Zimbabwe’s prime minister tries to lure foreign investors despite unity government’s problems

http://www.washingtonpost.com

By Associated Press, Published: March 1

JOHANNESBURG — Zimbabwe’s prime minister is trying to lure foreign
investors, but acknowledged Thursday that rifts within his coalition
government make that difficult.

In a speech at an investment forum in neighboring South Africa, Prime
Minister Morgan Tsvangirai said he wants more economic benefits for black
Zimbabweans. But, he said, a recent threat by Zimbabwe’s black empowerment
minister “has caused a lot of consternation, but this is a price that we are
paying as a coalition government which has no shared vision and no shared
values.”

Zimbabwe’s black empowerment minister threatened to take over the country’s
biggest platinum mine if the South African owners don’t hand over more
stakes to black Zimbabweans. The empowerment minister is a member of
President Robert Mugabe’s ZANU-PF party, which for the last three years has
governed in a fractious alliance with former rivals from Tsvangirai’s
Movement for Democratic Change.

More broadly, Tsvangirai charged that the black empowerment campaign, known
in Zimbabwe as indigenization, was being implemented to benefit an elite.

“Our problem is that our coalition partners have bastardized a noble
principle into a populist election campaign issue,” he said.

Mugabe has said he would call elections this year to end the coalition.
Thursday, Tsvangirai told reporters after his speech that a vote could not
be held until a new constitution had been written and adopted by the people,
and other steps taken to ensure free and fair elections.

Tsvangirai did not say when he expected Zimbabwe to be ready to vote, but
few observers think the conditions he described could be in place this year.

Tsvangirai also said Mugabe had no power to call elections unilaterally. An
agreement hammered out by regional leaders that created the coalition,
Tsvangirai said, “says very clearly, the president in consultation with the
prime minister shall set the date of the elections.”

While Tsvangirai repeatedly expressed frustration at the coalition
government Thursday, he said he was committed to it as a framework for
peacefully resolving his country’s problems.

No ZANU-PF ministers accompanied Tsvangirai to Johannesburg. Members of his
party and an allied party with economic portfolios did accompany him, among
them Finance Minister Tendai Biti.

Biti referred to another source of contention within the governing party:
suspicions mining officials loyal to Mugabe are diverting profits from
Zimbabwe’s diamond fields from the national treasury to ZANU-PF.

Biti said that after a recent fact-finding trip to Marange, the diamond
fields in eastern Zimbabwe, he was convinced the government was receiving
only a small portion of what it was due.

“How do we make sure that Zimbabwean resources work for the people of
Zimbabwe?” Biti said at a news conference.

Zimbabwe Seeking 'Lost' Diamond Revenue

http://online.wsj.com

    March 1, 2012, 9:58 a.m. ET

By DEVON MAYLIE

JOHANNESBURG—Zimbabwe said Thursday it is seeking to trace lost revenue from
the country's vast mineral reserves, as part of an attempt to shore up its
finances.

Finance Minister Tendai Biti, speaking on the sidelines of a Zimbabwe trade
and investment seminar here, said there is a "big gap" between what the
ministry is receiving from diamond mines—and other minerals—and what he
believes is actually being produced and exported.

In particular, Mr. Biti, a minister appointed through the opposition party
to President Robert Mugabe's dominant ZANU-PF, said revenue falls far below
what he thinks is being produced at the controversial Marange diamond
fields, where four companies currently operate.

He said the budget expects to get $600 million from diamond exports out of
Marange this year, based on the projection by government and companies that
the four miners operating in the field collectively produce 45 million
carats a year. Although this revenue figure is up from $80 million in 2010,
Mr. Biti said after visiting the mine area that the forecast output is
"minuscule."

"Anjin [mine] can easily produce 45 million carats in three months," Mr.
Biti said. The ministry is also investigating what it sees as a lack of
transparency at the diamond mine area, Mr. Biti said.

His comments come at a time when the Kimberley Process, a diamond industry
monitoring body comprising governments, business and civil society groups,
is going through a crisis after disagreement over Marange. At the end of
last year the process granted permission for Marange miners to export,
despite complaints from human rights groups that there isn't enough
transparency and that rights abuses are being committed there.

At the heart of the debate was a definition of what the Kimberley Process
stands for—originally designed to stop diamond trade from funding rebel
groups causing war, some groups want the body to address wider human rights
abuses.

"The Kimberley Process is looking at what changes it needs to make," the new
chairman of the process, U.S. Ambassador Gillian Milovanovic, said last
month, noting transparency of the field is a key now.

Mines in the area include Marange Resources, which is wholly-owned by the
Zimbabwe government, and Mbada Diamonds, a joint venture between the
government and Grandwell Holdings of South Africa. Chinese firm Anhui
Foreign Economic Construction (Group) Co., or Anjin, also has a property.

In addition to discrepancies in the diamond sector, Mr. Biti said the
ministry only received $150 million from the rest of the mining sector in
2011 despite mining exports totaling $2.5 billion.

Mr. Biti and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, also a member of the
opposition Movement for Democratic Change, have also sought to dispel
investor fears around mining indigenization.

Impala Platinum Holdings Ltd. is fighting a government threat to remove its
Zimbabwe assets for failing to meet the requirements of the country's
indigenization law. This law requires foreign investors to give up 51% of
assets in a combination of stakes to government-approved assets or community
trusts and employee ownership schemes.

Last week, the Minister of Indigenization gave Impala two weeks to meet his
demands, which weren't revealed.

"We agree in principle with indigenization policy, it's in the
implementation where contradictions emerge," Mr. Tsvangirai said, referring
to the relationship his MDC party has with the ZANU-PF in a power-sharing
government.

Zimbabwe ministers disagree on indigenisation, Zimplats and missing diamond mine millions

http://www.mineweb.com

Tsvangirai: "There is no grabbing, there is no nationalisation", but
Kasukuwere seems yo have a differeny scenario in mind, particularly with
respect to impala's Zimbabwe platinum mining unit.
Author: Christy Filen
Posted:  Thursday , 01 Mar 2012

JOHANNESBURG (MINEWEB) -

It would be almost comical if it wasn't so sad. Whilst one Zimbabwe minister
is threatening a mining company the same country's Prime Minister and his
ministerial delegation are attempting to woo investors.

Zimbabwe's minister of youth development, indigenisation and empowerment,
Saviour Kasukuwere, has threatened Implats with "enforcement mechanisms"
unless it transfers portions of its shareholding in Zimplats and Mimosa over
to the National Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment Fund (NIEEF) in
terms of that country's indigenisation law.

At the same time in an effort to attract foreign investment to Zimbabwe,
Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai led a ministerial delegation in hosting a
trade and investment conference in Johannesburg today that declared that
country "open for business".

