"The Zimbabwe Situation" news page
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Subject: Zimbabwe this week

The past week has been dominated by two main events - the opening of Parliament and the farm invasions. In addition we concluded our submission of legal challenges to over 30 of the Zanu PF electoral "victories" by the 26th of July. The latter launches our legal campaign of attrition against the way in which the government conducted itself during the elections. Batteries of legal teams will take up the cudgels on behalf of defeated MDC candidates using three basic grounds - demand for a recount, demand for a re-run based on the way the elections were actually conducted and finally direct challenges to the candidacy of the Zanu PF representative. The first should come through in August, the second by the year-end and the last will take months as each case will involve an actual trial.

These legal challenges will represent the most extensive and detailed examination of an election in Africa and could result in a significant shift in the balance of power in the new Parliament. They will also bring to the fore the whole sorry story of the orchestrated violence and intimidation directed at the MDC in the past campaign. This will keep the media busy and will also serve to keep the validity of the election result under constant review. Not good news for the government at all.

Should our parliamentary team launch a second attack - this time on the Presidents handling of the elections? His failure to uphold and protect the constitution, his failure to protect the lives and property of ordinary citizens and his espousal of a campaign of terror against his political opposition is all justification for such a move. We know full well that such a maneuver cannot succeed as we need a two thirds majority to carry the motion of no confidence that the process leads to, but we have the capacity to expose Mugabe for what he has become and this will be very embarrassing for him.

The opening of Parliament was a singular occasion - about 1000 invited guests and some 10 000 uninvited guests - 80 per cent MDC. The uninvited sang songs - many of them denigrating the President and calling for him to retire while attacking "rotten Zanu". The invited showed their hands in the now famous "chissa palma" salute and called for "change" - it was quite different to past ceremonial occasions. The President was furious as was his good wife who scowered at the uninvited who were clearly in charge outside the building. Our own team were very dignified - all wearing black arm bands to signify their mourning for the violence and death that had proceeded their election. They went on to boycott the usual State banquet that followed the opening of Parliament saying that they could not "wine and dine" while the people they were representing suffered. The banquet was cancelled as a result.

If this is anything to go by, Parliament is going to be "fun" - reserve your seats in the gallery now!! The MDC team spent the weekend in Kadoma working through its agenda for the first session, which starts on the 1st of August. Every aspect of government will come under our scrutiny. I was reminded today of a famous saying by Didymus Mutasa last year in Parliament where he remarked "your (the Members of Parliament) job is not to raise issues but simply to vote for the matters we put in front of you". We have news for him, those days are over.

As for the farm invasions these escalated rapidly in the past two weeks despite the opposition of key members of government, including at least one Vice President. The Zanu thugs were all out in strength and despite the fact that the farmers co-operated fully with the government in identifying and clearing the farms for occupation, the threats and violence actually escalated. Farmers were threatened, their property vandalized and their staff beaten. Several farmers were also beaten and on Sunday another was beaten to death in his home, motive and assailants unknown.

This resulted in a rapid build up of frustration and anger in the community. The police maintained their "no interference" stance and stood by as ordinary citizens had their rights trampled on and in one case a farmer was forced to "compensate" the thugs with a substantial payment in cash for the accidental destruction of a shack built illegally on the farm. Eventually the CFU was forced to act - they took legal action on Monday and it was expected that the hearings would take place this week. They also reinstated their action against the leaders of the War Veterans for contempt of court and no doubt this time they will be convicted - then what - will the Police execute the arrest and effect the detention notice, or will they ignore the Courts injunctions?

In addition a number of people simply said enough is enough - and a national stay away or work stoppage has started to gain momentum. We expect that by Monday it will have spread throughout the country and I hope it will be very effective - the call is to stop work for three days. If it is effective - it will put pressure on the government in advance of critical talks with the IMF and World Bank. It will also serve to give notice to Mr Mugabe and his thugs that the country at large is nearing the end of its very considerable patience. Lets pray that it is peaceful and that the government does not over react to what is, after all, a spontaneous action by civil society at large.

On the domestic front the economic melt down continues. Diesel has been unobtainable for three weeks now, paraffin is also very difficult to find and as this is the major source of heating for cooking, this is a real problem for the poor - so they are forced to walk to work in many cases and have to do so on cold food. Job losses are accelerating as mines and farms close down and industrial firms cut back to reduce output. Imports are scarce and very expensive and foreign exchange is almost impossible to come by. It's terrible to visit the high density housing areas and to see the very real poverty and obvious collapse of living standards in the cities. I stand astonished at the patience and discipline of our people - but for how long?

 

Eddie Cross

26th July 2000

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Please telephone Supt.  Mabunda on 064-7677 and voice your disapproval and
outrage.
Alternatively please write to him at Karoi Police Station, PO Box 60, Karoi.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------- On the Vuka estate, Fin and Jane
O'Donoghue awoke with their three children yesterday to find that squatters
had barricaded them inside their home.  "They said no one would be allowed
in or out," said Mrs O'Donoghue.
"They started forming up in ranks.  It looked like some military manoeuvre
was beginning."

The couple managed to flee with their 11-year-old daughter and sons, aged
five and 10.  Alarmed by their inability to make radio contact with the
O'Donoghues, 15 neighbours demanded action from a local police chief, Supt
Mabunda, and told him of their plans for a strike.  According to farmers who
met him, Supt Mabunda told them: "Do you want war?  If you want war, I will
bring troops and we can have war.  I think we will have war today."

They accused Supt Mabunda of collaborating with the squatters, although he
managed to defuse the situation at Vuka two hours later.  One farmer said:
"Mabunda has been behind this all along.  He went and told those guys to lay
off for the day and come back tomorrow."
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27 July 2000 

In today's issue:
From MDC Southern Region (mdcmatsup@gatorzw.com)
 
This office is now responsible for supporting the southern region constituences, 53 in all. We are establishing a database of addresses in order to disseminate important information efficiently to maintain a continued awareness of situations as they develop. It is also our intention to keep the public informed with regard to Party policy on issues that detrimentally affect the country.  Should you be able to identify other interested parties whom you feel  would appreciate this information, please forward the address above. International introductions would be welcome.
 
