News24
18/03/2008 19:13 -
(SA)
Harare - Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe has amended electoral
laws to
allow policemen into polling stations later this month to "assist"
illiterate people to vote, state radio said on Tuesday.
The
amendment, which was published as a presidential proclamation on Monday,
comes less than two weeks ahead of make-or-break polls on March
29.
The amendment appears to backtrack on changes agreed at recently
during
South African-brokered talks that restricted police from doubling up
as
election officers.
Under the electoral laws, police were not to be
allowed within 100 metres of
a polling station to avoid intimidating
voters.
"Section 59 of the act has also been amended and will allow two
electoral
officers and a police officer on duty to assist semi- literate
voters," the
radio quoted part of the presidential proclamation as
saying.
Voters who are "physically incapacitated" will also be assisted
to vote by
two electoral officials and a policeman, the report said. The
radio did not
say why the laws had been changed. - Sapa-dpa
Zimbabwe Guardian
Mugabe infuriated by low rank army
officers
Brian Heart
Tue, 18 Mar 2008 00:15:00
+0000
HARARE - PRESIDENT Robert Mugabe is reported to be
infuriated by reports of
massive disgruntlement in the lower ranks of the
Zimbabwe National Army
(ZNA) over increasingly deteriorating working
conditions and paltry
salaries.
Mugabe on Monday last
week announced a "hefty" 754 percent salary hike to
the enraged soldiers for
the second time in a month after soldiers
complained that the $1,7 billion
they had been awarded at the beginning of
the had been eroded by the world's
highest inflation at 100 000 percent.
At the beginning of March,
Mugabe increased the ZNA's salaries from $300
million per month to $1,7
billion per month.
Apparently soldiers said in interviews on
Thursday that there had been
fliers that were circulating in the Zimbabwe
Republic Police (ZRP), the ZNA
and the Zimbabwe Prison Service (ZPS) that
called upon the security forces
to reject Mugabe during "because we are
tired and our children are
suffering."
Two reports circulated
at the KG V1, the army's headquarters, and another
one on Monday at the same
offices urging the army to "come out of your
sleep, why keep supporting a
dictator who has killed our promising careers"
had infuriated President
Mugabe.
On of the reports, which circulated on Monday read; "Come
out of you sleep
soldier, we are tired of the regime and
oppression."
The second one was reported to have been circulated
in ZRP stations and some
barracks of the ZNA outside
Harare.
In an interview with at the KGV1 army headquarters on
Thursday, soldiers
said there were so many leaflets circulating in their
mails and fliers that
the top ranks had employed monitoring measures to
"punish those suspected to
be instigating a mutiny against the
regime."
"We do not want Mugabe anymore," a soldier
said.
"Now they have started rigging, soldiers and members of the
ZRP have started
getting postal votes. But we are all here we are not
anywhere out of the
country. They are forcing us. They started giving us the
forms today
(Thursday) and they say we will vote with our chefs watching and
our
envelopes will be marked our names so there is nowhere you cannot vote
for
Mugabe, we will be afraid."
"Mugabe must go now. There is
nothing he is doing for us, and all security
forces are supporting Makoni
and Tsvangirai. We are tired. He must not get
our votes by tricks. We want
our children to survive. To maximize his votes,
there is going to be a
massive pass out of new recruits next week and all of
them have been
instructed to vote by post after the messages were
circulated."
But pressure had been mounting on President
Mugabe in the past two weeks, as
civil servants had been disappointed about
the deteriorating economic
situation.
After teachers downed
tools in a paralysing industrial action that hit
Zimbabwe for two weeks,
Mugabe announced on Monday he had awarded all civil
"hefty" salary
increment, the soldiers included.
This would take the basic
salary of the lowest paid soldiers to more than
$10 billion, and the lowest
paid teacher to about $5,6 billion.
But the Secretary General of
the vocal Progressive Teachers Association
(PTUZ) Raymond Majongwe said on
Thursday Mugabe was back to his old game but
teachers, the security forces
were not going to be deterred.
"It is a vote buying gimmick,"
Majongwe said.
"They left it until election time but our teachers
know who to vote for.
They will vote for a person to will represent their
interests," he said.
On several occasions, the ZNA and the ZRS
has had to suspend training and
parliament has recently urged Mugabe to
immediately give additional
government funding to the army. "The soldiers
are disgruntled over poor
salaries, Defence Secretary Trust Maphosa told the
parliamentary committee
on Defence and Home Affairs in
December.
Committee chairman Claudius Makova, a retired soldier
immediately warned of
the consequences on national security if the situation
is allowed to
continue.
Another soldier said; "We are the
pillars of a country's defence, the
security of our country, including the
President's tenure, is in our hands.
"Yet we are always going
hungry and we have become the laughing stock. Food
runs out every week and
when it comes, in most cases we are fed on sadza
with beans, or vegetables
without cooking oil. We are compromised.
"To make matters worse,
the regime has failed to pay teachers and they have
gone on strike. It's a
double blow for the children. Their parents cannot
feed them and they are
deprived of their right to education."
The Zimbabwe Defence
Forces has been hit by a shortage of spares for its
ageing fleet so its
officers have been commuting to and from work on food
due to the poor
salaries.
Zimbabwe National Water Authority has on several
occasions disconnected
water from military installations due to none
payments of bills.
During a tour of the Chikurubi Prison
Thursday, a reporter saw scores of
women fetching water from unprotected
wells. Toilets in their houses were
blocked and raw sewerage was choking the
residents.
A woman said her child had suffered from acute
diahhorea but her husband, a
member of the ZPS had no money to take her to
hospital.
"This is what we get from Mugabe," she said, showing
off the child's
tattered clothes and malnourished body.
At
the Dzivaresakwa Extension Presidential Command Barracks, 10 kilometres
west
of the city, soldiers said they had been borrowing much more than their
salaries to keep their families running, but they were convinced Mugabe will
lose the election because despite the public relations campaigns their
commanders were doing in the public, there was too much disgruntlement in
suffering security forces.
Despite its high levels of
discipline Mugabe has one of the most poorly
dressed armies in Africa, and
often times, soldiers, the ZRP and the ZPS are
seen in old
clothes.
But Mugabe has been playing his cards
right.
He has showered the top ranks of the national defence
forces with high
salary packs and top of the range cars buy their
loyalty.
It has worked.
Last week the commander of
the ZDF Constantine Chiwenga said the army he
will not raise his arm to
salute anyone else except Mugabe.
"We will not support anyone
other than President Mugabe who has sacrificed a
lot for the country,"
Chiwenga told the privately owned The Standard
Newspaper.
He
added; "what is wrong with supporting the President against the election
of
sellouts.
There have been massive resignations in the national army
military sources
said this week.
But Chiwenga has ordered that he
will accept no more resignations.
The Commissioner of the ZPS
Paradzai Zimondi has backed him.
"I will only support the
leadership of President Mugabe. Will not salute
them (Tsvangirai and
Makoni). If you want to salute them vote for them but I
urge you to vote for
the President," Zimondi told a promotion ceremony in
Harare last
week.
"We are going to the elections and you should vote for
Mugabe. I am giving
you an order to vote for the President. Do not be
distracted, the challenges
we are facing are just a passing
phase."
Business Day
18 March 2008
FOR anyone who has ever visited a working democracy, let alone
lived and
participated in one, it is hard to understand how President Robert
Mug-abe
could even be in the running to be elected for yet another
term.
Life in Zimbabwe is every bit as "nasty, brutish and
short" as
philosopher Thomas Hobbes envisaged when he coined the phrase more
than
three and a half centuries ago to describe mankind's natural state in
the
absence of any recognisable social structure. In a country where
elections
had meaning, a change of government would be inevitable in such
circumstances.
Zimbabweans have been reduced to this
state of desperation as a
direct result of Mugabe's misrule, yet it is by no
means certain he will
lose the presidential election scheduled for the end
of this month, despite
facing credible opposition. How can this
be?
The obvious suspicion is that the polls will be rigged,
as has
been the case in past elections won by Mugabe. Indeed, the voters'
roll is
highly suspect, government officials are shamelessly using state
resources
to favour the ruling party and there is plenty of evidence of
gerrymandering - rural votes will carry three times as much weight as those
cast in the cities, for instance.
If Zanu (PF) acts true
to past form, anyone suspected of
supporting the opposition will struggle to
cast their vote, election
officials will either be party loyalists or so
intimidated that they
surrender control of the process, and ballot boxes
will be stuffed.
The few sycophantic foreign observers who
have been allowed into
the country to pretend to monitor the election will
no doubt pronounce the
process free and fair on cue, and Zimbabwe will be
back to square one - an
economic basket case run by a demented and ruthless
despot.
The head of the Southern African Development
Community's
monitoring mission, secretary-general Tomaz Salomao, has already
expressed
confidence that the elections will be free and fair, ignoring all
evidence
and past experience to the contrary. And SA's Deputy Foreign
Affairs
Minister Aziz Pahad is on record as saying the conditions for a free
and
fair poll exist "on paper" - although he was quick to hedge his bets by
adding that anything could happen before the election.
The South African government's role in the tragedy that is
unfolding in
Zimbabwe is becoming increasingly difficult to defend now that
it is common
knowledge that Mugabe duped President Thabo Mbeki with promises
of electoral
reforms he never had any intention of implementing. "On paper"
these might
have given a presidential candidate other than Mugabe a prospect
of winning.
In practice, Zanu (PF) did the groundwork to steal this election
and
reinstall Mugabe months ago.
The only hope of any other
outcome is if there is a rebellion in
the ranks of the Zanu (PF) officials
tasked with skewing the election
result. But, while dissatisfaction with
Mugabe is growing within the party,
breaking ranks is risky. And, even if by
some miracle voting is allowed to
take place relatively freely, former
finance minister Simba Makoni's recent
entry into the race will favour the
incumbent by splitting the urban vote,
which is all but lost to Mugabe
anyway.
The election will be won or lost in the rural
constituencies,
where Mugabe remains in firm control.
International Herald Tribune
The Associated
PressPublished: March 18, 2008
HARARE, Zimbabwe: Zimbabwe's
opposition and independent monitoring groups
say numerous errors on the
voter rolls - including the listing of a
long-dead colonial-era security
minister - open March 29 general and
presidential elections to
rigging.
Lawyers on Monday filed an application at the Harare High Court
demanding
that the registrar of voters supply opposition parties with
electronic
copies of the roll. Computerized searches could allow observers
to almost
instantly uncover discrepancies and allay fears that doctored
lists are
being used to rig voting, independent monitors say.
The
lawyers acted after the special Electoral Court on Thursday denied a
petition by the opposition Movement for Democratic Change for an electronic
list. The court ruled it was a technicality outside its
jurisdiction.
"The Electoral Court should be there to deal with all
electoral issues,"
said lawyer Bryant Elliot. "In this computer age, it has
become fundamental
in any functioning constitutional democracy for a
political party to be
provided with electronic voters rolls."
In
response to a previous court order to provide copies of the roll, the
registrar issued what amounted to printed copies that cannot be used for
computerized checking.
Among the examples cited by critics is 50
voters were registered as residing
at an address that is a hairdressing
business belonging to a member of
President Robert Mugabe's ruling
party.
Bryant's High Court application sites the example of Desmond
Lardner-Burke,
a former minister of law and order who died nearly 30 years
ago in
neighboring South Africa.
Lardner-Burke was the architect of a
draconian state of emergency during the
guerrilla war for black majority
rule that ended when white-ruled Rhodesia
became independent Zimbabwe after
elections in 1980. Mugabe, who won that
election in a
landslide.
Elections in 2002 and 2005 won by Mugabe's ruling party were
marred by
administrative chaos, allegations of vote rigging, irregularities
in voters'
lists and charges that violence and political intimidation
influenced
voting.
