Release of 39 activists, but 6 held in solitary confinement

http://www.swradioafrica.com

By Tichaona Sibanda
7 March 2011

A Harare magistrate on Monday freed 39 activists, who had been detained and
some of them tortured, on allegations of involvement in trying to mobilize a
revolt against the government.

The 39 are part of a group of 45 activists who were arrested in the capital
on 19th February while participating in an academic discussion about the
uprising in Egypt.

The meeting was stormed by police who claimed the group, led by Munyaradzi
Gwisai of the International Socialist Organization (ISO) Zimbabwe chapter,
played videos of the footage of the uprising in Egypt with the intention to
inspire similar protests in Zimbabwe.

Magistrate Munato Mutevedzi dismissed the charges against 39 in the group,
ruling there was no reasonable suspicion that they had committed any
offence, as alleged by the state. Defence lawyer Alec Muchadehama had
challenged the state on Friday to establish watertight facts against his
clients.

But Mutevedzi ruled that former MDC-T legislator Gwisai and five others will
face treason charges, as he felt they had a case to answer. A treason charge
in Zimbabwe carries a death sentence.

The other activists who were remanded in custody with Gwisai until 21st
March are; Hopewell Gumbo, Antonater Choto, Welcome Zimuto, Eddson Chakuma,
and Tatenda Mombeyarara. They are all being held in solitary confinement at
Chikurubi maximum security prison.

Earlier in their incarceration some of the activists were tortured by state
security agents, others were denied access to medical doctors and
medication. The arrests have drawn international condemnation, including
from the UN’s human rights chief.

On Monday in Mutare the bail hearing of the MDC-T MP for Nyanga North
Douglas Mwonzora, plus 25 other party activists, was supposed to be held.
They were arrested two weeks ago on political violence charges, but the
hearing was postponed to Wednesday, due to some ’missing papers.’

Defence lawyer David Tandire told SW Radio Africa that the hearing was
pushed to Wednesday when prosecutors failed to produce original copies of
his clients’ applications for bail.

‘The prosecutors brought photocopies of the documents which were not clear
and the magistrate ruled it would be improper to deal with the case not
using original documents. The original documents are in Nyanga so the court
was adjourned to Wednesday to allow the officials to get hold of all the
documents required,’ Tandire said.

In Bulawayo, four members of WOZA who were arrested on Saturday were
released without charge late on Monday. WOZA claimed in a statement that
their members were tortured in police custody as they all have swollen
faces. One of them, Nomsa Sibanda, cannot use her hands to hold her baby.

WOZA and MOZA warned that if the security services continue to arbitrarily
arrest their members, they will respond with more protests and expose those
who commit the torture. The pressure group called on South African President
Jacob Zuma and SADC leaders to help stop the violence in Zimbabwe.

‘We wish to send a stern message to the police force –there is no basis for
a state of emergency in Zimbabwe, be it official or unofficial. According to
the current constitution we have the right to protest and assembly
peacefully.

‘If they want to declare a state of emergency they will have to justify it
in law but the only people we see disturbing the peace are units of the
Zimbabwe Republic Police, namely riot squad, Police Internal Security
Intelligence (PISI) like Mdawini, Law and Order detectives based at Bulawayo
Central like George Levison Ngwenya,’ the statement from WOZA said.

 

MDC banned from holding office, home or public meetings

http://www.swradioafrica.com

by Irene Madongo
07 April 2011

The Zimbabwean police have now banned the MDC from holding any rallies or
gatherings, according to their representatives. The MDC-T added that the ban
extends to holding meetings at their offices or homes too.

Over the past few weeks police have also increased their clamp-down on civic
groups, arresting many activists. Observers say is an attempt by ZANU PF to
protect Mugabe from any possible North African style anti-government
revolts.

This latest ban on political meetings (other than those held by the ruling
party of course) suggests the country is now facing an undeclared state of
emergency.

The MDC-T reported that this weekend in Bulawayo, at least 20 police
officers in full riot gear besieged their provincial offices and ordered the
meeting to disperse, saying it was illegal. Similar reports were received
from Kadoma, where an MDC restructuring exercise scheduled for Sunday, did
not take place as police said they would not allow such a gathering.

On Monday MDC-T spokesman Nelson Chamisa said: “We received communication
from the police authorities in Bulawayo, Midlands North, Mashonaland West,
Chitungwiza, in fact the whole country even in Masvingo, that our rallies,
our meetings to prepare for our Congress, have been banned. The police
issued a warning that no gathering is going to be allowed until further
notice.”

