Zimbabwe, China in $400 mln power plant deal

http://af.reuters.com/

Mon May 3, 2010 3:31pm GMT

HARARE (Reuters) - Zimbabwe has signed a $400 million agreement with China's
Sinohydro to expand its Kariba hydro electricity plant at a time when
rolling power cuts are threatening to dim the country's economic recovery
prospects.

Noah Gwariro, the managing director of the Zimbabwe Power Company -- the
generation arm of state utility ZESA -- said on Monday Sinohydro would add
two 150 megawatt units at Kariba.

"China's Eximbank will fund the project to the tune of $400 million.
Sinohydro is already working on a similar project on the Zambian side of
Kariba," he told Reuters.

Gwariro earlier told parliament Zimbabwe was generating a total of 940 MW -- 
less than half its national power requirements -- from its Hwange thermal
plant and Kariba, against the country's peak demand of 2,500 MW.

Zimbabwe has previously signed hundreds of millions of dollars worth in
cooperation agreements with foreign governments to boost its electricity
generation capacity, but has not made progress in getting any of the
projects off the ground.

In July 2005, Zimbabwe signed a $200 million deal with Iran's Farab Company
for the extension of the Kariba South power station, but the deal fell
through after Zimbabwe failed to raise the required deposit for the loan.

A raft of deals with China totalling $1.3 billion for the building of new
coal mines and three thermal stations, signed in 2006, have also not yielded
results.

Gwariro said a shortage of funding meant only two of six units were running
at Hwange, which was hit by a complete power failure in February but the
station -- whose capacity is to generate 750 MW -- should generate 560 MW by
the end of May.

After years of hyperinflation and contraction, Zimbabwe's economy has
stabilised under a power-sharing government formed last year by President
Robert Mugabe and his rival, Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai.

But power shortages threaten a full recovery of the economy as the key
mining and manufacturing sectors, which require reliable power supplies,
continue to experience frequent cuts.

Zimbabwe imports power from Mozambique and Zambia, but plans to export 40 MW
to Botswana under an $8 million deal under which its western neighbour will
finance the upgrading of a thermal station to produce 90 MW in Zimbabwe's
city of Bulawayo.

Zimbabwe expects to start exporting power to Botswana in August, Gwariro
said.

Zimbabwe PM calls for end to government stalemate

http://news.yahoo.com/

AFP

27 mins ago

HARARE (AFP) - Zimbabwe's Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai called Monday for
a speedy resolution of major disagreements stalling a power-sharing
government with his long-time rival, President Robert Mugabe.

Tsvangirai acknowledged at a press conference there had been some progress
in the past three months of mediation involving the government of South
African President Jacob Zuma but said more must be done to break the
impasse.

"Agreement on some issues has been achieved," he said.

"But on the fundamental issues of provincial governors, attorney general,
Roy Bennett, Reserve Bank, security sector reform and ministerial
portfolios, the parties have failed to converge," he said.

Bennett is a top aide to Tsvangirai and accusations already dismissed by the
courts that he plotted to assassinate Mugabe have been a major source of
conflict in the fragile power-sharing deal.

"It is important that finality be brought to these issues and in this
regard, president Zuma's office, the Southern African Development Community
secretariat and the principals themselves are working to ensure that this is
done as expeditiously as possible," Tsvangirai said.

Since the setting up of the power-sharing agreement in February last year,
Tsvangirai and Mugabe have failed to implement terms of the deal which
include the appointments of senior government officials.

Tsvangirai added that his Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party was
ready for elections expected to be held sometime in 2013.

"That election is important to deal with the question of legitimacy once and
for all in Zimbabwe. Trust me, we are ready for that election or any
election," he said.

