Air Zimbabwe’s last plane grounded

http://www.swradioafrica.com

By Tererai Karimakwenda
04 January, 2012

Zimbabwe’s national airline is in the headlines again this week after the
only plane still operational was grounded, due to technical faults. This
continues a very troubled season for the management who are facing strong
criticism for the financial failings at Air Zim.

Flights from Harare to Bulawayo and Victoria Falls were reportedly cancelled
on Monday when the Boeing 737 aircraft developed a “glitch” in one of the
engines, leaving passengers stranded.

Air Zim’s acting chief executive officer, Innocent Mavhunga, and board
chairperson Jonathan Kadzura, have so far made no comment regarding the
airline’s future. It is believed debts of at least $140 million are
outstanding.

According to Newsday newspaper, the broken down plane could not be fixed
because workers are currently on strike over unpaid salaries. A source
reportedly said that most workers had not been paid for nearly six months.

Political and economic analyst Bekithemba Mhlanga told SW Radio Africa that
blame for the airline’s demise “should be placed squarely on Robert Mugabe
and the board of directors”. He referred to Mugabe’s constant use of the
airline for personal trips and mismanagement by the board as the major
reasons.

“We’ve reached a point where there should be either civil action or criminal
liability against the management for their part in terms of how we got to
this position,” Mhlanga explained. He added that the board never had a plan
of action and should have forced privatization of the airline years ago.

A crisis developed a week before the holidays last month when creditors
seized a plane at Gatwick Airport in London because Air Zim had failed to
pay $1.5 million owed to an American spare parts company. Hundreds were
stranded for over a week at the airport.

Earlier in the week Transport Minister Nicholas Goche ordered all its
regional and international flights to be suspended, fearing seizure of the
remaining aircraft by creditors.

SADC leaders to plan Zim meeting during AU summit

http://www.swradioafrica.com

Posted by Tererai Karimakwenda on Wednesday, January 4, 2012

Leaders from the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) will meet to
discuss plans for a special Zimbabwe summit, on the sidelines of the African
Union summit that is to begin later this month.

A report in the Daily News newspaper said SADC’s executive secretary, Tomaz
Salamao, told reporters that dates for a summit on Zimbabwe would be agreed
on at the AU summit in Addis Ababa, due to run from January 21 to January
28.

This year will be the fourth year since the regional leaders facilitated the
signing of Zimbabwe’s Global Political Agreement (GPA), which created the
troubled coalition government that is widely seen as a failure.

The GPA was intended as a transitional measure to create a conducive
environment to lead to democratic elections. But in the years that have
passed the majority of reforms agreed to by the political parties have not
been implemented.

It is widely accepted that the process is dragging on because of ZANU PF’s
resistance to change, with Robert Mugabe continuing to make unilateral
decisions and ignoring his partners in the coalition government. Arrests of
human rights activists and MDC officials, plus attacks on journalists and
the media have also continued.

Zimbabweans became hopeful last year when SADC strongly criticized the slow
progress of the GPA at a summit in Luanda and the leaders resolved to
appoint a team to assist with the implementation of the GPA reforms. But
that team has still not begun their work and a third member is still to be
appointed.

It seems unlikely that SADC is ever going to be the saviour that Zimbabweans
are looking for.

Mujuru probe complete but ...

http://www.thezimbabwemail.com/

John Nyashanu 8 hours 40 minutes ago

HARARE - Investigations into the so-far inexplicable death of one of
Zimbabwe’s most decorated soldiers, Retired General Solomon Mujuru, are now
complete and an inquest is set to begin anytime soon, Attorney-General (AG)
Johannes Tomana told local private newspaper yesterday.
Tomana told NewsDay that the inquest was likely to bring finality to a
tragedy that shocked the entire nation on August 12 last year.

The AG, whose office received the report of the police investigations,
recently said a magistrate would be assigned to preside over the inquest to
ascertain what exactly happened to Mujuru, who is said not to have had
tribal inhibitions.

Tomana immediately appealed to all interested parties, who have been waiting
for the probe results with bated breath, to be patient and let the judicial
process take its course.

“It (the inquest) will be directed and guided by the courts,” Tomana said.

“Speculations have dominated this case, but at this stage, the matter now
becomes sub judice (before the courts of law and, thus, cannot be discussed
in the media).

Investigations by the police have been done and I am sure the inquest will
happen anytime soon.”

Contents of the police report have been kept a closely-guarded secret,
possibly to contain emotions of a nation eager to know how the country’s
first black army general perished in a horrific inferno at his Alamein Farm
in Beatrice.

Chief police spokesperson Senior Assistant Commissioner Wayne Bvudzijena
confirmed investigations into the puzzling death of Mujuru were complete.

“As the police, we have completed our investigations. We submitted our
report to the Attorney-General’s Office, and an inquest is the next stage,”
Bvudzijena said.

The nature of Mujuru’s death left tongues wagging, with many questioning how
a thoroughly trained military man could have been engulfed in a fire and
failed to escape.

Suspicions grew when the former owner of the farmhouse, Guy Watson-Smith,
suggested foul play, immediately after the conflagration.

“. . . there were more doors and windows than holes in a colander. Our main
bedroom alone had three doors out of it and four double windows. How do you
get trapped inside that?” queried Watson-Smith.

The late General’s wife, Vice-President Joice Mujuru, weighed in, saying she
was baffled by the death and would not rest until furnished with a
comprehensive report on her husband’s death.

The Retired Army General, also known as Rex Nhongo, the nom de guerre he
used during the liberation struggle, was perceived as Zimbabwe’s kingmaker
in the country’s treacherous political waters, who led a faction eyeing the
country’s Presidency.

In 2004, Mujuru was reportedly instrumental in securing his wife the country’s
and Zanu PF’s second most powerful position, against a spirited campaign by
another Zanu PF stalwart, Defence minister Emmerson Mnangagwa.

Reports are that Mnangagwa leads the other faction vying for the Presidency
while insiders say a senior soldier has also thrown his hat into the ring
and is making waves. - NewsDay

Mudede resumes passports production

http://www.newzimbabwe.com

04/01/2012 00:00:00
    by Staff Reporter

THE Registrar-General’s Office Tuesday resumed processing of travel
documents after suspending operations following damage to equipment last
week.