Chamisa said the police simply said they were following instructions ‘from
above’, and hence he suspected that Police Commissioner Augustine Chihuri
was behind it. He said both co-Ministers of Home Affairs Theresa Makone and
Kembo Mohadi had made it clear to him that they knew nothing of this ban,
saying that there was also no reason for a ban to be declared.

Nhlanhla Dube, the spokesman for the Welshman Ncube-led MDC faction, said
they intend to go-ahead with plans for their rally this Saturday in
Bulawayo, despite the police stating they should not proceed.

Meanwhile, Chamisa has said the MDC-T has plans in place to deal with this
new ban, but would not divulge the details. “We actually are going to
exhaust whatever remedies are within our reach politically and legally so
that we are able to deal with these issues as soon as possible,” he stated.

The political parties are also furious that Mugabe was allowed to proceed
with his ZANU PF anti-sanctions rally a few days ago, yet they are barred
from holding meetings.

“It becomes appalling to reason that one party in the tri-partite
arrangement in government can have a mass gathering (disguising it as a
national programme), while other parties cannot do the same,” Dube said.

“Just a week ago Mugabe had a rally. That meeting was held just a few days
ago, and now we’re being told we can’t hold our own little and small
meetings, even at our own offices, in our own homesteads, that is
ridiculous,” Chamisa added.

WOZA spring an early Women’s Day protest

MDC-T MP And 23 Villagers Still Locked Up For Violence

http://www.radiovop.com

07/03/2011 17:15:00

Nyanga, March 07, 2011 - Nyanga North Member of Parliament and Constitution
Select Committee (COPAC) co-chairperson Douglas Mwonzora and 23 villagers
will endure more time detained at Mutare Remand Prison after High Court
Judge Justice Susan Mavangira on Monday postponed the hearing of an appeal
filed by the State challenging a bail order granted to the legislator and
the villagers to Wednesday.

Justice Mavangira deferred the hearing to Wednesday after she noted that the
record of proceedings was incomplete as some pages were missing.

Justice Mavangira said some pages in the record of proceedings were
photocopied badly while Magistrate Ignatio Mhene’s handwriting was difficult
to read.

Defence lawyers took the extraordinary task of collecting the record of
proceedings from Nyanga Magistrates Court to try and transcribe it for use
during the hearing of the appeal on Wednesday.

Mwonzora and the 23 villagers who were arrested three weeks ago and charged
with violating section 36(1)(a) of the Criminal Law (Codification and
Reform) Act for public violence were granted bail by Magistrate Mhene on
Monday 21 February 2011.

But Magistrate Mhene’s bail order was vetoed after State prosecutor
Tirivanhu Mutyasiri invoked the notorious Section 121 of the Criminal
Procedure and Evidence Act (CPEA) to suspend the bail order which had been
granted to Mwonzora and the villagers.

Edmore Nyazamba, a law officer in the AG’s Office filed the appeal.

Zim rights group dismisses ‘growing support’ for ZANU PF

http://www.swradioafrica.com

By Alex Bell
07 March 2011

Leading Zimbabwean rights group, the Crisis Coalition, has dismissed the
findings of a recent report, which alleged that public support has grown for
ZANU PF and faded for the MDC.

The MDC led by Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai has also dismissed the
report, saying the current climate of fear is not being taken into account.
The results of the survey were released in South Africa last week, by US
based research group Freedom House. The survey was conducted among 1200
people across the country, during November and December last year.

The findings indicated that support for the MDC had dropped to 38% from 55%
in 2009, while ZANU PF's popularity had increased to 17%, from 12% in 2009.
But the MDC’s spokesman Nelson Chamisa has dismissed this as ‘meaningless’.
He said that results could not be deemed conclusive, arguing: “There were
many people who did not express their views freely in the exercise.”

“It’s erroneous to say the support of the MDC is dwindling,” Chamisa told
the Daily News. “How do you do a research or survey in an environment of
fear and violence? Our support is not fading.”
The survey said that least three quarters of Zimbabweans fear an increase of
violence as a result of election campaigning, fears that are being realised
this year. ZANU PF has already unleashed its youth militia and war vets, who
have been terrorising perceived MDC supporters.

