Zimbabwe budget slashed by $700,000, finance minister says country must live within means

http://www.chicagotribune.com

  By Associated Press
  11:41 AM CDT, March 18, 2009
HARARE, Zimbabwe (AP) - Zimbabwe's new finance minister says the troubled
country needs to live within its means, slashing by $700,000 a budget
proposed by President Robert Mugabe's party.

Tendai Biti, a former opposition leader who came into the government last
month under a power-sharing deal, presented a new budget to parliament
Wednesday.

Patrick Chinamasa, appointed acting finance minister by Mugabe, had proposed
a $1.7 billion interim budget in January. Biti called for $1 billion in
spending.

Biti called his a "reality budget" and pledged to raise funds for education,
health and infrastructure.

Zimbabwe has asked the international community for a $2 billion economic
rescue package, but received few pledges amid the global economic slowdown.

Big blow to Zim budget

http://www.thezimbabwean.co.uk


Wednesday, 18 March 2009
Harare - Zimbabwe Finance Minister Tendai Biti said Wednesday that
government revenues would be 43% lower than predicted when the national
budget was presented in January.

Biti took office last month when the Movement for Democratic Change
(MDC) joined long-time President Robert Mugabe in a unity government,
following nearly a year of political turmoil.
Biti presented a revised budget to parliament, updating the one
unveiled in January by Mugabe's cabinet.
His new estimates showed that Zimbabwe's government revenue would be
one billion dollars, down from the $1.7bn projected in the January budget.
"This is a loss of budgeted expenditure of 43%," he told parliament.
"The task of turning around the economy becomes the toughest job of
the inclusive government."
He urged Zimbabweans to accept the grim realities of the revised
budget, which will hamper government's already limited ability to cope with
94% unemployment, world-record hyperinflation, and nationwide food
shortages.
"Demands on the treasury are high and limitless. It is important for
Zimbabweans to take a reality check. The reality of our economic situation
is that it is grim," he said.
Biti's budget followed through on MDC promises to pay civil servants
in foreign currencies. Bureaucrats, teachers, doctors and the military can
now expect payments in US dollars, budgeted at $299m.
He also budgeted $32m for "vulnerable groups" such as child-headed
families.
Zimbabweans are surviving largely on foreign aid, with international
agencies distributing food rations to nearly seven million people - the
majority of the population.
A cholera epidemic has hit more than 91 000 people, killing more than
4 000 people, but public hospitals only opened their doors after MDC leader
Morgan Tsvangirai became prime minister last month.
Public hospitals and clinics still have little medicine or supplies,
leaving international agencies to battle the cholera epidemic.

Agence France Presse (AFP)

Zimbabwe's economy "literally sustained by beer and cigarettes"

http://www.monstersandcritics.com

Business News
Mar 18, 2009, 15:29 GMT

Harare - Revenue from tax on alcohol and tobacco has been the key
contribution to Zimbabwe's overall income, Finance Minister Tendai Biti said
in presenting a revised 2009 budget to Parliament.

'Indirect taxes made up of customs and excise duty have contributed 88 per
cent of government revenue which means that the government has been
literally sustained by beer and cigarettes. This is unacceptable,' Biti
said.

The newly-appointed Biti revised downwards overall revenue expectations from
the 1,7 billion US dollars announced by his predecessor in January to 1
billion dollars. Biti said expenditure would top 1,9 billion dollars,
therefore the budget forecasts a 43 per cent loss.

Zimbabwe is in the throes of an economic crisis that critics blame on bad
governance by President Robert Mugabe administration since he came to power
29 years ago.

Economists say skewed government policies, including controversial land
reform, and corruption have milked the economy of the country once regarded
as the breadbasket of southern Africa.

They also blame over-expenditure due to continued printing of the now
worthless and abandoned Zimbabwe dollar.

But presenting his maiden budget since Mugabe and the opposition formed a
unity government, Biti said: 'We are now implementing the basic law of
hunting economics. What we gather is what we eat.'

Biti said money supply was a problem in Zimbabwe as the country was not
exporting any products and government was operating on a cash basis.

Coltart says government has no money to pay teachers' salaries

http://www.swradioafrica.com

By Tichaona Sibanda
18 March 2009

The plunder of Zimbabwe by the ruling elite has ensured that the new MDC
ministers are having a difficult time meeting the financial demands of the
nation. On Wednesday Education Minister, Senator David Coltart, was forced
to admit that he could not guarantee that government will pay teachers their
March salaries, because the country's treasury coffers were completely
empty.

The Minister told a media briefing that while his ministry was extremely
concerned with the teachers' grievances, he could not promise anything on
salaries. Since the formation of the inclusive government, Finance Minister
Tendai Biti has made several impassioned pleas to the international
community to step in and assist the new government financially, or it would
fail to deliver on its promises and ultimately collapse.
Coltart said; 'We have consulted with the Ministry of Finance and I can tell
you that our treasury coffers are almost bare. Money has not flowed into the
treasury. While we are very concerned with the genuine demands of the
teachers, right now I cannot promise anything in terms of salaries,' Coltart
said.
Firebrand Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) secretary-general,
Raymond Majongwe hit back, saying government was not taking the issue of
their salaries serious.
'If within 14 days they don't give us a satisfactory answer, we are going
back to the trenches. The second term might turn out to be a very big and
difficult term for the new minister,' Majongwe said. This was in reference
to the teachers' threat on Tuesday to embark on a fresh work boycott if they
were not paid more than the US$100 allowance paid to every civil servant in
February.
Government and Teachers unions had reached an agreement for teachers to
return to work by March 2nd and resume normal classes for the 2009 education
calendar.  This had followed intense negotiations between the PTUZ and the
Zimbabwe Teachers Association. Government offered to pay all civil servants
US$100 per month -- the first time their salaries would be paid in foreign
currency. But the teachers were demanding US$2,300. Union leaders then
backtracked and said they had been won over by the new government's
commitment to alleviate their plight.

Teachers have been on strike over pay disputes and working conditions for
the greater part of last year and the beginning of this year. Because of
hyper-inflation their salaries had been reduced to nothing and by January
this year teachers were earning the equivalent of US$2 a month.
Majongwe said Coltart's statement that government was broke was something
that they did not anticipate and as a union they were under pressure from
their membership, who he said were 'both angry and agitated.'
'They have no money for teachers, but they expect the same teachers to use
transport to go to work, pay their rentals, clothe and feed themselves, with
just the US$100 paid out last month,' Majongwe said.
'If this issue is not addressed I obviously see ourselves taking off our
gloves and we are going to do so very soon,' added Majongwe.

Finance Minister Biti launches new economic blue print

http://www.swradioafrica.com

By Lance Guma
18 March 2009

Finance Minister Tendai Biti is expected to officially launch a new economic
blue-print on Thursday, which will lay out plans by the new coalition
government to revive the economy. The 121 page document titled "Short Term
Emergency Recovery Programme: Setting Zimbabwe Moving Again" (STERP) was
shown in advance to members of the business and diplomatic community last
Friday.

The plan is being marketed as an attempt to control the country's
hyper-inflation, negative growth, massive currency devaluation, low
productive capacity, loss of jobs, food shortages, poverty and massive
de-industrialisation. Biti's plan involves supporting the manufacturing
sector through the establishment of a US billion dollar external credit
facility.

Set out in key priority areas will be political and governance issues,
'social protection' issues around food and humanitarian assistance,
education and health and the stabilization of the economy through,
'implementation of a growth oriented programme, restoring the value of the
local currency and guaranteeing its stability.' The plan seeks to ensure
adequate availability of food, fuel, electricity, clean water and medical
drugs.

On Wednesday Biti presented a short-term budget in parliament which will
replace the one announced by the then acting Finance Minister, Patrick
Chinamasa, in January this year. In his presentation Biti revised the
country's 2009 estimated revenue from US$1,7 billion to US$1 billion,
confirming earlier suspicions that Chinamasa over-stated the country's
revenue potential from taxes. The new minister however refused to review the
initial 2 percent growth rate, predicted in the previous budget.