This year, the Zimbabwe Election Support Network
says polling stations have
been allocated in a lopsided way, with more
placed in less populated rural
areas where Mugabe garners most of his
support and fewer stations in heavily
populated urban areas where the
opposition is strong. The network, a group
of non-governmental and civil
society groups, estimated that a voter in
Harare province would need to be
processed in 22 seconds and in some cases
as little as nine seconds on
election day.
This when Zimbabweans - about 5.6 million registered
electors - for the
first time will vote in presidential, parliament and
local council elections
on a single day at about 11,000 polling stations
countrywide. There were
4,000 polling stations in the last parliamentary
vote in 2005.
The network and other independent monitor groups also say
administrative
preparations for the elections so far have been left in chaos
by chronic
shortages of gasoline, food and most basic goods in the nation's
deepening
economic meltdown, where official inflation is by far the highest
in the
world at 100,500 percent.
Many observers in and outside
Zimbabe blame the economic crisis on the
often-violent seizures of thousands
of white-owned farms that disrupted
agricultural production in the former
food exporter. Mugabe blames targeted
sanctions imposed by Britain and its
Western allies that accuse him of
violating human and democratic rights and
destroying his economy.
The government has barred official Western
observer delegations from
Britain, the former colonial ruler, the European
Union and the United
States, saying they back the opposition.
Mugabe,
84, is facing his biggest electoral challenge since independence
from former
finance minister and ruling party loyalist Simba Makoni, 57, and
opposition
leader Morgan Tsvangirai, 55.
Makoni draws his support from ruling party
rebels and disillusioned
supporters of the fractured opposition Movement for
Democratic Change,
mostly in urban areas.
From our correspondent in
Harare A brief computer analysis based on the scanned
voters’ roll reveals massive discrepancies between what ZEC has declared as the
number of voters per constituency and those actually on the voters roll. There are massive variations of up to 30,8 per cent in some
constituencies such as Goromonzi South, Bulawayo Central, Gokwe Nembudziya and
Chikomba East. Goromonzi South has a total of 19 422 on the voter’s roll which is
30.8 less than the 28 086 voters registered by ZEC. The roll for Bulawayo contains the names of people long
deceased. Below is an analytical list of error on the March 29 general
election voters’ register. ZIMBABWE Electoral Voters List Margin of
Error Reuters Mail and Guardian
Trudy Stevenson,
MP 4 Ashbrittle Crescent, Mt Pleasant,
Harare 16 March
2008 Zimbabwe
Electoral Commission Century House
East, Harare Dear
Commissioners COMPLAINTS –MT PLEASANT
CONSTITUENCY – 1. PAULING DRIVE
–“CENTRAL ST” TENT POLLING STATION 2. PREVENTION OF
CAMPAIGNING – TOMLINSON DEPOT I refer to my previous letter of 24 February 2008 and my conversation
with Mr Gavi, ZEC Harare Province CEO, concerning Tomlinson Depot and
surrounding area as a potential polling station. 1. From our meeting with ZEC Mt Pleasant on Friday morning, I note that
the “final list” of polling stations for Mt Pleasant constituency includes a
tent at the corner of Pauling Drive and “Central Street”. This polling station was not agreed to by
consensus of all candidates in the constituency, as neither I nor my colleague
Prof Rudo Gaidzanwa, nor the two Mt Pleasant council candidates, Chiwola and
Moyana, knew anything about such a proposal until the meeting Friday morning. I
subsequently attempted to identify the exact position of this polling station,
but was unable to do so, as there is no Central Street listed for Harare. There is Central Avenue, which runs parallel
to Pauling Dr a number of blocks away in Harare Central constituency, but there
is no way there could be a corner of the two streets. We can only surmise that the corner referred to is either the one
with large “Security Area” notices displayed towards Chancellor Avenue end of
Pauling Drive, or the corner with the street leading to Tomlinson Depot. Neither corner, nor any other place along Pauling Drive, is suitable
for a polling station. This area is
inside and surrounded by a large police security compound including the HQ of
the Presidential Guard, the Police Camps, Army and Prison services. It is an extremely intimidating place to
enter, especially if, like us, one belongs to the opposition party. The police, the army and the Presidential
Guard are renowned for being pro-ZanuPF and for dealing harshly with the
MDC. It is therefore most unlikely that
any non-ZanuPF supporter will attempt to vote at this polling station. It is a ZanuPF polling station, in fact if
not in name. Moreover, there is a tradition of marshalling voters in blocks to
ensure they vote the “correct” way in and near such controlled areas. Almost certainly the security services have
been warned to produce a “correct” result at this polling station, so that
anyone voting for the opposition will be a negative result for them. I note that approximately 40% of the registered voters in Ward 7
Avondale-Alexandra Park are registered within this security complex. See attached copies of pages from the voters
roll to illustrate this point. In view
of recent public statements issued by the Commissioner General of Police and the
Heads of the Army and Prison Services, any member of the security forces who
dared to vote for the opposition would be subject to disciplinary action at the
very least, and the fact that votes are counted at the polling station and
results posted outside would highlight any vote for the opposition within those
forces. This means that the pressure of
intimidation is very high within such a complex, and voters therein do not
believe that their vote is their secret. Furthermore, in the event of the vote going against the incumbent
president, it would presumably be the duty of the Presidential Guard to protect
that incumbent. This implies that the
Presidential Guard would be duty-bound to stop the proceedings at polling
stations within its vicinity in order to protect the incumbent, and would be
tempted if not actively encouraged to interfere with proceedings at any such
polling station. The ramifications are
obvious – and do not support the notion of a free and fair election result at
this potential polling station. 2. A third area of concern is the difficulty for the opposition to
campaign within this security complex.
It is clear that any person within the complex can use his/her position
to instigate the arrest and harassment of any “outsider” moving around
distributing pamphlets or election flyers or information. The environment at Tomlinson Depot is far too
intimidating to allow opposition to campaign within the complex. Indeed, I was myself thrown out of Tomlinson
Depot this Saturday afternoon, 15 March, by a police officer who insisted that I
was not allowed to post my campaign letters to residents within the compound,
because the police and their families were apolitical and therefore not allowed
to receive such letters. He confiscated the letters my assistant had
distributed, and forbade residents to read the letters. I should be grateful if you would attend to these concerns as a
matter of urgency. I will certainly not
accept any area on or around Pauling Drive or vicinity to be used as a polling
station for the election. This is a
totally unacceptable location for a polling station. Yours sincerely TRUDY STEVENSON, Member of Parliament for Harare North
Constituency Cc - ZEC Harare Province -
Cecil House Yahoo News VOA SABC Canada Free Press
You can also download transcript via this link: http://www.swradioafrica.com/pages/hotseat180308.htm Reuters Zimbabwe Gazette SABC Mining Weekly Africa News, Netherlands Republic of Botswana Business Day Re: Group plans to take home 50 000 Zimbabweans to vote
Table of March 2008
Tuesday 18 March 2008, by
Bruce Sibanda
N°
Constituency
Voters registered by ZEC
N° of Voters on Roll
% Error
1.
Goromonzi South
28086
19422
-30.8%
2.
Gokwe-Nembudziya
27261
19519
-28.4%
3.
Chikomba East
22597
15701
-30.5%
4.
Bulawayo Central
27646
20760
-24.9%
5.
Bulilima West
31305
29431
-15.8%
6.
Chegutu East
31226
25059
-19.7%
7.
Bubi
31706
26365
-16.8%
8.
Gokwe
22669
19275
-15.0%
9.
Chipinge East
24491
21756
-11.2%
10.
Chikomba central
26520
24203
-8.7%
11.
Chiredzi East
26344
24127
-8.4%
12.
Guruve South
31711
29556
-6.8%
13.
Chivi South
31909
29760
-6.7%
14.
Bindura North
30867
29165
-5.5%
15.
Glen Nora
22399
26862
19.9%
16.
Buhera West
29427
34411
16.9%
17.
Gokwe-Sengwa
24809
28462
14.7%
18.
Binga South
26295
29686
12.9%
19.
Bulilima East
31625
35218
11.4%
20.
Bikita East
28509
31309
9.8%
21.
Gokwe Sasame
31905
35034
9.8%
22.
Chakari
21639
23585
9.0%
23.
Glen View South
27689
29943
8.1%
24.
Gokwe Mapfungautsi
29947
32383
8.1%
25.
Gokwe Chireya
27261
29321
7.6%
26.
Chikomba West
30297
32133
6.1%
27.
Chivi Central
29691
31146
4.9%
Zimbabwe poll body says can't rein in security forces
Tue 18
Mar 2008, 17:58 GMT
HARARE, March 18 (Reuters) - Zimbabwe's election body
has no legal powers to
stop security chiefs from threatening to reject an
opposition victory in
this month's poll, a senior official said on
Tuesday.
Analysts say President Robert Mugabe faces the strongest
challenge to his
28-year rule in presidential, parliamentary and municipal
elections on March
29 due to an economic meltdown and and a pair of
opposition candidates.
Statements by two senior security officials that
they would only welcome a
victory by Mugabe and his ruling ZANU-PF party
have generated controversy in
a largely peaceful campaign ahead of the
election.
Responding to opposition complaints at a meeting in Harare on
Tuesday,
Zimbabwe Electoral Commission chairman George Chiweshe said there
was no law
mandating the commission to act against those making the
threats.
"The commission will not take a populist stance and do things or
make
pronouncements which are not in its mandate. There is nothing in the
law
allowing us to take a position on this," he said, drawing laughter from
diplomats, local and regional election observers and
journalists.
Mugabe hopes to fend off challenges from long-time rival
Morgan Tsvangirai,
leader of the larger faction of the Movement for
Democratic Change (MDC),
and former finance minister Simba
Makoni.
South Africa's ruling African National Congress said on Monday
security
forces should stay out of the election.
Chiweshe said the
commission would be impartial during the polls.
State media reported on
Tuesday that Mugabe had invoked presidential powers
to change the law to
allow police into polling stations to assist illiterate
or disabled
voters.
Last Friday, police commissioner Augustine Chihuri vowed he would
not allow
"western-backed puppets" to rule Zimbabwe, repeating similar
comments made
last month by the head of the prison service, retired army
major-general
Paradzayi Zimondi.
In 2002, Zimbabwe's security chiefs
made a controversial statement
suggesting they would not accept a victory by
Tsvangirai. Mugabe narrowly
won the presidential election amid opposition
charges of rigging.
Chiweshe said the commission was well prepared for
this month's poll, which
opposition groups and some western nations have
said was unlikely to be free
and fair.
Mugabe's government has barred
observers from the European Union, which is
locked in a bitter stand-off
with Harare over accusations of human rights
abuses and economic
mismanagement. (Reporting by Nelson Banya)
Zanu-PF's stormtroopers -- the
police
Nicole Fritz: COMMENT
18 March 2008
06:00
Two weeks ago, a young woman lay in a hospital bed in
Harare,
one of her eyes closed tight. A few days before, as Zanu-PF
supporters
wrestled her to the floor at the party's provincial headquarters
in Harare,
a boot struck her face. In hospital, several days after the
attack, she and
eight colleagues of the Progressive Teachers' Union of
Zimbabwe still bore
the marks of their beatings.
The
beatings were inflicted after an initial group was picked up
by Zanu-PF
militants for daring to distribute pamphlets protesting teachers'
pay (the
equivalent of R300).
Other colleagues had sought to come to
their aid but were
themselves dragged into the headquarters where each was
made to lie face
down before being beaten. Police were then called to the
scene and took them
to the central police station where, for some time, they
were denied legal
representation and medical attention.