Pedzisai Ruhanya from the Crisis Coalition said the current wave of
intimidation and violence at the hands of ZANU PF discredits findings that
show the same party is gaining in popularity. He said; “It is not a given
that because you have criminal activities by ZANU PF, this will translate
into support.”

“It is natural that people are afraid of ZANU PF, but this doesn’t mean they
will start supporting them. ZANU PF will lose elections if they don’t resort
to vote rigging, because there is no support for them,” Ruhanya said.
According to the BBC, some of the findings of the Freedom House survey
include:

• 89% of respondents did “not feel free to express political views”
• 74% believe “that fear affects how people vote”
• 57% want elections this year, but almost the same number “stated that fear
of violence makes Zimbabweans abstain from voting”
• 58% of respondents had experienced “violence and intimidation in their
communities in the past two years”

ZANU PF abuse cell phone text messages for ‘sanctions’ war

http://www.swradioafrica.com/

By Lance Guma
07 March 2011

Not content with violently invading farms and other businesses, ZANU PF has
now begun invading the privacy of Net One mobile phone subscribers, by
sending messages telling them to sign the so-called anti-sanctions petition.

One message sent without the permission of the subscribers was; “The time
has come for every Zimbabwean to sign the petition or dial 0044 7893227001
for the removal of illegal sanctions imposed by the European Union and the
United States of America.”

Under regulations governing the use of bulk SMS services, receivers have to
first consent to receiving the messages or subscribe first before being put
on any list. In this case it seemed ZANU PF simply abused the status of Net
One as a state owned mobile network, to forcibly send the messages.

Only last year threats from ZANU PF forced the privately owned Econet
Wireless, to pull the plug on the use of some of its numbers for an audio
news and information service launched by the MDC-T. Under the service dubbed
‘Voice of Real Change’ any phone subscriber in Zimbabwe could dial a set of
given numbers and the service would call them back with various news and
information options.

With over 100 000 callers on the first day the service was launched, ZANU PF
panicked and threatened the regulatory authority. An article in the
state-owned Herald newspaper by Nathaniel Manheru (believed to be Mugabe’s
spokesman George Charamba), warned that operating licences were up for
renewal and Econet needed to be careful since government ‘has to deal with
all manner of mischief.’

Now with the state machinery heavily stacked against the MDC-T, the party
has been challenged to do more to spread its message. Prime Minister Morgan
Tsvangirai’s Facebook page for example already has nearly 60 000 followers
but was last updated on the 8th October 2010, when the PM gave a statement
on the state of the coalition government.

With the MDC-T headed for a congress in May, many of its officials have been
accused of focusing on retaining their positions and fighting factional
wars, instead of keeping their eye on the ball.
ZANU PF concluded its congress last year and is determined to destroy its
rivals by hook or by crook and is using every means it can to do so.

Political Violence Meeting Banned

http://www.radiovop.com

07/03/2011 14:54:00

Bulawayo-March 07 2011- The ZIPRA Veterans Trust has threatened to approach
the High Court if the ban on its civic education meeting on political
violence that had been planned for Wednesday is not lifted by police.

The meeting was going to be held in the Hingwe area of Bulilima district in
Matabeleland South but police refused the Trust permission to hold the
meeting.

The chairperson of the Trust, Retired Colonel Ray Ncube told Radio VOP on
Monday:“I have just received a call from one, Inspector Moyo of Plumtree
district police station who told me that our civic meeting on political
violence cannot go ahead as planned. Moyo told me that the police have got
an order to stop all gatherings.” said Ncube.

Ncube, who described the police’s ban of the civic education meeting as
systematic violence said his organisation is going to make an urgent high
court application if the police insist that the meeting should not take
place.”

The ZIPRA Veterans will not allow this systematic violence by the police let
go. We have involved the police in our previous civic education and national
healing meetings and they are all aware that there is nothing political
about our meetings."

He said apart from that they had already put all the logistics in place such
as food for participants.

The ZIPRA War Veterans Trust was formed in 2008 by former Zimbabwe People’s
Revolutionary Army (ZIPRA) cadres who break away from the Zimbabwe
Liberation War Veterans Association (ZLWVA) due to sharp ideological and
political differences.

Since its formation the Trust has embarked on national healing campaigns and
civic education meeting in rural areas.

Under the national healing programme, scores of Zanu (PF) perpetrators of
political violence in Matabeleland South and North provinces and Midlands
province have been forced to apologise to communities for their violent
actions during the run up to previous elections.