Tsvangirai attempted to address this disparity:

"Why invite people [to invest] at this moment? I don't think that there is
any time appropriate. We've had three years of inclusive government, this
country is going through a transition and through this transition we have
established the necessary environment. There is no better moment than now to
lay the groundwork for inviting people to come. We attach great importance
to foreign direct investment that's why we are saying come"

On the dispute with Implats, Tsvangirai tried to allay fears.

"The issue is work in progress. No one in the indigenisation law says that
you shall grab people's property or you shall nationalise. In fact you buy
equity at value so it is a discussion that we are very clear about...however
I want to underline the principle of local participation by Zimbabweans, it
is what we will encourage and through dialogue I'm sure that major
participation by locals will be arrived at but certainly there is no
grabbing, there is no nationalisation"

Tendai Biti, Zimbabwe's minister of finance was however, not as subtle as
Tsvangirai.

"The question is how do we make sure that in Zimbabwe the resources do in
fact sweat for the Zimbabwean people which is not the case at the present
moment. Shareholders in London, Joburg and Cape Town are primarily
benefitting" said Biti.

He went on to tackle the thorny issue of the missing millions in revenue
collections from the Marange diamond fields in Zimbabwe:

"There is a gap between what is happening in Marange and what we are
receiving and what we expect to receive. We have received US$174m in 2010
and we received US$80m in 2011. I have been very clear that we are expecting
to receive US$600m in the year 2012 and this is in our budget"

Biti believes that the amount of US$600m is easily achievable.

"When we arrived at the figure of US$600m in the budget, that was based on
annual production on 45m carats of diamonds. When we went to Marange and saw
the production that is taking place at the four mines it is clear that 45m
carats is a miniscule production that we can expect. It is so clear that one
of the mines alone, for instance the biggest Chinese entity, Anjin, can
easily produce 45m carats in a space of three months" said Biti.

Biti is of the opinion that this type of gap is also replicated in the rest
of the mining sector in Zimbabwe:

"In the 2011 financial year we received US$150m from the rest of the mining
sector but mining exports alone were US$2.5bn. Now there is a huge gap
between US$150m and US$2.5bn" said Biti.

"Ironically, per capita, the four mining houses in Marange are actually
giving us more proportionally than the rest of the mining sector including
Zimplats...in Zimbabwe our effective mining tax rate is a mere 8% yet our
corporate tax is 31% so there is a huge gap there"

The aspiration of the indigenisation act is to achieve at least 51% of
indigenous shareholding in the majority of businesses in all sectors of the
economy.

Zimbabwe's Medium Term Plan (2011-2015) identifies foreign direct investment
(FDI) as a critical enabler to achieve economic growth. In particular, the
attainment of an investment to GDP ratio of 25% by 2015 would be a catalyst
for growth, employment creation and increased industrial capacity.

Zimbabwe poll politics hurting investment: Tsvangirai

http://af.reuters.com

Thu Mar 1, 2012 4:52pm GMT

By Jon Herskovitz

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - Zimbabwe's demand that foreign companies turn over
majority stakes to locals is being driven by upcoming elections and scaring
investors away, Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai said on Thursday.

Mining firms, banks and retailers have grown increasingly worried about the
law, pushed by Tsvangirai's rival and coalition partner, President Robert
Mugabe.

"It is political rhetoric," Tsvangirai told an investment forum in
Johannesburg. "The indigenisation law as it currently is - there is no talk
of nationalisation. There is no talk of grabbing property."

Tsvangirai said politicians can make promises of bringing riches to the
masses, but the law states market prices must be paid for the stakes in
foreign firms and there is not enough money in private hands to make that
happen.

"Our people don't have the necessary resources to buy the equity that is
currently existing in the economy," he said.

Zimbabwe's economy was a basket case, with inflation running at astronomical
levels, before a coalition was formed between Mugabe and his long-time foe
Tsvangirai after a disputed election in 2008.

The deal helped stabilise the economy and reverse a decade of steep decline
but progress could be dashed by national elections required by next year
under the power-sharing agreement.

Tsvangirai said his coalition partners "have twisted a very noble cause" of
empowering poor blacks.

"This is a price that we are paying as a coalition government of no shared
vision and no shared values," he said, adding that the mixed message was "a
proper recipe for turning away investors".

Analysts see a more sinister side to the indigenisation law, which they feel
will be exploited by Mugabe's ZANU-PF party to squeeze money out of foreign
firms to finance its election campaign and employ thugs to intimidate
voters.

Mugabe, in power since the country gained independence from Britain in 1980,
and top ZANU-PF officials have been hit with international sanctions for
suspected political violence and killing campaigns to stay in power.

"(The law) is little more than an extortion scheme, with rival players
offering companies 'protection' in return for pay and equity stakes," said
Anne Fruhauf, Africa analyst for the Eurasia Group political risk
consultancy.

Mining firms risk losing their claims in the country with the world's
second-largest platinum reserves if they do not comply. Many are waiting for
a future government more amenable to international investment before they
increase production.

Impala Platinum, the world's second-largest platinum producer, has offered
to hand over between 25 percent and 30 percent in equity and make up the
balance through "credits" it hoped to receive in exchange for giving up some
of its land five years ago.

But the minister in charge of the black empowerment drive, Saviour
Kasukuwere, has rejected part of the Implats proposal and has given the
company until Wednesday next week to hand over 29.5 percent of its Zimplats
operation.

Hospital in darkness 

http://www.herald.co.zw

Thursday, 01 March 2012 00:00

Herald Reporter
Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals has been without electricity for the past
two days following a cable fault on the power grid supplying the hospital.
The power outage has affected operations at one of Zimbabwe’s biggest
referral hospitals.
Zesa spokesperson Mr Fullard Gwasira yesterday confirmed the fault.
He however, said engineers were working round the clock to restore power.
Parirenyatwa Hospital Engineer Lincoln Haparimwi confirmed the institution
was  using a generator for essential services.
“We do not have electricity since yesterday (Tuesday) and as a result we had
to use a generator for the essential activities like operating compressors
that provide medical gases and lights to support matrons to move around
attending patients,” he said.
Eng Haparimwi said Zesa was working to restore power.
He however, said the generator was not connected to the mortuary.
Hospital operations director Mr Edison Mundenda said they had to give
patients orange juice and bread yesterday.

Harare Council ‘not in control’ as typhoid continues to spread

http://www.swradioafrica.com

By Alex Bell
01 March 2012

The Harare City Council is facing criticism for not doing enough to control
the spread of typhoid, which is now being reported elsewhere in the country.

An estimated 200 new cases have been reported in the past week, and
according to Health Ministry authorities the disease is spreading
nationally. Dr. Portia Manangazira, chief of epidemiology and disease
control in the Ministry of Health told a Health Portfolio Committee in
parliament on Wednesday that they do not have the capacity to combat a major
outbreak, saying the disease is already “raging.”