Despite Biti's ambitious plans for the economy, money will remain the
sticking point in any implementation. The traditional western donors and
lenders are still reluctant to pour money into an arrangement that has so
far been marred by ZANU PF violations of the unity deal. Biti however might
find slight relief from reports that South Africa is considering a US$2
billion loan to Zimbabwe. It's thought US$1 billion will be used to fund
government operations.

Economic analyst Bekithemba Mhlanga said after Biti's budget presentation
which admitted a 43 percent drop in projected government revenue, ordinary
people would have expected government to move towards streamlining measures.
For example, he said unnecessary Zimbabwean embassies around the world could
be shut down and the size of the bloated government reduced, among other
things.

The new coalition government has been slammed as being too big, given the
country's resources. But analysts agree the size reflects the compromise
that was made to make the power sharing deal work. It seems unlikely there
would be any reduction in the size of the cabinet given this consideration.

White farmer rearrested for photographing Tsvangirai crash scene

http://www.swradioafrica.com

By Alex Bell
18 March 2009

The Vice President of the Commercial Farmers Union (CFU), who was arrested
for taking photographs of the scene of the car crash that killed Susan
Tsvangirai, has been rearrested and is being held at the Harare central
police station.

Deon Theron was hauled into custody on Tuesday, and spent the night behind
bars after being questioned for most of the day. He is now facing charges of
'defeating the course of justice' for taking photographs at the scene before
police officials arrived.

Theron had been called by MDC officials shortly after news of the tragic
crash had spread, and was able to arrive before police because he lives on a
farm nearby. Theron was asked to film and photograph the scene to provide an
independent record in case of an inquiry, but his equipment was confiscated
when he was first arrested and the footage is yet to be released by police.
Theron is being held on remand until his bail hearing which is expected to
go ahead on Thursday.

Meanwhile, the renewed offensive against the country's remaining commercial
farmers has intensified, with more farmers being forced into hiding. In
Chegutu, citrus farmers the Etheredges, have fled their property under
increasing pressure and harassment from the head of the Senate, Edna
Madzongwe. Madzongwe's latest intimidation tactic has been to use  the
notorious Zimbabwe Federation of Trade Unions (ZFTU), founded by the
infamous Joseph Chinotimba, who led many farm invasions and is Vice
President of the National Liberation War Veterans Association.

The intimidation has also escalated into violence and, on Monday night, the
family's farm guard was abducted by a group of Madzongwe's thugs. The guard
was beaten with a hose pipe for 20 minutes by a ZFTU official and
continually harassed for two hours. He was eventually released, but the
violence and intimidation has since seen the Etheredges flee the farm for
fear of their safety.

At the same time, Karori farmer Charles Lock has described his anger and
frustration to SW Radio Africa, after he was also forced into hiding
recently. Lock voluntarily gave up his farm to the State for the Land
Programme in 2002 and moved on to his father-in-law's farm to head
operations there. But in 2004 Lock and his father-in-law were both arrested
and charged with being on state land illegally, after they had been asked to
give up yet more land the year before. Charges against them were dropped and
at the time, both the Rusape Governor and the Land Task Force acknowledged
their legal right to the property.

Lock explained that in 2006 and most of 2007 he farmed peacefully, until the
arrival of Brigadier General Justin Mujaji, who posted soldiers all over the
farm and victimized and assaulted the farm staff, and also extorted and
looted farm property over the course of the year. Lock obtained three High
Court Orders allowing him to stay and barring the Brigadier General from the
land. But Mujaji refused to abide and a Contempt Order was issued on him and
his wife by the High Court. The wife was arrested and jailed for only 12
days while the Brigadier General, who was never arrested, looted equipment
from the farm before finally vacating it.

However, despite the Contempt Order, warrant of arrest and two High Court
Orders, Mujaji forcefully retook the farm last year.

"I was barricaded inside my house. My labour were beaten and traumatized in
front of me and all my senior staff dumped off the farm," Lock explained.

In 2008 the state then recharged Lock as a criminal, for being on the land
unlawfully under the new gazetted land act. The trial took 9 months, after
which Lock was fully acquitted. But last month Lock was once again summoned
to the court for exactly the same offence. He explained that he refused to
go to court, and instead obtained a High Court Order barring the State from
prosecuting him again. But the State has instead started prosecuting his
staff, including his farm manager and other workers on his farm.

Mujaji, meanwhile once again invaded the farm on Tuesday for the third time
with armed soldiers. Lock has remained in hiding and on Wednesday warned
that the unity government "needs to hold up their end of the deal and be
held accountable to the power share agreement, or else there will be chaos."

The Commercial Farmers' Union - URGENT Memo

http://www.zimeye.org/?p=3163

Published: March 18, 2009

On Tuesday 17 March 2009 the Herald newspaper carried a front page
article "CFU Implicated in Tsvangirai Crash".

The Union is consulting with its legal representative on the article as
in our opinion the article bears no truth. We will take the necessary
legal action should this be advised and members will be kept informed.

Furthermore to this, the Union wishes to advise that the Vice President
of the Union, Mr Deon Theron was called by the Criminal Investigation
Department - Law and Order Unit of the Zimbabwe Republic Police for
questioning regarding the taking of photographs at the the site of the Prime
Ministers accident.  He has been taken into custody and currently being held
at Rhodesville Police Station on what would appear charges of "defeating
the cause of justice".

At this stage there is no clear indication when he will appear in court
but speaking to the investigating officer it would appear that he should
be going to court tomorrow morning.

 The Vice President is well and he is strong in his faith.  Please keep
him in your prayers.

Members will be kept updated.

HENDRIK OLIVIER

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

JAG FARMS UPDATE dated 17TH March 2009

Email: jag@mango.zw : justiceforagriculture@zol.co.zw

JAG Hotlines: +263 (011) 610 073, +263 (04) 799410.  If you are in
trouble or need advice, please don't hesitate to contact us - we're here
to help!

To subscribe/unsubscribe to the JAG mailing list, please email:
jag@mango.zw with subject line "subscribe" or
"unsubscribe".

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

CHEGUTU - MASHONALAND SOUTH

On Stockdale Farm, the Etheredges are coming under increasing pressure by
Senator Madzongwe, speaker of the Senate, to pack-up and leave their 6000
ton citrus crop for her to reap.

Her latest move has been to bring in the notorious "ZFTU"  [Zimbabwe
Federation of Trade Unions] supported by ZANU PF and founded by the
infamous Joseph Chinotimba who led many of the farm invasions and is Vice
president of the National Liberation War Veterans Association.

In the presence of Chegutu police yesterday the ZFTU demanded that the
Etheredges pay off their workers or else face their homes being looted.

The Etheredges are fully protected by the SADC Tribunal ruling of 28
November 2008 and have no intention of making their workers redundant.

Today, 16 March, they lodged an urgent application in the High Court of
Zimbabwe to have the SADC Tribunal ruling registered.  Earlier attempts
to do this shortly after the ruling came into force have not resulted in
a hearing in the High Court.

Today the same ZFTU officials went to Twyford farm in Chegutu where
Senator Jamaya has taken the law into his own hands and taken over
Twyford recently.  The ZFTU threatened the same  looting procedure there
too.

URGENT PRESS RELEASE

VIOLENCE ON STOCKDALE CITRUS ESTATE BY EDNA MADZONGWES PEOPLE

16th March 2009 at 17:45 Edwin our Farm Guard was abducted by EDNA
MADZONGWES people about 10 in all some of these people who also work for
the Notorious Joseph Chinotimba, ZFTU which is not a legitimate trade
organisation. These Edna Madzongwe people grabbed Edwin from our house
and forced him to the citrus export pack shed. He was forced on his
stomach and the back of his feet where beaten for about 20 min with a
hose pipe when he tried to get away he was hit on his left chest area. He
was harassed for about 2 hours. The person who beat Edwin was brought on
to the farm by Edna Madzongwe, he is a ZFTU official. The reason for this
was the Madzongwe people wanted to know where Peter and James Etheredge
are staying. We have fled the farm because of this violence and
intimidation. The name of this person who beat him is unknown at this
stage.

