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Mumbengegwi airlifted from strife torn Mali

http://www.newzimbabwe.com/

25/03/2012 00:00:00
    by Staff Reporter

ZIMBABWE’S Foreign Affairs Minister Simbarashe Mumbengegwi has been
airlifted from strife-torn Mali after soldiers ousted the country’s leader
last Thursday.

Mumbengegwi, who flew to Mali on Monday last week for an African Union peace
and security meeting to discuss a rebellion in the north of the country, was
airlifted out of Bamako together with his Kenyan counterpart, Moses
Wetangula.

Zimbabwe’s ambassador to nearby Senegal Trudy Stevenson told New
Zimbabwe.com on Sunday that Mumbengegwi had been flown to Lagos, Nigeria,
after Kenya sent in a chartered plane to rescue dozens of diplomats with
permission from the new military authority.
Stevenson said: “We expect him here today and he will most likely leave on a
Kenyan Airways flight to Harare on Monday.

“He called from Lagos and he is fine.”

The United Nations sent in a plane to rescue diplomats on Friday night and
it quickly filled up, forcing Kenya to charter a plane to rescue its
minister and half a dozen aides.
The Kenyans agreed to extract Mumbengegwi and two aides in the airlift.

Soldiers on Thursday – furious that their civilian government didn't do more
to equip them in their fight with a Tuareg separatist army led by ex-Libyan
recruits in northern Mali – took control of the capital, Bamako.
The fate of Mali's overthrown President Amadou Toumani Touré was unclear.

The new government, led by low-ranking officers, has cancelled next month's
election. De facto leader Capt. Amadou Sanogo told state television he would
allow elections "as soon as national unity and the integrity of our
territory is re-established." There was no timetable given.

As part of security measures, flights were grounded, borders closed and a
curfew imposed which had left the foreign ministers and their aides marooned
in a Bamako hotel.


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15 dead, 28 injured in Nyanga bus crash

http://www.newzimbabwe.com

25/03/2012 00:00:00
    by Staff Reporter

FIFTEEN people were killed and 28 injured on Sunday after a bus veered off
the road and overturned at an accident black spot in Nyanga, eastern
Zimbabwe.

Twelve people died on the spot while three others died upon admission at
Regina Coeli Mission Hospital, said Manicaland police spokesman Assistant
Inspector Enock Chishiri.

The accident happened at the exact spot of Zimbabwe’s worst road accident:
the Nyanga Bus Disaster in which 80 school children and seven adults
perished in August 1991.

Just as in the 1991 accident, police believe Sunday’s accident was caused by
the driver losing control of the bus and overshooting a sharp bend near the
village of Troutbeck.

Speed was a factor in 1991 with revelations that minutes before the crash
some terrified pupils pleaded with the driver to stop and let them walk the
remaining 20 miles to their school.

Chishiri told the ZBC: “We are still investigating and interviewing
survivors, hopefully the picture of what happened will become much clearer.”

Police said the bus had been travelling from Nyanga to Nyamaropa, a journey
which would have taken the passengers through a treacherous section of road
through the mountains with cliff edges on the sides.


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US Ambassador Condemns Selective Application of Law

http://www.radiovop.com

Harare, March 25, 2012 –United States Ambassador to Zimbabwe Charles Ray has
condemned the conviction of former Movement for Democratic Change legislator
for Highfields Munyaradzi Gwisai and five others saying it shows the
selective application of the law in the country.

“Not specifically commenting on a particular case, having a judiciary system
which is equitably applied to all citizens is healthy for democracy and
development and vice versa,” US Ambassador Charles Ray told Radio VOP in an
exclusive interview at the weekend in Harare.

The six were on Wednesday slapped with a fine of US$500 each plus 420 hours
of performing community service by a Harare magistrate Kudakwashe Jarabini.

Gwisai and five others were convicted for watching a video showing the
Tunisia style of protests which the state alleges they were planning to
incite the overthrow of the current government.

Selective application of the law in Zimbabwe is an issue which forced MDC to
push for reforms in the judiciary and the security sector, claiming that its
members continue to be persecuted.

But Zanu PF which stands accused of persecuting MDC members and citizens who
have different views from its ideologies is resisting reforming the
judiciary and the security sector.

Pressure groups and civil society have also bemoaned the selective
application of the law.

At a press conference immediately after the conviction of the six, leaders
of the civil society urged Zimbabweans to show their solidarity to the
convicts by watching uprising videos.

Although Gwisai and others denied the charges which they were accused of the
magistrate went onto convict them.

Scores of activists who oppose President Robert Mugabe rule are presently
languishing in prison with the courts dragging feat on trying them.


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Lupane Police Stop Tsvangirai Peace Rally

http://www.radiovop.com

Bulawayo, March 24, 2012- A peace rally organised by Morgan Tsvangirai’s
Movement for Democratic Change (MDC T) led party has been banned by police
in Lupane, Matabeleland North province.

The MDC T peace rally was scheduled for today Saturday afternoon at St
Pauls, Lupane constituency and was set to be addressed by the Premier among
other top party officials.

“Police on Friday told us no to go ahead with the peace rally today saying
it is clashing with a Zanu-PF provincial meeting,” Njabuliso Mguni, the
former legislator for Lupane told Radio VOP.

Abednico Bhebhe, the MDC T deputy organizing secretary added that the police
action proved beyond doubt that the state security organ in Matabeleland
North is fighting the former opposition party.

“They have cancelled our peace rally again,” Bhebhe said.

"This is the reason why we are recording the names of such unprofessional
police officers so as to prosecute them for their unprofessional conduct
once we get into power as they seem to be possessed with banning our
meetings and fighting us in each and every turn."

Edmore Veterai, the Officer Commanding Matabeleland North province could not
be reached for comment.

Veterai is the senior cop who impounded a number of vehicles belonging to
the MDC that had been deployed by the party to carry out ground work ahead
of the watershed 2008 election.

Police in Matabeleland North have been preventing Tsvangirai from
campaigning in the province since the seizure of the vehicles in 2008.

According to the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR), Matabeleland
North is a hostile province in  the country as police have been harassing
and arresting civic society activists, pastors, politician and Ministers for
holding meetings in that area.

Last year alone, there were over 50 arrests while police also continue to
maintain their stranglehold in on the province by banning opposition rallies
despite court rulings that gave the green light to the parties to conduct
their campaign rallies in the region.


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Zanu-PF youth militia will no longer be paid by government

http://www.timeslive.co.za

JOHN NQINDI | 25 March, 2012 00:09

ZANU-PF's terror campaign team has been dealt a heavy blow ahead of proposed
elections, as it emerged that some of the party's youth militia had been
removed from the government's payroll.

In 2008 the government hired close to 7000 youths a month before President
Robert Mugabe was to square off with Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai in the
second round of elections.

Tsvangirai pulled out a week before the elections, citing increased cases of
violence involving the Zanu-PF terror teams that comprised the youths and
the Joint Operations Command (JOC).

Over the years the youths have been kept on the government's payroll, with
Youth Development, Indigenisation and Empowerment Minister Saviour
Kasukuwere saying they were carrying out government duties.