Sincere thanks
Mike Lander
MDC Support (Southern Region)
 
From MDC Manchester, UK
 
I wish to inform you that MDC Manchester, UK will be having a meeting on the 29th of July 2000 in Longsight, Manchester from 2p.m.  The purpose of the meeting is introducing MDC to the Zimbabwean community and supporters.  This meeting will also be part of major recruitment drive.  Culverwell from London will address the meeting.  The venue is Studio 29, Imex Business Centre, Longsight, Manchester.  More details, contact Duran Rapozo(Secretary) on 0161 224 3282/07947121177 , Jennings Rukani (Chairman) on 07947110689 or Mrs Butler (Women's affairs) on 0161 224 7362.

From The Daily Telegraph (UK), 27 July

Zanu-PF seeks to rein in squatters

Harare - A Senior figure in President Mugabe's Zanu-PF party called yesterday for squatters to stop disrupting farming, in what is seen as a conciliatory gesture to Zimbabwe's striking white farmers. After a new outbreak of militancy by the invaders, who claim to be veterans of the war against white rule and now occupy about 1,100 properties, farmers decided on drastic action. At least 237 are now on strike, hundreds more could follow and the CFU has petitioned Mr Mugabe to defuse the situation, while launching legal action against the police and the government.

The intervention by Nathan Shamuyarira, Zanu-PF's information secretary and a former cabinet minister, is the first sign that this pressure is having an impact. He said: "We are appealing to both the war veterans and our members, who include war veterans and peasants, not to disrupt farming activities." Mr Shamuyarira added that farmers should "continue production" and that he expected the squatters to "take heed of the appeal". In another sign of growing unease in government circles over the farming crisis, yesterday's Herald, the official newspaper, ran a leading article calling for a return to normality. The paper said: "The continued occupation of farms and the attendant violence and disruptions on some of the farms should not be allowed to continue. The war veterans have made their point."

Chenjerai "Hitler" Hunzvi, the war veterans' leader and prime mover behind the land invasions, was pointedly excluded from Mr Mugabe's new cabinet in a sign that the president is preparing to discard him. Yet the government has made previous appeals for the squatters to allow normal work on white farms without taking any action to enforce it. Mr Mugabe made this call in April, but failed to curb a new outbreak of violence that claimed the lives of five farmers. Observers agree that he is the only figure with sufficient authority to end the crisis. But Mr Mugabe has repeatedly pledged "never" to remove the squatters from the land they occupy and has even thanked them for their efforts. Unless he makes a public about-face, the crisis is likely to continue.

From The Financial Gazette, 27 July

War veterans vow to stay put on occupied farms

WAR veterans leader Chenjerai Hunzvi said yesterday his followers would remain on white farms they have seized as pressure mounted on President Robert Mugabe to order the former independence fighters off the farms and placate international donors whose aid is key to Zimbabwe's economic recovery. "The land must go back to the people and we cannot retreat now," Hunzvi told the Financial Gazette. "In fact, the government should move faster now and build on what has been achieved by the war veterans by giving more land to the people."

Sources said pressure was mounting on Mugabe, who has tacitly sanctioned the farm occupations, to instruct the former guerrillas to quit the farms and pave the way for an orderly government-implemented land resettlement programme. Those pushing for the removal of the veterans include some of the ministers appointed to the new Cabinet who, according to sources, see the issue as a prerequisite for Zimbabwe to lure back the IMF and other donors. The IMF suspended all aid to Zimbabwe last year because of the government's failure to meet agreed targets under IMF-backed economic reforms and because of Zimbabwe's costly military involvement in the civil war in the Congo.

Vice President Joseph Msika yesterday held talks with Hunzvi for more than three hours. The talks were apparently aimed at convincing Hunzvi that the land resettlement programme should now be handled by the government and not by the veterans who are already allocating land to thousands of people across the country. Msika could not be reached for comment on the talks while Hunzvi would not be drawn to discuss the meeting's details. He insisted, though, that the veterans would not be deterred on the issue of the land and would stay put on the farms.

From News24 (SA), 26 July

Even Zim's dead 'voted'

Harare - Many dead people had their names marked on the rolls, indicating they had voted in Mazowe East last month. This became clear during Tuesday's inspection of the ballots cast in the Mazowe East constituency where Chen Chimutengwende, the former Minister of Information, Posts and Telecommunications won by a huge margin in last month's parliamentary election. More than 20 voters' rolls from the neighbouring Mazowe West constituency were found in the ballot boxes for Mazowe East, which were supposed to contain votes for Chimutengwende. The rolls were kept by the police in Concession.

Many dead people had their names marked on the rolls, indicating they had voted in Mazowe East last month. Four supplementary voters' rolls were found missing, forcing registrar-general Tobaiwa Mudede to order his officers to go to Concession to collect more boxes. But Shepherd Mushonga, the defeated candidate challenging Chimutengwende's victory saved the day when he suggested that the verification continues without the missing rolls. Mushonga, 38, a candidate for the MDC, polled 7473 votes against the former minister's 18 824. On the basis of the irregularities unearthed last night, Mushonga said he would file a petition to have the result nullified, opening the way for a possible re-run of the election or a five-year ban on Chimutengwende from contesting in any national election. Said Mushonga last night: "We are shocked by the extent of the electoral flaws which we have so far unearthed and this could be just the tip of the iceberg."

The verification continued until late into the night on Tuesday. Although Chimutengwende occasionally visited Makombe Building, the venue for the recount, his lawyer Joseph Mandizha of Mandizha, Chitsunge and Company maintained an all-day presence. Addressing the presiding officers, polling agents of both candidates just before the inspection began, Mudede said he was "certainly going to oppose any more applications for recounts". He said the exercise was very expensive and the national fiscus could not afford to sustain such "frivolous requests". "In the interests of the nation," he said, "I am certainly going to oppose any further applications for recounts because I don't have the money. I don't have the money for this expensive exercise and I am certainly going to block any more applications."

Mushonga filed an application with the High Court last week requesting that Mudede be ordered to reopen for inspection all the sealed voting packets, voters' rolls/registers and election materials. Chimutengwende has maintained that he believed the election was free and fair. He did not bring his polling agents to the re-count centre, saying it was unnecessary because he was not the complainant.

