200 -- recently
called a five-day strike after rejecting an average salary hike of about
US$87.

The government insists that with the economy still struggling to recover
from a decade-long recession and little foreign assistance coming through,
wage demands by state workers cannot be met.

Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai suggested early this year that additional
revenues from diamond sales could be used to improve the working conditions
of civil servants.

The government expects at least US$600 million in additional funds from
diamond sales but Biti allocated the funds to various infrastructure
projects as well as a constitutional referendum and general elections
expected this year.

Corruption at RG’s office

http://www.thezimbabwean.co.uk

Those seeking birth and national identification documents here have lodged
complaints of corruption among staff at the Registrar General’s offices.
08.02.1201:18pm
by Jane Makoni

“We have to camp out if we have any hope of getting our documents,” said
Philip Mutema fom Dombotombo. “Only the first 10 applicants are served
fairly, the rest are forced to bribe the officials for their documents. I
have been waiting here with my friends for eight days in the hope of getting
our papers. We keep ending up at the back of the queue, whereas those with
spare cash to grease the palms of the officials don’t even have to queue.”

The queues are particularly long at the moment due to the number of school
leavers who need ID documents to register for tertiary education or travel
permits.

“I have lost hope,” said another applicant, 18-year-old Spiwe Mwenga. “I’ll
come back when there is no corruption and the staff is more professional.”

The corruption allegedly started when security guards established a system
where bribes would guarantee applicants a ‘deal’ with government officials
to have their documents processed out of working hours.

The District Registrar could not be reached for comment but a senior
official at the offices said: “Although I do not want to defend corruption,
I cannot confirm whether ‘dirty money’ is exchanging hands or not. I am only
aware that a number of applicants were being turned away without their
documents. The District Registrar is better placed to clarify the issue”.

Teachers report interrogation by CIOs over elections

http://www.swradioafrica.com

By Tererai Karimakwenda
07 February 2012

Teachers who served as polling agents and presiding officers during
elections were routinely questioned by security agents after the polls,
while a vetting process before the elections qualified only those considered
“politically correct” by ZANU PF. This is according to findings in a survey
by the main teachers union.

The Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) told journalists in Harare
on Tuesday that they interviewed 1,152 teachers about their experiences with
elections in the years 2002 and 2008.

Programmes officer Oswald Madziva told SW Radio Africa that the survey was
conducted to add some “statistical value” to the facts that are already well
known about teachers’ experiences during elections.

Madziva said the interrogations were conducted by a four-member panel headed
by “district inspectors”. The victims said they could not identify the other
three panel members but suspected them to be “security details”, who asked
why ZANU PF had lost at their polling stations.

“79% of the respondents were forced to attend political rallies, some held
during work time and having far reaching effects on education. Another 24%
reported having been displaced from their work stations and communities,”
Madziva explained.

The PTUZ also collected statistics on the perpetrators of violence against
teachers. Madziva said 25% of the teachers surveyed had experienced violence
directly, with 27% of the perpetrators known as war vets, 24% youth militia
and 20% intelligence agents.

“We found that fellow teachers, including headmasters and district education
officers, constituted 4% of the perpetrators of violence against teachers.
Secondly school development committee members also committed acts of
violence against teachers, particularly in rural areas,” Madziva stressed.

He added that these two new revelations made the survey even more valuable
and the PTUZ intends to distribute the report to SADC (as the guarantors of
the Global Political Agreement), the United Nations Security Council,
Education International and the International Labour Organization. Madziva
said they would also distribute the report to local structures, including
Zimbabwe’s legislators and the leaders of all political parties.

Media Monitors Case Referred to Supreme Court

http://www.radiovop.com

By Vusisizwe Mkhwananzi Gwanda, February 08, 2012 – Gwanda magistrate Sheila
Nazombe has referred the case involving three media monitors to the Supreme
Court after defense counsel Kossam Ncube argued that the charge against his
clients violates the right to freedom of expression and the right to
protection of the law.

The three monitors namely Fadzai December, Molly Chimhanda and Gilbert
Mabusa face a charge of undermining the authority of President Robert Mugabe
by spreading falsehoods that engender feelings of hostility towards him.

In his submissions Ncube argued that Section 33 of the Criminal Law
(Codification and Reform Act) is couched in such wide and all catching terms
that it becomes difficult for one to know what or what not to say about the
head of state.

“There is no clear cut answer to that, it is therefore left to the
subjective evaluation of the law enforcement agents to decide what statement
they consider to be false, it sends a chilling effect as it muzzles even
genuine hard hitting criticism of the President,” said Ncube.

Ncube said the section effectively shields the President from any kind of
scrutiny and seeks to create a situation whereby only good things must be
said about him lest someone invites the wrath of the law.

“The President is the primary figurehead of the nation and therefore must
have the thick skin necessary to bear criticism even that couched in not so
palatable terms as such the right to freedom of expression as enshrined in
section 20 of the constitution is compromised,” argued Ncube.

State counsel Blessing Gundani tried in vain to have the application
dismissed arguing that it did not hold merit and was only meant to delay
trial.

However magistrate Nazombe refused to remove the trio from remand saying she
expected the Supreme Court to expeditiously deal with the matter.

Ncube had pleaded with the court to have the three removed from remand
saying Supreme Court matters took long to be heard.

