Hopes rise as Zimbabwe's stricken engine sputters back into life

http://www.timesonline.co.uk

The Times
March 25, 2009

The power-sharing Government is only five weeks old, but to everyone's
surprise it has made an electrifying difference
Jan Raath
It sent a jolt of delight through me. A small crowd had gathered to look. A
garbage truck. Men in orange Harare city council overalls, shovelling into
it heaps of fly-blown, stinking, rat-infested refuse that had been
accumulating for about five years.

The next happy shock was the dozen men and women in reflective yellow vests
with machetes, hacking down the 3m elephant grass on the road verge. And lo,
nearby, were four shiny new tractors with mowers, turning a suburban eyesore
of rank, mosquito-laden weed into parkland.

And then there was the glory of freewheeling down the steep slope to the
West Road traffic lights and encountering a team of council workmen next to
a trailer exuding the delicious aroma of hot tar. It was like a ballet as
they patted and stamped gravel and bitumen into the potholes that had
cracked the sumps and buckled the rims of hundreds of vehicles.

There have been only rare glimpses of the Harare council maintenance
department since 2000. But Zimbabwe's power-sharing marriage is just over
five weeks old and, to everyone's surprise, it has made an electrifying
difference. Suddenly, up there and running the Government, alongside the
malevolent and apparently indestructible President Mugabe, is Morgan
Tsvangirai, the Prime Minister and champion of the people.

His first move was simply to dump Robert Mugabe's joke currency and allow US
dollars and other convertible currencies to circulate freely. Immediately it
unjammed a multitude of cogs in the nation's stricken engine. The infusion
of just a little real money has enabled the Harare city council to make a
modest start on the worst of the decay left by the shameless Mugabe, his
ministers and officials.

It has brought sporadic life to my home telephone after years of dead
silence. The dialling tone, when it comes, still gives me a little shudder
of pleasure.

The long, anxious bread queues outside the Greek store up the road are gone
and the empty shelves, which Iannakis tried to disguise with cabbages six
weeks ago, are filled with eggs, cigarettes, fruit juices, milk, soap,
sausages, chocolate and any kind of beer you want. So fast have the US
dollar and the South African rand become established in the past five weeks
that he can usually give change in notes and sometimes even coins, instead
of handing out boiled sweets or bananas in lieu of cash.

Best of all, his irregular, elderly heartbeat no longer has to bear the
panic of central bank inspectors descending on the shop to catch him
illegally selling his paltry merchandise for real money, and squeeze out a
bribe to look the other way.

And prices are dropping as goods abound and competition asserts itself. "I
bought sugar for US$1 for a kilo, half of what it cost me in January," said
Langton, who works as a gardener down the road. "Bread and mealie meal are
cheaper now. It is all because of PM." You mean the Prime Minister, Morgan
Tsvangirai? I asked. "PM means Papa Morgan," he said. It was a touching
endearment, such that Mr Mugabe could never hope for.

Other windows are opening too. With a lump in my throat, I walked into the
lion's den last week and presented myself at the main government office for
an interview with Mr Tsvangirai's Finance Minister, Tendai Biti. Six weeks
ago the receptionist would have summoned a pair of wolfish spooks to deal
with a brazenly white journalist. Now the man politely showed me the way.

I visited a friend, an aide of Mr Tsvangirai and long on the Central
Intelligence Organisation's hate list. I was surprised to see him working
with stationery bearing the official coat-of-arms of the Zimbabwe
Government. An arrest warrant would have been the only official document he
was allowed to see before.

On the day that Mr Tsvangirai's wife Susan was buried, I was behind a
minibus and watched the conductor stick up an MDC poster on the back window.
Not long ago it would have got a brick through it.

January promised another black year of misery and despair under Mugabe's
brutal failed state, but the presence of Mr Tsvangirai and his colleagues in
the new Government has provided a sunburst of hope for Zimbabweans, as they
seize on the marginal changes that have acquired such highly charged
significance.

The sense of optimism is alive, but after the repeated violent destruction
of expectations of the past decade people have also learnt to recognise the
fragility of their hope. It's like walking into a pool of delicious, cool
water while knowing that broken glass lies on the bottom.

"Nothing has changed," Mr Mugabe said during his grotesque 85th birthday
celebrations last month.

Ask Israel, the rose vendor, who last week had to flee from police raiding
"illegal" traders outside the nearby supermarket. Their sole purpose was to
steal the goods that the traders abandoned.

Or the young man in Tongogara Avenue who took too long to pull to the side
of the road when the president's 25-vehicle motorcade went hurtling past
last week and got the usual treatment - he was dragged out of his car by one
of the escort's soldiers, then kicked and beaten with a rifle butt in front
of scores of onlookers.

Hopes of aid from new regime dashed as Robert Mugabe thugs grab land

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/

March 25, 2009

Jan Raath in Masvingo
When Daleen Joubert heard last week's promise that Zimbabwe's new Government
would protect the country's remaining white farmers, she and her husband
Willem dared to believe that their ordeal could soon be over.

After a decade of violence and vandalism against their dairy farm in
southern Zimbabwe, there was fresh hope. Within hours, that had been
extinguished and Mr and Mrs Joubert were forced into hiding.

On the evening of last week's pledge by Tendai Biti, the Finance Minister in
Zimbabwe's coalition Government, to "arrest any further farm invasions" the
locks on their farm gate were smashed, the door to Mrs Joubert's elderly
father's home was broken down and its contents taken out and dumped.

The police, who had taken part in the eviction, left a message for Mr and
Mrs Joubert, who was away on business, with their farm workers - they were
to be arrested for staying on the land in defiance of Lovemore Matuke, the
local chairman of President Mugabe's Zanu (PF) party.

In the days that followed Mr Matuke took over the Joubert's own homestead
and threw out their goods. Mr Matuke has previously seized three other
farms, none of which now produces anything. The couple are now in hiding in
the town of Masvingo. They have with them a suitcase of clothing, their car,
and a parrot rescued from their farm, Mijn Rust.

Their only hope is that ministers such as Mr Biti can restore their rights.
Under radical land reform legislation introduced by Mr Mugabe, about 4,000
white farmers have lost their farms, and only 100 remain. Production in what
was once a regional breadbasket has plummeted, leaving Zimbabwe on the verge
of famine.

Most potential foreign donors, whose cash is vital to restoring the
country's devastated economy, want to see the farm seizures cease before
committing towards the $5 billion (£3billion) Mr Biti believes is needed to
restore basic government functions.

However, in the 38 days since the new power-sharing Government involving the
opposition Movement for Democratic Change was formed, the seizures have
escalated.

Yesterday Tom Venter, a farmer, was found guilty in the central city of
Gweru of failing to get off his farm and was ordered to remove all his
goods, while in Chegutu, 50 miles west of Harare, Simon Keevil received a
summons for the same offence.

On Monday in the Chiredzi district in the southeast, two farmers were
arrested, and on two other farms black managers were arrested because their
employers were not there. At the weekend in Chegutu, squatters looted the
home of Brian Bronkhorst, who is barred from entering his property.

Since the Government abolished freehold title on farms in 2007, rural land
tenure rests on an "offer letter" issued by the Ministry of Lands. Farm
union officials say that Didymus Mutasa, the department's head, signs
batches of the documents without checking to see who gets them.

There is a constant scramble for them among army and police, civil servants,
judges and friends and relatives of Mr Mugabe's inner circle. In the eyes of
the police the presentation of the offer letter to a white farmer is enough
to have him thrown him off. It is not clear if Mr Matuke, the Jouberts'
persecutor, has an offer letter. The Jouberts have endured a sustained
period of harassment since their farm was first invaded in June last year.
The fodder for their 120 pedigree cows was destroyed and the cattle starved
to death, putting the second-last milk producer in the province of Masvingo
out of business. Miles of fencing have been stolen, workers have been
assaulted and last week a court ruled that the staff were illegally on the
farm.

The farmers' rights leader Ben Freeth, who has still not recovered from a
savage assault by farm invaders in June last year, said: "More and more
farmers are getting summonses."

SADC Summit re-locates to Swaziland

http://www.thezimbabwetimes.com/?p=13927

March 24, 2009

By Mxolisi Ncube

JOHANNESBURG - The venue of a Southern African Development Community (SADC)
Heads of States meeting, which is set to discuss possible financial aid to
help steer Zimbabwe's economy recovery, has been changed, a South African
government official said Tuesday.

South African foreign affairs spokesman, Ronnie Mamoepa, revealed Tuesday
that the meeting, which had originally been scheduled for Cape Town, South
Africa, will now be held in the Swaziland capital, Mbabane, next Monday.

"The SADC summit will now be held in Mbabane, Swaziland on Monday next
 week," said Mamoepa, without giving reasons for the venue change.

He said that the Heads of State would go through recommendations made by
SADC Finance Ministers, who met in South Africa in February, to discus a
bail-out package for the regional bloc's erstwhile bread basket, Zimbabwe,
which is currently experiencing an unprecedented economic crisis that is
blamed on the failed governance policies of President Robert Mugabe.

