Ncube, Misihairabwi-Mushonga arrested

http://www.newzimbabwe.com

10/07/2011 00:00:00
    by Staff Reporter

INDUSTRY and Commerce Minister and MDC leader Welshman Ncube along with
several other senior party officials were arrested on Sunday as they
returned from addressing party structures in Victoria Falls.

Ncube, party secretary general Priscilla Misihairabwi-Mushonga and Moses
Mzila Ndlovu, all cabinet ministers in the coalition government, are
understood to be detained at Hwange Police Station.
Also arrested was Paul Themba Nyathi and at least two dozen other senior
party officials.

Police stopped their convoy at a road block mounted along the highway
between Hwange and Victoria Falls and directed the travelling party to
Hwange Police Station.

Speaking to NewZimbabwe.com moments after they were detained
Misihairabwi-Mushonga said: “We were stopped at a roadblock and told to
re-route to Hwange Police Station under police escort.

“We are there now but they still won’t tell us what we are charged with,
except to say they are under instructions from Harare to hold us.”

Mutinhiri's farm invaded

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

By Bridget Mananavire, Staff Writer
Sunday, 10 July 2011 15:50

HARARE - Tracy Mutinhiri, the Zanu PF deputy minister for Labour and Social
Welfare, says she is marked for death, as hundreds of people she described
as “Zanu PF militia sent by Sydney Sekeramayi” invaded her farm yesterday.

Over 20 police officers in riot gear and armed with AK47 rifles protected
Mutinhiri from the mob.

Mutinhiri told the Daily News on Sunday she had become enemy number one
within her party because her comrades were jealous of her good fortune and
closeness to Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai.

The Daily News on Sunday sneaked into the farm compound through a back
entrance and watched the drama.

The militia took camp at the entrance of Mutinhiri’s Tapiwanashe farm
singing and dancing to Zanu- PF songs denouncing the deputy minister.

Japi Madzudzo, one of Mutinhiri’s farm workers, told the Daily News on
Sunday that leaders of the militia informed him that they had been sent by
Sekeramayi to take over the farm and loot the farm produce.

Mutinhiri said this was not the first time her life had been threatened.

“I was almost abducted at Marondera Hotel about two months ago and the
perpetrators had sprays with them. That is when we started taking caution on
the farm,” said Mutinhiri.

Mutinhiri said things could have turned nastier had the police failed to
urgently respond to her emergency call for help.

The defiant Mutinhiri said she was not going to vacate her farm because she
had invested millions of dollars on it.

“I believe that this is the best empowerment a woman can be given. I own
this land in my own right and nobody has got a right to take it away from
me. I am one woman who has proved that we can do it. This is not good for
our country because they will say ‘oh look they are now chasing each other
again’.

“My committed staff and I now live in fear and our operations have been
disturbed. These people who supposed to be at their farms working and
producing are singing and dancing outside, waiting to take over what I have
worked so hard for,” added Mutinhiri, who was dressed in black tracksuit.

The combative politician is known to oppose Sekeramayi, who together with
Vice President Joice Mujuru are the longest serving government ministers,
having worked for President Robert Mugabe in cabinet since independence in
1980.

This makes them among the natural candidates to take over from the 87-year
old.

Mugabe, who says he will run in the next election, has previously admitted
that internal jostling for his post by top ministers has often turned nasty
hence his hesitancy at retiring.

Mutinhiri’s problems in Zanu PF, particularly in her Mashonaland East
province, have been mounting since she attended the burial of her brother
Innocent Muzuva, an MDC supporter who died in a car crash in September last
year. She spoke glowingly about the MDC at the event.

“I’m humbled by the leadership of the MDC-T for such an honour, especially
the party-assisted funeral,” she said then.

Yesterday, Mutinhiri said internal rivals buried her fate within the party
when she accompanied Tsvangirai on a working trip in Mutare late last month.

She says her “enemies” are using her comfortable association with
Tsvangirai, a hated figure by Zanu PF hardliners and military-generals, to
justify their actions. Mutinhiri’s former husband, Ambrose, is a retired
brigadier, former cabinet minister and diplomat.

“Last week I travelled to Manicaland with the Prime Minister for the drought
mitigation programme and when I came back, I heard that Sekeramayi held a
meeting to invade my farm,” she said.

“It is not fair to brand me because only last week, Saviour Kasukuwere
(Youth Development Minister) went to Gweru with the Prime Minister. So why
am I being targeted?” Mutinhiri questioned.

She said she would not budge.

“I am brave. I am not shaken,” said Mutinhiri, prancing around the farm yard
and showing the Daily News on Sunday crew a healthy tobacco crop.

It was not possible to get a comment from Sekeramayi as his phone was
switched off last night.

Our news crew had to use a side farm strip to sneak into the farm compound
as the militia had blocked the main entrance.

Madzudzo, the farm worker, said the militia had at first threatened a guard
manning the main entrance. But they later claimed to have been sent by
Sekeramayi after armed police were summoned, according to Madzudzo.

“They said they were not going to leave with anything. They also said there
were going to loot and burn what was in the barns and in the fields.”
Madzudzo said.

“And for what?” chipped in Mutinhiri.

“I have to service my loan and if they take these things how am I going to
repay the bank. This land is not for the party. I am being branded but I am
still Zimbabwean with a plan to make this land productive,” said Mutinhiri.

Mutinhiri said she was busy grading her tobacco before the invasion.

The militia had lit bon fires in a sign that they were preparing for a long
fight when the Daily News on Sunday left the farm last night.