Zimbabwe Media Commission calls for applications for registration

http://www.swradioafrica.com

By Violet Gonda
3 May 2010
The Zimbabwe Media Commission (ZMC) has said that from Tuesday it will be
ready to receive journalists' applications for accreditation and
registration from media organizations.
While there is still no movement to open up the airwaves, this is a
development that might see the return of the Daily News newspaper, which was
banned in 2003, and may also allow other privately owned daily newspapers,
like the Zimbabwe Independent's proposed daily paper, NewsDay, onto the
market.
ZMC chairman Godfrey Majonga said in a statement on Friday that media
practitioners have a month to renew their applications and registrations.
He said there will be penalties under the Access to Information and
Protection of Privacy Act (AIPPA) for those who fail to comply.
"All applications for renewal of registration and accreditation which are
received after this day will attract a daily penalty fee as stipulated in
the government gazette. All those mass media services providers who have
been publishing without operating licences should normalize their status by
4 June 2010," said the ZMC statement.

Meanwhile, media watchdogs the Media Monitoring Project of Zimbabwe and
MISA- Zimbabwe say that as the world commemorates World Press Freedom Day on
May 3rd, press freedom in Zimbabwe remains a mirage.

The MMPZ said the government needs to do more to show that it is at last
moving to free Zimbabwe's suffocated information sector and that the
government has so far failed to fulfil its own promise to introduce new laws
to replace existing repressive media legislation and a reform of the
broadcasting laws. "MMPZ believes that until the government demonstrates its
resolve to rid society of these obscene restrictions on freedom of
expression, Zimbabweans will never have that "free and diverse media
environment" so blithely promised by the parties to the GPA."

MISA-Zimbabwe said the year has been characterised by continued arrests and
harassment of journalists, which runs against the grain of the right to the
exercise of freedom of expression and media freedom. The media watchdog also
said repressive laws such as the AIPPA and the Broadcasting Services Act are
unnecessary and unjustified in a democratic society and should be repealed.

MISA also said: "Due to the restrictive media environment, Zimbabwe is still
to license community radio stations and privately owned television and radio
stations and an independent daily newspaper since the banning of The Daily
News in 2003, under the draconian AIPPA."

The group said while the ZMC offers a glimmer of hope for a diversified
media environment, media self-regulation is the long term solution to
sustainable media freedom and independence.

 

ZINASU student factions bury the hatchet and unite

http://www.swradioafrica.com

By Lance Guma
03 May 2010

A secret meeting organized in Harare on Sunday was able to bring the two
warring Zimbabwe National Students Union (ZINASU) factions together and see
the election of an 11-member interim executive. Last year the union split
into two, over a variety of reasons including whether to support the
government backed constitution making process or not. But the hastily
convened 10-hour meeting at St Lucia Park in Harare's Marlborough suburb was
able to bury the hatchet between the two competing executives.

A new executive, comprising members of both factions, was elected and will
be led by Obert Masaraure, formerly a deputy to Tafadzwa Mugwadi. Joshua
Chinyere, another former faction president, becomes Secretary General. It
was not smooth sailing though as Mugwadi is reported to have walked away 30
minutes before the end of the meeting. The new spokesman, Grant Tabvurei,
told us they would not be held to ransom by one individual and said no one
can now claim to lead any other ZINASU faction.

Tabvurei also told us 19 out of a total 21 executives from the two groups
were present at the meeting. Both factions agreed to a number of
concessions, notably the dissolution of a controversial secretariat to be
replaced by a new one, plus the appointment of a new advisory body and for
the union to re-affirm its 'centre-leftist' (socialist) approach to
politics.

It was also agreed that both factions move away from the controversial
location of their offices. One faction opposed to the constitution making
process was housed at the National Constitutional Assembly offices in
Bumbiro House while the one that supported the process was housed at the
Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition offices. 'ZINASU shall have independent offices
away from Crisis Coalition and Bumbiro House,' a statement said.
On whether the students union will support the constitution making process
or not it was resolved that 'ZINASU shall convene a constitutional
conference to enable students to debate and come up with a position.'
Tabvurei told us all the student leaders from the different colleges and
universities across the country would make this decision.
While the two factions had focused on battling each other for legitimacy,
students countrywide faced many challenges, including failing to write their
exams over unpaid tuition fees. 'We should have been dealing with these
issues instead,' Tabvurei told us.
Meanwhile the students will be holding a press conference in Harare on
Tuesday afternoon at the Cresta Oasis Hotel, to announce the new
developments.