"They coordinate government activities in wards. There are several youths in
the country without jobs. There are numerous challenges confronting our
country - we are under sanctions," Kasukuwere told a parliamentary portfolio
committee last year.

Between 2008 and today the youths reportedly set up bases in places such as
schools.

But things are set to change, as Public Service Minister Lucia Matibenga
told parliament this week that 5662 youths had been removed from the Public
Service payroll.

Matibenga told parliament that proper procedures of hiring had not been
followed.

"We struck off more than 5000 youths hired by the Youth Development ministry
because they were not hired above board," Matibenga said.

Over the years the MDC-T has argued that the youths are paid to terrorise,
kill and intimidate people who don't support Zanu-PF.

An audit report by Ernst & Young in 2010 for the government revealed that
most of the recruited youths did not have basic education qualifications. In
government records they are classified under B1 - a grade for people with
the basic 5 ordinary level of education certificate passes.

The youths added to the burden created as a result of 70000 ghost workers
being paid by the government. Sources from the Public Service Commission
said more were likely to be removed from the government payroll.


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Minister attacks ‘embarrassing’ AG

http://www.dailynews.co.zw

By Gift Phiri, Senior Writer
Sunday, 25 March 2012 14:19

HARARE - Deputy Justice and Legal Affairs minister Obert Gutu has accused
the Attorney General of severely compromising the justice delivery system in
Zimbabwe.

In a damning presentation to the symposium on the administration of justice
in regional bloc Sadc in Johannesburg on Friday, Gutu said justice delivery
in an efficient, fair and impartial manner was one of the key cornerstones
of any democratic nation but Johannes Tomana’s office was undermining all
efforts to overhaul the justice delivery system.

The deputy minister, who is also Chisipite Senator, said although on paper,
Zimbabwe recognises that in the determination of any criminal charge,
everyone has the right to a fair and public hearing by a legally
constituted, competent, independent and impartial judicial body, the reality
on the grounds is otherwise.

Gutu, a member of Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai’s party in an uneasy
coalition, said the Zimbabwean justice delivery system, especially in
politically sensitive cases, was severely compromised.

He spoke in the wake of international condemnation of the conviction of
University of Zimbabwe lecturer, Munyaradzi Gwisai and five of his
co-accused on the charge of “conspiracy to incite public violence with a
view to overthrowing the unity government” for watching footage of the
Egyptian revolution that overthrew long-serving strongman Hosni Mubarak.

“I have absolutely no apology to make by submitting that our Attorney
General’s office has been plagued with allegations of political bias,
corruption and in some cases, downright incompetence,” Gutu told the
Johannesburg symposium.

“Many political activists have been hastily arrested on flimsy and or
trumped-up criminal charges, detained for inordinately long periods of time
and eventually acquitted after undergoing trial.

“It is a fact that in most politically sensitive criminal cases, the
Attorney General’s office has had a spectacular if not embarrassing failure
rate.”

International rights groups have expressed concern that magistrates' courts
in Zimbabwe were coming under undue pressure after passing decisions not
favourable to the Attorney General’s office in cases against perceived
political opponents and human rights defenders.

Gutu said the situation was compounded by the fact that Tomana was President
Mugabe’s key ally. Mugabe has staunchly resisted MDC efforts to unseat
Tomana through political reforms envisaged under the Global Political
Agreement.

The MDC wanted a consensus candidate agreed to by all the three parties in
the ruling coalition to replace Tomana.

The Daily News on Sunday understands it is one of the outstanding issues in
the GPA that have been “parked” because there is no agreement.

“The problem is further worsened when key persons in the Attorney General’s
office openly declare their support of and allegiance to a particular
political party,” he said.

“In my humble view, the prosecuting authority in any country should never,
ever openly declare its support for any political party. Such an action
erodes the credibility of the prosecuting authority.”

Due to Tomana’s political posturing, the US Treasury Department was forced
to impose targeted sanctions on the AG in December 2010, saying his actions
undermined the country's democratic institutions, with Tomana retorting that
the action was an attack on the Constitution of Zimbabwe.

The Office of the AG is a Constitutional Office set up under Section 76 of
the Constitution of Zimbabwe.

Adam Szubin, director of US Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control said
then Tomana’s targeting of selected political opponents threatens the rule
of law in Zimbabwe, harms the integrity of the government and counters the
will of Zimbabwean people who have expressed their desire to build a
democratic society.
US Treasury said Tomana, “has selectively prosecuted political opponents and
their perceived supporters in an effort to undermine Zimbabwe’s democratic
processes and institutions.”

Gutu said his ministry has launched an ambitious government reform programme
entitled Equal Justice for All.

“Under this programme, in which we are collaborating with the United Nations
Development Programme, all key stakeholders are going to come together, pool
resources and strategise in a bid to improve the justice, law and order
sector and ensure equal access to justice for all."

“We are encouraging the establishment of a holistic sector wide approach to
overhauling and revamping our justice delivery system.”


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Diamond case exposes Mpofu

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

By Everson Mushava, Staff Writer
Sunday, 25 March 2012 14:14

HARARE - The on-going trial of Core Mining director Lovemore Kurotwi who is
facing charges of defrauding the state of $2 billion investment money has
exposed Mines minister Obert Mpofu who is fighting allegations he demanded a
$10 million bribe.

Beatrice Mtetwa, representing Kurotwi in the on-going court case, says Mpofu
was well aware of the deal and ratified it, only to make an about turn after
sensational exposures by Kurotwi that he demanded a $10 million bribe.

Kurotwi, together with former Zimbabwe Mining Development Corporation (ZMDC)
chief executive officer Dominic Mubaiwa, face fraud charges emanating from
alleged misrepresentation of investment information to the Mines ministry
that Core Mining was a special vehicle for an international South
African-based company, Benn Steinmeitz Group Resources (BSGR), which would
invest $2 billion in Zimbabwe.

The deal did not materialise and this, according to the state, prejudiced
the country of $2 billion worth of investments.

Despite Goodwills Masimirembwa, ZMDC chairperson and key witness in the
state case saying Mtetwa was desperate to drag Mpofu in the fraud case,
Mtetwa maintains that Mpofu was part and parcel of the “criminal offence.”

Mtetwa says the minister ratified board decisions and he was well aware of
what was happening concerning the joint venture agreement between Marange
Resources, a special vehicle for the ZMDC and Core Mining.

According to Mtetwa, Mpofu told the ZMDC board when he was appointed Mines
minister that he was the man in charge and everything was done according to
his instructions.

“Gloria Mawarire (the then ZMDC board chair) told a parliamentary portfolio
that the minister had demanded loyalty from the board members. She said the
minister told them that he was the one who approves everything, including
the investors, “said Mtetwa, adding that Mpofu was privy to all developments
concerning the joint venture.

“The minister informed the board that the investment has been approved and
this included Core Mining. The board is answerable to the minister and would
transfer anyone with interest to him and he decided. It was clear from the
onset that Core Mining was a shelf company,” Mtetwa said.

Mtetwa said Mpofu only ordered an investigation into the matter more than a
year after the joint venture agreement because Kurotwi had exposed the bribe
scam.

“When Mpofu saw the due diligence report compiled after a visit to South
Africa, he did not even query why the name of the investor was no longer
BSGR but an Israeli investor because he knew that BSGR had withdrawn from
the deal after its conditions were not met.

