Constitutional Court upholds Mugabe’s July 31st poll date

http://www.swradioafrica.com/

Violet Gonda
SW Radio Africa
4 July 2013

Zimbabwe will hold elections in just over three weeks time after the
Constitutional Court dismissed an application by Prime Minister Morgan
Tsvangirai, MDC leader Welshman Ncube and others for an extension. There was
also an application by Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa, who told the
court that he only filed the government application for an extension after
being forced by the regional body – SADC.

The court said the declaration to hold elections on July 31st had already
been proclaimed by President Robert Mugabe.

Mugabe’s lawyer, Terrence Hussein, said there were lengthy arguments during
the hearing and all nine judges considered the matter and made a unanimous
decision which “reaffirmed that the constitution of Zimbabwe prevails.”

MDC-T spokesman Douglas Mwonzora said the ruling is not surprising and
accused the judges of showing bias in favor of Mugabe. “This was a
predictable ruling by the constitutional court because it was clear it was
going to make a political decision rather than a legal decision.

“This application was destined to fail anyway because it was poorly written
by the Minister of Justice who wanted this particular outcome.”

Mwonzora said the reason why the MDC-T wanted a postponement was so that
people would be given ample time to register and inspect the voters’ roll.

All other requests for the election date to be removed were also turned
down.

Mwonzora said the court did not take seriously the applications by ‘alien’
Mariah Phiri and human rights activist Nixon Nyikadzino, who also appealed
for a delay saying their rights would be violated if elections are held this
month.  “All that has been sacrificed because the Constitutional Court did
not want to displease the emperor,” Mwonzora added.

MDC spokesman Nhlanhla Dube said ZANU PF did everything possible to make
sure that the SADC resolution was not implemented but he said they had to
challenge the regime in the courts to put it on record that what the former
ruling party had done was “patently wrong and patently unfair.”

Dube said they are ready for elections even though “ZANU PF has forced our
hands.”

He added: “Zimbabweans will select those that stand for truth and values and
they will vote ZANU PF out of power.”

It was a busy day at the Constitutional Court as the bench heard various
arguments on the issue of whether or not the July 31st election date should
be extended.

Mugabe told the court that he was following the original court order to hold
elections by that date. He argued the rights of the people who had filed
their nomination papers last Friday, in the belief that elections would be
held at the end of this month, would also be violated.

The President said the election process was already underway and both
Tsvangirai and Ncube had filed papers in the nomination court to contest in
the presidential elections to be held on the 31st.

But the MDCs told the court Mugabe had illegally proclaimed the poll dates
without consulting them as partners in the coalition government. They also
accused Mugabe of abusing his presidential powers to pass amendments to the
Electoral Act, without going through parliament.

Now that the court has brought finality to the issue of the election dates,
questions are being asked as to where the cash-strapped government is going
to find the money to run credible elections in just over three weeks.
Special voting for the security forces is expected to start in about seven
days.

The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission has called upon the government to release
$132million to enable the electoral body to prepare for the general polls.
Finance Minister Tendai Biti has repeatedly said there is no money in the
government coffers.

Concerns over special voting mount in Zimbabwe

http://www.theafricareport.com/

Thursday, 04 July 2013 11:03

By Janet Shoko

Zimbabwe Electoral Commission has announced that the country's armed forces
will vote mid July amid reports that over 50 000 police officers have
registered as special voters.

The special vote is meant to afford an opportunity for police, solders and
civil servants who would be deployed outside of their constituencies to
vote.
Normal voting is set for July 31.
However, Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai's MDC-T has raised concerns that
the special votes would be rigged in favour of rival President Mugabe.
His party said it has unearthed a massive scam where Zanu-PF allegedly
plotted to rig the elections using State security agents and a hired Israeli
company.
But national chief police spokesperson Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity
Charamba has dismissed the allegations saying there is nothing sinister with
the force voting earlier.
She said as police, they did not enact laws such as the Electoral Act and
they only implement the laws after the legislators would have debated and
passed them in Parliament.
"Surprisingly, those that are vested with the powers of enacting these laws
are now questioning the application of this law," she said.
MDC-T claims that the voting would be under the supervision of senior
officers raising fears of manipulation.
In the past, armed forces members used ballots that had their force numbers
printed on them, making it easy for senior officers to identify culprits who
vote against their preferred candidates.′′
But unlike previous elections where officers on duty cast their ballots
inside police, prison and army camps, this time members who apply for the
special vote will use polling stations located in schools or in public
areas.
The special vote has replaced the postal ballot, under laws contained in the
new constitution.′′In the past week senior security force officials have
been urging juniors to vote for Mugabe and Zanu-PF candidates.′′
MDC-T spokesperson Douglas Mwonzora says election observers must be deployed
to monitor police voting.
"This is very critical as to ensure that we have free and fair elections"
said Mwonzora.

Voter registration material runs out in Bulawayo

http://www.swradioafrica.com/

By Tichaona Sibanda
SW Radio Africa
4 July 2013

The continuing saga of problems plaguing the voter registration exercise
descended into a farce when materials ran out in Bulawayo on Thursday.

Long queues had been forming outside the registration centers as potential
voters made a final dash to add their names to roll, with just five days
left before the month long exercise comes to an end.

But the forms that people use to fill in their details ran out in the
country’s second largest city.

Officials from the Registrar-General’s office next to the Drill Hall were
left with no alternative but to turn away hundreds of fuming residents who
had queued since morning.

Lionel Saungweme, our correspondent told us that many residents are
complaining that voter registrars have been notoriously slow. This has led
to some irate members of the public walking out of the exercise following
long delays standing in queues.

Saungweme said residents have been telling him that there should be no rush
into election without fair adequate registration of people, saying
consequences of such actions might be catastrophic.

On Wednesday we reported that thousands of potential voters countrywide are
still facing bottlenecks to get their names on the voters roll.

This has led to calls for the government to overhaul the system of voter
registration, by introducing biometric voter registration for the 2018
elections. They said the technology will infuse the electoral system with
transparency and accountability as well as increasing public confidence in
the democratic process.

The continuing saga of problems plaguing the voter registration exercise
descended into a farce when materials ran out in Bulawayo on Thursday.

Election funding constraints threaten best practices

http://www.thezimbabwean.co/

03.07.13

by Edgar Gweshe/Sofia Mapuranga

The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission’s capacity to effectively handle the
forthcoming polls according to international best practices is compromised
due to the unavailability of finances for critical pre- electoral processes,
say experts.

The Chairperson of the Zimbabwe Election Support Network, Solomon Zwana,
told The Zimbabwean that the late release of funds for the elections would
put the ZEC under pressure to make hurried progress in key areas.

“Delays in the release of funds will make it difficult for ZEC to prepare
for the elections properly. The late release of funds will compromise the
whole process. There are critical processes that need to be done now and
they require funding now,” said Zwana.

In March this year, recommendations made by SADC after Zimbabwe’s March
constitutional referendum called for the establishment of a mechanism
through which funds for elections could be availed in time. The regional
group’s election monitoring unit also called for the update of the voters’
roll in time and continuous voter education.

The Director of the Election Resource Centre, Tawanda Chimhini, said the
late release of funds was threatening to scuttle efforts towards a credible
election.

“Funding cannot be released on the eve of the election because there are
some components that need to be funded way before the elections are
conducted. By now the printing of ballot papers should have been done,” said
Chimhini.

ZEC Chairperson Rita Makarau, said this week her commission was in urgent
need of finances.

“Treasury has promised to look into our budget of $130 million. The 30 day
period left for elections is a long time and we believe that they will give
us the money. The Finance ministry is going to run around for election
funding and even the MDC- T party leadership has promised that they are
going to help with sourcing for funding.

“In terms of machinery, we are ready for elections. For example we already
know where we are going to set up polling stations and what material goes
into those polling stations,” said Makarau.

State media ‘sincerity’ questioned after it stops political advertising

http://www.swradioafrica.com/

By Alex Bell
SW Radio Africa
4 July 2013

The state media has announced that it has stopped any advertising for
political parties until the formal conclusion of the candidate nomination
process, a move that some observers say is ‘insincere’.

The Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) said Wednesday that it would
resume airing political ads after the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC)
completes the nomination process. ZBC chief executive Happison Muchechetere
said this was the reason the state broadcaster rejected an advert submitted
by the MDC-T last week. In a letter to Tsvangirai dated June 28th, the ZBC
indicated it was unable to run the MDC-T ad as it was not yet cleared by
ZEC.

MDC-T leader Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai had complained about this
rejection, because ZANU PF adverts were still being aired on ZTV.

