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YOUTH militia to keep out opposition from rural areas |
By Farisai
Gonye
HARARE -- President Robert Mugabe’s ruling ZANU PF party is setting up vigilante groups of militant youths to spearhead its campaign in rural areas and turn villages and farms into no-go areas for the opposition ahead of elections next year, sources told ZimOnline.
They said teams of senior ZANU PF leaders and officials of Mugabe’s government have since last week visited rural areas, meeting traditional chiefs, provincial military and police commanders and youth leaders to mobilise them to back the plan to fortify districts against the main opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party.
Graduates of the government’s controversial youth training programme -- that is blamed by churches and human rights groups of brainwashing innocent youths into violent ZANU PF zealots – will head groups of local youths tasked to keep the MDC out of the neighbourhood, in a campaign that as in past elections is likely to be bloody and violent, the sources said.
“The youths are being promised cash and jobs once the government wins the polls,” said a source, who is a senior official of the ruling party and agreed to speak on condition his name was not published.
ZANU PF political commissar Elliot Manyika, who according to sources is coordinating deployment of youths in rural areas, confirmed the setting up of youth vigilante groups in villages. However, he said the party was only mobilising youths so they could defend villagers from “violence we anticipate from the MDC.”
Manyika said: "People are more vulnerable in the rural areas and our youths will be ready to defend them from MDC terrorists. They have to be organised to be able to withstand the violence we anticipate from the MDC.
"The MDC has already been waging a war against the government and the people in urban areas using petrol bombs. We have information that they want to take this violent campaign to the rural areas. They will find us waiting."
The ZANU PF commissar was referring to a spate of petrol bomb attacks on police stations last March that the government says was carried out by the MDC and for which scores of the opposition party’s activists were arrested.
The MDC denies bombing police stations, which it says was the work of state agents in a bid to justify a crackdown on the resurgent party.
Zimbabwe holds local government, presidential and parliamentary elections next year that analysts some analysts say Mugabe and ZANU PF could lose, saying a biting economic crisis marked by inflation of more than 3 700 percent, rising poverty, and shortages of basic commodities could push the electorate to vote for the opposition en masse.
ZimOnline reported last April that the government was setting up a 15 000-member youth militia to spearhead its campaign in next year’s polls, especially in rural areas where it draws most of its support.
Young militiamen and women trained under a national youth programme, together with war veterans, form the centerpiece of the government’s campaign strategy, unleashing violence and terror against the opposition to win it victory in every major election since 2000. -- ZimOnline
Zim Online
Thursday 07 June 2007
By Regerai Marwezu
MASVINGO
- At least 180 mostly senior government officials, war veterans and
state
security agents have abandoned sugar plots they grabbed from former
white
farmers in the country's sugar growing Chiredzi district.
Zimbabwe Sugar
Association chairman Daniel Nsingo told ZimOnline the new
black farmers
deserted after failing to run them and incurring huge debts.
About 500
black farmers hurriedly occupied sugarcane plots in Chiredzi at
the height
of government farm seizures in 2001 and had struck a deal with
private firms
Triangle Limited and Hippo Valley Estates under which the
companies would
provide labour and inputs for the farmers.
The companies -- that are the
two sugar milling giants in the country and
have seen production slumping
since farm invasions - would recover their
money from cane delivered by
farmers under the agreement.
Nsingo said: "Some new farmers failed to get
a single cent as Hippo Valley
and Triangle deducted their monies from the
cane delivered.
"Some farmers ended up owing the two companies various
amounts of money and
about 180 have since abandoned their plots because they
have failed to run
them."
More farmers were feared could also desert
their plots, according to Nsingo.
President Robert Mugabe's government
has since 2000 seized land form white
commercial farmers to give to black
under a controversial redistribution
programme it says is meant to right a
colonial and racial land tenure system
that reserved all the best land for
whites.
But the southern African nation that was a regional breadbasket
before farm
seizures has had to rely on food imports and handouts from
international
relief agencies mainly due to failure by new black farmers to
maintain
production on former white farms.
The UN Food and
Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and the World Food Programme
(WFP) on Tuesday
said more than a third of the 12 million Zimbabweans will
face serious food
shortages by early next year due to crop failure and an
acute economic
crisis gripping the country.