Victimised for exposing torture base: MDC MP

http://www.thezimbabwean.co.uk

Costin Muguti, the MDC legislator for Gokwe-Kabuyuni, says his arrest
outside Kwekwe magistrates courts last week was stage managed to punish him
for exposin a Zanu (PF) torture base.
09.07.1101:34pm
Brenna Matendere Munyati

Muguti in February spent six weeks in remand prison together with his Zhombe
counterpart Rodger Tazviona and six MDC supporters. He was accused of
threatening Chief Samambwa of Zhombe with unspecified action. The Chief had
confiscated MDC regalia including party cards and T-Shirts as a way of
forcing his subjects to support Zanu (PF).

The case will be heard again on August 3, but police have since preferred
fresh charges against Muguti. He is accused of taking pictures of an army
barrack in his constituency, undermining police authority and inciting
violence.

In an interview Muguti said state security agents went bent on punishing him
for exposing a deep pit in his constituency which was used as a torture camp
during the discredited bloody 2008 presidential polls.

The case failed to take place on Tuesday amid revelations police had not
furnished the state with adequate evidence to put the legislator on his
defence. He was later told to go home and the case will proceed by way of
summons when enough evidence has been gathered.

Biti a marked man

http://www.timeslive.co.za

THENJIWE MABHENA | 10 July, 2011 09:21

State security agents have intensified their onslaught against Finance
Minister and Movement for Democratic Change (MDC-T) secretary general Tendai
Biti by making clandestine overtures to intercept his cellphone
communication.

The covert advances were disclosed by Zimbabwe cellphone operator Econet,
after Biti moved to block the police from accessing his cellphone call
register. Biti's lawyers, Atherstone and Cook Leg wrote to Econet to protest
against the police's conduct in prying into their client's affairs.

Econet CEO Douglas Mboweni confirmed receiving a request from the police.
"We take note of the contents of your letter which came four days after our
receipt of the police request. Kindly be advised that Econet will act in
compliance with its operating licence and/or any lawful legislation
governing the release of such information."

In their letter to Mboweni, Biti's lawyers indicated that some members of
the ZRP had visited Econet demanding the call history of numbers which he
was using. The lawyers said the police's request coincided with an article
published in the state-run Sunday Mail newspaper recently making serious
allegations against Biti. The newspaper published phone numbers which it
claimed belong to him. It also claimed Biti was engaged in a relationship
with an economist in his ministry, a charge which he has denied.

Mboweni's response authenticates a report published in the Sunday Times last
week on plans by the Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) to set up sex
traps for top MDC leaders as part of a systematic campaign to rescue
embattled President Robert Mugabe from defeat at the next elections.

After receiving unsatisfactory guarantees, Biti went to the Harare High
Court on Tuesday seeking to interdict Econet from disclosing any information
about his cellphone lines, particularly any call history or information
arising from the numbers that he uses to contact any person, without a valid
court order obtained in accordance with the provisions of the Interception
of Communications Act.

Biti said Econet had no right or obligation to disclose such information to
anyone.

He said the court application had been prompted by the fact that certain ZRP
members have sought to abuse their positions by approaching Econet and
demanding that it hands over information on his calls, under the pretext
that they were investigating criminal activities.

"I understand and believe that certain members of the police have
clandestinely approached the magistrate with a view to obtaining a search
warrant.

"It is my respectful submission that such conduct would be unlawful, as it
is against the provisions of the Interception of Communications Act," Biti
said in his founding affidavit.

Biti said he feared Econet could be bullied into submission by the police to
disclose his information, although such conduct was unlawful.

"I fear that should the respondent (Econet) be bullied into submission, my
constitutional right to privacy would be unjustifiably interfered with and,
in addition, vital information pertaining to the organisations I am heading
will be unlawfully accessed," he said.

Biti said he was privy to, and constantly disseminated, vital information
via cellphones to stakeholders.

If this information was accessed, this would jeopardise his party's position
and may be used to the detriment of his ministry.

He said if Econet released all of his conversations, it would also prejudice
the investigation into the bombing of his home.

"I also suspect and believe that the people pestering the respondent for the
release of such information are pursuing a political agenda, whose motives
can only be sinister," said Biti.

Parties deadlocked on security reforms

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

SUNDAY TIMES CORRESPONDENT | 10 July, 2011 09:21

Zimbabwe's feuding political parties have failed to reach an agreement on
the electoral roadmap and the Southern African Development Community (SADC)
might be forced to intervene and whip the warring rivals into line.

Hardliners in Zanu-PF have reportedly vowed to ensure that the country does
not hold free and fair elections to ensure they stay in power through
violence and intimidation.

President Robert Mugabe's party and the two MDC formations were mandated by
SADC at the summit in Johannesburg last month to complete an electoral
roadmap.

But the parties announced last week that they remained deadlocked on
security sector reforms, composition of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission
(ZEC), the issue of deployment of soldiers throughout the country, the role
of the secret service in government, amendments to the draconian Public
Order and Security Act (POSA) and the issue of deploying international
monitors six months before and after elections.

Zanu-PF is refusing to implement these reforms, aware that it might not win
in a free atmosphere.

The deadlock means there cannot be free and fair elections in Zimbabwe, and
this has alarmed SADC.

A Zambian diplomat, who spoke to the Sunday Times on Friday, said the next
SADC summit in Angola next month was likely to come down harder on Mugabe,
who the region now blames for the slow pace of reform.

"We have been observing developments in the country since the Sandton
Summit, and it looks like people in Zanu-PF are not interested in
implementing what the region has proposed to ensure peace returns to
Zimbabwe at the completion of free and fair polls. As we have repeatedly
said, the crisis in Zimbabwe will end up spilling over to other countries if
we do not stop the nonsense.