But Muchechetere said Wednesday that it is merely following regulations, and
once ZEC has announced that it has completed the nomination process, “we are
going to give them all they want.”

“They should not stampede us into doing anything unprocedural. The law says
that if their adverts are rejected, they appeal to ZEC. If they want to come
back with their advert, even tonight if ZEC is done, they should. People
should stop being overzealous and want to create a mountain out of a
molehill,” Muchechetere said.

He added: “The ZANU PF adverts they are talking about were before the
proclamation of the election date, after that, there was nothing.”

The decision by the traditionally partisan broadcaster has coincided with a
similar decision by Zimpapers, which publishes the ZANU PF mouthpiece
newspaper the Herald. Zimpapers said Wednesday that its board had resolved
that all political advertising will only be published during the last two
weeks before the election, set for July 31st.

Zimpapers chairman Paul Chimedza, a ZANU PF candidate for Gutu South, said
the decision had been made “to safeguard its (Zimpapers’) business
interests,” saying political advertising took up too much space, usually
reserved for commercial advertising.

The two decisions have been greeted with skepticism, mainly because of the
ZANU PF loyalty both Zimpapers and the ZBC have displayed for years. Both
groups continue to broadcast and publish strong anti-MDC rhetoric and
pro-ZANU PF propaganda, and this attempt to treat all political parties as
‘equal’ has been dismissed as ‘insincere’.

Rights breaches alleged as PM’s aides seek ConCourt hearing

http://www.swradioafrica.com/

By Nomalanga Moyo
SW Radio Africa
04 July 2013

The four employees from Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai’s office accused of
impersonating a police officer, on Tuesday asked that their case be referred
to the Constitutional Court, citing breaches of their rights at the lower
courts.

The four, arrested together with their lawyer Beatrice Mtetwa on March 17th
during a raid on the PM’s Avondale offices, deny that they passed themselves
off as public officials when they compiled corruption reports on senior
state officials, including those at the Attorney-General’s office.
Thabani Mpofu, Mehluli Tshuma, Felix Matsinde and Warship Dumba – whose list
of charges has ballooned from three to 13 since the trial began – are
alleged to have breached the Official Secrets Act.
Their lawyer Alec Muchadehama told SW Radio Africa that his clients want
their case referred to the top court, citing breaches to their
constitutional rights.
“My clients are arguing that their constitutional rights were violated and
that requires us in part to lead evidence from the accused, and that started
yesterday with Mpofu explaining how his rights were violated.
“Matsinde will testify next, but for now they have been remanded until July
11th when the case will resume,” he said.
Muchadehama said some of his clients’ concerns are that they are being
prosecuted by the same AG’s office that they are alleged to have been
investigating.
“We are saying that they can’t be prosecuted by the same people that are
accusing them because that will be a serious breach of their fundamental
rights.
“Secondly, they were arrested based on some documents obtained through
unlawfully executed and obtained search warrants. In any case, there is
clearly no reasonable suspicion that they committed the offence and to
prosecute them under those circumstances will breach their rights to freedom
of movement, deprivation of liberty and privacy,” the lawyer said.
However, the prosecution is opposing the application for referral to the
ConCourt, arguing that the rights of Mpofu and his co-accused were not
violated.

In March, High Court Judge Joseph Musakwa recused himself from hearing a
bail application by the four, saying to do so would lead to a conflict of
interest as he once worked with Mpofu, Matsinde and Tshuma at the AG’s
office.
Muchadehama, who is also representing Mpofu on a separate charge of
possessing an unlicenced firearm, revealed that his client will be returning
to court for judgement on July 19th.

In a related case prominent human rights lawyer Beatrice Mtetwa, who was
arrested and detained for eight days for demanding to see a warrant
authorising police to search the PM’s Avondale offices, will return to court
on July 19th.
During a recent interview with Canadian newspaper the Globe & Mail, Mtetwa
said she was not really shocked when she was arrested.

“I’m surprised it took them this long to trump-up charges against me, but I’m
ready for whatever comes my way. The government recently added more than a
dozen new charges to the indictment. Every day the story changes, so I’m
curious to know what I’ll be facing when we get to trial.

“Of course, it’s a sign of [the charges] being trumped up, because if I did
something [wrong] one day, in a couple of minutes, it’s amazing that every
day there are new charges. It’s distressing, but not unexpected,” Mtetwa
added.
Meanwhile, the 29 MDC-T activists arrested in 2011 for allegedly murdering a
police officer in Glen View, Harare, face an uncertain wait after judgement
was reserved indefinitely on their application for discharge.

All the 29 activists, five of whom are still in custody, deny murdering
police inspector Petros Mutedza who died while responding to reports of
political disturbances in the suburb.
Human rights activist Earnest Mudzengi told SW Radio Africa Thursday that it
was worrying that law enforcement agents were putting politics ahead of
human rights.
“I can think of many other cases where people’s rights to fair treatment and
a fair trial have been suspended for political reasons.

“We’ve seen people such as Mtetwa, Jestina Mukoko and the five MDC-T
activists being kept in custody even when the case for bail is stronger than
that against.

“It is obvious that the aim will be harass, intimidate and silence outspoken
individuals who are seen as a threat in certain quarters and there tends to
be a surge at election times. That is why we need reforms in the security
sector and the judiciary so that this partisan application of the law can
stop.”

Mudzengi said it was likely that most of the politically motivated court
cases that are currently dragging on will fall away after the elections,
scheduled for July 31st.

Zanu PF to bus supporters for manifesto launch

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

CHENGETAI ZVAUYA  •  4 JULY 2013 5:31AM

HARARE - Zanu PF will bus supporters and members of the public to swell
numbers at its manifesto launch on Friday at the Zimbabwe Grounds.

Mugabe will preside over the event.

The manifesto launch marks the beginning of the campaign season.

The event will be held under the theme “Indigenise, Empower, Develop, and
Create Employment.”

Dick Mafios, Zanu PF Mashonaland Central provincial chairperson confirmed
that they will bring in people from their province to attend the function.

“We are coming to Harare on Friday (tomorrow) for the manifesto launch as we
have many supporters wanting to come and witness the launch and it is a big
problem in choosing the people wanting to come so we shall to bring
hundreds of them with buses  and lorries,” said Mafios.

He denied that they were going to force-march people to the venue from the
rural constituencies.

“No one is going to be sjamboked to attend the event, it is a false message
from MDC that we want to force their members and the public to participate,
I know that many of our supporters are waiting for the launch,” said Mafios.

“I know that people are trying  to discredit our party for no good reason
but in our province, we are waiting for the manifesto as we recorded a high
turnout of voters in the primary (election) as about 19 000 people voted
whilst Senator Alice Chimbudzi was voted by over 27 000 people and these are
people who want to come to the launch tomorrow,” said Mafios.

Several other provinces confirmed they were mobilising supporters to head to
Harare for the landmark event.

MDC launches elections manifesto on Sunday

http://www.mdc.co.zw

Thursday, 04 July 2013

The MDC will on Sunday launch its 2013 manifesto and election campaign at a
colourful event at Rudhaka Stadium in Marondera, where thousands of party
supporters are expected to attend.

The document which touches on robust and inclusive economy, rural
transformation, infrastructure development, health delivery and promotion of
people’s rights, will certainly set the stage for the MDC’s agenda for real
transformation.

President Tsvangirai will be the guest speaker at the launch, which will be
attended by party members and supporters from all the provinces.

The MDC election message for 2013 is; “Yes – Together we can complete the
change”.

The MDC election manifesto is a people-centred document that touches on key
issues that the party will deal with once it forms the next government after
winning the elections.

The party manifesto to be launched on Sunday carries a key message from
President Tsvangirai giving the people of Zimbabwe hope.

The launch is a clear signal that the MDC is now geared for the elections
and is ready to form the next government that will see the creation over one
million jobs in the next five years and a $200 billion economy by 2040.

The 2013 elections are a watershed plebiscite as it will transform the
people’s lives that have been by over 30 years of Zanu PF misrule. The next
MDC government promises to change the system of suppression and corruption
in Zimbabwe to a government that is based on accountability, transparency
and openness.

As a party, the MDC has come a long way since its formation in 1999 and one
of its founding objectives was to have a new people-driven Constitution with
presidential term limits. The MDC managed to push through the new Charter
and it was overwhelmingly voted for by the people and adopted this year.

The MDC’s track record in the inclusive government has been impressive as it
has managed to restore hope to the people of Zimbabwe. The inclusive
government through ministers from the MDC managed to reduce the inflation
rate from 231 million percent to a single digit of less than five percent.