Poor performance in the mainstay
agricultural sector has also had far
reaching consequences as hundreds of
thousands have lost jobs while the
manufacturing sector, starved of inputs
from the sector, is operating below
30 percent capacity. ZimOnline
VOA
By Thomas Chiripasi, Jonga Kandemiiri and Fazila
Mahomed
Washington
06 June 2007
In the
latest installment of a long-running legal saga involving 31
opposition
officials, supporters and staff held for many weeks on charges
they
organized a firebombings in March, a Zimbabwe high court judge ruled
Wednesday that a magistrate's court must dispose of the case before the
upper court can consider bail applications.
Correspondent Thomas
Chiripasi reported from Harare.
Meanwhile, Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO
Forum Chairman Noel Kututwa said the
continued detention of the activists
violated their rights. He said the case
has been moved from one court to
another without trial dates being set.
Kututwa told reporter Jonga
Kandemiiri that the activists have been treated
as if they were already
convicted, though at this point they are only
suspects.
Elsewhere,
legal experts said in a public forum Tuesday that Zimbabwean
courts, judges
and lawyers face increased pressure from the government and
police with
ministers intervening in proceedings and police routinely
defying court
orders.
Correspondent Fazila Mahomed reported from Harare.
The Zimbabwean
HARARE
The renewed
land grab campaign by the embattled Zanu (PF) regime is being
used as a
cover to kill some of the nation's rarest species, wildlife
reserve wardens
and environmentalists said this week.
"The occupation of hundreds of farms
and ranches and the fact that the
police are doing little to uphold the law
in the last months have led to an
alarming increase in poaching," an
official running a conservancy in the
Save Valley, in south eastern Zimbabwe
told The Zimbabwean in a telephone
interview.
He said he was still in
shock after discovering a black rhinoceros caught in
a snare last week,
leaving the rare animal seriously injured. Threatened
black rhinos were
brought there in a bid to preserve and boost the numbers
of the species.
But on Mukwasi ranch, one of the many that make up the Save
preserve, 700
snares were discovered in one month and 45 animals were found
dead or
seriously injured. Mukwasi is one of the 1,600 farms that have been
invaded
by so-called war vets.
The police have failed to stop the violence and at
times have condoned it.
Africa's black rhinos are among the most endangered
large mammals on earth.
Only 700 roam Zimbabwe's parks and reserves.
The
CFU, which represents farmers on Zimbabwe's remaining 600 white-owned
farms,
reports that animals are killed almost every day on the occupied
farms.
The Zimbabwean
HARARE
Nurses and junior doctors have vowed to continue with
their industrial
action pressing for salary increases, as many die because
of the
fast-crumbling health delivery system. Health minister, David
Parirenyatwa
said the situation at government hospitals was "getting
increasingly
worrisome" as hundreds of people die for want professional
attention and
treatment.
Members of the nurses and junior doctors
associations told The Zimbabwean
they wouldn't be moved by threats to
dismiss them. "We are demanding nothing
but salary increases that are in
line with the cost of living," a junior
doctor said. "If someone believes
they can bring us back to work through
intimidation, then good luck to them.
We want salaries of at least Z$20
million with immediate effect."
Nurses
are demanding a minimum of Z$15 million as a starting salary,
compared to
less than $1 million currently on the table. "Most of us are
simply waiting
for the opportunity to leave the country and are even
prepared to go and do
menial jobs in other countries rather than continue
with this circus," said
one nurse.
The health delivery system heads for a real catastrophe with
reports that
Parirenyatwa's ministry is currently doing an audit at
government hospitals
to determine the extent of the mass exodus of health
personnel. reports
suggest that about 40 percent of doctors and nurses, in
an already
understaffed fraternity, have left between November last year and
last
month.
A visit to major hospitals in Harare revealed that most
departments have
been closed except outpatients and casualty departments,
which are manned by
skeleton staff. The busiest of all are the
mortuaries.
The situation is exacerbated by the permanent, acute shortage of
drugs, for
which foreign currency is required.
The Zimbabwean
LONDON
At their second
press conference in London last week three members of the
self-proclaimed
Zimbabwean government in exile said they were confident that
Robert Mugabe
would eventually be removed by an army mutiny.