“If we look at a potential outbreak, we don’t have the medicine to deal with
it, for instance in Bindura we ran out of Ciprofloxacilin, a drug of
 choice,” Dr. Manangazira said.

The doctor also said that at least one person recently contracted the
disease at Parirenyatwa Hospital, while scores more are believed to have
been infected at Bindura hospital.

“What really got me worried was the water and sanitation situation at
Bindura Provincial Hospital,” Dr. Manangazira explained. “They said the
hospital has two taps to give the patients and staff running water. So the
hospital staff are using the bucket system to collect water for patients as
well as to flush toilets.”

Manangazira said areas where typhoid cases have been reported include Harare’s
working class suburbs of Kuwadzana, Mufakose and Crowbrough, while more
cases were reported from Bindura town in Mashonaland Central province and
from Norton and Zvimba in Mashonaland West province.

“The cumulative figures for typhoid are 3 074 suspected cases, 19 confirmed
cases and 1 death since October 2011,” she said.

The Harare City Council has for months said it is on top of the situation,
even announcing plans to restrict water to ‘wealthy’ areas in order to
supply poor areas with clean water.

But Precious Shumba from the Harare Resident’s Trust told SW Radio Africa on
Thursday that the council “is not in control.” He said that many areas still
don’t have any clean water access, and the supplies they do have access to
have often been contaminated by sewage.

“In Glen Norah there has been a sewage leak for three weeks and nothing has
been done. People there have been visiting clinics almost every day because
they are getting sick,” Shumba said.

He also listed the areas affected by typhoid, including Dzivarasekwa, Warren
Park, Kuwadzana, Mabvuku and areas in Harare East. He said in general,
access to clean water remains limited in many areas.

“The Harare City Council must begin to address sewer bursts and they must
urgently respond to the needs to its citizens, especially their access to
clean water,” Shumba said.

Aid groups under surveillance as provinces demand illegal “fees”

http://www.swradioafrica.com

By Tererai Karimakwenda
01 March 2012

Humanitarian aid groups in Zimbabwe have dismissed attempts by provincial
authorities to impose exorbitant fees on them if they want to keep
operating, calling it “illegal” and “corrupt”.

A statement signed by several groups that included the Crisis Coalition and
the Human Rights NGO Forum, also revealed that many groups have been placed
under “direct surveillance from both state and non-state handlers” and are
not allowed to work without escorts.

The development follows last month’s suspension of 29 non-governmental
organizations (NGOs) by the Governor of Masvingo province, Titus Maluleke,
who claimed they had failed to submit memorandums of understanding (MOUs)
that he requested last year.

“We have also learnt that some of the NGOs which appear on Maluleke’s ‘ban’
list are organizations which have refused to pay corrupt officials to
finalise MOUs,” the statement said.

Other provinces have reportedly followed suit and are forcing NGOs to pay
for the MOUs, which the groups insist are not required by law. Fees being
charged by the local authorities range from $100 up to $1,000 per year.

“In terms of the 2003 Policy on the Operations of NGOs in Humanitarian and
Development Assistance, NGOs are only requested to sign MOUs with Government
Ministries or Agencies,” the statement said.

McDonald Lewanika of the Crisis Coalition told SW Radio Africa the
provincial fees are “unwarranted and illegal” and NGOs should ignore them.
“The fees are not standardized and there is no framework, policy or
legislation that exists. It’s clear this is corruption,” Lewanika explained.

He added: “The attack is clearly intensifying with each word about elections
uttered by ZANU PF and Robert Mugabe and a clear implementation of their
congress resolution to subdue NGOs they perceive as threats to them.”

Patience Zirima, coordinator at The Media Alliance of Zimbabwe, expressed
the same sentiment, saying: “It’s an affront to democratic principles.
People have the right to freedom of association and when you go out into
remote areas you really feel that something is going on with the
authorities.”

Zirima pointed to the continued disruption of civil society meetings and the
interrogations of media practitioners as attempts by the state to limit the
information which gets to people ahead of elections.

She said: “This creates an atmosphere of fear and the groups cannot carry
out their work of helping people.” Zirima added that NGOs play a critical
role and the government should consider them partners instead of enemies.

The groups that signed the statement dismissing MOUs include the Crisis in
Zimbabwe Coalition, Media Alliance of Zimbabwe, National Association of Non
Governmental Organisations, National Constitutional Assembly, Women’s
Coalition, Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions, Zimbabwe Election Support
Network and Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum.

Minister of State involved in political violence and murder

http://www.swradioafrica.com

 

 

 

Didymus Mutasa

By Lance Guma
01 March 2012

This week SW Radio Africa focuses on the Minister of State for Presidential Affairs, Didymus Mutasa, and the violent political campaigns he has led in his Headlands constituency and other parts of the country. As a former Minister responsible for the Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) he has often used its agents.

In 2002 Mutasa shocked Zimbabweans when he blatantly said he would not care if 6 million people died because of food shortages, as the country would be better off with ZANU PF members only. During that time ZANU PF was notorious for politicising the distribution of food aid, especially in rural areas, and hungerwas widespread.

A dossier in our possession documents how prominent MDC-T activist Shepherd Maisiri, a poor farmer in the Inyati Resettlement area, has suffered relentless persecution by Mutasa since 1999. In addition to being abducted and tortured, his homestead has been burnt a record seven times in the past 10 years.

The people assigned by Mutasa to carry out these abuses have been identified as Walter Rushambwa, Maxwell Chidzambwa, Punish Mhiripiri, Walter Mhepo (now deceased), Kainos Chidzambwa, Albert Makura, ZRP police Inspector Muchazorwa and Lovemore Manenji.

In one incident Maisiri was put into a jute bag, bundled into Punish Mhiripiri’s truck and dumped in the Rusape Dam. He was only saved by fishermen laying their nets during that night.

On the 3^rd January 2008, Maisiri was in Harare when he was again manhandled by two men who took him to a waiting car. To his surprise Mutasa was there and personally threatened him before driving off. Later that day a man and a woman followed Maisiri to Mbare Musika.

“They boarded the same bus with him to Mutare, where he was arrested on arrival, put into cells and released. The two people who had followed him from Harare were at the police station when he was released; Maisiri sensing danger managed to outmanoeuvre them and escaped to Mozambique that same night.”

Mutasa’s thugs however were not done with Maisiri. With the MDC-T activist hiding in Mozambique, one of the thugs, identified as Lovemore Manenji, raped Maisiri’s wife on the 23^rd June 2008 as punishment ‘for hiding her husband.’

On the 22^nd May 2008 another activist, Taurayi Kamuchira, was abducted by ZANU PF militia under instruction from Mutasa. They took him to Chinyamukamani base where youths led by Phillip Mushayi assaulted him with logs, iron bars and whips. Kamuchira died during the assault.