Public hospitals, clinics and schools, which had collapsed due to misplaced
priorities by the then Zanu PF government were reopened stocked with
medicines and textbooks for the students while supermarkets are now fully
stocked.

This economic dispensation gave the people hope that under an MDC government
it is possible to have the country working again.

Yes, together we can complete the change!!!

New community newspaper launches in Harare

http://www.swradioafrica.com/

By Gerry Jackson
SW Radio Africa
04 July 2013

A new newspaper was launched in Harare on Thursday – Harare News.

It’s a free community newspaper that will publish a run of 10,000 copies once a month and will be available online on a daily basis and via Facebook. Their website says: “Our content is drawn from the city around us as we cover the places, people and events that are important to the citizens of Harare. We love our capital, and want to make it a better place to live, work and play.”

SW Radio Africa asked editor Sara Davies why this newspaper will be different from any of the others available, and she said: “There are many different communities living in Harare but ultimately everybody walks down the same street and has similar issue affecting them, so it’s just about creating awareness about what is happening around. Both my business partner and I have lived in other cities and we’ve really seen the power of community news. Even coming in as an outsider it puts you in touch with what’s going on in your environment, and no newspaper in Harare does that.”

By creating this sense of community it’s hoped that the paper will also galvanise people into taking action over common issues. Although the editors hope to focus on more positive stories, they’re not shying away from the issues, with this first edition looking at the dangers of overloading on commuter omnibuses and the water crisis that is affecting everyone. But even then they hope to offer solutions and courses of action.

They’re certainly covering a broad range of topics, with articles on lifestyle, schools, sport, the environment, business, shopping and restaurants and they very much want people to get involved with life in their city. They’re hoping that by creating online forums and feedback people will start taking more responsibility for the city that they live in and will feel that they can do something to make it an even better place to live.
So if you live in Harare, or online anywhere in the world, here’s your chance to get more involved and make a difference. Post comments online, think about courses of action, feel part of the community, think of solutions.

“If not now, when?
If not you, who?”

www.hararenews.co.zw

Mugabe Stormed & Humiliated By Protesters in Harare

http://www.zimeye.org/

By Desmond Matanga

Published: July 4, 2013

President Robert Mugabe was yesterday stormed by angry protesters from his
ZANU PF party who are demanding that he urgently nullified results in the
primary elections in Harare South.

The protesters who were not arrested briefly ground to a halt the capital
yesterday when they marched all the way to the shake-shake(ZANU PF) building
singing loudly and even police officers assigned to the demonstration could
not stop them.

They then stationed themselves outside the ZANU PF building where Mugabe was
scheduled to attend a crucial politburo meeting.

Some of the protesters marched along Leopold Takawira Street, turned into
Nelson Mandela Avenue and into First Street before stopping at the
intersection with George Silundika. They marched back along First Street
towards the RBZ into Samora Machel Avenue where they turned left towards
Zanu PF head quarters in Rotten Row.

There were no arrests.

Other Zimbabweans who were up and about doing business and others at the
local banks watched as traffic in the CBD came to a standstill at Rotten
Row.

Mugabe delayed coming to the building and even after 4 hours, the men and
women remained outside ZANU PF headquarters building.

ZANU PF Political Commissar Webstar Shamhu finally addressed the
demonstrators and told them: “It does not help the party in any way to voice
our concerns this way. I can assure you that tomorrow (today) we will be
coming to your constituency for a fact-finding mission. We will take views
of both yourselves and those you are accusing so that together we find
common ground.”

But the protesters did not pay attention with one demonstrator quoted by the
local Newsday saying:

“We will not be taken for a ride. Shadreck is not a genuine Zanu PF member.
His sole motive is to destroy the party from inside. If corrective measures
are not put in place, we will only vote for President Robert Mugabe and
forego the parliamentary vote,” he said.

Another elderly demonstrator charged at Shamu : “You (Shamu) are much
younger than me. I joined this party way back in 1964. We can never condone
such undemocratic behaviour in our party and all we want now is to have
audience with the President,” she said.

The protests are part of disgruntlement in the party after many candidates
were elbowed out of the way and have now opted to contest as independents.
They include Jonathan Samukange, Local Government minister Ignatius Chombo’s
ex-wife Marian Chombo and former Manicaland deputy provincial chairperson
Dorothy Mabika.

Mugabe admits scholarship scheme not paying fees

http://www.newzimbabwe.com/

03/07/2013 00:00:00
     by Staff Reporter

PRESIDENT Robert Mugabe admitted Wednesday that his presidential scholarship
scheme owes several South African universities various amounts in unpaid
tuition fees and blasted the coalition government for failing to back the
programme.

The universities have warned that students would be expelled by the end of
the month if the outstanding amounts are not paid.

And to avoid possible embarrassment, the Zanu PF leader told former and
current beneficiaries at a get together in Harare that if necessary he would
personally borrow money to pay the fees.

The scheme, which is directed by Chris Mushowe, has benefitted thousands of
students with an estimated 4,000 currently studying at various South African
universities.

However, some of the beneficiaries have complained that they were struggling
to survive because of lack of support with subsistence while fees have also
gone unpaid in many cases.

Mugabe admitted the programme was facing funding difficulties but vowed to
ensure the outstanding fees were paid by the end of the month.

“Mauniversity akanyora kuHurumende kuti tatadza kubhadhara,” he told the
beneficiaries at the State House party.
“We will ensure that we get the money soon and kana zvichireva chikwereti
tinotora chikwereti ichocho. Tingabva tashaya chikwereti?

“I will be the guarantor of it, so we do not wreck our relationship with
Fort Hare, our relationship elsewhere with other universities. VaMushowe
vanga vachindiratidza tsamba dzacho dzekuHurumende dzekuti vari kuda kuti by
28 July vana varege kudzoka.

“Aiwa tine chikwereti, kana tine chikwereti hatirambi tinacho. Tiri vatadzi
takatadza.”
Finance Minister Tendai Biti revealed in 2011 that treasury had refused a
request to provide US$54 million for the scheme, describing it a “private
trust” for the Zanu PF leader.

"It's a private trust and we will not fund it. We have not funded it since I
became minister,” Biti he said then.
"It is a fund created for sentimental reasons to take students to Fort Hare,
so we cannot fund it. Besides we don't have the money."

"The president wanted us to fund it to the tune of $54-million yet it's
private, just like the Reagan Foundation and the Thabo Mbeki Foundation."

There have also been concerns that the scheme, which draws ten beneficiaries
from each of the country’s provinces every year is only targeted at families
linked to Mugabe’s Zanu PF leader.

But Mugabe said if the coalition government could not even fund the
education of the country’s children, it was a good thing that the fractious
arrangement was coming to an end.

“We can never be too poor to bring up our children. The inclusive Government
is a three-headed monster,” he said.
“I think let us have one creature with one head. That is what we are used to
as human beings. The other one is dreadful. It is inhumane, actually, and
that is what we had experienced over the four and half years.

“I am glad it is dying. Its mouthpiece died on 29 June. They called it
Parliament. What is left now is what the Americans call a lame duck.

“It is an Executive which is limping. And they are limping along, just to
get to the elections, but it has done us a lot of harm; a lot of
developmental harm here and elsewhere.”

Mugabe begs for votes

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

WENDY MUPERI  •  4 JULY 2013 5:54AM

HARARE – President Robert Mugabe on Wednesday begged for votes from
presidential scholarship beneficiaries so as to increase his chances in the
impending polls.

Over 500 students on the presidential scholarship were bused from
Compensation House in Harare for “lunch” with Mugabe at State House, where
they were reminded to return the education favour in the coming election.

Citing a Shona proverb “kandiro kanoenda kunobva kamwe” or a good favour
deserves reciprocation, Bishop Chipangwa told the students that it was time
to thank the 89-year-old leader for sending them to South African
universities on scholarships by voting for him.

The meeting, dubbed a “Get together” for past and present beneficiaries, is
the first of its kind since the start of the scholarship in 1995.

Former Apostolic Faith Mission of Zimbabwe and now founder of Apostolic
Flame Zimbabwe, Bishop Oliver Chipunza proffered the opening remarks.

Christopher Mushowe, director of the scholarship, Local Government minister
Ignatius Chombo, deputy chief secretary to the President and Cabinet Justin
Mupamhanga, presidential spokesperson George Charamba are some of the
government officials who graced the “lunch”.

The students were drawn from universities in five South African provinces —
Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Northern and Eastern Cape.

Mugabe promised to pay up the students’ fees arrears by July 29 after SA
universities threatened to chuck out defaulting students.