"It is in Zimbabwe and only in Zimbabwe where you hear an army general
interfering in civilian politics, threatening a would-be contender for the
presidency. It's ridiculous that we still have disagreements over issues
that can easily be resolved.

"It is clear that there is a clique within the Zimbabwe structures which is
opposed to the SADC recommendations and the trend is worrying. The only hope
for the people of Zimbabwe is that SADC diplomats are in the loop about the
goings-on in this country and they will brief their presidents appropriately
before the August summit. The Zimbabwean issue must be resolved once and for
all," said the diplomat.

Last week, Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai admitted that all was not well
in government due to sharp divisions over policy issues. The prime minister
and Mugabe also clashed last week over civil servants' salary increases and
media reforms.

Tsvangirai confirmed to delegates at a function to launch the government's
medium-term plan that they were facing problems in government which had
affected investment.

He said: "But we should desist from the major disease that has afflicted
this government and which has sent a negative message to business and
investors, both local and foreign. It is the disease of mixed messages from
the same government, which leads to policy inconsistency and policy
unpredictability. Only by putting aside our differences will Zimbabweans
overcome their challenges."

Human rights researcher and political commentator, Pedzisai Ruhanya, said
something needed to be done urgently because there was a deliberate ploy by
hardliners in Zanu-PF to stall progress towards free and fair election.

"Zanu-PF wants to steal elections again by refusing to implement all these
key issues. The only solution in Zimbabwe is that these issues should be
implemented, otherwise, if we go for elections like this, we will get a sham
outcome.

"What business do soldiers have in the rural areas besides intimidating
people? How do people hold elections when soldiers are intimidating them?
All these issues need to be addressed," said Ruhanya.

'Stop lying about media'

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

HARARE CORRESPONDENT | 10 July, 2011 09:21

Presidential spokesman George Charamba and Webster Shamu, the minister of
media, information and publicity, are being accused of misleading
Zimbabweans on the outcome of a meeting on reforms in the media.

Charamba and Shamu, both zealous Zanu-PF supporters, told state media they
had been called to a meeting to present reports on the Broadcasting
Authority of Zimbabwe (BAZ), the Zimbabwe Mass Media Trust (ZMMT) and the
Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC).

But those privy to the meeting said the two propagandists were called to the
meeting on Wednesday to explain the lack of comprehensive media reforms in
the broadcasting and print media in line with the Global Political Agreement
(GPA) and the agreement of the principals.

President Robert Mugabe, Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and Deputy Prime
Minister Arthur Mutambara attended the meeting.

Charamba claimed the three principals had agreed with Shamu's presentations
on BAZ, ZMMT and the ZBC. He told the state-owned Herald newspaper the
principals had agreed to stop the reconstitution of the ZMMT.

But Luke Tamborinyoka, the spokesperson for Prime Minister Tsvangirai,
accused Shamu and Charamba of misleading Zimbabweans. "They were called in
to explain the stalled media reforms in the country, particularly the reform
of the ZBC and the public print media, which have caused unnecessary
national discord through biased reporting,"Tamborinyoka said.

Contrary to Charamba's assertions, the principals and the negotiators of the
respective political parties had agreed to a new board for the BAZ, the ZBC
and the ZMMT in order to bring about inclusive media reforms in line with
the spirit of the GPA, he said.

"The Ministry of Media, Information and Publicity has sought to stand in the
way of far-reaching media reforms, choosing instead to raise unnecessary
technical arguments which stand in the way of the agreed GPA issues, of
which media reform is just but one," Tamborinyoka said.

The reconstitution of the BAZ board, the ZBC board and the ZMMT was expected
to instil public confidence, bring in new broadcasting players, deal with
hate speech and make the public media impartial during this delicate
transition period, Tamborinyoka said.

"The principals agreed that the ZMMT should be set up as a matter of
urgency. The public print media and the broadcast media have lost
credibility due to unmitigated political interference and their incestuous
relationship with government officials who promote disunity, discord and
hate speech against some officials in the inclusive government," he said.

There had been overt attempts by senior officials in the ministry to stand
in the way of comprehensive media reforms, Tamborinyoka charged.

Misleading reports about what transpired during the principals' meeting were
deliberately meant to muddy the waters so that democratic reforms, as
enshrined in the GPA, and as agreed by the principals, did not take place,
he said.

Moyo Calls For Fresh Gukurahundi Probe

http://www.radiovop.com

Bulawayo July 10, 2011--Zimbabwe Speaker of Parliament Lovemore Moyo on
Friday said there should be fresh probes on the 1980s Gukurahundi massacres
that occurred in Matabeleland region adding that previous investigations
were not properly handled.

In January 1984, the Simplicius Chihambakwe Commission of Inquiry was tasked
to investigate the Gukurahundi atrocities, but its findings were never made
public after Zanu (PF) government blocked it.

“As a new government we have to set up a new committee to conduct fresh
probes on the Gukurahundi massacres not the previous investigations which
were not properly handled by the former government,” Moyo who is also the
MDC-T Chairman told Radio VOP.

Moyo said the findings by the new committee would be made public and not to
be hidden like what happened with the Chihambakwe Commission report
“The results of the findings would be made public and the nation should know
who killed people during Gukurahundi and for what reasons,” he said.

During the deadly Gukurahundi operation conducted by the North Korean
trained Fifth Brigade, at least 20 000 innocent civilians were killed, some
were buried alive while others had body parts bayoneted in acts similar to
acts in sadistic movies. The Fifth Brigade then was headed by Air Marshall
Perence Shiri; Emerson Mnangagwa was State Security Minister while Enos
Nkala was Defense Minister.