Last week Ncube was arrested by police in Masvingo while conducting a civic
education meeting on political violence at a local hotel in Masvingo. The
court dismissed the case.

Zanu PF youths seize Easipark

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

By Chengetai Zvauya, Staff Writer
Monday, 07 March 2011 18:18

HARARE - Zanu PF youths have grabbed Easipark from a South African company
contracted by Harare CIty Council to manage car parks in the capital.

EasiPark becomes the first casualty of President Robert Mugabe’s company
seizures after Upfumi Kuvadiki (Wealth to the Youths) raided the firm and
drove its management from the premises on Monday.

Upfumi Kuvadiki is a group of Zanu PF youths advocating for inclusion in the
empowerment drive being undertaken by their party.

“This is part of the empowerment that our government has been talking about
and today we have done, it. This company should relocate to South Africa and
leave our country alone.

“We now have new a company called Nehanda Holdings running this venture,”
said Alois Dakarayi, the group’s spokesperson.

The overzealous youths, evidently working at the behest of well-resourced
politicians, demanded the immediate revocation of the tender awarded to
Easiholdings by Harare City Council, and insisted that motorists stop paying
parking fees with immediate effect until an indigenous company is
contracted.

“We are now the new owners and we are going to organise ourselves to manage
this project. We have the blessings and approval of ministers of Local
Government and Urban Development Ignatius Chombo and Youth, Indigenisation
and Empowerment Saviour Kasukuwere,” said Darikayi.

He said his group would meet with Harare mayor, Muchadeyi Masunda to inform
him of the takeover.

The EasiPark project has been a subject of controversy since the Harare City
Council entered into a deal with its holding firm – Easi Holdings – to
manage parking and towing services in the city.

Town Clerk Tendai Mahachi is on record as saying under the deal, the
municipality pockets 60 percent of the profits but only at the end of the
year.

Vocal groups such as the Affirmative Action Groups (AAG) have said the deal
was anomalous and locals should have been considered first before hiring the
South African firm.

Mahachi chairs the EasiPark management team which comprises Richard Chigwere
from the City of Harare, with Regis Dube representing  EasiHoldings.

According to the contract, the joint venture will run for five years after
which the City of Harare will assume full ownership of project.

Last month, Zanu PF youths demonstrated at the Town House demanding that
they be awarded the tender to tow and clamp motor vehicles, instead of
EasiPark.

The seizure of EasiPark follows  President Robert Mugabe launch of the
anti-sanctions campaign in which Zanu PF is targeting companies owned by
foreigners, mainly Europeans and Americans.

Culture Of Fear Grips Zimbabweans

http://www.radiovop.com

07/03/2011 14:51:00

Chinhoyi, March 07, 2011 - Regina Mashoko who commutes to Harare everyday
where she works say she fears talking to strangers when travelling.

''I avoid talking to strangers about anything because whatever you say can
be turned political. All I want is to look after my old parents and my three
year old child. I do not want to risk arrest for fear of being accused of
having undermined the authority of President or face any criminal charges,"
she told a Radio VOP reporter who had tried to strike a conversation with
her in the commuter bus they were travelling in.

The driver, Mathias Nhambirwa who joined in the conversation, said he played
the radio in his vehicle not just for entertainment when driving but to
avoid conversation with passengers who may mis-understand him.

"Zimbabweans are no longer free to talk about anything,'' he added.

Zimbabwe's political violence has continued unabated despite the launch of
the unity government in 2009.

During the 2008 presidential elections at least 200 supporters of Movement
for Democratic Change supporters (MDC) were killed by suspected Zanu (PF)
supporters while hundreds others were displaced from their homes.

Analysts say the country has virtually been turned into a police state with
security agencies at ''every one's back''.

''These guys are everywhere...one just has to avoid talking politics,'' said
Mashoko.

"Zanu (PF) that claims to have liberated the country from the york of
colonisation is taking away the freedoms it fought for. It has the security
forces on its side. MDC led by Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai claims it
cherishes the freedom of assembly, association, expression to democratic
society but many of its supporters are being arrested'' adds Nhambirwa.

Another kombi driver Donald Mukamba who plies the Karoi-Harare route said he
now played gospel music in his vehicle for fear of playing songs that may be
deemed political by passengers.

Former University of Vice Chancellor Professor Gordon Chavhunduka agrees
that lack of trust has resulted in fear gripping majority of Zimbabweans.