From The Daily News, 26 July

Coltart's agent still missing

PATRICK Nabanyama, the MDC polling agent for David Coltart in last month's parliamentary election, is still missing, five weeks after war veterans abducted him from his home in Nketa suburb in Bulawayo. Nabanyama, a former Zanu PF member, was kidnapped at his home, in front of his family, by about 10 war veterans before the election. Yesterday, Coltart said Nabanyama was still missing. "The police say they have arrested five people who are in custody in connection with the abduction," he said.

Nabanyama had received death threats before the abduction, after which he wrote a letter to a Bulawayo newspaper about his plight. He had drafted a second letter on the morning of 19 June but could not send it before he was abducted. "Nabanyama's family is still very distraught," Coltart said yesterday. The MDC was helping Nabanyama's family, said Coltart, and a trust fund had been set up to help them. He said people had been forthcoming with help, though he could not give details. Nabanyama lived with his wife, a step-daughter and his two children. Maina Kiai, the Amnesty International director for Africa has called on the government to investigate the abduction. The human rights organisation had received reports of at least 14 kidnappings of MDC supporters in Bulawayo during the pre-election period, but all except Patrick Nabanyama have been released. War veterans and Zanu PF supporters launched a pre-election crack-down on suspected opposition members which left a trail of violence that left 33 people dead. Thousands were displaced from their rural homes and sought shelter in the cities and towns.

From The Financial Gazette, 27 July

Zvobgo eyes presidency

VETERAN politician and ZANU PF Masvingo strongman Eddison Zvobgo says he will offer himself for the 2002 presidential election if President Robert Mugabe pulls out. In an exclusive interview days after being dropped from the Cabinet for the first time since Zimbabwe's independence 20 years ago, Zvobgo said this week his close ties and friendship with Mugabe had militated against him ever thinking of challenging him for the presidency before. He said he and Mugabe had forged strong and close ties that dated back to the days when they were jailed in the then Rhodesia during the independence struggle in the 1960s and 1970s.

"The idea never crossed my mind that I could stand against him (Mugabe) in any electoral contest because that would have violated the agreements which we always had . . . the understandings . . . the friendships," Zvobgo told the Financial Gazette at his Flamboyant Hotel in Masvingo. Zvobgo, a founder member of ZANU PF and the party's first deputy secretary-general, said the other reason he could not challenge Mugabe was that ZANU PF in its early years was organised as a "military machine" where lieutenants merely accepted the tasks and "levels of participation" which the party gave them.

The former Minister of State in the President's Office said he almost quit Cabinet before the crucial June 24-25 parliamentary poll but felt that such a move could have been interpreted as disloyalty to the ruling party at a time when ZANU PF was facing its stiffest challenge since independence. "For quite some time now, my family and friends all know that I was agonising over the question when to quit. It was not an easy thing," Zvobgo said. "Simply quitting might have been read as abandoning others . . . as disloyalty. So one gets sort of stuck." Zvobgo, who shrugged off the MDC's challenge for his Masvingo South seat, said he was shocked by the overall success of the labour-backed party in the June plebiscite when the results were being announced. The MDC took 57 of the contested constituencies and swept all the urban seats in the important cities of Harare and Bulawayo. The MDC also surprised ZANU PF in Masvingo Province - long regarded as the ruling party's stronghold - by winning in Bikita West and in Masvingo Central where the party's Silas Mangono thrashed ZANU PF provincial chairman and Zvobgo confidante Dzikamai Mavhaire.

"I did not expect them to do that well," Zvobgo said. "I never gave them (the MDC) anything over 40 (seats) in my wildest dreams." He said he had been told that one of the reasons why ZANU PF performed poorly in the just-ended poll was that some Zimbabweans felt that it had stayed too long in power and that "change was required". Zvobgo said he was "quite relieved" to be out of the Cabinet and would now spend more time with his family and visit his children in the United States and Britain.

On the 2002 presidential election Zvobgo, 65, said it was really up to Mugabe to decide whether or not to stand for re-election, but should Mugabe quit, then Zvobgo would offer himself to the ruling party as a possible presidential candidate. "He (Mugabe) has already said that this is a matter for him personally and that he would make his position known. That he will, in other words, communicate his view at an appropriate time," he said. "In this business individuals can become masters of their own destiny. They decide whether they want to continue or they want to retire. I express no view."

On why he has never challenged Mugabe for the presidency of ZANU PF and the country, Zvobgo said: "Personal affections come into this. The President and I have since prison - prison really brings you together - been very close . . . to the extent that the idea never crossed my mind. Should he (Mugabe) decide not to run, then I have to reconsider my options. In those circumstances, I might decide to offer myself." The wealthy former minister who owns two hotels in Masvingo, among other business interests, brushed off widespread reports that he would leave ZANU PF to form another political party. "I love ZANU, I can't leave it. I created it - with others of course," he said. "I have no other home and so I wish the party well. This is from my heart." He added: "I say so even during these moments of serious adversities which have visited the party. To form a new party - that's out of the question."

From BBC News, 27 July

Zimbabwe business holds its breath

Harare - Before the elections in Zimbabwe, many business people were saying that if Zanu-PF won, they would shut up shop. Now that the dust has settled on a very narrow victory by the ruling party, some are reconsidering. One of the key questions which will determine Zimbabwe's economic future is the reaction of the war veterans occupying 1,000 white-owned farms around the country. President Robert Mugabe has always said that they should stay put until they are given land of their own. But Jerry Grant from the CFU, says that this is likely to be a lengthy process as he expects a "considerable number" of the owners of the 804 farms on the list for compulsory acquisition to lodge legal appeals.

The deadline for doing this is 3 July. Officials have warned that "going to court would be pouring oil onto the fire" - but that was in the tense pre-election climate. Farmers are hoping that now, with both sides reasonably satisfied with the outcome, the rhetoric and violence will be replaced by rational negotiation. Dr Grant says that many of these appeals should succeed, because 277 farms are the only properties their owners have, and many more farms are highly developed. The official criteria for taking farms are where land is under-utilised or where people own several farms. Robert Mugabe has repeatedly stressed that "no white farmer will be driven off the land".