CIO torture base to re-open?

http://www.thezimbabwean.co/

03.07.13

by Nelson Sibanda

There are fears that the notorious Central Intelligence Organisation torture
camp at Goromonzi Prison complex, where suspected MDC sympathisers and
members of the civic organisations were tortured in 2008, might be
re-activated ahead of elections.

Inside sources told The Zimbabwean that there was a renewed hype of activity
at and around the camp, where unmarked CIO vehicles continue to maintain a
presence in the area. Villagers in the vicinity regard strangers with
suspicion and press newcomers to identify themselves. Asked to comment, ZRP
spokesperson Charity Charamba insisted that “Police do stop all vehicles
without number plates. Some are released because they are waiting to secure
number plates. Of course some evade roadblocks and if you have such
information you can kindly alert us.”

The source said the camp was located at the Zimbabwe Prison Service complex
at Goromonzi, instead of the adjacent police station as previously believed.
A police sergeant “who was among leaders of the CIO-led killer squad in the
past while based in Harare”, was recently deployed to Goromonzi Police Law
and Order to prepare for possible abductions before and after the elections,
added the source.

Among the victims believed to have been abducted and killed at the torture
base in 2008 is the late MDC-T senatorial candidate for Murewa, Shepard
Jani. He was taken from his shop at Murewa business centre by armed men in
broad daylight, after being shot in the leg. His body was found dumped in
the Goromonzi area days later. The body had multiple fractures suggesting he
had been subjected to severe torture.

He was believed to have won the senatorial election against the Zanu (PF)
candidate Makunde and reportedly silenced for launching an appeal against
his adversary.

When asked whether the Goromonzi prison complex was used as an official
torture institution against suspected Zanu (PF) rivals, ZPS spokesperson,
Superintendent Elizabeth Banda said: “I cannot comment on that, since I only
know of the welfare and treatment given to prison inmates brought to the
institution through a warrant of committal,” said Banda.

The CIO abduction exercise was code named Operation Nyamunyamu (Operation
Grab). A former CIO operative who deserted the secret service organisation
in late 2008 and now runs a private business testified how the shadowy unit
tortured Zanu (PF) political opponents.

Now he walks with a limp and with the aid of crutches after being tortured
following his desertion.

The former operative, who cannot be named, said they would be supplied with
names of influential “opposition” members whom they would hunt down and take
to various torture camps dotted around the country.

He said he operated in the Seke area in Mashonaland East, the same province
as the Goromonzi torture base. “We used unmarked cars, mainly at night, to
abduct our targets, blindfold them and take them to our bases where we used
various methods of torture. For men, the most prominent one was removing all
their clothes and clipping their manhood with car battery jumpers. We would
stop when their eyes started turning deep red and rolling backwards; that
was a signal they were about to die, but we also killed some of them,” he
said.

“That experience still haunts me. One day, I decided enough was enough, and
turned to diamond dealing. Together with my colleagues, we would go to
Chiadzwa (diamond fields in Manicaland), produce our CIO IDs and get the
diamonds which we sold outside the country,” he said. He was caught while
dealing in Chiadzwa and tortured, during which his right leg was severely
fractured, but managed to run away.

Masvingo defies Zanu PF politburo over Kereke

http://www.newzimbabwe.com/

03/07/2013 00:00:00
     by Staff Reporter

ZANU PF’s Masvingo province defied instructions by the party hierarchy to
block former Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) employee, Munyaradzi Kereke,
from representing the party in the forthcoming elections, a spokesman has
revealed.

Kereke and another ex-RBZ employee, Elias Mutsakwa, filed papers to run in
Bikita West as Zanu PF candidates during last Friday’s nomination exercise
after results of their primary election battle were not revealed for
undisclosed reasons.

But Zanu PF spokesman Rugare Gumbo said the party leadership had endorsed
Musakwa only for the instruction to be ignored by its Masvingo provincial
structures.

“In Bikita only one candidate, Musakwa, was endorsed by the party,” Gumbo
said after Wednesday’s politburo meeting.
“The other one, Kereke was told from the onset that he cannot stand because
of his cases but the Masvingo leadership decided otherwise.”

Several disgruntled Zanu PF cadres filed papers to run as independents
following disputed primary elections, leaving the party worried the
development could fatally divide supporters and gift constituencies to rival
parties.

Gumbo conceded that there had been problems in the primaries but urged
members to close ranks instead of engaging in divisive activities.

“We agreed that yes, there may be irregularities here and there, but all we
are saying is that let us close ranks and look at the future,” he said.

At least 12 officials filed papers to run as independents last Friday but
Gumbo said eight had since heeded calls by the party to withdraw.

“There were quite a number of party members who had filed to stand as
independent candidates, but we have used our lines of communication to tell
them that it is not warm out there and some have withdrawn,” he said.

Those who remain defiant include Harare lawyer, Jonathan Samukange (Mudzi
South), Daniel Garwe (Murehwa North) and Marian Chombo (Zvimba North).

National commissar, Webster Shamu, early this week indicated that any
members contesting the elections as independents should consider themselves
sacked from the party.

Chaos grips Zanu PF in Maramba Pfungwe

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

MUGOVE TAFIRENYIKA  •  4 JULY 2013 5:36AM

HARARE – President Robert Mugabe’s Zanu PF party is falling apart just
before the impending make-or-break elections, as candidates who felt cheated
during the party’s shambolic primary elections vow to stymie the ex-majority
party’s victory.

After watching their poll bid being stolen right in their eyes last week by
so-called heavyweights, disgruntled Zanu PF officials across the country
including in so-called Zanu PF strongholds of Mashonaland are now mobilising
for a protest vote similar to the bhora musango of 2008.

The revolutionary party’s elections hurriedly held last week were
characterised by vote rigging, violence and intimidation.

In Maramba Pfungwe Constituency, Godfrey Chikono and former legislator
Kenneth Mutiwekuziva have ganged up against Washington Musvaire whom they
accuse of rigging.

The two, who came second and third respectively to Musvaire, told the Daily
News that Zanu PF national commissar Webster Shamu had promised to visit the
constituency on Monday to build bridges but did not turn up.

Angered by Shamu’s no show, the duo’s supporters have threatened either to
boycott the elections or to vote against the party, a situation echoing the
2008 bhora musango scenario where party supporters voted against Mugabe
while voting for the legislative and municipal candidates.

“The people of this constituency were robbed of victory in broad day light
and the fact that they are talking about bhora musango shows that all is not
well,” said Chikono.

Pressed to say what that meant for the party given the magnitude of the
elections, Chikono said:  “That cannot be my fault because the party seems
to be content with that as they have not honoured their promise to come and
solve the impasse.

“We have been waiting for Shamu to come here like he promised and over 5 000
people are still gathered at Chitsungo awaiting his arrival since yesterday
(Monday) but it looks like they have snubbed us,” Chikono said, adding the
party would learn a lesson not to impose candidates.

When the Daily News crew arrived at Chitsungo, the activists had briefly
returned to their homes to prepare supper except for a few who were milling
around.

“If they are not going to do a re-run of the election, then the party is as
good as dead here,” said 27-year-old Martin Musonza who was participating in
the demonstrations since last Friday.

“No one is prepared to work with Musvaire because he was rejected by the
people and we would rather not vote or support the opposition. The situation
is the same in Uzumba, there are disgruntled people because our party is not
ready to listen to our concerns.

“It is their choice however and they will reap the consequences because we
are not going to work with Musvaire, we don’t want him because he has failed
to represent us,” declared one of the supporters who declined to be named.

While Shamu could not be reached for comment, Musvaire accused his rivals of
being sellouts saying he had won the primaries fairly.

“It is Mutiwekuziva and Chikono who are mobilising these people yet on the
polling day we shook hands as they accepted defeat. They are the ones who
attempted to rig the elections because their supporters voted twice at
Maramba where I had no agents.

“We are talking here about people who might not be Zanu PF after all because
one wonders how that would be helpful to them and the party,” Masvaire said.

Several groups including some from Harare were still demonstrating at Zanu
PF headquarters by Monday.

Among them were placard-waving supporters from Epworth and Harare South who
were clamouring for Mugabe’s intervention as Amos Midzi, party chairman for
Harare, was according to one of the placards “killing the party by inviting
another bhora musango.”

In Masvingo, two candidates, gospel musician-cum-politician Elias Musakwa
and Munyaradzi Kereke former advisor to Reserve Bank governor Gideon Gono
both filed papers with the nomination court to represent the party in Bikita
West.

PM pledges to transform rural communities

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

BRIDGET MANANAVIRE  •  4 JULY 2013 5:28AM

HARARE – Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai says he is going to transform
rural life as well as deal with incessant corruption that has destroyed the
country.

