Mugabe faces revolt over polls

http://www.timeslive.co.za

May 14, 2011 1:52 PM | By ZOLI MANGENA

President Robert Mugabe faces a rebellion within his bickering Zanu-PF over
the politburo's controversial resolution this week to railroad the country
into early elections.

The politburo decision on Wednesday has put Mugabe on a collision course
with senior Zanu-PF officials, including ministers and MPs opposed to
elections this year as they want to finish their five-year tenures.

The decision has also put Mugabe on a confrontational path with Southern
African Development Community and African Union leaders ahead of the
extraordinary summit in Windhoek, Namibia, on May 20.

The SADC and the AU are the guarantors of the Global Political Agreement,
the basis of the Government of National Unity.

Insiders said Mugabe bullied his politburo members into reluctantly
endorsing the party's national conference resolution last December to hold
elections this year without fail.

Mugabe, 87, plagued by health problems and old age, wants elections when he
can still sustain a gruelling campaigning schedule.

However, Zanu-PF negotiators, Patrick Chinamasa and Nicholas Goche, agreed
with their counterparts from MDC-T, Tendai Biti and Elton Mangoma, and
MDC-N's Priscilla Misihairabwi-Mushonga and Moses Mzila Ndlovu last week in
Cape Town that there would not be elections this year. This was agreed in
the presence of SA President Jacob Zuma's envoys Mac Maharaj, Charles
Nqakula and Lindiwe Zulu.

Zulu later said "totally and categorically there would no election in
Zimbabwe in 2011". She said the politburo decision was irrelevant to the
SADC process.

A senior Zanu-PF official said several senior party officials were angry at
the direction Mugabe was taking the party. One official said this had
created conditions for a "revolt" in the party and "self-destruction".

"The president clearly stated on Wednesday that elections are coming this
year without fail. He said we must uphold the decision made in Mutare last
year. No one opposed him; in fact everybody supported him on this," the
official said. "What this means is that by all means necessary elections are
coming this year but the danger is that we are going to divide the party. So
many people don't want to be rushed into elections and this has created new
divisions and a rebellious mood in the party".

Mugabe has the support of a clique of die-hard state security service chiefs
under the Joint Operations Command (JOC), party heavyweight Emmerson
Mnangagwa and a handful of members who want to push for elections.

Chinamasa, who initially agreed that polls would not be possible this year,
was browbeaten at the politburo over his recent remarks that "it is not
possible to hold elections this year."

Mugabe confronted him on Wednesday and demanded an explanation of his
remarks. The Zanu-PF chief negotiator said "it was his personal opinion"
based on inadequate preparations, logistics and funding problems. He is said
to have climbed down to avoid confrontation but remains convinced elections
should be delayed, a view shared by many party officials.

Zanu-PF officials opposed to elections fear a repeat of 2008 when the party
lost control of parliament for the first time in 28 years and Mugabe
suffered a humiliating first-round defeat to Tsvangirai.

Tsvangirai insisted on Thursday that there would be no elections this year
without a road map because "we don't want to slide back to 2008". The Prime
Minister has repeatedly said Mugabe cannot call for elections without
consulting him under the GPA.

Another Zanu-PF official said: "There is serious discontent in the party
over this issue because some of us think this is clear political suicide. We
can't afford to go to early elec-tions divided and weak as we are."

Tsvangirai reaches out to war veterans and security chiefs

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

May 14, 2011 1:58 PM | By SIMPLICIUS CHIRINDA

Zimbabwe Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai says he is ready to engage the
country's security chiefs and war veterans to address their fears and
concerns as a way of bringing an end to the country's long-drawn-out crisis.

The security chiefs, made up of the army, police, secret service and air
force, have in the past vowed that they will not recognise anyone who does
not have a liberation war history as the country's president.

The role of the security sector in the country's politics is one of the
remaining sticking points in the country's negotiations towards an electoral
road map and analysts believe it is a delicate issue which needs to be
handled carefully if the country is to have a soft landing from the current
crisis.

Tsvangirai said he is open to dialogue on the issue.

"How do you address the concerns of the victims of violence but at the same
time address the fears of the perpetrators? You have to balance the two. If
you only want to look at the victims and say we are going to address the
concerns of the victims and you ignore the fears of the perpetrators of that
violence, you will not have a solution to the crisis or a soft landing out
of it," said Tsvangirai while addressing a public meeting on Thursday in
Harare.

"At this stage we have to have an accommodation mentality of both the
concerns of the victims and fears of the perpetrators."

Analysts believe securocrats, who are blamed for fanning political violence,
are reluctant to have a new person in the seat of power because of growing
fears of being arraigned before the International Criminal Court of Justice
in The Hague.

Recent examples of officials in the Kenyan government who have been taken
before the court have increased the fears.

In a sign that he was preparing to reach out to veterans of the country's
liberation war, Tsvangirai said: "Like all nations which respect veterans,
they must do everything to make sure they don't suffer the indignities that
go with liberating this country for the second time.

"It is very important to look after veterans for the sake of the future. We
owe it to those who are still alive, we must provide them with the necessary
support."

Tsvangirai said if his party forms the next government, he will ensure that
no one harbours feelings of revenge for past misdeeds.