Mamoepa added that the SADC Summit will be preceded by a meeting of the
regional bloc's Council of Ministers, to be held on March 29.

"The SADC Council of Ministers meeting will be chaired by Dr Nkosazana
Dlamini Zuma (South African Foreign Minister) and will process reports to be
considered by the Heads of State and Government," said Mamoepa.

"The SADC Finance Ministers made a recommendation to the SADC Council of
Ministers meeting regarding the economic recovery plan for Zimbabwe.

"Accordingly, the SADC Council of Ministers meeting will present a report on
the economic recovery plan to the SADC Heads of State and Government for
ratification by the SADC Summit."

After the formation of a national unity government, MDC leader, Morgan
Tsvangirai, who became the country's Prime Minister, and his party's
secretary general, Tendai Biti - the new Finance Minister, recently
travelled to South Africa to seek financial aid that would help revive
Zimbabwe's economy.

The Zimbabwean leadership has previously said that the country needs at
least $5 billion for a broader economic recovery.

After considering the huge figure involved, South African President, Kgalema
Motlanthe, who is also the SADC chairman, then invited the help of the
regional bloc, resulting in the Finance Ministers' meeting, which however,
mooted a reduced $2 billion package for Zimbabwe.

Last week, Mamoepa suggested that the SADC Heads of State meeting would
finalise discussions on Zimbabwe's bailout package.

"We expect a final decision to be taken on the $2 billion Zimbabwe economic
aid package . proposed by the SADC finance ministers last month," he said.

Mamoepa added that the SADC leaders would also discuss the situation in
Madagascar, following the recent ouster of President Marc Ravalomanana by
Andry Rajoelina, in an army-backed takeover.

"The meeting will also discuss proposals by the SADC organ troika on
politics, defence and security. to develop an approach following the
unconstitutional transfer of power. Among others the troika recommended
tougher sanctions and non-recognition of the administration," Mamoepa said.

Zimbabweans Hail Donor Summit to Help Boost Faltering Economy

http://www.voanews.com


By Peter Clottey
Washington, D.C
25 March 2009

Zimbabweans have welcomed a Southern African Development Community (SADC)
summit aimed at raising funds to help revive the country's troubled economy.
The donor summit expected to be held in neighboring South Africa next week
will discuss proposals presented by Harare officials on ways to help their
faltering economy recover from the world's highest inflation. Although
Zimbabwe claims it needs about five billion dollars to help stimulate the
economy, SADC's council of ministers has already endorsed a proposal to
assist Zimbabwe in its recovery plan. It includes a beneficial financial
package.

Political analyst George Mkwananzi tells reporter Peter Clottey Zimbabweans
are hopeful the economic recovery will end the suffering of the masses that
live in abject poverty.

"Obviously, most Zimbabweans are looking forward to a situation in their
country where things will get better to the normal and perhaps look forward
to going back and work in a normal way," Mkwananzi pointed out.

He said the international community seems to have adopted a wait and see
attitude before lifting sanctions or donating money to help jumpstart the
faltering economy.

"Most of the western donors are not prepared to start to allow resources to
flow to the direction of Zimbabwe, obviously because there are a number of
things that are still pending. Robert Mugabe has not convincingly shown that
he is committed to a truly equitable distribution of power, and most of the
things that he has so far done, he had to be pushed in order to get to that
situation. So there is no good will being exhibited by Robert Mugabe which
makes most of these donor countries unwilling and reluctant to immediately
work with him in that regard," he said.

Mkwananzi said the Southern African Development Community (SADC) would raise
funds to help the economic meltdown in Zimbabwe.

"I don't think that much of that money would be sought from the western
countries. I think the bigger chunk of that money is likely to be mobilized
from third world countries, particularly in the SADC countries themselves.
As you remember that the arrangement in Zimbabwe was a direct child of the
African Union as well as the SADC, so I'm sure they will not want to be
embarrassed by a situation where an initiative by themselves is allowed to
crumble primarily because it cannot be resolved. So I think they will go a
mile in order to demonstrate that what they initiated, they can sustain,"
Mkwananzi noted.

He said Zimbabwe's neighbor South Africa has been resolute in its effort to
helping Harare get back on its feet.

"Indeed I think South Africa has played an extremely pivotal role in getting
the situation in Zimbabwe to where it is today, which makes it really a
bigger responsibility indeed for South Africa again to ensure that whatever
has been put together and seems to be working is not allowed to get to a
situation where it doesn't work again? So I think most of these monies will
come from South Africa. But there would be some quarters in South Africa
which might want to resist this. But as a political decision taken by the
government of South Africa alongside the other members of SADC, I think
South Africa will ensure that a big chunk of money will be injected into the
economy of Zimbabwe," he said.

Harare has said it would need about 2 billion U.S. dollars, half of that in
the form of credit and the other half in the form of development budget
support to kick-start the recovery program. It adds that it would need a one
billion-dollar loan to stimulate retail and related industries and another
one billion dollars for emergencies such as education, health municipal
services and infrastructure. SADC has also expressed determination to help
Zimbabwe mobilize resources for its economic recovery.

Longtime President Robert Mugabe recently called for foreign aid to revive
his nation's shattered economy and urged Washington and Brussels to end what
he described as cruel sanctions on his inner circle. Mugabe issued the
appeal at the launch of a new economic recovery plan prepared by the unity
government.

Washington said Zimbabwe has a long way to go before the US lifts sanctions
on Mugabe's inner circle. This comes after Harare's unity government
presented a document saying political reforms demanded by Western donors are
a crucial part of an emergency recovery plan to ease hyper-inflation and
widespread shortages of food and fuel.

During the launch of what the new Zimbabwe unity government described as a
short-term Emergency Recovery Program, Mugabe called for international help
for the plan and reiterated a call for sanctions to be lifted. But
Washington said it needed to see clear signs of reform.

The European Union and the United States maintain a travel ban and asset
freeze on Mugabe and his inner circle in protest of controversial elections
and alleged human rights abuses by his government. Although his long-time
rival Morgan Tsvangirai became prime minister in a unity government last
month, western countries say they will maintain the sanctions until the
85-year-old leader proves he is ready to reform.

Zimbabwe's prime minister ready to return to work

http://www.washingtontimes.com

ANGUS SHAW ASSOCIATED PRESS
Originally published 05:45 p.m., March 24, 2009, updated 04:47 p.m., March
24, 2009

HARARE, ZIMBABWE (AP) - Prices in Zimbabwe have started to fall after years
of devastating inflation that left the national currency nearly worthless _
a rare piece of good news for an economy that remains a shambles.

Prices of goods bought in U.S. dollars _ Zimbabwe's new official currency _
declined by 3 percent since January, the state statistical office said
Tuesday.

The figures were announced as Zimbabwean Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai
returned home after a week in neighboring South Africa, where he spent time
with his children following his wife's death in a road crash. He said he was
ready to get back to work.

Until the Zimbabwe dollar became virtually obsolete in recent weeks,
Zimbabwe's last official inflation rate in the local currency was given as
231 million percent in August, by far the highest in the world.

Moffat Nyoni, head of the Central Statistical Office, said items priced at
an average of $100 (euro73) in January cost $97 (euro71) this month.

No official annual U.S. dollar inflation figure was calculated, Nyoni told
reporters. And the situation is complex, because dollars are not readily
available. But some Zimbabweans get money from relatives or friends working
abroad, and the government recently began paying civil servants in dollar
vouchers.

The switch to the American currency in recent months saw fluctuations in
prices slowly decline through as imported goods, mainly from South Africa,
became more widely available.

But chronic shortages of hard currency, food, gasoline and most basic goods
have continued alongside the collapse of water, power and public health
utilities. Zimbabwe industries have reported a decline in production of up
to 90 percent.

In several years of political and economic turmoil an estimated 4 million
Zimbabweans, a quarter of the population, have fled to neighboring South
Africa and to Australia, Europe and the United States.

The money they send to families at home is cited as the biggest source of
hard currency.

About 7 million Zimbabweans _ most without access to hard currency _ are
receiving food handouts from foreign donors and charities in the former
regional breadbasket.

Tsvangirai was sworn in as prime minister last month under a unity
government deal meant to end nearly a year of political impasse. The
government has been troubled from the start, with its members struggling to
overcome a decade of mistrust. The death of Tsvangirai's wife March 6
further slowed the work of government. Tsvangirai was slightly injured in
the crash. His deputy, Thokozani Khupe, has been acting prime minister.

"I'm happy to be back home. I'm well," Tsvangirai told reporters Tuesday.
"I'm looking forward to getting back for work." He has a Cabinet meeting
Thursday, as well as a session with businesspeople to discuss reviving the
tourism industry.

Tsvangirai returned on a flight that also carried the top Norwegian
development official, Eric Solhein. He was beginning a three-day trip during
which he was to talk with Tsvangirai and other leaders from the three
parties in the unity government.