Tsvangirai, who is on a whirlwind tour of the nation ahead of crunch
elections, was in Masvingo on Wednesday  where he met MDC party structures
and community leaders.

“The PM said MDC was going to work on rural transformation to make sure
communities get access to key services, and irrigation to eradicate poverty
and drought,” said Tsvangirai’s spokesperson Luke Tamborinyoka.

Most rural areas are marginalised and Chivi where the Premier was is no
exception, with people sharing water sources with wild animals while a
government initiative through the construction of Tokwe-Mukosi dam has taken
too long to complete.

Tsvangirai said Zanu PF had failed Zimbabweans for the past 33 years.

Tsvangirai, who is set to lock horns with his old rival President Robert
Mugabe on July 31, told his party supporters that an MDC government would
introduce investor-friendly policies such as the Jobs Upliftment Investment
Capital Ecology (Juice) so as to address unemployment challenges.

Apart from unveiling the party’s economic blueprint, the PM also promised to
deal decisively with the corruption cancer.

“He also said he was going to strengthen the Anti-Corruption Commission so
they could exercise full power to arrest corruption. He said the choice was
going to be clear in this election between voting for hope or despair,”
Tamborinyoka said.

Party leader berates ‘cowardly comrades’

http://www.newzimbabwe.com/

03/07/2013 00:00:00
     by Staff Reporter

THE leader of the newly formed People’s Democratic Union (PDU) Chris Sibindi
has slammed what he described as “coward” comrades for the party’s failure
to field candidates in over 80 parliamentary constituencies.

Addressing journalists during the launch of the party in Harare Wednesday,
Sibindi said the PDU had identified over 90 loyalists who had parliamentary
ambitions but the majority opted out of the race due to cowardice.

“We had more than 90 parliamentarians who were ready to go into the field
but they failed to go through,” he said.
“Most of the nominators were afraid of nominating because they thought if
they nominate, their names are going to come out on the paper and they would
openly say ‘we are going to be followed up and victimised’.

“So we said no problem, we will field those that had the courage to go
through.”

He said the party only managed to field nine candidates in constituencies
based in Midlands and Matabeleland provinces.
Sibindi, a Swiss trained engineer in pump technology, said some prospective
candidates felt the current political environment was "too dangerous" to
contest polls but added he did not fault them for their cowardice.

“We are still in that kind of a situation where we think and feel it’s not
safe for me to go and say ‘l want to say this or l am against this idea’,”
he said.

“Even some of the candidates were afraid. Being afraid is not criminal. That’s
them. If you are appointed in a community that you become my MP and at the
end of the day you say ah my family, ah my children it’s that kind of a
leader.

“But most of us are have always sacrificed. We have come across many huddles
but we have soldiered on.”
Sibindi, who hails from Midlands, filed for nomination for presidency June
28 but had his application rejected for undisclosed reasons.

He said the PDU was formed in 1998 but was only registered as a
fully-fledged political party 2009 adding they had over 2,500 paid-up
loyalists in their structures and over two million followers around the
country.

After his own nomination papers for presidency were rejected, Sibindi said
he will not lend his support to any of the five confirmed presidential
candidates but would allow his followers to back a candidate of their
choice.

He said his “God-fearing party”, if elected to form a future government,
would seek to consolidate relations with international community, anchor the
country's economy on the exploitation of natural resources, and elevate the
country’s sporting entities into viable projects capable of supporting the
economy.

Survey: Zimbabwe Youth Itching to Vote in 2013 Elections

http://www.voazimbabwe.com/

Irwin  Chifera
04.07.2013

HARARE — A Mass Public Opinion Institute survey says a large number of
youths in the country have registered and shown willingness to participate
in this year’s elections.

Results of a survey in which 1,008 youths drawn from all the country’s
provinces were sampled shows that 64 percent of the respondents are looking
forward to vote in the harmonised elections with 50 percent already on the
voters’ roll.

The survey, conducted between 19 and 28 January this year, shows that
Mashonaland Central had the highest number of registered youths, at 70
percent, followed by Masvingo at 57 percent. Bulawayo is the lowest at 19
percent.

Announcing the results Thursday, Mass Public Opinion researcher, Heather
Koga, said more than three quarters of the respondents were aware of the
requirements needed for voter registration.

MDC-T Youth Assembly secretary general, Promise Mkwananzi, welcomed the
results but said the statistics could be higher now following what he says
was a massive campaign by his political party and civil society encouraging
youths to register to vote.

Unemployment, according to the survey, remains the biggest issue affecting
the youths.

Mkwananzi said unemployment is the major reasons most youth from areas like
Bulawayo are leaving the country in search of opportunities.

Harare youth and registered voter, Julius Chibaya, said democratic polls
will bring jobs to the youths.

Other findings of the survey are that more than half of the respondents in
urban areas want the president to be accountable to parliament compared to
46 percent in rural arrears.

Most of the youths said they did not like political violence. About 43
percent of the respondents said their family members or close friends had
been victims of political violence.

The survey was meant to gauge youth participation in the country’s political
processes. Political parties and civil society organizations this year went
on a massive drive urging women and youth to register to vote.

Previous elections have seen a low number of youths participating.

The mystery that is Zimbabwe

http://www.thoughtleader.co.za/

KOKETSO MOETI

July 4, 2013

Since my childhood days, Zimbabwe has always been of great interest to me.
You see, growing up, I gathered from news and traditional, mainstream media
that Zimbabwe was bad. Before I even knew what a “banana republic” was, I
already knew that Zimbabwe was one. Apart from this, I’d also listened to
long conversations about how Zimbabweans were flocking to South Africa
instead of fixing their own country.

Having been raised in Mahikeng, I hardly knew or got to meet anyone from
other countries — apart from church — which wasn’t an ideal environment for
long discussions. So I could never have my curiosity satisfied.

What perplexed me most was that I had never heard of authors, poets, dancers
or anything good coming from Zimbabwe and this baffled me greatly. Surely it
was impossible that not a single soul in Zimbabwe did anything good or had
any extraordinary talent in anything? Surely those residing in Zimbabwe had
something good to say about their country and their lives? It just couldn’t
be possible that nothing good ever come from an entire country.

It was only when I moved to Johannesburg in 2006 that I got to meet, know
and spend a lot of time with Zimbabweans living in South Africa. Something
that really caught my attention though, was that all the Zimbabweans I had
met were not only able to read and write but also had some form of formal
education. The Zimbabwean man selling cigarettes was a teacher by profession
and his wife a nurse. Despite their living conditions and the abuse I saw
them suffer, they maintained an air of dignity about them, which
subsequently led me to spending a lot of time with them.

They would tell me about things back home, ordinary things about their
childhood and growing up. I wondered why I never got to hear of this
Zimbabwe they spoke of anywhere else. They also told me about the political
instability in the country and why they left, also how staying in South
Africa allowed them to care for their parents and family back home. That’s
when I realised that contrary to what I often heard, many Zimbabweans weren’t
running away from their responsibilities but merely trying to ensure their
families survived. This can be seen at Bosman Station in Pretoria every
Friday, when many Zimbabweans are gathered at the bus station with endless
loads of groceries.

But this of course is only one part of the story, because apart from the
above I have also met (both online and off) many Zimbabweans out of their
country by choice, be it to study further or merely to see the world. I know
many others still in Zimbabwe doing fantastic things, stories that some may
never get to hear. I know or have heard of people like NoViolet Bulwayo and
Barbara Mhangami, both published authors shaking up the literacy scene. I
know of Fungai Machirori, who has made quite a name for herself in the new
media scene among many others.

There is no doubt that like many other countries, something has gone
terribly wrong in Zimbabwe. Taking stolen land back from whites should not
make us overlook this fact, which is expressed very beautifully by NoViolet
Bulwayo who writes about her experience of going home to Zimbabwe after
being away for over a decade saying: “Now, they are not fazed; even the
children are not fazed, no. They do not complain about the water and power
cuts, the day-to-day challenges; their generation was born into it, this is
their normal. What would be abnormal is the Zimbabwe of my childhood, of
running water and spraying ourselves with hosepipes and flicking lights and
blaring radios all the time and … no, they wouldn’t understand; that
Zimbabwe is terribly gone.” So while we should be wary of the propaganda
telling us that things in Zimbabwe are only bad, we should also be wary of
the propaganda that tells us to overlook the wrongs being committed there,
merely because stolen land was taken back.

It’s my dream to someday go to that mystery of a country and get to
experience it first-hand. Taking in a country that some Zimbabweans feel has
changed for the worst and yet also get to celebrate the much-hidden good
that it still holds — as evidenced by its people, my fellow Africans.

