Road map talks resume next month

http://www.dailynews.co.zw

By Tonderai Kwenda, Chief Writer
Wednesday, 15 June 2011 18:21

HARARE - Negotiators from the three political parties in the inclusive
government will resume talks for a roadmap for elections in the first week
of July, this time seeking an agreement on outstanding issues such as
security sector reform and putting definitive timelines on the agreed ones.

This will likely give a hint as to when elections might be held.

The talks will be a continuation from the Cape Town roadmap talks and will
happen within the realm of the last Sadc summit directives to the political
parties to expedite the implementation of the GPA.

MDC secretary general Tendai Biti told the Daily News yesterday that the
negotiators will continue the roadmap talks.

“We will meet in early July to discuss the timelines for the roadmap. As you
know we have agreed on a number of issues such as the appointment of a new
board for the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) and the Mass Media
Trust.

“But we have to put time frames to these agreed issues, so that’s what we
will be doing,” said Biti adding that: “We will also discuss other issues
that we are still in disagreement such as the security sector and try and
get an agreement by the end of July because we must have an agreed document
with time frames before the next Sadc Summit in August in Angola.”

Lindiwe Zulu, a spokesperson of the three-member South African facilitation
team, said: “The negotiators are supposed to work on the timelines within
the roadmap itself and continue implementing those things that they agreed
in the GPA and we will travel to Zimbabwe when the negotiators are ready to
meet us.”

Asked if the security sector is still firmly part of the roadmap talks, Zulu
said: “We cannot get into that kind of argument from a facilitation point of
view but as far as we are concerned, all the parties are supposed to discuss
all issues that still have a question mark,” said Zulu.

Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai’s MDC wants the security sector, for long
accused of abusing its powers to prop up President Mugabe and Zanu PF’s
rule, to be reformed.

The party has specifically demanded the retirement of Police Commissioner
General Augustine Chihuri and Zimbabwe Defence Forces (ZDF) Commander,
Constantine Chiwenga.

The party accuses the security chiefs of launching deliberate attacks on its
members through arbitrary arrests and abductions during election time.

The party says the ongoing wave of arrests of MDC councillors, activists and
ordinary members is one such example of the selective application of the law
against its members.

Some of its members are said to have skipped the border into South Africa
claiming that the state security agents were trailing them with the
intention of arresting them over the death of police officer, Petros Mutedza
in Glen View last month.

Mugabe, who has always opposed security sector reform arguing that it
amounts to usurping the sovereignty of the country, feels safe for now on
the security sector reform after the Johannesburg summit said this must be
included in the roadmap.

But the MDC says it will pick it up again on the next round of roadmap
talks.

“It is still an issue and we will table it,” said Biti.

So serious is the issue that local civic group, Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition
(CiZC) compiled a chilling dossier containing allegations that Mugabe is
planning to deploy at least 80 000 militia and military officials across the
country in a bid to force people to vote for Zanu PF.

The dossier titled The Military Factor in Zimbabwe’s Political and Electoral
Affairs was launched two days before the summit in Johannesburg.

The report claims that army personnel will be handed 25 percent of
contestable positions in the next elections.

Zimbabwe Military Said to Plan Own Ruler Should Mugabe Be Too Ill to Lead

http://www.bloomberg.com/

By Brian Latham - Jun 16, 2011 3:34 AM GMT+1000

Zimbabwe’s military and state security agencies plan to install the head of
the armed forces as president should Robert Mugabe become too ill to rule,
three officials familiar with the situation said.

Constantine Chiwenga will take over as national leader, sidelining Defense
Minister Emmerson Mnangagwa, 64, and Vice President Joice Mujuru, 56, as
potential presidents, according to the plan discussed by Mugabe loyalists
who control the army, police, secret police and prison services. The
officials, a military officer and two members of the highest decision-making
body in Mugabe’s party, spoke over the last week and declined to be
identified because the plan is secret and they fear reprisals for giving out
the information. The military is concerned by Mugabe’s repeated trips to
Singapore for medical treatment.

Zimbabwe is in the third year of an economic recovery after a decade-long
recession caused by Mugabe’s policy of seizing white-owned commercial farms
and distributing them to black subsistence farmers, which caused a collapse
in export income and shortages of imported goods ranging from gasoline to
corn meal, the country’s staple food. The stability brought by a coalition
between Mugabe’s party and the Movement for Democratic Change has prompted
investment in mining and agriculture.

Installing an army official as president would “send the few investors we
have running,” said John Robertson, an independent economist who advises
international companies with assets in Zimbabwe, in an interview from
Harare, the capital. “There would be very considerable worry in the business
community.” Zimbabwe has the world’s second-biggest reserves of platinum and
chrome after South Africa as well as significant deposits of coal, gold and
iron ore.
Cataracts

Mugabe, 87, has been in power since the country won independence from the
U.K. in 1980 and has traveled to Singapore for treatment several times,
according to the state-controlled Herald newspaper on May 19 and Zimbabwe’s
Daily Mail on May 31.

He says the trips are for cataract operations and follow-up treatment, the
Herald reported.

“I want to live to over 100,” Mugabe said, according to the newspaper. “For
now I am as good as my age says. It is not an ailment.”

Zimbabwe has a number of eye surgeons including Solomon Gurumatunhu, who has
treated Mugabe in the past, NewsDze - Zimbabwe, a website that publishes
news on the country, said today.

In May ANC Today, the official newsletter of South Africa’s ruling African
National Congress, said negotiators from the Southern African Development
Community, which stretches from South Africa to the Democratic Republic of
Congo, said they were concerned about leadership succession in Zimbabwe
should Mugabe die before a new constitution is put in place.
‘Spill Blood’

The military is concerned that competition for the leadership of Mugabe’s
Zimbabwe African National Union - Patriotic Front will split the party and
weaken its chances of keeping power if Mugabe’s health deteriorates, the
officials said.

Mujuru, as vice president of the party, is next in line as Zanu-PF’s
candidate, John Makumbe, political science professor at the University of
Zimbabwe, said from Harare today. Mujuru, a former guerrilla known by the
nom de guerre of “comrade spill blood,” is the wife of Solomon Mujuru, the
former head of the Mugabe’s liberation army in the 1970s.

“Zanu-PF rarely shifts from its protocol and Joice Mujuru is the most likely
successor to Mugabe, ahead of Mnangagwa or anyone else.” Mnangagwa has
served in Mugabe’s cabinets since the early 1980s.
Election Timing

Mugabe wants elections to be held before the end of the year while Morgan
Tsvangirai, the leader of the MDC and prime minister in the coalition
government, has demanded a new constitution be put in place first. Leaders
of SADC agreed in Johannesburg on June 12 that a new constitution must be in
place before the vote, the group’s Executive Secretary Tomaz Salomao said.

The MDC won a majority in parliamentary elections in 2008 and Tsvangirai
boycotted the second round of a presidential election that year, saying his
supporters were being attacked and killed by ruling party loyalists.
Tsvangirai garnered more votes than Mugabe in the first round.

Chiwenga, who would quit the army to become president, will fill his cabinet
with military officials, the army general said. The plan has the backing of
Zimbabwe’s police chief, Augustine Chihuri, prison service commissioner,
Paradzai Zimondi, and army and air force generals, some of whom fear
prosecution if Zanu-PF loses power because of their participation in violent
election campaigns over the last decade, the officials said.

Calls to the Harare office of Chiwenga, who was born in 1956 according to
the Zimbabwe Independent newspaper, weren’t answered today. George Charamba,
Mugabe’s spokesman, didn’t answer calls made to his office or mobile phone.

Sanctions petition: Biti besieged

http://www.newzimbabwe.com/

15/06/2011 00:00:00
    by Staff Reporter

DOZENS of Zanu PF supporters marched on Finance Minister Tendai Biti’s
office on Wednesday to demand that he signs the so-called “anti-sanctions
petition” – a signature denunciation of Western sanctions which has been
endorsed by President Robert Mugabe and his two deputies.

Police were called to move-on the group of nearly 100 slogan-chanting
marchers calling themselves members of the Anti-Sanctions Trust.

