http://mg.co.za/
09 May 2012 02:02 - AFP
Zimbabwe's justice
minister has denounced a South African court's ruling
ordering an
investigation of those accused of torturing Zanu-PF opponents.
“The
ruling brings the South African justice system into disrepute. No
specifics
have been identified, because they should have laid a blow-by-blow
account
of what crime has been committed,” Patrick Chinamasa told state
media on
Wednesday.
In a landmark judgment, the North Gauteng High Court on
Tuesday ruled that
authorities in South Africa can probe and prosecute not
only high-level
crimes committed in neighbouring Zimbabwe, but anywhere else
in the world.
The case centres on Zimbabwean officials accused of
state-sanctioned torture
against scores of activists following a raid on the
headquarters of the
Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) in 2007.
MDC
leader Morgan Tsvangirai is now the prime minister in a power-sharing
government with Mugabe.
His party hailed the
decision.
“Torture is a barbaric instrument of dealing with issues of
politics,”
spokesperson Nelson Chamisa told Agence
France-Presse.
“For that reason it remains our wish that all people of
Zimbabwe with
injured hearts and troubled minds are brought to restorative
and
rehabilitative, as opposed to retributive, justice ... The pains of the
past
will always haunt the stability of the future. It is vitally important
that
things are brought to the table instead of being swept under the
carpet.”
The Southern Africa Litigation Centre and the Zimbabwe Exiles
Forum filed
the case in Pretoria seeking to force prosecutors to open an
investigation,
citing South Africa’s obligations to the International
Criminal Court.
The two groups want South Africa to arrest and prosecute
17 Zimbabweans
accused of torture in 2007 if they enter the country for
holiday, shopping
or seeking medical treatment. — AFP
http://www.voanews.com
09 May
2012
Blessing Zulu | Washington
The South African
prosecuting authority says it is considering appealing
Tuesday's High Court
ruling compelling Pretoria to investigate and prosecute
Zimbabweans, in
particular senior Zanu PF officials, suspected of crimes
against
humanity.
Spokesman Mthunzi Mhaga of the South African National
Prosecuting Authority
told VOA Wednesday they have two weeks to appeal the
ruling.
He said the authority is currently discussing with the police on
how best to
respond.
Judge Hans Fabricius ordered the NPA to
prosecute Zimbabweans concerned if
they ever set foot in South
Africa.
The case was brought to the courts by the Southern Africa
Litigation Centre
along with the Zimbabwe Exiles Forum, which represents
many Zimbabweans who
say they fled to South Africa after being tortured by
security agents for
supporting the Movement for Democratic
Change.
The High Court decision could prod South Africa into
investigations into
high-ranking Harare officials, a move many say would
strain already
difficult diplomatic relations with the power-sharing
government in
Zimbabwe.
But speaking to state television Tuesday,
Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa
said the decision is “a wish by the South
African judge pushing an agenda of
former Rhodesians” whom he said want to
effect regime change in Zimbabwe.
He said the decision will not be
entertained by Zimbabwe.
“The ruling brings the South African justice
system into disrepute,” said
Chinamasa.
“No specifics have been
identified because they should have laid a blow to
blow account of what
crime has been committed.
“That the court made a ruling based on a
generalized opinion is a sad moment
for the justice system in South
Africa.”
Legal expert Alex Magaisa says Chinamasa’s remarks are off the
mark, adding
the ruling is significant.
http://www.timeslive.co.za/
ANGUS SHAW, Sapa-AP | 09 May, 2012
20:22
A Zimbabwean man was killed while trying to rescue his friend from
attacking
crocodiles in northwest Zimbabwe, a fishing club said
Wednesday.
The National Anglers' Union said that Frank Trott, aged in his
70s, died
after trying to rescue a friend paddling along the shoreline at
Charara
fishing camp. His friend survived but sustained wounds to his
midsection and
buttocks.
Two crocodiles were shot dead by wildlife
rangers after last week's attack.
Remnants of the victim - including
intestines and clothing - were found
along the remote shores of Lake Kariba.
No other remains were found.
The dead man was dragged away by a giant
crocodile after going to assist his
friend, said Mike Brennan, head of the
fishing group. The friend, aged in
his 40s and a fellow farmer with
experience in the African wilderness, was
treated for his
wounds.
Brennan said the two had returned from a day outing Thursday on
the lake for
dinner and drinks at the fishing camp.
The survivor's
wounds suggested he had been wading waist-deep in the lake
when the
crocodile attacked late in the evening. Trott was seized by a
second large
crocodile resting in long grass when he raced into the water to
answer his
friend's cries for help.
The surroundings of Lake Kariba, a man-made
hydroelectric dam about 300
kilometers (180 miles) long, are a major leisure
resort for fishing, boating
and sightseeing for wildlife, the habitat of
crocodiles and hippos.
Brennan said a memorial service for Trott is
scheduled Friday.
He said it was the second dramatic crocodile attack
within the past month.
"Please, everyone be warned to be to be vigilant
near the water's edge at
all times," he said. "It is dangerous no matter
where you are on the lake."
http://www.swradioafrica.com/
By Tichaona
Sibanda
09 May 2012
A new institution to be known as the
Parliamentary Public Appointment
Committee (PPAC) has been created as part
of the new draft constitution,
which will be responsible for confirming
presidential appointments of
judges, commissioners and
ambassadors.
The PPAC, to be constituted by members of parliament
elected by the people,
will have the power to conduct public interviews to
add transparency to the
appointment process.
Section 4 of the
draft charter says an interview must be held in public, but
no one other
than members of the PPAC may put questions to the appointee or
otherwise
take part in the interview.