For those who follow developments in Zimbabwe, none of this must
seem new.
And yet even in Zimbabwe there have been few such obvious examples
of police
partisanship. When police collect obviously bruised and bloodied
individuals
from ruling-party headquarters and lay criminal charges not
against the
perpetrators of the bloodshed but their victims, there can no
longer be even
the pretence that the police are anything other than the
ruling party's
agents.
This most recent incident of violence, occurring so
close to the
elections scheduled for March 29, must raise anxiety levels
about the
intensity and extent of violence that might happen over the
election period.
Because far from demurring from its use, as international
attention
increasingly focuses on Zimbabwe in the run-up, it would seem that
Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe and his supporters increasingly believe
that violence is the only means by which they can retain
control.
In recent weeks Mugabe has raised the salaries of
all civil
servants, and while teachers are barely able to survive, even the
lowest-
ranking army officer receives more than double what a teacher earns.
It
isn't hard to guess whose loyalty Mugabe is most intent on
keeping.
But it isn't Simba Makoni's entry on to the scene
that has
provoked a change in tactics. Greater militarisation of an already
overly
militarised state seems merely the logical extension of a plan long
settled
on. Nonetheless, Makoni's candidacy does raise a variety of new
possibilities and unquestionably raises the pitch of fear, perhaps most
dangerously inside Zanu-PF circles.
Amid all this
uncertainty, it can only be guessed that Mugabe is
likely to become more
paranoid and afraid. He is, as one Harare commentator
observed, that most
frightening of political animals, "a leader with no
legacy left to protect".
There is no clearer example than that a Mugabe-led
Zanu-PF, a party that put
in place an education system reckoned to be the
best in Africa, now beats
its teachers at party headquarters.
Still, there may be
reason for some small measure of hope. The
desperation suggests the centre
cannot hold: the fractures are all too
apparent, even within Zanu-PF itself.
And the large number of individuals
registering themselves for election --
as independents or the opposition --
suggests real courage and a
willingness to risk reprisal. The hope must be
that the electorate, and the
risks for them are very great, reflects that
same
courage.
Nicole Fritz is the director of the Southern Africa
Litigation
Centre
Problems at Tomlinson Depot area continue
Mugabe declares Zimbabwe poll day a public
holiday
HARARE (AFP) - Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe has
declared March 29 a
public holiday to enable workers to vote in general
elections scheduled for
that day, state media reported
Tuesday.
"It is hereby declared that Saturday the 29th March, 2008,
shall be a public
holiday," the state-owned Herald quoted Mugabe as saying
in a government
gazette.
Banks and businesses normally open on
Saturdays will be closed on that day,
while retailers could remain
open.
Mugabe, seeking a sixth term at the helm of the country he has
governed
since independence in 1980, will be challenged at the poll by his
former
finance minister Simba Makoni, Movement for Democratic Change
opposition
leader Morgan Tsvangirai and obscure independent candidate
Langton Toungana.
Zimbabwe has invited the Southern African Development
Community (SADC) and
46 other teams of monitors from regional groupings like
the African Union to
monitor the vote, along with countries like China,
Russia and Iran with whom
President Mugabe enjoys good relations.
The
southern African nation has not any invited European Union members or
the
United States -- both of whom had accused Mugabe of rigging his
re-election
in 2002.
Zimbabwe Threatens to Arrest Foreign Reporters
By
VOA News
18 March 2008
Zimbabwe is warning Western
journalists will be arrested if they enter the
country without official
permission to cover the March 29 general elections.
An Information
Ministry spokesman says the government is aware of attempts
to turn
journalists into election observers, or smuggle in observers. Anyone
caught
without accreditation could face two years in prison.
A team of foreign
affairs and security specialists is reviewing
accreditation applications
from about 300 foreign journalists who want to
cover the
elections.
The government of Robert Mugabe invited election observers
from 47
countries, none of which has been critical of his government. The
U.S. and
European Union have been excluded from sending
observers.
The U.S. and EU imposed travel sanctions against members of
Zimbabwe's
government after observers saw evidence of rigging in the 2002
election.
Critics charge that Mr. Mugabe has rigged elections for years
in order to
hold onto power. The 84-year-old leader has ruled Zimbabwe since
1980.
Some information for this report was provided by
AFP.
Mugabe threatens crackdown on British companies
March 18,
2008, 18:15
John Nyashanu, Gweru
Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe
has warned of a crackdown on British
companies in the country. This follows
threats from London to ban Zimbabwean
sports persons from
competing.
The veteran leader took his campaign trail to the Midlands
province ahead of
next week's elections. Mugabe says neither Movement for
democratic change
(MDC) leader Morgan Tsvangirai nor independent candidate
Simba Makoni stands
a chance.
He branded Tsvangirai a stooge of the
West and Makoni a lost soul with no
grassroots support. Zanu-PF supporters,
who came in their thousands, are
equally upbeat on the election
results.
Gweru, a MDC stronghold, has become a focal point in the
elections. Makoni
also drew thousands on his maiden rally in the city. Last
week, Tsvangirai
refused to be outdone and addressed a capacity crowd at the
same venue.
Zimbabwe not Mugabe's private company says
Tsvangirai
By OnTheWeb: Stephen Chadenga Tuesday, March 18,
2008
Gweru, Zimbabwe- It is a hot Saturday afternoon. The sky is
partly cloudy
and a warm breeze sweeps through Mkoba stadium in Zimbabwe's
third largest
city, Gweru. A large crowd of about 13, 000 people brace the
unfriendly
weather to attend a political campaign rally. Music blares from a
sound
system at the center of the stadium. An old lady in her 70s dances in
the
crowd. She draws laughter from the assorted gathering of youths, the
middle
aged and the old. An infant giggles from her mother's back. All these
faces
are anxiously waiting for their guest and presidential hopeful,
Movement for
Democratic Change (MDC) leader, Morgan Tsvangirai. As the MDC
leader
arrives, there is deafening noise in the stadium. Tsvangirai takes to
the
stage to address his supporters.
He does not mince his words: "
We are all gathered here because of poverty.
The main cause of that poverty
is one man and he is Robert Gabriel Mugabe.
"Over the years we have been
saying things are tough but now they are really
tough. We have come to a
time when we are saying enough is enough. Now is
the time to change and we
are going to do it through the ballot box on March
29." Zimbabweans go to
harmonised polls to elect the country's President,
House of Assembly
members, senators and councillors on March 29 this year.
"In 2000, 2002
and 2005 Mugabe stole the elections from the people. We let
him rule then.
Now that time is over. When he (Mugabe) rigs the election, he
does not rig
it from Tsvangirai. He rigs against the people of Zimbabwe. And
they have
every right to defend their choice.
"We should make it clear from the onset
that Zimbabwe does not need rulers
but leaders. This country cannot be
Mugabe Private Limited. We need a
government that is accountable to the
people. We need a return to the rule
of law and not rule by law," said
Tsvangirai.
Tsvangirai dismissed Mugabe's claims that the opposition
leader intends to
return acquired land back to the white minority farmers.
He said MDC had at
its inception in 1999 a land reform programme in
place.
"When we formed MDC in 1999, land reform was on our list of
priorities. We
have said that prime agricultural land should be fully
utilised and this can
only be done in a well planned manner.
"Look at
what Mugabe did to productive land. He grabbed it (land) and
resettled
people without the necessary implements to farm. Now we see grass,
the size
to my shoulders growing on arable land.
"Don't be fooled by Mugabe that I
want to return land to the whites. Do I
look white myself (drawing laughter
from the crowd).
"All this is misjudgment of a person getting old. Zimbabwe
used to be the
food bread basket of Africa. Now we import maize even from
Malawi. Can you
imagine that?"
The MDC presidential candidate said
there was a time when Zimbabwe
"struggled against colonialism." He said that
time is "now over" and that
Zimbabweans "now a struggle against black
dictatorship."
Tsvangirai said MDC envisages national institutions,
particularly armed
forces that have "respect" and respect "for the
people."
"If MDC gets into power it will inherit these institutions. But
they (army,
police and state security agents) must respect the people. They
must not
traumatise and brutalise them."
The MDC leader promised the
gathering, resuscitation of the economy which
has been on the down turn, for
close to a decade now. He said MDC has "
friends" that are ready to help in
the recovery of the economy.
" Our economy is now a national disaster. As
MDC we have friends that are
prepared to help. We have investors ready to
chip in once the political
situation is stable. This Mugabe business of
blaming Bush (George), Blair
(Tony) and Brown (Gordon) does not bring
anything. What does he (Mugabe)
offer himself."
Tsvangirai also
promised a revamp of the health sector, which has witnessed
health
institutions operating without essential drugs, staff and equipment
for a
long time now. He promised free education at primary level. On
housing, the
MDC leader said there should be "adequate housing for all those
who need
it." "Democracy starts with a roof on your head," were the words of
Tsvangirai.
Mugabe Postpones Rallies After Failing to Mobilise Crowds in
Bulawayo
SW Radio Africa (London)
18 March 2008
Posted
to the web 18 March 2008
Tererai Karimakwenda
Robert Mugabe is
reported to have postponed rallies planned for Bulawayo for
a second time,
after his structures in Matabeleland failed to get enough
people to
attend.
Our Bulawayo correspondent Zenzele said ZANU-PF officials in
Matabeleland
are not campaigning much for Mugabe. He has had problems in the
province and
lost officials like Dumiso Dabengwa and Cyril Ndebele to the
Makoni
campaign. Zenzele added to this the fact that schools are now closed
and
there are no school children gathered anywhere that can be forced to
attend
the rallies.
According to our correspondent, Mugabe was
scheduled to address supporters
at Cowdry Park last Thursday. This is an
area of Bulawayo where ZANU-PF gave
houses to their own supporters, houses
that were meant to be given to
displaced victims of Operation Murambatsvina.
The rally was postponed to
this week Thursday without any reason
given.
Zenzele said The Chronicle, a government-run newspaper in
Bulawayo, on
Tuesday confirmed that Mugabe would address two rallies this
Thursday. One
was to be at a Primary School in Cowdry Park and the other at
Stanley Square
in Makokoba district. Zenzele said these are both very small
spaces and this
shows the ruling party is having problems mobilising large
numbers of
supporters in the province.
But Zenzele spoke to a ZANU-PF
Central Committee member who told him that
the Thursday rallies had been
postponed again, until Sunday. No announcement
has been made
yet.
According to Zenzele there is not much campaigning for Mugabe in
Matabeleland in general. He attended a Mugabe rally at Esigodini last week
which he said was "not well-attended." Rallies addressed by Vice Presidents
Msika and Mujuru have suffered poor attendance as well. Zenzele said in
contrast, rallies for the Tsvangirai MDC have attracted the largest crowds
so far during this campaign.
Villagers Flee Upsurge in Violence in Makoni District of
Manicaland
SW Radio Africa (London)
18 March
2008
Posted to the web 18 March 2008
Tichaona
Sibanda
Villagers in Makoni district have been fleeing their homes
since Saturday
after an increase in night attacks perpetrated by stone
throwing and stick
wielding groups, led by a prominent Zanu-PF
activist.
Tension has been high in the district after villagers in Nzimbe
in Makoni
South boycotted a ruling party star rally on Saturday. Realising
that a
Zanu-PF candidate could not attract a huge crowd, word quickly spread
that
Robert Mugabe was to address the rally. But this again failed to move
the
people.
The rally was eventually cancelled and this angered
Zanu-PF activists, who
under district co-coordinator Nathaniel Punish
Mhiripiri, allegedly went on
a retribution exercise, targeting villagers
perceived to be MDC supporters.
The violent groups systematically beat up
men, women and boys they suspected
of backing the MDC.