Photos available from JAG

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

HEADLAND - MANICALAND

 HISTORY OF KARORI IN RELATION TO MUJAJI

In 2002 I, Charles Ingram Lock, voluntarily gave up my own farm of 1500
hectares to the State for the Land Programme. I moved on to my
father-in-law's farm and headed operations there.

In 2003 we were asked to give up more land on this farm which was in
total 1200 hectares. We agreed on 50% and the Governor allowed us to
remain with the balance. We believed the issue was over. Surprisingly in
2004 Minister Made's relative arrived claiming to have been
allocated the remainder. At the same time we were charged by the State
and taken to court for being on State land illegally. In than case we
were awarded 376 hectares. The State did not appeal. The relative refused
to acknowledge the ruling until the Land Task Force under Minister John
Nkomo visited and confirmed our right to be there. The relative left, not
to be seen again.

In 2006 and most of 2007 we farmed peacefully until the arrival of
Brigadier Mujaji. He posted soldiers all over the farm and victimized,
assaulted, extorted and looted our things over the course of the year. I
obtained written permission from the Acting President Msika to remain on
the farm and confirming my allocation of 376 hectares. I obtained three
High Court Orders allowing me stay and barring the Brigadier from
entering let alone all his criminal activities. His appeal to the Supreme
Court failed. He refused to abide and a Contempt Order was issued on him
and his wife by the High Court. They were sentenced to 30 days with hard
labour. The police refused to act until such a time that I threatened to
take the Commissioner of police himself to court for Contempt. The wife
was arrested and jailed for only 12 days and the Brigadier was never
arrested. He vacated the farm but looted much equipment, all of which was
reported but nothing was done about it.

In spite of the Contempt Order, warrant of arrest and High Court Orders,
Mujaji forcefully retook the farm in June 2008. The police stood by and
watched. He brought in army and thugs himself personally on to the farm.
I was barricaded inside my house. My labour were beaten and traumatized
in front of me and all my senior staff dumped off the farm. The intention
was for the remaining labour to be intimidated into chasing me off the
farm, however, I broke out under cover of darkness and walked my way to
safety. More equipment was looted and maize stolen.

I again threatened to take the Commissioner to court on a more serious
basis, but at the last moment the police allowed me back on to the farm
and Mujaji just left, but nothing was done to him about the looted goods
or the assaults on our staff. We filed further Contempt Orders in the
High Court but these were deemed not urgent as we were back on the farm.
They are still pending.

In 2008 the State then charged me as a criminal for being on the land
unlawfully under the new gazetted land act. The trial took 9 months after
which I was fully acquitted. The State did not appeal.

On the basis of this we renewed our contract with Northern Tobacco and
re-capitalized the farm. We grow 40 hectares of tobacco and 100 hectares
of maize, and 300 head of cattle. We have borrowed extensively to do
this.

In February 2009 I was summoned to the court for exactly the same
offence. I did not go and instead obtained a High Court Order barring the
State from prosecuting me again. So the State has started prosecuting my
employees instead.

Mujaji drives the police officers around to ensure that all the Court
Papers are served on my employees. They were looking for me for two
weeks. He has visited the farm and warned the workers that no crops,
equipment or cattle are to leave the farm. His soldiers walked through
the farm to check. In spite of all the contempt orders on him, warrant of
arrest and charges of assault and theft, the police do nothing.

Last week my farm manager was taken to court and charged as a criminal
for being there illegally despite the fact that I have been acquitted and
he works for me. Their intention is to scare the workers away. The lawyer
representing him was threatened at the Magistrates Court in Rusape and
refused to represent him anymore. The second lawyer I contracted was also
threatened. When the case was heard last week the magistrate said in the
court that the beneficiary had phoned her on a number of occasions hence
she washing her hands of the case. The remaining magistrates have also
refused to hear the case due to interference by Mujaji. The case has now
been referred to Mutare where the State can hand pick the Magistrate it
wants.

Mujaji has now got frustrated and on Tuesday 16th March he invaded the
farm again for the third time with armed soldiers.  He has stopped all
cropping operations on the farm including critical reaping of tobacco.
The nation is now losing US$10,000 a day for each day tobacco is not
reaped.  The matter was reported to Headlands Police who said there is no
violence so it can wait.  It appears they have no intention of applying
the law.

If the Police will not uphold the highest laws in the land and are openly
assisting the criminals with (warrants of arrest on them) to carry out
their thuggery and theft then truly we are in a dark place in this
country.  The State cannot even abide by it's own laws.

Zimbabwean farm evictions escalate despite the GPA

http://www.sokwanele.com/thisiszimbabwe/archives/3780

Via Media Release - As the farm evictions escalate across Zimbabwe, history
repeats itself. Farmers and farm workers are once again bearing the brunt of
renewed Zanu PF brutality, with disastrous ramifications not only for food
production but for the bankrupt economy.

Prior to the Presidential election of March 2002, the Zimbabwe Federation of
Trade Unions (ZFTU), a government-sponsored union, was active in areas where
land invasions had occurred.

Its vice president is the notorious war veteran Joseph Chinotimba, although
he did not fight the war that brought about Zimbabwe's independence.

Chinotimba is also vice president of the Zanu PF aligned National Liberation
War Veterans' Association and a member of the Zanu PF central committee.

During early 2002, the war veterans' modus operandi was to instruct farmers
to immediately lay off their farm workers, and to insist the workers vacated
their houses directly they received their statutory severance packages. The
war veterans would then demand a cut of the pay.

ZFTU officials were also reported to be involved in cases of extortion,
estimated to be depriving farm workers of more than Z$12 million, a
significant figure at the time.

Quoted in a Daily News (Zimbabwe) article of 5 March 2002, a Commercial
Farmers' Union spokesperson said this was "a blatant move to disenfranchise
farmers and farm workers ahead of the presidential election."

He confirmed that over 100 farmers countrywide and many hundreds of farm
workers had been forced off commercial farms in the previous few weeks.

Although all incidents had been reported to the police, he said there had
been a marked reluctance on their part to intervene.

Today's parallels

The situation on the ground today in Zimbabwe's decimated commercial farming
sector has many parallels, with police officers either failing to uphold the
rule of law or colluding with corrupt Zanu PF officials, the party elite and
war veterans.

On Stockdale Farm in the Chegutu district of Mashonaland West, the Etheredge
family is once again coming under increased pressure from Senator Edna
Madzongwe, president of the Senate, to pack-up and leave their 6 000 ton
citrus crop for her to reap.

Her latest strategy has been to bring in the ZFTU, an avowed Zanu PF ally
with no affiliates among any of the major unions.

In the presence of Chegutu police on 16 March, ZFTU officials demanded that
the Etheredges pay off their workers or else face the looting of their
homes.

The Etheredges are fully protected by the SADC Tribunal ruling of 28
November 2008 and have no intention of making their workers redundant,
especially with unemployment estimated at over 94 percent.

Mr Peter Etheredge has lodged an urgent application in the High Court of
Zimbabwe to have the SADC Tribunal ruling registered. Earlier attempts to do
this after the ruling came into force have to date failed to result in a
hearing in the High Court.

The same ZFTU officials then went on to Twyford farm in Chegutu where
Senator Jamaya has taken the law into his own hands and illegally taken over
the farm. The officials threatened to adopt the same looting procedure.

On Friday 13 March, Rob Taylor of Downs Farm managed to retrieve the
remainder of his possessions. The balance had been looted from his house
after the Grain Marketing Board (GMB) manager for Chegutu, Mr Tendai
Chasauka, took the law into his own hands and commandeered the farm.

Mr Taylor managed to find a place to camp in the Bryden School grounds to be
close to his daughter who is a border there. He set up a camp with tents and
tarpaulins along with 10 workers who were also evicted.