Registrar-general, Tobaiwa Mudede blamed the suspension of work on a power
failure which hit Harare last week, claiming the outage damaged key
equipment at his Department’s Makombe Building head office in Harare.

The development left stranded thousands of Zimbabweans keen to renew their
passports and other travel documents before returning to work in
neighbouring countries such as Botswana and South Africa.

"I was supposed to start work on January 2 and I don't know whether my boss
will understand my problem," Moses Bhasera, who is based in South Africa
told The Herald newspaper.

Long queues could be seen at Makombe Building on Tuesday following
confirmation that work had resumed but most complained that there was no
sense of urgency in dealing with the long queues.
Others questioned why the RG's Office was being affected by the same problem
at the same time of the year.

The Department experienced similar problems last year leading to suspicion
that the power failure had nothing to do with the suspension.

"This was the situation last year. We don't think the fault was genuine, but
it's only that someone was failing to deal with the demand associated with
the holidays,” another holiday-maker claimed.
"These are the repercussions of centralising everything in one place,
Harare. It becomes a single point of failure."

COPAC concedes blame for constitutional chaos

http://www.newzimbabwe.com/

04/01/2012 00:00:00
    by Staff Reporter

THE Constitution Select Committee (COPAC) has admitted giving drafters
incomplete information forcing them to resort to their own personal opinions
as criticism of the process increases with several groups dismissing it as a
complete failure.

Sections of draft leaked to the media triggered a storm last week with
President Robert Mugabe’s Zanu PF party accusing the drafters of ignoring
what people said during COPAC’s national outreach programme.

The party took particular exception to a clause that seemed to guarantee gay
rights with COPAC co chair, Paul Mangwana claiming last month that Zanu PF
was withdrawn its support for the drafting process.

But in an interview with the ZBC Tuesday, Mangwana admitted that COPAC had
given the drafters -- Justice Moses Chinhengo, Priscilla Madzonga and Brian
Crozier – incomplete information forcing them to rely on other sources.

According to a report by the state-run broadcaster, “COPAC gave mixed and
incomplete instructions to the drafters who then began drafting the supreme
law without using the correct views of the majority”.

Mangwana was said to have confirmed that COPAC “erred in that regard as they
gave incomplete instructions while their technical team was still working on
some sections of the constitution.”

Meanwhile, both Mangwana and co-chair, Douglas Mwonzora of the MDC-T said
drafting of the charter which had been suspended over the festive holiday
had now resumed and was expected to be completed on the 19th of January.

"We agreed that they will have to proceed with the drafting from next
Tuesday, but we would have given them complete instructions on what they
should do," Mangwana told state media.

Mwonzora added: "We are very happy that we are now moving forward and we
would want to assure Zimbabweans that we are writing the views as expressed
by the people.

"All the documents that are being used are based on the national report, but
they will be written in legal language as agreed by the Select Committee.

"We will definitely make the final document available for scrutiny by the
people of Zimbabwe, but people must stop treating work in progress as the
final draft."
But critics say the process has failed to come up with a people-driven
constitution.

Dr Lovemore Madhuku chairperson of the constitutional pressure group, NCA
said the coalition government should disband COPAC arguing the process had
failed to come up with a constitution that represents the views of all the
people.

He said the nation-wide outreach programme had been complete a waste of time
if drafters are not getting pointers from what the majority said.

War veterans leader, Jabulani Sibanda also demanded the dissolution of
parliament this week to make way for new elections claiming the
constitutional reforms had failed.

Writing a new constitution was part a raft of reforms parties to the Global
Political Agreement (GPA) agreed to implement before new elections can be
held.
Once completed the charter would be put to a referendum, leading to the new
elections.

President Robert Mugabe has insisted new elections must be held early this
year to replace the coalition government which he argues is now dysfunctio

Sikhala calls for united front to fight Mugabe

http://www.swradioafrica.com/

By Tichaona Sibanda
4 January 2012

MDC-99 President Job Sikhala continued his tough talk against Robert Mugabe
on Wednesday, saying the time has come to form a united front against the
‘vindictive’ dictator.

Speaking on SW Radio Africa’s Hidden Story program, Sikhala said those
opposing Mugabe need to join forces to achieve their goal of removing him
from power. The ageing dictator who has led Zimbabwe with an iron fist since
Independence in 1980 turns 88 next month.

Sikhala was arrested by police on New Year’s Day and kept in cells until
Wednesday, facing charges of contravening the Immigration Act. He was freed
without going to court after the Attorney-General’s office refused to
prosecute him, citing lack of evidence.

Sikhala was told the state can proceed by way of summons if they find any
evidence linking him to allegations that he facilitated an unlawful entry
into Zimbabwe, of a white lady who is an advisor to the MDC-99.

‘This lady is Zimbabwean but holds a South African passport. Her family was
chased away by Robert Mugabe and her crime is talking and giving advice to
MDC-99.

‘How they let her into Zimbabwe is not my business because I’m not an
immigration officer and I cannot be held accountable to how she crossed
Beitbridge (border post) or came through Harare airport,’ Sikhala said.

The former University of Zimbabwe student leader said he was shocked and
left extremely bitter at the way the state security apparatus arrested and
threw him into a police cell on New Year’s Day. In the last month he has
been arrested three times and on all occasions has been released for lack of
evidence.

‘It was out of the blue, unexpected and ridiculous to be picked up for such
a silly charge and kept in filthy cells for four days. It was during this
period that I took time to reflect on the political situation in the
country.

‘To be honest and frank with you, I’m sick and tired of this harassment from
Mugabe’s regime. While in cells, I was thinking aloud and said to myself,
how best do we deal with this evil dictator so that the people of Zimbabwe
will be able to enjoy their freedom,’ said Sikhala.

He continued: ‘This is when I told myself that once I leave these cells I
will make a national and international call to my brothers and sisters in
the MDC formations that time has come to bury our narrow and small
differences.

‘Once we do this, then we can build a formidable united front and confront
this dictator called Robert Mugabe. All the other differences we have will
then be resolved, once we’ve seen the back of Mugabe.’

Sikhala explained that the fall of Mugabe and his ZANU PF party would be
hastened if all forces opposing the tyrannical system co-operate with one
another, on the basis of national interest.