Philip Mushayi addressed the MDC-T activists detained at the base, telling them what had happened to Kamuchira was going to be their fate as well. He said Mutasa had given them authority to kill anyone who supported MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai so they were safe from arrest.

On the 25^th June 2008 armed youths deployed by Mutasa wreaked havoc in the Eagles Nest area of Headlands and were seen driving around in two vehicles, one of them reported to be Mutasa’s Toyota Venture.

Masitafundikera Gumura was attacked at his home by this gang after they accused him of leading MDC activities in that area. The attack was so ruthless that Gumura died during the assault. His wife Aquiline Sanzvengwa Gumura was also assaulted and sustained severe injuries all over her body. She was taken to hospital the following morning but passed away on the 28^th June 2008.

On the 25^th June 2008, Mutasa’s gang also pounced on Robert Ziyengwa and his wife at their home in Headlands. The elderly couple was accused of supporting the MDC-T. The gang used pieces of wood, iron bars and gun butts to assault them. The beating was so severe the elderly couple also died during the assault.

In another incident on the same day residents in the Eagles Nest area were targeted by Mutasa’s gang, which included ZANU PF youths and CIO operatives. Defenceless villagers were killed in cold blood while the police refused to intervene. Some were beaten to death and others were stabbed. Also killed was MDC activist Sandros Mandizha.

Many other incidents were documented and you can view them in the full dossier.

Click here

 

Zimbabwe Commuter Bus Operators, NGOs, Allege Official Shakedowns

http://www.voanews.com/

29 February 2012

In a news conference on Wednesday, nine non-governmental organizations said
they were being forced to pay between US$100 and US$1,000 to continue their
operations in provincial locations

Blessing Zulu | Washington

Tension has risen in recent days on the streets of Harare, the Zimbabwean
capital, as police have clashed with drivers of commuter omnibuses objecting
to what they say are increased demands for bribes from traffic cops.

Meanwhile, allegations of a different sort of corruption have come from
non-governmental organizations who say local authorities around the country
are forcing them to pay exorbitant fees before allowing them to carry out
their work.

Some Harare omnibus operators have halted service this week while others
have raised fares from 50 cents to US$2 saying they must pass on the cost of
police bribes to passengers, obliging those who cannot afford the fare to
walk long distances.

Commuters from the Epworth, Msasa Park and Hatfield suburbs have been most
affected. Police arrested four omnibus crews in Epworth for allegedly
assaulting their fellow operators for refusing to join protests Monday
against the police.

Two buses were impounded following a chase. Operators say police roadblocks
throughout the country are now a money spinning venture for traffic cops.

Despite such complaints, Police Commissioner-General Augustine Chihuri said
the traffic unit of the Zimbabwe Republic Police had set up anti-corruption
groups in all provinces to deal with corruption and vowed not to heed
demands to lift the roadblocks.

Police spokesman Superintendent Andrew Phiri told VOA reporter Blessing Zulu
that police will continue with their crackdown.

But commuter Maxwell Chibwe from Cranborne in Harare says he witnessed
solders assaulting commuter omnibus drivers in the capital.

Non-governmental organizations also say they are under pressure from
authorities.

At a news conference in Harare on Wednesday, nine NGOs including the Crisis
in Zimbabwe Coalition, the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights and the
National Constitutional Assembly said they were being forced to pay between
US$100 and US$1,000 to continue their operations in provincial locations.

Masvingo Governor Titus Maluleke recently banned 29 NGOs from operating in
his province for allegedly failing to register with his office. President
Robert Mugabe in a recent speech accused NGOs of trying to unseat him by
unconstitutional means.

Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition Director Macdonald Lewanika told Jonga
Kandemiiri that NGOs consider the demands for payment to be extortionate and
are encouraging their members to report this to the police and the
Anti-Corruption Commission.

China hands over 15,000 tons of wheat and rice to Zimbabwe drought victims

http://news.xinhuanet.com

English.news.cn   2012-03-01 20:35:17

HARARE, March 1 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese government on Thursday handed over
15,000 tons of wheat and rice to Zimbabwe's drought victims to alleviate
hunger at the Grain Marketing Board Cleveland Depot in Harare.

Speaking at the handover ceremony, J. M. Made, Minister of Agriculture,
Mechanization and Irrigation Development of Zimbabwe, said the donation
could not have come at a better time considering the fact that some parts of
the country are facing food shortages.

"Indeed, the donation will go a long way in alleviating hunger among the
needy communities especially those that have been affected by erratic
rainfall patterns that have characterized our agriculture over the past two
seasons," he said.

He said the Chinese government has done a lot in terms of assisting the
agricultural sector in Zimbabwe, as illustrated by the establishment of the
Agricultural Technology Demonstration Center at Gwebi Agricultural college,
dispatching of a team of 10 Chinese experts to Zimbabwe, providing training
opportunities for staff of Zimbabwean agricultural sector, and offering
credit facilities to support the mechanization program through the provision
of tractors, implements and combines.

Made said Zimbabwe has the potential to produce enough cereals to feed its
population but the country's production capacity has been severely affected
by economic sanctions imposed by the western countries.

Made and Zhao Yong, councillor from the Chinese Embassy in Harare, signed
the donation document on behalf of the governments of the two countries.

Zanu PF MP ‘swindles’ CDF money

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

By Gugulethu Nyazema, Senior Writer
Thursday, 01 March 2012 16:26

HARARE - A Zanu PF MP converted $49 304 in Constituency Development Funds
(CDF) for personal use living just $696 for constituency projects, the state
alleges.

Franco Ndambakuwa, the Zanu PF MP for Magunje was yesterday arraigned before
the courts facing three fraud charges and theft charges involving $49 304 in
CDF funds.

Harare magistrate Anita Tshuma released Ndambakuwa on $500 bail with
conditions which require him to report to the Anti-Corruption Commission
police unit once a week, not interfere with witnesses, investigations, stay
at his given address and not replace his stolen passport.

Prosecutor David Magwagwa told the court that Ndambakuwa used funds provided
by the government to develop constituencies for personal use between 2010
and last year.

According to state papers, the government provided funds under the CDF
programme. The CDF money is meant for developmental projects in various
constituencies of the country.

In Ndambakuwa’s constituency, the money was deposited into an Agribank
Magunje Branch account, the court heard.

It is alleged Ndambakuwa then deceived fellow members of the Magunje
Constituency Development Committee that he intended to buy four grinding
mills for four of the wards in the Constituency with the CDF money.

According to state, the committee acted upon the misrepresentation and
signed for the withdrawal of $10 000 from the CDF fund for the purposes of
buying the promised grinding mills.

But he never bought the grinding mills according to the state.

The anomaly was later discovered after an audit was carried out by the
ministry of Constitutional and Parliamentary Affairs.