“Where either House of Parliament or
the Parliamentary Public Appointments
Committee is required to approve the
appointment of any person in terms of
this Constitution, the appointee does
not assume office until his or her
appointment has been so approved,” the
draft says.
Since independence, Robert Mugabe has appointed
senior public officers to
such positions on recommendations from bodies like
the Judicial Services
Commission (JSC) and the Public Service Commission.
Individuals who sit on
these bodies are appointed by the President
himself.
Lawyer and academic Dr Alex Magaisa said the creation of
this new
institution is very useful in that it takes away the complete
discretion
enjoyed by the person in the office of the President, in terms of
appointing
senior people in government.
Magaisa told SW Radio
Africa on Wednesday that the new body gives a role to
parliament, where
there would be a clear system of checks and balances
between the House of
Assembly and the executive. The President will then be
bound by the
decisions of the PPAC and in theory can only choose appointees
from a
shortlist presented by the body.
“In the past the President had
to consult members of different bodies like
the JSC and Defence Forces
Commission, which are also appointed by the
President. Therefore there was
no effective check and balances on the power
of the President,” Magaisa
said.
The PPAC, according to the law expert, is essentially going
to do what is
already being done by the Parliamentary Committee on Standing
Orders and
Rules, under a constitution that gave birth to the GPA. But it is
hoped
there will be more transparency with the PPAC.
“I think
we need this body to do its work properly as previous appointments
were
simply based on party allegiance and not merit. It will also be useful
to
have high quality of MP’s to sit on this body and not have an institution
compromised by mediocrity,” Magaisa added.
Former diplomat
and academic Clifford Mashiri told SW Radio Africa that the
system of
appointing senior diplomats has always been shrouded in secrecy,
as it was
not transparent.
“First and most important you had to be a ZANU
PF card carrying member to be
appointed an ambassador. The appointments were
not on merit but mainly
partisan or fanaticism to ZANU PF,” Mashiri
said.
“You either had to be a loyalist or a praise singer to be
considered for
foreign posting. The people that have benefitted most are
former ZANU PF
ministers who lost party primaries or lost an election to an
MDC candidate.
This is very simple, look at all our ambassadors until two
years ago and
trace their history…they’ve all held senior positions in ZANU
PF,” explained
Mashiri.
http://www.radiovop.com/
Harare, May 09, 2012 - Major
General Martin Chedondo told state media that
soldiers in the country are
supporters of President Robert Mugabe's Zanu
(PF) party.
“As
soldiers, we will never be apologetic for supporting Zanu (PF) because
it is
the only political party that has national interests at heart,”
Chedondo
said.
“We cannot be seen supporting a political party that is going
against the
ideals of a nation, which came by as a result of a liberation
struggle,
which saw many of the country’s sons and daughters losing their
lives. As
soldiers we must support ideologies that we subscribe to, I for
one will not
be apologetic for supporting Zanu (PF) because I was part of
the liberation
struggle."
Chedondo's statements comes months after
Major General Douglas Nyikayaramba
stirred a storm when he said he supported
the former ruling party because
MDC were sell outs.
Nyikayaramba, who
said the statements when he was a brigadier, has since
been promoted to the
post of Major General.
Political statements by senior army officials
are not new to Zimbabwe. The
late army General Vitalis Zvinavashe, Prisons
chief retired Major General
Paradzai Zimondi and Police Commissioner General
Augustine Chihuri said they
will not salute a democratically elected leader
who is not Mugabe.
The involvement of the army in politics has seen the
MDC legislator for
Mbizo, Settlement Chikwinya, moving a motion in
parliament asking
legislators to treat the statements made by the service
chiefs as treason.
The MDC has said over 200 of its supporters were
killed during the 2008
presidential run-off while others
disappeared.
Meanwhile the MDC on Wednesday renewed its call for the
sacking of Chihuri.
This follows the arrest of an MDC official, Ambitious
Muzuva and two
activists on allegations of assaulting a Zanu (PF) member and
a police
officer in Kambuzuma over the weekend.
“It continues to
baffle the minds of Zimbabweans as they day in and day out
witness the
arrest of innocent MDC activists yet known Zanu (PF) terror
gangs continue
to walk scot free,” read part of the MDC-T statement to the
media.
"The MDC calls upon the Inclusive Government to constitute the
Police
Service Commission so that the acting commissioner, Augustine Chihuri
is
retired and a competent Police Commissioner General appointed,” it
said.
“Zimbabweans are tired of violence. The police should not provoke
the nation
into action. The people have remained calm over the years ...The
MDC calls
for professional policing,” it added.
The party said
its supporter, Shepherd Mumba, was on Saturday assaulted by
known Zanu (PF)
hoodlums, Jim Kunaka, Gochera, Pasco, Gomwe and Moffart in
Highfield but
police took no action.
Twenty-nine MDC activists are in police
custody, some for almost a year,
facing fabricated charges of murdering a
Glen View policeman in May 2011.
http://www.swradioafrica.com/
By Alex Bell
09
May 2012
The UK government has been accused of fast tracking the
deportation cases of
Zimbabwean asylum seekers, in what is being described
as active
‘victimisation’.
Two Zim asylum seekers, including
one man who remains in detention, told SW
Radio Africa this week that they
were arrested and almost deported after
their cases were rushed through the
courts.
Trevor Chanetsa, an asylum seeker who has been detained
for about two weeks,
spoke to SW Radio Africa on Tuesday, and explained that
he was arrested
because his case had been “exhausted.” He said that, despite
the likelihood
that he would be in danger if he was returned home, he was
threatened with
deportation last week. He said that he only escaped being
forced back to
Zimbabwe at the last minute following a legal
reprieve.