Media Workers and Human Rights Activists Battle Against Zimbabwean Threats to Freedom of Expression

http://internationalpoliticalforum.com/

July 4, 2013

Many of us let out a sigh of relief when Owen Gagare and Dumisani Muleya –
from the Zimbabwe Independent – were released following their arrest for
publishing an article which had exposed secret relations between Zimbabwe
security forces and the government. Most African newspapers refer to the
arrests something akin to a scare tactic since they occurred during the
run-up to Zimbabwe’s elections. It is also worth pointing out that these
arrests insultingly coincided with World Press Freedom Day on the 3rd May.
There is therefore clearly a broader agenda behind these arrests, and
although these two men have been released, the legislation which has
remained in place for over a decade in Zimbabwe still restricts freedom of
the press and continues to heavily descend upon those journalists and
activists who exercise their right to freedom of expression.

Unfortunately, this is not new in Zimbabwe. The existence of laws such as
the Protection of Privacy Act (AIPPA) and the Public Order and Scrutiny Act
allow the censorship of the media and the arrest of anyone who publishes
things the government dislike; so it seems newspaper The Zimbabwean is
somewhat justified in accusing the state of constantly attempting to “vilify
independent journalists as clowns and sell-outs”.

And yet the forces of opposition, which have been active but disparate in
the past, are gathering. The situation has reached breaking point and
despite the government’s outlawing of foreign newspapers, the expansion of
mass media and online journalism exposes Zimbabweans to international
opinion and uncensored realities.

Women and Men of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA) is a human rights organisation which
has been at the forefront of this struggle, receiving media attention and
protection from Amnesty International in the past following the harassment,
beating and detention of its activists for participating in peaceful
protests. Recently, however, it has taken its campaigning to the next level.
Last month, WOZA and its attorneys filed a communication to the ‘African
Commission for Human and People’s Rights’, requesting that it establish
provisional measures, interdicting Zimbabwe’s attempts to stifle peaceful
protest, demonstrations and freedom of expression. We still await the
outcome, but the legal case against the state of Zimbabwe appears to be
watertight. Jenni Williams, the founder of WOZA, has since won a James
Lawson Award for her triumphs of civil rights resistance.

The Voluntary Media Council (VMC) of Zimbabwe and the Media Alliance of
Zimbabwe (MAZ) have also taken action, as the looming elections demonstrate
how government corruption and censorship are becoming more intolerable. On
World Press Freedom Day, they named Zimbabwe a “pseudo-democracy” and media
reforms were discussed, including the drafting of a new constitution which
included progressive tactics to challenge the current legislation. The
online community has, naturally, been active in the struggle as well. For a
country which accounted for only 1.2% of Africa’s internet usage in 2012,
online platforms have shown to be one of the most effective ways of
spreading news and ideas, and various online petitions on forcechange.com
and change.org have joined the battle, including a petition to President
Robert Mugabe asking him to permit international observers to monitor this
year’s general election.

It appears that the discourse among ordinary Zimbabweans is transforming
rapidly in the wake of revolutions and uprisings across the globe. Those who
are challenging the Zimbabwean government’s repression may not be using
firearms and militancy to defend their freedom of expression, but however
they choose to fight, they can make use of unity, organisation and
international support to overcome such a great obstacle to democracy.

Drawing lessons from Egypt to shape EU policy on Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum
4 July 2013

In the wake of the Egyptian coup, a prominent Zimbabwe blogger quipped “The
“thing” called democracy is very confusing. President  Morsi of Egypt was
elected “democratically”, however, the people are saying he has failed to
rule “democratically” and the army, though not elected, has decided to
“democratically” remove Morsi in order for “democracy” to take effect!???”.
In the weeks leading to the Egyptian uprising, a report  by the European
Court of Auditors found that EU development aid to Egypt intended to promote
human rights and good governance has largely been squandered. Much of it
went directly to the Egyptian authorities, who refused to commit to human
rights and democracy programmes, while 4 million euros allocated to civil
society groups was subsequently cancelled. In the same vein, President Obama
had promised President Morsi billions of developmental aid if he agreed to
set aside parochial political interests for national good.

The above scenarios   highlight the inherent supposed pitfalls in the
neo-liberal democracy founded on the Washington Consensus. In Egypt, there
is a real danger of   extremists resorting to violence, and justifying their
actions on the disappointing results of democracy. Whereas is countries such
as Zimbabwe, there is a palpable danger that ZANU PF will feel vindicated
and feel more empowered  through its propaganda  that western imposed
democracy does not work. Given this predicament, how should policy makers,
particularly within the EU respond?

In our humble opinion, the pitfalls of the fledgling Egyptian democracy
should not lead Europe to back pedal on its ambitious new strategic
framework on human rights and democracy which was adopted by its Council of
foreign ministers a year ago. Further the European Instrument for Democracy
and Human Rights has already posted moderate results for the year 2011-12
which should be built on.

When viewed in the Egyptian context, the EU’s current policy on Zimbabwe is
only correct in one respect, especially that “Contrary to many expectations,
a government change may have only a slim impact on democratic quality”.
However, there is a danger that that this might be misinterpreted to mean
that there shouldn’t be a change of government in Zimbabwe.

One blogger echoes our sentiments, “ From the recent primary elections
neutral observers would conclude that MDC-T is just ZANU-PF by another name
(albeit a poor imitation). Given that reality, the electorate will vault and
vote for The real McCoy. There is a great possibility of a major event a few
days before elections that will result in MDC-T mortally splitting. I
project a government of national salvation getting formed from a
coalitionary arrangement between the (MDC) splinter group, MDC-Ncube, and a
new face ZANU-PF. In a dramatic realpolitik sleight of hand, Professor.
Welshman Ncube will get to lead Zimbabwe in a rotating Presidency
arrangement in a move that will assuage the ghosts of Gukurahundi”

It is disappointing that the EU’s current policy appear to be echoing such
sentiments when they equated ZANU PF’s lack of democratic roots and the MDC’s
lack of trustworthiness.  Such equation of moral probity overlooks a number
of factors, particularly that ZANU PF’s moral probity is not only limited to
the lack of democratic roots but a history of repression and a total
disregard of the right to life upon which all other rights are contingent.

This equation also overlooks the unequal political footing within Zimbabwe
as well as the sentiments echoed by the MDC on Wednesday, 03 July 2013, in
an article titled ‘A New Zimbabwe beacons’, which in part states that ‘We
have travelled this long, painful and arduous journey together all these
years and have survived all the trials and tribulations presented to us by
Zanu PF over the years; we cannot afford to relent in this last hour of our
journey.

By drawing lessons from Egypt, perhaps the EU needs to adopt a dual strategy
premised on ensuring that the forthcoming elections are free, fair and
credible but also focussing on the issue participatory democracy based on
the understanding that real sustainable political change ought to be organic
and sustained by changed social attitudes towards politics. Currently
Zimbabweans, unlike the Egyptians do not owe allegiance to their country but
to political parties. The focus should be on nurturing the values that we
collectively cherish as a nation.

While the EU are correct in stating that government turnover does not
guarantee democratic change in Zimbabwe on the basis that ZANU PF lacks
democratic roots; but the MDC has, for its part, done little to prove its
trustworthiness, they are wrong in concluding that “Rather than asking who
is in power, international analysts might want to put a stronger focus on
how to actually improve Zimbabwe’s political culture and institutions”.
While it is important to improve political culture and institutions,
political renewal is also necessary to the extent that it is symbolic and
has the effect of jogging tired politicians from their complacency.

By stating that ‘Foreign actors need to act very carefully to avoid
unintended outcomes’, the EU has placed itself in an inextricable trap of
ZANU PF ‘regime change’ propaganda.  As the EU Foreign Affairs Council
prepare to meet later  this month to evaluate the human rights framework
they adopted last year, they should borrow a leaf from Edward
McMillan-Scott, Vice-President of the European Parliament for Human Rights &
Democracy who stated that “Europe must stop whispering on human rights. It
must not only speak with one voice, it must speak loudly and without
hesitation. It is high time that the EU and its member states translated
words into action and put human rights centre-stage”- EU Observer
(27.06.2013).

The EU must be in a position to articulate a coherent and consistent
approach to human rights that makes full use of its combined economic and
political clout on the global stage. So far there is so much prevarication
and lack of message discipline as there is a clear policy chasm between the
British on one hand and the Scandinavian states on the other. It is sad that
the British voice does not loom large in Brussels, and dissapointly , the
reasons premised on its past colonial relationship with Zimbabwe has only
served to strengthen ZANU PF’s resolve to hold on to power.