"I'm here for international cooperation following the formation of (the)
unity government," Solhein told reporters at the airport. "We would like to
see the release of political prisoners and the return of the rule of law."

The international community has been helping Zimbabwe cope with a cholera
and hunger emergency, but withholding significant development aid until it
sees President Robert Mugabe cede real power to Tsvangirai, his longtime
rival.

Mugabe, in power since independence from Britain in 1980, is accused of
ruining a once prosperous nation's economy and trampling its citizens'
democratic rights. He remains president under a power-sharing deal brokered
by leaders of neighboring countries.

'

Continuing Land Invasions Pose Dilemma for Zimbabwe PM Tsvangirai

http://www.voanews.com


By Jonga Kandemiiri
Washington
24 March 2009

Returned to Harare from "compassionate leave" in South Africa, Zimbabwean
Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai was expected to meet this week with his
Agriculture and Home Affairs ministers as well as the Commercial Farmers
Union to discuss farm invasions.

Mr. Tsvangirai has absented himself from most government activities
following the death of his wife, Susan, in a highway accident on March 6
which traumatized the nation. But aides said he would take part in a small
number of critical meetings this week.

CFU sources said representatives of the organization have met with a number
of ministries seeking relief from the latest wave of property seizures in
the name of land reform. Only a few hundred white-owned commercial farms
remain after nearly a decade of efforts to put land into indigenous hands -
though top officials have been the main beneficiaries.

It remains to be seen whether Mr. Tsvangirai can halt the farm invasions
which received the blessing of President Robert Mugabe, setting a possible
intra-government confrontation.

Political analyst Farai Maguwu of the Center for Community Development in
Mutare told reporter Jonga Kandemiiri that Mr. Tsvangirai finds himself in a
quandary in that halting farm invasions is important to encourage
international donors to fund the country's economic recovery - but Mr.
Mugabe is unlikely to relent on the issue.

Zimbabwe Activists Urge Action on Water to Consolidate Gains on Cholera

http://www.voanews.com

By Marvellous Mhlanga-Nyahuye
Washington
24 March 2009

Though the World Health Organization says the cholera epidemic afflicting
Zimbabwe seems to have peaked with new infections in decline, health experts
warn against complacency and are urging authorities to push ahead with
overhauls of water and sanitation systems.

The latest WHO update on the epidemic reports 255 new cases and nine more
deaths for a total of 4,072 fatalities since cholera flared in the country
in August 2008. But weekly reports have traced a marked downtrend in new
cases from alarming levels in February.

Executive Director Itayi Rusike of the Community Working Group on Health
said it is early days to declare victory over cholera, however.

He told reporter Marvellous Mhlanga-Nyahuye of VOA's Studio 7 for Zimbabwe
that the battle against cholera could be set back if the epidemic's root
causes are not addressed.

CHRA statement on World Water Day

Water is fundamental for life and health. The human right to water is indispensable for leading a healthy life in human dignity. It is a pre-requisite to the realization of all other human rights. (UN, Environment News Service, 27 Nov 02)

The Combined Harare Residents Association (CHRA) joins the nation and the rest of the world in observing the World Water Day (March 22), a day set aside to focus attention on the importance and availability of clean water and advocating for effective management of water resources. The day comes at a time when Harare (and Zimbabwe as a whole) is facing acute water shortages which have sparked the worst cholera outbreak ever that has claimed more than 4000 lives countrywide. ZINWA’s ineffective water management in Harare culminated in acute shortages of clean water which resulted in the Cholera outbreak in Harare (Budiriro and Glen View being the most affected) and other cities and subsequently plunged the whole country into one of the largest public health crisis of our time. The 2009 World Water Day coincides with the undesirable water crisis persisting in the city of Harare as delay and uncertainty mars the smooth transfer of water from Zinwa to the City Council.

While the general causes of the world water crisis include climate and geography, lack of proper water systems and infrastructure, high levels of arsenic and fluoride in drinking water; the water crisis in Harare is arguably an issue of dire mismanagement. The city’s water supply system is marred with burst water pipes as a result of the obsolete water equipment that is poorly maintained. The pumping stations are reportedly in a dilapidated state, water purification chemicals are in short supply and this is against the background that Harare water is heavily polluted.  Residents in parts of Mabvuku-Tafara, Masasa Park, Mandara, and Glen Lorne last received water more than a year ago and continue to live without access to clean water. The majority of residents in these and other areas continue to fetch water from unprotected sources.

With this year’s theme being “shared water- shared opportunities”, the new government has the opportunity to strike partnerships with Countries like Zambia (which shares the Kariba Basin with Zimbabwe) so as to work together in creating effective and sustainable water management systems. This will, in the long run, enhance the accessibility of clean water to residents.

CHRA believes that the cholera pandemic can only be eradicated if the water problems obtaining in the country are solved. The Association appreciates and commends the great work that has been done by various NGOs in trying to alleviate the water shortages in Harare. However, the permanent solution to this water problem is a complete overhaul of the obsolete water infrastructure and the setting up of proper and effective water management systems so as to guard against incidences of corruption and mismanagement. The Association will continue to advocate for quality, effective and affordable municipal (and other) services on a professional and non-partisan basis.

____________________________________________________________________________________

Combined Harare Residents Association (CHRA)

145 Robert Mugabe Way

Exploration House, Third Floor

Harare

ceo@chra.co.zw

www.chra.co.zw

 Landline: 00263- 4- 705114

Chombo advancing own interests, not Residents’

24 March 2009

Combined Harare Residents Association (CHRA) expresses its dismay at the Minister of Local Government’s cheap politics at the City of Harare. Minister Chombo has technically blocked the suspension of the Town clerk by the city councilors. The Harare city councilors passed a resolution to suspend the Town Clerk after he was implicated in a scandal that saw the City council loosing over 100 beasts. The councilors have so far managed to recover 50 beasts which were hidden in a popular Harare businessman’s farm. The City Council Audit committee (comprised of selected councilors) is currently investigating this matter. CHRA, Transparency International Zimbabwe (TIZ) and other Residents Associations have also called for an audit of council assets and revenue generation projects. The city of Harare owns a farm and cattle; a project which is supposed to relieve the residents of the burden of financing service delivery through exorbitant rates. However, the council has lost quite a lot of revenue through such corruption at town house by the council workers and previous commissions.

The Harare city council has been rocked by massive corruption since the reign of commissions appointed by Minister Chombo, and popular names are being implicated in some of the scandals being unearthed. However, the move by Minister Chombo to block the suspension of the Town clerk is obviously going to hamper investigations into these scandals. CHRA notices that Minister Chombo has on one hand protected the allegedly corrupt Town clerk; and on one hand reversed the councilors’ decision to award themselves free cell phones and residential stands. By so doing, Minister Chombo appears to be protecting the residents when in fact he is protecting certain individuals who may have benefited from corruption at Town House. CHRA categorically puts it on record that the residents do not approve the councilors’ proposal to get free residential stands and cell phones, but they also demand that Minister Chombo should not get into the way of investigations taking place at Town House by blocking the suspension of the town clerk. In that regard CHRA demands the following;

·  A full audit of Council assets and revenue generation projects

·  Public disclosure of financial statements reflecting the performance of council revenue generation projects for the past 5 years.

·  Full swing investigations into the corrupt activities at Town House.

·  In tandem with the letter and spirit of the Global Political Agreement, whoever shall be found responsible or involved in the corruption shall be brought to account irregardless of his or her political standing.

·  Massive reduction of rates, levies and tariffs against the residents.

·  Council must get rid of extravagant benefits for councilors and council workers.

·  Minister Chombo must respect the councilors’ decision to suspend the Town clerk until investigations are completed.

Meanwhile the Combined Harare Residents Association (CHRA) urges the city council workers to desist from taking advantage of the lack of experience on the part of the councilors; to smuggle into the budget extravagant benefits like hefty salaries and allowances. CHRA notices that this was a deliberate attempt to expose the elected councilors as anti-people and selfish yet the real enemies of the residents are the council workers and their Minister. Nonetheless CHRA urges the councilors to be vigilant and guard against being taken advantage of. CHRA remains steadfast in demanding democratic local governance and the provision of quality as well as affordable municipal services.

Chairperson

Combined Harare Residents Association (CHRA)

145 Robert Mugabe Way

Exploration House, Third Floor

Harare

ceo@chra.co.zw

www.chra.co.zw

 Landline: 00263- 4- 705114

Magistrates relaxes bail conditions for 4 MDC activists

http://www.zimonline.co.za

by Hendricks Chizhanje Wednesday 25 March 2009

HARARE - A magistrate's court on Tuesday altered reporting conditions for
activists from Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai's MDC party accused of
bombing several police stations and railway lines in an alleged plot to
topple President Robert Mugabe.

The four, Chinoto Zulu, Regis Mujeyi, Zacharia Nkomo and Mapfumo Garutsa,
were last month freed on bail by the High Court and ordered to report to
police twice par day as part of their bail conditions.