“The ministry requested a cabinet authority to do a due diligence exercise
on BSGR but the minister deliberately substituted BSGR with Core Mining,”
said Mtetwa.

She added that Mpofu ordered the signing of the joint venture agreement with
or without BSGR.

But Masimirembwa said Mpofu’s recommendations were influenced by the Mubaiwa’s
submissions, whom he said was working together with Kurotwi to defraud
Zimbabwe by lying that BSGR would invest $2 billion dollars when in fact
they knew it would not.

Mtetwa queried why Mpofu went on to recommend the joint venture agreement to
President Robert Mugabe yet Core Mining was still subject to a due diligence
exercise and why Mpofu did not keep minutes of all the meetings he had with
Kurotwi.

“So you mean to say the minister went on to recommend to President Mugabe a
company which was subject to a due diligence exercise? It’s the minister who
misinformed Mugabe when he recommended Core Mining on June 23 2009, not the
first and second accused.” Mtetwa said.

Masimirembwa said it was normal since the agreement was subject to suspense
conditions.

“You are desperate to involve the minister when in actual fact the paper
trail at ZMDC is straight forward,” charged Masimirembwa.

According to a founding affidavit by Kurotwi, Mpofu demanded bribe money
from Kurotwi twice.

“After the initial conduct with the minister, and after the signing of the
Memorandum of Agreement (MoU), the minister said these words, (to my
collection): ‘Vakomana ndapedza rangu basa. Chindipai mari yangu.(Gentleman,
I have performed my part, can you now pay me).’

“These words were in reference to the earlier communication I had with him
during the negotiation process where he alluded to his desire to be paid if
there was a successful conclusion of the agreement,” said Kurotwi.

He claimed he simply promised to look into the matter later fearing a
negative answer “would scamper the whole deal which I thought was above
board and properly negotiated”.

According to Kurotwi, Mpofu demanded to be paid again before the signing of
the deal during a visit to South Africa in August 2009.

Kurotwi said prosecuting him was an attempt by Mpofu to vindicate his name.

“If anybody is guilty of fraud, it is the minister of Mines that
orchestrated my arrest and that of the other accused persons on trumped up
charges of fraud….,’said Kurotwi.

Advocate Lewis Uriri, representing Mubaiwa, said paper trail at the ZMDC was
not sufficient to tell the whole story of what happened leading to the
signing of the joint venture agreement.

He said there was more to it than the document tendered in court as exhibits
could testify.

The case continues on March 30 and Advocate Uriri is set to continue cross
examining Masimirembwa.


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Mudenge suffers head injuries after bull attack

http://www.newzimbabwe.com

25/03/2012 00:00:00
    by Staff Reporter

HIGHER Education Minister Stan Mudenge has spent a week in hospital after a
terrifying encounter with a BULL on his farm.

Mudenge, 71, suffered head injuries after being charged down by the rogue
bull at Chikore farm in Masvingo, according to sources.

“He suffered terrible head injuries and as far as I know he is still in
hospital,” a cabinet colleague, who declined to be named, told New
Zimbabwe.com on Sunday.
Mudenge – twice a widower – is admitted at Harare’s West End Clinic.

The minister has missed the last two cabinet meetings.

His cell phone was going unanswered on Sunday, and it is believed Public
Service Minister Lucia Matibenga tried to visit him but was told no visitors
were allowed.
The historian has been battling ill-health since 2010 when he suffered a
cardiac arrest and spent weeks in hospital.

Twice married, Mudenge’s first wife Kgogo died in 2001 and his second wife,
Eunice, followed in 2004.

Mudenge’s ill-health has previously triggered demands from students’ unions
to stand aside.

Zimbabwe National Students Union president Tafadzwa Mugwadi said in 2010:
“He has failed to attend to our plight because he is concentrating on his
health issues and in the process he is underperforming in his ministry.

“We make a humble request to the government to consider resting the minister
because they are overburdening him and it is not surprising that this burden
could actually be contributing to his failing health.”


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Defiant Miners Face Arrest : Kasukuwere

http://www.radiovop.com

Gwanda, March 25, 2012 – Zimbabwe’s Youth, Indigenisation and Empowerment
Minister Savior Kasukuwere says bosses of foreign- owned mines who will fail
to comply with the black empowerment program will face the full wrath of the
law.

Speaking at a preparatory meeting for the launch of the Community Share
Ownership Scheme Trust (CSOS/T) Kasukuwere said the Indigenisation Bill was
passed into law in parliament and anyone who disregards it will be arrested.

“Those who seat in parliament know that President Mugabe signed the Bill and
now we have a law and anyone who breaks the law is arrested”, he said.

His sentiments come amid reports that at least two mines are resisting
implementing the scheme which has resulted in the delay of the launch in
Matabeleland South by President Mugabe.

“As you can see this man here is a giant and can arrest anyone”, he said
referring to Home Affairs Minister Kembo Mohadi who sat beside him.

Kasukuwere said the Indigenisation Program will continue to some sectors
once they have finished with mining.

“In addition to mineral resources and in Matabeleland South in particular
natural resources such as forests, water bodies, tourist facilities and
wildlife are being exploited largely for the benefit of foreigners” , he
said.

Nineteen mining firms have been shortlisted for CSOS/T and have been ordered
to pay US$15 000 each towards the successful launch of the programme,
furthermore they will have to contribute towards US$2 million that has been
set as the initial amount of the trust fund.

Zimplants was the first to launch the scheme followed by Unki Mines while
Mimosa launched the scheme last month.

The “Share Scheme” has been dismissed by both MDC formations as a vote
buying gimmick by ZANU PF as it distributes shares grabbed from
foreign-owned companies in exchange for votes.

Economic analysts say the community ownership trusts could plunge the
country, still smarting from a decade long economic demise, into deeper
crisis as it will scare away foreign investors.


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Ex-top spy fights CIO

http://www.dailynews.co.zw

By Gift Phiri, Senior Writer
Sunday, 25 March 2012 14:12

HARARE - Former deputy director-general of the Central Intelligence
Organisation (CIO) is suing police chiefs, ministers and the CIO boss for
US$10 million for wrongful arrest.

Lovemore Mukandi, the deputy director general of CIO who was arrested at the
airport in September last year after his deportation from Canada, has filed
notice in terms of Section 6 of the State Liabilities Act of his intentions
to institute legal proceedings.

Mukandi says his Harare International Airport arrest by Chief Superintendent
Peter Magwenzi — the deputy officer commanding CID Serious Fraud Squad — was
unlawful.

Magwenzi is cited as the first respondent in the $10 million suit for
allegedly making “false allegations” in the application of Mukandi’s warrant
of arrest on the grounds that he had defrauded the spy agency of Z$18
million in 1998 after allegedly awarding tenders to undeserving companies to
construct five low density houses the CIO wanted to lease and raise income.

A sworn affidavit by Magwenzi dated June 20, 2008 seeking his extradition
from Canada described Mukandi as a fugitive from justice, yet the courts on
January 31, 2000 declined to place him on remand because of shaky evidence
in the alleged Z$18 million fraud case.