The timing of the protest at Biti’s offices in Harare appeared aimed to
coincide with the visit of delegations from the IMF and World Bank – two
international financial institutions accused by Mugabe’s supporters of
withholding funds for Zimbabwe over the last decade.

Biti, the secretary general of the MDC-T, did not emerge to meet the
demonstrators, but the finance ministry’s permanent secretary Willard
Manungo told them that the minister was tied-up in meetings.

And speaking to journalists later, Biti said: “I will not sign any petition
that belongs to any political party. I will not do that.

“What this country needs to do is to concentrate on the issue of putting
food on the table of Zimbabweans, putting jobs in the homes of our people.
There is 85 percent unemployment in Zimbabwe so my mandate as minister of
finance is the mandate of the Prime Minister and everyone who is in
government is to make sure the people of Zimbabwe have jobs and food so
nothing will deviate us from that mandate.”

Fanuel Mutasa, who identified himself as the leader of the group, reportedly
told Biti’s staff that they had been sent by Information minister Webster
Shamu [Zanu PF] to demand his signature, according to Radio VoP.

"We want him to sign the anti-sanctions because we noticed he has not
appended his signature to the petition," Mutasa was quoted as saying.
He added: “We are suffering. After Biti, we will go to the higher offices
(an apparent reference to PM Tsvangirai)."

In March, Mugabe launched an ambitious campaign to collect two million
signatures denouncing the sanctions which regional leaders also say must be
lifted. Vice Presidents Joice Mujuru and John Nkomo, as well as ministers
from Zanu PF, have signed the document.

In May, state media claimed the signature target had been met amid reports
that some members of the public had been forced to append their signatures
at the threat of beatings.

Mugabe’s party insists that Western sanctions are responsible for Zimbabwe’s
economic collapse over the last decade -- punishment they say for his
government's programme to seize land from white farmers. But their promoters
claim that they are targeted at individuals responsible for human rights
abuses.

Tomana threatens MDC

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

By Chengetai Zvauya, Staff Writer
Wednesday, 15 June 2011 18:01

HARARE - Attorney-general Johannes Tomana, a self-confessed Zanu PF
supporter, says he will continue prosecuting Prime Minister Morgan
Tsvangirai’s MDC supporters ahead of those from Zanu PF — declaring
defiantly, “the discretion is entirely in my hands”.

In an exlusive interview with the Daily News, Tomana — who is one of the
outstanding issues of the Global Political Agreement (GPA) — reiterated his
support for Zanu PF and President Robert Mugabe, Tsvangirai’s
archrival-turned awkward coalition government partner.

Tsvangirai and the MDC have been demanding Tomana’s removal as one of the
many pre-conditions for the holding of free and fair elections, accusing the
controversial AG of prosecuting people in a partisan manner.

Without denying that some Zanu PF perpetrators of political violence were
still roaming free around the country, Tomana described Tsvangirai’s calls
for the Johannes Tomana threatens MDC fair application of the law as
“nonsense”.

“It does not matter who we start to prosecute. Whether we start from the
middle, bottom or top it does not matter. The discretion is entirely in my
hands on who I should start to prosecute,” he said.

“It is like telling your manager not to dismiss you from work after you have
been late for duty because yesterday your workmate who was also late was not
dismissed. It is nonsense to make such a statement,” Tomana added.

Tomana’s utterances are significant as they manifest the deep political
divide and the uneven playing field in the country, as well as the
difficulties that the tottering coalition government, widely viewed as the
country’s best hope out of a debilitating decade-long political crisis, must
overcome.

“Everyone is judged on his own misdeeds. The MDC people have not said they
are not committing offences. They are saying Zanu PF and them are offenders
and complaining that they cannot be arrested alone leaving Zanu PF out. If
you are guilty does it matter whether I have started with you leaving
others?” Tomana asked.

Since taking over as AG, Tomana has been forced to repeatedly defend
accusations that his blatant bias is a threat to the stability of the shaky
28-month-old coalition government.

Declaring his love for Zanu PF, Tomana said: “I do not see anything wrong in
me supporting Zanu PF. Is it a crime to do so?  I know that there are some
lawyers like Innocent Chagonda who sit on many boards but are active MDC
members. Is it wrong for him (Chagonda) to do so? I am a citizen of this
country and I belong to a political party I choose”.

As a result, Tomana said, he would not leave his post despite ranking high
on the list of unresolved GPA issues.

The MDC argues that Tomana’s unilateral appointment in December 2008 was
irregular because the GPA signed in September of that year stipulated that
Mugabe needed to consult Tsvangirai on the appointment. Mugabe has
vigorously resisted this demand.

Tomana said Tsvangirai and the MDC should instead learn to respect him.

“They always say Tomana must go. To where? I am saddened by the events that
always surround my name. I don’t take it personally but it is wrong for them
to pass judgments on me without any evidence. They use their political
rallies to denounce my name, which is unfair to me. I wish the MDC
leadership could respect me and this office,” he said.

“The MDC has shamelessly and persistently said that I must go and have
passed judgments on my office.  Without any evidence they talk about
selective application of the law and persecution without going into the
merits.

“They (MDC activists) are being arrested for doing something they are not
telling you about. They are talking nonsense saying they are being arrested
and that there is selective application of the law,” Tomana added.

Soldiers beating and evicting MDC members in rural areas

http://www.swradioafrica.com/

By Tererai Karimakwenda
15 June, 2011

Scores of villagers in the Zvimba district of Mashonaland Central province
were reportedly beaten and forced to leave their homes by soldiers and youth
militia last weekend, while regional leaders held discussions on the
Zimbabwe crisis in South Africa. The victims were believed to be MDC
supporters.

Forced evictions and violence involving soldiers has also been reported in
Manicaland province, where the MDC-T said meetings are being illegally
banned. And the ZANU-PF MP Hubert Nyanhongo, who is also Deputy Minister for
Energy, has been using his power to direct the violence in Nyanga North.

According to The Zimbabwean newspaper, soldiers conducted a door-to-door
“purge” of MDC supporters in the Zvimba area, which is the rural home of
Robert Mugabe. The report said that in the last week alone at least 5 people
were severely beaten and “ordered to surrender” at one of the “Taliban
 camps”. Scores have reportedly fled and gone into hiding.

Zvimba villagers told the paper that Mugabe supporters passed through the
village carrying a coffin with Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai’s name on
it.

SW Radio Africa spoke to a villager on Wednesday who confirmed that
evictions of suspected MDC supporters have continued. Choosing not to be
named for his own safety he also said many farm workers lost their jobs
after two white owned farms were invaded by ZANU-PF in the last few weeks.

One of the invaded farms was New Grade, where the owner was about to harvest
his crop, and the other farm was known as “pa Bhachi”. Our source said the
owners were simply told “ivhu nderedu”, meaning the land belongs to us.

Displacements of MDC supporters are also reportedly taking place in
Manicaland. MDC-T provincial spokesperson, Pishai Muchauraya, said soldiers
and ZANU-PF youth are beating and removing their supporters from rural areas
in Cashel Valley, Nedziwa, Chimanimani West, Nyanga and Makoni South.

Muchauraya said a military camp has been set up in Makoni South and soldiers
are forcing villagers to attend “pungwes”, where they are made to
sing ZANU-PF songs and chant late into the night.

The outspoken MDC-T official said ZANU-PF MP Hubert Nyanhongo, who is Deputy
Minister for Energy, is directly involved in the violence in Nyanga North,
where a party member died a month ago after he was assaulted by Nyanhongo.

“This will backfire on ZANU-PF because all the displaced members become foot
soldiers for the MDC and we have developed a mechanism to make sure that
they come back and vote during the elections”, Muchauraya said.

The security sector’s involvement in Zimbabwe’s political affairs is one of
the key issues that the MDC-T insists must be addressed ahead of any
elections in the country. But despite much evidence documented by civic
groups and the MDC-T, ZANU-PF officials deny using the police and soldiers
in their violent campaigns.