‘Despite the growing anti-Mugabe and ZANU PF sentiment, the absence of a
strong united front is the reason we have not been able to topple him.

‘There is however a widely shared view that there is a need to develop a
common, united platform from all sections of the pro-democracy movement to
fight him in the next poll,’ Sikhala said.

Upfumi Kuvadiki in takeover drive

http://www.dailynews.co.zw

By Chengetai Zvauya, Senior Writer
Wednesday, 04 January 2012 12:59

HARARE - A youth group with links to Zanu PF is planning a chaotic takeover
of lucrative parking bays owned by Harare City Council after the local
authority cancelled a controversial joint venture with a South Africa firm,
Easihold.

Easihold and Harare formed Easipark to control city parking, but the deal is
ending in two months after the city pulled out of the two-year partnership.

Upfumi Kuvadiki, which temporarily invaded the parking bays last March, says
it will promptly move to take over the spaces, even without council
approval.

“We have a new company called Nehanda Holdings which will be running the
towing and clamping of vehicles in the city,” Alson Darikayi, chairman of
Easipark told the Daily News yesterday.

“We have been telling the city council that the Easipark deal was not viable
and they should incorporate the youths of the country and in March when the
deal terminates, we shall be taking over,” he said.

Harare town clerk Tendai Mahachi said council would “cross the bridge when
we get there”.

Darikayi said his group had the backing of minister of Local Government
Urban and Rural Development Ignatius Chombo.

Chombo, a Zanu PF appointee to the coalition government, has had several
run-ins with local councils in the past, forcing Prime Minister Morgan
Tsvangirai’s MDC party to push for the amendment of the Urban Council Act
that gives him vast powers to meddle in council matters.

“We have the minister’s blessings,” said Dakarayi, adding the youth group
will be approaching another hawkish Zanu PF minister, Saviour Kasukuwere, in
charge of the indigenisation and youth ministry.

“This is part of the empowerment that our government has been talking about
and this year we shall do it. This company (Easihold) should relocate to
South Africa and leave our country alone,” said Darikayi.

Threats by pro-Zanu PF groups and individuals to haphazardly take over
private businesses under the indigenisation project have scared away foreign
investors, with many holding out until the situation is stable.

Darikayi said his group would not seek the city’s authority, although they
will meet mayor Muchadeyi Masunda “to update him of the take-over”.

Parking business has become lucrative as motorists are charged $1 an hour.

Harare was supposed to get 60 percent of the profits, with Easihold
pocketing the remainder under the souring deal.

But councillors say the city has not benefitted since the deal was signed
hence the decision to pull out.

NRZ woes worsen: workers unpaid for two months

http://bulawayo24.com

by Sehlule Zondo
2012 January 04 08:44:27

FINANCIAL woes dogging the National Railways of Zimbabwe have worsened amid
reports that the parastatal has failed to pay its workers for two months in
a raw.

This comes after further revelations that NRZ has negotiated an out of court
settlement with an angry British company which it owes more than two million
pounds – for what is not disclosed.

The broke firm's public relations manager yesterday acknowledged that
workers were owed their November and December salaries.

He said the lower grades were paid 100 percent of their October salaries
last month while the higher grades were paid 50 percent of the salaries for
the same month.

"We are not doing well as business is very low and instead of realising $10
million a month, we are only managing $7 million which is not enough to meet
our expenditure.

"The NRZ has already started processing the remaining 50 percent for the
higher grades and once everyone has been paid their October salaries, then
we will be able to start processing the November salaries for allthe
employees," he said.

Mr Masikati said due to viability problems, the parastatal was forced to
stagger the payment of salaries, adding that management was "very
sympathetic to the plight of the workers and everything was being done to
address the issue of salaries".

Mr Masikati said the parastatal had negotiated an out-of-court settlement
with the British company, Railway Wheelset and Brake, which last year issued
summons seeking payment of 2 688 943,42 pounds and interest of 1,5 percent
per annum from 1 September 2009 to the date of full payment.

They further wanted NRZ to pay the costs of the suit including collection
commission.

Mr Masikati could not be drawn to give details of the out-of-court
settlement, only stating that an "amicable" agreement had been reached.

Contacted for clarification on the issues surrounding the out-of-court
settlement, Mr Vonani Majoko, of Majoko and Majoko representing Railway
Wheelset and Brake, said on the instructions of his clients, the matter was
withdrawn without order as to costs on 23 December last year.

He could not be drawn to give further details stating that there was a
confidentiality clause contained in the agreement.

According to the founding affidavit filed by the company on 18 June 2009, at
a meeting of the parties' representatives held in Bulawayo, the NRZ
acknowledged its indebtedness to the plaintiff, Railway Wheelset and Brake
in writing.

The NRZ undertook to pay one half of the debt of 2,7 million pounds by the
end of August 2009 and in any event pay not less that 100 000 pounds a month
in the reduction of the debt.

"Defendant has breached the agreement in that the defendant has not paid on
due date or at all one half of debt and has failed to pay the agreed 100 000
pounds monthly instalments and remains indebted to plaintiff in the sum 2
688 943,42 pounds, which sum despite demand, defendant fails to pay," reads
the founding affidavit.

The NRZ through its lawyer, Mr Joseph James, of James, Moyo-Majwabu and
Nyoni Legal Practitioners entered an appearance to defend and asked for
further particulars as to what the debt was for. Railway Wheelset and Brake
in turn informed them that the debt was for spares for electric locomotives.

In its synopsis of evidence, the NRZ noted that at a meeting between the
parties on 4 March 2010, the total amount claimed by the plaintiff (not
limited to the amount set out in the summons) was discussed and tentative
figures were agreed upon, subject to confirmation of compliance with
specifications before acceptance.

It was their contention that the parties were not able to finalise the
agreement on the outstanding issues including the payment.

"Defendant has carried out an audit which has shown under delivery, poor
quality, incorrect compliance and specifications and gross and unlawful
overpricing of goods delivered," reads the document.

NRZ states that it has continued to make monthly payments of $100 000 to the
plaintiff pending the resolution of the exact amount they owe to the
plaintiff.

They further stated that the payment was increased to $120 000 per month.
The parties had gone for a pre-trial conference before Bulawayo High Court
judge, Justice Nicholas Mathonsi and the matter was awaiting a trial date if
the parties could not reach an out-of-court settlement.