Such was the parlous state of
the economy they claimed that soldiers from
the rank of captain down were
now deserting the military in droves and
taking their weapons with them.
They had not been paid for months so could
no longer afford to remain in
service.
The ZGE said it would also call on Zimbabweans in exile in
neighbouring
countries to help bring about Mugabe's overthrow. Wait for
November, they
said. But there would be no terrorism, they
reiterated.
The elections called for 2008 were a sham and should be boycotted
by
opposition parties - the MDC was merely helping to shore up Zanu (PF)'s
image as a democratic party - its leadership should leave the country now.
The ZGE said it had no faith in President Mbeki as a mediator. He was out of
touch with the real situation on the ground in Zimbabwe and was merely
anxious to shore up South Africa's international image ahead of the 2010
World Cup.
On its website www.zimgovernment.com, the ZGE has
posted its plans for its
projected government's basic structure, but no
indication how this would be
financed.
Arthur Molife, the head of the
ZGE, says his interim government will have a
life-span lasting only up to
the end of the set transitional period. This
is due to start from the end
of Mugabe's reign to the first democratic, free
and fair parliamentary
elections for all the people of a New Zimbabwe,
probably 18 to 30 months to
the early part of 2010. - Special correspondent
The Zimbabwean
BEITBRIDGE
The
Zimbabwean government's national youth militia apologetic to president
Robert Mugabe (83) have been spotted crossing the South African border post
through unauthorized entry points as they escape the economic crisis that
has left them virtual beggars, dependent on goods impounded from informal
traders.
Over 3,000 trained militias are believed to have resigned.
Political
commentator Joshua Rusere said most of them had been intercepted
by
commercial farmers in the Messina-Tshipise area and stood a high chance
of
getting farm worker permits.
Militia members are used as Muagabe's
private army and election campaigners,
ordered to threaten, assault and kill
members of civic society and the
opposition. There were promised training as
nurses and teachers colleges if
they went through the national youth militia
training. But these never
materialised.
The ministry of youth, gender and
employment creation has distanced itself
from those who desert the youth
camps, branding them traitors and sell-outs.
A request for comment from Zanu
(PF)'s spokesman Nathan Shamuyarira was met
with a demand to put the
questions in writing and submit with a copy of
accreditation and work
address.
The Zimbabwean
JOHANNESBURG
The
African National Congress Youth League (ANCYL) and their Young Communist
League(YCL) have defied the South African government's so-called "quiet
diplomacy" and vowed to support their Zimbabwean counterparts who are being
brutalised by the ruling Zanu (PF).
At a press conference at the ANC HQ
on Friday attended by leaders of the two
parties, President Fikile Mbalula
(ANCYL), national secretary Buti Manamela
and national spokesperson Castro
Ngobese of YCL, SA youths argued that
their country should play a major role
in bringing change in Zimbabwe.
"We are disturbed about what is happening in
Zimbabwe. We are concerned
about Zanu (PF), which liberated people and now
oppressing, unleashing
violence against them. We want democracy to prevail
in Zimbabwe," said
Ngobese.
The Progressive Young Alliance called for an
immediate abolishment of trade,
saying poor people were not benefiting from
the business.
"They are still trading with us on luxury and military goods.
They must stop
because that relationship only benefits the elite connected
to Mugabe," he
said.
Ngobese also said now was the time for SA to tap
into the knowledge and
education of highly educated Zimbabwean
professionals, instead of vilifying
them.
Echoing the same sentiments was
the president of the African National
Congress Youth League (ANCYL), Fikile
Mbalula, who said SA should adopt the
Zimbabwean educational policy to
improve its deteriorating standard of
education.
Over 70 percent of South
African scholars/pupils failed matric last year.
The Zimbabwean
With elections less than
10 months away, the Mugabe regime is once again
preparing to use food as its
ultimate election weapon - along with various
other rigging
mechanisms.
With the agricultural industry having been virtually destroyed by
the
chaotic and corrupt land grab and massive unemployment of about 80%, the
majority of Zimbabweans cannot feed themselves.
The cost of even the
basic staple, mealie meal, is beyond the reach of all
but a small
percentage. A poor rainy season in the southern half of the
country,
together with widespread shortages of maize and fertilizer, has
exacerbated
the situation.