Pishai
Muchauraya, the MDC parliamentary candidate for Makoni south, has
condemned
the violence and called for the arrest of the perpetrators. He
said
frightened villagers are spending nights in the cold despite their
appeals
for them to return to their homes.
'They claim to us their homes were no
longer safe despite the visible
presence of more police officers on the
ground. Fear has also spread in
other areas as Mhiripiri has been to 15
villages so far where people are
spending nights in the cold for fear of
attacks,' Muchauraya said.
The MDC has urged the Zimbabwe Electoral
Commission to investigate the
attacks and bring the culprits to book. The
MDC said the attacks were
political and if left unchecked, would leave the
villagers too scared to go
and vote on the 29th.
The MDC said five of
its activists are locked up at Chisumbanje police
station because they
campaigned door-to-door in Chipinge. The group was
picked up from
Checheche's ward 24. The police in Makoni west picked up
another eight for
campaigning as well.
'The province is currently under siege. Eight other
activists were
threatened with arrest today (Tuesday) in Makoni south. The
strange thing is
that the police are complicit in what ever Zanu-PF is doing
to our
supporters. Police have done more harm to our campaigns that Zanu-PF
itself,' claimed Muchauraya.
Soccer match to buy votes, ends in red card for Minister
By Lance
Guma
18 March 2008
Information Minister Sikhanyiso Ndlovu had a tough
time over the weekend
after pouring Z$4 billion into a 'social' football
match that ended in the
participants telling him to his face they hated both
Zanu PF and the
Minister himself. Ndlovu is contesting in Bulawayo's Mpopoma
constituency on
a Zanu PF ticket and is desperate to stem the tide of two
election defeats
to the late MDC MP Milton Gwetu in the 2000 and 2005
parliamentary
elections. Ndlovu is a wealthy businessman who owns a string
of private
colleges and he sponsored a match between Eastern Rovers and
local 'boozers'
team Umthala United.
Our Bulawayo correspondent
Lionel Saungweme reports that there were two VIP
guests at the match -
former Dynamos and national team coach Sunday
Chidzambwa, plus the Chief
Executive of the Zimbabwe Defence Industries,
Colonel Tshinga Dube. The
stage seemed set for Ndlovu to win a few votes
from the goodwill generated,
until a man wearing a Tsvangirai T-shirt walked
past the VIP area, which
generated thunderous applause from the spectators.
The man proceeded to sit
near the Information Minister who, not to be
outdone, bought huge quantities
of beer for all those present.
The end of the match however served to
wipe away any doubts that Ndlovu was
not going to have his way. After giving
out the Z$4 billion prize money to
the winning team he tried to distribute
30 Zanu PF t-shirts to each of the
participating teams and supporters. This
triggered a barrage of cat whistles
and boos with the crowd telling him in
Ndebele; 'Kudhala sasizonda i Zanu PF
kuphela, kathesi sizonda iZanu PF lawe
wena Sikhanyiso wangikhona' (In the
past we used to hate Zanu PF only, but
now we hate Zanu PF and even you
Sikhanyiso).
Meanwhile Zanu PF
candidate Colonel Tshinga Dube who is contesting in the
Makokoba
constituency is reported to have bought up all the mealie meal
delivered to
the suburb and was allegedly distributing this for free, to buy
votes. Dube
is competing for votes against MDC candidates from the two
different
factions, Thokozani Khupe and Welshman Ncube. He has also
undertaken to pay
the medical bills of all the elderly people in the
constituency at a local
Makokoba clinic. Michelle Hakata, a UK based
journalist who spent the last 3
weeks in Zimbabwe, told Newsreel that Zanu
PF candidates have a lot of
resources and money to splash around, compared
to the opposition
candidates.
SW Radio Africa Zimbabwe news
Hot Seat interview with presidential candidate with Dr Simba Makoni
SW
Radio Africa Transcript
HOT SEAT INTERVIEW: Journalist Violet Gonda
interviews Presidential candidate Dr Simba Makoni.
Broadcast 14 March
2008
Violet: Former Cabinet Minister Dr Simba Makoni announced
recently his intentions to contest in the forthcoming Presidential election as
an independent candidate. Today we are joined by the Presidential candidate
himself on the program Hot Seat. Welcome Dr Makoni?
Makoni: Thank you
very much.
Violet: I would like to start by talking
about policy issues. There is 80% unemployment, a considerable amount of the
population requires food aid, and we have now 100 000% inflation and the erosion
of the democratic principles in Zimbabwe . Now what policies would you put in
place to reverse this, especially to resuscitate the economy?
Makoni:
Firstly, we will remove all the barriers and impediments to normal economic
function, to normal business function. A country basically is a mixed economy
with a strong private sector and originally a similarly strong public sector
with public enterprises that were operating in key areas and our policy thrust
will be to remove the impediments that currently bar the normal conduct of
business across all sectors. So as investors, business operators, managers can
go about with their business with minimum impediments.
Violet: How
instrumental will the international community be in resuscitating the economy in
your government?
Makoni: Quite clearly there will be need for
international support especially in dealing with the immediate crisis. The food
crisis, the energy crisis, transport crisis, the health and medication crisis,
but for the long term development of this economy - other than normal
development assistance - this economy has the capacity to generate its own
resources to induce a momentum for growth and development.
Violet: You
mentioned that you would remove some impediments that are hampering the
development of our economy; can you mention a few, what are some of these
impediments?
Makoni: Well government hostility to business is the single
most important impediment to our business at the moment, the government is
hostile to business, the government mistrusts business, the government imposes
rules and regulations and sometimes just structures that impede the conduct -
that normal conduct of business. We will have a business friendly
environment.
Violet: What about on the issue of privatization of basic
services such as education and health, what is your position on
that?
Makoni: Well, like I said, already we have a mixed economy. There
are public health institutions and private health institutions. There are public
education institutions and private education institutions - they are all
suffering the same impediment overall - un-informed and hostile interference. We
will support, we will facilitate. As I said in my launch statement we will see
the national authority enabling and facilitating rather than directing and
controlling.
Violet: What will be the changes made to Zimbabwe tax
structures?
Makoni: I think it would be premature and ill-advised to give
any specifics. But what we will aim to do is make the tax regime supportive of
individual and corporate entrepreneurship; tax structures that can encourage the
generation of growth and the generation of investment and increased income,
whilst at the same time providing for stable and predictable public resource
flows. We will not be punitive, we will not be aggressive and quite clearly we
will not be oppressive in our tax regime.
Violet: Robert Mugabe has been
dealing with some of these issues by printing more money, where will you get the
revenue to do all these things?
Makoni: Well I think first of all if you
restore productive capacity across the economy particularly in agriculture (and)
manufacturing...we nurse the very vibrant tourism industry and the mining
industry where there is scope for major investments that can generate
substantial resources , It is feasible to generate public resource flows without
penalizing business to such an extent that you don't need to print to the extent
that you cripple the economy.
Violet: What about your position on
subsidies do they help or don't they help, what is your position on
it?
Makoni: Focused and targeted subsidies do help in a defined time
frame. They cannot be a permanent feature of economic performance and conduct.
And so there will be justification for what in other countries call "means
testing support" particularly for the most vulnerable of our citizens - that
there would be justification for that, but it has to be specifically targeted,
it has to be structured to reach the most needy and to address the areas of
desperate need like education support, like health support, food assistance. But
untargeted and general freebies to ingratiate people do not have a place in a
pragmatic and progressive economy.
Violet: Now there has been contention
regarding International Monetary Fund economic plans. What is your position on
this, are the IMF plans out of contest with Africa or do you agree with
it?
Makoni: I don't believe there is one IMF plan. I think the IMF lends
advice to different countries in response to their peculiar circumstances and we
will engage in the discussions with multilateral and bilateral partners in
response to our specific circumstances. But as I said the IMF is not in the kind
of crisis support that I talked about which is the area I believe we need the
most immediate international assistance.
Violet: What about IMF packages
that offer to reduce things like the sizes of government, reduce inflation and
also putting a mark on government wages? Now I am asking this because critics
have said that if such conditions are undertaken they lead to greater poverty,
so what are your thoughts on that?
Makoni: I believe that Zimbabwe has
sufficient capacity to formulate and implement its own policies. We need some
infusion of friendly support. I can tell you that a study done about two years
ago ranked Zimbabwe 95% in policy formulation but 4% in policy implementation.
So our problem is not that we can't formulate policy, that we formulate
inappropriate policies. Our biggest problem is we don't implement the correct
policies that we formulate and we are going to be putting a lot of emphasis in
getting timely and effective policy implementations.
Violet: Let's move
on to the issue of the land. During the last land reform exercise only less than
15% of women benefited. Now given that the fact that women are 52% of the
population and that the land has already been distributed, will your government
relook at the pattern of distribution?
Makoni: We must understand that
women and men constitute families. This paddocking of citizens does not help. I
am quite sure that if we followed the policy that said - land shall be
distributed in an acquired and distributed in an orderly, equitable, fair and
transparent manner - we would not find any sector or section of our community
discriminated against. And we intend to proceed in an orderly, equitable, fair
and transparent manner in reviewing; you must understand we are not starting
acquisition and redistribution. That's already been done to quite a large
extent. It's reviewing what's been done to ensure that it accords with the
orderly, equitable, fair and transparent criteria that already constitutes to
national policy.
Violet: On that issue of the fairness of the whole
reform process, many officials in Zanu PF are beneficiaries of patronage around
the land reform. Do you think this was done in a non partisan fair manner of
land to the people?
Makoni: Well am not about to classify people. What I
am saying is that we will review the conduct of acquisition in redistribution to
ensure that it conforms with already agreed national policy of orderly,
equitable, fair and transparent. Mind you we already have a number of important
reviews on the table. The Rukuni Commission gave out invaluable assessment of
the state of acquisition and re-distribution. The Utete Commission added on to
the Rukuni Commission and the government itself has commissioned two land audits
in the last three years which have also generated a lot of valuable information
about the state of acquisition and re-distribution; and also more importantly
the state of productive utilization of and non utilization of the acquired land.
All those tools will be available to us to review and expedite an orderly
equitable, fair, and transparent re-distribution so that we can move on to
stimulating production because production and increased productivity are the
main objectives of acquisition and re-distribution of land.
Violet: So
under this return to the original policy can you explain to our listeners and
readers if it will be one person per farm and also what will happen to those who
have multiple farms?
Makoni: Obviously if its one person one farm there
is no room for multiple ownership. It would be clear.
Violet: What
happens to those people with multiple farms, are you going to take those farms
away from them?
Makoni : I don't think it's taking away from them. One
citizen one farm, or one family one farm. It's a very explicit policy. How can
there be room for anything other than one person one farm.
Violet: Will
you remove the people who have invaded farms illegally?
Makoni: We will
review to conform to orderly equitable, fair and transparent. If they were
allocated in an orderly, in an equitable and fair manner according to the
guidelines and the regulations stipulated by government, nobody has any worry
about their tenure. But you must also understand that at this stage we have not
implemented any security of tenure measures on all those people. The government
has promulgated a 99 year lease policy which is quite feasible but it hasn't
been implemented. So we have to move not only to regularise and rationalise
acquisition and re-distribution but speedily to move to establish secure tenure
arrangement so that people can proceed to invest in higher production on the
land.
Violet: Tell us more about what your policy is on land titles -
freehold titles, because in other countries great wealth has been built on
freehold titles because it creates value. Some say these 99 year leases are
valueless because for example banks wouldn't be prepared to actually lend money
under the current land reforms. What do you say about that?