"We are grappling with so many traumas, our liberation struggle was not
easy. We went through that trauma - Gukurahundi was not easy, the
Murambatsvina was not easy, and the violence against the opposition
political parties was not easy. In finding a solution to that trauma we need
balance," Tsvangirai said.

"You cannot have balance as a nation if we say an eye for an eye. If we do
that, we will all be blind."

Tsvangirai also said it is impossible for the country to have elections this
year, describing fresh talks of an early election by Zanu-PF as "misguided"
and "senseless". He emphasised that the Global Political Agreement (GPA)
cannot last beyond 2013.

He said the country can only have elections after the conclusion of the
country's road map, which is currently under discussion among the
negotiators of the country's three main political parties.

He said it is crucial that the constitutional process be concluded and a
referendum be held after which a reasonable amount of time should be given
to allow the new constitution to take effect.

"There is no time frame for elections and no specific date and it will be
impossible for anyone to say by August so and so we will have elections,"
Tsvangirai said.

"The only possible time frame to set for an election is 2012 and I am being
optimistic about that."

Zanu(PF) Rebuilds Structures As MDC Penetrates Its Strongholds

http://www.radiovop.com

15/05/2011 16:55:00

HURUNGWE, May 15, 2011- Zanu (PF) is reported to have deployed its officials
and some elements from the military to revive and verify its structures
which are said to be under threat as the Movement for Democratic Change
(MDC) continues to gain access into the strongholds of the former ruling
party.

Sources close to Zanu(PF) leadership in Hurungwe told Radio Vop that teams
covering Hurungwe were deployed at the weekend and the party structures
indicate that there is more that needs to be done before elections. Zanu
(PF) says it wants elections to be held this year despite objections from
its partners in the coalition government, the two MDC formations.
" A lot of work needs to be done to restructure the party as there are more
ghost members within the party and the verification has caught us unprepared
as our rural support dwindles.We are fighting a loosing battle to get rural
support '' said one source.
The audit and verification process is being spearheaded by top army
officers.The party’s  acting provincial chairman senator Reuben Marumahoko
confirmed that the party is carrying out audit of its structures.
" We  have been mandated by the politburo to do so and we are on the ground
to know our members. Elections are going ahead and we are all geared for
that .'' he told our correspondent in the area.
Marumahoko refused to comment on the alleged involvement of the army in the
party restructuring.Other parties that form part of the unity government,
MDC-T and MDC-N have always accused some army officers of doing Zanu (PF)
work instead of protecting the nation.Army commanders are on record as
saying they will never salute Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai.
They openly pledged their loyalty to Zanu(PF) and President Robert Mugabe.

'Zanu-PF doesn't have the divine right to rule'

http://www.timeslive.co.za

Tsvangirai determined to change the culture of governance
May 14, 2011 2:02 PM | By HARARE CORRESPONDENT

Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai says President Robert Mugabe's Zanu-PF
naïvely believes it has the "divine right" to rule Zimbabwe.

Launching the Pan-African Policy Dialogue Forum in Harare, Tsvangirai said
this week that Zanu-PF's entrenched positions made it impossible to attain a
national vision that transcended party politics.

Despite its commitments within the Global Political Agreement, the Southern
African Development Community-brokered power-sharing pact, Zanu-PF had made
it blatantly obvious in the past two years - and in the previous decades -
that it believed it had the sole mandate to govern, even in the absence of a
mandate from the people, he said.

"That party portrays any attack on its unjustified, unsustainable and
violent grip on power as an attack on the state of Zimbabwe. Such a
destructive mentality spells disaster for our nation and its people,"
Tsvangirai said. "That is why I am determined to fight to change the culture
of governance in this country. To bring about an environment where
incumbents stand down gracefully if they lose an election and where the
people's right to determine their own future, as well as who governs them,
is so deeply entrenched in our society that it becomes as normal and natural
as breathing," he said.

The MDC-T leader outpolled Mugabe in the bloody 2008 presidential elections,
but the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC), then headed by a former soldier
George Chiweshe, ruled Tsvangirai had not garnered more than 50% of the
votes cast to be declared the president.

The ZEC then ordered a presidential run-off which was boycotted by
Tsvangirai, who cited state-sponsored violence which he said claimed the
lives of more than 300 of his supporters.

Mugabe went on to win the one-man race, which was declared a sham by SADC,
the African Union and the international community, leading to the
appointment of the shaky government of national unity.

Tsvangirai said he would stand up against propagandists that continued to
blame others outside Zimbabwe for the ills Zimbabweans "face inside".

"I will continue to stand against looters who plunder our national riches
and subsequently starve our civil service, our health and education
facilities.

"I, and the party I represent, believe in broad-based empowerment of the
ordinary person - and that is why we have a different interpretation of what
the so-called indigenisation regulations are all about."

Broad-based empowerment was what the MDC-T believed in, and not the looting,
expropriation or nationalisation by the elite , he said. "So we will take a
strong position against expropriation in the national interest, beyond the
narrow party politics of rhetoric and patronage of our coalition partners.

"And I will continue to speak out against those within our government who
hide behind badly worded and illegally implemented legislation to take
investments and assets that do not belong to them."