They were given a longer remand to the 30th of April when it is hoped that
the Supreme Court would have ruled on the matter.

The charge against the three media monitors arose after they facilitated a
civic education workshop aimed at promoting public information rights in
Gwanda on the 24th of November 2011.

Mujuru family urged to fight on for the truth

http://www.swradioafrica.com/

By Lance Guma
08 February 2012

The family of the late army general Solomon Mujuru have been urged to
continue fighting for the truth, after a Harare magistrate declined their
request for his body to be exhumed and a ‘professional’ autopsy done by
foreign experts.

Reggie Perumal, a South African forensic scientist hired by the Mujuru
family, raised doubts about the original autopsy done by Cuban pathologist,
Gabriel Gonzales Alvero. Perumal said Alvero had not used the appropriate
tools. He also queried why Alvero did the autopsy when he is not registered
in Zimbabwe.

On Monday the family suffered a setback when Magistrate Walter Chikwanha
ruled that he had no jurisdiction to order the exhumation. He said only the
Attorney General and the Home Affairs Ministry could order this, saying the
application was tantamount to ‘arm twisting’ and ‘putting the cart before
the horse’.

But support for the Mujuru family has been coming from many quarters
including the Daily News newspaper, who in an editorial urged the family
‘not to despair’. Vice President Joice Mujuru and family “must not be
deterred by the decision,” and it should “not necessarily mean the end of
the road,” the paper wrote.

“What has come out during the inquest are more questions than answers with
serious inconsistencies in witnesses’ testimony particularly from experts.
While magistrate Chikwanha is yet to give his full ruling, we all hope that
his findings will give answers to questions raised during the inquest,” the
paper said.

The state owned Herald newspaper was meanwhile trying to kill off the matter
using an article entitled ‘Inquest findings final, say experts’.

Quoting unnamed legal experts, the paper said: “the presiding magistrate in
General Solomon Mujuru’s inquest has absolute control of the proceedings and
there is no room for family members and interested parties to appeal against
the court’s decision.”

Lawyer Thakor Kewada has meanwhile said he is awaiting the inquest’s outcome
before taking further instructions from the Mujuru family.

Whistleblower Summoned Over Blood Scare

http://www.radiovop.com/

Harare, February 08, 2012- A whistleblower who exposed maladministration at
the National Blood Service of Zimbabwe (NBSZ), where the national blood
provider allegedly jeopardised the lives of several patients by
administering unhygienic blood has been summoned for a hearing over the
exposé.

Emmanuel Masvikeni, the NBSZ’s blood procurement manager disclosed in court
papers filed in the Labour Court late last year that the national blood
provider had at times stocked blood considered to be health risk.

Masvikeni said he had attempted to remedy this act of maladministration
which was being presided over by the blood bank’s chief executive officer
David Mvere by alerting the NBSZ’s board of directors through an anonymous
email. Through the email, the blood procurement manager said he had
communicated to the board of directors that; “some of the blood that was
banked was health risk blood since it is not being tested in terms of
procedure.” Masvikeni also accused Mvere of corruption, nepotism and paying
ghost workers on the NBSZ’s pay roll.

Mvere, Masvikeni said was evading paying income tax to the Zimbabwe Revenue
Authority from his monthly salary of US$10 164.

But NBSZ has now summoned Masvikeni for a hearing which takes place on
Wednesday, where he faces misconduct charges for authoring the email
exposing the wrongdoing and misconduct by his superior.

In a letter written to Masvikeni, the NBSZ said it would proceed with the
Wednesday hearing “with or without you and your legal representation if you
do not turn up” because they had postponed the
hearing on several occasions. The letter which was seen by Radio VOP was
written by Collins Mitala, the NBSZ chairperson of the disciplinary
committee.

Masvikeni through his lawyer Harrison Nkomo of Mtetwa and Nyambirai Legal
Practitioners has challenged the disciplinary inquiry and alleges that Mvere
wants to dismiss him “so as that he can silence me and revenge me for
reporting the issue of maladministration that I had raised.”

The NBSZ has refuted Masvikeni’s disclosures and claimed that a subcommittee
of the organisation’s board of directors “dismissed the issue of tainted
blood after it carried out its own investigation last year and said
allegations of maladministration levelled against Mvere were “unfounded.”

Chombo appointee blocked

http://www.dailynews.co.zw

By Godfrey Mtimba
Wednesday, 08 February 2012 14:01

MASVINGO - Mainstream MDC-led Gutu Rural District Council has blocked the
appointment of a new chief executive officer (CEO) by Local Government
Minister Ignatius Chombo.

The Gutu RDC councillors on Monday held a meeting with the district
administrator Roy Hove together with other stakeholders and blocked Chombo’s
appointee Fredrick Tozvireva from taking over as the council’s new CEO ahead
of their preferred choice, Alexander Mutombwa.

The officials blocked him from entering the council premises arguing that
Mutombwa should rightfully take over as the CEO because he had outshone the
other job interviewees who had been shortlisted for the job accusing Chombo
of seeking to employ a Zanu PF-aligned official.

Gutu RDC chairman, Daniel Jinga told the Daily News that his council which
is dominated by MDC councillors rejected the new CEO.