Zimbabwean Anglicans slam police for dispersing clergy meeting

http://www.monstersandcritics.com

Jan 3, 2012, 19:23 GMT

Harare - Zimbabwean Anglicans on Tuesday slammed police for dispersing
around 80 clergymen holding a prayer meeting near the capital Harare.

'We deplore this action and call upon higher authorities to intervene. So
much for freedom of religion,' read a statement released by the Anglican
Diocese of Harare headed by Bishop Chad Gandiya.

Church officials said police had cited security laws as they broke up the
gathering of mainstream Anglicans.

The police justified the decision, saying that such events had had a
tendency of turning violent in the past.

'Judging from past experiences, these meetings have turned violent. It was
on that basis that we advised them to disperse,' Oliver Mandipaka, a police
spokesperson told dpa. 'People must correctly interpret police actions. We
were just being proactive.'

Mandipaka said the meeting had to be broken up because there had been fears
that members of a splinter Anglican group, led by Bishop Nolbert Kunonga,
might have tried to meet in the same private school, about 70 kilometres
east of Harare, while the mainstream Anglican meeting was underway.

'Weddings and churches do not need police clearances. But in the past these
groups have clashed after gathering at the same venue. That is what we
wanted to avoid,' said Mandipaka.

Kunonga's group, which has close ties to President Robert Mugabe, rarely, if
ever, has such problems with authorities. Observers have said the source of
the disturbances are likely fights between Kunonga's group and the
mainstream group over church property.

Last year, the ceremonial head of the Anglican church, the Archbishop of
Canterbury, Rowan Williams, met with Mugabe and said the president had
promised to ensure that Zimbabwe's main church would not be troubled by
authorities or Kunonga's group.

Kunonga was excommunicated from the church in 2007. He continues to claim
his faction is the rightful owner of church assets.

Church seeks divine intervention in Zim

http://www.iol.co.za/

January 4 2012 at 03:40pm

The Anglican church is hoping for Christ to break the power of Zimbabwean
President Robert Mugabe and bring freedom to the country, Cape Town Anglican
Archbishop Thabo Makgoba said on Wednesday.

Makgoba said in a statement he “deplored” the “shocking action” of the
Zimbabwean police on Tuesday in preventing the clergy of the Diocese of
Harare from holding their annual prayer retreat at Peterhouse School.

“I call on President Mugabe to ensure that the religious freedom of all
Zimbabweans, and especially persecuted Anglicans, is respected, and to
instruct the police to allow the churches freedom of assembly and worship.”

Makgoba said the clergy's Bishop Chad Gandiya shared “in the sufferings of
Christ”.

“May they gain strength from the experience and never give in to a cynical
and sinister government,” he said.

“The forthcoming season of Epiphany speaks of our hope that the incarnate
Christ breaks all boundaries, and that He will ultimately break the power of
President Mugabe and those of his supporters who carry out these deeds, and
bring freedom to Zimbabwe.”

Makgoba called on friends and partners in the Anglican communion to ask
their governments to put pressure on Zimbabwe to end the persecution. - Sapa

Mugabe and Ncube plan to attend Tsvangirai's rallies

http://www.thezimbabwemail.com

by 22 hours 31 minutes ago

HARARE - Embattled Zanu PF leader Robert Mugabe and bitter rival and current
popular Zimbabwean Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai are planning joint
anti-violence rallies ahead of elections analysts warn could be as bloody as
the inconclusive 2008 ballot.

The country-wide rallies, which would also involve MDC leader, Professor
Welshman Ncube, were confirmed by senior officials from Zanu PF and the two
MDC formations.

Said Zanu PF’s Didymus Mutasa: "The dates have not yet been given to us by
the President; as you know there are three principals, but there is one main
one who is President Mugabe, so we are guided by him.”

"The purpose of the meetings will be to inform the greater public on the
need to tolerate each other. This is an idea of all the parties in the
inclusive Government, so we will go to all the provinces with the same
message of tolerance and co-existence."

Priscilla Misihairabwi-Mushonga of Ncube’s MDC added: "We are waiting for
the principals to give us the dates and as you may be aware the President is
on leave so maybe the meetings will be held in February.

"It was the principals who requested that they wanted to go to all the
provinces with the same intention of urging no violence."
Tsvangirai’s MDC was however, non-committal, insisting several issues still
needed to be clarified.

"It should be made clear in what capacity the principals will be addressing
the people if they are to address together. I.e. are they addressing as
presidents of parties or in their government roles?" party spokesperson,
Douglas Mwonzora said in an interview with The Herald.

"We also want to know in what order they will speak; i.e. are they going to
speak in alphabetical order, are they going to use their ages or their
government positions in taking turns to speak?

"We also want to know the message and how it is going to be communicated. If
there are agreements on these issues then I don't see serious objections to
this initiative."
Mwonzora said, if held, the rallies should address several key issues ahead
of the planned elctions.

"The substance of the principals' proposed campaign must address the
question of selective application of the law by law enforcement agents," he
said.
"They must clearly indicate that there will not be any sacred cows when it
comes to dealing with perpetrators of violence.

"We, therefore, expect the principals to give orders unequivocally to law
enforcement agents especially the police to stop acting in a partisan
manner."

Mugabe, Tsvangirai and Ncube addressed a so-called anti-violence indaba in
Harare last November as concern increased over clashes between the parties.

The Zanu PF leader has insisted new elections must be held early this year
to replace the coalition government claiming the arrangement was no longer
workable.

However the MDC formations want reforms agreed under the SADC-mediated
Global Political Agreement GPA to be fully implemented first.

SMM pays workers, three years later

http://www.newzimbabwe.com

04/01/2012 00:00:00
    by VOA I NewZiana

SOME three thousand Shabanie Mashaba Mines (SMM) workers have received a
month's salary, their first in three years, as the parastatal handed control
of the company said it was considering options for reviving the moribund
asbestos producer.

The Zimbabwe Mining Development Corporation (ZMDC), a state-owned company
which also operates joint ventures with South African and Chinese firms in
the Marange diamond fields last week paid workers amounts ranging between
US$160 to US$3,000.