Chief Supt Magwenzi applied for the issuing of the warrant of arrest and it
was duly granted by chief magistrate Mishrod Guvamombe, who has been cited
as a respondent in this case.

Magistrate Munamato Mutevedzi on October 14 last year cancelled the warrant
of arrest on the grounds that “his warrant of arrest which the State is
acting on was obtained erroneously since it does not tell the truth about
the records.”

Following the invalidation of the warrant of arrest against Mukandi by the
magistrate, the wrongly-accused ex-CIO boss has now filed a lawsuit against
Magwenzi for damages arising from the issue of the invalid warrant.

He says the warrant was premised on the “false and defamatory allegations”
that he had absconded to Canada seeking asylum when a criminal docket was
opened against him.

Mukandi’s lawyers, Nyikadzino, Simango and Associates, contend the warrant
was used in September last year to cause his deportation from Canada under
guard, to have him arrested on arrival and remanded in custody.

“The 1st addressee (Magwenzi), acting within the course and scope of his
employment, made the false allegations in the application for the warrant,”
Mukandi’s papers say.

“All the events mentioned above and the allegation that our client had
absconded trial, which was contained in the warrant, were widely publicised
in the local and international media.

“As a result of the actions aforesaid, our client has suffered damages in
the sum of US$10 million.”

The suit also cites chief magistrate Guvamombe for issuing the warrant of
arrest and  CIO boss Happyton Bonyongwe for allegedly causing the warrant to
be issued.

Police Inspector Mabasa and police chief Augustine Chihuri are also cited as
respondents for executing the warrant in Zimbabwe.

The suit says Chihuri and Insp Mabasa “detained our client for one day and
night in police custody and caused him to be detained for six days and five
nights in remand prison.”

The suit also cites the ministers responsible for the CIO and the police as
respondents pointedly co-Home Affairs ministers Theresa Makone and Kembo
Mohadi; and State Security minister Sydney Sekeramayi, in their official
capacities.

Mukandi says in his papers “all these persons knew that the said allegations
were false or were grossly negligent in making them or in accepting the
truth thereof, as the case maybe.”

The $10 million suit is broken down as $5 million resulting from the loss of
Mukandi’s employment in Canada, which sum is being claimed from all the
respondents except Chihuri.

Mukandi says $3 million was for deprivation of liberty resulting from his
deportation from Canada under guard and his arrest and detention, “for
contumelia and for the damage caused to his health both physically, which
sum to be claimed from all the addressees.”

The former CIO boss also wants $2 million resulting from injury to his
reputation caused by the wide publicity afforded to the “false allegations”
and charges that he had absconded.

Mukandi and his co-accused former CIO chief administration officer David
Nyabando and chief transport officer Ricky Manwere were suspended in 1998
from the spy agency over a Z$18 million fraud they allegedly committed.

The CIO alleges they defrauded the State of cash that was supposed to be
used for building houses.

They insist they built the safe houses but were pushed out of the spy agency
in a convoluted powerplay in the CIO.

Mukandi and his boss Shadreck Chipanga, former Zanu PF MP for Makoni East,
were dismissed from the spy agency in 1999.

They were replaced by the current director general Happyton Bonyongwe and
Retired Brigadier Elisha Muzonzini, respectively


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Anger over dramatic surge in mining fees

http://www.timeslive.co.za

ZOLI MANGENA | 25 March, 2012 00:09

The uproar over the massive increase in mining sector fees, which range from
$3000 to $5-million, has intensified, with small-scale miners accusing Mines
Minister Obert Mpofu of trying to destroy their livelihoods through
disastrous policies.

In a recent statutory instrument, government hiked registration of diamond
claims from $1-million to $5-million, with a new ground rental fee of $3000
per hectare per year.

Application fees for prospective coal investors increased from $5000 to
$100000, while the registration or renewal fees were set at $500000. In
addition, there is now also a ground rental fee of $100 per hectare.

Application fees for platinum claims - for both ordinary and special
prospectors - are now pegged at $500000, up from $200.

Registration fees for the metal surged from $500 to $2.5-million.

There was a series of increases in licences for dealers in the mining
sector.

Small-scale miners reacted angrily to this and widely dismissed the
increases as ridiculous and unsustainable.

Farai Misihairabwi, a miner and approved prospector, last month wrote a
strongly worded letter to Mpofu, accusing the minister of pursuing
disastrous policies which would destroy the mining sector.

"I'm writing to you as a miner for 12 years, an approved prospector for more
than 10 years ..., a product of the University of Zimbabwe Law School, and a
law-abiding Zimbabwean citizen," Misihairabwi said in his letter dated
February 24.

"It is clear that your amendments [mining regulations] address the issues of
fees, licences and services.

"My calculations show increments ranging from 500% to 50000%.

"It is rather unfortunate that your amendments are merely a burden on
miners, without a single change regarding your ministry's willingness to
improve the welfare of the mining industry."

Misihairabwi then warned the minister that his new mining regulations were
damaging.

"It is not far-fetched to say this move is tantamount to an annihilation of
mining privileges and rights," he said.

"The small-to-medium scale operator will be the greatest victim.

"This record hike in fees, if not checked, will have a ripple effect on the
nation at large. Many children will drop out of school.

"Businesses, including the flea markets, will feel the effects.

"Negative policies have an immediate, direct influence on the country's
social, financial and economic standing."

Confederation of Zimbabwe Miners president Rangana Chauke recently slammed
Mpofu over the steep increases.

"These increments are ridiculous and unsustainable. They will force miners
out of business," he said.

Government has vowed to maintain the new regulations despite miners'
protests .

Misihairabwi told Mpofu: "We need to guard against despotism of capital. The
current amendments are an attempt to commercialise the ministry.

"A government entity can't be commercialised as it is not a parastatal.

"This may be an attempt to raise revenue for the state but government
activities should be governed by basically acceptable moral standards.

"The government should not unnecessarily exercise its muscles to
inconvenience its people."


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Gono and Biti bury the hatchet

http://www.timeslive.co.za

MARK SCOFIELD | 25 March, 2012 00:09

Not too long ago Finance Minister Tendai Biti and Gideon Gono, the governor
of the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe, were enemies.

Biti accused Gono of running down the economy by printing wads of worthless
Zimbabwe dollars and engaging in quasi-fiscal activities that drove
inflation to astronomical levels and reduced Zimbabwe to a pariah state.

Biti, perhaps more confident by his new key role in the unity government
formed in February 2009, sought to clip Gono's wings - and the governor,
albeit just briefly, only had President Robert Mugabe in his corner to
defend him from Biti's onslaught.

But three years later, an unlikely alliance has formed between the two, and
they seem to have buried the hatchet and have united around a common enemy -
Youth Development, Indigenisation and Empowerment Minister Saviour
Kasukuwere.

Kasukuwere has become boisterous, first gaining confidence from the
indigenisation programme that has seen about $10-million collected from
foreign-owned mining companies.

Two weeks' ago, Kasukuwere claimed his biggest prize yet in the
indigenisation crusade - Zimplats, a subsidiary of SA's Implats, as he
forced the platinum giant to cede a 51% stake to local Zimbabweans.

Zanu-PF hawks celebrated the momentous victory over Zimplats, with Rugare
Gumbo, the party spokesman, saying: "We are absolutely delighted. We have
said time and time again, that we need to control our economy - and our
resources."