Government then claimed that they wanted to deal with Zapu dissidents
claiming they were planning an insurgence. Mugabe has refused to apologise
for the massacres only saying it was “moment of madness.”

The Washington DC-based Genocide Watch last year called for prosecution of
Mugabe and his allies for genocide and crimes against humanity for the
Gukurahundi massacres. Genocide Watch president Gregory Stanton called for
the establishment of a mixed UN- Zimbabwean Tribunal to put Mugabe and his
army generals for crimes against humanity and genocide.

Ghost workers in new civil servant audit

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

By Chengetai Zvauya, Senior Writer
Sunday, 10 July 2011 17:00

HARARE - A fresh civil servants audit demanded by Zanu PF elements in
government is revealing similar results as those unearthed by Ernest & Young
(India), according to Minister of Public Service Eliphas Mukonoweshuro.

Reports say the audit undertaken by Ernest & Young (India) last year showed
massive discrepancies, with as much as 75 000 ghost workers on the
government payroll.

Some of the ghost workers include youths accused of lying idly in
communities and only awakened to drive political violence during periods of
elections.

Mukonoweshuro said some elements in government had rejected the Ernest &
Young (India) report, demanding a new process be done by locals.

This is the second civil service staffing report to be rubbished by Zanu PF
since the formation of the unity government.

Ministers from President Robert Mugabe’s party rejected a report by Auditor
and Comptroller General Mildred Chiri in 2009.

Chiri’s report had revealed that over 10 000 youth were irregularly employed
by the youth ministry during the violent and disputed 2008 elections.

“I have the report with me and we shall publish it in due time,” said
Mukonoweshuro on the new report.

“We engaged an international company to do an audit of the civil service
workers and it produced the results that we have and we also carried our own
audit and it has produced results that are similar,” said Mukonoweshuro.

Mukonoweshuro said the audit was done by an inter-ministerial committee
comprising of various government ministries amongst them health, education
and public service.

“It is premature for me to speculate on the audit results. But I can confirm
that we have found that there are ghost workers on the payroll but I cannot
give you figures at the moment as I need to discuss the report with cabinet
before we can publish it,” said Mukonoweshuro.

Finance Minister Tendai Biti, currently at loggerheads with President Robert
Mugabe over civil servants salary increments, says ghost workers are
affecting the government’s ability to pay its workers more money.

Mukonoweshuro said Biti was justified because ghost workers were costing
genuine workers a chance to earn a living salary.

“I want them (ghost workers) out so that we can remain with genuine civil
servants who can earn a decent wage. We want to clean up the public service
so that we can have an effective wage bill,’’ said Mukonoweshuro.

Last week, civil service workers’ representatives announced that government
had increased their salaries and conditions leaving the lowest paid worker
pocketing $186 to $253, including housing and transport allowance.

The announcement immediately caused a rift with some unions such as the
Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe describing the increment as falling
way below the poverty datum line of around $500.

Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai’s camp said it was not consulted on the
salary review. Biti told Mugabe last Wednesday that the new figures would be
unsustainable without corresponding increases in government revenues.

Adding to the confusion, chief secretary to the president Misheck Sibanda
told the state media that Mugabe, Tsvangirai and Deputy Prime Minister
Arthur Mutambara had agreed that civil servants should get an urgent salary
rise.

NRZ Pensioners Paid Paltry Salaries

http://www.radiovop.com

Bulawayo , July 10, 2011- THE National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) pensioners
have been promised an increment this month that will result in the lowest
paid pensioner earning over US$50 from US$27 per month.

This was revealed by NRZ Pensioners Association president Esaph Mdlongwa at
a press conference held in Bulawayo.

Mdlongwa said the Pensions Fund Board of Trustees and the NRZ Pensioner’s
Association have agreed on the increments this month.

“The increments shall be in addition to the minimum 5 percent mandatory
annual increment which will also be paid out at the end of July” said
Mdlongwa at the press conference.

The pension increment follows an unbundling exercise that the association
and the Pension Fund Board of Trustees have been working on to enable
beneficiaries to earn more against their years of service to the rail
parastatal.

Mdlongwa also noted that the NRZ Pensioners Association and Pension Fund
have agreed in principle to start a Funeral Grant for the pensioners.
NRZ Pensioners Association represents 2000 registered members and over 14000
non members across the country.

It has branches in Harare, Bulawayo, Gweru, Mutare, Masvingo, Hwange and
Beitbridge. Subscribing and non subscribing pensioners in the NRZ Pensioners
Association’s records are over 6000 but only 2000 are paid up.

NRZ Pensioners Association was registered as Welfare Organisation for NRZ
pensioners.

Zanu PF culprit: Welshman

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

By Tonderai Kwenda, Deputy News Editor
Sunday, 10 July 2011 16:56

HARARE - The Daily News on Sunday deputy News Editor, Tonderai Kwenda spoke
to Welshman Ncube, the leader of the breakaway MDC formation.TK — Tonderai
Kwenda, WN — Welshman Ncube

TK: Do you think the Global Political Agreement (GPA) was the only solution
to the country's political problem?

WN: We were the strongest proponent of dialogue as a way of solving problems
when no one in Zanu PF not even the MDC T, not in civic society, not in the
international community believed that a solution to Zimbabwe’s problems was
by way of a coalition government.

The polarisation in 2008 made it virtually impossible to realise democracy
in this country and therefore there was a need for a cooling period.