Managerial Employees Committee Chairman Percy Ngwenya said the state firm
only paid salaries for December without indicating when it would pay the
larger balance of more than US$15 million in outstanding wages.

SMM was seized by the government from businessman Mutumwa Mawere several
years ago over claims the company had failed to pay debts owed to several
state enterprise. Mawere denies the claims and has been fighting to win back
control of the mines since.

The mines were forced to cease operation in 2008, weighed down by
under-capitalisation and decrepit plant and equipment.

The collapse of the once-profitable company left more than 3,000 workers
jobless, hitting hard the towns of Zvishavane and Mashava where the company
was a key employer.

Still, the ZMDC has said it is close to completing the feasibility study
that could pave way for the resumption of mining operations at the mines.

ZMDC Chairman Goodwills Masimirembwa told New Ziana that mining operations
would commence within 90 days of the completion of the feasibility study.

"We are almost completing the feasibility study which will pave way for the
commencement of mining operations at Shabanie Mashaba Mines. We hope that in
the next 90 days mining operations will have started," he said

Masimirembwa said the ZMDC was determined to revive SMM as it had already
paid the workers their outstanding salaries.

"To prove that we are determined to revive the mines, we paid SMM workers
last week," he said.

Before suspending operations, SMM used to produce an estimated 200,000
tonnes of asbestos every year.

Once one of Africa's largest asbestos producers, the mine had access to
markets in the United States, Britain, Angola, Nigeria, Zambia, Mozambique,
India, Iran, the United Arab Emirates, China and Indonesia.

Councillors persuade Mutare Mayor to stay on

http://www.swradioafrica.com

 

Posted by Lance Guma on Wednesday, January 4, 2012

Mutare mayor Brian James

By Lance Guma
04 January 2012

Mutare city councillors on Wednesday refused to accept a written request by Mayor Brian James to ‘temporarily’ step down from his job. James was prepared to step aside if the councillors continued to resist an audit of city finances.

Speaking to SW Radio Africa’s Question Time programme James said: “We have just come out of a think tank (meeting) with the bulk of the councillors and they haven’t accepted my letter and with further discussion, I have actually in the last hour or so withdrawn the request.”

James initially wrote a letter to the town clerk expressing his desire to take a ‘leave of absence’ for four months, saying he did not want to be associated with the power struggles and corruption affecting the cash strapped council. He was particularly unhappy with the lack of political will to push through audits of council finances.

James told SW Radio Africa that the council owned Pungwe Breweries which brews opaque beer but had not returned a profit in years. Traditionally profits from the brewery are used to finance council’s welfare department. He said they had “tried one or two plans,” but without any success.

Asked if company funds were being misappropriated the mayor said it was premature for him to comment. But he said they had passed resolutions to engage auditors Ernst and Young to go through the finances. Although the resolution was made some time ago, there was a delay in engaging the auditors.

Meanwhile James denied reports that council workers have still have not been paid their November and December 2011 salaries. He told SW Radio Africa that although there was a delay these have since been paid. “We do have cash flow problems, that’s why we need strong budgetary controls,” he said.

You can listen to the full interview with Mutare Mayor Brian James on Question Time with Lance Guma by CLICKING HERE.

 

 

Zanu (PF) Youth Property Grabbers' Docket Mystery

http://www.radiovop.com

Masvingo, January 04, 2012 - Rowdy Zanu (PF) youths who unsuccessfully tried
to grab white owned buildings in Chiredzi on Tuesday failed to appear before
a local magistrate after prosecutors claimed their docket was incomplete.

“The youths were supposed to appear in court today but they had been told to
return on the 12th because their docket is not complete. The police are
still completing the docket although the summons had instructed them to come
here today,” said Edmore Mbavarira a senior Prosecutor at Chiredzi
magistrate court.

But fuming Zanu (PF) youths said the docket was missing.

“We are so angry with the court, after summoning us here they tell us to
come back on the 12th. We have been told the docket is missing and they have
instructed police to re do it. We want an early trial because we didn’t do
anything wrong as we were following the laws of the country. The
indigenisation drive is now a full law and we were enforcing it,” said
Talent Majoni, Zanu (PF) deputy national political commissar who is also
facing trial.

Last September the 10 boisterous youths took over the properties of Jan Van
Javeert who owns South East Turning company, Graig Hanning ‘s building and
Govan investments building owned by Southhood Govan accusing them of failing
to comply with the Indigenisation Act that demands foreign business to cede
51% to the locals. They face charges of invading private property and
malicious damage to property.

The action by the rowdy Zanu (PF) youth group known as the Masvingo Youths
Empowerment Association (MAYEA), had sent panic across the province as other
white business hurriedly closed their companies after the group announced it
will be pouncing on bigger firms.

The group was targeting giant sugar producing companies, Hippo Valley and
Triangle in the low veld district of Chiredzi, Renco gold mine in Masvingo
south and Africa’s biggest and sole Lithium producers, Bikita Minerals.

An act of evil

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

By Xolisani Ncube, Staff Writer
Wednesday, 04 January 2012 13:15

HARARE - A humanitarian catastrophe has engulfed Bromley Farm just outside
Harare where more than 130 families are living along a railway line
following their eviction from the farm compound by the new owner.

Without food, health and sanitation facilities, shelter and clean drinking
water, the families are living on the edge, and are an example of how
President Robert Mugabe’s chaotic land reform programme is affecting
ordinary black people, including children.

The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) — an organisation that
largely caters for displaced people — has quickly stepped in and pitched
plastic tents for some of the families who had been living in the open for
almost a month now.

Hundreds live along railway line Apart from the crisis over shelter, the
displaced farm workers have no access to ablution facilities — a situation
that exposes them to serious disease outbreaks.

Bromley Farm is a tobacco processing concern now reportedly owned by Samson
Chauruka after taking over from a former white commercial farmer Lesley
Lombard, who now lives at an old people’s home in Marondera.

A Daily News crew was told, upon visiting the area, that the affected
workers had been living in the open for more than 21 days following the
decision by Chauruka to evict them.

Expectations were high among the workers that with a black man as the new
owner of the property, their jobs would be secured.

However, Chauruka seems to have had other ideas as he ordered the workers
off his farm. He was unavailable for comment yesterday. He avoided the
newspaper during a previous attempt to talk to him over the dire situation.