The activists, who all deny plotting to oust Mugabe, are now required to
report to police once every Friday, ruled Magistrate Memory Chigwaze.

The magistrate said she had relaxed bail conditions after taking into
account the fact that the accused had consistently attended all court
proceedings since they were remanded out of custody in February.

Meanwhile Chigwaze also endorsed an application by the state to remand the
accused to April 30 to allow prosecutors time to prepare and serve
indictment papers on the MDC activists.

The magistrate said she had granted the state's request after submissions by
the Attorney General's office that it was unable to serve indictment papers
on the accused timeously because of a sever shortage of stationery as well
as staff at the department. - ZimOnline

US Envoy Offers Bleak Assessment of Zimbabwe's New Unity Government

http://www.voanews.com

By Blessing Zulu
Washington
24 March 2009

U.S. Ambassador to Zimbabwe James McGee on Tuesday reaffirmed the American
position that financial and travel sanctions against President Robert Mugabe
and his inner circle will not be lifted, and that Washington will not expand
aid beyond humanitarian relief until the unity government recently installed
in Harare gives evidence it is serious about reform.

In an interview with National Public Radio's Morning Edition program, McGee
said Washington wants to see "better movement" toward compliance with world
standards of good governance including in particular respect for human
rights and the rule of law.

Asked for his assessment of the unity government formed under a September
agreement on power-sharing signed by Mr. Mugabe and Movement for Democratic
Change founder Morgan Tsvangirai, now prime minister, along with rival MDC
formation leader Arthur Mutambara, McGee responded that a national unity
government was the only option left.

The government was formed last month, five months after the signature of a
power-sharing agreement and nearly a year after Mr. Mugabe's ZANU-PF was
roundly defeated in general elections and the president himself was
outpolled by Tsvangirai. That opened a period of political violence leading
to regional brokerage of the power-sharing arrangement.

"We think that this new unity government is one that had just has to be
there, we did not see much option," McGee said. "This is a government that
had to take place." He added that "examples of real power-sharing [within
the government] are few and far between," though praising the efforts of MDC
officials who have been assigned a number of ministries, in particular
Finance Minister Tendai Biti, secretary general of Tsvangirai's MDC.

McGee said Washington is "not going to open up the pipeline so far as
development aid is concerned," as opposed to humanitarian assistance, until
the new government shows it is serious about democracy, human rights and the
rule of law, and economic freedom.

"As we speak right now there are still farm invasions that are going on in
Zimbabwe," said McGee, referring to recent takeovers of white-owned
commercial farms in a bid by loyalists of Mr. Mugabe to complete the
often-violent land reform program he launched in 2000 and which has been
blamed for the decade-long decline of the farm-based economy.

"There are human rights activists who have gone missing over the last
several months and no one knows where these people are," McGee continued.
We've had some very very high level important names released from prison,
but there are still other activists who are still in prison on nothing more
than trumped-up charges."

Though the U.S. government has declined to provide development aid or other
funding to the new Harare government, McGee noted that U.S. humanitarian aid
since he took over as top envoy in Harare 15 months ago totals some US$230
million dollars.

Washington's hard line on linking expanded assistance to clear progress on a
broad agenda of reforms could throw cold water on efforts by the Southern
African Development Community to organize a US$2 billion near-term bailout
package for Harare.

SADC leaders are meeting in Swaziland on Monday and sources in the
organization told VOA they hope that Western governments and financial
institutions such as the International Monetary Fund will loosen their
pursestrings to help fund Zimbabwe's recovery.

For perspective on the international debate, reporter Blessing Zulu of VOA's
Studio 7 for Zimbabwe turned to human rights scholar Wilbert Mandinde of
Essex University in Britain who said the bottom line is that the Harare
government must change course.

ZANU-PF's New Farmer and the land question in Masvingo Province

http://www.hararetribune.com/

Tuesday, 24 March 2009 22:57

It's the middle of the day and Esnath Mbedzi nurses her son while sitting in
the eaves of the main hut to escape from the punishing hit of the Mwenezi
River Valley sun.

"It is cooler in the eaves," she says as Tsitsi, one of the three AIDS
orphans she is taking care of, passes me a cup of water. Earlier, in coming
to the two huts that form the Mbedzi home on plot number A25, I had seen no
evidence of farming, even though it's March and a few weeks before
harvesting is supposed to begin.

The Mbedzi homestead is part of Plot A25 which is located on what used to be
Limburgia Ranch, about thirty kilometers outside of Mwenezi Business Centre
in Mwenezi District, in the drought prone Masvingo Province. The A1 Highway,
connecting Masvingo in the north and the border town of Beitbridge in the
south, is less than three kilometers in the east.

On plot A25, like on all other plots in the vicinity, all the trees, mostly
Mopani, were logged for as far as the eye can see, in preparation for maize
and sorghum and millet cultivation, the new settlers told the Harare
Tribune. The logging of trees is even visible from space as satellite images
show the red earth all around, the trees all gone.

However, something appeared to have happened right after the trees had been
cleared as there is no evidence that shows farming ever took place.

"This is all I can manage to plant," Esnath says as we examine a small field
in front of her small yard, the only part of plot A25 that is cultivated.
"We have had some help from the government, but it should have given us more
help," she adds in response to my question as to why her family was not
utilizing the land.

The Harare Tribune heard this similar story from the new farmers in all
parts of the Mwenezi District. "Dai hurumende yakatibatsira," the new
settlers said, in the ninth year after they invaded the land on which their
plots are located.

In saying the government should have helped them 'more', the settlers don't
imply that they never got anything from the government. In fact, as the
settlers admitted themselves, over the years, they were given free seed,
diesel, fertilizer and other farming inputs by the government.

Though estimates vary, the ZANU-PF government pumped billions of dollars in
farming inputs for the new farmers; still Zimbabwe has failed to feed
itself.

The 2000's invasions

Limburgia Ranch, together with other cattle and wildlife ranches between
Rutenga Business Center in the north and Mwenezi Business Centre were all
invaded by War Vets and villagers between 2000 and 2003. The land invaders,
brandishing Section 8 offer letters, evicted the former white owners from
their land.

The list of ranches, casualties of the 3rd Chimurenga in the district is
endless: Bea Ranch, Kayalami Ranch, Swanscoe Ranch, Duvi Ranch, Valley
Ranch, Sango Ranch, Umfula Ranch and many others.

The land invaders came from all parts of the district, from Maranda in the
far west, to Sarahura and to Neshuro in the north.

Kembo Mohadi, the current Home Affairs Co-Minister in the inclusive
government, allocated himself Bea Ranch, using his powers as the then sole
Home Affairs minister to evict the War Vets and villagers who had invaded
the ranch earlier.

The late singer-song writer Paul Matavire came from Bangwe in Maranda and
was given a plot of land not far from Mwenezi Business District.

"Tanga tisina pekurima kwataigara uko kwaNeshuro," Mbedzi told the Harare
Tribune. "Just married, we had to find a place of our own," she added.

All kinds of people were beneficiaries of the land. Boys less than 14 years
old were also allocated land if they wanted it. Some war veteran leaders
claimed multiple plots, in sync with other ZANU-PF leaders across the
province who allocated themselves multiple farms.

Word in the district is that Kembo Mohadi is a multiple farm owner, despite
Mugabe's repeated calls for multiple farm owners to relinquish them.

The settlers logged all the trees on their new lands, decreasing the value
of the land overnight by more than fifty percent. They slaughtered all the
wildlife they found on the ranches, from giraffes to impala.

"For the first time in a while, I tasted giraffe meat," Sekuru Mboweni ,
himself a settler on Unfula Ranch, told the Harare Tribune in Shona as he
waited for his bucket of maize food aid to be milled at Mwenezi Business
Center.  "None of that is left now," he added.

In addition to poaching, the new settlers drove the white ranchers off the
land by sabotaging farm equipment and driving the cattle on the farm onto
the A1 Highway where they were killed by traffic.

Trade in bush meat blossomed, people in as far west as Sarahura spoke of
buying the meat from "mapurazi."

Failure to work the land

It was always going to be an uphill climb for the new settlers. Located in
region five and six, Mwenezi District has always suffered successive
droughts. Even in good years, there is little rain for the successful
cultivation of say maize between the critical months of late November and
mid-March each year.

The little rain in the district, and indeed the whole province had forced
the over the authorities to turn to irrigation and ranching. The handful of
sugarcane estates in the area drew their war from the Manyuchi Dam via the
Mwenezi River.

Farms with irrigation equipment were casualties of the 3rd Chimurenga. As
recent as 2005, a police Assistant Commissioner Mrs Ndanga, reportedly the
head of Masvingo Equipment Committee, moved around with soldiers armed with
AK47s seizing farm equipment, which was then put on auction in Masvingo.

The settlers uprooted the aluminum irrigation pipelines and sold them. As in
other part of the country, trade in aluminum pipes became a thriving
business.