There has been a stampede by the Zanu-PF elite to seize foreign-owned firms,
especially mines, as Mugabe pushes ahead with his black economic empowerment
campaign which critics view as a campaign gimmick for fresh elections he
wants held this year.

Tsvangirai said only when his party had eradicated "these selfish and
nationally self-destructive tendencies" could Zimbabwe begin to rise above
party politics and develop and implement a vision.

"But I want to remain positive that the people's aspirations for the
political leadership to go beyond party politics will be achieved within our
lifetime.

"The unity by MPs from the two MDC formations and our friends in Zanu-PF to
defend the people's will by acting in common purpose to re-elect Lovemore
Moyo as Speaker of the House of Assembly shows it is possible to work
towards a common purpose," he said.

Zimbabwe stable, peaceful, Mugabe tells regional peers

http://www.gulf-times.com/

Sunday15/5/2011May, 2011

AFP/Harare

Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe has written to his Angolan counterpart
insisting that his country is stable and peaceful, state media said
yesterday, ahead of a regional summit on Harare’s political tensions.
The 15-nation Southern African Development Community meets next week in
Namibia, where Mugabe will try to ease pressure on him after the regional
bloc’s security organ chastised him in March for failing to rein in
political violence.
Zimbabwe Defence Minister Emmerson Mnangagwa, a close Mugabe ally, delivered
the letter on Friday at a meeting with Angolan Vice President Fernando da
Piedade Dias dos Santos, the state-run Jornal de Angola said.
“The country is stable, and everything is happening in a peaceful
environment,” he said after the meeting, according to the paper.
Mnangagwa also said that Mugabe has “very good” relations with Prime
Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, his rival and partner in a fragile unity
government.
Mugabe came under unusually direct pressure from the regional bloc at a
security summit in March, when leaders issued a thinly veiled rebuke at the
ageing liberation leader for failing to stop political violence and dragging
out the process of drafting a new constitution.
After that summit, Mugabe dropped calls for holding new elections this year
to replace the unity government.
The summit next Friday in Windhoek is expected to follow up on Zimbabwe’s
efforts to jump-start the constitutional process, and to examine the
political deadlock in Madagascar.

Zimbabwe threatens foreign banks over empowerment

http://af.reuters.com/

Sun May 15, 2011 4:28pm GMT

By Cris Chinaka

HARARE (Reuters) - Zimbabwe's central bank said it planned to take punitive
measures against foreign-owned banks that resist demands to transfer
majority shareholding to local blacks under a controversial empowerment
policy.

President Robert Mugabe's ZANU-PF is pushing plans to force all foreign
companies to cede controlling stakes to blacks, a policy which his rival
Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai has denounced as "looting and plunder" by a
greedy elite.

Analysts say the move is likely to discourage foreign investment in the
recovering economy.

In an interview with the official Sunday Mail newspaper, Reserve Bank of
Zimbabwe (RBZ) Governor Gideon Gono said the government was in consultation
on how to handle the empowerment programme for the financial sector.

Gono did not say whether foreign banks had submitted plans to comply with
empowerment laws but urged them to do so.

Gono was unavailable for comment on Sunday. He gave no details of timeframes
or what the RBZ's punitive measures would be, but appeared to suggest
licences could be withdrawn.

LICENCES

"In my next monetary statement (expected in July), I will announce punitive
measures we will be taking as a central bank against those banks showing
signs of reluctance to comply.

"We cannot be having licences held by institutions that choose to be
selective when it comes to which laws of the country to comply with and
which ones not to."

Gono said Zimbabwe's banking sector was generally in a healthy state but
could be threatened by a loss of staff at the central bank, where hundreds
have applied to leave because of depleted resources, low wages and poor
working conditions.

The central bank retrenched 75 percent of its staff early this year and Gono
said most of the remaining 530 wanted to go, which would leave it "facing
closure" and unable to competently supervise the financial sector.

Foreign-owned banks in Zimbabwe include Barclays Bank, Standard Chartered
Bank and Stanbic Zimbabwe -- a subsidiary of South Africa's Standard Bank.

Foreign mining companies in Zimbabwe have up to September 30 to comply with
a law requiring them to surrender at least 51 percent of their local equity
to black investors.

Miners include AngloPlat and Implats, the largest platinum producers in the
world and mining giant Rio Tinto, which runs a diamond mine.

Central bank head queries whether Zimbabwe can afford an election

http://www.monstersandcritics.com

May 15, 2011, 15:51 GMT

Harare - The time might not be ripe for an election in Zimbabwe given the
current economic situation, the head of the country's central bank told a
Sunday newspaper.

'In deciding when and whether or not to hold elections, a fine balance may
need to be struck between the twin objectives of politics and the economy,'
Gideon Gono told the Sunday Mail, which is close to President Robert
Mugabe's Zanu(PF) party.

Gono, seen as a Mugabe ally, said decisiveness was key and that the Southern
African country's economy would be harmed by a period of 'guesswork.'

'Put differently, the economy favours no elections for now while political
dynamics and imperatives may favour or dictate otherwise,' he said.

Gono confirmed a statement by Finance Minister Tendai Biti last month that
Zimbabwe was unable to budget the funds needed for elections.

Zimbabwe's economy has shown a recovery since Mugabe and Prime Minister
Morgan Tsvangirai formed a fragile coalition government two years ago.