With the dust is still yet to settle after the Zimplats takeover deal,
Kasukuwere has already declared his next indigenisation target - the banking
sector. There, SA's Standard Bank unit Stanbic, Nedbank's unit MBCA and
Britain's Barclays and Standard Chartered banks are up for grabs.

The volatility of the banking sector does not seem to worry Kasukuwere, who
has fired this warning: "We are soon going to ensure that the financial
sector starts co-operating. The public statements that banks are already
indigenised are only self-serving and only our ministry can say that. The
banking sector must start to engage more positively, and we'll close that
chapter.

"The law must be respected and no one is above it, whether you are a lawyer
or not," he said.

It is Kasukuwere's manoeuvres into the banking sector that have now courted
resistance from Biti and Gono, with the two men vowing to defend the sector
from "unintended consequences", fearful that banks could slip back into the
banking crisis of 2004 that saw several placed under curatorship and facing
a liquidity crunch.

Biti argues the banking sector is "already indigenised", as only four out of
26 banks are foreign-owned and the leading bank, the Commercial Bank of
Zimbabwe, is an indigenous bank that services the largest number of
depositors in the country.

Kasukuwere's main bone of contention is that banks do not lend money to
youths and farmers to kick-start the indigenisation programme with funding.

Tony Hawkins, an economics professor at the University of Zimbabwe,
cautioned this week: "The greatest loser will be the economy. Now that the
country's biggest foreign investor has toed the Zanu-PF line, indigenisation
minister Kasukuwere, whose political stock has risen with his perceived
victory in the Impala Platinum negotiations, will ratchet up the pressure,
not just on the country's mining companies - Anglo Platinum, Rio Tinto and
Mimosa Platinum - but also on industrial and commercial businesses and
especially the banks."

Gono, a staunch ally of Mugabe, has indicated he would not back down from
the face-off with Kasukuwere, a hint at the unfolding cracks within Mugabe's
Zanu-PF's party over how to implement the contentious law.

"I am not opposed to indigenisation and I support the policy fully, but the
important part is how we implement it, because banking is a sensitive
sector. I will protect it from moves that are likely to cause unintended
consequences," Gono said.

Reformers in Zanu-PF, such as Gono, favour a "gradual" approach to
indigenisation specific to each sector, while party hardliners who are
calling for elections this year, want a "blanket" approach that imposes a
51% indigenisation stake on all sectors of the economy.


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Biti meets Mugabe to discuss diamond revenue

http://www.timeslive.co.za

JAMA MAJOLA | 25 March, 2012 00:09

Finance Minister Tendai Biti has met one-on-one with President Robert Mugabe
to discuss the controversial issue of diamond revenues from Marange, which
are still not flowing consistently into state coffers amid fears of massive
looting of the funds.

High-level government sources said Mugabe and Biti met privately on March 9
at the president's up-market Borrowdale estate to discuss various issues,
but mainly the diamond revenue. The meeting was supposed to be secret, hence
it was held at the exclusive mansion to avoid public attention.

However, the Sunday Times has managed to glean details of the meeting from
well-placed sources which showed that it mainly focused on the diamond
revenue issue. The meeting, which started around midday, lasted for about
three-and-half hours. Mugabe and Biti, who frequently clash over budget and
other issues, have never met for such a long time.

Biti met Mugabe ahead of his periodic update of the state of the economy on
March 14. The president is said to have promised to address the issue of
transparency and accountability with regards to the diamonds. Biti and his
MDC-T colleagues, including party leader Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai,
fear Mugabe is building a war chest from diamond revenue ahead of the next
elections.

Apart from the political consequences, the issue has been worrying Biti
because diamond income is critical to balancing his books, as he expects
$600-million from the gem exports to cover part of this year's $4-billion
budget. He says lack of transparency, accountability and looting of diamonds
has made his job a nightmare. The two have been fighting over the need to
increase civil servants' salaries, with Biti saying he would only do so if
all diamond revenue was channelled to the Treasury.

At the moment proceeds from diamond sales do not consistently go to the
fiscus, amid suspicions Mugabe and his ministers are running parallel
coffers for Zanu-PF's administration and political activities.

Last year Biti said it was worrying that while Zimbabwe exported 716958
carats of diamonds, only $103.9-million was realised. He said this was
happening at a time when diamond prices continued to firm on the
international markets, with prices fluctuating between $1300 and $5000 per
carat.

During his meeting with Mugabe, Biti told him he was worried because diamond
revenue was dwindling while exports increased, as shown by February's
figures. A paltry $5-million was realised in February, way below the
$41.5-million target. In his monthly state of the economy address on March
14, Biti said cumulatively, the actual revenue collections for January and
February this year amounted to $488.24-million, against a target of
$549.5-million.

"We are being crippled in our capacity to fund government fully because of
the under-performance of diamonds," he said.

Biti said it was going to be difficult for the government to fund capital
projects if the projected annual diamond revenue of $600-million was not
realised.


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The gloves are off as indigenisation crusade gains clout

http://www.timeslive.co.za/

MARK SCOFIELD | 25 March, 2012 00:09

ZANU-PF divisions are widening, set in motion by the indigenisation
programme, which is gathering steam.

At its December conference in Bulawayo, Zanu-PF resolved to take over
foreign-owned mining companies this year, with Mugabe then complaining that
the 10% stakes given under the community share trusts were not enough and
the foreign companies had "to give more and more and more".

Zanu-PF insiders say the indigenisation crusade championed by Youth
Development, Indigenisation and Empowerment Minister Saviour Kasukuwere has
not only set alarm bells ringing in the party as his political clout has
grown, but has given a strong foothold to party hardliners.

Underlying discontent in the party is the feud that has played out between
Kasukuwere and Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe governor Gideon Gono, an ally of
Mugabe.

Said a Zanu-PF official, who requested anonymity: "The fight between
Kasukuwere and Gono is a reflection of what is happening behind the scenes
in the party.

"People are jostling and setting themselves up to strike it rich with
indigenisation, while a minority favour a more cautious approach that will
not harm the economy."

Two weeks ago, in a signal of the underlying manoeuvres of party loyalists
to position themselves to be recipients of the indigenisation programme, the
country's 270 chiefs seen to be aligned to Zanu-PF also demanded to be given
shares in foreign-mining companies.

But as an election looms, Zanu-PF is unlikely to have too much consideration
for the consequences that a hastily-adopted indigenisation programme will
have, as it seeks to curry favour with voters.

Political analyst Charles Mangongera said: "There is not even elite
consensus in Zanu-PF on the indigenisation programme.

"It is playing into factional and succession politics as the big chiefs
fight over shares in the most lucrative and viable enterprises. The fights
will become even uglier as the targeting intensifies."

Senior International Crisis Group analyst Trevor Maisiri pointed out that
indigenisation was Zanu-PF's "one-way ticket" at the next election and would
ultimately benefit both reformers and hardliners in the party, as they
needed to put up a united front at the elections.

"Whatever differences they may have about the indigenisation programme, it's
certain they will close themselves up in a room, come out and announce a
united position. There seems to be concurrence in the party on pursuing it,
but the differences and clashes are on the specifics and how it should be
done", said Maisiri.