“We held a meeting yesterday with all stakeholders in the district,
including our DA, Hove and resolved as council that we do not want Tozvireva
to assume the office of CEO as he was not recommended after he failed to
impress the interview panel. We were surprised that minister Chombo’s office
decided to give him the job when we had recommended Mutombwa who scored the
highest marks,” said Jinga.

The RDC chairman said Mutombwa scored 80 percent, followed by Nehemiah
Dewure whose marks stood at 71, 5 percent and Tozvireva was in third
position with 68 percent and the interview panellists had recommended the
top two people but were shocked to see the ministry giving the job to a
person who was not recommended.

“I think this is not fair and shows some form of corruption and politicking.

“How could the person who scored the highest marks and recommended by the
panel fail to get the job when someone from nowhere is handpicked. We have
agreed that we are not going to let him work in our council and we will not
work with him,” Jinga said.

Jinga also said they suspected foul play from the minister and his officials
from the provincial administrator’s (PA) office which processes the papers
before they go to Chombo’s office for approval.

Efforts to get a comment from Chombo were fruitless as he kept cutting his
phone but Masvingo PA, Felix Chikovo defended his boss saying he had
prerogative powers to appoint any person from the top three in the
interviews.

“I am not sure about yesterday’s meeting but from my last conversation with
my office in Gutu, we had advised them not to hold such a meeting because
the minister had prerogative powers to choose any person from the three
people who come top in the interview.

“Right now I can’t say much because I haven’t heard from them since last
week because I am in Mutare on assignment but that CEO (Tozvireva) appointed
by minister Chombo should start work and they have no powers to block him,”
said Chikovo.

The PA’s office had representatives in the interviews as well as the human
resources department and all the players including the councillors who made
the panellists, concurred to recommend Mutombwa.

Mutombwa is also said to have higher educational qualifications than the
other two candidates for the job.

He holds a Master’s degree in Strategic Management while Tozvireva is said
to be a holder of only a first degree.

“We have also resolved to write to the minister to reverse his appointment
and follow our recommendation or else we are calling for fresh interviews so
that the right candidate for the job who will have been recommended by the
interviewers will get the job,” said Jinga.

Chombo has been on the war path with MDC councillors over the years as he
has been accused of disregarding their decisions as well as firing them for
no apparent reason in a bid to frustrate his rival party officials in the
shaky coalition government.

Not Prepared for Floods Amid Conflicting Weather Forecasts

http://www.ipsnews.net/

By Ignatius Banda

BULAWAYO , Feb 8 , 2012 (IPS) - Sibongile Dube knows the devastation heavy
rain can leave in its wake. A villager in the lowveld area of Mberengwa in
Zimbabwe’s Midlands province, Dube’s home is one of many that were washed
away by flash floods last year.

"I am still rebuilding my home," Dube told IPS, pointing to where she has
erected a hut that she says serves as her bedroom.

Across the small yard stands a shaky-looking grain storage bin, which has
become symbolic of the devastation that swept away thousands of tonnes of
grain in last year’s floods.

Hundreds of schools and villages were washed away amid criticism of Zimbabwe’s
disaster preparedness and effective early warning systems. This was despite
earlier warnings that the floods, which had already left a trail of
destruction in their wake in countries that lie along the Zambezi River in
Southern Africa, were headed for some parts of the country.

"We were never told that the water would be that bad. We lost livestock and
the grain we had harvested," Dube said, highlighting the plight of thousands
of villagers who remain victims not only of natural disasters but also poor
early warning and disaster monitoring systems in Zimbabwe.

While rains have only begun to fall in some parts of the country, the
Zimbabwe Meteorological Services have given conflicting reports of when to
expect it to reach its peak. Initially the service first said December 2011,
but then revised this to early January, then again to late January.

Zimbabwe Meteorological Services chief, Tich Zinyemba, has also reversed an
adverse forecast issued that warned of imminent floods. He said in late
January that the cyclone, which had been expected to reach Zimbabwe last
month, had since moved back to Mozambique.

Zinyemba’s latest forecast came despite a warning issued by the Zambezi
River Authority that parts of the Zambezi River, which flows through
Zimbabwe, would experience floods and advised villagers to prepare for
evacuation to higher ground.

This week, experts from the government’s weather services department
announced the cyclone from neighbouring Mozambique was no longer headed for
Zimbabwe. While villagers are no longer being prepared for the possibility
of heavy downpours, for Dube and many others, the threat of rain destroying
their homes remains a real threat.

These conflicting weather reports have exposed the country’s lack of
preparedness for possible floods.

"We do not know anymore when the rains would fall and how bad it would be,"
Dube told IPS, expressing a popular sentiment here as many have lost faith
in the reliability of weather forecasts from the meteorological services.

The Civil Protection Unit, a government department responsible for, among
other things, evacuating of communities from flood areas, also issued a
flood warning last month. The unit has been severely criticised for failing
to respond in time to the distress of villagers like Dube, last year.

"There is lack of adequate expertise and the usual lack of resources that is
why we even fail to have such things as helicopters to assist our people
during floods," Tymon Ruzende, a disaster preparedness expert who worked
with the Red Cross during last year’s floods, told IPS.

"But I also think there is little in terms of preparing communities deal
with the prospect of flooding. For example when it is already known the
waters will rise, communities must be told to move to higher ground, yet
others always resist this," Ruzende told IPS.