''Everyone suspects anyone even at family level due to lack of trust. We
must be tolerant to each other's political views, “ said Chavhunduka a
renowned traditionalist with Zimbabwe Traditional Healers Association.

He challenged both political and other leaders to encourage openness and
dialogue.

''Political leaders must ensure that arguments are held openly. People must
have the desire to speak their mind without fear and rebuild confidence
socially, politically and economically'' said Chavhunduka.

Govt urged to stop politically motivated rape

http://www.zimonline.co.za

by James Mombe     Monday 07 March 2011

HARARE -- Zimbabwe’s unity government should act urgently to ensure women
are protected from politically motivated rape amid rising political violence
and human rights abuses as the country heads for a constitutional referendum
and elections, a local rights group has said.

The Zimbabwe Human Rights Association (ZimRights) said women are often
sexually assaulted and raped ruing political violence and in many cases as
punishment for the political beliefs of their husbands or other male
relatives.

With increasing talk of a referendum to decide on a new constitution
expected later this year and general elections to follow the plebiscite,
women -- and many of them victims of rape and other abuse during past
elections  -- were living in fear they could be targeted once more, the
group said in a statement at the weekend.

It said: "As the country heads for the constitution referendum and
presidential elections, the security of women is of major concern as most
fear reliving the violations of the 2008 elections.

“Most women became victims of rape, torture and intimidation either for
participating in politics or being married or related to men who are
actively involved in politics …. it is of utmost importance that government
takes into cognisance the need to protect women from being exposed to
unwarranted human rights violations.”

Political violence and human rights abuses – which are resurgent in several
parts of the country -- have accompanied Zimbabwe’s elections since the
emergency of the MDC party as the first real electoral threat to President
Robert Mugabe and his ZANU PF party.

The last major election in 2008 was marked by violence mostly perpetrated by
President Robert Mugabe’s shock troops, war veterans and youth militia and
members of the military, which left at least 200 supporters of then
opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai dead and thousands of others displaced.

Analysts fear fresh elections to choose a new government to replace the
Harare coalition administration could see a return to more violence than
three years ago because the government has not implemented required
political reforms including restructuring the armed forces to ensure
peaceful and democratic polls. -- ZimOnline

New farmers owe council US$200 000

http://www.dailynews.co.zw

By Midlands Correspondent
Monday, 07 March 2011 15:25

GWERU - Newly resettled farmers under the A2 model owe Vungu Rural District
Council about $200 000 arising from unpaid  development levies since 2009,
according to the council’s chairperson.

Speaking on the sidelines of a belated provincial World Aids Day
commemorations in Chiwundura recently, VRDC chairperson Celtone Charamba
said some of the A2 farmers have not paid a single cent since 2009.

He said council had intended to take legal action against the farmers but
after a series of meetings, the farmers agreed to settle their arrears by
the end of April.

“Newly resettled A2 farmers owe us around $200 000 in development levies.
Some have not paid since 2009 while others who were resettled later are
still to pay. We had intended as council to take legal action against the
farmers but they have set their own deadline and agreed to pay by end of
April,” said Charamba.

The farmers are supposed to pay US$1 per hectare as development levy.
Council sources revealed that most of the farmers have been resisting paying
the levy arguing that they could not pay for land allocated to them by
government.

“These farmers were of the opinion that they had a right not to pay for land
allocated to them. Yet it is council’s obligation to see that farmers pay
development levy for the pieces of land they occupy,” said one source.

Since the inception of the land reform programme widely supported by
President Robert Mugabe’s government, critics have been arguing that the
programme is chaotic with farmers lacking adequate resources to effect full
production at the farms.

Mugabe back from health check

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

March 7 2011 at 07:02pm

Zimbabwe's 87-year-old president, Robert Mugabe, was back from his fourth
medical trip to Singapore in just over two months. Photo: Reuters

Zimbabwe's 87-year-old president, Robert Mugabe, was back from his fourth
medical trip to Singapore in just over two months, officials said on Monday,
as reports spoke of more crackdowns on dissent across the country.

The president left Harare on Thursday for the second review of a cataract
operation he underwent in January, and returned on Sunday, officials said.

“His eyes are seeing very far,” said presidential spokesperson George
Charamba.

However, a number of doctors have expressed doubts over the true nature of
Mugabe's frequent trips to Asia. Well-known Zimbabwean eye surgeon Solomon
Gurumatunhu, for instance, said on an independent radio station at the
weekend that cataract surgery did not need regular checks.