Shortly before midnight, two policemen arrived from the Chegutu police
station and asked what he and the workers were doing there. He explained the
situation and they were sympathetic. They assured him that he and his
workers would not be troubled.

The next day at around 10h00, Assistant Inspector Bupera, also from Chegutu,
arrived with another middle rank officer and questioned them. They seemed
satisfied with the explanation and left.

Three hours later, two senior policemen, the most senior officers in the
district, arrived from the neighbouring town of Kadoma. They told Mr Taylor
and his workers they had only a few minutes to pack up their possessions and
leave.

Although Mr Taylor explained they were on private school property and had
permission to be there, the officers insisted they vacate the premises
without further discussion.

Shortly afterwards, Assistant Inspector Bupera returned with the
officer-in-charge of Chegutu police, Chief Inspector Manika.

They supported the instructions of the Kadoma officers and told Mr Taylor
and his workers to leave immediately. They said they would not be
responsible for "other forces" that might arrive to take action against them
should they refuse to leave.

Mr Taylor then phoned his lawyer, David Drury, who reassured him he was not
breaking any laws and that the police eviction and threats were illegal. He
asked to speak to the police but they refused.

Anxious to resolve the standoff, Mr Taylor stressed that he and his workers
had nowhere to go and that their eviction from the farm by Mr Chasauka, who
holds the offer letter, was illegal.

He explained that Downs Farm is protected by the SADC tribunal and that
there is also a High Court interdict preventing Mr Chasauka from entering
the farm.

For the past nine weeks, Mr Taylor has repeatedly reported to the police
that the situation has become dire on the farm with his dairy cattle dying
from tick borne diseases and suffering from mastitis as a result of not
being milked.

Mastitis is an infection of the udder in cattle and sheep. It is often a
painful condition and can even cause death. Udders become red and swollen
and the animals lose condition rapidly.

Despite the cruelty and the practical fact that milk is in short supply -
the country is having to import large quantities from South Africa - the
police have refused to escort Mr Taylor back onto the farm so that he can at
least treat and dip his cattle.

Mr Taylor and his workers are now in the invidious position of being
homeless and without an income. They are currently camping in the school's
car park.

"Throughout the Chegutu district it is becoming increasingly difficult for
farmers to continue operating," reported Ben Freeth of Mount Carmel farm.

"Production is grinding to a halt on many farms and the continued harassment
is overtly supported by the police, lands officers and the Central
Intelligence Organisation," said Mr Freeth.

Prior to the violent land invasions of 2000, Zimbabwe had 4 247 commercial
farms according to the Central Statistical Office in 1997.

Zimbabwe's vibrant commercial farming sector used to employ over 350 000
workers and offered shelter to more than 1,5 million people, including the
workers' children, elderly parents and other relatives.

By the end of March 2002, only 1 183 former farm workers had been resettled
while 140 000 had lost their jobs and consequently their homes. Farm schools
and clinics were also shut down as the Zanu PF elite who took over the farms
had no interest in maintaining these services and the so-called "new
 farmers" had no capital.

A parliamentary report of 2007 noted that Zimbabwe had accrued a trade
deficit of US$5 billion over the previous five years due to the
destabilisation of agriculture.

Farm invasions are illegal in terms of Zimbabwean law. The targeting of
white farmers for eviction by the state or anyone else is a violation of
last year's ruling by the SADC Tribunal. The Tribunal declared Mr Mugabe's
farm redistribution programme discriminatory and illegal under the SADC
Treaty to which Zimbabwe is a signatory.

With respect to the Global Political Agreement (GPA) of 15 September 2009,
Mr Mugabe made a commitment to ensure security of tenure to all landholders
and to work with his Movement for Democratic Change partners in the GPA for
the restoration of full productivity on all agricultural land.

This entry was posted by Sokwanele on Wednesday, March 18th, 2009 at 12:00
pm

Deputy Mayor and 26 MDC activists released on bail Wednesday

http://www.swradioafrica.com

By Violet Gonda
18 March 2008

A Murambinda magistrate has granted bail to 27 MDC members, including the
Deputy Mayor of Mutare, Admire Mukorera. The MDC MP for Makoni South, Pishai
Muchauraya, said they were released after paying US$50 bail each.

The MDC members were the latest group of party supporters who were arrested
in connection with violence that broke out in Buhera during the funeral of
the Prime Minister's wife, Susan.

The MDC said they had all been arrested during a door to door campaign
against their supporters by the police.  This was the second time that the
Deputy Mayor of Mutare was arrested. He was first arrested on Saturday and
released on Sunday. He is accused of having been seen with MDC activists
involved in the alleged violence around the time of the funeral of Amai
Susan Tsvangirai.  The MDC denies this and says it is their supporters who
had their homes burnt down when violence erupted in Buhera last week.

Although the 27 were released on bail on Wednesday, another 17 activists are
still in custody in Rusape Remand Prison. They are also charged for public
violence.

Meanwhile lawyers representing the remaining three political detainees in
Harare, are expected to make an application for leave to appeal in the High
Court on Thursday. Photo-journalist Shadreck Andrew Manyere, the MDC's
Security Director Chris Dhlamini and Ghandi Mudzingwa the Prime Minister's
former aide, are already waiting a bail appeal in the Supreme Court.

Lawyer Andrew Makoni said Thursday's court hearing is a precursor to the
actual bail hearing which will be held in the Supreme Court.

The MDC officials are both being held at the Avenues Clinic, while the
photo-journalist is still in Chikurubi Maximum Security prison.

The Financial Gazette reported last week that the Joint Monitoring and
Implementation Committee (JOMIC) had summoned the co-ministers of Home
Affairs Giles Mutsekwa and Kembo Mohadi to discuss the issue of the
remaining detainees. Makoni said he also heard through the newspapers that a
decision was reached between JOMIC and the Ministers, that the political
detainees would be granted bail, but that had not happened yet.

Makoni said: "We didn't get confirmation from either JOMIC members or from
the Ministers themselves as to the position. We sought the audience of the
AG's office and they indicated that they are going ahead. They were not
going to consent to any release. They await the ruling of the courts."

The lawyer said there was political intervention that resulted in bail being
granted to the other political detainees in Harare. He indicated that in the
case of Jestina Mukoko and others, the AG's office consented to bail because
of an agreement which had been reached between the President and the Prime
Minister.

Despite the power sharing agreement the victimisation of political opponents
continues in Zimbabwe and at least 44 MDC members have been arrested in
Manicaland province since Friday last week. Scores of civic and political
activist, including Mukoko are still facing charges of banditry.

Senior MDC official Roy Bennett also faces charges of terrorism and
banditry. The Deputy Agriculture Minister designate was remanded out of
custody to 21st April when he appeared at the Mutare Magistrate's Court for
a remand hearing. He had been released on bail late last week, after
spending a month in prison.

The MDC said it "believes that the long delay in setting a remand date to 21
April is an attempt to psychologically intimidate Hon. Bennett, his family
and the party."

Roy Bennett sworn in as Senator

http://www.swradioafrica.com

By Violet Gonda
18 March 2009

Wednesday was a marathon day for Roy Bennett, the MDC National Treasurer and
Deputy Minister of Agriculture designate, who was sworn in as a Senator, on
the same day that he had to appear in court for his remand hearing.

Bennett had to appear in a Magistrate's Court in Mutare in the morning for a
remand hearing and then had to drive back to Harare to be in parliament in
the afternoon to be sworn in as a Senator.

The MDC National Treasurer was sworn in as a non-constituent Senator on
Wednesday to enable him to take up his role as MDC Deputy Minister of
Agriculture in the inclusive government.  Only members of parliament and the
senate can be government ministers.

Speaking to SW Radio Africa, the MDC official said: "Now we have passed the
first hurdle, the next hurdle is to be sworn in as Deputy Minister."

Bennett said the swearing-in was a strange event and there were not many
happy faces from ZANU PF legislators. The last time he was in parliament was
in 2004 when he was involved in a brawl with Justice Minister Patrick
Chinamasa, resulting in him being jailed for eight month for pushing the
Minister.