This year, communities that lie along the giant Zambezi basin once again
find themselves at the centre of rising waters.

It is here in the Zambezi basin in areas such as Binga, an inaccessible and
remote district in northern Zimbabwe, where communities have previously been
victim of flooding despite clear signs that the banks would burst.

Jairos Lubimbi, a local councillor, said not much is being done to prepare
villagers in the eventuality of floods.

"People here have always lived with floods and it is something which the
authorities think is natural and they cannot do anything about saving lives,
grain and livestock," Lubimbi told IPS.

Last month, the Zambezi River Authority told villagers living downstream on
the Zambezi to evacuate their homes, but villagers who spoke to IPS said
they were still in their homes because "they had nowhere to go."

"They tell us to move to higher ground, but do not provide alternative homes
for us," said distraught Taboka Sibanda, a villager.

Floods have already moved from Mozambique into South Africa and according to
some media reports, the rising waters have claimed up to 20 lives. Concerns
remain about possible localised flooding in Zimbabwe.

Experts say Zimbabwe’s shifting climate patterns that have moved the rain
season further into the New Year. They say that this has made it difficult
to prepare for possible floods as the country lacks state of the art weather
tracking systems. This comes amid calls by the United Nations for all early
warning systems to be community centred.

SA investor in Chihuri plea over seized vehicle

http://www.newzimbabwe.com

07/02/2012 00:00:00
    by Staff Reporter

A SOUTH African businessman has appealed to ZRP chief Augustine Chihuri and
the High Court after Matabeleland North police refused to release his
vehicle even after he was cleared on charges of allegedly violating the
country’s immigration laws.

In papers before the High Court, Diederick Jacobus Coetzer – who is
developing a multi-million rand mining project in the Inyathi area of Bubi
district -- was arrested on January 21 this year along with colleagues
Dereck Nielson and Dewet Reginald Jacobs.

The trio appeared in court two days later charged with breaching sections of
the Immigration Act and were released on US$400 bail with Coetzer also
surrendering his vehicle as surety.

Charges against Coetzer and Nielson were however, withdrawn before plea when
they returned to court on January 30 and their bail money returned after it
was determined that they had not violated any laws.

But officers at Inyathi Police Station are said to be ignoring a court order
to return Coetzer’s vehicle, forcing him to appeal to Chihuri and the High
Court.

In his affidavit Coetzer says: “My legal practitioner has made all possible
efforts to have the matter resolved without recourse to the courts but the
efforts have borne no fruit.

“I pray to the court to find that my rights under laws of Zimbabwe and the
international law have been violated and continue to be.

“I have been denied the protection of the law and I have had my property
seized from me without due process in the circumstances, which amounts to
unlawful deprivation of property.
“I am being discriminated against and I can only assume such discrimination
is on the grounds of my race and nationality.”

His lawyer, Vonani Majoko said the case was an embarrassment for the country
and urged Chihuri to intervene and help “repair the damage that the
contemptuous conduct of police from Matabeleland North province has caused
to the image of the justice system in the country”.

“As an officer of the court I am embarrassed by the conduct of the police
officers involved in this case as it undermines the confidence of the public
in the police force, a vital component of the government tasked to maintain
law and order,” Majoko said.

Coetzer said he now feared he could be deported and declared a prohibited
immigrant and his vehicle seized by the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA).
The vehicle was brought into the country on a temporary import permit only
valid up to January 31.

He added that he would suffer irreparable loss if Zimra were to seize the
vehicle since he acquired it under a hire purchase deal in South Africa.

Local business groups have warned that the case and similar instances of
unnecessary police harassment would not help efforts to attract investment
to a region already hit by negative perceptions and the closure or
relocation to other towns and cities of several key companies.

Goverment ignores Chinese labour abuse

http://www.thezimbabwean.co.uk

Although the government is aware of labour abuse within Chinese companies,
it is doing nothing to bring them to account, according to veteran trade
unionist, Lovemore Matombo.
08.02.1201:21pm
by Fungi Kwaramba

Matombo, who is currently the leader of the splinter Zimbabwe Congress of
Trade Unions, said that on several occasions his organisation had engaged
the government through the Tripartite Negotiating Forum, but nothing had
been done.

“There are many cases of labour abuses at mines and construction companies.
We have talked about this with the government, but they are failing to
address the issue because the Chinese seem to be above the law,” said
Matombo.

Chinese employees do not allow their workers to belong to trade
organisations.

“There are no worker committees with the Chinese. If a worker questions the
authorities, he is fired. It’s difficult to bring the Chinese to task
because they are protected by the government,” said Matombo. Matombo said
that Chinese had virtually taken over, and through their bilateral
agreements with the government they escaped punishment.

The Chinese Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Xin Shunkang, said Chinese companies
were following the country’s labour laws.

CIO’s “nobody” vows to starve

http://www.thezimbabwean.co.uk

A 24-year-old graduate of law and politics from Rhodes University in South
Africa, David Hwangwa, is on a hunger strike in Africa Unity Square.
08.02.1211:17am
by Seven Nematiyere

He is protesting against escalating human rights abuses. The police have not
bothered him so far as they think he is a street kid.