It is alleged that in a bid to cover up the offence, Ndambakuwa offered the
auditors a quotation from Fastsellers Hardware receipting the purchase of
building material for Sadza School worth $4 972.

Investigations by an Anti-Corruption Commission officer revealed that
Ndambakwa did not purchase any building material from Fastsellers Hardware.

The court was told that Ndambakuwa also presented the Auditors with two
back-dated receipts valued $240 each from Stockday Distributors (Pvt) Ltd
showing the purchase of a 5.5 horse power generator which he diverted for
his own use.

He also requested for a cash receipt for another generator which he promised
to pay for later but he never did according to state papers.

According to the state, Magunje Fund Bank account signatories Henry Dandawa,
a councillor for Ward 13 and Badwell Chasara the councillor for Ward 10
refused to authorise any illegal withdrawals from the fund because of
Ndambakuwa’s failure to account for previous withdrawals.

It is alleged that Ndambakuwa then hatched a plan to defraud the Magunje
constituency by passing on fraudulent minutes purporting that a meeting
attended by all five members of the Magunje Constituency Development Fund
Committee was held and a resolution to change signatories to the
Constituency Development fund bank account was passed to the bank.

The state alleges that based on the false minutes, two signatories Dandawa
and Chasara were replaced by Lydia Musonza and his friend Joel Zvikonyauswa
who are not members of the Constituency Development Fund committee.

On January 31 last year, the same minutes were used by Ndambakuwa to make an
application to the bank for the change of signatories and the requested was
granted.

It is further alleged that he later withdrew money illegally from Agribank
Magunje branch causing prejudice to the Magunje Constituency of $16 600.

On the three counts of theft, the state alleges that Ndambakuwa during the
period extending from December 2010 to January 2011,  made three separate
withdrawals from Magunje Constituency Development Fund account of $4 000, $4
000 and $15 000 amounting to $23 000.

This happened after he had forced Chasara of Ward 10 to sign three blank
withdrawal slips.

The state alleges that after Ndambakuwa made the three withdrawals, he
converted the money to his own personal use and in a bid to cover his tracks
he is alleged to have offered the auditors, two quotations from Fastsellers
Hardware for the purchase of building material worth $9 260 for Zvarayi
Secondary School and Mukakatanwa School which he had not purchased.

Ndambakuwa will be back in court on March 19.

Councillor Rubbishes EU's 5,2 m Health Donation

http://www.radiovop.com

Chiweshe, March 01, 2012 - A Zanu (PF) councillor here, Sydney Chidamba on
Wednesday rubbished the donation from European Union Ambassador to Zimbabwe
Aldo Dell Arricia, saying he had nothing to thank the ambassador for because
of the sanctions Zimbabwe was under.

Chidamba, councillor for Mazowe 25 who was  representing the local Headman,
shocked delegates who had gathered at Howard Mission here to witness the
signing ceremony of the US$5.2 million gesture. The multi-donor pooled fund
is aimed at reducing high rates of maternal and child mortality by
increasing access to health care for women and children through the
abolishment of user fees and improved access to comprehensive emergency
obstetric and newborn care.

“In our tradition after receiving a donation like this one we are obliged to
acknowledge receiving by giving a token of appreciation, but in this case we
have nothing to thank you for because you placed us under sanctions," he
said. "I want it to be known that Zimbabwe does not need your assistance
because we are a rich nation and we have an educated population."

"How can we utilise the help when we are under sanction? You should lift
sanctions first before giving us any assistance,” he said giving vote of
thanks to mark the end of the event.

These remarks angered the EU Ambassador who responded:

“There are no sanctions on the people of Zimbabwe from the EU. There are
targeted measures on individuals...There are no consequences on the people
of Zimbabwe except those who are on the list of our restrictive measures. I
repeat on the contrary, since 2009 the EU has provided US$1 billion dollars
to the people of Zimbabwe in the form of aid and this is an evidence that we
are not enemies to the people of Zimbabwe, ” Ambassador Dell Arricia said.

Health and Child Welfare Minister Henry Madzorera said the councillor's
utterances were misguided.

“It was in extreme bad taste, misplaced and a result of ignorance of what we
are trying to do. Here we are trying to re-build healthcare, which does not
know party politics, it does not know colour. If you get bitten by a snake
today the anti-snake venom we are going to use does not know which political
party you belong to. If we do not have it you will die and if we have it you
will survive, “said Madzorera.

EU which continues to review sanctions it imposed on more than 200 senior
Zanu (PF) officials in 2002 on allegations of vote rigging, human and
property rights abuse insists that it will channel humanitarian aid to
Zimbabwe after the country has a credible government.

Zimbabwe Health Sector Severely Understaffed, Official Tells Parliament

http://www.voanews.com

29 February 2012

Meanwhile, the number of cases of typhoid reported in the capital and other
parts of the country has risen to 3,074, according to Dr. Portia
Manangazira, director of Epidemiology and Disease Control for the Ministry
of Health

Irwin Chifera | Washington

The head of Zimbabwe's Health Services Board says health workers should be
exempted from a state hiring freeze to improve public health service
delivery, this at a time when outbreaks of typhoid are spreading from Harare
to other parts of the country.

Health Services Board Chairman Dr. Lovemore Mbengeranwa told Parliament's
committee on health that health care institutions are severely understaffed.

He said the Health Ministry’s staff complement of 24,000 health
professionals is far below World Health Organization minimum standards.

For the ministry to function effectively, it needs 47,000 workers, of whom
31 000 must be professionals such as doctors nurses and pharmacists, Dr.
Mbengeranwa said.

He said many vacancies for such experts cannot be filled because of the
hiring freeze.

Dr. Mbengeranwa said it is unfortunate that the country is spending
considerable sums to train health personnel which it cannot employ, who
often then emigrate. He said it costs $99,000 to train a doctor and $27,000
to train a nurse annually.

Zimbabwe has more than 1,500 trained nurses who cannot be employed due the
government freeze on recruitment.

Though there has been discussion of placing nurses in jobs outside Zimbabwe.
Dr. Mbengeranwa said a stakeholders meeting would be held soon to discuss
the matter. He said any such job placements should consider Zimbabwean
training costs.

He said his board is making efforts to match regional salaries for health
professionals but cannot do so at the moment.

The health services chief said the population has increased greatly and
diseases such as HIV call for more health facilities and personnel.

Meanwhile, the number of cases of typhoid reported in the capital and other
parts of the country has risen to 3,074, according to Dr. Portia
Manangazira, director of Epidemiology and Disease Control for the Ministry
of Health.

Dr. Manangazira said typhoid is now a national concern with 34 cases
reported lately in Bindura, Mashonaland Central, and rising tallies in the
Harare satellite town of Chitungwiza and in Zvimba, Mashonaland West
province.