At the swearing-in the MDC official said three other MDC Senators were
capped first and he was kept till last and was only called in ten minutes
after the other three had been sworn in. The other three new non-constituent
Senators are Morgan Komichi, Cecil Zvidzai and Dr Tichaona Mudzingwa.

"There didn't seem to be many happy faces in the ZANU PF benches and even
the President of the Senate didn't seem very happy, but I went in and shook
her hand and said it was nice to see her."

The MDC official who was released on bail late last week after spending a
month in prison, said the ZANU PF faces were full of anger and hatred but
said "that is the cycle we have to break."

A date has not been set yet for his swearing in as Deputy Minister, although
he is expected to be sworn in with the governors.

At his Mutare court hearing Bennett was remanded out of custody to 21st
April.

'Blood diamonds' team starts Zim probe

http://www.thezimbabwean.co.uk/


Wednesday, 18 March 2009
HARARE - An international group is in Zimbabwe to investigate
allegations of mass murder by government soldiers in a diamond field in the
east of the country, state media reported on Wednesday.

The mission from the Kimberley Process (KP), the United
Nations-founded body to monitor the trade in so-called "blood diamonds"
arrived on a fact-finding mission on Monday and were due on Tuesday to visit
the notorious Chiadzwa diamond field about 80km south of the eastern city of
Mutare, the government-controlled daily Herald said.
The KP has established a system of international diamond trading which
bans the sale of diamonds that have been exploited in "conflict areas" or
where diamonds are used to prop up violent regimes.
The Chiadzwa area has been the centre of controversy since October
last year when hundreds of soldiers from President Robert Mugabe's army were
deployed to drive off thousands of wildcat diggers and panners who invaded
the area. There have been widespread reports of random killings of hundreds
of diggers and of mass graves.
"No one was killed in the operation," Mining Minister Obert Mpofu was
quoted on Wednesday as saying, adding that the "high level of criminality"
led to three murders among diggers.
He said that Zimbabwe, a signed-up member of the KP, "is committed to
the successful implementation of the Kimberley Process, and will provide
information on the situation on the ground." The last inspection by KP
officials was in 2006.

Diamond rush
The government illegally seized the Chiadzwa diamond claim from
British-based Africa Consolidated Resources in 2007, and set off a diamond
rush when it encouraged locals to help themselves. But since the army was
deployed there, the area has been cordoned off to all but security forces.
The soldiers also embarked on a major crackdown on illegal traders who
had turned much of the eastern Manicaland province into a thriving economic
area from illegal dealing, which saw the streets of Mutare filled with new
luxury vehicles as diamond barons flouted their wealth.
However, the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights group said about 5 000
people were arrested during the army operation, with three quarters of them
of them showing signs of having been tortured severely.
The Movement for Democratic Change, now in a coalition government with
Mugabe's Zanu-PF party, has claimed that hundreds of people were buried in
mass graves "to hide the regime's murderous activities", and that the
soldiers sent to guard the fields had become illegal dealers themselves.
The state-run Zimbabwe Mining Development Corporation has been given
exclusive mining rights in the area, but its officials admitted this week
that the organisation, like most of Zimbabwe's bodies, was bankrupt and was
"looking for partners" to exploit the fields.

Mail & Guardian Online/SAPA/DPA

Daily cholera update and alerts, 16 Mar 2009

 Full_Report (pdf* format - 185.5 Kbytes)

* Please note that daily information collection is a challenge due to communication and staff constraints. On-going data cleaning may result in an increase or decrease in the numbers. Any change will then be explained.

** Daily information on new deaths should not imply that these deaths occurred in cases reported that day. Therefore daily CFRs >100% may occasionally result

A. Highlights of the day:

- 287 cases and 11 deaths added today (in comparison 115 cases and 8 deaths yesterday)

- 40.7 % of the districts affected have reported today (24 out of 59 affected districts)

- 90.3 % of districts reported to be affected (56 districts out of 62)

- Cumulative Institutional Case Fatality Rate 1.8.%

- Daily Institutional CFR = 0.0%

Roy Bennett remanded to the 21st of April 2009

http://www.sokwanele.com/thisiszimbabwe/archives/3777

Via MDC Press Release - MDC Treasurer General, and Deputy Minister of
Agriculture of Agriculture designate Hon. Roy Bennett today appeared in the
Mutare Magistrate's Court, and was remanded to the 21st of April 2009.

The long delay, by setting a remand date so far as the 21st of April 2009,
is an attempt psychologically intimidate Roy Bennett, and slow him down.
There is no basis at law for the charges against Roy Bennett, and all other
political 'accused' persons, and we demand that the charges be dropped. All
this is unnecessary, and malicious harassment of Roy Bennett, human rights,
and MDC activists. The Inclusive Transitional Government must see to the
return of just rule of law, as envisaged in the Global Political Agreement
signed by the three main political parties.

Let the point be made again for the avoidance of doubt that, notwithstanding
this harassment, Roy Bennett will be the Deputy Minister of Agriculture for
the Republic of Zimbabwe.

This entry was posted by Sokwanele on Wednesday, March 18th, 2009 at 12:30
pm

Zim refugees 'desperate'

http://news.iafrica.com

Article By:
Wed, 18 Mar 2009 17:20
The plight of Zimbabwean refugees in South Africa around the border town of
Musina has become "quite desperate", government spokesperson Themba Maseko
said on Wednesday.

The department of home affairs was now investigating the establishment of
"transit camps" in the area to deal with the problem, he told a media
briefing in Pretoria following Cabinet's fortnightly meeting earlier in the
day.

"The situation in Musina is getting quite desperate. The conditions under
which the Zimbabwean nationals are living in that part of the country is
something that's of grave concern to us."

Responding to a question, he acknowledged this was a change of policy on the
part of government, which up to now had been opposed to the establishment of
camps for refugees

Cabinet was now saying that because of the deteriorating situation it might
be necessary to review that policy.

"Home affairs has been given the mandate to actually look at this matter
once again... and make a proposal on whether policy needs to be changed to
set up... transition camps."

Once the proposal was received, Cabinet would respond.

"In the meantime, government will continue to work with the non-governmental
organisations to address the plight of Zimbabwean nationals," Maseko said.

Sapa

Zimbabwe desperately needs $1bn to pay bills

http://www.businessday.co.za

18 March 2009

DUMISANI MULEYA
Harare Correspondent

ZIMBABWE'S Finance Minister Tendai Biti has held a series of meetings with
the International Monetary Fund (IMF) team in the country in a bid to secure
funds for the inclusive government's recovery plan.

Biti's discussions with the IMF team would determine whether the
international financial institution would give Zimbabwe money to revive the
economy ruined by President Robert Mugabe's leadership and policy failures.

Biti will present a reviewed 2009 budget in Parliament today and launch an
economic recovery plan tomorrow . His budget will make changes to the one
presented in January.

Sources said Biti has so far met the IMF team four times to discuss the need
to lift Zimbabwe's suspension from the organisation, policies, balance of
payments support and economic prospects.

Sources said the IMF team urged the government to adopt a comprehensive
stabilisation package.

They said it also called for fundamental structural reforms, including
public enterprise and civil service reforms, and strengthened property
rights, especially in view of renewed farm invasions, as well as
improvements in governance.

Meanwhile, it emerged yesterday that Zimbabwe's inclusive government, which
needs US$7bn to turn the economy around, desperately needs another US$1bn to
meet emergency financial obligations.

Failure to secure this could cripple the new government that has raised
public expectations on recovery and delivery of services.

"The IMF has held talks reviewing Zimbabwe's economic situation and
prospects. It has discussed with authorities the new government policies to
address the current acute economic and humanitarian crisis facing

Zimbabwe cut off from the world wide web - again

http://web20.telecomtv.com/

18/03/2009 - by TelecomTV One

Surprise! surprise! Long-suffering Internet users in Zimbabwe have, yet
again, had their connections to the outside world cut after state-owned
TelOne (the company that loves to publicise itself as "the biggest telecoms
service provider" in the country) once more failed to pay its connection
bills, writes Martyn Warwick.