Some of the families have been at the farm for as long as 50 years and have
known the farm as their only home.

Those interviewed by the Daily News revealed that their situation is grave
and have lost hope that their children will return to school.

“We don’t know what our children will do when schools open next week. The
future is uncertain,” said Faison Kome, one of the affected workers.

A father of three, Kome said the crisis they are faced with was more complex
given the challenges of shelter provision and basic commodity supply.

“We have no idea as to how we are going to send them to school because we
are still battling to provide shelter and food for them,” Kome said.

While education could be viewed as a luxury to these families, conjugal
rights have been suspended owing to the state of affairs.

“Some of us cannot remember the last time we slept with our wives. We are
sleeping separately since the eviction,” said Kome.

Information obtained by the Daily News revealed that the workers had struck
an agreement with the former white farmer that they remain on the farm until
their salaries and terminal benefits were settled.

Despite the agreement, Chauruka, the new owner of the farm, who the workers
said had been battling to produce proof of his acquisition of the farm, went
ahead and evicted the families.

“As you can see, we have lost all our belongings. The situation here is a
disaster. It is as if we are living in a country that is at war and we are
refugees. In an independent Zimbabwe, I doubt whether this is what our
forefathers fought for. I doubt whether this is the land reform programme
government was referring to as it is now a black against black war,” said
Kome.

Another worker who has been at the farm for over two decades, Darlington
Kachewe said life would continue to be harsh as long as the new owner
refused them permission to return to the farm.

“I am owed more than $14 000 in terminal benefits and unpaid wages and the
white farmer should pay us. We have an agreement with Lombard that we are
going to vacate this place once we are paid off our dues and this has not
happened. We have tried to explain our position and predicament to Chauruka
but the man seems to be heartless,” Kachewe said.

Mystery surrounds diamond ore theft in Zimbabwe

http://www.theafricareport.com

Posted on Wednesday, 04 January 2012 13:40

By The Africa Report

Mystery surrounds the theft of 400 kilogrammes of diamond ore by armed
robbers at Zimbabwe's fortified Marange fields amid suspicions it was an
internal job.

Armed robbers stole 400 kilogrammes of diamond ore in Zimbabwe/Photo/Reuters

Armed robbers stole 400 kilogrammes of diamond ore in Zimbabwe/Photo/Reuters
The ore belonged to Marange Resources, one of four companies mining diamonds
in a partnership with the state owned Zimbabwe Mining Development
Corporation.

It is estimated to be worth millions of United State dollars.

The 10 men were allegedly armed with AK-47 rifles, usually used by the army.

They pounced on security guards who were guarding a broken down truck,
overpowered them and fled off into the night.

The robbery which according to Deputy Minister of Mines and Mining Gift
Chimanikire is an "inside job" happened in the last week of December, 2011.

A special police unit is investigating the theft but no arrests have been
made to date.

Officer Commanding Police in Manicaland (Operations) Assistant Commissioner
David Mahoya said they were working flat out to track down the robbers.

"The fact that the robbers were so many, numbering up to 10, indicates that
this was a planned thing," he said.

Farai Maguwu, an activist who has been monitoring operations at the
controversial diamond fields described the circumstances leading to the
robbery as suspicious.

"The fact that there was an AK 47 used by the military clearly points to
some connivance by those people charged with securing the area and it is no
surprise," he said.

"This is a very high security area."

A visit by The Africa Report in December to the fields showed that security
was water tight.

Mining operations for all firms were secured with electric and alarmed
security fences, flood lights and close-circuit television to stop illegal
miners and thieves from sneaking in.

Zimbabwe is poised to become the world's third largest diamond producer by
the end of this decade as production continues to soar.′′

The country which is currently the seventh largest producer in the world has
potential to satisfying 25 percent of global demand.′′

Zimbabwe stands to earn more than $2 billion per year from the Marange
mines.

Nyikayaramba’s promotion ‘an infamy’

http://www.dailynews.co.zw

By Gift Phiri, Senior Writer
Wednesday, 04 January 2012 14:56

HARARE - President Robert Mugabe’s promotion of a top army general who
described Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai as a security threat fronting
Western interests has torched off a storm.

Mugabe promoted Douglas Nyikayaramba, a Brigadier-General in the Zimbabwe
National Army, to the rank of Major General just before going on his annual
vacation to the Far East two weeks ago.

Nyikayaramba, who has threatened to block the political transition if the
incumbent veteran President loses the forthcoming watershed presidential
poll, has been transferred to the Zimbabwe Defence Forces headquarters where
he is now working as chief of staff quartermaster ostensibly.

Observers say the promotion is typical of Mugabe’s patronage system,
suggesting that Nyikayaramba is being rewarded for his role in taking care
of the veteran ruler’s interests.

The move has aroused a storm of indignation and denunciation, with many
questioning Nyikayaramba’s fitness to hold such a rank given his chequered
history.

Settlement Chikwinya, the MDC Mbizo legislator who last year tabled a motion
in Parliament on security sector reforms following Nyikayaramba’s outburst
that the army was justified in dabbling in Zimbabwean politics, told the
Daily News yesterday that the promotion was an infamy.

He said Nyikayaramba, buoyed by the show of confidence in him by Mugabe, was
poised to go overboard with his ootlicking.

“He will obviously up his zeal, elongate his tongue to lick Mugabe right
into the rectum,” Chikwinya said.

A strict disciplinarian, Nyikayaramba has said Tsvangirai will never rule
Zimbabwe, adding that Mugabe must be allowed to die in office.

“President Mugabe will only leave office if he sees it fit or dies. No one
should be talking about his departure at the moment. We will die for him to
make sure he remains in power,” Nyikayaramba has said.

He has also categorically stated that military leaders were against any
party other than Zanu PF to rule the country.

Drawing from their experience of fighting in the country's liberation war,
some senior army officers see themselves as the guardians of Zimbabwean
independence.

Nyikayaramba has also joined the Zanu PF chorus, insisting on elections this
year to end the power-sharing government that has been wrecked by internal
wrangling and sharp disagreements on policy.

Tsvangirai, far from facing down the military commanders, has said the
threats reinforce his call for security sector reforms.