 

New twist to Mudenge-war vets land wrangle

http://www.thedailynewszw.com/?p=29193

May 3, 2010

By Owen Chikari

MASVINGO - Fifty people, most of them war veterans who recently invaded
Chikore Farm, yesterday appeared in court charged with illegally settling on
a gazetted piece of land in a dramatic twist of events to the farm ownership
wrangle between Higher and Tertiary Education Minister Stan Mudenge and the
former freedom fighters.

The 50 were not asked to plead to the charge when they appeared before
Masvingo magistrate Timeon Makunde.

They were remanded out of custody on free bail to May 27, the date on which
the state said it will proceed with the trial.

Mudenge, a Zanu-PF politburo member, who claims ownership of Chikore Farm,
did not appear in court yesterday.

However, Tongai Matutu of Matutu, Kwirira and Associates, who was
representing the accused persons challenged the court to also bring Mudenge
to trial since he was not the legal owner of the land.

"From the record it is clear that Mudenge is not the legal owner of this
piece of land, therefore, he should come to court to face similar charges",
said Matutu.

"There is no evidence to suggest that Mudenge is the legal owner of the farm
which means he also illegally settled on a gazetted piece of land" he said.

"We do not want selective application of the law".

Officials from the Ministry of Lands were yesterday battling to come up with
evidence to show that Mudenge is the legal owner of the farm after the
Attorney General's office demanded proof of Mudenge's ownership to the
property.

The state alleges that the farm occupiers illegally settled on the gazetted
piece of land without authority between August 2006 and December 2010.

The civil case in which the invaders were challenging Mudenge's occupation
of the farm has been put on hold pending the outcome of the criminal case

Mudenge has been for the past 10 years trying to evict the former freedom
fighters from the property without success.

During the height of farm invasions Mudenge ganged up with the war veterans
to evict Robert Buchan the former commercial farmer.

A few days after successfully evicting Buchan Mudenge changed his mind and
sought to evict from the farm his former comrades-in-arms, the war veterans.

Robson Kandukutu a spokesman for the farm occupiers yesterday said they were
being harassed by both the police and members of the dreaded Central
Intelligence Organisation CIO.

"The past ten years have been very tough since we were being harassed by the
police and members of the CIO who accused us of invading the minister's
farm. It appears the minister is paying kick backs to the state security
agents to intimidate and harass us every day".

Chikore Farm traditionally produced vegetables, tomatoes, maize and wheat
among other crops. In addition the farm also produced flowers for export.

The flowers were being produced under the green house effect principle.
However a visit to the farm yesterday revealed that the shades in which the
flowers were produced have been extensively vandalised. Mudenge does not
reside on the farm.

A few hectares have been put under sweet potatoes and maize while the vast
piece of land adjacent to the farm house has been derelict for years.

Last month the minister hired Zanu-PF youths to evict the former freedom
fighters from the property but to no avail.

Lecturers down tools over salaries

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

Written by Staff reporter
Monday, 03 May 2010 07:32
CHINHOYI - Chinhoyi University of Technology lecturers last week boycotted
lectures in protest over low salaries.

Disgruntled lecturers told The Zimbabwean that they went on industrial
action after college administration failed to honour its promise to pay them
top-ups on their salaries.
An accountant with the college said that the fee top was taken from students'
school fees, but many students had failed to pay their fees in time.
Chinhoyi University's Public Relations officer, Patience Munyoro, denied
that lecturers were on strike, but President of the Student Representative,
Choose Kasongo, confirmed that all was not well at the campus.
"They are trying to down play the issue, but the truth of the matter is that
lecturers have downed tools protesting against poor remuneration and working
conditions," said Kasongo.
A lecturer who spoke on condition he is not named said they were sick and
tired of empty promises from the college administration. The lecturers also
accused the college top brass of being corrupt and greedy.