“But I don’t understand how it happened. It happened so
fast. I believe they
(the UK officials) aren’t even looking at individual
cases and they are only
targeting people whose passports are about to
expire,” Chanetsa said.
The concern about being targeted on the
basis of having an almost-expired
passport was further backed up by another
Zim asylum seeker, recently
released from detention after he too escaped
deportation following last
legal intervention.
Frazer
Muzondo, a known MDC supporter in the UK, was arrested, detained and
almost
deported under similar circumstances to Chanetsa’s last month. He
told SW
Radio Africa on Tuesday that after his detention, his release was
refused
“because my passport was about to expire.”
“I was told that they
wanted to fast track the case while I was detained so
that if the ruling on
my removal was in their favour, they can use a valid
passport to deport me,”
Muzondo said, adding: “They are now targeting people
whose passports will
soon expire.”
Muzondo was eventually able to secure his release
on bail, explaining that
even the immigration judge who heard the case
“queried the merits of them
fast tracking cases like
this.”
Regis Manyanya from the Nottingham Zimbabwe Community
Network said that this
treatment of Zim asylum seekers was “victimisation,”
saying that each asylum
and deportation case is supposed to be viewed on an
individual basis.
“They are now dealing with sending people back
to a country where they could
be in danger and yet the cases are being fast
tracked. This is
victimisation,” Manyanya said.
Chanetsa
meanwhile said that the UK was “sending people into the lion’s den”
by
deporting them back to Zimbabwe. He explained that the whole experience
has
left him feeling traumatised, adding: “I am still in danger because they
might send me back and things are getting worse back home.”
http://www.swradioafrica.com/
By Tererai
Karimakwenda
09 May 2012
Following the disruption of
several weekend rallies by the police, as wellas
ZANU PF sponsored violence
against their supporters, the MDC-T has demanded
the release of all their
detained members and the resignation of Police
Chief Augustine
Chihuri.
The demands came as it was revealed that the violent
ZANU PF Chipangano gang
was involved in some of the weekend assaults on
MDC-T supporters. According
to the MDC-T, the gang was purposely bussed into
Highfields suburb on
Saturday with the intention of disrupting planned
rallies.
The gang’s known leader Jim Kunaka, who is a ZANU PF
youth chairman, and
thugs named only as Gochera, Pasco, Gomwe and Moffart
were identified as the
gang that assaulted Shepherd Mumba in
Highfields.
The police made no arrests and instead went and
disrupted a Sunday rally in
Kambuzuma, which was addressed by National
Organising Secretary Nelson
Chamisa. The police claimed they were looking
for party member who had
assaulted a policeman.
According to
the MDC-T, the police arrested Passmore Jaricha and Lovemore
Chimbangu,
party cadres who had tried to stop a ZANU PF supporter from
infiltrating the
rally. It is believed a plain clothes policeman got caught
up in the
chaos.
Jaricha and Chimbangu appeared in court Wednesday and were
charged with
“assaulting a peace officer on duty”. Their lawyer Gift Mutisi
told SW Radio
Africa that he submitted a bail application asking for $50
bail each, which
they can afford. But the magistrate reserved judgement
until Thursday.
Mutisi said there was no tangible evidence
linking his clients to any
assault and the police have not even named the
witnesses, whose account
forms the basis of the state
case.
“The police were already looking for whoever assaulted this
policeman when
the two arrived,” Mutisi said, defending Jaricha and
Chimbangu.
No ZANU PF supporters were arrested the entire
weekend. The MDC-T said they
were infuriated by the partisan acts of the
police and the impunity enjoyed
by the perpetrators. The party is demanding
that the Police Chief resign.
“The MDC calls upon the Inclusive
Government to constitute the Police
Service Commission so that the acting
commissioner, Augustine Chihuri is
retired and a competent Police
Commissioner General appointed,” the party
said in a
statement.
The MDC-T also demanded the release of 29 of their
members and supporters
who have been in jail for several months, facing
trumped up charges of
killing Glen View policeman Petros Mutedza last year.
Among them is the
National Youth Chairman Solomon Madzore, who has been in
detention for
nearly a year.
http://www.radiovop.com/
Nompumelelo Moyo Bulawayo,
09 May 2012 - Zanu (PF) has asked to review the
draft constitution document
on its own before it resumes further
participation of Constitutional
Parliamentary Select Committee (Copac)
meetings. This forced Copac
co-chairpersons to cancel a scheduled meeting at
Harare’s Padare Lodge which
had been organised to discuss revisions to the
draft constitution.
In
an interview, the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), Copac
chairperson,
Edward Mkhosi, condemned Zanu (PF)’s “self imposed boycott”,
describing it
as a sad development.
“Zanu (PF) has said it wants to review the document
on its own before it
resumes its participation. This is a three-party
process. We will not agree
to any unilateral changes as the draft’s contents
are a product of what came
out of outreach programmes. Zanu (PF) is not
Zimbabwe and they don’t have a
veto power in anyway. It’s by consensus,” he
said.
Sources said Zanu (PF) Copac co-chairperson Munyaradzi Paul
Mangwana sent a
message advising that his party would not be available for
any Copac
business “until further notice”.
However, MDC-T’s Copac
co-chairperson Douglas Mwonzora said: “What we were
told is that they are
still consulting on some of the issues in the document
that we have
produced. We are yet to be advised on any pull-out.”
Mkhosi said “the
silence would generate unhealthy speculation” in the
country.
Mangwana said: “I am the only qualified representative to
comment on behalf
of Zanu (PF), not other co-chairpersons. If they are the
ones who told you
this matter concerning my party, they are just crazy. You
can write whatever
you want, we are ruling this country.”