Prior to the invasions cattle and wildlife ranching was the mainstay of the
district. Beef from the area was exported to South African and Europe,
earning Zimbabwe hard currency.  There was a growing tourism industry as
tourists from South Africa came to see the wildlife.

When the settlers came, the few who actually decided to practice agriculture
chose to cultivate maize. The ZANU-PF government ignored the climate of the
region and supplied the new settlers with seed, fertilizer and for fuel.

If the District Administrator (DA) Ngoni Chamisa is to be believed, the
farmers have since failed to harvest anything in the subsequent years
because of an unending drought.

"What the DA didn't tell you is that some of the new farmers never put the
inputs that we were given by the government to good use," Munyaradzi
Mapuranga, one of the few successful farmers in the district told the Harare
Tribune.

"Most of those who got the inputs sold them. I know of people who sold the
fuel they were allocated by the government to motorists on the A1 Highway.
They washed the maize seed and ate it."

Although some settlers attempted to work the land, as they had invaded the
land claiming they would do, the majority never bothered once the fervor of
the 3rd Chimurenga had waned.

"Jairos is in South Africa," Esnath told the Harare Tribune. "We survive on
the money that he sends us from there these days."

As the Harare Tribune found out, most of the young men, the engine that
drove the farm invasions in the district, are all now in South Africa, text
book example of absentee plot owners.

Over the years, the ZANU-PF government has said those who fail to use their
land will lose it, the "use it or lose it" doctrine. Nothing of that nature
has happened to the absentee A1 plot owners in the district.

The new farm invasions

Masvingo Province has the dubious distinction of being one of the first
areas where the land invasions started in 2000.

In year nine since the farm invasions started, there is a fresh wave of land
invasions in the province, from Chiredzi in the east to Samarton
resettlement area, outside Masvingo town in the north.

In the Samarton area, the recent arrivals, a contingent from the Zimbabwe
National Army (ZNA) invaded the land brandishing offer letters from year
2000. The Harare Tribune could not establish if the offer letters where the
same ones that were being issued in 2000, but have been reprinted to
facilitate the current land invasions.

Typical of the land invasions that have happened before, there has been
maiming, assaults, and threats of arrests. ZANU-PF leaders are on each other's
throats, fighting over land, just like what they have done in the past.

The Harare Tribune called the office of the Minister of Agriculture, Joseph
Made, to find out what his plans were on the land question.  For over a
week, his office said the minister was attending meetings.

The DA's in Masvingo Province told the Harare Tribune that there was nothing
wrong with the current land invasions as they were being done according to
the law.

A James Mapara from the DA's office in Masvingo told the Harare Tribune that
current land invasions were sanctioned by his office. And the current
Governor of Masvingo Province, instead of making sure that those who were
resettled before the current wave of invasions are actually working the
land, is currently embroiled in a battle over a farm with a group of war
veterans in Chiredzi.

Masvingo District Administrator, Felix Mazvidza, invaded Barquest Farm just
outside Masvingo town over the weekend. He sold all the more than 4000
chickens he found on the farm despite pleas by the farm owners Gary and
Larry Mitchell who said the farm was not designated for resettlement.

It is not clear if the new settlers are genuine people with no land. But,
judging from the battles between ZANU-PF leaders over land, the same people
who are multiple farm owners, it is difficult to conclude that the new
settlers really want land.

Rather, they are after the properties and livestock and farm equipment found
at the new farms they are invading, an explanation that has been advanced by
the Commercial Farmers Union (CFU).

The case of DA Mazvidza who immediately sold the chickens on the farm he had
invaded lends credence to the CFU's position.

The settlers who occupied land over the years have failed to produce
anything. Mwenezi District Administrator, Ngoni Chamisa, failed to give the
Harare Tribue a complete picture of what the new settlers in the district
had achieved since they procured their land.

"They have made great progress, but there are still challenges we have to
overcome before production on these new farms increases," that was all DA
Chamisa could tell the Harare Tribune.  On the issues of absentee A1 Plot
owners, the DA said "my hands are tied" and that was  only the government
can deal with it.

DA Chamisa, it is important to note, has worked with the police in the
district to conduct secret and silent auctions of cattle the police find
roaming the district after they had been driven in the night by unknown
persons from the last remainig cattle ranches in the area.

The future

At this stage, it is difficult to know exactly what is going to happen in
the province as it appears that the land question is far from being settled.

"We will start farming when Jairos comes back from South Africa," Mbedzi
said when asked about her plans for working the A1 Plot she invaded with her
husband eight years before.

"Most of the land invaders had no plans of farming when they seized the
land," Farmer Mapuranga said. "I don't foresee any of them starting to till
the land now that the inclusive government is in office."  He said even if
the government launches new initiatives to give the settlers farming inputs,
production will never increase in the district since the farm owners were
not there to work the land.

Despite massive campaigns by the ZANU-PF government in previous years to
equip the new settlers with farming inputs, Zimbabwe has failed to feed
itself for the past eight years.

The United Nations say more than 9 million Zimbabwe were receiving food aid
in 2008. Million more are still receiving food aid now in 2009.

The ZANU-PF government has said in the past the country cannot feed itself
because there is a ten year long drought.  What the government has failed to
understand is that most of the settlers have failed to utilize the land that
they were given.

The Harare Tribune heard that if the inclusive government is serious about
land reform, a new fresh approach in needed. The government should crack
down multiple farm owners, and absentee A1 Plot owners. A new audit is
required to ascertain as to what land is in use that what isn't.

If these new fresh measures, including a cessation of farm invasions, are
not instituted, Zimbabwe will be dependent of food aid for years and years
to come.

JAG - farm situation communique dated 24 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!

Twyford Farm news update...

On Thursday 19th March 2009, I was summoned to appear at the Chegutu
Magistrate Court for unlawfully occupying a Gazetted Land. No mention was
made, of course, that Twyford Farm is protected by a French BIPPA and
that I got a Provisional and Final Order in 2006/7 stating that I could
stay on the farm and that nobody could claim it as long as it was
protected by a BIPPA.

I arrived at the Magistrate Court in Chegutu accompanied by my lawyer Mr.
Dave Drury and his Assistant, Miss Mahere. My lawyer had asked the
prosecution to supply him with some state documents to prepare his
defence but no papers has been made available to him before we arrived at
the court. He received some state papers in the Prosecution office just
before entering into court and it was agreed that the case would be
remanded to the 29th April 2009. The State also agreed to provide and pay
for a French interpreter to help me with the more technical legal jargon
on the 29th April.

We then proceeded to the police station to have an interview with the
Member in Charge, Insp Manyika. Ever since I received a Provisional Order
from Justice Gowora on the 9th March in my favour (in my spoliation case
against Senator Jamaya Muduri), the Deputy Sheriff, Mr. John Saizi, and
the police have been playing a cat and mouse game and keep on blaming the
other for not intervening and complying with the Order by removing the
intruders on my farm. I therefore obtained assurance from Insp Manyika
that he would act only if the Deputy Sheriff sought his help as this was
the procedure, which, according to him, had not happened yet (to my
knowledge, the Deputy Sheriff has gone to the police for help at least
twice but I wasn't there to witness it). We then went and found Mr. Saizi
and brought him with us to the Police Station were we waited for Insp
Manyika to finish his tea to meet with all of us. Both parties agreed in
front of witnesses (i.e. Mr. Drury, Miss Mahere and myself) that Mr.
Saizi would employ the help of 5 extras and that the Insp would provide 4
police details to remove the intruders at 10am the next day, Friday 20th
March 2009. We then proceeded to have an interview with the Sheriff of
Chegutu and explain to him how even if Jamaya Muduri appealed against our
Provisional Order to the Supreme Court it was still his duty to remove
the intruders and comply with the Order as a spoliation order granted as
interim relief in a provisional order under the rule of the High Court is
a final order for the purposes of section 43 (2) (d) of the High Court
Act Chapter 7:6 (Judgment made on 18th March 2009 by the Judge President
Honourable Justice Rita Makarau).

On Friday 20th March, the Deputy Sheriff John Saizi demanded a Bond of
Indemnity to enable him to remove the thugs on the farm. We got it
through to him at 3pm but he then decided that it was too late in the day
for action and that the exercise would take place the next day. On
Saturday, everyone decided that it would be moved to Monday. On Monday,
Mr. Saizi has another eviction (on which farm, nobody knows) and would
only act on Twyford Farm on Tuesday 24th (tomorrow). This frustrating
exercise which has been going on since the 10th March got to me and I
decided to go and see the Secretary of Justice, Mr. David Mangota, as he
is in actual fact the Superior Authority to the Sheriff and Deputy
Sheriff. Mr. Mangota received me without an appointment and patiently
listened to my complaints as I appealed to him to let justice prevail in
my case. He read the Provisional Order granted by Justice Gowora and
phoned Sheriff Nyatenda (I think) to explain to him the content of the
order and that it should be followed by the sheriff with the help of the
police in Chegutu. Tomorrow might therefore be the day that the intruders
on Twyford Farm are indeed removed... I am not holding my breath although
I believe that justice will prevail in the end. Every day, more
equipment, tools etc... are stolen from houses, workshops and storerooms
on the farm as we stand helpless without much hope the police will ever
intervene. Watch this space....