After 31 years in power, Mugabe is believed to have become increasingly
jittery in the wake of the mass demonstrations that have toppled
long-standing despots in North Africa.

Human rights lawyers say well over 100 opponents of Mugabe are currently in
detention.

Three leaders of the Mthwakazi Liberation Front, a small tribal organisation
in western Zimbabwe which seeks secession from the rest of the country, were
arrested on Friday on treason charges, their secretary-general, Sabelo
Ngwenya, said at the weekend.

In the western city of Bulawayo, four officials of Women of Zimbabwe Arise,
an outspoken activist group, were arrested on Saturday, spokesman Jenni
Williams said.

Also in Bulawayo, a 39-year-old man is facing charges of subversion after
posting a message on the Facebook page of Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai
saying: “What happened in Egypt is sending shock waves to dictators around
the world.”

Tsvangirai's Movement for Democratic Change, in coalition with Mugabe's ZANU
(PF) party since 2009, said the police had banned planned rallies in four of
the country's five provinces at the weekend. -

Sapa-dpa

ZITF Bans Sell Of Goods At 2011 Trade Fair

http://www.radiovop.com/

07/03/2011 14:51:00

Bulawayo, March 07, 2011- Zimbabwe’s annual trade exhibition has banned the
selling of goods by exhibitors during this year’s event to prevent the
showcase from being turned into a flea market and bring back its former
glory.

Daniel Chigaru, the ZITF general manager, told Radio VOP that the ban to
sell goods during this year’s exhibition is an attempt by the organisers to
meet international exhibitions standard that did not allow sales.

The ZITF had been turned into a flea market with local Small to medium
enterprises (SMES) selling their goods during the showcase to make up for
the lack of international exhibitors who continued to snub the annual trade
exhibition.

“If we cannot bring up the level of our exhibition to an acceptable
international standard by allowing sales, the foreign exhibitors and many
hundreds of local SMES, would abandon the ZITF thus hindering the
development that ZITF is meant to promote making the country lose lucrative
contracts,” Chigaru said in an interview.

Chigaru added that a ban on the sale of goods is also an attempt to bring
the trade showcase to its former glory when it used to attract international
exhibitors.

“The ZITF is a place where manufactures and providers of services come to
present their goods to interested buyers, hoping to receive orders and
establishing a partnership that will last for years.

“If sales across the counter were permitted to continue throughout the expo,
no meaningful deal making will take place…it is the aim of the government
and the ZITF Company to bring the annual exhibition to its former glory,”
Chigaru noted.

The theme for the 2011 edition of the ZITF is “Optimising Business Synergies
. . . Now and Beyond” and runs from 3 to 7 May with the first two days set
aside as business days.

Organisers of the ZITF 2011 say this year’s event will spotlight sectors
such as agriculture, tourism, mining and manufacturing which are seen as
driving the country’s economic revival process.

ZITF has been witnessing a low turnout of exhibitors from the West and the
European who continue to snub the event in protest over President Robert
Mugabe’s leadership.

Govt urged to promote living standards

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

By Maxwell Sibanda, Staff Writer
Monday, 07 March 2011 16:43

HARARE - Several Zimbabweans have called on the inclusive government to
concentrate more on improving the nation’s deteriorating social and economic
standards and ending political violence instead of  spending time on
elections.

Phillip Pasirayi, director of  the Centre for Community Development in
Zimbabwe, (CCDZ) told the Daily News that these sentiments have been raised
at a number of meetings currently being held across the country.

Last week, CCDZ, in collaboration with the Midlands chapter of collaborating
institutions, Zimbabwe Human Rights Association and the Catholic Commission
for Peace and Justice in Zimbabwe visited areas in the Midlands province
where they held community meetings in KweKwe, Chiundura and Zhombe.

He said communities felt that while elections were necessary, government had
first to address their humanitarian plight.

“The communities said instead of harping on elections, President Mugabe and
Prime Minister Tsvangirai should tell them how many jobs they had created,
how many roads, clinics and schools they have built and what political
reforms  they have achieved in their two years in

office,” said Pasirayi.

He said their position as civil society was that there was no need for
another early election, two years after holding another violent one whose
results were contested.

Pasirayi said if elections were to go ahead  this year,  the  people would
put forward their demands.

“The people are urging the ZRP to be professional and they want them to
bring to book all perpetrators of political violence regardless of political
affiliation.