Makoni: Well
I can't offer you an individual's policy. We will institute or set up a national
authority which will engage in appropriate policy formulation. But let me tell
you that when the present government determined that they were going to issue 99
year leases, there wasn't sufficient study and examinations of the pros and cons
of the one tenure form against the other. That will be one of the issues that we
will wish to engage pretty early on so that we can establish the most
appropriate tenure system, and also bear in mind it's not one or the other. You
can have a combination of tenure systems and I do know of countries which have
combination of tenure systems to suit different conditions and we are going to
be engaging those issues rationally and in a very deliberate systematic and well
informed way. And some of the work that I referred to - the Rukuni Commission,
the Utete Commission, exposed these issues in a manner which had government
wanted to be effective in this direction they would have found a basis for
proper policy formulation.
Violet: How are you going to also re-introduce
this viable commercial farming if we were to ask about the issue of the
commercial farmers who were removed from their land, will it also include
inviting back some of those commercial farmers who were
displaced?
Makoni: Remember existing policy says one Zimbabwean one farm
within maximum farm size. We will review who was allocated what, under what
terms and conditions on what criteria. But reviving commercial farming is not
synonymous with a particular race or colour of skin. This is a national program
been undertaken in the context of a non racial national policy.
Violet:
Let's move on to the issue of the mining sector. Now some senior politicians are
associated in the elicit trade of gold and diamonds and some have taken mining
concessions illegally. It is obvious that the only way the country can recover
is if it gets its wealth back. What is your specific program to deal with the
rampant corruption in the mining sector?
Makoni: There is rampant
corruption across all activities of life in Zimbabwe including mining. We are
not going to have one policy for corruption in mining; we are going to have a
policy to eradicate or at least reduce drastically corruption in every walk of
life. But our commitment is to eradicate. We must eradicate corruption in all
walks of life.
Violet: But what will you do with people especially those
Zanu PF cronies who have profiteered and stripped national
assets?
Makoni: We are not going to be targeting anyone specific. Every
citizen who has done something that is illegal will be subject to the due
process of law.
Violet: Yes, but people will want to hear because there
has been rampant corruption in Zanu PF and people like Robert Mugabe have been
top of the list. Some say your backers have not been revealed and that there is
likelihood that some of your backers might be implicated. If so what will you do
as President to ensure that your party will not shelter these
criminals?
Makoni: Every citizen will be subject to the due process of
the national law without fear or favour or discrimination. We are not going to
promulgate laws that are targeted at individuals. We are going to promulgate -
but more importantly even at this stage, we have sufficient laws that can cater
for all criminal activities. It's just the enforcement and implementation that
needs to be beefed up and there will be no targeting of individuals. Every
citizen will be subject to the law in the same way.
Violet: Is there any
programs in your government plan to address the grievances around the
Gukurahundi genocide?
Makoni: We don't have a government yet; we are
campaigning to be elected. We are seeking support from the citizens of Zimbabwe
on the platform of national re-engagement, national reconciliation and national
healing. And that's in that framework, on that platform how we will deal with
pain inflicted on any citizen from any action.
Violet: But Dr Makoni
people would want to know what sort of program you would have on this particular
issue because the issue of Matabeleland has been a soar issue.
(Interrupted).
Makoni: I don't have a program Violet because I am not yet
in government! And I am not going to formulate an individual program. When I get
elected I will constitute a national authority which will lead our country out
of pain, out of fear and out of stress and it would be the program of the nation
not the program of the individual Simba Makoni.
Violet: But what if
members of your present group were implicated in the Gukurahundi
massacres?
Makoni: Members of my present what?
Violet: Members of
your present group were implicated?
Makoni: I have already said that the
laws of Zimbabwe will apply to all citizens without
discrimination.
Violet: But Dr Makoni don't you think these are the sort
of things that you should also consider right now, because for example it is
alleged that Major Kudzai Mbudzi is a ex-Gukurahundi soldier as he was part of
the 5th Brigade and he is one of your officials. What's your response to this,
don't you think people would want to know?
Makoni: Is that
fact?
Violet: So I am asking you. Is it not? Was he not part of the 5th
Brigade?
Makoni: No, you have told me it is alleged and I am asking you
is it a fact?
Violet: It is said that this is what he did.
Makoni:
I believe one of the ground rules of the 5th estate is to deal with facts so I
hope you can confirm your facts.
Violet: What if it's found out that he
was, what would you do with that. Are you going to find out if he was part of
the 5th Brigade?
Makoni: I have already said to you, we are moving on a
platform of national healing. We are not going to start introducing
discrimination, disparities and particularly separation of our people. We want
to heal the wounds of the past. We don't want to exacerbate pain. We don't want
to bring people apart again and all issues that have brought pain and separation
upon our people will be dealt with in the context of the national healing and
national re-engagement program that our national authority will offer to our
people.
Violet: But this has never happened before so will your program
involve an apology to the people of Matabeleland and reparations for the
victims?
Makoni: Well if it has never happened before, does it mean it
shall never happen ever?
Violet: So why can't you answer the question,
will you do that?
Makoni: Which question Violet?
Violet : Will
your program involve an apology to the people of Matabeleland and also
reparations to the victims?
Makoni: How the country will heal itself will
be the product of the national healing process. Don't compel Simba Makoni to
pre-determine how the Zimbabweans are going to re-engage, reconcile and re-unite
because that will be contrary to the democratic principles that constitutes our
platform. We are moving away from a dictatorship. We are moving away from a few
people dictating to the majority. We want an inclusive process that responds to
the wishes of the nation of Zimbabwe for re-engagement and
healing.
Violet: But if you claim to be national President, you cannot
ignore the cries of this significant group of the population, so that is why I
am asking that question - specifically about the people of Matabeleland .
(Interrupted).
Makoni: But I don't know what suggests to you that I am
going to ignore it, all I am saying is don't compel me to pre-determine what
must be a national process. Merely because you are the national President
doesn't give you the right to decide for people. They give you the opportunity
to serve your people in response to their needs. That's very different. If I
take your route I'll be a dictator and we don't want dictatorship in Zimbabwe
.
Violet: Now let's talk about the media situation in Zimbabwe . Much of
the legislation that destroyed the independent media in the country is still in
place. There is a suffocated media environment right now which keeps people
ignorant and also incapable of making informed decisions. Do you now believe
that this was wrong and that your new government will reverse this stance on the
media?
Makoni: When you ask, do you now believe, did I not believe
before?
Violet: You were part of the government that didn't believe
that.
Makoni : The government wasn't made up of clones Violet. The
government was made up of individuals of free thoughts. I certainly am one of
those.
Violet: So how dedicated are you in creating an environment for
the establishment for free independent media
Makoni: I am dedicated to
the creation of an environment that offers Zimbabweans in all walks of life
freedom under the law of Zimbabwe .
Violet: And what about radio stations
such as SW Radio Africa & Studio 7, will they be allowed to broadcast from
Zimbabwe under your administration?
Makoni: We will propagate policy that
supports constitutional provision for freedom of expression and for freedom of
association and freedom of information. We will not take action in respect to a
specific enterprise. But we will provide an environment for the provisions of
our constitution to be realised.
Violet: Now, what about on the issue of
your relationship with Zanu PF. Why did you break up form Zanu
PF?
Makoni: Because I wasn't able to achieve what I believed our country
needed under those circumstances.
Violet: What did you need to
achieve?
Makoni: To renew the leadership of our country.
Violet:
In your personal opinion, what were your chances in succeeding Mugabe while you
were in Zanu PF?
Makoni: Had the process been opened for that - very
good, just as good as to succeed him as President of Zimbabwe.
Violet: So
at what point did you realise that you could no longer continue to support
Robert Mugabe?
Makoni: When we went off rail in our leadership mission.
It wasn't an instant, it's a continuum and this situation didn't just happen
overnight, this situation has been evolving and entrenching over a period of
years. Some would take it back to 1997 others would take it back to 2000. But
this is a continuum and as the situation entrenched and got worse one became
more and more convinced that the nature and quality of leadership being given
our country was short-changing our people.
Violet: And it's reported that
you had a meeting with Mugabe a couple of weeks before you made your
announcement to stand against him. What did you talk about?
Makoni: About
the crisis facing the nation and the need for new leadership.
Violet: Did
you tell him you were standing against him?
Makoni: No I
didn't.
Violet: Why not?
Makoni: It wasn't politic and appropriate
at that time.
Violet: Is Mugabe under siege in his own party right
now?
Makoni: I don't know. I think you should ask him that. I don't know
what's happening to him in his party.
Violet: But you've decided to stand
against him and several other Zanu PF officials have decided to leave his party.
So can you not even give your thoughts on that?
Makoni: I am not standing
against anyone. I am just standing for the people of Zimbabwe and I have made
this point repeatedly; I am not standing against Mugabe, I am not standing
against Tsvangirai or Toungana. I am standing for the people of Zimbabwe
.
Violet: But Dr Makoni, do you realise that the people of
.
Makoni: It is not my brief to know what's happening to Mugabe and his
party. You can talk to President Mugabe and those in his party. They can give
you the answers to your questions. I am not in that in that
party.
Violet: When you say you are not standing against Robert Mugabe
and you are standing for the people, are you aware that people in Zimbabwe are
against Robert Mugabe. So if you are not standing against Robert Mugabe who are
you representing because the people you are saying you are representing are
against Robert Mugabe?
Makoni: Well Violet, I am trying to promote a
positive disposition to our lives. A disposition that is stimulated by what is
necessary to do that is right, that's why I am saying I am standing for the
people and I know the people will want us to move forward
positively.
Violet: It appears that your candidature is part of a
sophisticated boardroom succession plan; and if we were to consider assessments
in the media that say you would be in the run off against Robert Mugabe; and
also if we were to consider your confidence in winning given the fact that you
have not been a public figure with a constituency and you are appealing to a
sub-section of the Zimbabwean voter base - namely the business community,
disgruntled Zanu PF power brokers and disenfranchised MDC elements - Would it be
safe to say that if a run off did happen, given this kind of support you will be
able to force Mugabe to step down?
Makoni: Well first I want to tell you
that there will be no run off. We will win a required majority in the first
round. Secondly, people have active minds; they do analyses that paddock people
in different corners. I am not moved by all those analyses. I am simply standing
for the people of Zimbabwe offering myself to serve all the people of Zimbabwe
in all their walks of life and stations in life, including the people of
Zimbabwe who happen to be members of Zanu PF at the moment and those who are
members of the MDC.
But bear in mind particularly that the majority of
Zimbabweans had lost interest in politics because it was a futile exercise and
they are now mobilised to come back into politics because they have an
alternative candidate who stands for the nation. So the analyses of the media
and political scientists and others who try to keep our people in different
paddocks doesn't accord with the new spirit and the vision that the
Mavambo/Kusile movement is about.
Violet: Dr Makoni what would you say to
perceptions that say you are good at economic recovery but not on social
justice?
Makoni: Whose perception is that and what is it based
on.
Violet: Did you ever speak out against oppressive laws and rights
abuses - publicly speaking out?
Makoni: But I don't know why one has to
be measured by public statements but if they are needed you can follow the
public statement I made on the occasions I had the opportunity to do so and I
don't believe you would find justification for that statement you have just
made.
Violet: Were you in the Politburo at the time when the Gukurahundi
was unleashed and the purges after that?
Makoni: When was
that?
Violet: In the 80's, in the mid 80's?
Makoni: If you
remember in the mid 80's I was Executive Secretary of SADC.
Violet: So
did you do anything about the Gukurahundi massacres when you were in SADC to
expose what was happening in Matabeleland ?
Makoni: What could I expose
that wasn't already exposed?
Violet: Dr Makoni, how many people knew what
was happening, outside Zimbabwe , and you had that opportunity to expose what
was happening. Don't you think it was important?
Makoni: What I am
suggesting to you is that what was happening was in the public glare. There
wasn't anything more I could expose that wasn't already exposed.