Addressing
civil society leaders at the Bulawayo Agenda offices on Monday,
Mwonzora
said:“Mangwana is locked in party caucus meetings. When I called
him before
this meeting, he sounded distressed. Some of the criticisms
levelled at
Mangwana by his party are unfair.
“Zanu (PF) believes that when Mangwana
is negotiating with us he is giving
in a lot of concessions but we are not
easy people to negotiate with.”
http://www.dailynews.co.zw
Written by Xolisani Ncube, Staff
Writer
Wednesday, 09 May 2012 13:33
HARARE - Political parties in
the coalition government are using the
constitution-making process to
guarantee “jobs for the boys”, if the draft
constitution recently released
by the Constitution Select Committee (Copac)
is anything to go by, observers
and civil society activists say.
If adopted in its current form, the
constitution would result in a bloated
government as Zanu PF and the two MDC
formations driving the process, seek
to manage their own internal politics
and ensure themselves ample jobs
should they win elections.
Copac is
a cross-party parliamentary body made up of MPs from Zanu PF and
the MDC
formations and is at the forefront of the crafting of the new
constitution.
According to the draft constitution, the new government
is likely to have
two vice presidents, 25 cabinet ministers and 15
deputies.
Okay Machisa, a human rights activist and director of
grassroots human
rights organisation, Zimrights, said in as much as the
proposed draft
constitution seemed good, the proposed composition of
government was bloated
and unsustainable.
“If the idea of having two
vice presidents is meant at solving tribal
differences then we need to look
for other areas that are not costly to the
people. Currently we have a
bloated government that is consuming a big chunk
of our money. We need to
consider the economic side and weigh if our people
will be able to sustain
such as bloated government,” said Machisa.
Under the current
power-sharing set up, Zimbabwe has two vice presidents, 31
cabinet ministers
and 16 deputy ministers. Although the number of ministers
is expected to
drop by six, observers say the figure is still unattainable
for a country
like Zimbabwe.
The previous Zanu PF government introduced the system
providing for two vice
presidents.
It has over the years been used as
a means to appease people in Matabeleland
following five years of human
rights abuses by President Robert Mugabe’s
government in 1983 to 1987 in an
operation code named Gukurahundi.
International Socialist Organisation
country director, Munyaradzi Gwisai,
said it was not surprising for
government to have such a government
structure as it is being driven by
politics.
“This is not anything surprising because these are politicians
who would
want to enrich themselves at all costs, it is disappointing that
when we
have a huge recurrent expenditure, we have MPs proposing to have a
bi-camera parliament system,” said Gwisai.
http://www.thezimbabwemail.com
By Staff Reporter 13 hours 16
minutes ago
THE two MDC parties have endorsed the completed 18
chapters of the new draft
constitution, although Zanu PF representatives
were yet to take a position.
In separate interviews, the MDCs’ Copac
co-chairpersons Douglas Mwonzora and
Edward Mkhosi said yesterday their
political parties were happy with the
draft document.
But the
Welshman Ncube-led MDC said it still had reservations over
recognition of
Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara as their party
principal.
“The
MDC is happy with the draft and we are now waiting for other political
parties to come back to us as they are still consulting,” said
Mwonzora.
“What we know is that the MDC is objecting to the word
‘principals’ on the
new draft and their argument is that they do not
recognise one of the
principals, but their qualms have nothing to do with
the content of the 18
chapters.”
Mwonzora said it was, however,
appropriate that the new draft be availed to
Ncube for his scrutiny as
leader of MDC
Mkhosi added: “We are only worried about the parked issues,
including
devolution of power, but otherwise the 18 chapters that we passed
represent
the position that we would like to see in the new charter. On the
issue of
principals, we are worried that if there are issues that President
Robert
Mugabe, Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and Deputy Prime Minister
Arthur
Mutambara are going to discuss, we will be excluded as we will not be
represented.”
Mkhosi said Mutambara no longer represented MDC
interests, saying his party
would not be represented when the draft is
submitted to the principals.
“We cannot wait at the gate while other
people are discussing in the
boardroom. Whatever decision they make with
Mutambara, those will not bind
our party because Mutambara is no longer with
us,” Mkhosi said.
He said it was illogical for any political party to
start challenging the
completed 18 chapters because they were fully endorsed
by the three parties
in the inclusive government.
On Monday, Zanu
PF’s Copac co-chairperson Munyaradzi Paul Mangwana declined
to comment
whether his party had taken a particular position or not, amid
reports the
party had temporarily suspended participation in the draft
process “until
further notice”.
“You can write whatever you want, we are ruling this
country,” he said,
before hanging up.
Strenuous efforts to contact
Mangwana yesterday were fruitless.
Meanwhile, Zanu (PF) has asked to
review the draft constitution document on
its own before it resumes further
participation of Constitutional
Parliamentary Select Committee (Copac)
meetings. This forced Copac
co-chairpersons to cancel a scheduled meeting at
Harare’s Padare Lodge which
had been organised to discuss revisions to the
draft constitution.
In an interview, the Movement for Democratic Change
(MDC), Copac
chairperson, Edward Mkhosi, condemned Zanu (PF)’s “self imposed
boycott”,
describing it as a sad development.
“Zanu (PF) has said it
wants to review the document on its own before it
resumes its participation.
This is a three-party process. We will not agree
to any unilateral changes
as the draft’s contents are a product of what came
out of outreach
programmes. Zanu (PF) is not Zimbabwe and they don’t have a
veto power in
anyway. It’s by consensus,” he said.
Sources said Zanu (PF) Copac
co-chairperson Munyaradzi Paul Mangwana sent a
message advising that his
party would not be available for any Copac
business “until further
notice”.