Nobody loves Zanu (PF) any more. The party survives only
through a patronage
system. As widespread corruption and economic
mismanagement take their toll
on the once-vibrant and diversified economy,
the cake shrinks smaller and
smaller. There is less and less space at the
feeding trough for party
supporters.
But still elaborate plans are made
and precious foreign currency expended to
secure food stocks to be used to
bribe rural communities in particular to
vote for Zanu (PF).
The
international community has signalled on many occasions its willingness
to
help the suffering people of Zimbabwe. This is their chance.
The Mugabe
regime must not be allowed to use food for votes. The majority of
Zimbabweans are under-nourished, many are sick. They are therefore extremely
vulnerable to this brutal tactic, which has been used so effectively in the
past by Zanu (PF).
The bottom line is that the international community
can and must provide
food aid to these people - without allowing it go
through the official
channels.
Admittedly this poses something of a
challenge - but it is not
insurmountable, surely?
Churches and civic
groups are still operative and active throughout the
country. They are the
best-placed to handle food distribution fairly. Of
course, the regime will
resist this with anti-west rhetoric, bureaucratic
red-tape and many other
obstacles.
The international community must not take no for an answer.
Pressure must be
brought to bear on SADC leaders to force Mugabe to allow
independent food
distribution. This is a moral issue.
An entire nation
cannot be held to ransom by one man any longer. Children
must not be
starved, their growth stunted, their health compromised for a
lifetime,
because of a tyrant's political whims.
We expect churches, in particular, to
speak out on this with one voice, with
a very loud voice.
The Zimbabwean
HARARE
Zimbabwe's
embattled President Robert Mugabe reportedly admitted to the
inner circle of
his ruling Zanu (PF) party officials that his support base
is drastically
waning in urban areas and could lose the 2008 vote.
The veteran Zimbabwean
ruler told his lieutenants that the MDC had
capitalised on the country's
economic crisis to win considerable support in
urban areas.
"Let us not
fool ourselves. We are facing a challenge from the MDC in the
urban
constituencies, especially here in Harare," Mugabe reportedly told his
Politburo at its last meeting called to strategize for the 2008 harmonised
poll.
The veteran ruler will this month embark on "Meet The People Star
Rallies."
Mugabe said government will win re-election by re-introducing
price controls
to cushion people from the rising cost of living, which he
blames on
profiteering, by manufacturers and retailers.
He also promised
a re-invigorated crackdown on top-level corruption in
government in which
several senior officials have been implicated in scams
involving billions of
dollars.
"This is rubbish," said a seasoned political observer. "Mugabe has
always
stopped the police from investigating corruption among his senior
lieutenants and is still sitting on a number of reports giving full details
of the corruption in high places. This will not change. It is time the
electorate started comparing what he says with what he does. The two bear no
resemblance to each other whatsoever."
The Zimbabwean
MASVINGO
Police have once
again cancelled opposition MDC rallies in the Zaka East
constituency ahead
of the by-election to be held on 9 June.
Officer commanding police Masvingo
East District, Chief Superintendent L.
Matapura wrote a letter on 31 May to
Misheck Marava the MDC organising
secretary for Masvingo province advising
him that their applications have
been unsuccessful.
"I regret to advise
you that your applications have been revoked and
cancelled due to a lot of
circumstances we are in, in preparation for the
by-election to be held on 9
June 2007," wrote Matapura.
Marava said the MDC was shocked by the sudden
change of mind on the part of
the polie because they had already peacefully
held one of the rallies at
Chinorumba township on May 30.
"We had planned
two other rallies for the weekend, one at Mutimwi school on
Saturday and
another at Chibwe Township on Sunday. The police are busy right
now telling
people not to attend our rallies because they are illegal," said
Marava.
MDC spokesperson Nelson Chamisa on Saturday said although they
were not
taking part in the election they wanted to address their supporters
about
the decision to pull out as well as mobilise for the 2008
parliamentary and
presidential elections.
"The plan is to frustrate all
our efforts to mobilise people ahead of the
elections. Zanu (PF) is failing
to get supporters at its rallies and they
are afraid. We will however not be
deterred by these tactics until we
achieve our goal of a new Zimbabwe," said
Chamisa.
Police spokesperson Wayne Bvudzijena was not available for comment.