As tensions increased over indigenisation this week, Deputy President Joyce
Mujuru travelled to India to court businesses to invest in the country.

Mujuru is viewed as favourable to economic stability, unlike her rival in
the succession race - and leader of hardliners in Zanu-PF - Defence Minister
Emmerson Mnangagwa.


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Why SA should prosecute Zimbabwe's torturers-in-chief

http://www.politicsweb.co.za

Clare Ballard
25 March 2012

Clare Ballard explains why SALC is taking the NPA to court on the matter

South Africa, the Rome Statute, Zimbabwe, and Torture

"Law is nothing unless close behind it stands a warm living public opinion."
~Wendell Phillips

So accustomed have we become to reports of atrocities in war-ravaged, post
colonial Africa that I believe we'd be forgiven for associating the term
‘impunity' with the perpetrators of these crimes, even though the nature of
the crimes to which the unlucky oppressed are subjected frequently fall into
the category of "crimes against humanity": torture, genocide, slavery.

So we sat up and took notice when, on the 14 March 2012, the International
Criminal Court (ICC) handed down its first verdict. It convicted Thomas
Lubanga of conscripting and enlisting children under the age of 15 and using
them to participate in hostilities. This was a first.

True, the Special Court of Sierra Leone and the International Criminal
Tribunal for Rwanda have handed down a number of convictions (and
acquittals), but, like their predecessors, the International Criminal Court
for the former Yugoslavia, and even the Nuremburg and Tokyo trials, these
were established for the purpose of trying crimes committed within a certain
time frame and in relation to a specific conflict.

The ICC, the world's first permanent international criminal court, was
established on 1 July 2002, the date on which its founding treaty, the Rome
Statute, came into force. The adoption of the Rome Statue was the final
point of decades of negotiations arising from the internationally perceived
need to be able to prosecute individuals responsible for crimes against
humanity, genocide and war crimes, but who were able to shield themselves by
invoking the doctrine of sovereign immunity.

Like other special courts and tribunals, the establishment of the ICC
occurred without too much controversy, for, as Lord Browne-Wilkinson reminds
us in the famous Pinochet case, "international law provides that offences in
violation of certain pre-emptory norms may be punished by any state because
the offenders are common enemies of all mankind and all nations have an
equal interest in their apprehension and prosecution."

The ICC can exercise its jurisdiction only over state parties, and even
then, only if the state is unable or unwilling to prosecute locally. To
date, one hundred and twenty countries are state parties to the Rome
Statute.

Thirty-two countries have signed, but not ratified it. Zimbabwe is one of
them, and thus not subject to the jurisdiction of the ICC. Zimbabwe is also
one of those African countries frequently associated with politically
motivated violent incidents: police brutality, raids, illegal detention, and
torture.

The Southern African Litigation Centre (SALC) responded to a particular
incident in 2007. In March of that year, Zimbabwean police raided MDC
headquarters and arrested over 100 MDC supporters, many of whom were
subsequently detained and tortured. SALC compiled a detailed dossier of
these events, including affidavits from the victims themselves and
supporting papers from lawyers and medical practitioners confirming the
torture, and presented it to the NPA.

As odd as the idea sounds of asserting domestic authority over non-nations
for alleged crimes that occurred beyond our borders, there are a number of
very good reasons why the NPA could be expected to, and should have,
initiated the investigation and prosecution of Zimbabwean officials
responsible for the torture.

Firstly, South Africa is a state party to the Rome statute, and furthermore
a particular clause in the implementing legislation (the ICC Act) states
that for the purpose of securing the jurisdiction of a South African court,
a crime committed outside the country is deemed to have been committed
within our borders if the alleged perpetrator of the crime is in the
Republic after the commission of the crime.

Accordingly, Zimbabwe's being a state party to the Rome Statute is
irrelevant to the purpose of initiating a prosecution in South Africa.
Secondly, South Africa is obliged to prosecute domestically. The ICC Act
states: "it is the duty of the state to exercise its criminal jurisdiction
over those responsible for international crimes."

In addition, one of the ICC Act's stated objectives, is "to enable, as far
as possible ... the national prosecuting authority of the Republic to
prosecute and the High Courts of the Republic to adjudicate in cases brought
against any person accused of having committed a crime in the Republic and
beyond the borders of the Republic in certain circumstances."

Thirdly, the ICC Act designates as "priority crimes" those in violation of
the Rome Statute. This, as the applicants correctly point out, means that
the South African government recognized that such crimes "deserve special
attention." Fourthly, given the collapse of the rule of law in Zimbabwe and
the fact that the officials allegedly responsible for the torture of MDC
supporters are known to visit South Africa from time to time, South Africa
is well situated to investigate, arrest and prosecute them under the ICC
Act.

Sadly, it took months for the NPA to respond to SALC, and then only to say
that the matter had been referred to SAPS for investigation. After another
six months, SALC were informed that the SAPS had decided not to investigate
the matter. SALC instituted review proceedings in the High Court, arguing
that the refusal to investigate and prosecute the torture allegations
amounted to, amongst other things, a failure on the part of the respondents
(the NPA, SAPS the Director-General of the department of Justice) to apply
their minds to the matter.

The reasons proffered for the decision not to investigate, once they had
eventually been delivered, included (incorrectly), that the SAPS and NPA
were not permitted under the ICC Act to investigate such crimes, as well as
the bald assertion that if an investigation were to be initiated, it would
impact negatively on South Africa's diplomatic relations with Zimbabwe, and
we would be seen to be "criticizing the Zimbabwean government."

There is no doubt that the prosecution of Zimbabwean officials by the
respondents would have some sort of impact on South Africa's relationship
with Zimbabwe. It would be naïve not to realize that this kind of
prosecution is extremely complicated, even dangerous. Perhaps it would
threaten the safety of opposition party members still in Zimbabwe. But the
bottom line is that our legislation requires that where there is evidence of
a crime, a prosecution must ordinarily follow unless it would be "in the
public interest" not to do so.

The respondents have not delivered any even remotely compelling reasons as
to why they should not proceed. Which is why SALC have a strong case.

As multiple reactions to the "Kony 2012" campaign tell us, pinning down
perpetrators of international crimes is a complicated business. If only it
were as easy as buying a wristband. But a really good start, I think, would
be abiding by legislation our own government saw fit to create.

The SALC matter will be heard from Monday 26 March 2012 in the North Gauteng
High Court.

Clare Ballard is a Researcher for the Community Law Centre, Civil Society
Prison Reform Initiative, University of the Western Cape


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Zimbabwe: What went wrong?

http://www.politicsweb.co.za

Vince Musewe
25 March 2012

Vince Musewe says in euphoria of 1980 Zanu-PF was granted too much power

On the equitable distribution of power: Democracy cannot exist when there is
one political party that has the majority of power

It has been a while since I wrote about Zimbabwe and this has been out of
choice. It seems that no matter what some of us have to say the situation
continues to get worse on the political front with no end in sight. Recently
I watched a video of Mugabe's interview in 1976 at the Lancaster House talks
and he was being asked what kind of Zimbabwe he looked forward to.