Banks face huge crisis

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

May 14, 2011 12:32 PM | By ZOLI MANGENA

Scramble as mining giant RioZim fails to settle loans

Banking executives are in a panic after revelations that several Zimbabwean
banks, already suffering liquidity problems, have been exposed as a result
of the failure by mining giant Rio-Zim to settle loans of $50-million.

Many banking executives who spoke to the Sunday Times expressed fears that
reports of RioZim's financial crisis would trigger depositors into stampede
withdrawals, something which could collapse the country's already struggling
financial institutions.

Official documents on the state of the banking sector, which were seen by
the Sunday Times, show it is still experiencing serious problems, including
liquidity, non-performing loans and poor corporate governance
vulnerabilities. Some banks are also failing to pay their statutory
reserves.

Finance Minister Tendai Biti said the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe would soon
audit all banks' statutory capital requirements, after a three-week probe
into ReNaissance Merchant Bank's operations had exposed a $16.5-million
financial gap.

The International Monetary Fund recently said of Zimbabwe "a sizeable fiscal
financing gap projected for 2011, an inefficient composition of public
expenditure, persistent financial sector vulnerabilities, and weaknesses in
the business climate, including the recently announced fast-track
indigenisation of the mining sector, weigh heavily on growth and poverty
reduction prospects".

Bankers interviewed on Friday said the RioZim crisis has hit the banking
sector badly, raising the spectre of the 2004 bank failures and closures. A
number of banks were closed in 2004 due to liquidity problems and
mismanagement.

"The RioZim situation has shaken the banking sector. The media is fuelling
the crisis by publishing reports which will spring depositors into a panic
mood and lead to a flight of deposits," a senior official said.

Another banking executive said: "There is a problem, if we are not careful
we may very soon see a run on the banks - and this will create upheavals in
the financial services sector and the economy similar to those of 2004".

RioZim Ltd, previously Rio Tinto Zimbabwe Limited, is a Zimbabwe-based
mining company. It is engaged in the production of gold and coal as well as
refining of nickel and copper.

The company has three major operations, Renco Gold Mine in Masvingo in the
southeast of Zimbabwe, Empress Nickel Refinery in Kadoma, a producer of coal
in central Zimbabwe, and a 50% stake in Sengwa Colliery in Gokwe North. It
has also invested in diamond mining, through Murowa Mine, located in the
southeast, in which RioZim holds a 22% stake.

In 2009, RioZim produced 708kg of gold, 5002 tons of nickel and 3842 tons of
copper, and Murowa Mine provided 162011 carats of rough diamonds. RioZim Ltd
separated from Rio Tinto Plc in 2004.

Reports in a leading business weekly said on Friday more than half a dozen
banks are exposed through RioZim's debt. The Sunday Times saw documents
showing a number of banks were exposed.

The banks in trouble over the Rio Zim crisis include Trust Banking
Corporation, Tetrad ZB Bank, Premier Banking Corporation, BancAbc, IDBZ,
Metropolitan Bank, Imara Corporate Finance, African Export and Import Bank,
ReNaissance Merchant Bank, and other institutions.

RBZ urges gold-backed Zim dollar

http://www.newzimbabwe.com

15/05/2011 00:00:00
    by Business Reporter

THE central bank says the country must consider adopting a gold-backed
Zimbabwean dollar warning that the US greenback’s days as the world’s
reserve currency are numbered.

Government ditched the Zimbabwe dollar in 2009 after it had been rendered
worthless by record inflation levels and adopted multiple foreign currencies
with the US dollar, the South African Rand and the Botswana being the most
widely used.

Finance minister Tendai Biti says the country needs at least six months
import cover and a sustainable track-record of economic growth, inflation
stability and above 60 percent capacity utilisation in industry before the
Zim dollar can be brought back into circulation.
However central bank chief, Dr Gideon Gono said the country should consider
adopting a gold-backed currency.

“There is a need for us to begin thinking seriously and urgently about
introducing a Gold-backed Zimbabwe currency which will not only stable but
internationally acceptable,” he said in an interview with state media.

“We need to re-think our gold-mining strategy, our gold-liberalisation and
marketing strategies as a country. The world needs to and will most
certainly move to a gold standard and Zimbabwe must lead the way.”

Gono said the inflationary effects of United States’ deficit financing of
its budget was likely to impact other countries to leading to a resistance
of the green back as a base currency.

“The events of the 2008 Global Financial Crisis demand a new approach to
self reliance and a stable mineral-backed currency and to me, Gold has
proven over the years that it is a stable and most desired precious metal,”
Gono said.

“Zimbabwe is sitting on trillions worth of gold-reserves and it is time we
start thinking outside the box, for our survival and prosperity.”