According to Edward McMillan-Scott, “Over the past year, the world has
undergone a series of major political upheavals. Across the Arab world, in
authoritarian China and Russia, and more recently in democratic Turkey and
Brazil, people have risen up in protest against their leaders. In the
majority of cases, ruling governments have responded with violent crackdowns
and by suppressing freedom of expression”. Freedom House’s latest annual
report found that there has been an overall decline in political rights and
civil liberties worldwide, as authoritarian regimes have stepped up their
persecution of civil society groups, independent and online media, and the
popular democratic movements which threaten their grip on power.

Zimbabwe has not been an exception to this rise in persecution of civil
society groups. Many Zimbabweans are used to living with their fundamental
rights repressed. Human Rights Defenders have particularly been the main
targets. On 23 February 2012, Zimbabwe was cited by Frontline Defenders as
being amongst a number of countries that have witnessed an increase in
attacks on human rights defenders (HRDs) in their homes or offices and
intimidation of HRDs by the judicial authorities. 2013 witnessed a similar
trend on a more intensified scale. In 2013, on World Freedom Day, Media
rights group, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) stated that Zimbabwe’s
President, Robert Mugabe is among the seven worst ‘press freedom predators’
on the African continent.

However, unlike in countries such as Egypt, Zimbabweans have remained placid
in the midst of suffering and several reasons can be given to explain this.
The main reason is fear. The UK Supreme Court captures this state of fear in
its country guidance decision on Zimbabwe in which Lord Hope states that
“One of the hallmarks of totalitarian regimes is their insistence on
controlling people’s thoughts as well as their behaviour. George Orwell
captured the point brilliantly by his creation of the sinister “Thought
Police” in his novel 1984. The idea “if you are not with us, you are against
us” pervades the thinking of dictators. From their perspective, there is no
real difference between neutrality and opposition.

In this regard, Zimbabweans avoid state persecution by engaging in mendacity
and even by avoiding to publicly airing their views on the current Egyptian
uprising. A couple of cases illustrate this. In 2012, during a public
lecture in Zimbabwe activists showed video footage of the Arab Spring
protests in Egypt. The police raided the lecture and arrested 45 people.
Eventually charges were brought against six activists, who were convicted of
inciting public violence in March and given community sentences.

In a separate Facebook subversion trial, a supporter of the MDC-T party,
Vikas Mavhudzi, reportedly put a post on a public Facebook wall drawing
parallels between the Arab Spring and the political situation in Zimbabwe.
He was arrested and spent a month in jail. The prosecutor said the post was
an ‘attempt to take over the government by unconstitutional means or
usurping the functions of the government. However, his trial eventually
collapsed because the post had been deleted and could not be offered as
evidence.

In light of the current political flux across the world including Zimbabwe,
how should Europe shape its foreign policy especially on Zimbabwe? According
to Edward McMillan-Scott (ibid), “A strong and coherent European voice on
human rights has never been so important. Only by working together can EU
countries fight against torture and repression, support civil society and
political activists, promote universal values and encourage the transition
towards democratic regimes based on the rule of law. And while there is a
strong moral imperative to act, it is also firmly in European countries’ own
interest. A world in which more states respected the fundamental rights of
their citizens would not only be more free; it would be more stable,
prosperous and secure”.

According to McMillan-Scott,  an effective human rights strategy will
require greater coherence, stricter conditionality, and for actors such as
the EU Special Representative on Human Rights to be given a stronger and
more flexible mandate so that they are empowered to speak out where
necessary.
He also suggests that:

National parliaments across Europe must also play a bigger role in
pressuring their respective governments to take up human rights issues, and
should develop closer links both with the European Parliament and with each
other to push for a more coordinated EU approach.
For its part, the European Parliament should step up its game by placing
human rights resolutions higher up the agenda, rather than on the Thursday
afternoon sessions  when all but a few dozen MEPs have already left.
EU must build a stronger partnership with the US Congress and take up
individual human rights cases together.

The legal activist facing a Mugabe prison

http://www.standard.co.uk/

Beatrice Mtetwa is on trial after intervening in a police raid on a Zimbabwe
opposition official.  Joy Lo Dico meets the lawyer who fights for ordinary
citizens

Joy Lo Dico

04 July 2013

As Zimbabwe prepares to go to the polls at the end of this month, a court
case has been getting under the skin of the country.

Beatrice Mtetwa, a leading human rights barrister based in the capital
Harare, is standing trial. She is accused of obstructing the course of
justice after intervening in a police raid in March on the home of an
official of Morgan Tsvangirai’s MDC-T party, the main rival to Robert Mugabe’s
Zanu-PF. The official had been investigating corruption within Mugabe’s
government.

Ms Mtetwa’s case has been a cause célèbre in the country which has been
under Mugabe’s rule for 33 years. She was held in a prison after the arrest.
“We had hordes of visitors, people I didn’t even know,” Ms Mtetwa told the
Evening Standard. “One day six bishops co-ordinated to just come and visit
and pray for me.

“Even now I go in a supermarket and everybody comes up to me and says, ‘Oh,
I know you’. The support is incredible from ordinary Zimbabweans.”

Her case was part heard last weekend, but was delayed. “The idea is to make
sure I don’t represent these guys (the MDC-T),” she said. “And also the idea
is to make sure lawyers think twice before they go out during election
season. It’s part of the game of ensuring that we are sidelined and we do
not effectively represent people whose rights might be affected during it.”

The election is set for July 31, and these are often bloody affairs in
Zimbabwe. The last one was in 2008, when Mr Tsvangirai appeared to have won
more votes than Mugabe, now 89, in the presidential poll, the first serious
blow landed on his leadership.

But, after five weeks of wrangling, Mr Tsvangirai accepted the role of prime
minister. Power still rests with Mugabe. More than 200 people were killed
and about 10,000 injured in violence in the run-up to the election,
according to Amnesty International, with most blame falling on Zanu-PF
members using intimidatory tactics.

Ms Mtetwa does not define herself as a member of the opposition. “The
perception is that I sit on kinds of cases where I’m a political activist,”
she said. “I’m not. I’m a legal activist.”

Born in Swaziland, she moved to Zimbabwe in 1983, at first to work as a
prosecutor for the government, but became disillusioned by the injustices
she witnessed, in particular the relaxed treatment of crimes by Zanu-PF
members. She set up in private practice in 1989, with a mission of upholding
the constitutional rights of Zimbabweans against the arbitrary rule of
Mugabe’s government, which has seen disastrous land reforms, high corruption
and violence against his opponents.

Ms Mtetwa says she has already suffered two beatings by police, in an
overnight ordeal in a car in 2003, and again in 2007. Despite pressing
charges, neither case came to court. “If I’m convicted for this, I go to
jail for two years,” she said.

The lawyer has represented farmers, political activists and ordinary
citizens and, most famously, Andrew Meldrum, the Guardian journalist who was
thrown out of Zimbabwe in 2003 for reporting state torture.

US film-maker Lorie Conway recently made a documentary about her, titled
Beatrice Mtetwa And The Rule Of Law, screened in London last month and due
to be shown in Washington this week, though no showing has been scheduled as
yet for Harare.

While Ms Mtetwa waits for her trial, the ballot boxes are being prepared.
However, even if Mugabe stands down, her work is not done.  “If the MDC-T
come in, we should be vigilant and hold them to an even higher standard than
we are holding Zanu-PF. Why? Because they said they were different.”

Inside Mugabe’s atrocities with documentary “Beatrice Mtetwa and The Rule of Law”

Bill Watch 27/2013 of 3rd July [A Lame End to the Seventh Parliament]

BILL WATCH 27/2013

[3rd July 2013]

The Seventh Parliament of Zimbabwe Sat for the Last Time on Thursday 27th June

Parliament was officially dissolved on midnight of 28th June, five years from the day President Mugabe was sworn in as President in June 2008.  There did not have to be a Presidential proclamation dissolving Parliament because it had sat for its full 5-year term and was therefore automatically dissolved in terms of section 63(4) of the former Constitution [“Parliament ... shall last for five years, which period shall be deemed to commence on the day the person elected as President enters office ... and shall then stand dissolved.”]

The last sittings of both the House of Assembly and the Senate took place on Thursday 27th June.  The House sat for an hour, the Senate for 15 minutes.  It was a disappointing end to a Parliament that during its 5 years had not done much.  The country had been hoping to see MPs enacting a raft of democratic reforms – changes to POSA, AIPPA, and so on – before Parliament dissolved.