In it he said that his vision was for a united country that focuses not on
race, but on the equality and that he had no intention at all of creating
the very system that he was fighting against. He also stated that he had no
issue at all with other political parties contesting the elections as it is
their right to  do so.

What went wrong?

I think that we primarily failed to implement democracy in Zimbabwe from day
one. Although blacks became free from colonialism they did not free
themselves from the wrong idea that democracy can be alive where there is
inequitable distribution of power.

The establishment of a de facto one party state in Zimbabwe did not happen
when ZANU (PF) and ZAPU established a unity agreement but happened at the
ballot box in 1980 when Zimbabweans through the naive euphoria of
"independence" from the British voted for ZANU (PF) and gave them a majority
stake in power.  For me that was the beginning of the dictatorship.

Democracy cannot exist when there is one political party that has the
majority of power and South Africans also fell into the same trap.

It definitely made sense and felt patriotic and emotionally uplifting to get
rid of the past by giving a mandate to the political party that had done
most to cause the change; however, this in itself exposed us to serious
consequences that we hardly imagined. There is something inherently evil
with political power in that, the more one gets the more one wants and the
more one abuses it.

With regard to South Africa, it is quite interesting to note that there has
been incessant focus on the transformation of the economy and yet, the vital
challenge we shall face sooner or later, is the equitable distribution of
political power. Is it not time that we reexamine our political system and
argue that what we need most is the equitable distribution of power as a
perquisite for economic equity?

Just as we seek to promote the equitable distribution of economic power and
wealth, we should seek to ensure that political power is not concentrated in
the hands of a few. This is becuase the consequences are the same,
capitalism delivers poverty and a "democracy" where power is inequitably
distributed delivers tyranny and corruption.

This means that as citizens of Africa, we must encourage the multiplicity of
political formations so that no one single party can claim a majority in
parliament. For me, that is the crucial step we must take in order to
preserve political equity and the protection of individual rights. This
means that we must educate the masses so that they do not deliver this
political power en mass to a single political party.

I know for example that in Zimbabwe it is highly likely that most will vote
for the MDC in protest to ZANU(PF) but without taking into account the
reality that, majority parties who attain dominant political power behave in
similar fashion regardless of climate or race or geographical location. That
is one criticism I have with the so called democracies we have created in
Africa. Our democracies have not delivered liberty of the masses and
continue to be political structures that encourage arrogance and bullying.
The African political elite hide behind democracy and create oligarchies
just as the bourgeoisie hide behind free enterprise and create monopolies.

As a matter of principle, we ought to support opposition parties not because
of their goodness but because of their necessity in avoiding tyranny. We
ought to support interest groups that seek to protect minority rights not
because we agree with racism but because they ultimately serve to protect
majority interests. The more noise these groupings make and the better
organized they are in protecting their interests, the more likely we are to
protect ourselves from political predators and the abuse of power. A free
media is of course the cherry on top. In My opinion there is nothing "neo
liberal" as history has shown us that without these the majority can never
be free.

Shall we allow Plato to be right in his observations that democracy passes
into despotism or shall we reshape the future by understanding that when one
single man or group of men who think alike and possess power , liberty
cannot prevail.

Vince Musewe is an economist he is promoting new thinking about Africa under
the topic "New African Minds" and you may read his philosophies about change
by going to vincemusewe.blogspot.com or email him on vtmusewe@gmail.com


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Call their bluff – Zimbabwe Vigil Diary: 24th March 2012

Following Morgan Tsvangirai’s talks in London with the British Prime Minister, the Vigil is to seek an opportunity to present Mr Cameron with our petition calling for UN supervision of the next elections. It has been signed by many thousands of people who have passed by the Vigil outside the Zimbabwe Embassy.

 

During their meeting, Mr Cameron promised Tsvangirai his support in ensuring the elections are free and fair (see: https://www.zimbabwesituation.com/old/mar24_2012.html#Z5 – British PM Cameron pledges to push for free elections in Zimbabwe). The Vigil hopes that Britain, as a permanent member of the Security Council, will pass on the petition, which reads: ‘We call on the Security Council to ensure that the next elections in Zimbabwe are free and fair. We look to the United Nations to supervise the electoral process and the handover of power to a new government and believe peace-keeping troops will need to be in place before, during and after the polling.’

 

We thought we had better act now because Zanu PF seems hell-bent on elections this year – regardless of the GPA’s insistence on a new constitution and electoral reforms – a stand backed (so far) by SADC. The Vigil believes that if Zanu PF goes ahead with its threat the UN must demand a role.

 

Mr Tsvangirai was typically buoyant during his London visit, promising to form a government of national unity if the MDC wins power and giving reassurances to Mugabe’s cronies to ease their fears of retribution. The Vigil does not share his optimism. We don’t think a hyena can change its spots but we would feel a lot less pessimistic if the UN acted on our petition.

 

The Vigil also appeals to the UK government to spend some of its $100 million a year aid to help Zimbabwe find out which human rights treaties it has agreed to.  Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa told parliament that the government didn’t have a clue (see: https://www.zimbabwesituation.com/old/mar24a_2012.html#Z9 – Govt has no treaty record). Perhaps if Mr Chinamasa knew that a biased judiciary was not permitted, Gwisai and his companions would not have been tortured and convicted of watching television. Or that the ‘First Family’ could not run up an unpaid  $350,000 electricity bill for their numerous farms (see: Mugabe fumes over Zesa billhttps://www.zimbabwesituation.com/old/mar24a_2012.html#Z1). Or that the Governor of the Reserve Bank could not similarly get away with not paying $800,000 for telephone calls (to Grace Mugabe?) (see: Gono’s US$800,000 phone bill – http://www.swradioafrica.com/2012/03/19/gonos-us800000-phone-bill/). Or that Police Commissioner Chihuri could not make off with 80 tonnes of fertilizer from the Grain Marketing Board while the majority of farmers failed to get a single bag – contributing to yet another disastrous agricultural season (see: Bigwigs under probe over inputs scam – https://www.zimbabwesituation.com/old/mar24a_2012.html#Z2).

 

Other points

·        On a lovely sunny day, as warm as summer, we were joined by our Swazi friends who came on to us after an exuberant vigil outside the Swazi High Commission.

·        Homeless people gather near the Vigil waiting for food handouts from a charity which visits in the evening. One of them said he wanted to ask us a favour. We assumed he was after money but much to our surprise what he wanted  was a piece of our string to hold his trousers up!

·        Many members of the Vigil attended the 21st Movement Free Zimbabwe Global Protest outside the South African High Commission on Wednesday (for our report on this see: http://zimvigil.co.uk/the-vigil-diary/379-third-21st-movement-free-zimbabwe-global-protest-wednesday-21st-march-2012).

·        Thanks to Linnet Moyo for her energetic help in setting up the Vigil including athletically climbing on our drum to put up the high posters.

 

For latest Vigil pictures check: http://www.flickr.com/photos/zimbabwevigil/. Please note: Vigil photos can only be downloaded from our Flickr website – they cannot be downloaded from the slideshow on the front page of the Zimvigil website.

 

FOR THE RECORD: 79 signed the register.