Meanwhile, the MDC-T reported that Langton Tandarinda, an activist from
Chiduku Village in Buhera West, Manicaland province, died on Sunday from
injuries he sustained during torture at a ZANU-PF base in Buhera, in June
2008. In a statement the MDC-T said Tandarinda’s kidney burst during the
torture and he had been receiving medical treatment since then. Survived by
a wife and several children, Tandarinda was due to be buried at Chiduku
Village on Wednesday.

More farmers kicked off land in ongoing invasions

http://www.swradioafrica.com

By Alex Bell
15 June 2011

More commercial farmers have been kicked off their land in recent weeks as
part of ongoing invasions across the country.

Two farmers in the Zvimba District have been forced to flee in recent weeks,
after gangs of land invaders took over their farming operations. SW Radio
Africa has been told that a farm called ‘New Grade’ was taken over recently
by ZANU PF invaders, just before the farmer was ready to harvest. All the
farm workers and their families were also forced to flee the property and
have been left without jobs or homes.

It is also understood that the same situation has played out at a nearby
farm called ‘Pabachi’. That farm’s owner is said to be aligned to a former
MDC councillor in the area, and this could be the reason behind the invasion
of his property.

Meanwhile, an elderly farmer in Somabhula was on Tuesday found guilty in a
Gweru court of refusing to leave his farm. 87 year old Phillip Hapelt, a
South African citizen, was forced to flee his farm earlier this year and was
then charged for refusing to voluntarily give up his land. Despite having
numerous court orders upholding his rights to the property, a Gweru court on
Tuesday instead defended the illegal invasion there. He was charged US$100
for his so-called ‘crime’.

The situation comes in the wake of the closure of the regional human rights
court, a move that many critics believe was done out of allegiance to Robert
Mugabe. The Tribunal of the Southern African Development Community (SADC)
ruled in 2008 that Mugabe’s land grab was unlawful, a ruling that has been
openly and repeatedly snubbed by ZANU PF.

But instead of forcing Zimbabwe to honour the rulings of the court, SADC has
instead closed the Tribunal until at least May 2012, for a second review.

Deon Theron, the President of the Commercial Farmers Union (CFU) told SW
Radio Africa that the decision to close the Tribunal is “without a doubt
affecting farmers.”
“It is definitely having a negative impact. Maybe they (the land invaders)
feel that they have free rein now because the court is closed. But things
are getting very tense,” Theron said.

White Old Farmer Left Homeless

http://www.radiovop.com

12 hours 42 minutes ago

Gweru, June 15, 2011 - A Gweru Court on Tuesday fined an 85 year old white
farmer Phillip Hapelt, US$100 for continued occupation of his Grasslands
farm in Somabula, which has been offered to Mberengwa North Member of
Parliament Jabulani Mangena.

Hapelt and his wife were given up to August 01, 2011 to leave the farm they
have stayed all their lives because it was designated for resettlement by
government in 2003.

Hapelt who has hearing and sight problems looked visibly ill and frail in
court due to an attack by a gang suspected to have been sent by Mangena in
2010. He was accompanied by his wife, who was witness to the case.

Regional magistrate Siphatekile Msipa said a lenient sentence had been given
out to the farmer due to his age and the emotional suffering he had
undergone when he was attacked by thugs who damaged among others his
eardrums. However, the magistrate said if Hapelt continued to occupy the
land, he will be sent to jail.

Hapelt and his wife who was a witness to the case told the court that they
had remained at the farm as in their minds they believed that there were
staying there legally as several government officials had visited the farm
and commended the their farming. In documents presented to the court as
exhibit, the couple produced a visitor’s log book where entries showed that
several government officials had “proved” of their stay at the farm by
praising their farming and helping other resettled farmers.

One of the entries signed by Joseph Mtakwese Made who was then Minister of
Agriculture and Rural Development on 17 July 2004 reads, “Very pleasant, I
felt just at home what an honour to have visited, would like to wish you and
family
good farming as cattle breeders and producers.”  Another entry signed by
Honorable Emerson D. Mnangagwa  on 26 January 2006 who was then Minister of
Rural Housing and Special amenities reads, “This place is very pleasant to
find one’s appreciation of beauty.” Flora Buka who was then Minister of
Special Affairs for lands and Resettlement also commended the couple when
she visited in 2005.

The court also heard that the Happelt family had received communication from
the lands committee that they should continue farming and that they had
agreed to give away 90% of their land.

The couple also told the court that they had remained at the farm as they
were in possession of an administrative court order that protected them from
being evicted from the farm which was however dismissed by the courts.

Regional Prosecutor Fred Kadodo had earlier dismissed both the entries and
the communication from the Lands Committee as not a licence to continue to
occupy the farm.

Kadodo said, “There are only three things that would have made you (the
Happelt Family) legally stay at the farm that is a lease, a permit or an
offer later and because they did not have any of these, they were staying
illegally.”

Hapelt lawyer Advocate Chery Tim argued that Mangena had another farm in
Somabula called Ripple creek.

It was believed Mangena was currently staying at Ripple Creek with his wife
who is a teacher at Somabula Primary school. Mrs Happelt had argued in court
what had happened to the one man one farm which the prosecutor said was his
not duty to answer.

Asked outside court Kadodo said he was not aware whether Mangena had another
farm or not. A lands officer said Mangena had been ordered out of Ripple
Creek Farm so had nowhere to go.

Advocate Tim told Radio VOP: “I wonder whether white commercial farmers are
treated differently from black farmers because my client has also put it
that he has nowhere to live yet he was just told to get out yet Mangena
...is still at Ripple creek because he has no alternative accommodation.”

Tim described Hapelt's eviction as inhumane.

Another delay in bail application ruling for MDC members

http://www.swradioafrica.com

By Tichaona Sibanda
15 June 2011

The High court in Harare is to deliver its ruling on Thursday on the bail
application made by twenty MDC-T members arrested last month over the
alleged murder of police Inspector, Petros Mutedza.

Defence lawyer Charles Kwaramba continued with his submissions in court on
Wednesday after the state last week opposed the bail application. The twenty
are part of a group of 24 MDC members and activists who have been arrested
since the murder of Mutedza. Three appeared in court on Monday and were
remanded for a bail hearing on Friday.

Harare Councillor Warship Dumba, who was arrested on Sunday morning on
allegations of murdering Mutedza, was released late on Tuesday without
charge. Obert Gutu, the deputy minister of Justice and spokesman for the
MDC-T said; ‘Dumba had no case to answer, his arrest was politically
motivated to try and silence him from speaking out against corruption in
Harare.’

It will be High Court Judge Tendai Uchena who will eventually rule on
whether the MDC supporters will be granted their freedom or not. Obert Gutu
told SW Radio Africa that as a lawyer he’ll be surprised if Justice Uchena
denies them bail.

‘I am pretty confident bail will be granted but my biggest fear is the
notorious Section 121 will be invoked just for the sake of keeping our
members in custody for seven more days.

When the state invokes Section 121 of the Criminal Procedure and Evidence
Act, it automatically suspends the bail order for a further seven days,
pending the filing of an appeal by the State in the High Court.

Meanwhile the top leadership of the recently elected MDC Youth Assembly,
with Solomon Madzore as national chairman, has gone into hiding fearing
arrest following the death last month of police inspector Petros Mutedza.

Besides Madzore, secretary-general Promise Mkwananzi has also gone
underground. Mkwananzi, a former student leader, told SW Radio Africa on
Wednesday that they were not going to hand themselves in to the police
because there is no rule of law in Zimbabwe. ‘Our lawyers are working on the
matter,’ Mkwananzi said.

Almost every MDC-T member who is arrested, is interrogated and tortured by
the highly partisan police, even though in almost all cases they end up
being found not guilty by the courts.

Last week officers from the CID Law and Order section at Harare Central
Police Station visited Harvest House, the MDC-T headquarters, in search of
the duo. Youth league spokesman Clifford Hlatywayo confirmed the police
visit and said the police move was an act of desperation bent on silencing
the party in Harare.

Following the attack on Mutedza by unknown assailants outside a nightclub in
Glen View 3, police immediately blamed the MDC-T for his death and went on
an arresting spree.