Since the results were announced, there has been no movement and there are even rumours of a hit squad targetting white farmers who supported the MDC. Dr Grant says that theft has been rampant on the occupied farms. Next year's tobacco harvest will decline by 50,000 tonnes or 22%, while this year's winter wheat crop will also be down 50,00 tonnes, or 15%. Economist John Robertson says that as long as Zanu-PF and Mr Mugabe are running Zimbabwe, the country will not attract many investors or much donor support. But he says that the local business community is heartened by the good showing of the MDC and the absence of the post-election civil strife predicted by many. He says that fewer companies are now considering closing down.

One reason is that the MDC gained just 70,000 fewer votes than Zanu-PF nationwide. If this gap is made up in the next two years - entirely within the realms of possibility - then Robert Mugabe would be defeated in the 2002 presidential poll. Two years no longer seems such a long wait for many business people. Mr Robertson says the immediate priority is to devalue the Zimbabwe dollar "within the next week". The rate has been fixed at Z$38 to US$1 for over a year and exporters say this is driving them out of business. At the moment, it is virtually impossible to get any hard currency in Harare. The gold mining sector which earns 30% of Zimbabwe's foreign exchange has already warned that mines will close down and thousands of jobs be lost if the pegged exchange rate is kept in place. But will Robert Mugabe accept a devaluation so soon after just scraping home in an election in which he promised to re-introduce price controls on basic goods and blamed the state of the economy on IMF-inspired market reforms? A difficult question which will determine the country's immediate future.

Another economist, Edmore Tobaiwa, hopes that the talk of returning to a state-controlled economy was "just election campaigning". He says that everything depends on who is appointed to the key economic ministries, as well as the release of over US$1bn, frozen in recent years by international donors. On this question, a diplomat said: "The IMF will be wary about restoring support because it's had its fingers burnt too many times." Nevertheless, Mr Tobaiwa is optimistic about the future because "Robert Mugabe must improve the state of the economy within two years or he faces electoral defeat. He has no choice but to act."

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MEDIA MONITORING PROJECT ZIMBABWE
MEDIA UPDATE # 29
Monday 17 July to Sunday 23 July 2000

1. OVERVIEW
DURING the past two weeks, a noticeable change in the way the publicly
owned
media are reporting the news has been observed. While ZIMPAPERS' titles
still clearly
reflect sentiment representing the official ZANU PF point of view, they
appear to have
abandoned their role as the ruling party's propaganda machine - for the
time being, at
least - and recognize the existence of a strong parliamentary opposition.
Although The Herald and The Chronicle praised President Mugabe's new
Cabinet,
qualifying statements could be found in the papers. Predictably, criticism
of the rowdy
reception given to President Mugabe when he opened Parliament was
prevalent in the
state-owned Press, but it no longer took the form of witch-hunt
proportions, which
characterized the pre-election period. The papers have also accessed
comment from
the opposition MDC, while some idea of the chaos that continues to prevail
on the
commercial farms can be gleaned from their coverage of the land issue.
The Herald also prominently reported the continuing assaults by the army
on residents
of Harare's high-density suburbs.
But perhaps the most significant effort by The Herald to retrieve its
damaged
credibility, was the way it attempted to distance itself from the
politically loaded
statement issued by Police Commissioner, Augustine Chihuri, when he
announced the
findings of the commission of inquiry into the tragedy at the National
Sports Stadium.
ZBC bulletins on the other hand, made no effort to provide a balanced
report, blindly
accepting that part of Chihuri's statement blaming the MDC for the tragedy
to lead its
news bulletins while leaving Chihuri to explain the extent of the police
culpability.
Such efforts to play down the police role in the tragedy at the expense of
the MDC
undermined the impression that ZBC too, was attempting to provide its
audiences with
a less biased perspective of the week's news. Chiefly responsible for
creating this
impression was the presence of voices representing the MDC in ZBC's news
stories
covering the swearing in of new MPs and the opening of Parliament, which
provided de
facto evidence that the corporation's newsroom recognizes the existence of
a strong
parliamentary opposition. The fact that it had no alternative but to
report the MDC
presence diminishes any efforts ZBC may be making to find a less biased
role for
itself. Certainly, statistics of political voices accessed during the week
under review
belie significant reform in the public broadcaster:
On television, out of 70 voices quoted on political issues, 38 were from
ZANU PF
against the MDC's seven. Alternative political experts and groups were
given 16
voices, while the police constituted nine voices.
On Radio 2/4, which, now and again, has a tendency to broadcast reports
without
attributing the story, the reader constituted 54 percent of the voices on
politics, as
against ZANU PF's 33 percent and MDC's 2 percent. On Radio 1/3, 55 percent
of the
voices were from ZANU PF, 26 percent belonged to the reader and the MDC
was given
4.2 percent of the voices.
Such shifts in the temperament of the news coverage by the
state-controlled media
have occurred during a week in which a number of stories have appeared
focusing on
developments in the public media itself.
Some clue to the reason for uneven reforms between ZIMPAPERS and ZBC could
be
found in The Standard's story (23/7) on the "editorial repositioning" of
ZIMPAPERS'
titles, a follow-up to earlier stories appearing in the private Press
about the
beleaguered financial position of the state-controlled print media. While
ZBC enjoys a
broadcasting monopoly, ZIMPAPERS is primarily a commercial operation and
is
exposed to competition in the market. According to The Standard's story,
the
company newspaper division's managing director, Bornwell Chakaodza, "made
an
unprecedented admission that ZIMPAPERS' stable.had showed bias for
government in the run-up to the elections. As a result the company
experienced
flagging patronage, particularly by the advertising industry."
The story quoted sources privy to a meeting Chakaodza held in Bulawayo
announcing
a "survival plan" approved by the board, which included the "editorial
repositioning" of
its newspapers "to reflect the post-election scenario where opposition and
government views are published fairly."
ZIMPAPERS' Sunday titles (The Sunday Mail and The Sunday News) also
carried a
telling interview with the new Minister of State for Information and
Publicity, Jonathan
Moyo, which also reflected the troubled state of the government-controlled
media:
"Moyo has vowed to sort out the problems at Zimbabwe Newspapers and the
Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation as a matter of urgency".
These problems still had to be analyzed, the story said.
However, as to whether the new minister would allow any "editorial
repositioning", the
ZIMPAPERS' story was less hopeful:
     "Prof Moyo warned that although government does no determine
     editorial policy of papers, the media both public and private, had a
     duty to professionally communicate the electoral mandate of the
     government of the day.
     ''It is important for editors to understand.the electoral mandate that
     the president and the ruling party have and how that mandate must,
     as a matter of democratic necessity, translate into concrete
policies,'
     said Prof Moyo."
Although Moyo said this did not mean the media should not criticize these
policies,
they should reflect them "honestly and professionally" so the public could
make
informed electoral choices.
He was not asked whether this could mean that he was planning legislation
that would
restrict the freedom of the privately owned Press which has been staunchly
critical of
the previous government's policies. Nor was he asked how his views matched
the
internationally accepted standard that in a democracy, the publicly owned
media have
a duty to represent the full diversity of opinion expressed within
society.
Moyo was also guarded about the idea of liberalizing the broadcast media:
  "The issue is not about liberalization of the airwaves to empower
individuals,
most of whom might be foreigners, but the democratization of the airwaves
to
empower the Zimbabweans in their communities," the papers quoted him as
saying.
Such sentiments would seem to rule out any significant reform in the
partisan
coverage of important national issues by the publicly owned media.