However, MDC-T’s Copac co-chairperson Douglas Mwonzora said:
“What we were
told is that they are still consulting on some of the issues
in the document
that we have produced. We are yet to be advised on any
pull-out.”
Mkhosi said “the silence would generate unhealthy speculation”
in the
country.
Mangwana said: “I am the only qualified
representative to comment on behalf
of Zanu (PF), not other co-chairpersons.
If they are the ones who told you
this matter concerning my party, they are
just crazy. You can write whatever
you want, we are ruling this
country.”
Addressing civil society leaders at the Bulawayo Agenda offices
on Monday,
Mwonzora said:“Mangwana is locked in party caucus meetings. When
I called
him before this meeting, he sounded distressed. Some of the
criticisms
levelled at Mangwana by his party are unfair.
“Zanu (PF)
believes that when Mangwana is negotiating with us he is giving
in a lot of
concessions but we are not easy people to negotiate with.” -
Plus Newsday
http://www.thezimbabwean.co.uk
Women of Zimbabwe Arise has applauded the
constitutional drafting team for
the work they have done and encouraged them
to deal swiftly with parked
issues and submit the draft to the second
stakeholder’s conference without
further delay.
09.05.1209:43am
by
WOZA
WOZA has continuously engaged its members to debate
constitutional issues
and in December 2010 released a report capturing the
responses of members to
the Constitutional Outreach questions to the 26
thematic areas. This
followed a 15 month consultative and civic education
process that captured
the views of more than 10,000 urban and rural members
aged 14-93, most of
them women.
The group welcomed the following
positive inclusions in the draft:
• Justiciable rights, including
socio-economic rights
• Prohibition of discrimination against women on
the basis of customary law
• A single executive head of state,
eliminating the prime minister position
• A limit of two terms on the
President
• Provision for proportional representation in the National
Assembly and the
Senate
• Independent Electoral Commission to take
control of voter registration and
the voters’ roll
• Down-grading the
Attorney- General to legal advisor of the government and
establishment of an
independent prosecuting authority
• Appointments of key personnel and
commissioners of independent commissions
on the recommendation of a
Parliamentary Public Appointments Committee,
which will subject candidates
to public interviews
• Requirements for all public officers to declare
all their assets at
regular intervals
• De-politicisation of the
public service, judiciary, and security sector
• Amendment only by means
of a referendum
http://www.voanews.com/
09 May
2012
Gibbs Dube | Washington
Zimbabwe Education Minister
David Coltart says cabinet has approved his $4.5
billion five-year medium
term plan that will lead to the construction of 750
new secondary schools
and the refurbishment of over 24,000 classrooms by
2015.
In a Twitter
and Facebook message, Coltart said the education plan, which
should have
been implemented from 2010, was unanimously approved by cabinet
Tuesday.
According to education officials and teacher unions, the
plan will also lead
to the construction of 1,500 new classrooms, restoration
of the professional
status of teachers, promotion of electronic learning,
revival of libraries
and boosting the capacity of school
inspectors.
They said the program is also aimed at promoting marginalized
languages,
education of disadvantaged children and revitalization of sports
and
culture.
Zimbabwe's education sector has struggled over the past
few years due to
economic hardships, putting a dent to the system once
revered as among the
best in Africa.
The ambitious plan will be
funded through the national fiscus and
international donors.
Zimbabwe
Teachers Association chief executive, Sifiso Ndlovu cautioned that
the
program - discussed with most labor unions and donor agencies - may be
crippled by lack of funds.
http://www.newzimbabwe.com
09/05/2012 00:00:00
by Staff
Reporter
THE treason trial of three political activists due to have
resume Wednesday
at the Bulawayo High Court had to be postponed because the
court does not
have functional recording machines.
Assurances by
Assistant Registrar and Master of the High Court, Njabulo
Mabuya that a
replacement recorder was on its way from Harare came to naught
resulting in
the case being postponed to June 18.
Charles Thomas (44), John Gazi (54)
and Paul Siwela (50) have pleaded not
guilty to the main charge of treason
and the alternative charge of
subverting a constitutionally elected
Government.
Their lawyers agreed with the prosecution to postpone the
case after it
became clear that the recorder, said to have been ordered from
Harare would
not arrive in time to continue with the case.
The
Bulawayo court’s own machine broke down on Tuesday during the trial of a
Hillside man accused of axing his wife death following a misunderstanding
over a phone call.
Court sources said the problem has also affected
four death row prisoners
who are entitled to an automatic Supreme Court
appeal.
The cases could not be referred to the higher court because their
trial
records could not be transcribed since the tapes are
inaudible.
The sources said the machines were last serviced some 10 years
ago.
Officials fear the court could find itself with a massive backlog
unless the
problem is addressed.
Twenty-five cases have been set down for
hearing in the criminal court this
term.
http://www.radiovop.com
Harare, May 09, 2012 -
Bilateral discussions between the European Union (EU)
and Zimbabwe on
Thursday in the Belgian capital Brussels will not dwell on
sanctions but
will be aimed at building trust and confidence, EU ambassador
to Zimbabwe
Aldo Dell'Ariccia said.
The talks come after initial contact between the
EU and the southern African
country in 2010 after years of poor
relations.
Dell'Ariccia told journalists on the eve of the EU day which
is commemorated
Wednesday across Europe member states that the EU hoped to
begin serious
political dialogue with Zimbabwe to restore
relations.
"The meeting should enhance our common understanding and help
build the
trust and confidence needed on both sides to move forward," he
said.