Chinese to pay for spy centre

http://www.thezimbabwean.co.uk/

Written by Staff Reporter
Sunday, 15 May 2011 10:39

HARARE - The Chinese are pumping $98million into the completion of the
military intelligence base being built at Chitamba Farm in Mazowe Valley.
Defence minister Emerson Mnangagwa has told Parliament that the Chinese
would challenge the money through Treasury for the completion of the Robert
Mugabe School of Intelligence.
He told the Senate this week that the "$98million loan" was "for the
construction of the college which is ideal for addressing the current global
challenges”. It is not clear how and when the money is to be repaid by the
government of Zimbabwe.
“The college will provide senior military officers with intellectual tools
to address complex defence and national security challenges which in turn
will contribute to national security,” said Mnangagwa.
“Construction of the National Defence College is now underway and we hope to
complete the project in the next three years. This college will act as a
think tank for providing research on military, defence and national security
for the National Security Council, Ministry of Defence and other government
organizations.” But he also said only invited candidates would be enrolled –
which is  unsurprising given Zanu (PF)’s penchant for absolute control of
all forms of power and information.
Construction started in 2007.
A mid-ranking intelligence source told The Zimbabwean that the College,
which will recruit from the entire SADC region, would produce Cryptologic
Linguists, Signals Intelligence Analysts, Human Intelligence Collectors,
Military Intelligence (MI) Systems Maintainers and Integrators,
Counterintelligence Agents, Imagery Analysts, Common Ground Station (CGS)
Analysts, Intelligence Analysts, Signals Collectors or Analysts. And all
this expertise will be provided by Chinese instructors.
Mugabe has said in the past that the country can no longer afford to rely on
"mediocre officers" to counter the "growing threat" to his rule.
The College will reportedly offer a Bachelor of Science in Intelligence and
a Master of Science in Strategic Intelligence and is poised to annually
award both graduate and undergraduate degrees in Intelligence. It will work
closely with the Political Administration division at the University of
Zimbabwe.
The loan underlines China's growing foothold on Zimbabwe, where it is
heavily involved in mining diamonds and chrome, as well as in the retail
sector.

IATA suspends Air Zim over debt

http://www.newzimbabwe.com

15/05/2011 00:00:00
    by Staff Reporter

THE International Air Transport Association (IATA) says it has suspended Air
Zimbabwe from international financial and flight booking services over a
US$280,000 debt.

In a statement, the world aviation control body told travel agents to
"immediately stop all ticketing and refund transactions" for Air Zimbabwe
after the debt ridden airline failed to pay the debt which is for worldwide
billing and ticketing fees.

The airline still can fly using only its own facilities, but will suffer a
sharp drop in bookings by passengers who are not Zimbabwean nationals.

Air Zimbabwe's general manager for Europe David Mwenga said Sunday that the
bulk of the debt to IATA was incurred during a month-long strike by pilots
last month.

He said Air Zimbabwe had to rebook its passengers on other airlines at
higher fares, and the national carrier had to remit the short-fall to IATA
for onward transmission.
However, the national carrier says it has since engaged IATA to negotiate a
payment plan.

"We have been engaged in discussions with IATA since last week, and we are
very keen to get this resolved," Mwenga said, revealing that more than 50
percent of their customers booked through travel agents.
"You can expect a resolution as early as Monday."

Refugee anguish at border

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

May 14, 2011 2:26 PM | By VLADIMIR MZACA

Already-stressed Somalis and other displaced Africans locked in
disease-infested prison at Beitbridge en route to SA

More than a hundred Somalis and other refugees from the Horn of Africa are
holed up at the disease-infested Beitbridge prison.

They were caught by Zimbabwean police trying to cross into South Africa a
fortnight ago.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) says an increasing
number of Somalis are fleeing their country amid a deteriorating security
situation, with 50000 arriving in other African states in the first quarter
of this year compared to 23000 in the same period last year .

Most have settled in Kenyan refugee camps, but some have gone further south
to settle in enticing South Africa.

En route to South Africa, some refugees go through Zimbabwe, entering trough
the northern Nyamapanda border post . However, their journey through
Zimbabwe is at risk of contracting disease, with some being admitted to
Beitbridge Hospital with suspected cases of malaria. So far one has died.

"Ten refugees have been admitted at Beitbridge Hospital suffering from what
is thought to be malaria. Unfortunately one died at a police station before
being taken to hospital. He had malaria tablets with him," said Chief
Superintendent Hosiah Mukombero, the commander of the Beitbridge police.

Those who had been arrested were taken to the prison at Beitbridge, where
they are waiting to be transported to Tongogara refugee camp. The camp has
more than 1800 refugees from all over Africa.

According to immigration sources, the Somali refugees are easy to notice
because of their "distinct appearance" in this part of the region. They say
that is why it was easy for South African immigration officials to send back
to Zimbabwe a group of about 100 Somalis.

The UNHCR says in a recently published policy document that the working
environment for refugees in Zimbabwe "is strained".

"The challenging economic and political environment places constraints on
the implementation of humanitarian programmes in Zimbabwe. With most
refugees restricted to Tongogara camp, the possibilities for moving away
from dependence on humanitarian assistance and towards self-reliance are
limited.

"Ongoing conflict in the region, especially in the east of the Democratic
Republic of Congo and Somalia, will likely continue to generate
asylum-seekers, which may strain the capacity of the Zimbabwe government and
UNHCR to fully address their needs," the organisation said.

Sending refugees back from South Africa puts a strain on Zimbabwe's
capacity, especially at a time of political uncertainty .

The spokesperson for South Africa's Home Affairs, Ronnie Mamoepa, said this
week his country has to uphold international law when dealing with refugees.
"International law stipulates that for us to take in these refugees, they
should have to be registered by the first country that receives them when
they flee their homeland.