2. SUMMARY
  In the week under review all media concentrated on similar issues:
ˇ   Analysis of the new Cabinet;
ˇ   Parliamentary events
ˇ   The commission of inquiry into the National Sports Stadium tragedy;
ˇ   The land issue.

3. CABINET ANALYSIS
The new Cabinet received prominent coverage and commentary in the public
and
private Press and on ZBC television. But radio continued to give analysis
of the new
government team scant coverage.
In a front page editorial on Monday, The Herald hailed the new Cabinet
members as
being "of the highest calibre" and quoted a number of commercial sources
and political
experts in its lead story as saying the appointments were balanced and had
the
potential to stimulate economic regeneration. The voices of ordinary
citizens were also
sourced expressing different sentiments. The Chronicle carried the story
under the
heading, Analysts hail new Cabinet". ZBC television also managed to find
the CZI vice-
president to comment favourably on the appointments (17/7 Nhau Indaba, and
television and Radio 2/4's 8pm and television's 18/7 7am bulletins).
Political
commentators Ibbo Mandaza and Sam Moyo were also quoted on television's
8pm
bulletin on 17/7 and on the 18/7's 7am news, while the Stock Exchange gave
a
lukewarm response (17/7 8pm on television) with stockbrokers quoted as
saying the
announcement had given rise to no major change on the bourse.
This was reflected by a story in The Business Herald, "Economists welcome
Makoni,
Moyo . but ministers must be given free hand to tackle problems" (20/7),
which, in
turn, mirrored the sentiments of the analysis to be found in the private
Press. The
abilities of the technocrats in Cabinet were acknowledged, but economists
and
corporate authorities maintained that their success depended on whether
President
Mugabe and the ZANU PF Politburo would give them a free rein, an issue the
private
media doubted would happen (Mugabe must give new ministers freer hand, The
Daily
News comment July 17). And by Wednesday the daily was pondering the
chances of
success for the new Finance Minister, Simba Makoni, concluding that he
"was
caught between a rock and a hard place".
The Financial Gazette (July 20) believed the technocrats would be
sacrificial lambs
because they would not have the power to make decisions, while The
Zimbabwe
Independent (July21) quoted economist Rogers Dhliwayo, as saying that
Makoni and
Moyo would have to take orders from the ruling party's Politburo since it
was more
powerful than the Cabinet.
The Zimbabwe Independent comment dismissed the impression that the new
Cabinet
was any leaner than its predecessor, noting that the President announced
"a whole
tribe of hangers-on" at a later date. Nor did it have much faith in the
new line-up:
  "Indeed, the appointments process has been clouded by delays, jockeying
and
confusion.What we do know is that despite reports of deadwood being
chopped, the forest still remains."
The editorial criticized the appointment of Border Gezi, Moven Mahachi,
Sydney
Sekeramayi and Francis Nhema. The nation, it said, was pinning its hopes
on the
performance of just two men (Makoni and Moyo) who should be given a chance
to see
if they could rescue the economy.
ZBC television (22/7 8pm) was first to scoop the media with a revealing
interview with
the new Minister of Industry and International Trade, Nkosana Moyo, in a
follow-up to
the Cabinet appointments. Moyo, who said he saw his appointment as an
invitation to
the private sector to work with government, said that after meeting
President Mugabe,
he believed the President had agreed to allow him the political freedom to
revitalize
Zimbabwe's industrial economy. He also stated that he had consulted other
political
parties before the election and that he was not a member of ZANU PF.
The interview, clipped from AM Zimbabwe that morning, was repeated in
place of
Around Zimbabwe in the evening.
The Financial Gazette believed that by sidelining political figures like
Dumiso
Dabengwa and Eddison Zvobgo, Mugabe was sidelining his rivals and putting
himself in
line for re-election in the 2002 presidential elections.
The Zimbabwe Mirror featured a story quoting observers accusing President
Mugabe of
ignoring "the ethnic factor" because his new Cabinet contained so few
representatives
from Matabeleland, thus threatening the Unity Accord.
The Dispatch (July 21) had its own view, concluding that the sidelining of
nearly all
former PF-ZAPU members was punishment for Matabeleland's huge vote for the
MDC.
While ZIMPAPERS generally accessed a wide range of sources on the Cabinet
issue,
the private Press mostly depended on political commentators and economists
for their
analysis. Apart from the MDC, other political parties and interest groups
and the
general public were not given a voice.