We want a situation where we can have competitive politics. We can not have
a situation where political party ‘‘A’’ believes that political party ‘‘B’’
can never be allowed to be in power.

Democracy must imply a willingness to allow the people’s verdict to prevail
even if you believe the people are wrong, even if you believe it is not in
the national interest.

But where you have political parties which say if it is not us we must
basically burn down the country and you can not have a democracy like that.

We strongly believe that it is not in the best interest of Zimbabwe for Zanu
PF and MDC T to be elected, but we are willing to say if that is the verdict
of the people, even if it is a wrong verdict let the people live with their
mistake.

They will have another opportunity in five years to correct it but we have a
political situation where there is intolerance to say that unless it is us
lets burn down the country.

TK: From what you are saying it seems the coalition government you believed
in so much is in trouble?

WN: We had hoped that the inclusive government will change this but
regrettably that has not happened.

Since the beginning of the year we have basically regressed to the
intolerance of 2008. There is no point in getting to elections with
polarisation and intolerance. The biggest culprit in all this is Zanu PF.

If they had demonstrated a little sincerity to work with others without
putting roadblocks on everything the better. They do not want to share
governors, they do not want to share ambassadors, they do not want to open
up so that we can have security forces in the country which treat all
political parties as legitimate institutions of Zimbabwe.

It is this lack of sincerity which has undermined the premise of the GPA.

TK: How was it like negotiating this difficult political agreement?

WN: There were tensions, very severe tensions from time to time but there
was a spirit of co-operation and criticism of each other, but often this was
fair.

The situation was helped by the fact that the key players in the
negotiations had worked together even though from different political
formations for a long time particularly myself Tendai Biti and Patrick
Chinamasa.

TK: Do you have any regrets?

WN: The only regret was that towards the end, we got tired and wanted to get
over with it and in the process overlooked some things particularly on the
media.

Our failure to create an independent commission to deal with the electronic
media as we had done in creating the media commission to deal with the print
media is one regret.

Largely, the problem is not the construction of the GPA, it is the lack of
sincerity among the players in the inclusive government.

TK: So what exactly is troubling the coalition government if the document is
perfect?

WN: The problem has largely been the security sector.  If we had a security
sector sincerely and genuinely committed to bringing to an end to political
violence in this country it would have brought it to an end.

The challenge is not that Zanu PF people beat others or MDC T people beat
each other or others. It is given that young people at the instigation of
politicians think that they can get away with violence in order to get
political advantage.

The key is how do the police react or respond if they acted firmly against
every perpetrator of violence regardless of which party they are from. If
that was done we will not have political violence in this country.

The police have failed to act decisively and firmly and are in fact
themselves on a blame game.

We have a list of people from both MDC parties who have been beaten,
brutalised and their assailants are known by name, by residence and if
police genuinely applied the rule of law and acted against these people, we
would today have a much better political environment. In June 2008, Harare,
was under siege.

People disappeared, were tortured, and were dying. At that time there was a
real possibility that we were headed the Somalia route.

TK: Do you think security sector reform is an urgent necessity to solve
these problems that the coalition government is facing?

WN: I hate the term security sector reform because it connotes that the
legal policy framework under which the security forces operate is wrong. But
I believe there is nothing fundamentally wrong with our constitution to the
extent that it deals with the police and the army.

There is nothing wrong with our Defence Act and the Police Act. You could
take these and put them in South Africa, they will compare favourably, but
look at the rules and the policies on paper that should be followed by the
police, you will hardly be able to improve on them.

It is the individuals we have assigned the responsibilities to administer
these laws and policies.

These are individuals who for better or worse historically have not
transformed mentally from being an armed wing of a political party to being
a professional police force or to being a professional army for the whole of
Zimbabwe.

TK: In your view how the secret service should be regulated given that there
is no known policy to regulate its activities?

WN: Where you might have a legitimate debate on reform is the intelligence
services. Should they be regulated by an act of parliament or should they
simply be regulated as part of the President’s office.

If you do a research, you will realise that almost half of the countries in
the world have pieces of legislation regulating the intelligence services.

But for me it does not matter whether there is regulation of the
intelligence service because where we have legislation like with the police
would not make any difference as long as they do not have a commitment to
live in accordance with the laws and policies that we have.

TK: You have been championing the idea of a united front against Mugabe,
what is the reasoning behind the idea?

WN: Our party even after the painful split said in spite of our differences
we should acknowledge them and genuinely deal with them.

We none the less said we can still try and work together in the things that
we agree on and acknowledge the things that we are unable to agree on and
that is why we went out of our way to try and build a coalition and that is
why we negotiated and agreed on a coalition which would have seen all of us
supporting Tsvangirai as our presidential candidate.

Our national council, which is the supreme organ of our party, adopted that
and endorsed it in 2008 but  MDC T rejected it on the eve of the election
which is why even as we walked into that election, we were left on a lurch
having put so much effort even in the 4 or 5 months to the election.

We had put on our best people, our best minds to those negotiations and
neglected doing a lot of work on the ground as a party because we thought it
was more important for us to be in the coalition but we later found out that
we were wrong.

The end result was that we ended up without a presidential candidate, we
ended up without candidates in some of the areas because we thought we could
build a coalition so our commitment to that has never wavered.

We have always believed in that but we can not achieve it without being
realistic enough to realise that the obstacles to that are very huge and are
immense which is why we have said this time round we will not put our best
people and we will not devote a great deal of our time to the pursuit of
that, we will devote our time and our best minds to our people and
rebuilding our party which is what we are trying to do as a political party.