- CAJ
News
The Zimbabwean
BY JOHN MAKUMBE
It
is unfortunate that elements within the opposition MDC (Mutambara) have
decided to proceed with the defamation lawsuit against Morgan Tsvangirai,
founder President of the MDC. This is following Tsvangirai's address to the
Harare-based diplomats where it is alleged that he defamed some of the
Mutambara faction leaders by claiming that they were working in cahoots with
Zanu (PF) to kill him.
Recent efforts to bring the two factions together
are likely to be derailed
by the legal action. To date, only Gift
Chimanikire, who has since defected
to the Tsvangirai faction, is known to
have dropped the charges.
It is obviously the right of each and every
Zimbabwean to approach the
courts of law for redress when they feel
aggrieved. The Mutambara faction
leaders are therefore entitled to proceed
with the matter before the courts.
Unfortunately, this is bound to make it
more difficult for the two factions
to consider re-uniting in the face of
the ill-fated Thabo Mbeki mediation
efforts and the 2008 presidential and
parliamentary elections. The fact that
the courts are likely to set the
trial dates soon basically means that
re-unification efforts will have to be
stalled until the courts reach some
decision on the matter.
What may be
the best way forward is for the two factions to agree to differ,
and
completely sever all ties forthwith. While this will be unfortunate in
relation to the need for a strong and united opposition party, it is
probably the only way that the current seesaw can be brought to an end, and
people are able to make decisions with regard to which of the two factions
they prefer to support in the forthcoming elections.
Although we have
seen several Mutambara faction supporters defect to the
Tsvangirai faction,
we are still to experience the reverse of this action.
In other words, there
has not been any defection from the Tsvangirai to the
Mutambara faction in
the MDC, to the best of my knowledge. Perhaps a clean
break up will motivate
some of the members of the opposing factions to be
more decisive in this
regard.
I know that there will be some readers of this column who will
criticise me
for advocating a clear cut break up or kiss and make up between
the two
factions, but I am rather thick skinned and will not take offence
with such
readers.
It is quite clear to me, for example, that quite a few
of the Mutambara
faction members will lose their seats in the 2008 elections
if the current
impasse between the two factions is not resolved, and if the
Tsvangirai
faction decides to field candidates in all contestable seats
throughout the
country.
For example, it is inconceivable that the MDC
supporters in Priscilla
Misihairabwi-Mushonga's constituency would vote for
her if she insists on
remaining in the Mutambara faction of the MDC. It
would be unfortunate for
such a dynamic legislator to lose her parliamentary
seat at this stage in
the political development of this devastated
country.
My advice to the Mutambara faction leaders is that they should drop
the
charges they are levelling against Morgan Tsvangirai in the interest of
MDC
unity and national resistance to the evil infested Zanu (PF) and Robert
Mugabe.
Naturally, Tsvangirai has denied ever saying the things he is
alleged to
have said, and is not bothered about the case proceeding to trial
in the
courts. The point to make here is that whatever verdict the courts
may reach
will have a negative impact on the MDC's unity prospects.
Zimbabweans are
certainly some of the most litigious bunch of
democracy-starved people on
the African continent.
The Zimbabwean
*1000 top cops AWOL *Stop exodus -
Chihuri
HARARE
BY ITAI DZAMARA
The recent arrest, court appearance and
imprisonment of a group of army and
police officers charged with plotting a
coup have been shrouded in secrecy.
The group was arrested at an office in
central Harare last week following a
tip-off to the Central Intelligence
Organisation and police. A number of
civilians were also implicated but
these have reportedly been released after
being severely beaten up and
tortured.
Seven army and police officers were taken to the Magistrate's Court
on
Monday and remanded in custody. Government has been tight-lipped on the
matter, with minister of defence Sydney Sekeramayi and minister of state
security Didymus Mutasa flatly denying any knowledge of the arrest or the
planned coup.
"There must have been a tip-off to the police and CIO by
one of the soldiers
privy to the arrangements. They arrived at the offices
where we were holding
the meeting when we had just started and ordered
everyone there to lie down
at gunpoint," one of the civilians released last
week told The Zimbabwean.
"We were all blindfolded and bundled into vehicles
before travelling for
long distances to remote places we don't even know up
to now. After thorough
interrogation and beatings the civilians were
released because we all
maintained that we had been recruited for jobs as
security guards. But the
army and police officers were not released," he
said.