PARLIAMENT
ZBC television's coverage of the week's two parliamentary ceremonies - the
swearing
in of the new members of Parliament and Parliament's official opening -
was generally
balanced and sought opinions from members of the MDC and ZANU PF. But the
swearing-in of Zanu Ndonga's lone MP was not acknowledged.
Television's 18/7 Nhau Indaba and 8pm news reported that thousands of
people had
witnessed the swearing-in of parliamentarians and that Mnangagwa had been
elected
Speaker of Parliament. The same 8pm television bulletin also quoted MDC's
Tendai
Biti and Munyaradzi Gwisai and ZANU PF's Border Gezi, Timothy Stamps and
Simon
Muzenda. It also highlighted the lighter moments of the ceremony.
Radio news bulletins chose not to cover the MDC in generally dull reports
of the
ceremony. However, all radio stations (19/7 1pm, 6pm and 8pm) did quote
ZANU PF's
Didymus Mutasa as saying that MPs should know the procedures of the House
thoroughly and ensure orderly debates and that new parliamentarians should
not
oppose issues just for the sake of opposing them.
Television carried a more detailed report on Mutasa on its 19/7 Nhau
Indaba and
television's 8pm news in which he said that the MDC should not have
challenged
ZANU PF's nomination for Speaker of Parliament. He was not challenged
about the
undemocratic implications of his statement.
On 19/7 ZBC said Mugabe had announced the appointment of four new
governors. The
story was reported on television's Nhau Indaba but was dropped on
television's 8pm
news. It was also reported on Radio's on 19/7's 1pm.
Neither television nor radio questioned the fact that Welshman Mabhena had
been
sworn into Parliament as governor for Matabeleland North the previous day
and that
Mugabe was now appointing Obert Mpofu to the post as well.
However on 20/7's Nhau Indaba and television's 8pm news, the President's
office was
reported to have issued a statement saying that Mabhena's term of office
as governor
expired at the end of the month. The same report carried a story of the
swearing-in of
Cabinet ministers at State House earlier in the day. None of ZBC's radio
stations
carried news of Mabhena's fate, on the bulletins monitored. Neither has
there been any
report about Mabhena's interpretation of the event.
However, The Daily News (July 20) picked up the controversy promptly the
next
morning.
The television report on Mugabe's speech at the opening of Parliament
carried a
comment from the MDC's Gibson Sibanda on Mugabe's presentation. (20/7 8pm
and
21/7 7am television). Radio 2/4 failed to report Mugabe's speech in the
bulletins
monitored 6am, 1pm, 8pm. Radio 1/3 on the other hand, gave extensive
coverage to
Mugabe's speech, albeit without analyzing its contents. Radio 1/3 reported
that the
new parliament would debate at least 10 pieces of legislation seeking to
improve the
business environment in Zimbabwe.
The public and private Press focused on the "clash" between ZANU PF and
MDC party
supporters at the opening of Parliament.
The Herald and The Chronicle (July 21) reported " . ZANU PF and MDC
supporters
clashed verbally in Africa Unity Square yesterday as they raucously tried
to
drown each other during the opening ceremony of Parliament". The article
gave
detail of the incident and how the police intervened. The Herald also gave
front-page
prominence to, as well as the full text of, President Mugabe's address to
Parliament.
The private Press focused on the attack against President Mugabe by MDC
supporters. "Red card 'welcome' at parliament" read The Zimbabwe
Independent
article, while The Daily News story favouring the MDC, reported that the
crowd outside
parliament jeered President Mugabe.
The Sunday Mail (July 23) comment  "Political immaturity" criticized MDC
supporters
for what it termed ".the use of foul language."
The Zimbabwe Mirror (July 21) and The Daily News (July 21) reported that
MDC MPs
had turned down President Mugabe's invitation to a traditional reception.
The
Zimbabwe Mirror article emphasized that the reception had been cancelled
and that
the MDC knew about it before they turned down the invitation. The Daily
News on the
other hand, portrayed the confusion over the issue, quoting both sides
giving
contradictory accounts.
The Zimbabwe Independent maintained the reception had been cancelled as a
result
of the MDC's refusal to attend on the grounds that they could not be seen
to be wining
and dining with President Mugabe who was accused of being responsible for
the death
and harassment of its supporters.
ZANU PF's first central committee meeting since the election was given
much
prominence and much recycling on both television and radio, beginning from
the
announcement of the meeting on 19/7 to Shamuyarira's statement that "many"
people
would be resettled before Christmas (23/7 8pm).
Mugabe's speech to the Central Committee was given no analysis on ZBC. On
Radio
1/3 on 21/7 he was quoted urging his party to avoid political disaster in
the Presidential
elections. In another first-item piece in the morning bulletins of Radio
1/3 the following
day, Mugabe was quoted as attacking some commercial farmers and churches
for
wanting to retain European control in Zimbabwe. He was reported as saying
that
Smith's Rhodesian Front had disguised itself as farming unions and that
Church
prayers in Matabeleland were political.
On television and radio Mugabe said Zimbabwe's urban population had voted
for the
opposition, the foreign-sponsored MDC, as a protest against the economic
hardships
(21/7 Nhau Indaba, Radio 2/4 and television's 8pm, 22/7 radio and
television 7am,
Nhau Indaba).
Of particular concern was the speech reported live on 8pm and 11pm
television news
(22/7) in which he said:
     "We are the government, we have the instruments of law and order.
     We do not want to be pushed into a position where we apply the full
     weight of instruments of security upon our people . . . We want to
     warn those who are guilty of the lawlessness that has characterized
     the past few days to desist from the tendencies that can lead the
     country into chaos."
The statement went unchallenged.

STADIUM TRAGEDY
In the week under review the Board of Inquiry investigating events leading
to the deaths
of 13 soccer fans at the National Sports Stadium released its findings.
Police
Commissioner Chihuri, who spoke on behalf of the board, was reported on
television
19/7 Nhau Indaba as emphasizing the role of the MDC in the deaths.
Television's 8pm
news also emphasized the MDC's blameworthiness but also noted that a
number of
policemen would be charged with culpable homicide for their roles in the
deaths.
Newsreader: "The board of inquiry into disturbances that left 13 soccer
fans dead
at the National Sports Stadium . . . says that more than 300 people were
recruited
by the MDC to cause chaos at the Zimbabwe/South Africa soccer match . . .
The
Commissioner also castigated the unprofessional manner in which his police
officer handled the disturbances adding that a number of them will be
charged
with culpable homicide . . . ZIFA could not provide adequate security at
the
Stadium . . . while at the same time they allowed the sale of alcohol to
boost
revenue.