But we will always be open as a political party any time for any
conversation around working together with anybody else in the things we
believe in so we are open on that.

An up and down business – Zimbabwe Vigil Diary: 9th July 2011

It’s an up and down business being an activist in the Zimbabwean diaspora in the UK.  When you are not battling with the Home Office to regularize your position and earn money to keep your family in Zimbabwe afloat you have to counter the poisonous Zanu PF leaches feeding off British society and try to explain the true situation in Zimbabwe to people more interested in other things – like football.

So everyone at the Vigil was delighted to see the photographs of FIFA President and Commander in Chief Sepp Blather holding hands with Mugabe and discussing ways of dealing with corruption. Even people with only marginal interest in Zimbabwe – and they are the vast majority in the UK – could not fail to see the irony. It was like a meeting of Ian Smith and John Vorster to discuss democracy.  There is hardly a soul in the UK who believes in the honesty of FIFA – perhaps fewer even than support Mugabe in Zimbabwe.

The irony got even more pronounced when Mugabe went off to Juba to explain to our newly liberated brothers in South Sudan why they should love his friend President Ali Butcher of Khartoum who – like his other friend, Libya’s Colonel Gaddafi – is wanted by the international criminal court. Vigil supporters applauded Botswana for rejecting the AU’s defence of these monsters.

Now the downside. Vigil supporters were disappointed but not surprised by the latest suggestions from Harare that the GPA inter-party negotiators have agreed that elections can’t be held before the third quarter of next year. Every day that passes sees another delay. The Vigil suspects there won’t be elections next year at all.  Too many people are happy with the status quo: what unites all Zimbabwe’s politicians is self-interest. They increasingly talk the same language. Listen for instance to Finance Minister Tendai Biti speaking in London about land reform being  successful! As Muckracker in the Zimbabwe Independent says: ‘The members of the Commonwealth Business Council who Biti implored to come here and invest are unlikely to do so when senior members of the government ignore confiscation of property and lack of compensation…. Biti sounded as if he was speaking for Zanu PF. He claimed the country’s judiciary measured up to any other around the world. “The judges and officials are well-read,” he claimed, “well-trained and respected globally.’ (http://www.theindependent.co.zw/opinion/31614-muckracker-dubious-claims-left-right-and-centre.html)

Vigil supporters were sorry that Mr Biti didn’t come and speak to us outside the Embassy. It would have given us an opportunity to talk to him about  the new tourist promotion posters “come and hear my story” in the Embassy windows. We particularly like this one: ‘Wonder what it feels like to tee off in Paradise? (picture of someone looking like Tiger Woods) James Mwanza (with a golf club over his shoulder), 28 years old, Eastern Highlands. Come and hear my story’. With Zimbabwe being the second poorest country in the world, the number of 28 year old golfers in the Eastern Highlands – Zimbabweans that is – is fairly small. And if we went to ‘hear my story’ it would be: my father is a Zanu PF chef and we are very busy dealing in diamonds.

The Vigil suggests that if Mr Biti wants to know what’s going on in Zimbabwe he could read the latest article by the exiled Zimbabwean commentator, Tanonoka Joseph Whande: ‘Who shall we believe, Zuma or SADC?’ (http://www.swradioafrica.com/pages/heart070711.htm).

Other points

·         The Vigil sympathises with our brothers in Malawi who have had to write off a multi-million dollar loan to Mugabe: Malawians angry at Zimbabwe over unpaid debt (https://www.zimbabwesituation.com/old/jul8_2011.html#Z12). The Vigil warned Malawi at the time that it would lose its money – like China, Libya, Iran and every other country from which Zimbabwe has borrowed money.

·         As usual hundreds of tourists to London signed our petitions. The front desk reports that there were an unusual number of Italians in town who stopped “to hear our story”. Two Italian girls went off happily in Josie Zhuga’s knitted hats in the Zimbabwe colours.

·         Thanks to Mercy Muranganwa who looked after the back table in the absence of Vigil regular, Jonathan Kariwoh.

For latest Vigil pictures check: http://www.flickr.com/photos/zimbabwevigil/. Please note: Vigil photos can only be downloaded from our Flickr website – they cannot be downloaded from the slideshow on the front page of the Zimvigil website. For the latest ZimVigil TV programme check http://www.zimvigiltv.com/.  

FOR THE RECORD: 75 signed the register.

EVENTS AND NOTICES:

·         The Restoration of Human Rights in Zimbabwe (ROHR) is the Vigil’s partner organisation based in Zimbabwe. ROHR grew out of the need for the Vigil to have an organisation on the ground in Zimbabwe which reflected the Vigil’s mission statement in a practical way. ROHR in the UK actively fundraises through membership subscriptions, events, sales etc to support the activities of ROHR in Zimbabwe.

·         ZBN News. The Vigil management team wishes to make it clear that the Zimbabwe Vigil is not responsible for Zimbabwe Broadcasting Network News (ZBN News). We are happy that they attend our activities and provide television coverage but we have no control over them. All enquiries about ZBN News should be addressed to ZBN News. 

·         The Zim Vigil band (Farai Marema and Dumi Tutani) has launched its theme song ‘Vigil Yedu (our Vigil)’ to raise awareness through music. To download this single, visit: www.imusicafrica.com and to watch the video check: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QukqctWc3XE.

·         ROHR Yorkshire general meeting. Saturday 16^th July from 2 – 6 pm. Venue: Dock Green Inn, Ashley Rd, Leeds LS9 7AB. In attendance ROHR National Chairperson Mr A Mungoyo and National Secretary Mr C Chimbumu. Contact: Chinofunga Ndoga 07877993826, Prosper Mudamvanji (Branch Chair) 07897594874, Wonder Mubaiwa 07958758568, Knowledge Kutekwa 07400540732 or R Chifungo (Co-ordinator) 07795070609.