"The EU is keen to engage in a serious political dialogue with
Zimbabwe. We
trust that the meeting between the Zimbabwean Ministerial
Re-engagement team
and the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs,
Catherine Ashton, and
taking place on May 10 in Brussels will be
constructive and pave the way for
a process towards normalised
relations."
Cabinet members from President Robert Mugabe's Zanu (P)F
party have been
saying the meeting will center on sanctions slapped on
Mugabe and his senior
party officials in 2002 after violent and disputed
polls. Mugabe also kicked
out EU election observer leader team Pierre Schori
from the country.
Justice Minister Patrcik Chinamasa from Zanu (PF),
Ernegy Minister Elton
Mangoma from Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai's MDC
and Regional Integration
Minister Priscilla Misihairambwi-Mushonga from the
smaller MDC faction will
attend the meeting.
"The EU and its
member states are the biggest providers of development
assistance in the
world. In Zimbabwe, we have provided one billion USD in
development
assistance since 2009," said Dell 'Ariccia.
Meanwhile the ambassador
said trade between the EU and Zimbabwe has been
increasing since 2009 and is
worth over $870 million.
"We are happy to announce that Zimbabwe is part
of the first group of
African countries having subscribed to the interim
Economic Partnership
Agreement with the EU coming into effect on 14 May," EU
ambassador to
Zimbabwe," he said.
"The EU is already the second
largest trading partner to Zimbabwe and trade
has doubled since 2009, with
the large trade surplus to the benefit of
Zimbabwe. With this agreement
(EPA), Zimbabwe will continue enjoying tariff
and quota free access to the
European markets, while at the same time
benefitting from other advantages
like the protection of infant industry."
Last year, Zimbabwe exported
444 million Euros ($580 million) products to
the EU and imported goods worth
$200 million during the same year.
Some of the products imported by
the EU from Zimbabwe include cereals,
tobacco, flowers, beverages, paper,
plastics and rubber as well glass and
ceramics among other products.
http://www.timeslive.co.za
Sapa-AFP | 09 May, 2012 00:27
European
Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton is to meet three
ministers from
Zimbabwe tomorrow to discuss political reforms but a further
easing of
sanctions is unlikely, the organisation's official said
yesterday.
After easing sanctions against Zimbabwe in February, the
EU aims to express
"our encouragement of continuing political reforms", said
Ashton's
spokesman, Michael Mann.
The three ministers are from the
three main political parties in the
coalition government of President Robert
Mugabe and Prime Minister Morgan
Tsvangirai - Zanu-PF, MDC-T and
MDC-N.
In Harare, state media last weekend quoted Justice Minister
Patrick
Chinamasa, from Zanu-PF, as saying they hoped the talks would lead
to the
unconditional removal of EU sanctions.
http://www.examiner.com/
May 9,
2012
Andrew Moran
Harare - China continues to make its
presence known in parts of Africa,
including Zimbabwe. Many Chinese
companies and public officials are working
closely with their Zimbabwean
counterparts as the Asian economic powerhouse
persists in its African
investment.
Xin Shunkang, China’s Ambassador to Zimbabwe, spoke
during a public lecture
where he introduced a report titled “Outlook of
China’s Economy and
Sino-Zimbabwe Relation,” according to The Zimbabwean. It
looks at the level
of trade between the two nations and how much money has
been invested.
The Chinese Ambassador, who has served close to three
years, said the report
found that trade between the two nations has doubled
from $400 million to
$800 million in just two years, while also
strengthening political and
social relations.
Advertisement
In
the paper, it found that one of the most successful trade commodities is
tobacco. The Chinese government has also contributed more than $25 million
since 2009 to various Zimbabwean initiatives.
Before the end of
his term as Ambassador, Shunkang urged Zimbabwe to take
lessons from China,
which has transformed its economy in three decades. He
encouraged the
leadership to establish processing and production facilities
in 10 provinces
that would focus on key commodities, like beef, cotton and
tobacco.
Relaxed visas
Bernama.com reports that
Zimbabwe Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister
Walter Mzembi urged the
government to review its visa classifications and
requirements that would be
relaxed for Asian visitors.
The current system gives the European
Union important preference over
others.
“Visa conditions need to
be looked at,” said Mzembi. “The Asian countries
are our new friends,
business relations are growing from strength to
strength. We should reward
the friendship more practically.”
Food shortage
The
Zambian government confirmed that it has agreed to sell 300,000 tons of
corn
to its southern neighbor, which is suffering from intense food
shortages,
including corn.
Zambia’s state Food Reserve Agency said in a
statement the deal would reduce
the nation’s food surplus by 50 percent,
reports the Associated Press (via
BusinessWeek).
More than a
decade ago, Zimbabwe was the nation to export food to Zambia,
but since
President Robert Mugabe and his Zimbabwe African National
Union-Patriotic
Front (ZANU-PF) made it policy for white-owned farm owners,
and other
white-owned businesses, to give majority stake to the country’s
blacks, the
nation has suffered from many, many shortages and violence.
http://www.radiovop.com
Masvingo, Harare, May 09, 2012 - Riot police here
set dogs on Great Zimbabwe
University students arresting six for taking part
in a demonstration against
authorities for blocking them to hold Student
Representative Council (SRC)
elections.
The six are Amos Mutema,
Brian Chimwai, Simbarashe Muparure, Maxwell
Hlongwani, Christopher Chuma and
Terrence Moyo.
National treasurer of a national student body, Zinasu,
Zivanai Muzorodzi,
told Radio VOP that the whereabouts of the arrested
students were not known.
“I can confirm that six student leaders were
arrested at the
university...Armed police with dogs quashed our protests but
we will
continue to fight for our rights to have our voices heard,” he
said.