Tsvangirai has appealed to regional leaders to persuade Mugabe to allow for
wide democratic security sector reforms before elections, but political
analysts believe he will only concede ground if there is threat of regional
isolation.

The Daily News understands it is one of the matters set down for the
forthcoming Sadc summit expected to be convened after the January 21 African
Union summit in Addis Ababa.

Political analyst Charles Mangongera said Nyikayaramba's promotion shows how
deeply embedded in politics the Zimbabwe military is.

“Nyikayaramba was promoted simply because of his praise-singing of Mugabe
and his denigrating of Morgan Tsvangirai,” Mangongera told the Daily News.

“His promotion sends the wrong signal to other serving officers that
dabbling in politics will earn you some stripes. The Zimbabwean public
seriously doubts the impartiality of some of the senior security personnel
and the promotion of Nyikayaramba will be viewed by many as a slap in the
face of those calling for security sector reform,” he said.

The security chiefs — veterans of the bush guerrilla war against Ian Smith’s
brutal white regime in the 1970s that brought Zimbabwe’s independence in
1980 — have declared open support for Mugabe.

Many acknowledge that this is a formidable obstacle to Tsvangirai’s bid for
the Zimbabwean presidency.

The MDC has been unequivocal in reassuring security forces that they have
nothing to fear from a change of government if they remain “professional”.

But the unbending service chiefs have continued to issue tough statements
ahead of the crunch ballot backing Mugabe and denouncing Tsvangirai and his
party as “puppets and running dogs” of Western countries. They have also
stated that they will not accept the MDC leader’s victory.

Political analysts say the political transition did not require the security
officials’ acquiescence if the people have elected a leader of their choice
even if that leader lacks liberation war credentials like Tsvangirai.

Blessing Vava, spokesman of the National Constitutional Assembly said:
“Obviously he is being rewarded for the wonderful work he did for Mugabe
ridiculing Tsvangirai and the MDC.”

“Mugabe wants to use him to direct operations in the elections using the
army, remember he played a pivotal role in rigging elections for Zanu PF
during his time as the CEO of the Electoral Supervisory Commission.”

During the 2005 legislative vote, Nyikayaramba was the chief elections
officer for the Electoral Supervisory Commission.

And following Mugabe’s loss in the historic March 2008 presidential vote,
Nyikayaramba was placed in charge of a “national command centre” in the
capital, Harare, which became the headquarters of the electoral machinery.

It took five weeks to announce results with the MDC alleging the national
command centre tinkered with the results to fit the matrix of a presidential
run-off election.

Following Mugabe’s widely condemned re-election, Nyikayaramba was richly
rewarded with a hefty promotion to run the 3 Infantry Brigade in Mutare,
which crucially oversees the lucrative diamond fields in Chiadzwa.

Prior to his promotion to 3 Infantry, Nyikayaramba was Commander of the 2
Brigade headquarters at Old Cranborne Barracks in Harare.

He has now been promoted again ahead of a crucial vote that Mugabe wants
this year.

Pedzisai Ruhanya Behind the Headlines on Nyikayaramba

http://www.swradioafrica.com/

 

Posted by Lance Guma on Wednesday, January 4, 2012

Pedzisai Ruhanya

Political commentator Pedzisai Ruhanya joins SW Radio Africa journalist Lance Guma Behind the Headlines to explain why the country should be worried by the recent promotion of 3 Infantry Brigade Commander, Brigadier-General Douglas Nyikayaramba. Ruhanya says the general has been implicated in rhino poaching, partisan food distribution, election rigging and even the murder of an army captain.

Interview broadcast 02 January 2012

Lance Guma: Good evening Zimbabwe and thank you for joining me on another edition of Behind the Headlines. My name is Lance Guma. Tonight we look at the controversial promotion of Brigadier-General Douglas Nyikayaramba who last week, Mugabe promoted to Major General. Now to analyse the implications of this for the elections ahead, I am joined by political analyst Pedzisai Ruhanya.

Thank you for joining us.

Pedzisai Ruhanya: You are welcome Guma.

Guma: Okay so Nyikayaramba is now Major General, he’s now stationed at the Zimbabwe Defence Forces Headquarters and will be Chief of Staff, Quartermaster we are told. Should we be worried?

Ruhanya: Yah of course, it is an early warning system for the democratic actors in Zimbabwe and part of the international community, particularly the region that is interested in the resolution of the Zimbabwean political and electoral dispute.

It is an early warning system on the basis that if you look at the role of Douglas Nyikayaramba in the past three elections, he has been at the core, he has been at the centre of the militarization, of our politics, the militarization of electoral institutions and the violent and partisan behaviour of the military in Zimbabwe.

So Zanu PF is in the gear now for an electoral onslaught, a political onslaught against the democratic actors, particularly the Movement for Democratic Change.

Guma: The one obvious thing Pedzi from all is that we have a coalition government in power allegedly and yet Mugabe is making this decision unilaterally.

Ruhanya: Yah I think we ought to be clear here, I think in terms of the law, that is the role of the Commander in Chief and we don’t have three Commanders in Chief in the coalition government. We have a single Commander in Chief who is the president and he does that in consultation with the Defence Minister, Emmerson Mnangagwa.

So the promotion itself, in terms of the law, there is nothing wrong, there is nothing illegal but it is morally not correct to appoint a person of such moral standing, not only within the army, not only within his peers but generally in the country in terms of his behaviour, his partisan behaviour, his violent behaviour, his criminal behaviour which has a history which dates back to 1989 when one Captain (Edwin) Nleya disappeared in Hwange and Nyikayaramba was involved.

Nyikayaramba has been involved in what I call Zimbabwe’s three elections, and these three elections are the 2002, 2005 and 2008 elections in which Nyikayaramba played a critical unlawful role in the conduct of elections and given that history, given that standing, that man is not worth to be a soldier, he is not worth to be in the National Army, he is worth to be a vigilante militia for Zanu PF. He must be part of the Border Gezi youth militia and nothing to do with National Army of a republic.

Guma: In 2002, Nyikayaramba claimed that he had resigned from the army.

Ruhanya: But you can see by the appointment that he never resigned. For some of us, we knew he never resigned. In 2002 he became the chief executive officer of the then Electoral Supervisory Commission and he ran the election, the controversial victory of Mugabe in 2002 against Tsvangirai.