·         ROHR North East (Newcastle) general meeting. Saturday 23^th July from 12 – 3.30 pm. Venue: Civic Centre, Regent Street, Gateshead NE8 9SJ. 3 mins walk from the Gateshead Interchange. Contact: Susan Ndlovu 07767024586, Sharon Masocha 07751610298, Collin Matongo 07775987006, Rugare Chifungo (Coordinator) 07795070609.

·         ROHR Manchester Vigil. Saturday 30^th July from 2 – 5 pm. Venue: Cathedral Gardens, Manchester City Centre (subject to change to Piccadilly Gardens). Contact; Delina Tafadzwa Mutuambizi 07775313637, Chamunorwa Chihota 07799446404, Panyika Karimanzira 07551062161, Artwell Pfende 07886839353. Future demonstrations: 27^th August, 24^th September, 29^th October 26^th November, 31^st December. Same time and venue.

·         ROHR Wolverhampton general meeting. Saturday 30^th July from 1.30 – 5.30 pm. Venue: Heath Town Community Centre, 208 Chevril Rise, Wolverhampton WV10 0HP. ROHR National Executive and a well-known lawyer present. Contact:Tsvakai Marambi 07915065171, Flora Nyahuma 07501843253, Rumbi Mudyanadzo 07867844699, P Chibanguza 0798406069 or P Mapfumo 07915926323 / 07932216070.

·         ROHR Nottingham general meeting. Saturday 30^th July from 2 – 5 pm. Venue: St Saviour Community Hall, Arkwright Walk, Nottingham NG2 2JU. The church is just a few minutes’ walk from the train station. ROHR National Executive members will be attending to discuss the abuse of human rights and political situation in Zimbabwe. Contact: Allan Nhemhara 07810197576, Raymond C Chisuko 07832927609. Mary Chabvamuperu 07412074928, Christopher Chimbumu 07775888205, P Chibanguza 07908406069 or P Mapfumo 07915926323 / 07932216070.

·         ROHR Woking Summer fundraising barbeque. Saturday 6^th August from 2 pm till late. Venue: The Old Ford, Lynchford Road, Ash Vale, Aldershot GU12 5QA. Everyone is invited – come and enjoy a fun-filled day out.  Braai, sadza, rice, chicken, salads, cakes, snacks, drinks. Games for children including karaoke. Boot sale, auction and raffle with amazing prizes.

·         ROHR Ipswich launch meeting. Saturday 6^th August from 2 – 5.30 pm. Venue Citizens Advice Bureau, Tower Street, Ipswich IP1 3BE. ROHR National Executive and a well-known lawyer present. Contact:  Dhumisani B Muchipisi 07432722907, Lovemore Muzadzi 07552560184, R Chifungo 07795070609, P Chibanguza 0798406069 or P Mapfumo 07915926323 / 07932216070.

·         ROHR Manchester Meetings. Saturday 13^th August (committee meeting from 11 am – 1 pm, general meeting from 2 – 5 pm). Venue: The Salvation Army Citadel, 71 Grosvenor Road, Manchester M13 9UB. Contact; Delina Tafadzwa Mutuambizi 07775313637, Chamunorwa Chihota 07799446404, Panyika Karimanzira 07551062161, Artwell Pfende 07886839353. Future meetings: 10^th September, 8^th October, 12^th November, 10^th December. Same times and venue.

·         Vigil Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=8157345519&ref=ts.

·         Vigil Myspace page: http://www.myspace.com/zimbabwevigil.

·         ‘Through the Darkness’, Judith Todd’s acclaimed account of the rise of Mugabe.  To receive a copy by post in the UK please email confirmation of your order and postal address to ngwenyasr@yahoo.co.uk and send a cheque for £10 payable to “Budiriro Trust” to Emily Chadburn, 15 Burners Close, Burgess Hill, West Sussex RH15 0QA. All proceeds go to the Budiriro Trust which provides bursaries to needy A Level students in Zimbabwe.

·         Workshops aiming to engage African men on HIV testing and other sexual health issues. Organised by the Terrence Higgins Trust (www.tht.org.uk). Please contact the co-ordinator Takudzwa Mukiwa (takudzwa.mukiwa@tht.org.uk) if you are interested in taking part.

Vigil co-ordinators

The Vigil, outside the Zimbabwe Embassy, 429 Strand, London, takes place every Saturday from 14.00 to 18.00 to protest against gross violations of human rights in Zimbabwe. The Vigil which started in October 2002 will continue until internationally-monitored, free and fair elections are held in Zimbabwe. http://www.zimvigil.co.uk

Bill Watch - Parliamentary Committee and Status of Bills Series - 9th July 2011

BILL WATCH

PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEE AND STATUS OF BILLS SERIES

[9th July 2011]

Forthcoming Public Hearings on Human Rights Commission Bill

The Portfolio Committee on Justice, Legal Affairs, Constitutional and Parliamentary Affairs will be holding public hearings on the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission Bill in Chinhoyi, Gweru, Bulawayo, Masvingo, Mutare and Harare, probably during the week commencing 18th July.  Venues, dates and times will be circulated as soon as they are available.

Committee Meetings Open to the Public 11th to 14th July

The House of Assembly Portfolio Committees meetings listed below will be open to members of the public, but as observers only, not as participants, i.e. members of the public can listen but not speak.