The disappointment was highlighted in the wrap-up remarks of the the Minister of Constitutional and Parliamentary Affairs: “It was the vain anticipation of some of us that maybe the Constitutional Court would be able to sit and determine the various constitutional applications which were placed before it before this Seventh Parliament’s life comes to an end, but that has not been possible.  Those constitutional applications which would have been relevant to a further sitting of this House are only going to be before the court, I am told, next week Thursday, 4th of July, 2013.

Proceedings in the House of Assembly

Death on Hon Chindori-Chininga  Moving tributes were paid to the late Edward Chindori-Chininga who died in a vehicle accident on 21st June.  Contributors from all sides spoke of his exceptional qualities, and the significance of his work as the chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Mines and Energy.  Before passing a motion expressing sympathy for the Chindori-Chininga family, all present joined in singing Mariya naMarita.

In his wrap-up remarks the Minister of Constitutional and Parliamentary Affairs expressed disappointment [see above] and thanking  “the members who have contributed to making this Parliament possible and I wish that a number of them would be able to come back in the next Parliament.  For a number of us, today would be our ‘last supper’.  [Mr Matinenga has already announced his coming departure from politics and return to full-time legal practice.]  May I then move for the adjournment of the House.”

The last entry in the journal of the House reads:  “The House adjourned at a quarter past three o’clock pm”.

Proceedings in the Senate

President of the Senate Ednah Madzongwe began the afternoon’s proceedings by announcing that there was no business, wishing Senators well in their future endeavours and exhorting them ”to always put Zimbabwe first before anything else”.  Senator Chief Charumbira and other Senators paid tribute to Mrs Madzongwe’s firm leadership of the Senate.  The Senate then adjourned for the last time after sitting for 15 minutes.

In Parliament on Tuesday 25th and Wednesday 26th June

House of Assembly

Bills  On Tuesday the House passed both the Electricity Amendment Bill and the Income Tax Bill, the latter with substantial amendments proposed by the Minister of Finance.  Both Bills were immediately transmitted to the Senate.  There were no other Bills on the Order Paper.

Question Time on Wednesday took up the House’s entire 88-minute sitting.  The Minister of Constitutional and Parliamentary Affairs, the Minister of Tourism and Hospitality Industry and the Minister of Home Affairs were present to answer questions.  Topics on which Ministers responded included:

Unsuccessful GPA meetings following SADC Summit  Minister Matinenga gave an admirably clear account of the previous week’s unproductive engagement, or lack of engagement, between the GPA parties following the SADC Summit in Maputo on Saturday 15th June:

·      on Tuesday 18th June the Minister of Justice and Legal Affairs filed a Constitutional Court application asking for a two-week extension of the election date.  The application, said Minister Matinenga, was filed “unbeknown to the other members of the Inclusive Government”. 

·      on Wednesday 19th June there was a meeting at State House “where the three parties in the Inclusive Government met in order to agree on a common position with regard to the disputed election date.  Aligned to this were also attempts to seek agreement on what should be done with regard to both SIs 85 and 86 of 2013 and subsequent statutory instruments”.  The meeting did not come to an agreement.  Presentations were made by Minister Biti for MDC-T and Minister Coltart for MDC.  Minister Chinamasa, for ZANU-PF, said he wanted until Friday to respond and this was granted, although “a lot of us were of the view that the issue was an urgent one, and that the Minister could have responded if he wanted to, but he did not”.   But it was agreed that a smaller committee might possibly meet to agree on an affidavit for a joint court application.  Accordingly, Ministers Chinamasa, Ncube and Biti stayed behind for that purpose but failed to reach agreement..

·      on Friday 21st June Minister Matinenga arrived at State House at 10 am for the follow-up meeting.  At 10.30 am those present were told the President was not available and they should return at 12.05 pm.  Minister Matinenga did so, and was joined by the MDC representatives.  They waited until 1 pm without anyone from ZANU-PF, let alone the President, showing up.  “On realising that nobody was going to attend on behalf of ZANU-PF, we then went back to our respective offices.” 

The Minister’s summing-up of the situation as of the afternoon of 26th June, therefore, was: “What we have experienced in the past week or so points to an election which is not going to produce results which are not disputed” – as opposed to “not just elections for the sake of it, but elections which are free and fair, elections which are not disputed and elections in which every citizen of this country is able to vote and has been registered.”

Unpaid allowances for Parliamentarians  Minister Matinenga assured MPs concerned about their outstanding allowances that the imminent dissolution of Parliament would not extinguish their legal right to payment.

Display of force numbers on ZRP uniforms  Minister Makone explained that although all uniformed police should display their force numbers visibly on all police uniforms, financial constraints had made full compliance impossible. 

Police confiscation of short-wave radios  In the course of an at times confusing series of exchanges with MPs, Minister Makone conceded that it was wrong for police to confiscate radio receivers and that confiscation should not be carried out as a form of censorship of broadcasts from certain outside broadcasters.  She said two-way radios incorporating transmitters are illegal, and that confiscation of illegally imported radios on information from the customs authorities was in order. 

Police role in ZANU-PF primary elections  Minister Makone said that while police could be present at party primary elections to maintain order, if they had been used to carry ballot boxes, count people or to verify anything on behalf of parties, that was an illegal activity, and no-one could be blamed for thinking it a misdirection of state resources.

UNWTO Conference and the elections  Minister Mzembi assured the House that UNWTO had recently judged “our state of preparedness to be satisfactory and our level of collaboration with the Zambians to be excellent”.  On the probable proximity of the elections to the conference, he expressed optimism that a peaceful and stable election would be a “branding opportunity for the country and the global endorsement of destination Zimbabwe”.   

Senate

Bills   On Wednesday the Senate dealt rapidly with both the Electricity Amendment Bill and the Income Tax Bill as passed by the House of Assembly on Tuesday.  Second Reading speeches for both Bills were delivered by the Minister of Energy and Power Development.  Having got his own Bill through all stages in a few minutes, the Minister stood in for the Minister of Finance and managed to sum up the voluminous Income Tax Bill in four short paragraphs.  Senators had no contributions to make or questions to ask on either Bill, and passed both without amendments.  The Senate adjourned after sitting for only 28 minutes. 

Motions  During Tuesday’s 12-minute sitting the Senate adopted without further discussion the motions to take note of reports of delegations to ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly sessions held in 2011.  [Correction:  We incorrectly said in Bill Watch 26/2013 of 25th June that the sitting ran for only 5 minutes.]

Parliamentary Business Left Unfinished

House of Assembly  The House left behind a large amount of uncompleted business.  18 motions at various stages of debate did not receive further attention; 13 “deferred” questions were also abandoned. 

Unanswered questions   The 13 questions, for reply by Ministers, had been on the Order Paper and been unanswered by the Ministers concerned, some since February and others since 22nd May.  Among the May questions were one for the Minister of State for Security about the Ministry’s policy on CIO officers who are openly politically partisan and hold provincial and Central Committee positions in ZANU-PF, and one for the Minister of Mines and Energy seeking details about the value of the Government’s financial stake in diamond mining operations in the Marange diamond fields.  There have been many complaints from MPs during this Parliament about Ministers failing to attend Question Time and answer questions addressed to them, as well as instances of Ministers refusing to attend Parliamentary committee hearings.  The Prime Minister has on several occasions promised MPs he will bring errant Ministers into line, apparently without any really lasting effect.

Comment: To prevent this situation in the next Parliament an amendment to Standing Orders could be made providing for flagrant cases of Ministerial defiance to be treated as contempt of Parliament, and Ministers found guilty to be punished accordingly.    

Senate

Adverse PLC reports not considered  The Senate rose for the last time without discussing the adverse reports on statutory instruments that had been awaiting their attention since the beginning of June.  This means that the adverse reports [available from veritas@mango.zw] cannot now result in the President being obliged to repeal or amend the three statutory instruments concerned, as he might have had to if the Senate had passed motions approving the reports.  But interested parties are not without remedies.  Those who believe, as the PLC did, that the SIs are legally unsound, can still seek declarations of nullity from the High Court.  [Reminder:  The SIs are: the Youth Council regulations [SI 4/2013]; the tariff of mining fees [SI 29/2013]; and the Mangwe sand extraction by-laws [SI 25/2013].]

Why no PLC report on the Presidential Powers Regulations
amending the Electoral Act?

The PLC had time to table a special report in the Senate on the controversial SI 85/2013 which was gazetted on 12th June.  Regrettably, no such report was tabled.  Perhaps the members, or some of them, thought the SI “too hot to handle”, given that its questionable validity was the subject of discussion at the SADC Summit on 16th June and seemed destined to be taken to the Constitutional Court.  Or perhaps they saw no point in reporting to a Senate scheduled for dissolution two weeks later, particularly when the Standing Orders deadline for reporting would be the end of July.

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