The MDC-T has strenuously denied its supporters were involved, saying it was
most likely local party revelers who were responsible for the death. It was
known Mutedza had a bad relationship with local vendors and persistently
harassed and arrested them during raids.

Many of the MDC-T members arrested have proof that they were nowhere near
the scene of the crime. Last Maengahama, a national executive member of the
MDC-T, was at a church service during the disturbances and there is video
footage to prove he was at a service, but that has not stopped him being
arrested.

IMF mission arrives today

http://www.zimonline.co.za

by Thulani Munda     Wednesday 15 June 2011

HARARE -- An International Monetary Fund (IMF) mission arrives in Zimbabwe
today for consultations with Harare authorities as part of ongoing efforts
by the world lender to help the country revive its economy after a decade of
collapse.

It was not immediately clear how long the mission's visit would last but
previous IMF delegations have stayed in the country for at least two weeks.

The latest IMF mission to Zimbabwe comes days after the Bretton Woods
institution last week predicted a sharp decline in growth for the southern
country’s economy, while warning that recovery remained fragile.

In a report released at the conclusion of another consultative visit to
Harare, the IMF projected Zimbabwe’s economy to grow 5.5 percent this year,
a decline from the 8 percent last year, differing sharply with Finance
Minister Tendai Biti who is more upbeat on growth prospects.

Biti has said the economy could exceed the official forecast of 9.3 percent
this year, driven by higher commodity prices but cautioned that politics
continued to weigh on the southern African nation.

In its statement last week the IMF said nominal GDP would rise to about $9
billion this year from $7.4 billion in 2010 but that Zimbabwe remained in
debt stress, forecasting that foreign debt would stand at $9.6 billion by
December.

The fund urged Zimbabwe to start an IMF monitored staff programme, the first
step in the long road towards accessing financial aid.

International lenders last extended funding to Zimbabwe in 1999 before a
fall-out with President Robert Mugabe, whose policies, including the
seizures of white-owned commercial farms in 2000 led to an investor flight.

Zimbabwe’s arrears to foreign lenders now stand at $6.4 billion and the
country has agreed to clear its debt through debt cancellation and using
revenues from its minerals to settle part of the money it owes, the Fund
said. -- ZimOnline

World Bank Appoints Zim Representative

http://www.radiovop.com/

6 hours 2 minutes ago

Harare, June 15, 2011 - The World Bank has stepped up its engagement with
Zimbabwe as it has appointed a country manager for Harare ending a two year
absence in a country whose economy is still faced with high unemployment and
low economic activity.

On Wednesday, the new representative Kundhavi Kadiresan met with various
business representatives and senior government officials, including Finance
Minister Tendai Biti. Kadiresan, who will be based in Lusaka will also be in
charge of Malawi and Zambia respectively. Previously, she was based in
Uganda. Kadiresan refused reveal her strategy and plans for Zimbabwe saying
she was still consulting.

"This is my first visit and an introductory visit, but I will be based in
Lusaka," she told Radio VOP.
"I will be meeting with senior government officials, private sector and
other developing partners."

One of the main issues which Kadiresan will address is to produce a debt
strategy on Zimbabwe and also assist the country with policy formulation.

The World Bank ended engagement with Zimbabwe in 2002, following the holding
of the presidential elections which the West condemned as a sham.

On Wednesday morning, she had a breakfast meeting with Tawanda Gumbo, CEO,
Deloitte & Touche,Winston Chitando, CEO, Mimosa Mining, Lishon Chipango,
CEO, Interfresh,Tendai Madziwanyika, Managing Director, African Sun Limited,
Kumbirai Katsande, Managing Director, Nestle Zimbabwe, Luke Ngwerume, Group
Chief Ex Officer, Old Mutual, Bothwell Nyajeka, Chief Finance Officer, TA
Holdings, Charles Taffs, Vice President, Commercial Farmers Union, Mhembere,
Zimplats, CEO/MD, Mr. Matiza, ZNCC, CEO and Mushayavanhu, BAZ President, CEO
for FBC Bank at a local hotel.

Desperate Police Officers Ban Beer Brewing To Stop MDC Activities

http://www.radiovop.com

12 hours 40 minutes ago

Masvingo, June 15, 2011 - The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP), accused of
brutality and partisanship, has banned the sale of traditional brew in
Bikita in a move that is suspected to be a ploy to monitor Movement for
Democratic Change (MDC) political activities.

Villagers under Chief Mbudzi told Radio VOP recently that the police had
banned the sale of the popular home-made brew under the disguise of nipping
crime in the bud, dealing them a major blow to one of their biggest income
generating ventures.

“If you want to brew your beer, you have to apply to the police for
clearance as they say they want to monitor the situation when people are
drinking the beer. Yet very few people want to drink under watch.

“Yet in this drought stricken area, selling the beer is our source of income
for raising school fees and food,” said a villager who requested anonymity
for fear of retribution.

Bikita is a stronghold of the MDC led by Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai,
where all constituencies were grabbed from the former ruling Zanu (PF) party
parliamentarians.

Other villagers said anyone found harbouring the drinkers at their house is
arrested or their brew is confiscated, thereby making great loses.

“At one time, I was ordered to spill all my beer on the ground when I was
found with some drinkers at my place. I will not forget such an incident, it
was hard for me to accept, but they threatened to beat me up if I refused,”
said another villager.

Although Masvingo provincial police spokesperson Inspector Tinaye Matake
refused to comment on the matter, referring all questions to the police
headquarters in Harare.

“We did not ban as such, but we are monitoring the functions because it is
where many crimes are committed when the people are drunk," said one police
officer who refused to be identified. "There is an increase in assault and
rape cases here, so we want to stem the crimes. If the figures drop, then we
will relax such conditions,” said the top cop.

MP for the area, Jani Vharandeni, said he had heard about the matter, but
was going to investigate to get more details.

ZANU PF says it does not recognize Welshman Ncube

http://www.swradioafrica.com/

By Lance Guma
15 June 2011

An undated ZANU PF position paper, posted on its official website, has
accused SADC of violating the Global Political Agreement “by appearing to
recognize” Welshman Ncube as a principal in the shaky coalition government.

In a seven point position paper posted on its website ZANU PF said; “SADC
may be violating the GPA which it helped to bring about and should therefore
guarantee in word and deed. By recognizing Ncube at the Livingstone meeting
the Troika effectively compromised the Zimbabwe situation, particularly the
GPA.”

ZANU PF went on to state that it will only recognize, “R.G. Mugabe, Morgan
Tsvangirai and Arthur Mutambara as the three principals to the GPA,’ adding;
“We would therefore expect that SADC in its dealings with Zimbabwe work with
these three and not substitute Mutambara with Welshman Ncube.”

SW Radio Africa spoke to Nhlanhla Dube, national spokesman for the MDC led
by Ncube, and he said; “Our political party does not pander to the
interests, dictates and direction of ZANU PF. We are a political party that
is in the GPA but not tied in terms of who leads.” He said Ncube was elected
to lead their party via a congress and only another congress could remove
him from that position.

Asked why ZANU PF was siding with Mutambara, Dube said they are not
surprised because ZANU PF are fond of Mutambara. “He has always acted in a
way that pleases ZANU PF and Professor Welshman Ncube has not done the same.
To that end we understand why they do not want to recognize Ncube.”

Dube said Ncube has been invited to sit in all the SADC meetings so far,
including the one held by the Troika in Livingstone, Zambia. “If ZANU PF are
overly attached to the word Principal, they can call whoever they want a
Principal. Ncube represents our party at the highest level ever,” Dube said.
He said that it is in this capacity that SADC are dealing with him.

Last month Ncube’s party wrote to South African President Jacob Zuma,
complaining that Mugabe and Tsvangirai were violating the GPA by supporting
Mutambara’s claim that he was still leader of the party. Prior to that
Mutambara had also written his own letter to Zuma in the same month,
demanding recognition until the leadership wrangle had been resolved in the
courts.