Stockdale Citrus update....

Hi john

Attached is nearly completed transcript from this ZFTU bunch.

Bill Nicolson from Umfuli Banks farm had a visit the local lands
committee, names unknown.  A police Sgt Zuze and 2 others claiming that
Mr Shingrai Bob Makoni is the new Farmer and needs to move in to the
cottage

Mr. Makoni is a thief in many respects; he has been let out of jail on
free bail for theft of 14 weapons from Stockdale. Part of his bail
conditions is not to interfere with state witness as Billy is. Makoni has
been in jail before as Bill has a final high court order and on various
occasions he has been evicted off that farm and been in contempt of
court. Bill explained this to them and was threatened by one of
the hangers on, the police official said that they had better go which
they did

On New March Farm owned by Jocky Beattie, had a visit on Friday by Clever
Kunonga police detail, and the new farmer wanting to leave someone in
their house .Jocky's son Jamie refused, and was locked up - the
house and gate and left with the war vet. On Friday night Jocks house was
completely ransacked of ALL electrical items and food. A police report
was made but as per normal no follow up has been made.  The new farmer
Chigwada, an ex senator from Mondoro is the new farmer

Regards

Peter

Simon Kevil was summonsed yesterday to appear in court on Thursday

 Lowveld News 23rd March 2009......

The two farmers Ben Fayd'herbe, and Tony Sarpo who were arrested over the
weekend for living in their homes on their properties, have been remanded
out of custody to the 16th April on a charge of illegal occupation of
state property.

Digby Nesbitt who also had to appear in court today Monday has been
remanded out of custody to the 6th of April. The Nesbitt's who left
their home some 10 days ago, returned to find it had been looted with all
their treasured paintings and photos taken off the walls, most of the
furniture has also been taken. They found a woman cooking her meal on
their stove, when asked who gave her permission she said that Police
Commissioner Veteraia had told her to move in.

I spoke to Jess who was very angry, she has indicated that they will go
back and stay in the house tonight.

It may be a coincidence but all four croc farmers in the Lowveld have
been targeted in the last two weeks, is it possible that someone is after
their crocs? It is widely known that Nuanetsi Ranch is developing a huge
croc breading enterprise there and they have made offers to some of these
targeted croc farmers for their breeding stock, but did not want to pay
the price asked.

Gerry Whitehead

Alleged bombers remanded to end of April

http://www.thezimbabwetimes.com/?p=13944

March 24, 2009

By Our Correspondent

HARARE - Gandhi Mudzingwa, a former aide to Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai
and six accomplices in an alleged coup plot, were on Tuesday further
remanded to April 30 by a Harare magistrate's court.

This follows Monday's application by the state, which sought to have the
high profile case further pushed to the end of April to allow time to
compile their indictments.

Presiding magistrate, Memory Chigwaza has however relaxed the stern
reporting conditions for four of the accused persons, who were recently
released on US$600 bail.

The four, Chinoto Zulu, Mapfumo Garutsa, Zacharia Nkomo and Regis Mujeyi,
were ordered by the High Court to report twice daily at their local police
stations.

But with the consent of the state, Chigwaza altered their reporting
conditions to once every Friday.

Mudzingwa, as well as freelance photo journalist, Andrison Manyere and
Kisimusi Dhlamini, the MDC's chief security officer, have been refused bail
on the grounds that they were not suitable candidates for bail.

State prosecutor, Tawanda Zvekare on Monday assured the court the state was
going to notify the accused persons of their trial date, which he said could
be set for June 29, 2008.

He asked for more time to prepare the accused people's indicts, which
contain a summary of the case and that of the state witnesses.

Zvekare contended the charges against the accused persons were too "serious
and complex" and he would, therefore, need time to compile the "voluminous"
indictments.

He also implored the court to further consider that the accused persons were
facing charges which were premised on what he said were acts of bombing that
actually occurred.

"We are talking about real events which did happen," he said. "Police
stations were indeed bombed.  We must not lose sight of these realities.
Those horrific acts constitute acts of terror which can never be
trivialized."

But Alec Muchadehama, who represented the accused persons, had argued that
the state must not be allowed to continue to buy time in a matter that had
affected the normal lives of the accused.

"The lives of the accused persons are at a standstill because of these silly
charges," he said.

"It is grossly unfair for the accused persons to keep demanding to be tried.
It cannot be held against the accused persons that the State has no
stationery. This is a clear manifestation that the State has no case against
the accused persons.

"The state has been given adequate time to make its investigations and
prepare the indicts, including the time during which they were torturing
them."

By dismissing its application, Muchadehama said, the State would be taught a
lesson to respect human rights.

Muchadehama further challenged the State to show cause it would be
prejudiced if it were to proceed by way of summons.

But in granting the State's application, Chigwaza said she agreed with its
claim that it could not readily compile the accused people's indictments
because it was short of stationery.

The court said it also stood by the State's assurances that the trial would
commence at the end of June.

The group stands accused of allegedly bombing two Harare police stations and
a railway line near the satellite town of Norton, 40km west of Harare.

They are among 32 MDC and human rights activists who were originally
abducted in Harare and its surrounding towns for attempting to overthrow
President Robert Mugabe through acts of banditry.

They deny the charges, which their party, the MDC, dismisses as trumped up.

Know Your Ministers: Chombo, Coltart

New blow to reeling Zimbabwe

http://www.thetimes.co.za

Moses Mudzwiti Published:Mar 25, 2009
State workers threaten to walk off the job

A POWERFUL Zimbabwe labour organisation yesterday warned of a looming crisis
as state workers prepare to strike over wages.

Zimbabwe's has about 150000 state workers. Incredibly, they all earn the
same - a miserly US100 (R1000) shopping voucher a month.

The rest of their pay is made up of worthless Zimbabwe dollars.

"In the police and army, everyone is getting US100," said Lovemore Matombo,
president of the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions.

Matombo said he was aware that teachers were planning to go on strike to
press for better wages.

Last month, teachers accepted the vouchers as a temporary solution.
Initially they were demanding US2 300 a month.

The Congress of Trade Unions said it was pressing the month-old inclusive
government to pay salaries in US dollars or in rands.

But the labour body said it was less than optimistic about an amicable
resolution.

"This is a crisis," said Matombo. "What we hear is that the government has
no money."

Education Minister David Coltart told the state-controlled media at the
weekend that Zimbabwe would have to rely on donors to meet teachers' pay
demands.

Coltart said the teachers' demands were difficult to meet because the
government was "battling" to find money to fund the shopping vouchers.

Earlier this month, Finance Minister Tendai Biti revised the country's
budget and cut the government's planned spending by US500-million to
US1-billion. The only trouble was . there was no money in the treasury.

"The government is dead broke," said Matombo.

"Even members of parliament are earning US100 a month."

Zimbabwe Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai yesterday returned home from South
Africa, where he was recuperating from injuries suffered in the car crash
that killed his wife, Susan. He was expected to chair a cabinet meeting this
morning in Harare amid rising tension among civil servants over low pay.

Region's artists to hold Zim peace concert in Johannesburg

http://www.zimonline.co.za

by Simplicious Chirinda Wednesday 25 March 2009

HARARE - Artists from the Southern African region will this weekend hold a
concert in Johannesburg, South Africa, to promote peace and freedom in
Zimbabwe, organisers of the event said on Tuesday.

The concert dubbed, "Make Some Noise, a Concert for Freedom in Zimbabwe,"
will be held on Sunday March 29 at the Bassline Studios in Newtown,
Johannesburg.

"The festival is aimed at building a people-to-people solidarity in the
region and to maintain a spotlight on the Zimbabwean crisis," said Samm
Farai Munro of Magamba Cultural Activist Network, who are coordinating the
event together with the Johannesburg-based Zimbabwe Solidarity Forum and LNM
Entertainment.

"The people of Zimbabwe are crying out for a new constitution, freedom of
expression and for their social, economic and human rights," said Munro,
adding; "Zimbabwe is in real need of regional solidarity at a time when a
shaky unity government is ill-equipped and lacking will to address these
issues. Make Some Noise aims to make Jozi move to regional rhythms of
change."

The concert comes exactly a year after the controversial March 29 election
won by the Morgan Tsvangirai-led MDC.

The concert will feature leading Southern African artists who preach love,
peace, harmony and change such as Thandiswa Mazwai of South African pop
group Bongo Maffin, Napo Masheane, Kwani Experience, jazz maestro Pops
Mohamed, Tumi and the Volume featuring Zubz.

Other artists will come from regional countries such as poet TJ Dema from
Botswana and dub/reggae outfit 340ml from Mozambique.