She said local authorities receive daily updates from areas where outbreaks
have occurred then compile weekly updates for national release.

Still no sign of media reforms with 11 days left in ultimatum

http://www.swradioafrica.com/

By Alex Bell
01 March 2012

There is still no sign that Media and Information Minister Webster Shamu
plans to implement key media reforms, with 11 days left of an ultimatum,
allegedly set by the principals in the coalition government.

Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai said last week that Shamu was given a three
week ultimatum to reconstitute the illegal boards of the Zimbabwe
Broadcasting Corporation, the Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe and the
Mass Media Trust.

The deadline, if this order is obeyed, is Monday March 12.

This order was apparently handed down after a meeting with Tsvangirai’s
coalition partners, Robert Mugabe and Arthur Mutambara, last week Monday.
The three all ‘agreed’ that these reforms must be implemented urgently.

But there are doubts that this will happen and some observers have already
dismissed this latest ultimatum in the unity government’s history as a non
event.

Most recently, an ‘agreement’ reached by the three principals over the
position of national police chief turned out to be in words only, when ZANU
PF went ahead and reappointed Augustine Chihuri until at least 2014. This
was despite ZANU PF leader Mugabe allegedly agreeing with Tsvangirai and
Mutambara that Chihuri would remain in an acting position only until an
agreed replacement was found.

Mugabe admits AIDS deaths

http://www.iol.co.za/

March 1 2012 at 06:00pm
By SAPA

Harare - Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe admitted Thursday that some of his
political allies have died of AIDS, as he launched a programme urging
parliamentarians to lead by example in fighting the disease.

“In my political family as well, comrades I have worked with perished and
quite a number of them it has been HIV and AIDS,” Mugabe told lawmakers.

“Parliamentarians are certainly not immune to HIV/AIDS and its
 consequences,” Mugabe said.

“I have witnessed the challenges that both they and our people face as a
result of HIV and AIDS, and yet I do not recall any lawmaker who has come
out in the open about their HIV status.”

Three years ago, 88-year-old Mugabe admitted that members of his extended
family had died of the disease, but he rarely speaks publicly about the
disease that has exacted a heavy toll on his country.

Zimbabwe has made gains in fighting HIV, which had infected 14 percent of
the population in 2009, down from 23 percent in 2003, according to the
United Nations. Some experts attribute the drop to Zimbabwe's economic
collapse, which left people without enough money to pursue multiple sexual
partners.

“It is disappointing to notice that there are some leaders whose behaviour
is at odds with an HIV/AIDS-infested social environment,” he said. “We
should certainly not let ourselves be the epitome of the immorality that we
condemn.”

Zimbabwe has 1.1 million people living with HIV, including 150,000 children,
according to the National AIDS Council. - Sapa-AFP

A lean season ahead

http://www.irinnews.org

 

 

Photo: Tomas de Mul/IRIN

Late and erratic rains have caused wilted maize crops

MUTOKO, 1 March 2012 (IRIN) - The maize growing on John Gapare's three-hectare plot in rural Mutoko, some 90km northeast of the Zimbabwean capital Harare, is of uneven height and yellowing, with some plants already wilting, and for the first time in nearly a decade the 50-year-old farmer is expecting a poor harvest.

''The majority of the villagers have been having good harvests mainly due to good rains, but things are different this year,'' Gapare told IRIN.

He said the rains had come late, around the first week of December, and did not last for long. When they resumed, they were erratic.

''When the first crop we planted in December started wilting, some of us decided to plant new crops hoping that the rains would be reliable, but as you can see, we have not had any luck. Most of the people here will have to buy grain from other places or mealie-meal [maize meal] from the shops,'' said Gapare, adding that some villagers were already feeding their wilted crops to their livestock.

Gapare estimates that his stock of maize will last his family another six weeks, but said: “I know of many among us who have already run out of food yet they don't have the money to buy from the shops.”

Denford Chimbwanda, president of the Grain and Cereals Producers Association (GCPA), said a number of normally wet regions in Mashonaland Central, West and East, as well as parts of Manicaland Province, had been affected by poor rains.

''Some farmers in the areas that normally receive reliable rains will have good harvests, but a substantial number have been affected. In these areas... villagers are using the water in rivers to tend to their vegetable gardens and selling the produce,'' Chimbwanda told IRIN.

In the more arid regions of southwestern Zimbabwe most crops had failed said Chimbwanda, adding that the late disbursement of subsidised fertilizer, and other inputs too expensive for the ordinary farmer to buy, had played a role.

Several officials from the Grain Marketing Board (GMB), a government controlled utility responsible for distributing inputs, were recently arrested by the Anti-Corruption Commission, while hundreds of farmers have yet to receive payment for grain they sold to the board two seasons ago.

Crop assessments - with UN agencies excluded

I know of many among us who have already run out of food yet they don't have the money to buy food from the shops

The Ministry of Agriculture is still carrying out the first round of its crop and food assessment. Like last year, it has excluded UN agencies, including the World Food Programme (WFP) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) that used to be part of the exercise.

The exclusion of humanitarian organizations makes it difficult for them to plan food distributions, but speaking to IRIN in 2011, Agriculture Minister Joseph Made, a member of President Robert Mugabe's ZANU-PF party, described the crop and food assessments as a “a national security matter that should be treated with the utmost caution and exclusivity”.

The state-owned Herald newspaper, recently reported predictions by Made that poor rainfall and a decrease in farmland planted because of the dry weather would lead to lower yields in 2012. The minister said he was waiting for results from the crop assessment to decide on what contingency measures to take.

According to the agricultural extension services unit, AGRITEX, maize planted between November and December last year covered 247,000 hectares compared to 379,993 during the previous season.

Farmers also planted fewer cash crops, with cotton falling from more than 100,000 hectares to about 45,000, and land planted with tobacco, soya beans and millet also down, according to AGRITEX.

WFP assistance

Villagers facing extreme food insecurity in Gapare’s community and in 40 other districts around the country are receiving assistance from WFP under its seasonal targeted assistance programme.

“Because of the acute shortage of food across the country, we are likely to extend the seasonal targeted programme beyond March and that means a further strain on our resources as this was not planned for,” Simon Cammelbeeck, the WFP deputy country director, told IRIN.

Read more

One million need food assistance

UN agencies barred from food assessment

Small-scale farmers choose tobacco over maize

Hunger spreading in south

The Zimbabwe Farmers Union (ZFU) estimates that Zimbabwe will produce around 346,000 tons of cereals this year, far short of the country's annual requirement of around two million tons. The finance minister, in his annual budget speech, said Zimbabwe had about 500,000 tons of cereals in its strategic reserves, however, Cabinet has recommended that part of the reserves be sold in order to pay farmers owed money by the GMB.

‘‘The move to sell grain could not come at a worse time considering that the country is facing poor harvests,’’ commented Innocent Makwiramiti, a Harare-based economist.