UK says now deporting Zimbabwean asylum seekers

http://www.thezimbabwemail.com

15/06/2011 18:35:00    by

BRITAIN’S Home Office confirmed on Wednesday that it had resumed the removal
of failed asylum seekers to Zimbabwe, hours after a 45-year-old woman was
bundled onto a Kenyan Airways plane and sent home.

Lawyers and refugee groups said they believed the woman, who cannot be named
for her own protection, was among the first to be returned since immigration
judges ruled in March that failed asylum seekers who have no significant MDC
profile had a reduced risk of persecution in Zimbabwe.

Confirming the deportation of the woman held at an immigration removal
centre since May 25, a UK Border Agency spokesman told New Zimbabwe.com:
“Following the determination in the recent Zimbabwean Country Guidance case,
the UK has resumed returns to the country.

“The UK Border Agency will continue to consider all asylum applications from
Zimbabwe on their individual merits and with enormous care.

“We prefer people who are here illegally to leave voluntarily and we offer
an assistance package to help them re-integrate into their home country. For
those who choose not to do so, it becomes necessary to enforce their
departure.”

Refugee groups and immigration lawyers say there are up of 10,000 Zimbabwean
asylum seekers who are at risk of being returned to face Robert Mugabe's
brutal regime.

The timing of the removals, coming as it does with the spectre of fresh
violence on the horizon after Mugabe signalled elections will be held within
the next 12 months, has drawn sharp condemnation.

“The Home Office seem to be going about this by stealth. Although they are
entitled to begin removals of failed asylum seekers, it is important that
this is properly publicised so that appropriate legal action can be
 mounted,” immigration lawyer Taffy Nyawanza said last night.

“I think there is a basis for arguing that returns are premature at this
stage and obtaining a blanket injunction against removals that protects all
Zimbabweans in the run-up to elections."

Nyawanza, the principal solicitor at the Birmingham-based Genesis Law
Associates, said the situation in Zimbabwe was currently “in a state of
flux", adding that "it would be unwise to begin enforced returns at this
juncture.

“Just a month ago, the UK Supreme Court handed down judgement in a case
called Kambadzi where at paragraph 24, there was confirmation that no
removals were taking place," he said.

“Even the Home Office’s own Operational Guidance note on Zimbabwe
specifically mentions two classes of returnees at paragraph 5.4, namely
those under the Assisted Voluntary Return (AVR) Scheme, and the Assisted
Voluntary Departure procedure. Enforced returns are not mentioned.

“The Home Office should therefore stick to their own policy, or publicise a
change of policy first before beginning enforced removals.”
The Zimbabwe Association, a London-based refugee advocacy group, also said
it had been taken by surprise by the latest move.

A spokeswoman said: “We are aware of about five cases of Zimbabweans held at
immigration removal centres, but it’s usually individuals released from
prison who are liable for deportation.
“If the Home Office is now sending people to Zimbabwe, it raises serious
concerns about the welfare of these individuals.”

The woman removed on Tuesday night “arrived safely in Harare”, her family in
the UK said.

“We fought right through to the end but they were determined to remove her,”
said a family member who spoke to her by telephone following her arrival.
The Home Office stated on her notice of removal that she had “overstayed”.

She arrived in the UK in April 2000 on a visitor's visa which expired on
October 18, 2001. She did not claim asylum until 2009, and she was denied.

On May 12 last month, she launched a fresh asylum claim. She was invited to
attend the UK Border Agency’s offices in Cardiff to be told of their new
determination on her fresh claim.

But she was immediately detained and taken to the Yarls Wood Immigration
Removal Centre leading to her deportation on Tuesday night.

Zimbabwe miners to meet ownership deadline: official

http://af.reuters.com

Wed Jun 15, 2011 3:43pm GMT

By Clara Ferreira-Marques

LONDON (Reuters) - Foreign mining firms operating in Zimbabwe are on track
to meet a September deadline to sell majority stakes to local investors,
though the government will be flexible in its approach, a senior ministry
official said.

Earlier this month major mining firms had to submit plans for how they
expect to comply with controversial regulation to hand stakes of at least 51
percent to locals.

They have until the end of September to comply with the law, unless they
successfully apply for an extension.

Analysts have said that meeting the September deadline is all but impossible
in cash-strapped Zimbabwe. But Prince Mupazviriho, permanent secretary for
Youth Development, Indigenisation and Empowerment, said the plan was on
track.

"I don't see why (we will not meet the deadline). What we now have to do is
to finalise the arrangements," he said on the sidelines of a London
conference on Wednesday.

"Don't take conclusion to mean within which the full amount has been paid,
but within which it has been agreed."

He said the need to clarify details in regulation -- not least the issue of
who qualifies as an indigenous Zimbabwean -- would not interfere with
efforts to complete sale plans.

Zimbabwe has huge mineral wealth -- the second-largest platinum reserves in
the world but also gold, diamonds, ferrochrome, coal and iron ore -- but the
mining sector is starved of capital after years of decline.

The government estimates the sector will need $6 billion over five years but
has struggled to attract investors, who are put off by an uncertain
investment climate and unclear legislation.

Both Mupazviriho and Tapiwa Mashakada, minister for Economic Planning and
Investment Promotion, told potential investors in London the government
would be flexible in its approach to empowerment legislation, which is aimed
at redistributing control of the country's natural wealth.

They said the deal by India's Essar to take majority control of troubled
steel maker ZISCO would be a model to follow. Essar -- whose deal could
almost triple foreign direct investment into Zimbabwe this year -- will take
54 percent of the steelmaker, with the government keeping 36 percent.

"The government won't grab 51 percent. This law is not about
nationalisation, it is not about expropriation," Mashakada said.

Mashakada said the government had learnt its lessons after a chaotic land
reform programme.

He said the local ownership target of 51 percent was an aspiration, which
could be met either by seeking a local partner or through a management
buyout or employee share ownership scheme.

"This is what we aspire to move toward," Mupazviriho said.

Zimbabwe has said it plans to set up a sovereign wealth fund in which it
will pool unspecified wealth from untapped mineral resources. Mupazviriho
said details were still being decided.

But even enthusiastic supporters -- not least the Zimbabwean head of
AIM-listed African Consolidated Resources, which is exploring for minerals
in Zimbabwe -- say the lack of clarity and certainty as well as unrealistic
laws will continue to put off investors, unless issues are resolved.

ACR is locked in dispute with the Zimbabwean government over a discovery of
alluvial diamonds in Marange, in the east of the country.

But Chief Executive Andrew Cranswick told the conference ACR was betting the
investment climate would improve by the time its projects were ready to
begin producing.

"With a 10 to 15 year cycle, if you wait until the investment climate is
perfect until you begin the exploration process, you are 10 or 15 years
behind the curve ... prices will be extremely expensive," he said.

Govt officials, businessmen corrupt: NSSA Chief Inspector

http://www.thezimbabwean.co.uk

In an interesting but worrying revelation a Senior Officer at the National
Social Security Association, Jon Mutswatiwa, says there is rampant
corruption by some government officials and company directors when they want
their projects to be accredited by his association.
15.06.1110:23am 0 0
Ngoni Chanakira Harare

Mutswatiwa was speaking at a one-day conference to commemorate World
Accreditation Day in Zimbabwe.

Tackling the topic "Regulator's expectations from accreditation", Mutswatiwa
said there was unethical behaviour in many organisations including
government, despite the fact that these "people should be professionals".

"It is a jungle out there," he said, departing from his prepared speech,
which he did not read.

"There are hyenas who come to eat beasts that have been killed by someone
else. Medical doctors have a good reputation and when you go to them for a
medical report they first ask you for what you need it for.

"If it (the medical report) is for a job interview they give you a good
report. If it is for an application maybe for a visa they also give you a
good report."

Mutswatiwa said if individuals did not "pay" the doctor or inspector, they
would not receive the "good report".

He said there was a lot of equipment failure in Zimbabwe and thus it was
difficult to carry out thorough inspections which ultimately affected the
"credibility of the results".

As a way forward, Mutswatiwa said a "professional inspection body" should be
put in place. "There must be a culture of belonging. Government officials
who are said to be corrupt must also be accredited first by the SAZ."