Zimbabwe will be represented by an inspiring blend of renowned artists and a
new generation of riotous voices represented by veteran artists Chirikure
Chirikure, Steve "Dhongi" Makoni, Comrade Fatso and Chabvondoka, Outspoken
and The Essence - Harare's fresh, politically-charged afro-soul hip hop
band, Upmost and Stan - a soulful spoken word and solo guitar duo.

Several Zimbabwean civic society organisations and South African social
movements will also take part in the event.

The inaugural Make Some Noise concert was held in Johannesburg in 2007 and
was used to collect signatures for a petition that was handed over to then
South African President Thabo Mbeki, compelling him to help the people of
Zimbabwe.

Human rights groups, churches and the Zimbabwe's political leadership have
said that the country needs national healing to promote peace and harmony
following the establishment of a power-sharing government last month that is
expected to end a decade of gross human rights abuses, politically motivated
violence and economic collapse.

President Robert Mugabe and Prime Minister Tsvangirai agreed to share power
on September 15 to stop the bloodshed, leading to the formation of an
inclusive government last month and a committee of senior ministers set up
to begin the process of national healing and reconciliation. - ZimOnline

JAG open letter forum - No. 613 - Dated 24 March 2009

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

Please send any material for publication in the Open Letter Forum to
jag@mango.zw with "For Open Letter Forum" in the subject
line.

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

1.  Cash budget basis! - Cathy Buckle

2.  Zimbabwe: The Failure of Regional Leadership - Eddie Cross

3.  Jim Sinclair

4.  The Cancer of Corruption - Paul Bentley

5.   Dudley Rogers - the accident

6.  Stu Taylor

7.  Nigel Hayward - seeking?

8.  Amanda Hammar

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

1.  Cash budget basis! - Cathy Buckle

http://www.moneyweb.co.za/

A budget which halves spending plans? Promises to uphold the rule of law?

A stop to any further farm invasions? A government that will operate on a
cash budget basis?

Zimbabwe's government operating on a cash budget basis - this is like
some weird, wild, psychedelic dream!

It's hard to believe that these statements can be referring to Zimbabwe
but they were made this week by the much respected MDC Finance Minister,
Tendai Biti. After nine years of chaos and mayhem, Mr Biti has taken up
the task of clearing up Zanu PF's mess and trying to turn the country
around. The irony of Mr Biti's words being spoken whilst sitting
alongside Mr Mugabe - whose government oversaw the collapse of our
economy and imprisoned and accused this very Minister of treason, was not
lost on us.

Mr Biti has taken on a seemingly impossible task which will challenge
every sector of the government and country. This isn't just about dollars
and cents, its about law and order, justice and working within the rules
- not things Zimbabwe's leaders are used to.

Will the Police enforce laws impartially and stop claiming that they
cannot do anything because an act is deemed "political"? Will farm
invaders, including army, police, security personnel and members of the
government and Senate stop evicting farmers from their homes and land?
Will government Ministers and departments really stay within their
budgets and not announce that they've run out of money in two or three
month time?

While such monumental tasks face us on a national level, down on the
streets life is getting harder and harder for ordinary people. Rents,
rates, service charges and utility bills are already amounting to more
than what most people are earning in a month. Once the bills are paid
nothing is left for food, medicines, school fees or any of the other
necessities of life.

A civil servant earning 100 US dollars a month is paying 40 dollars rent,
20 dollars for water, 20 for telephone, 20 for municipal charges and 20
for electricity. This leaves a balance of minus 20 before the month has
even started or a mouthful of food bought. It is an unsustainable
situation. This week a notice appeared on the doors of ZESA - the
electricity suppliers. All residents who have not paid their accounts,
are to be disconnected in two days time This is despite the fact that
bills have not been presented or meters read for over a year.

Despite all the hardships of everyday life, a feeling of hope continues
to persist in Zimbabwe. Some people are still packing up and leaving but
more are trying to hold on and give this a chance to work. I will be
taking a short break for a few weeks and wish all Zimbabweans, wherever
you are in the world, a Happy Easter.

(C)Copyright cathy buckle 21st March 2009

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2.  Zimbabwe: The Failure of Regional Leadership - Eddie Cross

http://www.zimtelegraph.com

I have often said that the only country in the world that has the power,
and therefore the responsibility, to get Zimbabwe out of the crisis it is
in, is South Africa.

The reasons are geopolitical and easily demonstrated. It is the failure
of South Africa to exercise that responsibility with the effective use of
power that has resulted in this country becoming what it is - a failed
State.

If we go back to the start of the real collapse in 2000, South African
leadership knew full well what the government was doing in Zimbabwe and
its implications.

This was clearly revealed in the Mbeki memorandum of 2002 which argued
that Zanu should stop the farm invasions and human rights abuse, not
because it was the right thing to do, but because these actions might
lead to the collapse of the economy, international isolation and the loss
of power by the "Party of the Revolution", Zanu PF.

For eight years, South Africa used its regional and international
influence, not to protect the rights of the Zimbabwe people or to foster
the interests of the country and the region as a whole, but to prevent
the MDC coming to power. What Mbeki called "negating the Chiluba factor".

This policy was perpetuated right through to the end of 2008 and was
instrumental in not only denying the MDC its legitimate claim to power
after the March elections, but to 15 months of tortuous negotiations,
facilitated by South Africa on a totally partisan basis and resulting
finally in forcing MDC into a shotgun marriage with Zanu PF and the
Mutambara group.

These negotiations were characterised throughout by a stance that pitted
MDC against all three groups at the talks - South Africa, Zanu and the
Mutambara Group.

Having forced the consummation of the marriage, the South Africans
proposed that both the AU and the SADC, even though neither organ has any
leverage inside Zimbabwe, would "guarantee" the deal.

South Africa is also unique in its knowledge of the Zimbabweans
situation.

After early failures in intelligence, the South Africans have built an
intelligence network in Zimbabwe that is second to none.

They have infiltrated the CIO and now monitor every move and every
initiative by the various parties involved.

They know what the real results of successive elections have been, they
know the relative strengths of the MDC and Zanu PF, and they know what
Zanu is doing to thwart the efforts of the transitional government.
Ignorance is no excuse.

So here we are, almost exactly one month into the SADC/SA brokered deal.

Still no movement on any of the issues accepted at the last SADC summit
as being matters to be sorted out in order for the new government to make
progress.

Still no movement on the Governors, no movement on the question of
Permanent Secretaries, no movement on the recall of Ambassadors and new
appointments.

Still no movement on the positions of Attorney General or the Reserve
Bank Governor.

The farm invasions have actually intensified and spread to urban areas
where smallholdings are being taken over by force. The use of the legal
system to intimidate and cripple the MDC and Civil Society has continued
- we still have eleven abductees missing and several still in Prison on
trumped up charges.

No progress on the absurd allegations by the former regime that Botswana
was engaged in training military insurgents even though these allegations
are directly linked to the treason charges against MDC leadership in the
new government.

Now to crown it all, the region is withholding critically needed economic
assistance to the new government. In recognition of the reality that only
the region can assist us with our essential financial needs at short
notice, the new government lost no time in defining and presenting its
needs to the South African government.

All they got in return was sympathy and the organisation of a larger
group under the SADC to consider the requested package. Still no visible
progress.

Just how critical the situation is, was clearly revealed last week when
Tendai Biti, the new Finance Minister introduced a revised budget.

He stated that in the first two months of the year, total revenue to the
State had amounted to US$36 million.

Simply to meet essential basic needs and pay much reduced salaries to
State employees will cost about US$100 million a month, so we were able
to meet a mere 20 per cent of this from our own resources.

Revenues are unlikely to recover for at least six months and we
desperately needed the US$500 million we requested for budget support
until our own revenues were able to take up the slack.

South Africa not only denied us any sort of support, but also was
instrumental in blocking any aid from any other SADC States.

A feeble plea to the so-called "rich" nations for assistance to the new
government was the best they could muster.

Even in respect to the appeal for a US$1,5 billion line of credit on
commercial terms for private sector funding has not materialized though
this would be petty cash to South Africa let alone the SADC States as a
whole.

What value is the so called "guarantee" given by the SADC States if they
cannot enforce compliance with the deal negotiated and signed and cannot
provide even the minimum financial support requested?

For our part, I think the Zimbabwean people have been superb and
disciplined in the way they have handled themselves over the past decade.

In spite of all the provocation they have never turned to violence, even
when it would have been totally justified.

In February the Civil Service (236 000 people) went back to work after
the payment of a paltry US$100 a month allowance to each employee.

In March the State was unable to improve on this because the resources
were simply not available.

I think the reaction of teachers, doctors and nurses and all the others,
has been just incredible.

Their reward from their brother States in the region has been to send
them away empty handed, to return to their shattered homes where there is
no food or other essentials.

Not only to send them away empty handed, but also to turn a blind eye to
the continuing human rights abuse, violations of the State controlled
media and the flagrant violation of private assets.

Even this past weekend South Africa was unable to get their Zimbabwean
counterparts to sign up to an investment protection agreement that has
been pending for years.