Neighbouring countries such as Malawi and Zambia, from which Zimbabwe often imports grain during lean periods, are also expecting lower yields this year.

 

[This report does not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations]

 

Williams and Mahlangu appear in Court and more harassment after protests

Women of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA)

Williams and Mahlangu appear in Court and more harassment after protests

Women of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA) leaders Williams and Mahlangu facing kidnap
and theft charges appeared in Regional court today represented by Mr. Kossam
Ncube. They were remanded to 12 March 2012. The matter was for continuation
of Trial but the activists have submitted two processes before the High
Court that await hearing. The High Court is yet to assign a Judge and set
down the matters. The first being a review of the Magistrate Sengweni
decision to refuse the discharge the two from the charges and the second
requesting a stay of proceedings pending a decision on the review process.

When the activists last appeared the prosecutor and magistrate had indicated
that the High Court process must be allowed as it would impact the Trail.
Before the court proceedings began, the prosecutor, Godwin Katenaire went
back on his word and told Mr. Kossam Ncube that the Trial would proceed.
Noting this, Mr. Ncube insisted that they attend the Magistrates chambers
where a 30 minute argument ensured. In the end sense prevailed and the
Magistrates granted a postponement to
12 March.

Williams and 9 other members arrested on 7 February 2012 at the offices of
Joint Monitoring and Implementation Committee (Jomic) appeared before
Magistrate Vivian Ndlovu on 1st March and were remanded to 5th March. The
matter was for ruling on the application for refusal of further remand on
charges of Criminal Nuisance.

When the activists appeared on 21st September Lawyer Lizwe Jamela had
applied for charges to be quashed and the prosecutor Jerry Mutsindikwa had
not opposed the application. Mutsindikwa then proceed to oppose the
application and argued that the 10 accused had a case to answer and that the
Trial should proceed. The Magistrate will give her ruling on 5th March.

Meanwhile WOZA members from 3 different areas have marched to hand over
their petitions to the Main Post Office in central Bulawayo. In all 3
instances Riot police arrived at the post officer too late to affect any
arrests. The petitions are calling for media reform and a reduction of
Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) license fees.

However WOZA leader Magodonga Mahlangu could not get into her home on the
evening of the protests as 5 strange men seemingly police officers were
parked at her gate for over 3 hours. At one time they attempted to break her
gate chain and padlock before leaving.

As Jennifer Williams appeared in court, 3 plain clothed officers lurked with
intent to arrest her for the ZBC protests; they were eventually discouraged
from this folly by the argument in the court proceedings that Zimbabweans
have the full right to protest respected in the Constitution.

MISA-Zimbabwe Statement on community radio initiatives

http://www.swradioafrica.com/

On 1 March 2012 The Herald carried a front page story titled: Gokwe quartet
foils Misa’s radio stations bid. The same story was featured in the Zimbabwe
Broadcasting Corporation’s news bulletins.

Allegations arising from the story are that MISA was clandestinely
collecting signatures from people ‘bused in’ from various communities in its
bid to ‘create’ community radio stations. It is further alleged that the
signatories would be trustees that would run the radio stations.

Contrary to these allegations, MISA Zimbabwe hereby asserts and reaffirms
that it has no intention of establishing community radio stations that
operate outside the ambit of the Broadcasting Services Act (BSA).
MISA-Zimbabwe is very aware of the fact that the sole licensing authority is
the Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe.

MISA- Zimbabwe is thus conversant and fully aware of the legal position
pertaining to the licensing and setting up of radio stations.

The (BSA) recognises the provision of community broadcasting as part of the
three- tier broadcasting system. It is in line with the spirit of this
provision that the organisation sought to raise awareness through community
radio initiatives that will prepare various communities to apply for
community radio licenses in the event of BAZ eventually calling for
applications for community radio stations.

Similar initiatives already exist in the country’s urban areas and are known
and recognised by the Ministry of Media, Information and Publicity through
the umbrella Zimbabwe Association of Community Radio Stations (ZACRAS) which
has in the past been granted audience by the same ministry.

As such the Notarial Deeds of Trust which are referred to in The Herald
story are simply legal documents aimed at giving legal personality and an
advanced state of preparedness to the various community radio initiatives. A
Notarial Deed of Trust can be defined as a legal document that outlines the
intentions and terms of an agreement that persons undertake in pursuance of
a certain objective for the benefit of third parties or named beneficiaries.

There is nothing unlawful about communities preparing themselves for the
envisaged eventual call for rural community radio licences. The process of
registering these initiatives followed open consultative meetings that were
held in the various communities themselves.

The Deeds in question do not in any way envisage the illegal setting up of
community radio stations that will operate outside the confines of the law
and before the BAZ calls for applications for the envisaged licences.

Ultimately, the decision as to which community or communities will be duly
granted the envisaged licences is the sole prerogative of the Broadcasting
Authority of Zimbabwe.

End

Njabulo Ncube
MISA-Zimbabwe

Tsvangirai speech at Investment Promotion Conference

http://www.swradioafrica.com

Keynote Address by the Prime Minister of Zimbabwe, the Right Hon. Morgan
Tsvangirai on the occasion of the Zimbabwe Investment Promotion Conference

Johannesburg, South Africa
Thursday, I March 2012

The Minister of Economic Planning and Investment Promotion and convenor of
this forum, Hon. Dr Tapiwa Mashakada,

Ministers and senior Government officials from Zimbabwe here present

Hon. Ministers and senior Government officials from South Africa

Business people and prospective investors,

Invited Guests, Ladies and gentlemen

It is with great pleasure that I thank the organizers of this important
conference for inviting me to be part of this momentous event.

Four years ago, in 2008 in particular, it would not have made any sense at
all to host such an event to call for investment in Zimbabwe.

We had unprecedented hyperinflation, Z$ 1 billion could barely buy you three
eggs, education and health had collapsed and there was massive violence in
the country.

Today’s event is therefore a testimony of the painstaking journey we have
travelled towards normalizing the political, social and economic environment
in our country.

We are not there yet. But the fact that we are here today, talking about
investment in Zimbabwe, is evidence that we remain a country of hope; indeed
a nation of a resilient and hard-working people that wants the best for
their country.

Only last week I addressed a CEO’s round-table conference in Victoria Falls
where we were deliberating on our collective vision of a $100 billion
economy by 2040. This tells you how as Zimbabweans, we have sought to
unleash our dreams and to make the necessary steps for a sound economic
future.

Over the past year, I have attended several investment fora in and outside
Zimbabwe and I have been heartened by renewed business confidence in our
country despite the political problems still dogging us.

As Prime Minister of Zimbabwe in the past three years, I have taken partin
lively panel discussions and held bilateral meetings with investors across
the globe who are keen to put their money in Zimbabwe.