“They also want the military and police to play no role in the elections
except maintaining law and order. The people do not want the deployment of
the military in the communities to campaign for Zanu PF,” Pasirayi told
Daily News.

The CCDZ is on a country-wide tour that will end in April where they are
meeting communities to raise awareness of electoral reforms and basic human
rights.

“We are also on a drive to raise voter participation if there is a call for
a referendum ,” said Pasirayi.

CCDZ has visited  many centres among them Murehwa, Hwedza and Lalapanzi.

A meeting in Lalapanzi was this week cancelled after police, who had
initially allowed it to go ahead, backtracked at the last minute.

“We had to abandon the meeting after a mob of suspected Zanu PF supporters
disturbed the gathering,” said Pasirayi.

He said the deliberations in most visited communities came up with
pre-conditions which were necessary for the holding of a credible election
in Zimbabwe.

“These include the removal of ghost voters from the voters’ roll; a new
democratic constitution that guarantees peoples’ freedoms of association,
expression and assembly; peace and political tolerance; deployment of
international observers before and after the election to ensure a level
playing field for all contestants and the installation of an independent
professional Zimbabwe Electoral Commission that produces results within two
days,” said Pasirayi.

He said there were lively debates that centred on on-going political
violence, selective application of the law and partisan conduct by the ZRP.

“The issue of propaganda and lies peddled by the national broadcaster ZBC
including the playing of Zanu PF jingles also came up.

Another highlight of the discussions was rampant  corruption and lack of
transparency and accountability in the Chiadzwa diamonds,” said Pasirayi.

Chihuri Is Hiding Behind his Finger on Violence

By Sanderson N Makombe

Former British Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli once stated that there are
‘Lies, damned Lies, and statistics! Someone once also remarked that ‘If you
want to tell a lie, use statistics’. How so true about Chihuri’s allegations
before a parliamentary committee.

The rather shocking and belligerent utterances by the so called ‘Police
Commissioner’ Augustine Chihuri, suggesting that most of the violence
currently prevalent in Zimbabwe is at the instigation of MDC-T is a pathetic
lie and very uncouth, coming  from the mouth of such a senior policeman.
After dodging the parliamentary committee for two days, it is incredible
that the most plausible answer he could fathom for the violence was just as
everyone expected. Blame the MDC.Few issues need clarity on Chihuri’s
assertion.

It should be noted that when Chihuri presented himself to the parliamentary
committee, he was not answering a call as the principled most senior police
officer in the land. Rather, the monster appearing before the committee was
Chihuri, a ZANU PF thug, militia, war veteran, member of the notorious JOC:
a representative of the system. In 2001 after taking over from Henry
Mukurazhizha, Chihuri openly declared that he was a ZANU PF functionary, in
contravention of the Police Act, a disclosure that in a normal democratic
society would have disqualified him from that post. Again, it should be
remembered that his appointment as police commissioner was not without its
own controversy as it was alleged he was involved in a corruption. Chihuri
official tenure as police commissioner ended in 1997, and ever since he has
been reappointed annually by Mugabe. In that context, Chihuri cannot bite
the hand that feeds him, nor turn on a system that has made him what he is
today. Chihuri is a prominent member of JOC, a group of securocrats credited
with organising the ruthless orgy of violence directed at MDC-T supporters
in the period towards the run off, resulting in MDC-T pulling out. The same
ruling securocrat oligarchs are behind the current violence being witnessed
in Zimbabwe, a continuation of the run off strategy.

Chihuri stated that MDC-T was cited for 121 incidents as compared to 21 for
ZANU PF for the period January to February 2011. To suppose that there have
been only 141 incidents of politically related violence is contrary to
available evidence, and very conservative. On a daily basis, reports are
filed of exact places, names of victims and alleged perpetrators all over
the country. The recent incidences in Buhera North and Nyanga alone amount
to more than 21, unless Chihuri is asserting that they were caused by the
same group in a single incident, or that it’s MDC on MDC violence.
On numerous occasions MDC supporters who have gone to report such issues
have been arrested themselves and turned in as the perpetrators.
It is a known fact that most senior police officers manning police posts are
well known war veterans fast tracked into leadership after the 2000
elections.ZANU PF then believed most serving police officers were firmly
behind the MDC, including teachers and other civil servants. To expect these
fast tracked bottom lickers to give protection, nor record issues brought by
MDC supporters is naïve.