RBZ Official Throws Out Farmworkers

http://www.thestandard.co.zw/

Sandra Mandizvidza

2 May 2010

ABOUT 80 Chinhoyi families are stranded after they were evicted from
Friedwall Farm in Chinhoyi by the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe deputy governor
Edward Mashiringwane last week.

Mashiringwane accused the farm workers of refusing to work for him at the
farm he forcibly took over from a white commercial farmer Louis Fick last
October.

More than 200 people mostly women and children were evicted by Zanu PF
youths who were chanting slogans denouncing Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai
for allegedly trying to reverse the land reform programme.

The youth who were clad in Zanu PF regalia allegedly burnt some houses.

One of the evicted Rosewitter Phiri who relocated to Shackleton, a nearby
mining compound, said the farm occupants were chased away after being
accused of working for the white man.

"Fick was chased away first and some of his property was taken away, now
they are saying they do not want to see anyone remaining on the farm," Phiri
said.

Another farm worker James Nicholas said when Fick was chased away, he warned
them to leave the farm but they had nowhere to go.

"Fick told us to leave the farm but we had nowhere to go and he had not
given us money.

"Our property spent three days in the open and it was raining. We then moved
here to Shackleton and some of us are still relocating," he said.

Mashiringwane's farm manager Shepherd Makoni last week accused the farm
workers of continuing to work for Fick but staying at Friedwall farmhouses.

"The farm workers have refused to work for Mashiringwane and we have just
told them to vacate the farm premises if they don't want to work for us,"
Makoni said.

"These workers should just leave the premises and go and stay at their
employer's new farm in Mazvikadei.

"Most of them have decided to employ themselves as fishmongers but we can't
continue to give accommodation to people who do not want to work," said
Makoni adding that the compound could only accommodate around 30 families.

Fick could not be reached for comment as he was said to be out of the
country.

MDC-T Shackleton councillor Ben Rabbi said he was appealing to ward
residents to accommodate the stranded workers.

He said he would forward the issue to the district administrator to see how
best these people could be assisted.

Additional reporting by our Chinhoyi correspondent

MDC begins investigations into alleged UK financial irregularities

http://www.swradioafrica.com

By Tichaona Sibanda
3 May 2010

A commission of enquiry appointed by the MDC-T to investigate alleged
financial irregularities by the UK national executive, began its proceedings
on Sunday.

The three-member team is being led by MDC-T MP for Lobengula and Water
Resources Minister, Sam Sipepa Nkomo. The other members are MP for Bulawayo
East Tabitha Khumalo and the party's director for finance, Rumbidzai
Nyamayemombe.

The team jetted into the UK on Sunday and headed straight into a marathon
meeting with the suspended members of the UK executive. Jonathan Chawora,
the chairman of that executive, confirmed a forensic audit of the financial
state of their books began on Sunday.
Party Secretary-General Tendai Biti had notified the UK executive of the
decision to suspend them, following a meeting of the party leadership in
November last year. In the letter formally suspending the executive, Biti
said; 'The party noted with concern the diminished and arrested
functionality of the UK/Ireland province due to extensive bickering and
negative application of energy.'
'Pursuant of the submission of your financial report to the party
leadership, the party leaders met and deliberated on the report and was
shocked by the extent of the financial irregularities in the UK and Ireland
accounts. Irregularities were particularly noted on remittances and carry
over balances on membership cards and bank balances,' Biti said
Chawora said they met with Nkomo's team in Northampton on Sunday from 2pm up
until 10pm in the evening and he said the team will be in the UK for a week,
meeting all districts and branch members during the course of their
investigations.

Most members of the Chawora executive contacted by SW Radio Africa welcomed
the investigation of the finances because they are confident of being
exonerated.

Some non-executive members quietly expressed reservations over the
suspension, saying it was not necessary and that it was based on alleged
reports from disgruntled members in the UK. Other members of the MDC said
the enquiry was necessary to deal with issues at hand, once and for all.