This conference is another platform where yet another group of business
people is keen to explore opportunities in our great and beautiful country;
a nation endowed with vast resources and a hard-working and committed
people.

This conference is taking place against a background of renewed economic
confidence and revival as indicated by the increasing number of business and
foreign delegations that are visiting the country to explore business
opportunities.

Indeed, Zimbabwe can attain high levels of growth if we put in place
competitive policies to attract investment and if we are globally compliant
in the manner that we conduct business.

We should equally strive to put in place best international practices which
bode well for attracting foreign direct investment.

Ladies and Gentlemen, the formation of the inclusive government gave us the
much needed political stability to bring back business confidence and
investor interest in the country.

It remains important at a political level to support business by creating
and introducing reforms that are essential for economic growth.

I would want to say here that so much has been said of the abundant natural
resources that our country is bestowed with as well as its hard working
citizens. Unfortunately this has not translated into desired levels of
economic growth and investment inflows largely due to policy inconsistencies
and policy unpredictability.

Zimbabwe’s diamond wealth alone could realise billions of dollars per year
if this valuable asset is exploited transparently in line with regional best
practices.

So far, pretty little has been realised from the sale of diamonds because of
the murky manner in which these resources are being mined and sold. As a
government, we have asked the responsible Ministry to work with other
stakeholders and ensure transparency across the value chain, from extraction
to the marketing of this important national resource.

This is important because investment opportunities are enhanced when
government begins to create a transparent business environment and this
cannot happen when government itself is not transparent.

Vast opportunities exist in our country. From mining, manufacturing, tourism
and many other sectors, opportunities galore for people wishing to do
business in Zimbabwe. But I want to be honest with you by saying that our
investment environment has been worsened by the mixed messages coming from
the same government especially on the issue of indigenisation.

Some of us in this government believe in broad-based economic empowerment of
the ordinary person and not the enrichment of the elite as envisaged by some
of our coalition partners.

We agree with the principle but differ greatly with the implementation and
the execution of indigenisation in the current framework as it has
embarrassed government and made many investors to by-pass us as a
destination or to develop a wait-and-see attitude.

I know that the business community here in South Africa has been following
the Implats case in Zimbabwe, where despite a BIPPA arrangement, the
Minister for Indigenisation has now given a two-week deadline to the
investors to reduce their shareholding. I know that this has caused a lot of
consternation but this is a price that we are paying as a coalition
government which has no shared vision and no shared values.

The same voracious appetite to grab has caused great anxiety in the banking
sector, which some in our inclusive government want to indigenize all banks,
and we have a raging debate whether the message we are sending is the right
one.

Is this the right message from a fragile economy wishing for investment in
order to create jobs for millions of its people and expand the economy?

Our problem is that our coalition partners have bastardised a noble
principle into a populist election campaign issue simply for political
expediency.

For some of us, our vision is a fool-proof plan that creates jobs and
empowers the ordinary person and not a few, well connected elite. Wild
political jingoism and an unmitigated cowboy attitude have never been a
proper substitute for a true investment and empowerment plan for the
people.We have to strike a delicate balance between investment promotion and
the need to need to empower the people. It is not in the interest of
Zimbabwe to come up with an indigenisation plan that enriches a few and
scares away investors.

We have tried to mitigate the excesses of this law by saying investors will
cede for value, but our people have no money to buy the 51 per cent equity.
Moreover, what we are calling community share ownership schemes in the
mining sector remain mere certificates which are not translating into direct
value for the ordinary Zimbabwean who is surviving on less that US$1 a day.

Glaring policy inconsistencies and mixed messages from the inclusive
government are the proper recipe for turning away investors and making them
develop a wait-and-see attitude.

In my interaction with the business community over the years, I have come to
know that policy consistency and policy predictability are the biggest
threats to investment and these are obviously difficult to achieve in an
uneasy coalition like ours.

But despite all this, ladies and gentlemen, there has been somemarked
improvement in the doing-business-environment in Zimbabwe, with the launch
in 2010 of the One-Stop-Shop Investment Centre by the Ministry of Economic
Planning and Investment Promotion.

This launch marked a giant step towards reforming the investment climate for
the benefit of the would-be investor as well as keeping pace with
international best practice.

On our part, we need to make sure that we consolidate the good things we
have done so far to make ourselves an attractive investment destination.

We have to ensure that Zimbabwe is peaceful and free from violence; that we
maintain peace and stability; that we respect the rule of law and that we
honour the BIPPAS we have signed.

A peaceful country without violence and without policy inconsistencies is a
natural destination for investment.

We will strive to ensure that our beloved country remains a firm favourite
for serious investors so that we can create jobs and prosper the nation and
its people.

I think that there has been some movement in the restoration of political
stability since the formation of the inclusive government in 2009.

But over the last few months, there has been a lot of mixed messages and
hype arising out of misplaced election talk.
And I know that investors are keen to know when the next election will be
held in Zimbabwe.

The date for the next election in Zimbabwe is process-driven. Only after we
complete the Constitution-making process and implement the key political,
electoral and media reforms as agreed under the facilitation of SADC will
the President and I sit down and agree on the date for the next election.

That is what we agreed at the inception of this inclusive government and
only after the implementation of these reforms can we have a free, fair and
credible election that does not produce another contested outcome. Only a
free and fair election will lead to a credible and legitimate government
with a coherent policy that can guarantee policy consistency and policy
predictability.

We need the support of everyone, especially SADC and the AU as the
guarantors of our interparty agreement, to assist in the holding of a
violence-free election where the security of the person, the security of the
vote and the security of the people’s will are guaranteed.

Only a legitimately elected government, and not a coalition, can develop and
implement a common vision and programmes that will deal with the massive
unemployment and poverty that we currently face as a country.

Our vision is of a Zimbabwewith a clear transformation programme in all
sectors underpinned by political reforms, a commitment to the rule of law,
defense of property rights, reward of individual effort and prosperity of
the ordinary person.

The challenge for us as the new crop of leaders is to embark on an
aggressive programmeof infrastructurerehabilitation, resuscitation of our
manufacturing potential and increasing our mining and agricultural
productivity.

Once again, I want to thank all of you for your confidence in Zimbabwe.

We are not there yet, but I can assure you, we will reclaim our rightful
place as the bread-basket of SADC and a natural destination for investment.

Our natural resources and skills are key assets that make us the darling of
world investors.

I can assure you that we are sorting out our politics which had clouded the
investment climate and caused consternation to prospective investors.

The time for setting the base for a sound future for Zimbabwe is now.

Now is the time for looking at the prospect of investing in such a blessed
country endowed with vast resources, a hard-working people and home to one
of only seven wonders of the world; the majestic Victoria Falls.

I plead with you to be part of the Zimbabwe of the future.

I thank you

Zimbabwe Inclusive Government Watch : Issue 35 & 36