That most of the violence has been perpetrated on MDC-T is without question.
If a co- relation of all data about people treated in both public and
private hospitals for politically violence is made, without doubt it will
show that they are MDC-T supporters. If Chihuri allegations are true, it
will mean that MDC-T is sending its own members to brutally assault, maim,
kill, torture, and burn their counterparts all over Zimbabwe, that MDC-T is
running militia bases in rural Zimbabwe, terrorising MDC –T members, that
MDC-T supporters are invading farms in Rusape and other areas, assaulting
farm workers and their employers, stealing property, and are also
responsible for the waves of violence currently witnessed in Budiriro,
Mbare, Chitungwiza, and other areas, on other MDC supporters. HOW Absurd!

ZANU PF’s propensity for violence has to be understood from its inception
and modus operandi. The communist doctrine that they mastered as a
liberation movement was also premised on understanding coercive
mobilisation. Violence has been a means of attaining an end in ZANU PF, a
factor that shaped the current leadership. The Nharira rebellion, the death
of Chitepo, Tongogara,the use of violence to force villagers to attend
pungwes,the brutal murders of alleged sell-outs publicly, are all hallmarks
of this aspect of their ideology. The same ideology was utilised post
independence culminating in the horrendous massacre of civilians in
Matabeleland, the attempted assassination of Patrick Kombayi in 1990.The
same trend is recognised on how the embattled regime has sought to silence
the MDC-T support base by bashing them to pulp.

This moribund regime knows no other ways of dealing with political
competitors, within and outside. Many ZANU PF supporters have also fallen
victim to the same machinery, notably Cain Nkala, Brigadier Gunda, and
others. The impetus for such gross violation has been made possible by a
culture of impunity which has seen presidential pardons granted after every
election for perpetrators of violence. Joseph Mwale is still employed by the
state despite him cruelly burning Tichaona Chiminya and Talent Mabika in
2000 in Buhera. The same Police Commissioner Augustine Chihuri failed to
investigate the deaths of more than 200 MDC supporters during the aborted
run off in 2008.

Let Chihuri know that the people of Zimbabwe know who exactly is to blame
for the violence in Zimbabwe and nearly every decent Zimbabwean can count
more than 21 incidents where ZANU PF and its machinery has caused havoc in
communities in the last two months.
MDC-T remains the party of choice for the majority of Zimbabweans, a fact
known even to ZANU PF, as evidenced by all elections in the last decade.
Otherwise why victimise the populace if you are confident of winning in a
fair election?

As Andrew Lang once said ‘He uses statistics as a drunken man uses
lampposts - for support rather than for illumination’, so true about
Chihuri.

The writer can be contacted at smakombe@btinternet.com

What’s in a (dictator’s) name?

http://www.sokwanele.com/thisiszimbabwe/archives/6425

What’s in a name? A name represent the identification of a person, everyone
recognizes himself or herself by name.

In politics it has come to my mind that a name represents power and this is
synonymous with dictators in Africa. Many genuine heroes, who had conquered
their countries supremacist regimes,  go on to lose their moral compass with
dire consequences.

Some Africa leaders think that by giving themselves or adding more titles to
their names means power and wealth. The immediate ones who come to mind are,
Idi Amin Dada, Muammar al-Gaddafi, Jean Bedel Bokassa, Mobutu Seseko and
Robert Mugabe among others.

The former Ugandan president ended up being called, “His Excellency,
President for Life, Field Marshal Al Hadji Doctor Idi Amin Dada, VC, DSO,
MC, Conqueror of the British Empire [CBE] in Africa in General and Uganda in
Particular and the Most Ubiquitous of all King Of Scotland”.

The Libyan leader Muammar felt the need to add some zing to his title:
“Brother Leader, Guide of the First of September Great Revolution of the
Socialist People’s Libyan Arab Jamahiriya Col Muammar al-Gaddafi”.

In Zimbabwe the coming of the inclusive government also brought more titles
to the sitting president. Now he is called, “His Excellency the Head of
State and Government and Commander-in-Chief of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces”,
no doubt to remind other principals who is in charge.

But what else goes on in the minds of these puzzling and destructive
leaders, besides having more titles and amassing wealth?

This entry was posted by Bob Gondo on Monday, March 7th, 2011 at 2:16 pm.

BILL WATCH 8/2011 of 6th March [Parliament to resume 8th March]

Bill Watch Special of 7th March 2011 [Parliamentary Committee Meetings 7-10 March]