The Standards Association of Zimbabwe (SAZ), currently led by Eve
Gahadzikwa, accredits firms in Zimbabwe.

Gahadzikwa, in an exclusive interview, said the applications at SAZ were
"increasing" and companies were now taking her organisation very seriously.

"We do not just remove firms from our list because we like to do so but
because it is our job," she said.

"People think we love removing them from our list, but we do this as a job
like all other regulating bodies."

SAZ removes firms that do not adhere to their "stringent" regulations when
they inspect their facilities and discover wrongdoing or poor products on
sale to the public.

More than 90 firms have been removed from the SAZ "list" for failing to
adhere to their regulations as part of the ISO’s stringent regulations.

Disaster if Zimbabwe exported its crisis to region

http://www.businessday.co.za/

LLOYD KUVEYA

Published: 2011/06/15 07:29:04 AM

AS A Zimbabwean now living in SA, I look with alarm at the violations of the
rule of law that Zanu (PF) seems intent on exporting from Zimbabwe to the
region.

I left Zimbabwe in January 2006 to pursue further studies at the University
of Pretoria. At the time I was working as a magistrate in Mutare. By the
time I left, the judiciary in Zimbabwe had been compromised by a number of
factors.

Independent-minded judges had been hounded out of the High and Supreme Court
of Zimbabwe and these superior courts were packed with compliant judges.
Some of the judges were beneficiaries of farm gifts during the land
redistribution programme. Due to the worsening economic crisis, magistrates
in the lower courts were no longer earning a decent salary, leading to
rampant corruption. Acts of intimidation against independent-minded judicial
officers were not uncommon. Through a constitutional amendment in 2005, the
government barred individuals with any right or interest in land from
challenging state acquisition of their land in Zimbabwean courts. These
factors severely undermined the independence of the judiciary and the rule
of law in general.

It is impossible to watch current developments in the Southern African
Development Community (Sadc) without recalling these assaults on the
Zimbabwean judiciary. The recent renewal of the suspension of the operations
of the Sadc Tribunal until August next year by the Sadc heads of state was
largely inspired by Zimbabwe’s attack on the tribunal for ruling against it.
Sadc has refused to take any action against Zimbabwe for its failure to
comply with this court’s decisions. If the tribunal is revived, its founding
instruments will be amended to block Sadc citizens from approaching the Sadc
Tribunal in the event of a breach of their rights and interests, again
largely at the instigation of Zimbabwe. Come August next year, it is a near
certainty that Zimbabwe will have successfully exported its distaste for
independent courts to the region.

Zimbabwean citizens wishing to exercise their democratic right to choose
their leaders, human rights lawyers and civil society activists creating and
occupying democratic space, as well as political party activists have all
been at the receiving end of Zimbabwe’s intolerance for dissenting voices.
Democratic forces are calling upon Sadc to direct Zimbabwe not to hold
elections in the current environment where violence and intimidation
prevails. Regrettably, now Zimbabwe’s machinery of violence has also been
externalised to some of the Sadc states.

On May 20, I attended the Sadc extraordinary summit in Windhoek, Namibia,
with human rights lawyers and civil society activists from Zimbabwe. As we
monitored deliberations by our leaders from the outskirts of the summit’s
venue, uniformed Namibian police officers arrested us at the instigation of
the Zimbabwe secret police (CIO). We were handed over to the feared CIO
operatives, who interrogated us as if we were common criminals. Zimbabwe has
succeeded in executing its illegalities at a regional level.

This past week, as civil society activists from Zimbabwe held conferences
and marches in preparation for the follow-up Sadc extraordinary summit
hosted by SA at the weekend, there was further demonstration of the
deployment of Zimbabwe’s secret police and aggressive Zanu (PF)
representatives in an attempt to shrink the democratic space at the regional
level. A civil society conference in Johannesburg on the need for security
sector reforms in Zimbabwe nearly ended in chaos as a delegation of Zanu
(PF) activists tried to disrupt the fruitful deliberations. T hey tried to
disrupt another meeting, of the Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition, last
Thursday — the Zanu (PF) chairperson for Johannesburg assaulting a
participant with a piece of glass.

As I look to the future I, like so many living outside the country, hope for
the return of a Zimbabwe which respects the rule of law, adheres to
democratic principles and upholds fundamental human rights. After
independence, the Zimbabwean judiciary was respected in the region for its
progressive jurisprudence and I enjoyed the benefits of an impressive
educational system. We had a professional police force and a security
service deployed generally for the protection of citizens and national
security.

Although it may only be a dream that Sadc would help us restore our country,
it would be the worst nightmare were the Zimbabwean crisis to be exported to
all of the Sadc countries.

• Kuveya is the regional advocacy head at the Southern Africa Litigation
Centre.

Write off ZESA bills based on estimates: Residents

http://www.thezimbabwean.co.uk

Residents here have implored the State Enterprises and Parastatals
parliamentary portfolio committee to order the Zimbabwe Electricity Supply
Authority to write off bills based on estimates - saying they are unfair.
15.06.1111:06am 0 0

Speaking at a meeting held by the committee to collect views of ZESA clients
on the operations of the parastatal, angry residents said they had been
receiving “out-of-this-world bills from ZESA” based only on estimations, and
not accurate readings.

“For the past four months I have been away - but what is shocking is that my
bills show figures that are more than those I would have when living at
home. To me it sounds very unjustified to have a bill marked as an estimate
with astronomical figures,” said Charles Mabasa from Gweru’s plush suburb of
Kopje.

Other residents said it was high time ZESA doubled efforts to allow the use
of pre-paid meters. The meters allow consumers to make prior payments for
exact units of power they intend to use for a particular period and top up
on a needs basis.

“Pre-paid meters are important to us because they give a fair charge per
particular amounts of electricity. ZESA should simply introduce them and
stop this unfairness on estimated bills,” another resident said.

Larry Mavhima, the chairperson of the committee, promised that all concerns
would be forwarded to other stakeholders and debated in parliament for
recourse.

“Feedback on progress on that matter will be brought to the people by their
MPs,” said Mavhima, who is also the legislator for Zvishavane- Runde.

ZESA spokesperson Fullard Gwasira has said while everything was being done
to introduce pre-paid meters, the power parastatal at the moment is not able
to ensure that it collects actual meter readings in all households across
the country due to lack of manpower.

He said the matter was being looked into, and urged consumers to use
electricity sparingly and pay their bills to ensure that ZESA was enabled to
ensure adequate supplies.

Zesa loses US$642m annually

http://www.herald.co.zw

Tuesday, 14 June 2011 22:47

By Zvamaida Murwira
ZESA Holdings is losing about US$642 million per year due to a poor billing
system and load-shedding as experts call for an immediate end to the power
utility's monopoly if electricity supply is to improve.
Former Zesa acting chief executive officer Engineer Francis Masawi yesterday
said the power utility was losing almost US$500 million because of
load-shedding and at least US$100 million owing to its billing system.

He said Zesa's billing system was in shambles.
Eng Masawi - who is now a consultant - said this during a public hearing
conducted by the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on State Enterprises and
Parastatal management that convened a meeting of stakeholders to get views
on the performance of Zesa Holdings.

The former Zesa boss, who was giving expert analysis to the committee on
behalf of the Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce, said there was need to
implement provisions of the Electricity Act that allowed more players in the
sector.

He said Zesa generated 7,267 GiGawatts hours in 2010, which cost US$552
million but it collected US$469 million, making a loss of US$83 million
owing to billing challenges.
Energy demand for the year stood at 13,221 GW, but the power utility had
generated 8,482 GW, leaving energy not served and load-shedded at 5,854 GW.

This resulted in the power company making a loss due to load-shedding at
US$439 million.
The figure translates to a cumulative US$642 million loss.

"These are huge losses, which any normal business would seriously agonise
over," said Eng Masawi who is director of Energy and Information Logistics
Group, a consultancy firm.
He said the existing transmission grid was a natural monopoly so the
Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company could remain
Government owned.