Monday 11th July at 10 am

Portfolio Committee: Transport and Infrastructure Development

Oral evidence from the Minister of Transport on [1] Road Traffic (Construction, Equipment and Use) Regulations, S.I 154/2010 [see note below] and [2] operational challenges faced by Air Zimbabwe  

Committee Room No. 1

Chairperson: Hon Chebundo             Clerk: Ms Macheza

Portfolio Committee: Higher Education, Science and Technology

Oral evidence on Science Education from the Ministry of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture

Committee Room No. 3

Chairperson: Hon S. Ncube               Clerk: Ms Mudavanhu

Tuesday 12th July at 10 am

Portfolio Committee: Health and Child Welfare

Oral evidence from the Public Health Advisory Board on the Board’s activities on the review of the Public Health Act

Committee Room No. 1

Chairperson: Hon Parirenyatwa        Clerk: Mrs Khumalo

Portfolio Committee: Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and International Trade

Oral evidence from SEATINI and Zimbabwe Investment Authority on the implications of EPAs for the economy

Committee Room No. 3

Chairperson: Hon Mukanduri             Clerk: Mr Chiremba

Thursday 14th July at 10 am

Portfolio Committee: Small and Medium Enterprises

Oral evidence from the Ministry of Small and Medium Enterprises and Cooperative Development, Chitungwiza Municipality and a Chitungwiza SME cluster on long-standing issues between the municipality and the cluster re Stands Nos. 3086, 3087 and 3091 in St Mary’s

Committee Room No. 1

Chairperson: Hon R. Moyo                 Clerk: Ms Mushunje

Portfolio Committee: Women, Youth, Gender and Community Development

Presentation on the Second Quarter Budget Performance Report from the Ministry of Youth Development, Indigenisation and Empowerment

Committee Room No. 3

Chairperson: Hon Matienga               Clerk: Mr Kunzwa

Note: As there are sometimes last-minute changes to the meetings schedule, it is recommended that persons wishing to attend a meeting avoid possible disappointment by checking with the relevant committee clerk that the meeting is still on and still open to the public.  Parliament’s telephone numbers are Harare 700181 and 252936.  If attending, please use the Kwame Nkrumah Ave entrance to Parliament.  IDs must be produced.

Note on SI 154/2010: These regulations came into force on 1st July.  This meeting will give the Minister of Transport, Communications and Infrastructure Development an opportunity to respond to the views gathered by the portfolio committee in earlier public hearings in Mutare, Masvingo, Bulawayo and Harare.  During those hearings members of public:

·        complained that the Minister had not conducted adequate public consultations before promulgating the regulations last year

·        voiced their objections to the looming 31st October bans on importation of left-hand drive vehicles and used vehicles more than 5 years old

·        pointed out that compliance with new safety measures, such as all vehicles having to carry red warning triangles and fire extinguishers, was impossible because items complying with the detailed specifications laid down by the regulations were not readily available in Zimbabwe.

Status of Bills as at 9th July 2011

Bills Awaiting Introduction

Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission Bill [H.B. 2, 2011].  [Electronic version available.]

Gazetted:  10th June 2011

Ministry:  Justice and Legal Affairs

Portfolio Committee:  Justice, Legal Affairs, Constitutional and Parliamentary Affairs

[Note: The Minister of Justice and Legal Affairs has given notice that he intends to present this Bill in the House of Assembly on Tuesday 12th July.  Presentation will be followed by the First Reading of the Bill, which will then go to the Parliamentary Legal Committee [PLC] for its report on whether or not the Bill is consistent with the Constitution.  The PLC has 26 “business days” within which to report back to the House, but can be granted an extension by the Speaker.  The House cannot proceed to the Second Reading stage of the Bill until the PLC has reported.  A “business day” is any Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday or Friday that is not a public holiday.] 

Electoral Amendment Bill, [H.B. 3, 2011]. [Electronic version available.]

Gazetted:  27th June 2011   

Ministry:  Justice and Legal Affairs

Portfolio Committee: Justice, Legal Affairs, Constitutional and Parliamentary Affairs 

Bills in the Senate

Deposit Protection Corporation Bill [H.B. 7A, 2010]. 

Passed by House:  1st June 2011 [with amendments]  [Electronic version available]

Ministry:  Finance

Stage:  Awaiting Second Reading. 

Small Enterprises Development Corporation Amendment Bill [H.B. 9, 2010].

Passed by House:  5th April 2011.  [Electronic version available.]

Ministry:  Small and Medium Enterprises and Cooperative Development

Stage:  Awaiting Second Reading

Public Order and Security Amendment Bill [H.B. 11A, 2009].  Private Member’s Bill introduced by Hon I. Gonese, MDC-T.

Passed by House of Assembly:  8th December 2010 [with amendments] [Electronic version of Bill as amended by House of Assembly available.]

Stage:  Awaiting Second Reading

[Note: Senate Standing Orders do not yet allow Mr Gonese, who is a member of the House of Assembly, to speak to the Bill in the Senate.  A proposed amendment to Standing Orders, which would allow him to do, has been approved by the Standing Rules and Orders Committee and circulated to Senators; it will come into operation on 15th July unless Senators have lodged objections before that date.  So progress on the Bill will be delayed until at least 15th July.]

Bill in the House of Assembly

National Incomes and Pricing Commission Amendment Bill [H.B. 10, 2010]

Gazetted:  5th November 2010 [Electronic version available.]

Ministry:  Industry and Commerce

Portfolio Committee:  Industry and Commerce

Stage:  Awaiting Second Reading

 

Veritas makes every effort to ensure reliable information, but cannot take legal responsibility for information supplied.