“My aim is to force the principals in the inclusive government to
acknowledge that the levels of violence and human rights abuses are getting
out of hand. I hope that this can force them to consider changing their
policies towards the use of both their illegitimate and legitimate use of
violence,” Hwangwa told The Zimbabwean.

“I was abducted by the Central Intelligence Organization when I came back
from South Africa in June 2011. I was released after a few hours because
they said I was a “Nobody”. This has not only made me strong but has also
baptized me to the reality of life today. Such abductions happen every day,
especially to those people outside the public spot. There are no records of
such abductions or detentions by the police and it is a matter of great
concern because who knows of how many people vanish forever as a result of
this.”

He uses Facebook and Twitter as well as interacting with people to get his
message across.

TB Joshua prophesies African leader’s death

http://www.dailynews.co.zw

By Wonai Masvingise and Thelma Chikwanha
Wednesday, 08 February 2012 12:00

HARARE - Reports that Temitope Balogun Joshua, a Nigerian prophet using the
name TB Joshua, has foretold the death of an African president soon have
raised debate in many African countries including Zimbabwe where ageing
presidents are still in power.

TB Joshua, whose prophecies have often come to pass, reportedly made the
shocking prophecy during a Sunday service this week, according to several
online reports.

A Zambian website Tumfweko.com claimed that TB Joshua  prophesied this
message during a Sunday live service broadcast on his Christian television
channel Emmanuel TV on Sunday, which they monitored.
A Malawian website Nyasatimes.com also carried the story yesterday.

TB Joshua is the leader of the Synagogue Church of All Nations (Scoan),
based in Nigeria.

Joshua, who commands a large following in Nigeria and beyond, said an
African leader would die within 60 days. He failed to hint on the location
of the leader, leaving wild guesses to fly around.

“God loves us, you should pray for one African head of state, when I say
President… again the sickness that is likely to take life; sudden death, it
could be sickness being in the body for a long time but God showed me the
country and the place but I’m not here to say anything like that."

“When it’s too close and there is nothing I can do about it, I’ll mention it
clear; the place, the country and the person so that they can see what they
can do to rescue him. Okay, it is very close. Jesus loves us. Wave your
hand, wave your hand,” TB Joshua was quoted as saying by the online
publications.

His prophecy immediately attracted the attention of Zimbabweans who began
posting their own conclusions on social networking sites such as Facebook.

Zanu PF spokesperson Rugare Gumbo, whose leader President Robert Mugabe was
the subject of unsavoury facebook postings following the “prophesy”, refused
to comment.

“I do not believe some of these prophecies of doom,” said Gumbo.

Mugabe, turning 88 this month, leads Africa’s league of aged leaders
struggling with reported ill-health.

In the past, TB Joshua’s aides have been forced to deny some prophecies
attributed to the “Man of God” although some of his prophecies have been
proved to be true. The Daily News was yesterday inundated with callers who
wanted to pass on the “prophecy”.

The Daily News tried to call Emmanuel TV, TB Joshua’s Television Channel
yesterday evening but there was no response.

Other aged African leaders that come to mind are Senegal’s 85-year-old
Abdoulaye Wade. Once respected as a democrat after spending more than two
decades as an opposition leader, Wade is ignoring fatal protests by citizens
opposed to his manoeuvres to run for another seven year term.

Kenya’s 81-year-old Mwai Kibaki, whose refusal to leave power in 2007 led to
widespread violence that killed at least 1 200 people, has stated his
intention not to contest in elections set for August this year.

Paul Biya of Cameroon is 79 and has ruled for more than three decades and
has shown no intention of leaving.

Sadc’s newest president on the block, Zambia’s Michael Sata is an elderly 75
year-old and has been reported to suffer several ailments.

One of Zimbabwe’s younger politicians, Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai (57)
has in the past consulted TB Joshua, hoping for some charm.

TB Joshua is renowned for prophesising the death of pop king Michael
Jackson, the resignation of Pakistan’s ex- president Pervez Musharraf anԁ
the rise of the current president of Ghana John Atta Mills, a few weeks
before the events took place.

TB Joshua also “predicted” the fall of Cote d’Ivoire dictator Laurent Gbagbo
last year.

Apart from Tsvangirai, prominent Zimbabweans known to have visited the
prophet include Zanu PF politburo women’s affairs secretary Oppah
Muchinguri, Zifa president Cuthbert Dube and the late musician Tongai Moyo.

In 2008, Atta Mills also visited SCOAN to seek divine assistance during
elections in his country.

The Ghanaian president said in a thanksgiving service following his
inauguration that TB Joshua had prophesied his victory in the Ghanaian
polls, specifying there would be three elections and the results would be
released in January.

In Zambia and Malawi, there were calls on social networks and some onlines
to pray for their presidents after TB Joshua’s reported Sunday prophecy.

Don’t be fooled, residents warned

http://www.thezimbabwean.co.uk/

A shadowy group reportedly linked to Zanu (PF) is fleecing residents of
their hard earned cash under the guise of helping them get rid of debts they
owe to Harare City Council.
08.02.1211:12am
by Kingstone Ndabatei

The Welfare Trust, operating from Number 130 Main street in Engineering,
Highfield, is forcing residents to pay up to $27 in order to have their
bills “wiped out”.

But the city says the organization is bogus and residents should not be
duped.