Muzorodzi said the students demonstrated after they were angered by
university authorities who barred them from holding elections until
President Robert Mugabe appoints a new Vice-Chancellor to replace Professor
Obert Maravanyika whose contract is expiring.
“We were not satisfied
with the reason for stopping our elections when our
constitution demands
election this semester. This is a way to silence us so
that our voices are
not heard while students’ rights are violated,” he said.
http://www.dailynews.co.zw
Written by Godfrey Mtimba
Wednesday, 09
May 2012 13:28
MASVINGO - Human rights groups here have lambasted
Zanu PF over recent
reports of political violence that rocked its district
coordinating
committee (DCC) elections.
One of the groups, Community
Tolerance and Reconciliation Development
(Cotrad), which works with
grassroots people to foster peace, said the
internal violence showed that
Zimbabwe could be headed for a bloodbath as
Zanu PF will shift focus to
fighting external rivals.
Cotrad director Gamuchirai Mukura said recent
ugly events of intra-party
violence by the former ruling party showed Zanu
PF had a penchant for
violence and blamed it for perpetrating violence
against other parties when
it came to national elections.
“I think
calls for polls this year should be opposed. What we saw in Zanu PF
DCC
elections shows us that political violence has been a culture for this
party. So the situation is likely to get worse when it faces other political
parties in general elections. I can foresee a bloodbath if elections are
called this year,” he said.
President Robert Mugabe and Zanu PF are
demanding that national elections be
held this year to end the fragile
“unity” government.
But other government partners from the two MDC
formations say current
conditions do not allow for a credible
poll.
Mukura said the violence showed tensions were still
high.
“We thought tolerance by now should have been part and parcel of
our society
but when people from the same party cannot tolerate each other
what do we
expect when they face rivals from other political parties?” he
added.
Masvingo Youths for Democracy president Arnold Batirai said the
DCC exposed
Zanu PF as the chief perpetrator of violence.
“This is a
clear sign to the people in the country that Zanu PF people have
been lying
and pointing fingers at other political parties when violence
resides in
that party. The recent violence exposed them. They are the ones
who
perpetrate and start violence during national polls. As rights groups,
we
feel the country does not need polls this year,” he said.
Batirai said
massive civic education programmes starting with Zanu PF
supporters needed
to be carried out before the polls.
“The country needs more time of civic
education particularly the Zanu PF
people,” he said.
http://www.thezimbabwemail.com/
By Staff Reporter 1 hour ago
HARARE
- Former Zanu PF Women’s League Political Commissar, Mrs Tracy
Mutinhiri has
joined the MDC-T.
MDC-T National Organisation Secretary, Mr Nelson
Chamisa confirmed that Mrs
Mutinhiri applied to the party’s leadership
requesting admission into the
party.
Mr Chamisa said the decision to
accept her was made on Monday this week.
Mutinhiri, a former Deputy
Minister of Labour and Social Services was
expelled from Zanu PF after she
was found guilty of violating the
constitution and failing to be loyal to
the party as well as failing to
conduct herself honestly and honourably in
her dealings with the public,
thereby bringing her former party into
disrepute.
http://www.swradioafrica.com/
By Lance Guma
09 May
2012
A visit to Zimbabwe by popular Nigerian prophet Temitope Balogun
Joshua (TB
Joshua) appeared in doubt, after pro-ZANU PF church leaders were
wheeled out
by the state media to make claims that he was not welcome in the
country and
that his teachings were allegedly “judgmental, partisan and
unorthodox.”
At the centre of the story is the fact that Prime Minister
Morgan Tsvangirai
reportedly invited TB Joshua to be the guest speaker at
the National Day of
Prayer set for May 25, on Africa Day. Many in ZANU PF
believe Tsvangirai
will benefit politically from the visit and appear
determined to block it at
all costs.
On Wednesday the ZANU PF
controlled Herald newspaper published interviews
with church leaders who are
well known party apologists. Bishop Trevor
Manhanga who leads the
Pentecostal Assemblies of Zimbabwe was quoted as
saying TB Joshua had no
power to change the political landscape in Zimbabwe.
Manhanga claimed
Tsvangirai’s political fortunes would not be shaped by TB
Joshua or any
“artefacts” received from him.
“Nigeria is in turmoil and Christians are
being bombed but he is doing
nothing. I personally do not think TB Joshua
can influence the Zimbabwe
political landscape. Those who think so are
indulging in wishful thinking.
The leadership of the nation of Zimbabwe will
be determined by God Almighty
not TB Joshua,” Manhanga said.
The
Bishop also said: “Those who visit him in Nigeria should know that the
water
they are given has no significance here and will not serve as a lucky
charm
to bring them power political or otherwise. I have questions about
some of
his prophecies because I do not think that God is particularly
interested in
the outcome of football games and this has no edification
value for the
people.”
Evangelical Fellowship of Zimbabwe president and spokesperson Dr
Goodwill
Shana was also quoted saying God should not be used for partisan
purposes.
“Of course we do not have the immigration powers to ban him,
but we have
never invited him as churches. We think it is important to get
people who
can help the country to move forward not people who are
judgmental,” Dr
Shana said.
“People have a right to believe what they
want, but it is difficult to
believe a Word of God that comes on a partisan
basis. We don’t want
judgmental teachings, that is why we don’t subscribe to
his teachings,” Dr
Shana added.
In February this year TB Joshua set
tongues wagging in Zimbabwe after his
prophecy that an African leader would
die within 60 days. Although he did
not specify the location, Zimbabwe was
abuzz with speculation given Mugabe’s
ailing health and frequent trips to
Singapore for treatment.