Under de facto and long-term dictator Robert Mugabe, Zimbabwe, once the
breadbasket of Africa, has degenerated into basket-case economy with the
highest inflation anywhere on earth. With the rate of hyperinflation running
in the hundreds of millions of percentage points and the central bank
issuing notes with a face value of 100 trillion Zimbabwean dollars and a
real, "on the street" value of of sweet sod all, the currency, quite
literally, isn't worth the paper it's printed on.

Then, in January, the Mugabe regime effectively abandoned its own currency
and allowed ordinary Zimbabweans to do business and pay for in other
currencies for such goods and services that still exist in that benighted
nation. Now the country's economy, such as it is, is based on multiple
currencies including the South African Rand, the Botswana pula, the Euro,
the Swiss Franc, the officially-despised Pound Sterling and the good old US
dollar.

The genius behind the decision to dump the national currency is Acting
Finance Minister, Patrick Chinamasa. In this context "acting" presumably
means "playing at".

Anyway, regardless of whatever currency one decides to do the sums in (and
for ease of international recognition we'll use the US dollar) state-owned
TelOne ran up a bill for more than a million bucks and then failed to pay
up.

After first cajoling and then threatening the cash-strapped company,
Internet connectivity was terminated last week leaving the country even more
isolated and doing further damage to Zimbabwe's so-called "economy" as well
as personal communications.

Continues after advertisement.

It also had a knock-on effect in South Africa. Many of Zimbabwe's telecoms
and web access services are routed through the Rainbow Nation.

Access was reinstated after the ITU intervened "on humanitarian grounds" and
TelOne somehow got together US$200,000 as a down payment on the million plus
dollars it owes. How long it will be before it defaults again is anyone's
guess, but it's odds on to happen.

Latest figures show that seven million Zimbabweans need urgent food aid and,
according to the World Health Organisation, at least 3,894 people have died
in the cholera outbreak that is spreading across the country.

Cholera can be treated by the simple an inexpensive expedient of oral
rehydration therapy, or, in extemis, by home-made solutions of water, table
salt, sugar and baking soda. The fact is though that any outbreak of cholera
in an advanced economy such as the one that Zimbabwe used to be is both a
disgrace and an indictment of the government.

Robert Mugabe though has other priorities. As his people starve and die he
recently celebrated his 85th birthday at a party that included 2,000 bottles
of champagne, 8,000 lobsters, 100kg of prawns and 4,000 portions of caviar.

US$100 million for 're-election'

http://www.thezimbabwean.co.uk


Wednesday, 18 March 2009
By Murombo Zengeya

AT a time when the country is on its knees financially, ZANU(PF) has
turned its back on the people are looking at raising more than US$100
million to finance PARTY activities.

Almost all services in the country are facing collapse and ministers
especially from the MDC are busy engaging the international community to
raise money to kick start the economy.
But at time like this, ZANU PF is busy looking for funds to finance
its projects as it anticipates elections in the nears future.
Party secretary for finance David Karimamnzira said his party has
already embarked on the fundraising to raise the money.
"Our aim is to meet the growing financial needs of the party, ZANU(PF)
realises the absolute need to expand the party's financial resources," he
said.
Although ZANU(PF) is broke, most people are focusing  on efforts to
revive the economy rather that parties.
Last month, the party also raise more than US$250 000 to splash during
President Mugabe's birthday bash.
Zimbabwe is facing a host of problems among them growing discontent
among civil servants, hospitals that urgently need massive cash injection.
The minister of Finance Tendai Biti who is leading the campign to
raise money for the country said the country urgently needed US$1 billion or
else nothing will come out of the unity Government.
Selfishness among ZANU(PF) has over the year been a major contributor
in the collapse of the economy.
People have blamed the party for enriching its members at the expense
of the majority.  The party for the first time lost to the MDC during last
year's harmonised elections

ZimEye

Minister Launches New Weekly Paper

http://www.radiovop.com


HARARE, March 18, 2009 - THE Minister of State in the Prime Minister's
Office, Gorden Moyo, has launched a weekly newspaper.

Moyo's Weekly Agenda hit the streets last week and would be published
from Bulawayo, Zimbabwe's second capital. An eight-page colourful copy of
the first edition was made available to Radio VOP.

Moyo confirmed that the weekly newspaper was his brainchild but was
quick to add that he had no control of the editorial of the paper. He
preferred to call it a newsletter yet it is modeled as a tabloid.
"It has been on the cards long before my appointment as a cabinet
minister," said Moyo, a former executive director of Bulawayo Agenda, an
organization he helped to establish in 2002. "The Weekly Agenda aims to
promote free thinking and freedom of speech both of which constitute a major
prerequisite for human development," the editor of the paper said in the
editorial comment.

The launch of the weekly paper in Bulawayo comes hardly a week after
the launch of a daily newspaper to be known as News Day by Trevor Ncube, the
publisher of South Africa's Mail and Guardian, The Independent and The
Standard. Ncube said he would pump about USd 4 million into the new daily
paper whose announcement has created excitement in Zimbabwe's small but
vibrant private media.
There are also unconfirmed reports that central bank governor Gideon
Gono, the owner of The Financial Gazette, was mulling launching The Daily
Gazette. However officials from The Financial Gazette are mum on the
project, although those that are privy to the deal claim an organ-gram has
prepared for the new venture.

Zimbabwean human rights lawyer Harrison Nkomo nominated for award

Freedom of Expression Awards 2009 shortlist announced

http://awards.indexoncensorship.org

17Mar09 – 14:58

Index on Censorship today announces the shortlist for the 2009 Freedom of Expression Awards.

The awards, presented in association with the Economist, the Guardian, Bindmans and the Robert Gavron Trust, honour those who have furthered the cause of freedom of expression and battled censorship around the world.

Prizes are awarded in five categories: books, film, journalism, and law and campaigning.

Previous winners include Arat Dink, Anna Politkovskaya and Edward Said.

This year’s shortlist includes Sri Lanka’s Sunday Leader newspaper, Ma Jian’s novel Beijing Coma, and Steve McQueen’s film, Hunger.

The awards will be presented on 21 April at Kings Place, London. The ceremony will be hosted by Index on Censorship Chair Jonathan Dimbleby, with a keynote speech by Sir David Hare.

Index on Censorship Chief Executive John Kampfner commented: ‘The Freedom of Expression Awards focus attention on activists, writers and film makers around the world who actively promote free expression, often in the most difficult circumstances. Index on Censorship is delighted to recognise their efforts at this increasingly high-profile annual event.’

To book your tickets for the awards show, and to learn more about the nominees, go to http://awards.indexoncensorship.org or alternatively contact Ade Lukes at ade.lukes@indexoncensorship.org or Padraig Reidy at padraig.rediy@indexoncensorship.org

The full short lists for 2009 are:

The T R Fyvel Book Award nominees are:
Rebel’s Hour by Lieve Joris (Atlantic Books)
Bejing Coma by Ma Jian (Chatto and Windus)
Human Smoke by Nicholson Baker (Simon and Schuster)
A Field Guide for Female Interrogators by Coco Fusco (Seven Stories Press)

The Bindmans Law and Campaigning Award nominees are:
Gamal Eid, Egyptian human rights champion and regional campaigner for freedom of expression.
Harrison Nkomo, a human rights lawyer defending journalists in Zimbabwe.
Harry Roque, a campaigner for human rights and media freedom in the Philippines.
Malak Imtiaz, a human rights lawyer and activist and the current president of the National Human Rights Society (HAKAM) of Malaysia.

The Index on Censorship Film Award nominees are:
Hunger, Dir. Steve McQueen (Pathe).
The Devil Came on Horseback, Dir. Ricki Stern (Dogwoof).
Terror’s Advocate, Dir. Barbet Schroeder (Artificial Eye).
On the Verge, directed and distributed by SchMovies.