Council’s Finance and Budget Committee, Friday Muleya, said the council had
not gone into partnership with Welfare Trust.

“The only programme we are likely to have is relief to the poor and even
that one has a lot of modalities still to be worked out,” Muleya said.

Harare Residents Trust Director, Precious Shumba, said he knew the
organisation and its work was fundraising for President Mugabe’s birthday
bash.

“First they were operating from Zanu (PF) offices in Highfield and now they
have their own office. But the money being paid to council district offices
is not benefiting council. It is kept aside and a security company collects
it on behalf of the party.

“What is surprising is that Mayor Masunda and Town Clerk Tendai Mhahachi are
aware of this but they are doing nothing about it,” Shumba said.

When confronted Masara said she had invited reporters from the state media
instead who would understand their work.

“We will not give you details because we have requested from the President’s
office that we have reporters from the state media. They did not pitch up as
arranged, but we will wait for them. Our work is known even to the Police
Internal Security Intelligence, so we do not need you questioning our
integrity,” Masara said.

She said they were not promising anyone a miracle to get rid of their debt.

“Why should anyone expect a miracle of having the thousands they owe council
disappear just like that? We are only asking council to accept what people
have and move on,” said an agitated Masara.

“Council has been very clear in that residents should approach the city and
make arrangements to pay what they owe in instalments,” Muleya said.

City Spokesperson Leslie Gwindi’s phone went unanswered while Police
Provincial Spokesperson Inspector James Sabau said he did not deal with
issues to do with the President’s office.

Residents interviewed said they did not have a choice but to listen to
anyone who seemed able to help them as council had refused to communicate
with them.

Who will protect people from Chipangano?

http://www.dailynews.co.zw

By Editor
Wednesday, 08 February 2012 13:52

HARARE - Human rights activist Stendrick Zvorwadza has become the latest
victim of the ruthlessness of Chipangano, a vigilante group aligned to
former ruling party Zanu PF.

Civil society groups, church organisations and political parties, including
those in the coalition government, accuse Chipangano of causing terror in
the political hot bed of Mbare.

Zvorwadza, who has business interests in Mbare said on January 28 this year,
he was mobbed by about 50 youths wielding sticks and stones.

He said the group wanted Zvorwadza, who has a petroleum company in the area,
to abandon his project in the poor suburb.

The businessman, who is also the spokesperson for the Restoration of Human
Rights (Rohr), was subsequently taken to Matapi Police Station where he made
a report.

Upon arrival at the station, Zvorwadza said he got the surprise of his life
when Zanu PF youth chairman Jim Kunaka manhandled him in full view of the
police.

“Kunaka held me by the shoulders and started shaking me. I ran into a small
office where I hid.

“Outside, the group of youth was chanting, hausi mwana weropa naizvozvo
muMbare haumushande. Zanu PF yaka deura ropa revanhu vakawanda rako
haringashamise (You are not a son of the soil therefore you cannot work in
Mbare, Zanu PF has spilt a lot of blood and yours will not be an
 exception),” Zvorwadza quoted the youth singing.

In narrating his ordeal, the Rohr spokesperson said he was disheartened by
the lack of police action after he was attacked in their presence.

He bemoaned the partisan manner in which his case was handled by police at
Matapi Police Station.

“When are the police going to stop partisan policing? Their actions are
undermining the peace-building efforts the country is trying to put in
place,” a defiant Zvorwadza said.

Kunaka denied ever attacking Zvorwadza at Matapi Police Station. He,
however, did not deny that he was part of the group of youths at the station
on January 28.

“Don’t you know that assault is a crime in this country? If I assaulted him
at the police station, why wasn’t I arrested?

“I do not think that is true,” Kunaka told the Daily News. Quizzed on his
role in Chipangano, Kunaka said he had no idea what Chipangano was about. I
do not even know what Chipangano is. I don’t know if it is a club or a bar.
These are just stories spread by those people from the opposition."

“They are scared of me because my ground is secure. They want my things. I
have all the youths and their tricks will not work because ndiri
chandagwinyira (I am resolute),” Kunaka said.

Recently, Morden Chirwa, a Zanu PF Mbare official was arraigned before the
courts to answer charges of rape.

Chipangano is believed to be in Mbare based at Charter House.

Residents in Mbare are now living in fear of this group which has a tendency
of dealing ruthlessly with its enemies.

Zimbabwe’s Long Winter

http://latitude.blogs.nytimes.com/

February 8, 2012, 6:04 am

By EUSEBIUS MCKAISER

JOHANNESBURG — Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, Yemen and soon perhaps Syria — over
the past year many long-ruling dictatorships have been collapsing like
houses of cards. Where will the next revolt hit? Looking around sub-Saharan
Africa, Zimbabwe would seem ripe for revolution.
President Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe in July 2011.Tsvangirayi
Mukwazhi/Associated PressPresident Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe in July 2011.

State-led land grabs started there in 2000, some 20 years after the country’s
independence, a disastrous policy response to the legitimate problem of
unequal land distribution created by British colonialism. Since then, living
standards have plummeted. Zimbabwe consistently ranks very low in
international ratings on quality of life. At least one-third of the country’s
12 million people live outside its borders, many as economic migrants and
asylum seekers in South Africa.