In the sound clip, Chihuri chronicled the findings of the Board alleging
that a number of
spectators were seen showing the MDC sign disrupting the singing of the
National
Anthem. He alleged that ZIFA had also tried to cut costs by restricting
the number of
police officials present at the match. He said that the performance of the
police on
duty left a lot to be desired.
     "Information available to us indicates that part of a large group of
     about 300 soccer fans who had been recruited by a political party to
     disrupt the soccer match were placed in a certain bay on the
     stadium." The report concluded.
MDC's secretary general Welshman Ncube denied that MDC supporters caused
the
deaths was not given prominence and was the ninth out of 10 items on Nhau
Indaba
and was dropped altogether on the 8pm bulletin.
Likewise, ZIFA's significant counter to the police accusations was also
relegated to
the sports section of news bulletin on 22/7 8pm.
Radio 2/4 news' bulletins gave voice only to the Board of Inquiry, and no
comment was
quoted from ZIFA or the MDC. As in television the emphasis was on the
allegation that
the MDC was primarily responsible for the deaths. Radio placed the story
as the
second last item on the 19/7's 1pm bulletin and the last item on the 6pm
and 8pm
bulletins. However the next day it was given more prominence on the 6am
1pm and
8pm bulletins and on the 21/7's 6am bulletin on radio 2/4.
Radio 1/3 also began to give prominence to the report on 20/7 where it was
the 2nd
item on the morning bulletins. The story however was dropped in the 1pm
and 6pm and
8pm bulletins to give way for reports on the opening of Parliament. The
report said that
the Board had apportioned blame on all the stakeholders including police,
the MDC
and ZIFA.
MDC was quoted as the last news item on radio 1/3's 6pm and 8pm bulletins
denying
that its supporters caused the stampede.
The Herald's front-page article on Chihuri's statement "Police, fans
blamed for stadium
tragedy" emphasized the police role in the tragedy, and its comment (July
21) "Soccer
tragedy: Rectify loopholes, weaknesses", criticized mostly the police,
although it also
criticized the MDC fans. The MDC was accorded the right of response that
same day
in an article headlined "Stadium tragedy: MDC dismisses allegations"
  The private Press maintained that the police were to blame for the
tragedy, with the
papers discarding Chihuri's statement as biased.
The Daily News' comment (July 21) Stadium tragedy stinks of a cover up,
summed up
the private press' stance on the issue.
The Financial Gazette story emphasized that the police were to blame but
carried the
fact that Chihuri had also blamed ZIFA and that the police were
investigating claims
that 300 people had been recruited by the MDC to disrupt the match.

LAND
On 20/7 the CFU was quoted on television's 8pm expressing its concern over
government's failure to evict war veterans from farms. The story did not
appear on radio
2/4. What also appeared on the 8pm television was a report that
resettlement had
begun in Mash Central. Border Gezi was quoted. On radio 2/4 the story
appeared on
the 21/7 6am bulletins.
Zanu PF voices dominated coverage on the land issue on Radio 2/4 news
bulletins
monitored: 55 percent were Zanu PF, while 18 percent were war veterans.
Professional voices accounted for 27 percent.
ZIMPAPERS also continued to quote senior government officials'
announcements
and/or statements that plans were being implemented to address the land
issue, while
the private press continued to report cases of the harassment of farmers
and violence
on the farms. The Standard reported that 4000 farmers had resolved to go
on a
"potentially devastating strike". According to the paper, the CFU
President said:
     "The lack of proper police protection and intervention, coupled with
     continuing invasions and threats means that there is a strong
     possibility that other farming areas may take similar measures to
     protect their lives".
The Zimbabwe Independent meanwhile reported government's $1.3 billion
"accelerated" land reform plan in which it quoted experts as saying that
it was doomed
to failure.
ENDS

NB: MMPZ's monitors will be taking a brief break from their work and as a
result
the next weekly update will cover the week starting from August 7th.

For more information about the Project, previous issues of the MMPZ
reports and
alerts, please visit our website at http://www.icon.co.zw/mmpz or contact
the Project
Coordinator, MMPZ, 221 Fife Avenue, Harare, Tel/fax: 263 4 733486, 734207,
E-mail:
monitors@icon.co.zw

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COMMERCIAL FARMERS' UNION

FARM INVASIONS UPDATE

THURSDAY 27 JULY 2000
REGIONAL REPORTS
MASHONALAND CENTRAL
Centenary - The Officer-in-Charge Centenary and senior war vets are continuing to resolve work stoppage today.
Horseshoe - Pegging took place on Andrea and Siya Lima.  Police were informed and the situation was resolved.
Victory Block - Nine occupiers on Msitwe River Ranch attempted to move cattle out of a paddock to another part of the farm in order to make way for their own cattle.  The owner met with them and resolved the issue.  ZRP Mvurwi was informed of plastic covers stolen from Disi Farm.  
Mvurwi - A group of 50 led by Maguti and company were seen with a Theodelite pegging land on Norver.  War vets from Welmode and Umsengesi were offered land if they participated in illegal pegging with Maguti and company on Norver Farm.  This same group moved on to Bradjulie and continued pegging there.  All is quite on Vigila, Petra and Msoneodi Estate.  War vets are pegging the whole of Chidziwa Farm. Police have been informed, but have not yet reacted. 
Tsatsi - A group of 80 pegged Cranham Farm, Glen Devon and Burley Bottom Farm and have moved on.
Glendale - 70 occupiers went to Davaar Farm and about 30 of them moved onto Chirobi.
Mutepatepa - Dimon Farm has been occupied. War vets on Crewkerne Farm continue to cut down trees and assault people.  Police have been informed but have not acted yet.  Rossetta Rust has been occupied.
Harare West/Nyabira - Yesterday the owners of Penrose Farm, Landscape Farm, Estates and Spa were visited by war vets who demanded to know why cattle had not been removed as previously instructed. The situation previously reported on Warwick has been defused after a meeting with the resident war vets.  The owner of R B Ranches managed to defer demands for accommodation.