Violet:
Okay. Let's bring it to events that are more recent. Did you condone Operation
Murambatsvina that saw the displacement of more than 700,000
people?
Makoni: I did not.
Violet: What about the issue of the
housing problems that have been demonstrated after Operation Murambatsvina. What
are your specific proposals of addressing these issues?
Makoni: We will
launch a national program of renewal and re-engagement
economic, productive,
enhancement, special services development that will include provision of housing
and bear in mind our platform is not that the government shall do everything for
the people. The government shall facilitate that the people will do things for
themselves including providing housing and other amenities under a supportive
and conducive environment with appropriate support mechanisms.
Violet:
What about the issue of the green bombers, the youth militia. What are you going
to do about this very serious issue where people say that this group of
youngsters have been terrorising communities? What will your government do, do
you have a policy on the youth militias?
Makoni: I think you need to
understand our broad platform. We are talking about national healing and
national reconciliation. Any conduct any activity that rips pain on the people
will be addressed in the context of our national healing. When we get Zimbabwe
working again across all sectors it will be the youth of Zimbabwe that will have
gainful engagement that then doesn't leave them idle to be used or misdirected
in manners that inflict pain on others in society.
Violet: What about on
the issue of elections right now, what is your perception of the electoral
system in Zimbabwe and do you think it needs reform?
Makoni: There have
been concerns about the integrity of previous elections. We will see how these
elections are conducted. If there are still concerns about its integrity then we
will certainly need to address those concerns.
Violet: And do you have a
final word for our listeners and readers in Zimbabwe . You had said you wanted
to speak in Shona - perhaps this is the chance that you have, the time that you
have to speak to the listeners and readers in Zimbabwe .
Makoni: Well
yes. Quite clearly I would like the people of Zimbabwe to extend their support
to me and Mavambo candidates on March 29. I want to assure them that I am
nobody's tool, and I am nobody's agent. I wasn't planted by anybody I was moved
by the suffering that we are all facing in this country and to offer myself to
serve our people genuinely, honestly, not to inflict more pain but to remove the
fear that percolates throughout all Zimbabwean life and I say this - I am
offering fervent leadership to our people. Not oppression and
subjugation.
Ndirikuda kudzokorora kune zvizvarwa zveZimbabwe kuti ndiri
kuzvipira kuvashandira kuti tibvise navo, kwete kuvabvisira ivo asi kuti tibvise
navo matambudziko ese akanangana nevanhu vedu. Kubvira kushaya chikafu, nzara,
kushaya zvekurapiswa nazvo muzvihosipitara. Muzvikoro vana vavane dzidzo
yakanaka. Hupfumi venyika yedu usumikire zvakare. Tibvise humbavha nehuroyi
urimunyika kuitira utumgamiri uve utungamiri vekushandira vanhu kwete utungamiri
vekushandisa vanhu. Ndozvinangwa zvedu tiri Mavambo/Kusile - zuva rabuda.
Tinokumbira rutsigiro rwavo pamusi vaMarch 29.
Violet: Thank you very
much Dr Simba Makoni.
Makoni: It's my pleasure. You have a good
afternoon.
Comments and feedback can be emailed to
violet@swradioafrica.com
Limited Number of Media to Observe Poll
BuaNews
(Tshwane)
17 March 2008
Posted to the web 18 March 2008
Shaun
Benton
Cape Town
It is unlikely that more than a handful of media
outlets will be granted
accreditation to cover the upcoming elections in
Zimbabwe, the country's
Ambassador to South Africa, Simon Khaya Moyo, said
on Monday.
Mr Moyo was briefing members of Parliament's Portfolio
Committee on Foreign
Affairs on the 2008 elections in
Zimbabwe.
He indicated that the Zimbabwean embassy in Pretoria has
been inundated with
requests for accreditation to cover the elections on 29
March, and that
embassy staff were working through these.
However, he
said many are called, but few are chosen, suggesting that there
will be a
limited number of media outlets granted permission to cover the
country's
election.
According to one Member of Parliament (MP) at the briefing,
Zimbabwe has
previously accused the South African public broadcaster of bias
towards the
country, raising the question as to whether the South African
Broadcasting
Corporation itself will be granted access to cover the election
there.
Zimbabwe's ambassador also attacked western powers for the
sanctions against
Zimbabwe, sanctions which have apparently been caused by
the country's
recent human rights record.
These sanctions were not
"targeted" sanctions, as stated by many in the
West, he said, but were
rather "comprehensive" sanctions that were felt
widely in
Zimbabwe.
The ambassador told the South African MPs: "Let those please
who are in
charge of these illegal sanctions, think twice, and remove them,
otherwise
they won't enter the Kingdom [of God]."
On the question of
possible post-election violence - as has been witnessed
in Zimbabwe's
northern neighbour, Kenya - should the result of the election
not be
accepted by the overall population, Mr Moyo said: "We are all
determined not
to see the Kenyan situation repeated in Zimbabwe."
He pointed out that
Zimbabweans are widely obeying a recent ban on the
carrying of
weapons.
He denied that voter intimidation has been taking place, and
said that it
was the job of the police to put a stop to intimidation where
it may be
occurring.
There is currently "so much peace, but peace is
annoying some people", he
said.
As for the large number of
Zimbabweans outside the country being allowed to
vote, Mr Moyo said this had
not been allowed, for logistical reasons,
indicating that the Zimbabwean
government did not have the capacity to
identify each voter living outside
the country.
Mr Moyo thanked President Mbeki and the people of South
Africa for
facilitating the peace process that has resulted in the country
holding of
elections.
He said Zimbabweans were very grateful for the
role he had played, adding
that there were over five million registered
voters.
In Zimbabwe, hungry voters ask who will feed us?
Tue 18 Mar
2008, 0:04 GMT
By MacDonald Dzirutwe
SHANGANI, Zimbabwe, March 18
(Reuters) - With her hand on her cheek, the
68-year-old woman gazes
patiently at the cars racing past her, hoping
someone will stop and buy the
firewood at her feet so that she can feed her
three
grandchildren.
MaNcube, as she is called in her village here in Shangani,
a dry arid land
360 km (228 miles) west of Zimbabwe's capital Harare, has
one plea.
"If only the government could bring us food. The maize crop is
a total
failure and I am worried about those grandchildren of mine," she
says,
turning her creased face away from the sun.
MaNcube's story is
all too common across Zimbabwe's once-rich countryside,
and it offers an
insight into why President Robert Mugabe is facing his
biggest electoral
challenge since coming to power 28 years ago.
Ahead of March 29
presidential, parliamentary and municipal elections, many
voters say all
they want is an end to the economic crisis that has left them
hungry and
their country in ruins.
The question is will rural voters like MaNcube,
who have carried Mugabe in
the past, trust him to bring this about, or will
they turn away from the
84-year-old, who has led Zimbabwe since independence
from Britain in 1980,
and from his ZANU-PF party.
"There is now a
convergence of grievances between rural and urban voters to
the extent that
you can no longer isolate the rural voter as a ZANU-PF
supporter," Eldred
Masunungure, a political commentator told Reuters.
"The rural areas are
now a rich ground for the opposition and their vote can
no longer be taken
for granted. We could actually see an upset in the rural
areas," he
said.
Mugabe, widely blamed for a crisis marked by the world's highest
inflation
rate -- above 100,000 percent a year -- faces a tough challenge
from former
finance minister Simba Makoni and long-time rival Morgan
Tsvangirai in the
main presidential race.
And MaNcube for one is
running out of patience.
"If I am to vote, it will certainly not be for
President Mugabe this time
round. We are hungry, my son," she says,
declining to name her preferred
candidate.
PRESENTS AND
PROMISES
Analysts say Mugabe's failure to reverse the economic decline
poses a
serious threat to his bid to retain power.
He has been
battling to secure support.
Earlier this month, he gave out tractors,
combine harvesters, ploughs and
several thousand other farming implements to
beneficiaries of his land
reforms, which included confiscating farms from
white farmers.
He has also promised to give blacks majority shares in
foreign-owned
companies, such as mines and banks. And he has promised big
salary increases
to government workers, like teachers, some of whom are on
strike.
But people like MaNcube are still going hungry. Adding to their
woes, the
state food aid that usually accompanies an election is not being
given out
this time.
Because of the failure of the maize crop in what
was once southern Africa's
breadbasket, Zimbabwe is having to rush in staple
maize from Malawi, Zambia
and South Africa.
Mugabe denies mismanaging
the economy and says it has been sabotaged by
Western states as punishment
for his land reforms.
And despite the hardships, he still has loyal
followers like 55-year-old
Maphio Kabwe who lives in Mahusekwa, a rural
community 70 km (43 miles)
south of Harare.
Half of Kabwe's maize
crop was destroyed this season, first flooded by heavy
rains and then hit by
dry weather.
"That is not caused by Comrade Mugabe, he is a man of his
word and that is
why we vote for him. He said maize is being imported and I
believe him,"
Kabwe told Reuters as he rushed to get free food at a Mugabe
campaign rally.
At a shopping centre near the rally, the stores were
decorated with large
posters of Mugabe but inside the shelves were almost
empty. An official
price freeze last June has left the country short of
basic goods.
URBAN WOES
Despite these privations, the
opposition has largely failed to penetrate
rural areas, which still bear the
scars of the independence war which made
Mugabe a national
hero.
Makoni and Tsvangirai are confident they can yet lure rural voters
with
promises of an ambitious economic recovery, quicker food imports and an
end
to corruption.
But Mugabe's challengers have made more inroads in
cities where urban
workers grapple with galloping inflation and shortages of
food, fuel,
foreign currency and electricity.
Some food is available
on the black market but prices can fluctuate wildly.
Bus and train fares
rise each week and around them, urban Zimbabweans see
their cities
collapsing as roads crumble, sewers burst and civil servants go
on
strike.
Although officially pegged at 30,000 Zimbabwe dollars to the U.S.
dollar,
the local currency is trading at about 40 million Zimbabwe dollars
to the
U.S dollar on a thriving black market.
Israel Chitiga, a
barber living in Glen View township in Harare, hopes a
change at the top
could end the hardships.
"I am afraid if Mugabe wins again we might as
well all die from stress,"
says Chitiga, while going through his salary slip
at a hair salon in central
Harare. "I will vote for Tsvangirai. I have known
him over the years as a
fearless leader."
Chitiga is acutely aware of
the shortages. The previous night he had to rush
his feverish
seven-month-old to a state hospital. He was lucky. He saw a
doctor after
just three hours.
Doctors working at government hospitals have gone on
strike at least three
times over the past year, putting more strain on a
health system already
overwhelmed by shortages of drugs and the HIV
scourge.
"Mugabe should make way for a younger leader like Simba Makoni,
there is
hope there," a junior doctor at Harare's Parirenyatwa Hospital
said.
(Editing by Clar Ni Chonghaile)
Residents go for days without
water
By Tawanda Kadungure, on March 18 2008
02:02
In another rude awakening to the problems
that Zimbabweans are
faced with on a daily basis, most residents in high
density areas have been
without tap water for nearly a week
now.
Residents in Harare's high density areas as well as
the
dormitory town of Chitungwiza have been without water for near a week
now
with some having been in such conditions for almost a
month.
"We have no water since last week and we are fetching
it from
ditches and free flowing wells though it is not health at all," said
a
Chitungwiza woman we talked to.
The residents are
saying they are amazed at the quietness of
Zimbabwe National Water Authority
(ZINWA) with the current water shortages
that everyone is
facing.
I paid a visit to Chitungwiza during this past
week (by the way
I regularly visit the town) to see for myself what was
going on and was
touched by what I saw. In Unit C a group of young children
and women could
be seen with 5, 10 and 20ltr containers fetching water from
a ditch that had
grime.