 

EVENTS AND NOTICES:

·        Zimbabwe Action Forum. Saturday 7th April from 6.30 – 9.30 pm. Venue: Strand Continental Hotel (first floor lounge), 143 Strand, London WC2R 1JA. Directions: The Strand is the same road as the Vigil. From the Vigil it’s about a 10 minute walk, in the direction away from Trafalgar Square. The Strand Continental is situated on the south side of the Strand between Somerset House and the turn off onto Waterloo Bridge. The entrance is marked by a big sign high above and a sign for its famous Indian restaurant at street level. It's next to a newsagent.  Nearest underground: Temple (District and Circle lines) and Holborn.

·        Next Swaziland Vigil. Saturday 7th April from 10 am – 1 pm. Venue: Swazi High Commission, 20 Buckingham Gate, London SW1E 6LB.  Please support our Swazi friends. Nearest stations: St James’s Park and Victoria.

·        Fourth 21st Movement Free Zimbabwe Global Protest organized by the MDC diaspora. Saturday 21st April. On this day the Vigil will also mark Zimbabwe’s 32nd Independence anniversary.

·        Two Gentlemen of Verona Shona Production at the Globe Theatre, 21 New Globe Walk, Bankside, London SE1 9DT. Dates / Times: Wednesday 9 May, 2.30pm. Thursday 10 May, 7.30pm. Tickets £5 - £35 (700 £5 tickets available) from 020 7401 9919 and www.shakespearesglobe.com. A two-man Zimbabwean riot of love, friendship and betrayal. From Verona to Milan, via Harare and Bulawayo, two great friends, Valentine and Proteus, vie for the love of the same woman. In a triumphantly energetic ‘township’ style, Denton Chikura and Tonderai Munyevu slip into all of the play’s fifteen characters – from amorous suitors to sullen daughters, depressed servants and even a dog – in this new, specially commissioned translation.

·        Zimbabwe Vigil Highlights 2011 can be viewed on this link: http://www.zimvigil.co.uk/the-vigil-diary/363-vigil-highlights-2011.  Links to previous years’ highlights are listed on 2011 Highlights page.

·        The Restoration of Human Rights in Zimbabwe (ROHR) is the Vigil’s partner organisation based in Zimbabwe. ROHR grew out of the need for the Vigil to have an organisation on the ground in Zimbabwe which reflected the Vigil’s mission statement in a practical way. ROHR in the UK actively fundraises through membership subscriptions, events, sales etc to support the activities of ROHR in Zimbabwe. Please note that the official website of ROHR Zimbabwe is http://www.rohrzimbabwe.org/. Any other website claiming to be the official website of ROHR in no way represents the views and opinions of ROHR.

·        ZBN News. The Vigil management team wishes to make it clear that the Zimbabwe Vigil is not responsible for Zimbabwe Broadcasting Network News (ZBN News). We are happy that they attend our activities and provide television coverage but we have no control over them. All enquiries about ZBN News should be addressed to ZBN News.

·        The Zim Vigil band (Farai Marema and Dumi Tutani) has launched its theme song ‘Vigil Yedu (our Vigil)’ to raise awareness through music. To download this single, visit: www.imusicafrica.com and to watch the video check: http://ourvigil.notlong.com. To watch other Zim Vigil band protest songs, check: http://Shungurudza.notlong.com and http://blooddiamonds.notlong.com.

·        Vigil Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=8157345519&ref=ts.

·        Vigil Myspace page: http://www.myspace.com/zimbabwevigil.

 

Vigil co-ordinators

The Vigil, outside the Zimbabwe Embassy, 429 Strand, London, takes place every Saturday from 14.00 to 18.00 to protest against gross violations of human rights in Zimbabwe. The Vigil which started in October 2002 will continue until internationally-monitored, free and fair elections are held in Zimbabwe. http://www.zimvigil.co.uk.


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Bill Watch - Parliamentary Committees Series - 23rd March 2012 [Meetings Open to Public 26th to 29th March]

BILL WATCH

PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEES SERIES

[23rd March 2012]

Committee Meetings Open to the Public: 26th to 29th March

The meetings listed below will be open to members of the public, but as observers only, not as participants, i.e. members of the public can listen but not speak.  The meetings will be held at Parliament in Harare, entrance on Kwame Nkrumah Ave between 2nd and 3rd Streets.

This bulletin is based on the latest information from Parliament on 23rd March.  But, as there are sometimes last-minute changes to the schedule, persons wishing to attend a meeting should avoid disappointment by checking with the committee clerk [see below] that the meeting is still on and open to the public.  Parliament’s telephone numbers are Harare 700181 and 252936.  If attending, note that IDs must be produced.

Monday 26th March at 2 pm

Portfolio Committee: Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare

Oral evidence from the National Employment Councils for the construction industry and for the energy industry on their operations and the challenges being faced by the employees they represent

Committee Room No. 1

Chairperson: Hon Zinyemba                     Clerk: Ms Mushunje

Portfolio Committee: Budget, Finance, Economic Planning and Investment Promotion

Presentation from the Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries on the state of the construction and pharmaceutical industries in the country

Committee Room No. 4

Chairperson: Hon Zhanda                         Clerk: Mr Ratsakatika

Portfolio Committee: Justice, Legal Affairs, Constitutional and Parliamentary Affairs

Oral evidence from Minister of Constitutional and Parliamentary Affairs on progress made with regard to the new constitution and the Constituency Development Fund [CDF]

Committee Room No. 413

Chairperson: Hon Mwonzora                    Clerk: Miss Zenda 

Tuesday 27th March at 10 am

Portfolio Committee: Industry and Commerce

Oral evidence from the Central Africa Building Society [CABS] on the disbursement of the Distressed Industries and Marginalised Areas Fund

Committee Room No. 311

Chairperson: Hon Mutomba                      Clerk: Ms Masara

Wednesday 28th March at 9 am

Thematic Committee: Peace and Security

Oral evidence from the Minister of Energy and Power Development on mechanisms put in place to reduce corruption within ZESA and the policy and procedures on disconnections of electricity to consumers

Committee Room No. 4

Chairperson: Hon Mumvuri                       Clerk: Miss Zenda

Thursday 29th March at 10 am

Portfolio Committee: Women, Youth, Gender and Community Development

Presentation on international agreements/protocols in the Ministry of Women’s Affairs, Gender and Community Development

Committee Room No. 3

Chairperson: Hon Matienga                      Clerk: Mr Kunzwa

Portfolio Committee: Education, Sport and Culture

Committee Room No. 4

Oral evidence from Zimbabwe Soccer Coaches Association, ZIPFA Referees Committee and Premier Soccer League on soccer administration in Zimbabwe and issues surrounding Asiagate

Chairperson: Hon Mangami                      Clerk: Ms Chikuvire

Other Committee Activities of Interest

[Note:  These are not open to the public]

Roadblocks and spot fines  The Portfolio Committee on Defence and Home Affairs will be deliberating on statements from the co-Ministers of Home Affairs.

Conservancies and forestry plantations The Portfolio Committee on Natural Resources, Environment and Tourism will be considering its final report.

Typhoid  The Portfolio Committee on Health and Child Welfare will be considering a draft of its report.

Indigenisation and empowerment  The Thematic Committee on Indigenisation and Empowerment will deliberate on the evidence it gathered during its field visit to ZIMPLATS.

 

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