The Guardian Journalism Award nominees are:
The Sunday Leader, a platform for some of Sri Lanka’s most outspoken journalism despite its editor’s assassination.
Sanjuana Martinez, an award-winning freelance journalist investigating and exposing corruption in Mexico.
Tamer Almishall, the youngest reporter for the Arabic television network, Al Jazeera, who reported from the recent invasion and bombardment of Gaza.
Sakit and Genimet Zakhidov, who are both serving prison sentences for their dedication to freedom of speech after writing articles and poetry critical of Azerbaijan’s authoritarian government.

The Economist New Media Award nominees are:
Global Voices Advocacy, an international network for bloggers and activists.
Psiphon, a computer programme and network created to circumvent censorship, Canada.
Hossein ‘Hodder’ Derakhshan an Iranian blogger.
Mizzima, a Burmese-exile run news website.

Donor fears over Zimbabwe violence

http://www.nation.co.ke

By KITSEPILE NYATHI, NATION CorrespondentPosted Wednesday, March 18 2009 at
13:09

HARARE, Wednesday

An outbreak of political violence and fresh farm invasions could dissuade
international donors from coming to the rescue of Zimbabwe's fragile unity
government, analysts have warned.

The disturbances, blamed on senior officials from President Robert Mugabe's
Zanu PF, coincided with a visit by three major global lenders who wanted to
assess if Zimbabwe was now a suitable candidate for badly needed financial
assistance.

World Bank, African Development Bank (AfDB), and International Monetary Fund
delegations were in the country for the first time since 2006.

They found the former political foes working together in an inclusive
government ushered in by almost a year of negotiations but the violence that
led to the country's isolation almost nine years ago has not ebbed.

The coalition government needs urgent foreign aid to survive but a
combination of international scepticism on Mr Mugabe's commitment to power
sharing and the global recession may keep Zimbabwe from accessing it.

President Mugabe and his long time rival Mr Morgan Tsvangirai last month
formed a unity government to tackle the country's multifaceted crisis that
had precipitated a humanitarian crisis.

The coalition was formed on the promise of restoring the rule of law,
normalising relations with the international community and major donors.

But farm invasions have continued across the country with more than 100
white commercial farmers facing eviction without any compensation.

Most of them are being forced to give their land to top Zanu PF officials
and members of the security forces who enjoy the backing of the country's
Attorney General.

The message this sends out is that President Mugabe is still supportive of
the criminal and lawlessness behaviour of his officials who want to loot and
grab, respected economist, Mr John Robertson told an online news agency.

Investors will continue to see us as a lawless country which has no respect
for property rights and the rule of law.

The IMF has benchmarks and demands certain behaviour in exchange for its
money.

The invasions are a classic way of showing that nothing has changed despite
the all inclusive government being in place.

Mr Mugabe whose agrarian reforms and economic policies are blamed for
Zimbabwe's spectacular collapse has refused to discourage his supporters
from occupying commercial farms.

Instead he has encouraged the few remaining white farmers to leave
immediately even if that meant Zimbabwe, which is in the middle of an
unprecedented humanitarian crisis fails to grow enough food for its people.

Senior officials in Mr Tsvangirai's Movement for Democratic Change (MDC)
fear the land invasions are spearheaded by hardliners in Zanu PF who are not
eager to see the coalition succeeding.

Mr Eddie Cross, a senior advisor to Mr Tsvangirai said Zanu PF signed the
Global Political Agreement last year in front of African leaders and is now
ignoring those clauses that state that the new government must restore the
rule of law and protect property rights.

It is the view of those who negotiated the agreement that any farm invasions
after the 15th September are a violation of the agreement, Mr Cross said.

Those who have planted crops this past summer did so in the belief that they
would be allowed to complete the season and reap the results.

The MDC has also reported that Zanu PF militants burnt several homesteads
belonging to their supporters in Manicaland province, in a fresh outbreak of
violence that cast further doubts on the governments ability to restore law
and order.

Further complicating Zimbabwe's search for aid would be demands by the major
donors that the country must first honour its debts and cut on social
spending at a time the government is fighting to ease the massive
humanitarian crisis.

Zimbabwe owes US$89 million to IMF, US$600 million to the World Bank and
US$429 million to the AfDB.

The inclusive government says it urgently needs US$5 billion to fund the
country's reconstruction.

Finance Minister, Tendai Biti who has warned that the government might
collapse if it does not get the aid in the next few months was expected to
present a new budget late on Wednesday.

UK law firm takes on fresh Zimbabwean asylum claims

http://www.nehandaradio.com

18 March 2009

By Staff Reporter

A UK based legal firm Wilson & Co Solicitors will in the next 2 weeks be
taking on cases involving fresh asylum claims by Zimbabweans in the country.

Every Zimbabwean who has been refused asylum in the past and wants to submit
a fresh asylum claim can contact the firm by e-mail at
gt@wilsons-solicitors.org.uk before the 31st of March 2009. The firm can
also be contacted on their direct line 02088087914.

Experts say in the light of the RN country guidance decision on Zimbabwe in
November 2008 and the persistence of political violence and the humanitarian
situation in the country, nothing has changed in terms of risk.

Last years RN case proved that:

1. "The evidence establishes clearly that those at risk on return to
Zimbabwe on account of imputed political opinion are no longer restricted to
those who are perceived to be members or supporters of the MDC but include
anyone who is unable to demonstrate support for or loyalty to the regime or
Zanu PF. To that extent the country guidance in HS is no longer to be
followed."

2. "The fact of having lived in the United Kingdom for a significant period
of time and of having made an unsuccessful asylum claim are both matters
capable of giving rise to an enhanced risk because, such a person is in
general reasonably likely to be assumed to be a supporter of the MDC and so,
therefore, someone who is unlikely to vote for or support the ruling party,
unless he is able to demonstrate the loyalty to Zanu PF or other alignment
with the regime that would negate such an assumption."

3. "The attempt by the regime to identify and suppress its opponents has
moved from the individual to the collective. Thus, a person who returns to a
home in an area where the MDC made inroads into the Zanu PF vote at this
year's elections faces an enhanced risk as whole communities are being
punished for the outcome in an attempt to change the political landscape for
the future and to eliminate the MDC support base."

In short as UK based lawyer Rumbidzai Bvunzawabaya argued, "basically, the
Tribunal says that any Zimbabwean (even one who has never claimed asylum,
regardless of whether they would return voluntarily or enforcedly) is at
risk of persecution on political grounds UNLESS they can demonstrate to the
authorities that they are loyal to the regime."

Bill Watch 10 16th 2009 [This Week in Parliament]

BILL WATCH SPECIAL of 18th March 2009 [Budget Review Wednesday Afternoon]

BILL WATCH SPECIAL

[18th March 2009]

New Agenda for today Wednesday in the House of Assembly

Minister of Finance to Present Budget Review Statement

Deputy Prime Minister Mr Mutambara’s Maiden Speech

Question Time is being reintroduced into the House and was scheduled for this afternoon.  Parliament staff have said it will start if there is still time after the Budget Review and the Deputy Prime Minister’s Speech.  There has been notice given to Ministers to reply to a series of questions including on Chiadzwa diamond fields, the use of torture, deaths from hunger and cholera in Chipinge Prison and the use of youths in the Presidential run-off election campaign.

In the Senate

Three new members will be sworn in as Senators:-  Tichaona Mudzingwa [MDC Deputy Minister], Sessel Zvidzai [MDC Deputy Minister] and Morgan Komichi [MDC]. 

Roy Bennett is still to be sworn in as a member of the Senate, but it is unlikely that this will take place this afternoon as he is due today to appear in the magistrates court in Mutare for his remand hearing.

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

ZAPU dismisses Mugabe over tribalism

http://www.thezimbabwetimes.com/?p=13561

March 17, 2009

By Our Correspondent

HARARE - The recently revived ZAPU has come out all guns blazing and
rubbished claims by President Robert Mugabe that the party was pursuing a
tribal agenda.