MASHONALAND EAST
Enterprise - There is an increase in pegging, building and movement within the district. War vets advise that they are moving into the next phase, which is the building of permanent structures.
Bromley/Ruwa - The owner of Dunstan was forced to leave his farm. Attempts are being made to get him back on the property.
Macheke/Virginia - Shutdown today. No problems at the time of writing.
Marondera North - The work stoppages on Dormavale and Chapungu continue, but grading is being allowed.
Wedza - There is an increase in numbers on Devon, and 2 oxen, a scotch cart and a plough have been moved on. Approximately 100 houses have been erected ranging from shacks to permanent structures. A man in a yellow truck has been cutting wood and transporting it around the area in his truck.  War vet Chizengeni has taken half the farm, and Chirinda the other half.
Domboshawa - The owner of Balkesa was not given a death threat, as reported yesterday, but was told to vacate in 4 days.
 
MASHONALAND WEST NORTH
Banket - At 0700 a farmer, Shayne Vice, was taken to war vet camp at Eldorado.  Farmers and ZRP mobilised and he was let go. The owner of The Wichens Farm was told he is to move off when government gives war vets the land. 
Umboe - On Oswa Farm war vets are building as fast as they can.  On Two Tree Hill, a group clearing a fence line were approached by a war vet armed with a spear, axe and knife and told to stop work.  On Fynnlands Farm 6 shots have been heard.  12 snares have been recovered and 1 kudu has been found in a snare. Devonia Farm has been occupied.
All of these have been reported to the police.  
Tengwe - There is a complete work stoppage on Ian Penny Farm. Poultry and cattle cannot be fed. 
Karoi - Nyamahomba was occupied this morning, and police were uncooperative,
  
MASHONALAND WEST SOUTH
Norton - On Serui Source Lovejoy wants to know why the farm was not shut down, and told the owner that he would be wasting money if he put any further crops in.  He also said that he would "sort out" any peggers from Harare.
Chegutu - On Mendick extensive tree cutting and hut building continues. On Farnham war vet leaders have told war vets to clear land.
Chakari - On Blackmorvale numbers have reached well over 300, and cords of wood are being stacked by the side of the road and being taken off the farm. The DA still has not reacted, despit three dates and a fax to the Governor. Police reaction has been negligible. On Montana the store was broken into by war vets and locks have had to be replaced. War vet Dube was taken to the police station for collecting money from people for plots, and has so far bought 3 vehicles. We understand that the Police have made an arrest.
Suri Suri - More oxen, a scotch cart and a plough have been brought onto San Fernando despite police having told war vets not to bring anything else onto the property. The manager was threatened. Farmers have lent vehicles to the police and thousands of kilometres have been travelled, but we are unaware of any arrests having been made.
Selous - Police were contacted regarding excessive tree cutting on Wicklow Farm, but have still not arrived at the time of writing. 6 airforce personnel are pegging on Maynard Farm. Some farm workers are becoming very difficult to restrain from taking action against war veterans.
Mashava - Springspruit Farm has been reoccupied.  Numbers escalated to 100 on Chidza and occupiers are cutting trees and building shacks.
Chiredzi - There are approximately 50 occupiers on Dawlish Farm and more are expected.  7 people visited the owner of Ruware to tell him where the new boundary would be as of today, and that the matter was not negotiable.
Save Conservancy - Confirmation was received yesterday that 4 elephants were shot by National Parks in the Mutena Communal Lands. They were out of the Conservancy due to cut fences and open gates.
  
MANICALAND
Old Mutare - There was a break-in to a farm homestead yesterday afternoon. The farmer was assaulted with a spanner, his wife attacked (not seriously), and workers threatened. Money, a CD player and a handbag were stolen. The thieves were pursued by the farm driver, and shot at him, causing him to crash. This morning the TV and video were reported stolen but this is believed to be unconnected to the incident yesterday.  Neither of these incidents are politically motivated or connected to the farm invasions.
Odzi - On Tuesday Green Valley Vineyards were reoccupied and thatched structures were built.Yesterday a Zanu (PF) vehicle arrrived at the farm and after speaking to the occupiers, the passengers proceeded to a recently vacated homestead, expressing their desire to move into it. They left, and later in the afternoon local war vet leader Mundandishe arrived at the farm and left a letter stamped by the War Veterans Association, and signed by a legal officer, advising the owner that there were some issues concerning his farm that needed discussing.
 
MATABELELAND
Filabusi - Pioneer Farm was visited by 3 people, one of whom was claiming to be Jonathan Moyo. They asked for a kudu to be shot for them, but this was refused.
  
MIDLANDS
Mberengwa/Zvishavane - On Monday night locked gates along the main railway through Manjeri Farm were broken open and a herd of cattle from Lou Estates were driven onto the line. 4 head of bulling heifers were killed. A note was left on the farm board of Manjeri Ranches saying "Yambiro taenda" ("We have gone").
On Wednesday Zvishavane Police went to Kinsale Farm, which has been clsoed from 7 July. They managed to get to the homestead but on their way back war vets threatened to burn their landrover. Today Police reported that they have heard from the Chivhu Communal area that the cattle from Kinsale Farm have been seen there being moved to a butchery. Police asked for the assistance of a vehicle in which to investigate.
Kwekwe - There are still 90 occupying Bemthree Ranch. There are 7 resident war vets on Mvurachena Farm cutting trees and building huts.  Sebakwe Farm is now occupied by 200 war vets and their hunting dogs, and poaching is on the increase.
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Robert Mugabe and his driver were cruising along a country road one night when all of a sudden they hit a pig, killing it instantly.

Bob told his driver to go up to the farm house and explain to the owner what had happened.

About 1 hour later Bob sees his driver staggering back to the car with a bottle of wine in one hand, a cigar in the other and his clothes all ripped and torn.

"What happened to you?", asked Bob.

"Well, the farmer gave me the wine, his wife gave me the cigar and his 19 year old daughter couldn't keep her hands off me."

"My God, what did you tell them?", asked Mugabe.

The driver replies, "I'm Robert Mugabe's driver, and I just killed the pig."

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