"It means they should have handed themselves to authorities in the first
country they got to after fleeing Somalia. From there they can work on
applying for asylum, and we would address the situation. At the moment these
people do not even have identification particulars so there is no reason why
we should take them in," he said.

The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) has come to the
assistance of the refugees. "IOM has come in to assist the refugee
situation," said Simon Muleya, of the Civil Protection Unit at Beitbridge.

IOM sources say the organisation had donated blankets to the refugees when
they were stranded at the border.

Earlier this week IOM took food to the refugees at the Beitbridge prison.
IOM had also offered to transport the refugees to the Tongogara refugee camp
but they denied the assistance.

"They refused to be taken to Tongogara because of a communication breakdown.

"They were insufficiently informed, they thought we would take them back
where they came from," the source said.

"However, communication has not been that bad. There was a man who could
speak English in the first group, and also one who could speak Swahili, I
think they got the Swahili guy in Kenya.

"And at Beitbridge there is a police officer who can speak Swahili and that
made it easier," the IOM source said.

Somalia remains one of the countries which generates the highest number of
refugees and internally displaced people in the world. An estimated 1.4
million Somalis are displaced within Africa, while 680000 more live overseas
as refugees.

Zanu (PF) Leaders Cling To Farms Acquired During Land Grab

http://www.radiovop.com/

15/05/2011 17:16:00

BULAWAYO, May 15, 2011- Scores of senior Zanu (PF) officials, including
close family members of President Robert Mugabe continue to cling to
multiple farms which they obtained free of charge under the controversial
land reform programme.

According to documents in possession of Radio Vop, powerful Zanu (PF)
politicians, some of whom were named in the controversial Flora Buka Land
Audit Report had still not come forward to give up their ill-gotten
properties.Previous government attempts to reclaim some of the farms
appeared to be targeted at only small plot holders under the fast-track A1
resettlement scheme while the commercial model under which a number of Zanu
(PF) heavy weighs and business people connected to the former ruling party
acquired scores of farms free of charge has been largely left unruffled.

President Mugabe and his close family members lead the pack of influential
people who have benefitted from the chaotic and controversial land reform
programme. Mugabe himself is alleged to be the proud owner of 13 farms while
his close relatives, wife and in- laws own a total of 26 farms. Some of the
farms owned by Mugabe include Gushungo Estates, (Mazowe), Gushungo Dairies
(Mazowe) Iron Mask Estate (Mazowe) Sigaru farm (Mazowe) Gwebi Wood (Mazowe)
Gwinha farm (Banket), Highfield farm (Norton) Cressydale Estate (Norton )
and John O’ Groat farm in Norton.

Some of the president’s close relatives who own multiple farms are Leo
Mugabe, Nyangadza farm (Mhangura),  ,Journey’s End (Makonde) and Diandra
farm in Mashonaland West. Reward Marufu, Mugabe’s wife cousin owns Leopards
Vlei (Glendale),  Kachere farm (Mazowe), Grace Mugabe , Smithfiled
Extension (Mazowe and Iron Mask farm also in Mazowe.The late Mugabe’s sister
Sabina had five farms. The farms are Mimosa of Lembwe in Makonde, Gowrie
farm in Norton, Golden Stairs and Audley End in Mashonaland West.

The Minister of Youth Development and Indigenisation Saviour Kasukuwere also
owns four farms while Local government minister, Ignatius Morgan Chombo owns
three farms. Kasukuwere owns Harmony farm, Pimento (Mazowe), Conucorpia
farm, (Mazowe), Bretton farm and Bamboo Creek in Shamva. Chombo owns Allan
Grange farm in Raffingora, Oldham farm in Chegutu and Shingwiri farm also in
Chegutu.

Mines Minister Obert Mpofu owns five farms in Matabeleland .Mpofu’s farms
are Umguza Block 39, Umguza 40, Umguza 41,Auchenbery of Rochester and Young
farm in Nyamandlovu.This development has prompted a vociferous outcry from
the former white commercial farmers, landless peasants and other disaffected
groups whose chances of owning land have been scuppered by Zanu (PF)
heavyweights.

“ The one man one farm policy seems applicable only to a certain section of
our society while some people are multiple owners of land. White commercial
farmers rights have been trampled in this country ” said Commercial Farmers
Union of Zimbabwe (CFUZ) president, Deon Theron during the union‘s meeting
held in Bulawayo on Friday.

Zim’s shocking TB mortality rate

http://www.thezimbabwean.co.uk

Written by Ngoni Chanakira
Sunday, 15 May 2011 09:29

HARARE – Zimbabwe has the second highest tuberculosis mortality rate in the
world, the World Health Organisation has revealed.
"Nearly 69 percent of new adult TB patients tested in Zimbabwe were HIV
positive. National data suggests that the actual estimate is slightly higher
and there is increasing HIV surveillance in TB patients,” says a recent WHO
report. “Multi-drug resistant TB remains low, and extensively drug-resistant
TB has not yet been identified. These strains remain a threat because
neighbouring countries have high levels of MDR and XDR-TB."
The WHO said Zimbabwe is currently ranked 17th on the list of 22 high burden
TB countries in the world right now.
The country had an estimated 71 961 new TB cases in 2007 with an estimated
incidence rate of 539 cases per 100 000 people.
"The number of new reported TB cases in Zimbabwe declined by 2,6 percent
between 2006 and 2007," the report revealed.
TB is among the top killers in the world today. It is even worse when a
person is HIV-positive.
"Even people living in Borrowdale are now dying of TB," a SAFAids official
said. "It is no longer a disease for the poor only."
More than one in four cases of TB are in South Africa alone, with a WHO
estimated case rate of 940 per 100 000.