"We are using it mostly for
bathing and washing and in some
instances we are boiling it so that we can
drink. There is nothing we can
do," said Mbuya Banda whom we talked
to.
A visit in Zengeza also showed that people are either
going to
fetch water in Mayambara which is on the back of Chikwanha shops or
in
several houses that have wells dug within. Whether these are registered
with
ZINWA as should be the case nobody knows but they have gone a mile in
alleviating the water shortages. At a certain house where this well is dug,
they are selling the water for $1.5m Zimbabwe dollars per
20litres.
In areas like Mabvuku it has always been
the case that water is
rarely available and for long they have been fetching
it from these
unprotected wells exposing residents to water borne diseases
and cholera.
"Water is something that we can not do without
in our urban
settings and we wonder what the guys at ZINWA are thinking of
us. Apa unenge
uine vana vadiki pamba. It is just saddening to think that
our country has
gone down to such levels," said another lady we talked to in
Chitungwiza.
Others said that the water used to come back
late in the night
but now it is dry tapes throughout that they have in their
houses.
"I used to wake up late in the night around 12
midnight and
water would be there but now it is not there at all. I have
been trying to
wake up around 4 in the morning but still these days there is
no water at
all," said Judith a young women we talked to in the same
town.
ZINWA has not come forth to tell what the situation
is on the
ground other than that they are carrying out repair work at the
Morton
Jeffrey water works. Minister of State Water Resources and
Infrastructural
Development Engineer Munacho Mutezo has been in the news
saying much on the
repair works they are doing with ZINWA but it seems the
condition is getting
worse by the day.
MISA-Zimbabwe Alert: Mutare Journalists Face Trial
Media Alert
18 March
2008
Mutare journalists face trial
Two Mutare journalists will
soon face separate trials on allegations of
contravening the repressive
Access to Information and Protection of Privacy
Act
(AIPPA).
Former Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation's (ZBC) Manicaland
bureau chief
Andrew Neshamba, has been summoned to appear at the Mutare
Magistrates Court
on 20 March 2008. Neshamba was arrested in February 2007
together with South
African-based E-TV reporter Peter Moyo, who was
convicted on his own plea
for contravening Section 83 (1) of AIPPA which
deals with practicing
journalism without accreditation.
Moyo was
arrested together with ZBC cameraperson William Gumbo in the
eastern border
town of Mutare after they were found in possession of filming
equipment
which they were accused of using to cover illegal diamond mining
activities
in Marange Village in Manicaland Province.
In a separate matter,
Sidney Saize a reporter with the banned Daily News has
been summoned to
appear before a Mutare Court on 22 April 2008 on charges of
contravening the
same section of AIPPA. Saize is accused of having filed a
report with the
Voice of America's Studio 7 in Washington DC on 18 january
2006 alleging
that two teachers had been assaulted in Marange by Zanu PF
youths and
independence liberation war veterans.
MISA-Zimbabwe condemns these
actions as designed to instill fear and deter
the accused journalists from
freely conducting their lawful professional
duties ahead of the 29 March
2008 elections. MISA-Zimbabwe's Legal Officer,
Wilbert Mandinde, will work
with members of the Media Lawyers Network
members in Mutare to defend the
two journalists against the charges they are
facing.
End
For any questions, queries or comments
please contact:
Nyasha Nyakunu
Research and Information
Officer
MISA-Zimbabwe
Towungana Says God Told Him to Run for President
SW Radio Africa
(London)
18 March 2008
Posted to the web 18 March 2008
Tererai
Karimakwenda
"To be President doesn't require a very big man. What is
needed is a person
who has got the people at heart. A person who has
compassion."
These are the words of Langton Towungana, the presidential
candidate running
against Robert Mugabe, Simba Makoni and Morgan Tsvangirai.
Speaking to SW
Radio Africa for the first time, the relatively unknown
resident of the town
of Victoria Falls said it was his spirits that told him
to run. He described
these spirits as the feeling inside him that said God
wanted him to help end
the suffering of the people.
The last man
to join the race, Towungana admitted that there was not enough
time for him
to campaign and get his message out to people around the
country. His
explanation was that radio interviews would make up for that
and God was on
his side. "It's the only thing that can give us salvation.
God, not man can
give us direction." he added.
The hardships that Zimbabweans are facing
added to this feeling that he must
act. He said; "Everyone is on their
knees. There is no food in the shops.
Everybody is crying. In the rural
areas there is no sugar. There is no bread
and there is no mealie-meal."
Using his own brand of English, he said
politics had failed to solve these
problems and it was now time to try God.
"As a man of God I thought I must
run in this race for President."
Surprisingly for a presidential
candidate, Towungana said he had no
political experience at all. He
explained that he was a teacher in the rural
areas and was running several
businesses in Victoria Falls. These included a
milling company and one
focused on tourism. But the tourism business has
died, he said, because the
government is isolating Zimbabwe through its
policies.
Towungana said
he would try to form a government of national unity that
would bring
together officials from different parties who care about the
people. He
believes that in Zimbabwe the President has too much power and it
should be
shared equally with a Vice president.
Regarding the suggestion that he
was a ZANU-PF creation brought about to
split the opposition vote, Towungana
said: "Mugabe is surprised with me. He
does not know who I am. I am not a
stooge. I am not ZANU-PF and I am not
associated with any
party."
Towungana said the country is no longer enjoying its glory and it
lost its
identity some time ago. Again he returned to religious references,
urging
voters to look for a sign of the cross on the ballot box. He said:
"When
voting look for the sign written Jesus, pane muchinjiko, that is the
person
you vote for."
Observers have dismissed Towungana's candindacy
saying he stands no chance
whatsoever of defeating Mugabe, Tsvangirai or
Makoni. But the man talked
quite confidently of his own chances, repeating
time and again that he was a
man of God, and that alone will take him far.
He said: "Although it is late
More cash makes food expensive
HARARE, 18 March 2008 (IRIN) - Extra cash in
the pockets of civil servants
ahead of the elections and a spiralling
foreign exchange rate has pushed up
the prices of basic foodstuffs and
essential items by 300 percent in the
last few days, said
economists.
"There has been quite a spike [in prices] in the past week,"
said John
Robertson, an independent economist based in the capital, Harare.
Retailers
had hiked up prices because people's spending power had increased
ahead of
the elections, he added.
The average salary of a civil
servant went up from Z$100 million in December
2007 to Z$500 million in
February 2008. Salaries were revised again last
week: a government employee
can now take home more than Z$4billion a month.
The spending power of
farmers and transport operators, who have access to
subsidised fuel has also
increased: they pay Z$70,000 per litre, while
ordinary Zimbabweans have to
fork out Z$70 million per litre for fuel, when
available.
The salary
increase and subsidies have caused a chain reaction, explained
Robertson.
With more money to spend, consumers have prompted an increased
demand for
imported consumer goods in the market, he said. "This in turn
created an
extra demand for foreign currency as importers tried to keep up
with the
surge in demand." The value of one US dollar shot up from Z$40
million to
Z$70 million within a day in the parallel market.
The price of a two
litre bottle of cooking oil has risen from Z$45 million
to Z$180 million
within a week, said Dennis Nikisi, an economist, who
teaches at the
University of Zimbabwe.
The price of essentials such as bread, meat, milk
and even medicines has
been affected in a country grappling with a more than
100,000 percent annual
inflation rate.
A month's supply of
antiretrovirals now costs Z$1.4 billion up from Z$200
million last
week.
Maize-meal, the staple food is not available in food retail outlets
in the
urban centres. "You can only access maize-meal in the parallel
market, but
even that is now becoming difficult, my sister has been trying
to buy it in
the parallel market for the past one week," said a Harare
resident.
When available, a 10kg bag of maize-meal sells at Zim$250
million: a price
only the salaried can afford.
Not everyone is a
civil servant
Not everyone has benefited from salary hikes and subsidies:
the poor
including pensioners have been among the worst
affected.
Moffat Ngulube, a 70-year pensioner earns Z$50 million a month,
which could
only buy him a loaf of bread (Z$20 million) and a soft drink
(Z$25 million).
The remainder (Z$5 million) is not even enough to buy him a
bus ticket (Z$10
million) to his house in the high density suburb of
Dzivarasekwa, about 20km
outside Harare.
"I am only grateful that I
have children working outside the country who
send me groceries and
toiletries for use," he said. "I cannot imagine how
other pensioners are
surviving."
"The welfare system has long collapsed and does not provide
relief to poor
people in Zimbabwe," pointed out Fambai Ngirande, the
communications and
advocacy manager of the National Association of
Non-Governmental
Organisations (NANGO).
"While the government has
introduced subsidies and price controls, only the
rich have managed to buy
all the commodities from the formal system and
flood them in the black
market at even higher prices which are way beyond
the reach of the majority
of the people," he added.
Price controls
Morris Sakabuya, deputy
minister for local government minister, warned
businesses against price
increases and said their licenses could be
withdrawn. "We are calling on
manufacturers, shop owners and even the
transport sector to have people at
heart and work towards improving the
lives of citizens."
Government
forced manufacturers to cut prices by 50 percent in an attempt to
reduce
inflation in June 2007. But shortages of basic foodstuffs and
essential
items worsened as manufacturers chose to either close down or
reduce
production.
After widespread objections by business, the government made
some upward
revisions of controlled prices in August 2007, but the move
failed to boost
supplies, as the cost of manufacturing was still too
high.
Most shops now import commodities from neighbouring countries,
particularly
South Africa and Botswana, but because they have to source
foreign currency
on the black market to buy the goods, the items are
expensive when sold
locally.
The only way to curb prices would be to
remove price controls, said
Robertson and Nkisi.
"The prices would
certainly go up initially - but it would stabilise
eventually and would
certainly be cheaper than imported goods," said
Robertson.
NANGO's
Ngirande said the government needed to engage civic society in order
to form
an effective partnership in combating hardships.
Most policy makers
recommend targeted safety nets rather than price controls
to help the poor
cope with high food prices.
In 2000 the Zimbabwean government launched
its fast-track land reform
programme, which expropriated white-owned
commercial farmland for
redistribution to landless blacks, and heralded the
onset of an economic
meltdown.
The government blames sanctions
imposed by some western countries for its
economic
problems.
[ENDS]
[This report does not necessarily reflect the
views of the United Nations]
SA companies to weather storm in Zimbabwe: Busa
March 18,
2008, 16:30
By Frank Nxumalo
South African companies will stay in
Zimbabwe despite human rights abuses
and the promulgation of politically
expedient legislation, Business Unity
South Africa (Busa) told the Business
and Human Rights Conference in
Johannesburg this morning.
"Although
we have strongly made our objection to abuses of the Zimbabwean
public at
large and to opposition parties known to the South African
government, we
still think our members should stay in Zimbabwe," Busa CEO
Jerry Vilakazi
said.
"Zimbabwe is not yet a failed state, but South African companies
cannot
withdraw without inducing the total collapse of that country. So we
are
saying they must stay even if they are not making a
profit".
Zimbabwe's head of state, President Robert Mugabe, recently
signed the
Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment Bill into law in a move
widely seen
as a political strategy aimed at buying votes for the March 29
presidential
and legislative elections.
Vilakazi called on the
Southern African Development Community (SADC) to
provide leadership in
Zimbabwe's hour of need. "It will be a sad day indeed
if SADC is seen as
legitimatising anything untoward during these elections,"
Vilakazi
said.
The law requires foreign companies based in Zimbabwe to cede their
majority
stake or 51% of the shareholdings to indigenous
Zimbabweans.