A statement from the party said if anything, it was Zanu-PF which was formed
on tribal lines for the sole purpose of undermining ZAPU during the
liberation struggle.

The statement discusses a wide-range of issues but significantly, contains
pointed responses to statements made by Mugabe during his 85th birthday
interview broadcast on state television last month.

Mugabe lashed out in that interview at former Home Affairs Minister Dumiso
Dabengwa and five senior Zanu-PF officials who resigned from his party to
revive ZAPU. He branded them as tribalists.

ZAPU's statement to The Zimbabwe Times alleges that Mugabe is, in fact, the
tribalist because he attempted to carry out ethnic cleansing between 1982
and 1987 in a military campaign aimed at subjugating the Ndebele people who
had opposed his rule.

The officials who have deserted Zanu-PF to resuscitate Zapu are all from
Matabeleland in the south-west of Zimbabwe. This area was the stronghold of
Pf- Zapu until it merged with Mugabe's Zanu-PF in 1987.

Dabengwa resigned from Zanu-PF last March to back Simba Makoni, leader of an
opposition splinter group, in last year's presidential elections. Makoni was
also a former Zanu-PF Politburo member and Finance Minister in Mugabe's
government.

After Makoni came third in the presidential race on March 29, polling only
8,3 percent of the presidential vote, Dabengwa severed ties with former
minister and revived ZAPU with war veterans from his Ndebele ethnic group.

Dabengwa is now the interim president of ZAPU. This development has
apparently infuriated Mugabe.

Dabengwa still commands much respect among the Ndebele - the second largest
ethnic group in Zimbabwe after the Shona, Mugabe's group.

The Ndebele make up 20 percent of the 12, million population.

Among senior officials who resigned from Zanu-PF to join Dabengwa are Effort
Nkomo, the party's former information chief in Matabeleland and his deputy
Tryphine Nhliziyo as well as war veteran Andrew Ndlovu.

The ZAPU spokesman said the party had a national outlook, adding claims by
Mugabe that it was pursuing a tribal agenda were "hogwash".

Mugabe said: "I don't know whether Dumiso and others have the right to
withdraw from what has been a merger since December 1987 (when) that unity
accord was signed.

"He wants leadership which he could not get within ZAPU and he thinks it's
now the opportunity. But why has he taken so long to claim it? Why did he
not claim it when (Vice President Joseph) Msika was regarded as the
successor to (late PF-Zapu leader) Joshua Nkomo? I don't know."

The Zanu-PF Politburo has discussed the revival of ZAPU and the threat it
poses to Zanu-PF.

Chairman John Nkomo was tasked with probing the new party and tabling a
report and there are ongoing efforts to sue the revived ZAPU party for
breaching the 1987 contract.

The statement from ZAPU scoffs at attempts by Zanu-PF to sue them.

"Utterances by some sections of the Zanu-PF leadership that they intend to
take legal action on the revival of ZAPU should be treated with the contempt
they deserve," says the statement prepared by the ZAPU interim national
spokesman, Smile Dube.

"Zapu is a legally-registered party without any attachments whatsoever."

During his birthday interview Mugabe accused Dabengwa of being a tribalist.
The Zapu statement dismisses the allegation, evoking the 1980s massacres of
the ethnic Ndebele during an armed insurrection known as Gukurahundi.

In the early 1980s, shortly after independence, Mugabe sent his notorious
Fife Brigade troops to Matabeleland, where they were accused of killing
thousands of civilian supporters of the then opposition ZAPU party.

Dube said: "The (Zanu-PF tribalist) actions were evidenced by the atrocities
of 1980 to 1987 which the leadership of Zanu-PF has now  told the nation
were an act of madness."

Mugabe said in his birthday interview: "Now he (Dabengwa) is forming his
own. He thinks he will have support. You cannot in this country succeed on
the basis of trying to push the leadership of one tribe. People are
refusing.

"You can't talk of tribe these days. It's a real shame. It does not matter
what guise he is using but we can see through it; that it is the Ndebele
tribe (that he wants) to have the dominance."

The Ndebele people have long been hostile to Mugabe. The say they have
walked out the Unity Accord because of a string of unfulfilled promises and
their alleged treatment as junior and inferior partners in the government.

ZAPU held its first convention in December and chose interim committees
nationwide, with Dabengwa being installed as the interim chairperson.

Zapu says it will hold its first congress from May 8 to 10, a move they say
will seal the break up of the 1987 Unity Accord between the two parties.
Meanwhile the party has established branches in the United Kingdom and in
South Africa.

Denmark to revive ties with Zimbabwe

http://www.thezimbabwetimes.com/?p=13576

March 17, 2009

By Raymond Maingire

HARARE - Denmark has moved to resuscitate relations with Zimbabwe after
closing its embassy in Harare and freezing development aid in response to
the disputed re-election of President Robert Mugabe seven years ago.

Danish Minister for Development Cooperation Ula Toernas is in Zimbabwe on a
brief official visit to assess the country's dire humanitarian situation as
well as prescribe possible ways to mitigate the crisis.

Toernas told journalists Tuesday her visit was also intended to renew her
country's lost ties with Zimbabwe which collapsed in 2002.

She said Denmark was encouraged by the recent formation of an all inclusive
government by President Robert Mugabe's Zanu-PF and the two formations of
the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC).

The deal prescribed a roadmap to end a decade-long political and economic
crisis which has spawned massive starvation and pushed 94 percent of the
population out of formal employment.

Toernas described the unity government as a very important step towards
resuscitating her country's broken ties with Zimbabwe.

"You agreed within the political parties to form the government and you also
agreed on a road map on how to fulfill the global political agreement," she
said.

"I see this as a very important step forward and as a new opportunity for
Zimbabwe to open up."

On Tuesday afternoon the Danish minister met acting Prime Minister Thokozani
Khuphe who described her visit as a sign of satisfaction by the
international community the unity government was operational.

"This is a good sign to show that the inclusive government is working very
well," she said to journalists.

"People out there have realised that this inclusive government is genuine
and we would like to move the country forward.

"They (Denmark) have demonstrated to us that they are willing partners and
that they have discovered that Zimbabwe is a changed country now."

Toernas will on Thursday also meet Finance minister, Tendai Biti as well as
Lands and Rural Resettlement minister, Herbert Murerwa.

The Danish government abruptly closed its embassy in Harare in 2002 and
froze all development aid to the country which in 2001 was estimated at 120
million crowns, then a generous Z$14 million.

This was in reaction to the disputed re-election of President Mugabe in 2002
who beat his main rival Morgan Tsvangirai of MDC by more than 400 000 votes.

Denmark cited alleged electoral fraud coupled with violence which left more
than 100 mostly MDC supporters brutalized by Zanu-PF followers and war
veterans, hitherto a militant support base for the 85-year-old leader.

This was followed by the imposition of a travel ban to EU countries on
Mugabe and more than 200 government and Zanu-PF  officials.

The EU also accused Mugabe of blocking the deployment of its election
observation mission which Mugabe accused of being biased against his party.

The European Union in January this year further tightened its sanctions on
Mugabe and his sympathisers, freezing the assets of their companies based in
British tax havens for the first time.

The rich bloc accused government of being directly responsible for the
suffering of Zimbabweans in which more than 4 000 people have died of the
cholera epidemic in less than eight months while more than 91 000 have been
affected.

The EU also cited alleged human rights violations by government which had
culminated in the abduction and detention of dozens of human rights and MDC
activists.

Early last month, the European Union said it would not immediately lift
sanctions against Zimbabwe until the new unity government fully complies
with the terms of a power-sharing deal.

But Mugabe, who pleaded with his old rivals in the MDC to vigorously
campaign against sanctions, prayed other less radical EU countries would not
wait for an official declaration by the EU to renew their relationship with
Zimbabwe.

"There are other ways also we can pursue," he said, "diplomatic relations
with other countries, some of the countries in the European Union which will
want to have relations with us.

"And if they can start breaching those sanctions and cooperating with us in
our economic field that would lead to the sanctions being undermined and
eventually getting lifted."