The Zimbabwean witnessed the group's appearance at the Magistrate's
court on
Monday. The case was heard in camera amidst a heavy presence of CIO
members.
It was later reported that they were taken to remand prison, but
other
reports suggested they were at an army barracks in Harare under
military
arrest.
Another four army officers were believed to have been
arrested on Monday
evening and early Tuesday and this paper confirmed their
presence at Harare
Central Police Station on Tuesday afternoon, where they
were understood to
be being interrogated.
Observers expect more members
of the army and police to be arrested
following the torture of those already
in custody. "The plan involved
several senior officers in both the army and
police," a source said.
Meanwhile, ZimOnline reporters that some 5 000 police
officers resigned last
month in protest over poor pay and working
conditions.
Police Commissioner Augustine Chihuri has written to all
provincial
commanders ordering them not to accept any further resignations
until after
next year's elections.
"We have received about 5 000 letters
from police officers intending to
leave the force since the beginning of May
and if we allow them to go we
will be short of manpower during elections
next year," said Chihuri in the
confidential memo.
Chihuri's memo comes
hardly a week after the Zimbabwean government announced
plans to go on a
massive recruitment drive that would see the number of
police officers
increased from the current 29 000 to 50 000.
Home Affairs Minister Kembo
Mohadi confirmed the exodus adding that his
ministry was currently looking
for about 1 000 officers who had simply
absconded from duty without
permission.
The Zimbabwean
JOHANNESBURG
THE
Zimbabwean dollar has further tumbled, trading at Z$7800 against the SAR
at
Park Station over the weekend.
In a snap survey conducted by CAJ News Agency
here the Zimdollar took a huge
knock and its chances of regaining against
major international currencies
were described as
"unrealistic".
Complicating matters for the Zimbabwean dollar's woes, the
hard-hit
inflation dollar was also removed from lowly rated Zambian Stock
Exchange,
which literally means the dollar "is no-more".
The South Africa
rand is steadily gaining firmness against all the Southern
African
Development Community (SADC) regional member states as evidence by
last
week's gain against the Botswana pula.
A Zimbabwean financial vendor, Patrick
Mombeshora, of Braamfontein expressed
concern over the fluctuating
currency.
"It is a high risk investing in Zimbabwe these days. The dollar
keeps
changing every hour whilst the companies that are supposed to rescue
the
country from worsening inflation are closing down," he said.
The Zimbabwean
Plans for £50m investment
to go ahead
LONDON
As militant sections of the Mugabe regime prepare to
invade and cause chaos
in industry by taking over foreign-owned businesses,
the diversified
multinational Lonrho PLC is planning to invest at least £50
million in real
estate, hotels and the tourism sector.
The government has
announced that is preparing a bill to empower it to
forcibly take over
majority stakes in all foreign-owned firms. Dubbed the
urban jambanja, this
is reminiscent of the bloody scenes that characterized
the land grab of
2000, and the subsequent collapse of the once-vibrant
economy.
Members of
the parliamentary portfolio committee on industry and economic
development
have sounded a clear warning against such a move, but youths and
war vets
have declared their willingness to spearhead the campaign.
The committee has
already received submissions from various stakeholders
giving warnings about
the serious dangers of the plan.
Mugabe has been talking about the
"empowerment of our people" at public
gatherings and highly-placed sources
have said that the take-over of
foreign-owned business would be one of the
regime's election campaign points
ahead of next year's polls.
Zanu (PF)
spokesman, Nathan Shamuyarira however claimed that "it is not
going to be
done that way, it will follow the proper procedures of a bill
being taken to
parliament and then signed into law".
Despite all this, Lonrho believes
Zimbabwe offers a significant opportunity
for growth and is going ahead with
raising the money.
In an exclusive interview with The Zimbabwean this week,
David Lenigas,
Lonrho's Executive Chairman and Chief Executive, said the
company would soon
register a subsidiary, LonZim, to spearhead substantial
investment in
Zimbabwe and create many desperately needed jobs.
Lenigas
emphasized that the money would come from investors around the
world -
mainly Asia and Africa - not just from the UK.
"Things can only go one way
and that's up. Someone needs to put money into
Zimbabwe because people need
jobs. We are not supporting anybody. This is
purely a business investment.