Tourism chief sues paper for 'slander'

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

Claims $3-million for 'false' reports
May 14, 2011 1:52 PM | By HARARE CORRESPONDENT

A top Zanu-PF official is suing one of Zimbabwe's independent daily
newspapers for a whopping $3-million over two reports which he claims were
defamatory.

Media watchdogs see the move as yet another attempt by hardliners within
President Robert Mugabe's Zanu-PF party to stifle media freedom.

Documents obtained by Sunday Times on Friday show that Karigoka Kaseke, the
chief executive of the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA), which is mandated
with the enforcement of the Tourism Act, is demanding financial compensation
from the Daily News, which hit the streets less than three months ago after
being forcibly closed by the Mugabe regime in 2003.

Kaseke, a former permanent secretary in the Ministry of Transport, is the
first plaintiff and the ZTA the second.

Associated Newspapers of Zimbabwe , publishers of the Daily News, is the
first defendant in the matter, while Maxwell Sibanda, the entertainment
editor, is the second defendant. Daily News chief executive Jethro Goko is
cited as the third defendant.

In the first offending article , under the headline, "ZTA: Bundle of
Confusion", Kaseke's lawyers say the Daily News defamed him and the ZTA by
"unjustifiably and untruthfully stating that the ZTA - led by its chief
executive Karikoga Kaseke - has been everywhere: their hands have been in
football, music and pageantry. And its flirtation has been mired in
controversy".

The lawyers say the statements were defamatory against both Kaseke and the
ZTA, as they give a reader the impression the defendants did not know their
mandate, and were going about doing everything - but that was false.

"The statements further form a misleading impression that the first (Kaseke)
and second (ZTA) plaintiffs have no business to do in music, football and
pageantry - and that their involvement there is nothing but meddling - yet
in actual fact music, football and pageantry constitute part and parcel of
tourism and that it is within the first and second plaintiffs' mandate under
the Tourism Act to pioneer projects with tourism flair in those
disciplines," reads the summons served on the Daily News.

Kaseke's lawyers say the newspaper went further to defame Kaseke when
commenting on an accident he had in the company of three models on their way
to Chinhoyi early this year - in which the paper wrote: "Should it really
take Kaseke, a chief executive director, to accompany models to their
assignments?"

The lawyers charged the Daily News portrayed Kaseke as a "sex predator" who
used his position to get close to beautiful models and obtained favours from
them.

Kaseke is also suing the paper for a story headlined: "ZTA forces employees
to sign anti-sanctions petition".

His lawyers say the allegations are "highly defamatory" to Kaseke and ZTA as
they portray them as bad employers who did not respect the rights of
employees to act on their own conscience.

But the Daily News has served notice to defend the lawsuits. The paper's
lawyers deny Kaseke and the ZTA were defamed, saying in court papers: "To
muzzle or seek to muzzle defendants by way of the present action as is
sought to be done by the plaintiffs amounts to a violation of the
defendant's right to free expression as enshrined in the constitution."

“Go to Hell Dictators” – Zimbabwe Vigil Diary: 14th May 2011

The demand for change is steadily moving down Africa judging from the reception given to Mugabe and other African leaders attending the installation for another term of Ugandan perpetual President Museveni. Their motorcade was assailed by stone-throwing protesters shouting ‘Go to hell dictators’ and ‘You dictators: we are tired of you’. (http://www.swradioafrica.com/news130511/convoystoned130511.htm). But pictures of Mugabe’s fawning obeisance to Museveni show his desperation to be at the party – any party! – at whatever cost.

1.     The Zanu-PF Politburo repeated on Wednesday that elections would be held this year without fail.

2.     But Zuma’s international relations advisor Lindiwe Zulu said: ‘categorically and totally, Zimbabwe will not have elections in 2011’. (https://www.zimbabwesituation.com/old/may14_2011.html#Z21 - Editor's Comment: Elections - SADC, AU must assert authority)

For Mugabe’s sake, the constitution-making process must be concluded early and will have to include the proposal from Chegutu that government critics should be killed. That should solve the problem – especially if the suggestion from Makonde is also included in the new constitution ‘media critical of the government should be banned’ (https://www.zimbabwesituation.com/old/may14_2011.html#Z11 – Constitution responses on media raise eyebrows). So much for the Constitutional Outrage Programme . . .

Other points

·         With Mugabe now committing suicide by defying SADC, the Vigil launched a clearance sale of our ‘Mugabe Must Go’ bangles. Our notice advises customers to ‘Buy now before it’s too late’.

·         The Vigil was glad to escape the threatened rain because we were not sure how we could put up our tarpaulin.  Westminster Council has removed the two handsome lamp posts between which we stretched a rope to hang the tarpaulin.  As it is, it taxed our ingenuity to put up our banners and posters without these supports.