Until Zimbabwe's economic and social meltdown started in
2000 - attributed
to the seizure of white-owned commercial farms by war
veterans by some
analysts - South Africa was the biggest investor in its
economy.
Abramovich denies reports of plans to buy Zim
colliery
Published: 18 Mar 08 - 18:19
Russian billionaire Roman
Abramovich has no plans to buy assets in Zimbabwe,
a spokesperson for his
holding company Millhouse Capital said on Tuesday, in
response to reports
that Abramovich had entered talks to buy the Hwange
colliery in the
country.
"Mr Abramovich was in Zimbabwe on a private visit. Neither he
personally,
nor Millhouse LLC, has acquired or plans to acquire assets
there," John Mann
said in an email.
Zimabwe's Herald newspaper
reported on the weekend that Abramovich had
visited the country and opened
talks over buying the Hwange colliery, which
is the Southern African
nation's biggest coal producer.
Millhouse, in which Abramovich's
coinvestors include Russian oil billionaire
Eugene Shvidler, has assets in a
variety of industries including mining and
metallurgy, real estate,
pharmaceuticals, consumer products and media.
The group holds a
significant stake in steel and mining giant Evraz, which
in turn, owns South
Africa's Highveld Steel & Vanadium.
Mbeki under fire for statement on Zimbabwe
Posted on Tuesday 18 March 2008 - 12:29
Munyaradzi Mugadza,
AfricaNews reporter in Harare, Zimbabwe
South African president Thabo Mbeki
is under attack from Zimbabweans
across the country for his words that the
political terrain is even for free
and fair elections while oppositions
parties are facing intimidations and
torture from the ruling party.
Addressing journalists after his visit to Mauritius, Mbeki said he saw no
problems why Zimbabwe could fail to hold free elections given the political
playing field. Mbeki who have failed to lead talks between the ruling
Zanu-PF and the Movement for Democratic Change said everything to be heading
in the right direction despite Zanu-PF's bias towards coverage and the
continued attacks of opposition supporters and candidates.
Zimbabwe's most civic organizations were in Brussels urging the European
community to pressure the United Nation's Security Council to solve the
alleged political violence in Zimbabwe especially towards the senatorial,
parliament council and presidential elections this month.
President
Mbeki has opened some floodgates of criticism his dialogue talks
collapsed.
The South African president has also been accused of using quiet
diplomacy
while favoring Mugabe. Some have however said Mbeki's brains were
somehow
behind the Simba Makoni project.
Some people who spoke to this reporter
on condition of anonymity said
Mbeki is a complete failure in the Zimbabwean
situation adding that he is
dancing to Mugabe's tune. After their blanket
ban by the government of
Zimbabwe, the European community revealed that
Zimbabwe was not yet ready
for the harmonized polls.
The opposition
MDC have sparked an outcry over the criteria used to
allocate the polling
stations. The system resulted in urban areas getting
fewer polling stations
ahead of rural areas. To this end, MDC has requested
for more observers to
be deployed in rural areas.
For example, in Harare, 379 polling centers
have been established for
about 760,000 registered voters, giving a total
number of 2,022 voting at
each station over 12 hours. If there is maximum
turnout, that gives each
citizen an average of 22 seconds to vote for four
candidates which is
practically impossible to achieve.
Immigrants not looking forward to voting in Zimbabwe
elections
17 March, 2008
FRANCISTOWN - Many Zimbabwean immigrants in
Francistown are not going to
vote in their countrys upcoming general
elections, citing lack of a
conducive environment as the main
reason.
Zimbabwe goes to the polls on March 29 to elect president and
lawmakers.
I do not see a reason for me to go there and vote because the
process will
be rigged, said one Sibusiso Moyo, a taxi operator in the
city.
He anticipated that the elections are going to be as normal as has
been the
case with previous elections, where intimidation and terror forced
people to
vote for the ruling ZANU-PF.
Another Zimbabwean who
preferred anonymity, said although she had registered
she would not vote in
the election.
What difference will it make? Give me one good reason why
this year could be
different from any other year, and why I should vote. I
have been voting and
voting with the hope that things will change but here I
am still doing piece
jobs in Botswana, she said.
Now even the
immigration people here are giving us less days, saying we
should go back
home to vote in the election, something I personally do not
want as I have
been voting and what difference would it do now to vote again
for the same
person, she cried out.
There are however other Zimbabweans who would want
to vote hoping for a
regime change, but were too late to register.
I
would have loved to vote but because I spend most of the time in foreign
countries I couldnt get the opportunity to register because registration was
open for only two days, said another migrant, Mandla.
He said due to
limited time, most would-be first time voters failed to
register because
they were outside the country fending for their families.
Commenting on
the issue, political analyst at the University of Botswana, Dr
Zibani
Maundeni, said election time in Zimbabwe was a difficult time for
opposition
supporters and those who are neutral.
These people are talking from
experience, and it is a huge sacrifice on
their part to go home to vote
especially those in the opposition because
they are seen as enemies of the
state, he said.
The seizures of thousands of white-owned farms in 2000
disrupted the
agriculture-based economy in the former regional breadbasket,
living
Zimbabwe in the worst economic crisis since independence in
1980.
Zimbabwe has the worlds highest inflation of more than 100 000 per
cent and
suffers acute shortages of hard currency, food, gasoline and most
basic
goods.
Presidential candidates are President Robert Mugabe of
ZANU PF, Dr Simba
Makoni, an independent candidate and the leader of the
Movement for
Democratic Change, Mr Morgan Tsvangirai. BOPA
All local
news stories were supplied by the Botswana Press Agency (BOPA)
Zimbabwean envoy gets mixed reception from
MPs over pre-election briefing
18 March 2008
Wyndham Hartley
Parliamentary
Editor
CAPE TOWN - Friendly African National Congress (ANC) MPs gave
Zimbabwe
ambassador Simon Moyo an easy ride yesterday, as opposition MPs
said his
briefing on the state of the country before the March 29 election
required
them to suspend belief.
Moyo's message to Parliament's
foreign affairs committee is in sharp
contrast with the message from the
Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions to the
Congress of South African Trade
Unions at the weekend, with reports of the
voters' roll in a shambles and
state media behaving like a propaganda
machine for President Robert Mugabe
and his Zanu (PF).
It also did not tally with opposition Movement for
Democratic Change (MDC)
reports of massive gerrymandering in arrangement of
rural and urban
constituencies.
Moyo basically said everything was on
track for a free and fair election.
He rejected suggestions of
gerrymandering and said the four presidential
candidates and three political
parties in the poll were campaigning in peace
and calm - "much to the
annoyance of some observers who want it to be
otherwise".
He voiced
full confidence in the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission and rejected
suggestions it had been loaded with Mugabe supporters.
The ambassador
also paid tribute to mediation efforts of President Thabo
Mbeki, despite
them often being described as a failure by the MDC and blamed
the state of
Zimbabwe's economy and its 100000% inflation rate on
"comprehensive"
sanctions imposed by the US and UK.
In response to a question from
Democratic Alliance MP Tony Leon, Moyo
insisted that the state media was
treating all parties fairly. "I was in
Zimbabwe last week and was very
impressed by coverage."
Leon said the briefing required suspension of
belief.
Moyo said the independent media in Zimbabwe never mentioned Zanu
(PF) or
Mugabe but were intent only on carrying the "regime change" message
of their
sponsors.
Clearly aligning himself with the ruling party, he
said "we" were concerned
about the outside broadcasts coming in from the US
and UK encouraging regime
change.
When asked by DA MP Joe Seremane
about the incidence of intimidation he said
that if it existed at all it
should be reported to the police.
On the vetting of observer missions and
Zimbabwe's refusal to allow western
delegations Moyo asked rhetorically why
Zimbabwe should allow missions that
had already made up their minds that the
poll could only be free and fair if
Mugabe lost.
In sharp contrast to
the DA stance, ANC MPs referred to Moyo as "comrade
ambassador" and said
"you are correct when you say we were together in the
trenches".
Responses to earlier items
This article
makes a desperate reading. Zimbabweans, wherever they are, have
had enough
of ZANU PF government. And in a desperate search for a solution
people are
throwing everything lock, stock and barrel at the coming
election. The
suggestion here may not be the best but at least it's an
honourable effort
that should be applauded.
I however believe that the election is going
to be won and lot at the
electoral register. Many will turn out to vote but
will be turned away or
directed to the next polling station or will be told
their names do not
appear in the register. It is for this assertion that
ferrying people from
outside the to vote could well be a futile project. I
agree with some
writers such as Mtumwa Mawere who are saying the diaspora
pupolation should
use its contacts and influence to tell people back home to
vote for jobs,
low inflation, electricity, better and affordable schools,
medicines, salt,
sugar, bread, public transport, etc. These basic
necessities were wiped out
by Mugabe and his ZANU PF government. Zanu pf is
not capable of reversing
the current crisis as they blame it on the West
leaving us wondering what
this government is responsible for if it blame
foreigners for every social
and political ill in our beloved country. Let's
send these messages home
not sendin people who may not even be able to
vote.
John Huruva
London
The fight for freedom and justice in
Zimbabwe is not going to end with
Mugabe's departure.
--------------------------------
Reply to Phil Matibe's letter to President R.G. Mugabe
Dear Phil
Matibe
Your letter (below) directed at the President of Zimbabwe cannot
go
unchallenged.
What you are proposing by your very letter is for the
President to break the
law by interferring people's freedom of speech and
association. What your
letter tells me is that you are not a nuetral adviser
in this regard. You
have hidden agendas.
When Nelson Chamisa promised
Kenyan-style arnach, not once but twice, why
did you not advise Morgan
Tsvangirai to condemn such atturances? The three
generals who have expressed
their prefered choices in the race for president
are only exercising the
constitutional right of association and choice.
There is nothing sinister
about what they have said. There is not even the
slightest implied or veiled
inferrance to an impending coup in their
pronouncement. All they were saying
was that Zimbabwe is not for sale and
all those who intend to mortgage it to
America and Britain should take hid.
Are Zimbabweans so stupid as to be
influenced by atturences when they know
that they will put their Xs in a
secret bullot? It is people like Matibe
who are not Zimbabweans who want to
speak for us as if we do not know what
we want. You are spreading lies and
propaganda everyday about Zimbabwe
inorder to cause confusion and chaos,
why?
President Mugabe is 84, that is not in dispute, but whoever told that
people
of his age cannot rule has further blinded your already shallow
mind.
President Mugabe is still more than fit enough to lead that country
for
another five years. The issue should not be about his age but what he
is
offering. Of the three presidential aspirants, only Mugabe has
the
legitimacy to be voted back. He is talking about empowering the people
of
Zimbabwe whereas the other two are intend on giving the country back
to
whites. What does it mean to engage the so-called international
community
when your people are not impowered? Does it not mean inviting them
on their
own terms which terms will not benefit Zimbabweans? What Zimbabwe
needs now
is strengthening of the structures that are in place. You cannot
expect the
country to bargain with the world with nothing in hand, hence the
need to
consolidate the gains made so far.
As for the elections being free
and fairs, well thats a forgone conclusion.
What you wish for will never
happen in Zimbabwe. The freeness or fairness of
an election is not determined
by the winning of the opposition. It is
determined by the conditions
currently obtaining on the ground in Zimbabwe.
People are free to campaign
anywhere in the country. They have access to the
media and a host of other
measures that were put in place by President
Mugabe.
Your advice for the
President to retire gracefully is rejected with the
contempt it deserves. He
is there to stay, you who are Zimbabweans by
association can go to hell and
burn but Mugabe remains our legitimate leader
whom we want to continue
leading us into prosperity. Of course your threat
to the President's life is
taken seriously.
Forward Ever, Backward Never
Zimbabwe will never be a
colony again.
Amon Kamba