In the future Zimbabwe will need more hotels
and shopping malls. We will
work to bring more tourists to the country," he
said.
Lenigas explained
that the establishment of LonZim offered Lonrho
shareholders an opportunity
to participate while minimizing the risk by
channeling investment through a
separate listed vehicle.
"It is intended that LonZim will invest 80% in
commercial property
opportunities but will also look to identify Zimbabwean
assets and companies
with the potential to grow rapidly with the benefit of
investment and
international management expertise. Lonrho has the people in
place to offer
support and advice to LonZim and its projects," he added. -
Staff reporter
The Zimbabwean
MUTARE
The trial
of Peter Michael Hitschmann, accused of illegally possessing
ivory, has been
postponed to June 15 as a key witness, senior warden with
the parks and
Wildlife Management, Philemon November, is out of the country.
Observers
believe Hitschmann, who is still in remand prison awaiting
continuation of
his trial on allegations of having attempted to assassinate
President Mugabe
in 2003, is being persecuted by the authorities for being a
senior member of
the MDC.
Another key state witness, detective inspector, Zororai Dhliwayo,
told the
court he was part of a group including CIO operatives and soldiers
that
raided Hitschmann's house in search of weapons. They discovered two
elephant tusks, of which the accused proved to them that he was lawfully in
possession, but had not registered with the Parks and Wildlife
Authority.
Trust Maanda, a prominent Mutare lawyer, argued for the defense
that
Hitschmann, a former police constabulary member, was keeping the
elephant
tusks behalf of the provincial Wildlife Society.
Maanda said the
society, which leases Cecil Kopje Nature Reserves from the
City of Mutare,
had culled a troublesome elephant on 27 October 2003. The
provincial warden
of the Department of National Parks had been informed that
the Society was
in possession of two tusks.
He said the provincial warden informed the
Wildlife Society of Zimbabwe to
take the unregistered ivory pending
regularization of papers regarding ivory
that the Wildlife Society of
Zimbabwe had earlier handed over to the
National Parks.
Maanda questioned
why his client was being taken to court for possessing
ivory which had been
known by the relevant authorities since 2003. - CAJ
News
The Zimbabwean
HARARE
The Mugabe
regime's counter-strategy at the African Commission for Human
Rights summit
in Ghana recently failed and Harare is up for censure
following convincing
submissions by civil society and opposition
representatives.
Sources who
attended the summit said the police spokesman, Wayne Bvudzijena,
submitted
to the Commission a funny document entitled Trail of Violence
which was
compiled by the Zimbabwe Republic Police and tries to provide
evidence of
alleged "systematic violence" by the opposition and civil
society.
Justice minister, Patrick Chinamasa, who represented the Mugabe
regime also
failed to do a convincing PR job for the violent and repressive
Zanu (PF)
government. Sources said Chinamasa's refusal to appear before the
commission
and answer allegations from opposition and civil society
backfired.
"The Commission expressed great concern at the human rights abuses
of the
regime and resolved to further probe the situation as well as apply
pressure
on the international scene. The attempts to counter civil society
and
opposition submissions failed dismally," said a source who attended the
summit.
The Mugabe team is reported to also have bungled big time when it
tried to
use Mugabe's interview and Zanu (PF)'s several propaganda pieces
that
appeared in the New African Magazine. Apparently, Mugabe came out in
the
interview boasting about the brutal assaults of opposition and civil
society
leaders by the police, which the commission pointed at as evidence
of
state-sanctioned human rights abuses.
The ZRP document, a copy which
is in the possession of this paper, contains
various incidents of petrol
bombing and other forms of violence alleged to
have been done by the
opposition and civil society with however some
ridiculous mistakes and
fabrications easily detectable. For example, it has
two pictures of the same
ZUPCO bus on different pages and it is claimed they
were two buses damaged
by opposition supporters yet someone forgot to
conceal the number plate in
both cases showing is the same bus. On other
instances, different
elevations of the same women police officers are used
to claim there were
"several" victims of petrol bombs thrown by the MDC
activists.
Chinamasa
and Bvudzijena were not available for comment. But the minister
has told the
local media that his team at the summit succeeded in countering
what he
alleges to be western-driven propaganda.