'Concerns were raised about how the executive was handling our funds, so we
need answers and I'm glad the party has sent a team to look into this issue,'
one party activist told us.

Some reports suggest the financial irregularities under investigation were
not the result of corruption, but more to do with the way the money was
remitted to Harare. The financial report sent to Harare shows that about £60
000 was remitted to Harare for the 2008 elections and received by many
different people, some in cash, other amounts in fuel coupons and payments
for services.

Suspended provincial Treasurer, Tendai Goneso, whose report to the national
executive in Harare is at the centre of the current probe, told us he felt
relieved that an investigation was finally underway.

He did however raise concerns that a dossier emerged from nowhere and was
used at Sunday's meeting to cross check transactions, facts and figures from
his report. Goneso said he was happy the team scrutinized the report in his
presence as he was able to explain what was not clear to them.

'But what I was not happy about was the use of a dossier, which contained
information from pseudo contributors being used to compare and contrast my
report. I remain suspicious of that dossier and who ever compiled it,'
Goneso said

Despite that, he was happy to fully co-operate with the team to clear what
he termed were misconceptions and misrepresentations that were threatening
the good image of the party in the UK.

 

Indigenisation shouldn’t be disorderly: PM

http://www.zimonline.co.za

by Own Correspondent Monday 03 May 2010

HARARE – Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai has said implementation of the
indigenisation law should not be as haphazard as President Robert Mugabe’s
chaotic land reform because this was increasing the country risk profile.

Speaking at the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) May Day celebration
on Saturday, the former opposition leader who has wrangled with Mugabe over
how to share executive power since the two former foes agreed to form a
government of national unity last year, said the law should not benefit
people who want to seize what they did not invest in.

"You cannot invest where you did not put a cent," he said. "The programme
should not be chaotic like the land reform."

Zimbabwe has since 2000, when Mugabe’s often violent land reforms began,
relied on food imports and handouts from international food agencies mainly
due to failure by resettled black peasants to maintain production on former
white farms.

Tsvangirai, who is a veteran trade unionist added: “The policy of
indigenisation is a global phenomenon, it is there in Kenya, South Africa,
Botswana and other countries. “But if the citizenship empowerment policy
seeks to expropriate and nationalise then it should stop.

“We should talk about modalities and avoid the process degenerating into
chaos, we should be aware that Zimbabwe is not the last investment
destination. We are not going to be the last investment destination in the
world. We should encourage national investment. Zimbabwe's country risk
profile is increasing with policies that hurt the country's image."

The Prime Minister also said foreign-owned firms embracing the law should
take into account workers’ submissions.

Tsvangirai – whose MDC party has publicly differed with Mugabe’s ZANU PF
over how to transfer control of the economy to local blacks – has also said
there was no consultation on policy formulation, while policies implemented
by the government had failed to create a predictable environment for
investors.

Under the empowerment regulations foreign owned firms have until May 15 to
submit plans of how they intend to transfer 51 percent stake to blacks.

The empowerment programme has split the government with ZANU PF backing the
plan while the MDC wants the scheme stopped to allow for more consultation
and drafting of new regulations that will not scare away foreign investors,
while allowing for economic empowerment of the majority.

Mugabe and Indigenisation Minister Saviour Kasukuwere accept the need for
consultations to improve current indigenisaton regulations but say
empowerment should go ahead while consultation is taking place.

According to Kasukuwere to date 400 firms have submitted empowerment
proposals to his ministry. However, some of the firms such as South Africa's
Standard Bank have asked to be given more time.

Government has identified mining, energy, agriculture and agro-processing,
transport and motor industry, telecommunications and ICT, manufacturing,
engineering and construction and financial services as some of the sectors
of the economy which will be targeted under the law.

Last month, Kasukuwere announced that the mining sector would be the first
industry targeted under the law.