President Robert Mugabe’s ruling Zanu-PF Party is chiefly responsible for
this deterioration. There are no free and fair national elections, and the
government has become increasingly repressive. Zanu-PF’s leadership is drunk
on political power and is prepared to use violence to remain at the helm.
Zimbabwe can no longer be described as a democracy.

But don’t bet on a revolution there any time soon.

Why not? For one thing, Zimbabweans are too scattered to coordinate a
revolt. Of the eight million who live inside the country less than 40
percent reside in urban areas. The majority are scattered across the
countryside, making the ignition of social discontent into a fiery uprising
unlikely.

Zanu-PF has also been exceptionally effective at clamping down on perceived
dissidents. Mugabe relies on the police, as well as Zanu-PF’s militia, to
intimidate, assault and sometimes even kill political opponents. Zimbabweans
live in deep fear of the security forces.

Only too aware that cities might become epicenters of resistance, in 2005
Zanu-PF launched Operation Murambatsvina (“Drive Out Filth”), an
innocuous-sounding campaign that really amounted to demolishing the shacks
and stalls of supporters of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change
(M.D.C.). It left 700,000 of the country’s 2.4 million urban dwellers
homeless.

It does not help, of course, that the M.D.C. itself has failed to capture
the imagination of both locals and the international community, despite
ostensibly winning the last election in 2008. The party has been crippled by
the Mugabe security forces’ thuggery; its leaders are often jailed on what
appear to be trumped-up charges. The Zimbabwean opposition, that tired
bunch, would first need to reinvent itself before it could lead an uprising.

And then there is Zimbabweans’ complicated relationship with Mugabe and
Zanu-PF. Many suffer from a political version of Stockholm syndrome. Zanu-PF
not only liberated Zimbabwe from colonial rule, before everything started
unraveling, it also delivered some measure of prosperity. The Mugabe brand
is a mix of irreparably damaged and historically glorious, and that
confusing combination serves as a psychological block against revolt.

And so for now Zimbabweans face only one long political season: winter.

Eusebius McKaiser is a political analyst at Wits University in Johannesburg,
South Africa.

Land reform: Zanu (PF)’s missed opportunity

http://www.thezimbabwean.co.uk

Zanu (PF) has become the tragedy of a party with seemingly good policies for
the Zimbabwean populace failing to win free and fair elections. If one were
to compare the policies of the different political parties in Zimbabwe the
result would show Zanu (PF) winning overwhelmingly on the relative scorecard
with respect to empowering the people.
08.02.1212:35pm
by MBANGO SITHOLE

But, why does this party seem to be struggling? Why does a party with
evidently populist policies have to resort to violence to get votes? The
bottom line is that the party failed to take advantage of the land reform
programme, and its other empowerment policies.

The overall assessment of land reform gives conflicting results - depending
on which lenses one uses. Pro-Zanu (PF) lenses tend to magnify the success
of it while others seek to discredit it. This is only to be expected in our
highly polarized society. The only consensus is that land is a major,
complex emotional issue that should have been addressed many decades ago.

Objective analyses show that land reform had empowered some Zimbabweans.
Government sources claim that about 300 000 families were allocated land
under the A1 and A2 models. This is disputed because there has never been a
full land audit.

Government records in 2009 show that the A2 model had resettled about 16 000
farmers and the A1 model about 146 000. Even if the 300 000 is accepted as
given, it is far less than people envisaged when the process was initiated.
If we assume that each family has five people, we can infer that about
1.5million benefited (this number is too liberal) – about 11% of the
population of 13 million. The reader can judge whether this is success or
failure.

Land: core of

the struggle

The majority of those resettled were Zanu (PF) supporters and senior
government officials, including the army and war veterans. Many politicians
and senior government officials received multiple farms. Land audits have
been instituted but the results have not been made public for fear of
exposing the personalities involved in this wanton greed.

The leadership lacks the will to deal with this. The reasons for this
apparent inertia are surprising as the confiscation of multiple farms could
easily have projected Zanu (PF) as a party intolerant of corruption and
greed. Land reform is clearly unfinished business. It is a process which
posterity will have revisited and inequalities addressed. This will not be a
process of restoring land to former white owners but to address the black
against black inequalities, which made it a dismal failure.

Zanu (PF) missed an opportunity to reverse their fortunes in the urban
areas. Following the triumph of the “No Vote” in the 1999 referendum, which
was widely regarded as a total rejection of Zanu (PF) by the people, the
party panicked. They then turned to land to win back votes. But, how do you
expect to improve your waning support by empowering only those who are
already in the Zanu (PF) fold?

This is what we saw happening in the selection of the beneficiaries. Had
Zanu (PF) followed an objective process it would have been their Lazarus
moment. The Zanu (PF) government had scored very highly in the 80s and early
90s through their policies of free education and healthcare. These policies
succeeded (in the eyes of the public) because they were implemented in the
true spirit of the liberation struggle before greed set in and corrupted the
minds and hearts of those in power.

Without any doubt Robert Mugabe is a shrewd politician. He knew what needed
to be done. We know that although the land reform was on the agenda from the
80s going to the 90s it had started to lose momentum as powerful black
politicians started joining the CFU, having bought farms under the willing
buyer willing seller system. The cost of land had started soaring as the
fears of political instability began to decrease in the mid-eighties.