It is a mystery to me as to why regional leaders behave in this way. We
can excuse ignorance but there is none, we can even excuse poverty, but
the resources to help would only make a small impact on their collective
resources.

We might even excuse them if they themselves were living under tyrannies
and were denied the basic freedoms that we have been denied, but they
actually claim to be democratic States with a reputation for freedom and
security.

So what is their excuse? I am afraid they have none. For this I think
they fully deserve the opprobrium that their inaction and failure is
bringing upon them from a watching world.

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3.  Jim Sinclair

Dear Jag

I see in the Open letters Forum No 612 of 22nd of March a letter from
Barbara Thomas speculating on the accident that led to the death of David
and Dot Spain and their daughter Beverley. In this highly charged and
rumour filled society it is important that we get our facts right. The
Spains were killed in a road accident at the beginning of March 1981
while taking their daughter Beverley to start her nursing career in
Durban. They were in a new Peugeot 504 which had just replaced David's
old Mercedes 280. David was the President of the CFU at the time and
Denis Norman was Minister of Agriculture.  I was the Vice President of
the Union at the time and took over the job from David. There has never
been any suggestion that it was anything but an accident and I am sure
that David and Dot's 2 surviving daughters would not want that suggestion
to gain any credence.

David was an outstanding President and it was largely due to his efforts
that the farming community by and large survived and worked their way
through those early years of independence. He was also a lovely bloke and
Ann and I still miss him and Dot very much.

Best wishes JAG and keep up the good work.

Jim Sinclair

Harare

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4.  The Cancer of Corruption - Paul Bentley

Dear Jag

I thought you would enjoy this. Interesting and very appropriate.

The Cancer of Corruption.

This article was written by Andrew Kenny in the Citizen newspaper in S.A.

It is so true !

There are two sinister views about corruption in South Africa. The first
is that the ANC government is rotten with it. The other, much worse, is,
"Who cares? This is Africa, where corruption is a way of
life." So pay the bribe and look the other way.

Schabir Schaik, Selebi, Boesak, Niehaus, Zuma's pending case, the
arms deal, Travelgate, Oilgate, drving licences, scrapping the Scorpions,
the ANC's support of Robert Mugabe - these are just part of
an insidious culture of corruption.

In many African countries, people take corruption for granted. Ordinary
people expect their political leaders to rob them blind, to live in
mansions while they live in shacks, to drive Mercedes-Benzes while they
walk barefoot. They expect the politician who thunders against
colonialism to send his children to schools in Europe and his money to a
European bank account. In some African countries, a road will only get
built if the Minister gets a large bribe from the contractor.

President Obama was inaugurated while I was in Uganda. A local
commentator wrote that if Obama had become an African President, his
cousin would become Minister of Finance, his son the head of the Army and
his wife's business would get the Government contracts.

Should we bother about corruption? Of course we should. Corruption is
economic cancer. It destroys enterprise. It is the main reason why so
many African people are now worse off than they were 50 years ago under
colonialism. If the path to wealth is not by hard work and invention but
by bribes, patronage and rents, the economy will atrophy, as it has done
in so much of Africa.

Africans are inherently no more corrupt than anybody else and corruption,
in varying degrees, is worldwide. In past centuries, European governments
were thoroughly corrupt. However, governments then were small and did not
have much power, so most of the economy was outside their control and
their corruption caused limited damage. In Africa today, governments
control almost everything, and their corruption causes extensive damage.

What distinguishes a successful economy from an unsuccessful one is not
natural resources, size, geography, race or whether the country was
colonised or not. The fundamental difference is that successful economies
have good law properly enforced - which counters corruption.
Corruption ruins countries.

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5.   Dudley Rogers - the accident

Re "The Accident" I find it rather strange that in Zim, where every man
and his dog is looking for a ride, and you never see a vehicle not loaded
with people, that out of the blue drives Mr. Innocent with not one other
person, or sidekick on his truck, and just "happens" to drive his truck
into the vehicle carrying our PM and his wife! Ummmm, no witnesses? And
all the other anomalies that go with it! Eeeesh.???

Cheers

Dudley Rogers

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6.  Stu Taylor

With the latest farm invasions and the formation of a "government of
national unity", with Mugabe in control, we may as well kiss our arses
goodbye, for as long as he (Mugabe) is in the equation, no progress will
ever be made vis-a-vis a forward movement towards rejuvenating the
nation. If he is sincere in wanting to literally share power then he
would have called his dogs off (those that are still making nuisances of
themselves by hassling those commercial farmers still on the land). But
he remains silent, in fact all he has said on the issue is: "Those
remaining farmers must vacate" - he is bitter that there are a handful of
Whites left that defy his very ultimate goal in life - to rid the country
of those that helped to make it one of the most successful nations in the
region and which he, almost single-handedly has managed to reduce to a
basket case. What is needed is for MDC to capitalize on their majority,
build on it a little, then call for a general election.

Byebye, have a good day - Stu Taylor.

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 7.  Nigel Hayward - seeking?

G'day

Can anyone help me to contact a Mr (Joe) RJR Millar, his wife Colleen,
formally of Battle Farm, Shangani, Zim.

Last known address P.O. Box AC 122, Ascot, Bulawayo, Zim.

Joe would be 70 years old this year.

Alternatively,

Can anyone help me to contact a Mr Stewart Millar, (Joe's brother) his
wife is also Colleen, formally of Spa Farm, Mazowe, Zim.

I first met Joe 50 years ago and have had no mail reply from him over the
past 4 years !!  ??

He may have move to South Africa !

Would be pleased to re-establish contact with an old friend.

Regards

Nigel Hayward

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8.  Amanda Hammar

Dear JAG members

I have been subscribing to the JAG email list now for over six months and
have found it a fascinating and useful source of information on many
levels.

I am a Zimbabwean researcher - please note, a researcher, not a
journalist - currently based in Sweden, at the Nordic Africa
Institute in Uppsala. I am hoping that this newsletter might assist me in
further deepening my research on Zimbabwean commercial farmers who have
moved to and/or left Manica Province in Mozambique since 2000.

In particular, I am appealing to JAG members or others who read the JAG
newsletter, to assist me in locating any former farmers who spent some
time in Manica either farming or setting up other enterprises but
subsequently returned to Zimbabwe. If you are such a person yourself, and
are willing to be interviewed by me - under completely confidential
conditions, with my genuine reassurance that your name would not be
mentioned in any research report resulting from the interview -
then I would greatly appreciate you contacting me personally on the
following email address: amanda.hammar@nai.uu.se

For more background on my work:

Currently I run a research programme called `Political Economies of
Displacement in Southern Africa', and under this overall umbrella,
have run a project specifically focused on post-2000 Zimbabwe. This
project has brought together researchers covering a wide range of topics
related to the causes, forms and effects of different kinds of
displacement in Zimbabwe since 2000, while also looking beyond its
borders. This has included research on what has happened to farmers, farm
workers and others in the agrarian/agricultural sector, the mass urban
displacements of Operation Murambatsvina, the displacements produced by
sustained political violence and economic desperation, and so on. It has
investigated the social, political and economic dimensions of
displacement, covering not only what has been lost and destroyed, but
also what has been created and sustained. A strong interest in various
people's research has been to make more visible the real
experiences and perspectives of those actually displaced, rather than
remaining at the abstract level of categories or generalities about
`the displaced'.  Some of the research has been/is being
published in academic books or journals, some has fed into public debates
about the crisis in Zimbabwe, some has been used for teaching and public
lectures, and some will be used for advising policy makers in various
areas.

At the same time as coordinating others' research, I have tried to
find time (but had too little) to conduct my own individual research on
those Zimbabwean commercial farmers that moved to Manica Province in
Mozambique, or left again, since 2000. I knew the area previously from
working as a consultant on transboundary water resources management in
the Pungwe Basin. But subsequently as a researcher, I have spent several
brief periods based in Chimoio over the past few years, interviewing
people (who have been very generous to talk to me), and gathering other
data, and slowly building up a still very limited picture of the
experiences of farmers/ex-farmers who have moved there and are remaking
their lives. I plan to be back there at some point either in mid-April or
mid-May of this year to go further with the research, and look forward to
reconnecting with those I previously interviewed as well as others I hope
to speak to for the first time. I will also be back in Zimbabwe in the
first half of May, and there hope to begin connecting with those who left
Manica and returned to Zimbabwe.

Again, I would greatly appreciate any help in contacting those who had
the experience of living and working in Manica Province during the 2000s
and who have since returned (or partially returned) to Zimbabwe, or
indeed gone elsewhere.

With best wishes

Amanda Hammar

Amanda J Hammar, PhD

Research Programme Coordinator

Nordic Africa Institute

P O Box 1703

SE-751 47 Uppsala

SWEDEN

dir: +46 18 56 22 17

fax: +46 18 56 22 90

www.nai.uu.se

Coordinating the research programme: 'Political Economies of Displacement
in Southern Africa'