Critics fear Mugabe and ZANU PF want to press ahead with transferring
majority ownership of foreign-owned companies as part of a drive to reward
party loyalists with thriving businesses. – ZimOnline
 

Zimbabwe’s indigenisation process remains uncertain

http://www.miningweekly.com

By: Loni Prinsloo
3rd May 2010

JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) - The current status of Zimbawe's
indigenisation laws and how the relevant political battles would be resolved
remained uncertain, reports South African law firm Webber Wentzel.

Zimbabwe's controversial policy of transferring majority control of
foreign-owned firms to black Zimbabweans took effect on March 1. Initially,
companies had until mid-April to submit plans to show how they will sell 51%
of their shares within five years, but the deadline has been extended to May
15.

The Webber Wentzel natural resources and regulatory practice group said in
an analysis of the Zimbabwe investment climate that up to 400 Zimbabwean
companies had submitted their indigenisation plans by the original deadline
of April 15, with the general attitude among companies being one of
"compliance in the face of the uncertainty".

The new law targets foreign-owned companies with asset values of, or above,
$500 000.

The regulation imposed a penalty of five years imprisonment on the directors
of any company that failed to meet the deadline, as well as any company
found guilty of fronting ownership.

However, the Zimbabwean Indigenisation Minister Savior Kasukuwere had said
that it was more likely that the company's operating licence would be
suspended if it missed the extended deadline.

The Zimbabwean Ministry of Youth Development, Indigenisation and Empowerment
gazetted the indigenisation policy in February.

However, Webber Wentzel said that the validity of the regulation remained
unclear as Zimbabwe Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai stated that the
regulation was published without due process as detailed in the country's
Global Political Agreement and its constitution, making the regulation "null
and void".

Meanwhile, Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe said that there was no
nullification of the indigenisation and economic law, but added that the
regulations were being studied by a committee of the Cabinet to improve on
the laws.

Webber Wentzel cited an article in Zimbabwean newspaper The Independent,
based on a leaked document, which reported that some amendments under
consideration included; the exchange of shareholdings to indigenous
Zimbabweans for value, the asset threshold for companies subject to the
indigenous regulations being increased from $500 000 to between $3-million
and $5-million, and the custodial sentences for noncompliance with
regulations being replaced with fines, instead of jail time.

However, Webber Wentzel concluded that it remained unclear whether the
review by the Zimbabwean Cabinet would result in substantive amendments to
the regulation and what form the amendments would take.

Zimbabwe Fails To Meet WHO Guidelines On HIV Treatment

http://news.radiovop.com/

03/05/2010 10:35:00

Bulawayo, May 03, 2010 - Zimbabwe's crippled health system has failed to
implement the World Health Organisation's (WHO) new guidelines for
HIV-positive people to begin treatment when their CD4 count is at 350.

In Zimbabwe, one is put on Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) when their CD4 count
is below 200.

However, WHO released new guidelines on ART in December 2009, raising the
CD4 count - a measure of immune strength - at which HIV-positive people
should start ART from 200 to 350.

An official from the Ministry of Health and Child Welfare, who refused to be
named, said Zimbabwe was far from implementing such a policy.

"Zimbabwe is far from implementing the new CD4 count policy because of the
crippled health system and our economic situation," source said.

Sources added: "We do not have capacity at the present moment to implement
the new WHO guidelines which come with challenges, especially in terms of
availability of resources.

"The WHO guidelines means resource requirements will increase by about 20 to
30 percent in terms of costs because it means more people will therefore
qualify and will need to be put on treatment."

Health Minister, Dr Henry Madzorera could not be reached for comment.

Meanwhile, Bulawayo has recorded an increase of about 12 percent in the
number of people receiving Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) at the local
authority's clinics, a Council official said.

But HIV/Aids cumulative deaths increased by 2, 6 percent due to late
commencement of ART treatment.

"There is an increase of 11, 7 percent for people on ART at our clinics.
This is encouraging as it shows people are getting to know their status so
that they receive treatment early," said Director of Health Services at the
Bulawayo City Council (BCC) Doctor Zanele Hwalima.