The return of Reverend Ndabaningi Sithole from his self-imposed exile and
his speech on land reform, following by his resettling about 4000 families
on his personal Churu farm served as a wake-up call for Mugabe. Although
Zanu (PF), through the official newspapers was quick to dismiss Sithole’s
opinions, Mugabe was quick to see a threat in his former boss’s utterances.
He remembered the promises made during the liberation struggle. Land was the
core of the struggle.

Land: unfinished business

Populist policies usually win crucial votes when push comes to shove at
election time. The problem is that Mugabe allowed his lieutenants to turn
the good intention of the land reform to serve only a few, leaving millions
to suffer the consequences. The majority of the people, about 89% of the
population, who did not benefit only saw severe food shortages,
de-industrialization, cash shortages, price increases and many other ills
that befell them.

Zanu (PF) will argue that that these were a direct result of sanctions. But
debate continues to rage concerning this complex issue, which has been
confused by deliberate misinformation and blatant untruths.

If one reads ZIDERA legislation, the reasons advanced were more to do with
the method employed in the farms take over and the violence of the 2000
elections. Has anyone stopped to imagine what could have happened if the
land redistribution had been carried out in a non-violent way? There are
significant chances that there would not be any ZIDERA today. It would have
been extremely difficult to justify. – To be continued next week.

Reaction to Mr Christopher Jarrett of SAFCA

I would like to comment on the view expressed by one Christopher Jarrett of
the Southern African Commercial Farmers' Association SACFA  in today's
installment of The Zimbabwe Situation.
Let me state first that I am not a ZANU-PF apologist or a supporter of the
unplanned land seizures of the early 2000s to date . All I want to point out
without denigrating the collosal impact these terrible land expropriations
had on the Zimbabwean economy is that the economy did not collapse with the
land invasions or with the war veterans' gratuities as some believe .

Remember that the chaotic land reform started well after the Movement for
Democratic Change was formed in 1999 and well after ZAPU was re-launched in
1998. Remember also that the formation or the rise of these movements was
inspired by the 'collapse' of the economy for the majority. Perhaps for the
commecial farmers as represented by Mr Jarrett the economy was in good shape
until the invasions but I want to submit that when the ZCTU under the
leadership of Gibson Sibanda staged successful strikes in the late 1990s the
economy had 'collapsed ' for the majority of workers.Workers were fed up, it
was a culmination of years of restraint , fear and suffering.
I raise these issues so that the pursuit for a solution to the crisis in
Zimbabwe a given the correct diagnosis since correct diagnosis is half the
cure.

SIKHUMBUZO DUBE
ZAPU- FEDERAL PARTY
President

Where is Zimbabwe’s diamonds cash going?

Clifford Chitupa Mashiri, 08/02/12

Amid claims that Marange diamonds have brought stiff competition on the
international market, causing prices to fall sharply, especially in India
(the Herald, 6 February 2012) the big question is ‘Where is Zimbabwe’s
diamonds cash going?’

This week’s flashy headlines: ‘Zim diamonds shake the market’ and ‘Companies
to auction diamonds’ seem to tell only part of the full story.

Despite claims in the state-owned media that Zimbabwe is set to rule the
global rough diamond supply market in the next few years, the country is at
the mercy of an increasingly rich and powerful ruling elite.

Observers believe tens of millions of dollars in diamond profits, probably
even more, are being secretly extracted from Chiadzwa minefields and by
passing Treasury to fund Mugabe’s election terror campaign while the
Kimberley Process dithers on the definition of conflict diamonds.

Diplomats talk of how diamond sales are being made through suitcases full of
cash and anti-sanctions units in local banks, raising concerns that proceeds
to treasury are just a token for maintaining mining licences and a semblance
of legality.

The basis for that accusation is the US$60 million shortfall in diamonds
cash identified in the national budget statement which experts see as just
the tip of an iceberg.

Another indicator of a possible stash of arguably ‘unaccounted for cash’
somewhere is the regime’s increased election rhetoric despite Treasury
saying there was no money for both the referendum and the general elections.

If Zimbabwe could not independently fund COPAC and failed to give the
Election Commission more than US$8.5 million, it is mind boggling that
Zanu-pf is so confident about funding elections when it was servicing a bank
overdraft in 2010.

There is also speculation about Zimbabwe diamonds possibly about to rescue
the next AU summit in Malawi after the two leaders met in Harare last week,
followed by reports quoting Malawi’s vice president saying her country was
not prepared to host the 54 heads of state and government in June/July 2012.

Recently, a firm mining Zimbabwe’s diamonds allegedly hired a private jet
for Mugabe to go where most average Zimbabweans will hardly visit at their
own expense,  in such luxury – the Far East, for unclear reasons as there
are daily connecting flights via Jo-burg.

Rather than the diamonds funding war chests, they should better address
impending crises, such as:

“World Food Programme to feed 1 million Zimbabweans through March’; ‘Maputo
threatens to switch off Zim’; ‘Typhoid outbreak imminent in Harare’;
‘Chitungwiza vulnerable to typhoid’; ‘Funds shortage slows down construction
of mortuary’ and so on.

Clifford Chitupa Mashiri, Political Analyst, London,
zimanalysis2009@gmail.com

Bill Watch 4/2012 of 8th February [Media Commission & Foreign Newspapers; Inclusive Government Appointments]