·         The traditional English dancers the Morris Men made their annual visit to us and gave us a good show. Vigil management team member Fungayi Mabhunu drew a laugh from them when he said ‘it was good to see Englishmen dancing like Zimbabweans’.

·         We were also glad to be joined by one of the founders of the Vigil Jean-Francois Mercier who is now based in South Africa.

·         It was welcome to get an encouraging email from Mac McArthur in Canada.  He has had an exhibition in Harare of his photographic interpretation of Shona sculptures – see: http://www.shout-africa.com/events-parties/zimbabwe-shona-sculpture-scan-photography-exhobition-opens-in-harare/.

·         Thanks to ROHR members: Maureen Mapfumo, Charity Nyamuzuwe, Iline Manhunzi, Catherine Tewo and Paradzai Mapfumo who brought soft drinks for thirsty Vigil supporters.

·         Joke of the week from Bill Watch of 12^th May: ‘Tuesday’s sitting was the Senate’s first for six weeks – it has not met since 31st March.  The sitting lasted two hours before the Senate adjourned for another eight weeks’. Crisis – what crisis?

·         Photos of the protest on 30^th April against the Swazi King’s visit to London are now on our photo website (check: http://www.flickr.com/photos/zimbabwevigil/sets/72157626599868179/).

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

FOR THE RECORD:100 signed the register.

EVENTS AND NOTICES:

·           The Restoration of Human Rights in Zimbabwe (ROHR) is the Vigil’s partner organisation based in Zimbabwe. ROHR grew out of the need for the Vigil to have an organisation on the ground in Zimbabwe which reflected the Vigil’s mission statement in a practical way. ROHR in the UK actively fundraises through membership subscriptions, events, sales etc to support the activities of ROHR in Zimbabwe.

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

·           The Zim Vigil band (Farai Marema and Dumi Tutani) has launched its theme song ‘Vigil Yedu (our Vigil)’ to raise awareness through music. To download this single, visit: www.imusicafrica.com and to watch the video check: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QukqctWc3XE.

·           ROHR Manchester Vigil. Saturday 28th May from 2 – 5 pm. Venue: Cathedral Gardens, Manchester City Centre (subject to change to Piccadilly Gardens). Contact: Delina Tafadzwa Mutyambizi  07775313637, Chamunorwa Chihota 07799446404, Panyika Karimanzira 07551062161, Artwell Pfende 07886839353, P Mapfumo 07915926323/07932216070 or P Chibanguza 07908406069.

·           ROHR Nottingham general meeting. Saturday 28^th May from 2 – 5 pm. Venue: St Saviours in the Meadows Church, Arkwright Walk, Nottingham NG2 2JU. The church is just a few minutes’ walk from the train station. ROHR National Executive members will be attending to discuss the abuse of human rights and political situation in Zimbabwe. Contact: Allan Nhemhara 07810197576, Mary Chabvamuperu 07412074928, Christopher Chimbumu 07775888205, P Chibanguza 07908406069 or P Mapfumo 07915926323 / 07932216070.

·           ROHR West Bromwich general meeting. Saturday 28^th May from 12.30 – 4 pm. Venue St Peters Church Hall, Whitehall Road, B70 0HF, West Bromwich. ROHR President, National Executive members and a well-known lawyer present. Contact: Pamela Dunduru 07958386718, Peter Nkomo 07817096594, Diana Mtendereki 07771708800, Paradzai Mapfumo 07915926323 or Phylis Chibanguza 07908406069.

·           ROHR National Fundraising Event. Saturday 25^th June from 12 noon till late. Venue: St Peters Church Hall, Whitehall Road, West Bromwich B70 0HF. Come and enjoy African dishes and music while donating to a good cause.  Admission fee £8 includes a plate of food and a soft drink. Raffle tickets on sale @ £1. Contact: Peter Nkomo 07817096594, V J Mujeyi 07403446696, Tsvakai Marambi 07915065171, Solomon L Matshoba 07733741065, P Chibanguza 07908406069, R Chifungo 07795070609 or P Mapfumo 07915926323 / 07932216070

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

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

·           ‘Through the Darkness’, Judith Todd’s acclaimed account of the rise of Mugabe.  To receive a copy by post in the UK please email confirmation of your order and postal address to ngwenyasr@yahoo.co.uk and send a cheque for £10 payable to “Budiriro Trust” to Emily Chadburn, 15 Burners Close, Burgess Hill, West Sussex RH15 0QA. All proceeds go to the Budiriro Trust which provides bursaries to needy A Level students in Zimbabwe

·           Workshops aiming to engage African men on HIV testing and other sexual health issues. Organised by the Terrence Higgins Trust (www.tht.org.uk). Please contact the co-ordinator Takudzwa Mukiwa (takudzwa.mukiwa@tht.org.uk) if you are interested in taking part.

Vigil Co-ordinators

The Vigil, outside the Zimbabwe Embassy, 429 Strand, London, takes place every Saturday from 14.00 to 18.00 to protest against gross violations of human rights in Zimbabwe. The Vigil which started in October 2002 will continue until internationally-monitored, free and fair elections are held in Zimbabwe: http://www.zimvigil.co.uk0

Constitution Watch of 14th May [Thematic Committee Members]