Dr Hwalima said the cumulative deaths that occurred were due to late
commencement of treatment.

"The increase of 2, 6 percent of cumulative deaths could be attributed to
the late commencement of treatment for the patients. Nketa and Khami Road
Clinics recorded the largest deaths of 375, while the total of deaths is at
1 088 for the 12 clinics," she said.
 

Minister Coltart’s daughter bitten by lion

http://www.swradioafrica.com

By Violet Gonda
3 May 2010

Bethany, the eight year old daughter of Minister of Education David Coltart,
was attacked by a lion at Antelope Game Park in Mkoba, Gweru, on Saturday
morning.

The Minister told SW Radio Africa on Monday that his traumatised daughter
was airlifted to St Annes hospital Harare where she had one operation on her
arm on Saturday and another on Monday.

He said his family had gone to the game park in the Midlands province for
the weekend. The attack happened in a private section of the farm where the
lions are bred.
Coltart explained: “My daughter went to one of the cages were there were
lions. She was just away for a couple of minutes and one of the young men
she was with said to her that the lion was tame and she could scratch it.
And as far as we could tell she just put her hand in the cage and this lion
must have grabbed her hand and pulled her entire arm and bit her.”
The Minister said he was by his daughter’s side in seconds when he heard her
screaming. “I tried to poke the lion’s eyes through the fence but the game
ranch owner heard our cries and came and shot the lion and in that way we
released my daughter.”
Coltart said this was the most traumatic event he has ever experienced in
his life. “I love all my children, but this daughter has been a child born
in the trauma of what our country has gone through in the last ten years,
and I have said to people that she has been the antidote to all the poison
in our nation. She helped me retain my sanity and so it was deeply
anguishing to have this precious daughter so helpless and under so much
threat.”

Antelope Game Park is a popular a wildlife resort where tourists and
visitors can have the unique experience of walking with lions and riding
elephants.  The Minister said the lion walks are done with cubs and are
extremely controlled.

He stressed that what happened to his daughter was an unfortunate accident
which happened in the private area of the game park. He said tourists never
go to this side of the park because that’s where the lions breed.

“So the general public need to know that this is not something they should
fear. Antelope Park is a game park run according to the highest standards
and this was just a very unfortunate accident,” said Coltart.

 

Sri Lanka wins the rain-drenched match against Zimbabwe with Jayawardene's century

http://www.colombopage.com/

Mon, May 3, 2010, 11:11 pm SL Time, ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.

May 03, Guyana: Sri Lanka won the rain-drenched must-win match of the ICC
World Twenty20 tournament against Zimbabwe in the in Providence today.

The opening batsman Mahela Jayawardene's impressive century lifted Sri Lanka
to post 173/7 in the 20 Overs.

The torrential rain that lashed the stadium after one over into Zimbabwe's
run chase decided the fate of the match to be determined by the
Duckworth-Lewis method.

According to the D/L method Zimbabwe needed a par score of 43 in 5 overs but
they reached only 29 losing to Sri Lanka by 14 runs.

Sri Lanka team which was in a nail-biting position after losing the opener
to New Zealand last Friday suffered another blow yesterday when their star
spinner Muttiah Muralitharan suffered an injury and was ruled out for 2-3
weeks.

Suraj Randiv has been brought in as Murali's replacement. Also Thissara
Perera has replaced Chanaka Welegedera.

Sri Lanka is in group B with New Zealand and Zimbabwe.
 

Bad roads lead to malaria outbreak

Zimbabwe was destroyed by the enemy within

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

Written by The Zimbabwean
Monday, 03 May 2010 06:29

The enemy within is the leader who protects corrupt ministers and refuses to
censure them, choosing instead to reward them at the next cabinet reshuffle
with more important ministries.