And the problem that the country currently has with the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission, the Zimbabwe Election Commission, the predecessor of the ESC, Electoral Supervisory Commission is that the workers of ZEC were inherited from the Electoral Supervisory Commission which was run and administered by Nyikayaramba, he put soldiers, he put CIOs, he put Zanu PF militias as the workers of ZEC.

I can give you a simple example which anyone, including Nyikayaramba, including those in the army and our pathetic friends in the MDC, one Major Utloile Silaigwana he is with the Army Education Corps.

I challenge anyone who says it’s wrong to come out clearly and say that Major Silaigwana is not a serving soldier, he is in the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission, he was put by Nyikayaramba, these are the people who are rigging the elections, these are the people who were cooking figures in 2008 electoral sham.

So the whole ZEC itself is a product of Nyikayaramba, full of soldiers, full of partisan elements, full of militias, full of the CIO and that ZEC secretariat cannot deliver a democratic electoral outcome which reflects the sovereign will of the Zimbabwean people.

That is the role of Nyikayaramba, he has become a albetross to the political development of our country, the democratic political transition in Zimbabwe.

Nyikayaramba must understand that we know, that the world now knows, that Zimbabweans now know that critically the MDC is naïve, the MDC is not doing good enough to make sure that the forces within the state that are stopping the democratic transition are confronted at home, exposed at the internal level in Zimbabwe and exposed at the regional level in Zimbabwe.

When he was appointed the statements that we saw from the MDC are pathetic, naïve, empty and not suitable for a political party which has the majority of support, for a political party that was stopped from assuming the leadership of the state by the same very people who Mugabe is appointing in broad daylight and they want to normalize the abnormality.

Guma: Well what sort of statements should the MDC be issuing Pedzi?

Ruhanya: It is not a question of statements, statements should be left to us, people who are not in the, MDC is part of a government. They are part of the government. We have a prime minister, we have a Home Affairs minister, we have a Finance minister. They must confront Zanu PF and make sure that that appointment remains a vigilante appointment.

Let Nyikayaramba be known by the coalition partners that he is not a soldier in the Zimbabwe National Army but a vigilante person. So whatever he does must be known in the context that he is not serving the interests of the Zimbabwe National Army in terms of the Zimbabwe Defence Act.

Let me ask you a question Mr Guma, where in this world or in the region have you seen a serving soldier being a chief executive officer of an Election Commission? Take South Africa, take Mozambique, take Botswana, take Namibia but in Zimbabwe it is allowed to happen and people think that business should be as usual.

That is my problem with the MDC. That is my problem with the Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, that is my problem with Welshman Ncube, that is my problem with Arthur Mutambara.

These people are sleeping at the expense of our people who have taken risks, who have defeated this regime but at the level of political method, at the level of leadership, Tsvangirai, Mutambara, Welshman Ncube and the leadership of the civil society are not doing good enough to make sure that the wishes of our people carry the day.

Guma: Okay, let’s look at Nyikayaramba’s deployment here as chief of staff at the Army HQ. What’s the significance of that?

Ruhanya: Ha, it’s clear he’s going to continue doing his illegal activities. Violating the Zimbabwe Defence Act, violating the constitution of Zimbabwe, violating fundamental civil and political liberties of our country, contrary to the provisions of the law, both the domestic and international law.

What he is going to do is to deploy soldiers in villages, deploy soldiers in towns, work hand in glove with his soldiers that are in ZEC to manipulate and to steal the vote which we know that there is no way in this day and age in 2012, in 2013 and for some time that Zanu PF can win an election in this country.

That’s why Mugabe is appointing Nyikayaramba to organize the violence or the coercive apparatus of the state and make sure that Mugabe retains the presidency. But, let me give a warning to, not a warning but let me say something to Nyikayaramba – he can be violent, he can kill, he can manipulate but if the people on the ground, the majority of our people, the social base says enough is enough, violence on its own will not install legitimacy on Mugabe, will not install legitimacy on the regime its days are simply numbered.

What needs to be done is to have an honourable exit for the ailing and geriatric leadership of Mugabe. Full stop. That is what is needed.

Guma: Outside pressure from the two MDCs and the other political parties in the country, do you see a regional grouping like SADC being able to do anything about this militarization of state institutions in Zimbabwe?

Ruhanya: God helps those who help themselves. Let us not lie to each other and lie to Zimbabweans who listen. If this country called Zimbabwe, the land between the Zambezi and the Limpopo is going to liberate itself from the criminal activities, the criminal misconduct of Nyikayaramba and kick out the cabal running the affairs of Zimbabwe, the people of Zimbabwe must organize themselves.

Let me give you an example. SADC came in, in 2008 to facilitate the signing of the GPA because of the electoral victories of the people of Zimbabwe from Tsholotsho to Tamandayi. For instance, right now as I speak to you, Zanu PF does not have a single mayor in all the country’s municipalities and we must celebrate these victories, we must give a thumbs up to the people of our country for making that decision.

So the decision lies on the organizational capacity of the democratic forces, on the organizational capacity of the villagers, the headmen, the toiling masses of Zimbabwe who make a message that Sadc will respect. Sadc will only respond once we make a decisive decision, like the decision we made, the country made, including myself I voted, the decision we made on March 29 2008 when Mugabe lost the election for the first time since Independence.

When Zanu PF lost its majority in parliament for the first time since Independence, when Zanu PF lost the Speaker of Parliament for the first time since Independence. Once we make that decision and Nyikayaramba and the other cabal come in and say you cannot run the country, then Sadc has no option. They will not debate, they will simply say pack your bags.

Guma: Well Zimbabwe that’s brings us to an end to Behind the Headlines. I was joined there by political analyst Pedzisai Ruhanya, analyzing the controversial promotion of Brigadier General Douglas Nyikayaramba.

He is now a Major General and he moves from his base in the Manicaland province to the Zimbabwe Defence Forces Headquarters where he will be Chief of Staff. Mr Ruhanya thank you so much for joining us.

Ruhanya: You are welcome

To listen to the programme:

http://www.swradioafrica.com/01_12/bth020112.mp3

 

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

 

Bill Watch 1/2012 of 2nd January [Update on Acts and Statutory Instruments]