New power companies will still have to use the national grid in transmitting
their electricity to their customers, with Zesa charging them a small
commission.
A US$600 million ethanol plant in Chisumbanje, a joint project between the
Government through the Agriculture Rural Development Authority and Green
Fuel Private Limited, will contribute 18,5 Megawatts.

Zesa Holdings and Green Fuel Private Limited have already signed an
agreement to be implemented this month that will seed the bio fuel company
supplying feeding 18,5 Mega-watts into the national grid.
"Bulk energy trading should be taken over by the private sector, retail
supply business must be run by the private sector company so as to make the
sector bankable," he said.

Eng Masawi called for a national vision guiding both the public and private
sector coupled with policy consistence focusing on wealth creation and not
wealth distribution.
Government broke monopoly in the telecommunications sector, a situation that
has translated into immeasurable benefits to ordinary people as more players
came in.

Other stakeholders slammed Zesa Holdings for high tariffs, excessive load
shedding, corruption by some its employees, failure to conduct proper meter
reading, huge salary structures for senior managers among other shortcomings
resulting in poor performance.

During the hearing chaired by Zvishavane - Runde MP, Cde Larry Mavhima
(Zanu-PF) - councils requested for concessionary tariffs saying they were
running "a special industry" of water pumping and se-wage reticulation.

During the meeting, local autho-rity representatives requested that they get
concessionary electricity tariffs from the power utility for the-ir water
pumping and sewer reticulation work.
Town Clerks' forum vice chairperson, Mr Winslow Muyambi, ar-gued that they
administered a special industry - that of water pumping and sewer
reticulation that they provided as a social obligation.

"Water and sewer needs a special tariff because these are non-profit making
entities.
"As local authorities we run these special industries 24 hours a day and our
plea is that we have concessionary tariffs," said Mr Muyambi who is also
Norton chief executive officer.

Several stakeholders who included the Harare Residents Trust, Consumer
Council of Zimbabwe and the Commercial Farmers' Union took turns to berate
Zesa Holdings for untenable tariffs that they said were not consistent with
what people were earning.

They accused some Zesa Holdings employees of corruption saying consumers
were asked to pay bribes in return for an illegal reconnection if power had
been disconnected for non-payment.
CFU representative, Mr Mark Wil-son, complained that load-shedding by Zesa
was seriously affecting win-ter wheat production.

"Any power cut or interruption will jeopardise yields. We are not afraid to
pay what we have consumed but we are afraid to subside inefficiencies," he
said.
Other ordinary residents complained that they could not afford electricity
bills owing to the low salaries most people were getting.

Zimbabwe Legislation Would Give Human Rights Commission Legal Powers

http://www.voanews.com

14 June 2011

The Zimbabwe Peace Project said that although the political environment is
increasingly volatile, reported cases of violence decreased in April to 977
from 1,188 after ZANU-PF completed an anti-sanctions campaign

Tatenda Gumbo & Jonga Kandemiiri | Washington

Restoration of Human Rights Zimbabwe spokesman Ronald Mureverwi said the
panel needs the legal powers proposed in the new legislation

The Zimbabwean Parliament has introduced legislation that would give the
relatively new Human Rights Commission powers to bring charges against
rights violators.

Set up last year, the commission lacks the authority to bring cases for
prosecution. The legislation will give it a legal mandate to take action
based on its investigations.

Human rights advocates welcome the move but seek formal standing as
stakeholders in the commission based on their own work defending human
rights in Zimbabwe.

Restoration of Human Rights Zimbabwe spokesman Ronald Mureverwi said the
panel needs the legal powers proposed in the new legislation, telling VOA
Studio 7 reporter Tatenda Gumbo that the commission must be able to act on
its mandate.

Elsewhere, the Zimbabwe Peace Project said the political situation is
increasingly volatile amid talk of elections. Reporting on April political
violence, the group said both President Robert Mugabe's ZANU-PF and the
Movement for Democratic Change formation of Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai
have been getting ready for elections.

Peace Project spokesman Wellington Mbofana told VOA reporter Jonga
Kandemiiri that despite this, reported cases of violence declined to 977 in
April from 1,188 in March. He attributed this to the conclusion of a ZANU-PF
anti-sanctions campaign.

MDC councillor Dumba released

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

By Helen Kadirire, Staff Writer
Wednesday, 15 June 2011 18:16

HARARE - Warship Dumba, the Mount Pleasant councillor who was in police
custody since Sunday, has sensationally claimed that police accused him of
bombing the home of Finance Minister Tendai Biti as well killing a cop in
Glen View.

The defiant MDC official was freed yesterday after three days of being
shipped from one police station to another.

Dumba told the Daily News that the police had dropped the charges and
released him without saying anything.

“The police were charging me for two crimes; murder and terrorism. They
claim that I was involved in the murder of Inspector Mutedza and that I was
also behind the bombing at Biti’s house,” Dumba said.

Biti’s Glen Lorne home was bombed by unknown people two weeks ago but the
fiery MDC secretary general blamed the military for the attack which he
claimed was meant to kill him and his family.

Police attended to the incident after 17 hours and blamed Biti for reporting
the attack late.

Dumba’s “link” to Mutedza’s death as he claimed, comes against the
background of 23 residents including MDC officials and councillors
languishing in remand prison on the same charges.

The firebrand Dumba accused police of intimidating and frustrating him
“because of the work I am doing at Town House”.

He has been at the forefront at fighting graft at Harare City Council and
around all local authorities in the country.

Dumba, who is the founder and leader of the Elected Councillors Association
of Zimbabwe (ECAZ), has on several occasions had public spats with Local
Government minister Ignatius Chombo following an investigation he led in the
special committee tasked to audit land deals in Harare.

He failed to appear in court on Tuesday with the other three activists who
were arrested on Thursday because he was constantly being transferred from
one station to another.

Dumba was held at Matapi, Rhodesville and Harare Central police stations.

When asked about Dumba’s constant movements between police stations, police
spokesperson Wayne Bvudzijena said what mattered was that he was in police
custody.

“Whether he is being moved between stations does not matter, the issue that
remains is that the suspect is in custody,” Bvudzijena said.

He said when the police are through with their investigations, Dumba would
appear in court.
Dumba’s case was now being handled by Jeremiah Bhamu of the Zimbabwe Lawyers
for Human Rights (ZLHR).

Bhamu could not be reached for comment as his phone was switched off but
sources at ZHLR confirmed that he had taken the case.

Other arrested MDC activists who are still in custody claim that they are
being denied food and medical attention and that they are being tortured.

Harare magistrate Shane Kubonera ordered that they (MDC activists) be given
medical attention and that the Attorney General’s (AG) office investigate
the alleged torture.

AG Johannes Tomana said his office cannot investigate the issue as it is a
police case.

“I refer that order to the police as they have the mandate to do that. The
police should be investigating these allegations not my office,” Tomana
said.

Bvudzijena added that his office did not have a culture of torture but did
not give an answer as to whether the police were investigating the torture
allegations.

Over 500 families face eviction

http://www.herald.co.zw/

Tuesday, 14 June 2011 22:56

By Daniel Nemukuyu
OVER 500 families face eviction from Nyarungu Farm in Waterfalls, Harare,
where they have lived for 11 years amid reports that the property belongs to
Jetmaster Properties owned by businessman Mr Philip Chiyangwa.
Jetmaster - a sister company to Pinnacle Properties - claims to have bought
the land.

However, the 517 Chimurenga Pungwe Housing Co-operative members say the
Government allocated them the land after its compulsory acquisition last
year.
A bid by the deputy sheriff to evict the families yesterday hit a snag after
lawyers representing the housing co-operative - Robson and Makonyere - filed
an urgent chamber application for stay of execution of the judgment.

The eviction order was served on the occupants last week.
Eviction proceedings were instituted while the State's application for
confirmation of the acquisition of the land was yet to be determined at the
Administrative Court.

There was drama at the farm yesterday when the settlers demonstrated against
the eviction.
Roads leading to the settlement were barricaded, making it difficult for the
police and the deputy sheriff's staff to leave.