It eventually came to pass that Malawian
president Bingu Wa Mutharika died
of a heart attack, not long after the
prophecy.
But TB Joshua has since made another prophecy that another old
African
president will fall critically ill and be hospitalised. These
prophecies are
not going down well with ZANU PF given Mugabe’s health and
surrounding
speculation.
Last year, leaked US diplomatic cables
quoted central bank Governor Gideon
Gono telling the American Ambassador
that doctors had told Mugabe he had
prostrate cancer and could die in 2013.
It’s easy to see why ZANU PF are
uncomfortable with a visit from TB Joshua,
especially at Tsvangirai’s
invitation.
Given complaints from church
leaders aligned to ZANU PF that TB Joshua is
“judgmental, partisan and
unorthodox”, it appears hypocritical that none of
them said a word last week
when ex-communicated Anglican Bishop, Nolbert
Kunonga claimed that
Tsvangirai was a sell-out who should not be voted into
power.
A
report by the Zimbabwean newspaper quotes Kunonga saying;
“MDC-T and its
western puppet, Morgan Tsvangirai, are agents of doom
fighting to reverse
the land reform programme and hand back land to the
former colonial white
masters. Tsvangirai is also very much against the
indigenisation and black
empowerment programme,” the report reads.
“He wants to deny Zimbabweans
their birthright to the country’s natural
resources. Tsvangirai together
with other people of his warped thinking
should be flushed down the sewerage
system come next elections,” ranted
Kunonga. He urged people to go ahead and
grab land still in the hands of
white commercial farmers.
“You are
sons and daughters of the soil and should not hesitate to regain
land which
rightfully belongs to you. Whites like other aliens should not be
allowed to
own land and other properties in the country as they are
strangers,” Kunonga
said.
He also said: “Tsvangirai is a white man masked in black skin. He
is like
the Biblical Pharaoh who enjoyed the suffering and economic
deprivation of
his own people. On the other hand, Mugabe is the Biblical
Daniel, sent to
suffer for the cause of his people.”
Kunonga even
boasted that he was the first to seize Anglican Church
buildings and other
assets in Zimbabwe, Zambia and Malawi, starting in 2000.
“I took 3 800
church properties in the region since their title deeds were
in my name.
There was no way the properties could remain under charge of the
church
controlled by whites and their black puppets. Bishops such as Julius
Makoni,
Chad Gandiwa and others are MDC-T and furthered western interests,”
he
said.
“Churches should protect Mugabe’s indigenisation policies, no
matter the
cost. This world is not for cowards and as Christians; we must
gear
ourselves for a bloody war against white interests.
“Those who
participate in the land grab and future seizure of mines and
other
properties in the hands of aliens, will definitely enter the kingdom
of God.
The Prime Minister is good for nothing and only helped to ensure
whites take
back land and other natural resources from the black majority.
“Elections
will give Zimbabweans the opportunity to choose between good
(Mugabe) and
death (Tsvangirai). Vote wisely. I am a professor in my own
right and would
rate Mugabe’s governance as ‘very good’,” Kunonga claimed.
http://www.thezimbabwean.co.uk
Thousands of Zimbabwean refugees
face a bleak future following a decision to
close down the Cape Town Refugee
Reception Office that has been holding
them, The Zimbabwe has
learnt.
09.05.1203:33pm
by Mkhululi Chimoio
The Department of
Home Affairs’s Maitland Refugee Reception office has met
with Civil Society
Organisations (CSOs) and announced that it received a 30
day notice from an
undisclosed landlord for the cessation of the Cape Town
reception centre
lease by the end of May.
Scalabrini, Black Sash and Passop, the CSOs, are
concerned that the imminent
closure of the Cape Town Refugee Reception
Office is going to disturb the
refugees and asylum seekers who would have to
be relocated, and blamed the
Department of Home Affairs (DHA) for the
development.
“We find it very worrying that the Department is
systematically trying to
close down refugee reception offices without
putting any infrastructure in
place to deal with new or existing applicants
living in and dependent on the
support available in metropolitan areas,’’
said Nyembezi Nkosikhulule of
Black Sash..
In May 2010, the South
African High Court ruled in favour of the eviction of
the Maitland Reception
Office residents after local businesses complained
that the office
constituted a public nuisance.
Miranda Madikane of Scalabrini Centre
lashed out at DHA for failing to
commit to issues relating to
refugees.
“It is a disgrace that already traumatised people should be
treated with
such disregard. To close an office suddenly, and without proper
notice or
consultation, shows a complete lack of compassion and respect for
the basic
rights of our most vulnerable members of society,” said
Madikane.
PASSOP’s Braam Hanekom urged DHA to engage their legal teams to
instantly
stop the impending closure of the centre.
“We request the
Department of Home Affairs to urgently explore all the
viable legal options
in order to guarantee the continuation of the services
provided by the
Maitland Refugee Office.
‘‘A sudden closure of the Cape Town Refugee
Reception Centre would have
enormous and unpredictable repercussions on
those refugees and asylum
seekers who access the office on a daily basis,”
Hanekom said.
However, Legal Resource Centre, a non-profit organisation
providing legal
services to vulnerable community members, has expressed
their willingness to
provide help in negotiating with the landlord and
opposing the eviction of
the Reception Office.
“An immediate solution
needs to be found and we call upon the DHA to adhere
to their legal
obligations to properly document refugees and asylum seekers.
The state has
a moral and legal duty to uphold the Constitutional right of
everyone,
including refugees, to administrative justice,” said the
organisation.
South Africa holds around 1.5 million Zimbabweans who
fled
political-economic crisis in the last decade, and a substantial number
of
these refugees and asylum seekers are held in reception centres.