Workers from the deputy sheriff's office were in a white lorry while the
police were following behind in a white Land Rover Defender.
The crowd vowed not to surrender the land to Jetmaster.

Judge President George Chiweshe is expected to hear the urgent application
in his chambers on Monday at the High Court.
In the chamber application, it was stated that the co-operative members
occupied Nyarungu Farm in 2000 and registered the co-operative in July 2001.

A founding affidavit by the co-operative chairperson Ms Concillia Dzitiro
states that in 2002, Harare City Council later subdivided the land into
residential stands.
Ms Dzitiro said the co-operative then partnered with a property developer
called Amalish Properties to service the land and work immediately started.

In 2008, she said, council granted the members permission to put up
temporary structures and most of them have built houses.
Around 2005, it is stated, Jetmaster contested the occupation of the land
and a judgment was granted in its favour.

Before the families were evicted, Government compulsorily acquired the same
farm and allocated it to the co-operative for resettlement.
The Ministry of Lands and Rural Resettlement made an application for
confirmation of the acquisition of the land at the Administrative Court and
the ruling is still pending.

"I submit that the occupants are the bona-fide occupants of the land in
question because the land was legally allocated to them under the Land
Acquisition Act Chapter 20:10.
"I further submit that it would be against the call of justice and public
interest to eject such a large number of families of low-income earners as
this would cause innumerable problems associated with destitution," said Ms
Dzitiro.

Zimbabwean Merchant Banker Patterson Timba's Financial Realm Crumbles

http://www.voanews.com

14 June 2011

The former grain trader extended his activities through a parent company
called Renaissance Financial Holdings to Africa First Reassurance
Corporation and beyond that to Rainbow Tourism Group.

Gibbs Dube | Washington

Participants and observers of the Zimbabwean financial sector have been
closely following the collapse of the financial empire constructed by
Patterson Timba since 1999 on the foundation of his Renaissance Merchant
Bank.

The former grain trader extended his activities through a parent company
called Renaissance Financial Holdings, encompassing Africa First Reassurance
Corporation and with large shareholdings in others including Rainbow Tourism
Group.

But Timba’s structure turned out to be a house of cards recently as the
Finance Ministry suspended Renaissance Bank management – including Timba –
and the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe placed the investment bank under
curatorship.

Stockbroker Thomas Shava is convinced that Timba lost control of Renaissance
due to questionable deals. “Some transactions made by companies linked to
Timba in the Zimbabwe Stock Exchange simply contravened sections of the
Securities Act as there was total disregard for corporate governance,” said
Shava.

VOA Studio 7 reporter Gibbs Dube traced Timba's decline.

The Reserve Bank itself, meanwhile, has not had much luck finding buyers for
assets it had put on sale hoping to pay off some US$1.2 billion in debt.

RBZ companies on the block include exchange-traded Tractive Power Holdings
and Astra Holdings as well as Homelink, Tuli Coal and several others.

Sources said prospective buyers are worried no proper valuations of the
firms have been prepared, raising concerns the companies could turn out to
have large debts.

Economist John Robertson said most Zimbabweans cannot raise funds to buy
shares in the Reserve Bank firms or purchase them outright.

“When they are sold they might get prices which are below the market values
because of the lack of buyers with decent prices for them,” said Robertson.

Economist Masimba Kuchera said the RBZ has not followed proper procedures in
moving to dispose of such assets. “We have not yet seen any government
gazette or tender notice authorizing the sale of these RBZ assets,” Kuchera
said.

Controversy surrounds $1.6m road tender

http://www.dailynews.co.zw

By Xolisani Ncube, Staff Writer
Wednesday, 15 June 2011 18:11

HARARE - Controversy surrounds the awarding of a US$1, 6 million road
reconstruction tender by Umguza Rural District Council to a company
described by some disgruntled councillors as “little known and expensive”.

Notify Enterprises was awarded the tender to reconstruct the 31-kilometre
Litshe road and a bridge by the Zanu PF-dominated council in November last
year.

MDC councillors, among them Councillor Thabani Mpofu who is a member of the
procurement committee, allege that Notify Enterprises did not meet the
required standards.

“In fact, our committee had seconded AP Glendinning but we only heard that
Notify had been given the tender and we suspect some members of management
have a relationship with the company,” Mpofu told the Daily News yesterday.

The council comprises 12 Zanu PF councillors to the MDC’s seven.

AP Glendinning has also since lodged a complaint with the council saying it
is unhappy with the way the tender process was handled.

Council Chief Executive officer Collen Moyo confirmed that the company was
awarded the contract ahead of well-established AP Glendinning, which had
pegged its services at US$1, 2 million.

“They awarded the contract to Notify not because it was cheap but because it
was a company owned by black Zimbabweans as the council felt that it was
better to give first preference to a local company so that we promote
indigenisation,” said Moyo.

Moyo said Notify Enterprises had sub- contracted Twalumba Holdings because
it lacked necessary equipment and expertise. He said council was unhappy at
the slow pace of the contractors.

Moyo accused the contractors of producing sub-standard work.

“We have some issues which we are not happy about with the company. It has
taken too long to finish the road and even the bridge,” said Moyo.

In their letter of complaint to Umguza council, AP Glendinning said it
suspected that the job had already been given to Notify Enterprises before
the tender was even called for.

Reads part of the letter written by AP Glendinning. “On 30 September 2010 I
visited the Umguza RDC and handed over our tender to the supervising
Engineer T. Mdlongwa and went outside.

While outside one council staff member approached me and asked if I was here
for the road tender.

“He said this tender had been already rubber stamped and awarded to a
certain contractor. The only reason the tender was put out was in order to
normalise the tender formalities.”

Human rights should be part of education

http://www.sokwanele.com/thisiszimbabwe/archives/6820

June 15th, 2011

Many civil society organizations working with young people believe that the
majority of children in the country still do not know their basic rights and
fundamental freedoms.

In the run up to the International Day of the African Child, several people
this reporter spoke to said that incorporating human rights issues into
schools’ curriculums is long overdue.

The International Day of the African Child has its roots in 1976 apartheid
South Africa, when black students took to the streets to protest the
inferior quality of their education. Their primary demand was to be taught
in their own language, rather than that of the oppressive regime. The day is
now commemorated every year on June 16 to honour the memory of those killed
and injured during the standoffs with the South African police. It is also
the day that Hector Pieterson, who has come to symbolize the youth uprising,
paid with his life at the hands of the police. The United Nations also
recognizes this important day.

Asked about the significance of the International Day of the African Child,
a number of children in Bulawayo said that they had no idea that such a day
even existed. “I don’t know anything about that,” one pupil said.

“It is not children alone, but the majority of people in Zimbabwe that do
not know their rights,” a lawyer said.  “The Ministry of Education must play
its role in this regard. Children’s rights should be taught as a subject at
schools; our education curriculum needs a paradigm shift,” he said.

A youth Programmes manager explained that the problem is that there is a lot
of emphasis on sovereignty issues, at the expense of human rights:  “Various
activities can be done to inculcate this knowledge into our syllabi.”   He
emphasized that advancing young people’s civil liberties called for a
multi-stakeholder approach.

The co ordinator of an orphaned children-based organisation reiterated that
teachers and civic organisations must educate children on the International
Day of the African Child. They also believe that the media should publicize
it for children to fully comprehend its significance.

On the significance of the June 16 commemorations, a University of Zimbabwe
graduate, said “The day marks progress made towards the emancipation of
Africa and in particular, freedom from foreign dominion. There is a need to
take this day seriously as it provides us with an annual opportunity to
reflect on the challenges and achievements we have made so far.”

He was however quick to say that progress in fully advancing children’s
rights has been fragile, with young people continuing to be denied the right
to choose their leaders and participate in the decision-making processes. He
added that the high cost of education in Zimbabwe and the ongoing turning
away of children from schools over non-payment of fees, was tantamount to
infringing on the youths’ right to education.

This entry was posted by Mandla Tshuma on Wednesday, June 15th, 2011 at 3:36
am.

Zimbabwe Inclusive Government Watch : Issue 28

Constitution Watch of 14th June 2011 [Reconstituted Thematic Committees]