The enemy within is a cabal of well connected political figures and army
generals who refuse to abide by the results of elections and instead resort
to fixing electoral outcomes in the process denying the population of a
voice.
Zimbabwe like Rhodesia serves the ministers and generals and offers nothing
else to anybody. Rhodesia was a race driven society. Zimbabwe is driven by
the needs and wants of ministers and generals. Everyone else can go and
hang.
The solution rests with us continuing with the demands that return Zimbabwe
to the path of our aspirations and visions. Here are some demands:
1. We need clear and intelligent use of the diamonds at Chiadzwa for the
benefit of everyone in Zimbabwe.
2. We need a clear and unambiguous commitment from Mugabe that coercion,
brutality and electoral fraud is a thing of the past.
3. We need a new constitution drafted with the input of the majority through
independent transparent appointees and mechanisms and adopted through a
national non violent referendum. A point must be made that whilst the Global
Political Agreement was a thing between Zanu (PF) and MDC, the constitution
must be a time proof document authored and adopted by the people without the
interference of a sitting government.
4. We need a review of the agricultural activities in the country to ensure
that the production of food and related essential products is prioritised
and more effort is made to resuscitate the agricultural sector.
5. We need a review of government contracts to ensure best practice and the
independence of suppliers and the impact on costs.
6. We need to unlock thousands of jobs locked in the media industry through
state interference with freedom of expression. Zimbabweans have a duty to
free Zimbabwe from the jaws of tyranny regardless of the colour of the
oppressor.

Mugabe a predator of press freedom

http://www.thezimbabwean.co.uk

Written by Correspondent
Monday, 03 May 2010 07:18

ZIMBABWE - President Robert Mugabe is one of forty predators of press
freedom whose names were released on World Press Freedom Day by Reporters
Without Borders.

The list has 40 names this year; 40 politicians, government officials,
religious leaders, militias and criminal organisations that cannot stand the
press, treat it as an enemy and directly attack journalists. They are
powerful, dangerous, violent and above the law.
"It is true that President Mugabe said in March 2010 that the Zimbabwe Media
Council, a new entity tasked with issuing licences to newspapers, should
create a space for the media. But no one is fooled. In practice, Mugabe is
dragging his feet, sabotaging the national unity government, ensuring that
the independent press cannot express itself freely and, through his aides,
maintaining a strict control over the state media," reads a statement by
Restoration of Human Rights (ROHR).
Mugabe stepped the pressure on the media after his government's electoral
setbacks in 2008. Editors were placed under electronic surveillance to check
their loyalty to the party, while opposition activists were abducted and
tried for 'terrorist plots' in grotesque trials.
Despite being hailed as a 'liberator' when he came to power in the 1980s,
Mugabe has no problem with the arbitrary arrests and harassment to which
most of the country's journalists are exposed. In 2002, he was the architect
of the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act (AIPPA), the sole
aim of which was to finish off the privately-owned press, above all The
Daily News, then the country's most widely-read daily. Mugabe is to blame
for the fact that Zimbabweans nowadays have no independent dailies or radio
stations.

MDC is a people's project : it will never collapse

The last kicks of a dying horse are lethal.In similar measure, the last
kicks of a collapsing and decaying dictatorship are deadly.On its way to
inevitable collapse, a deeply entrenched tyrannical regime is, indeed,
capable of delivering a knock-out punch.We must be careful; very careful.

Recent unfortunate events in the largest and most popular political
party,the MDC, have given ammunition to its enemies to go for the
kill.Enemies of the only political party that is capable of delivering real
change to Zimbabwe have wasted no time in attempting to go for the
jugular.These characters are presently waxing lyrical; somehow hoping that
the MDC is about to collapse and that ZANU (PF) will rule this country until
thy kingdom come.These people are dreaming.They are in a fool's paradise and
reality will very soon dawn upon them that the MDC is here to stay and that
in any free and fair election to be conducted in Zimbabwe in the future,the
MDC led by Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai will emerge supremely
victorious.There is absolutely no doubt about the breath-taking popularity
of the MDC on the Zimbabwean political landscape.

Unlike the terminally ill party called ZANU (PF), the MDC's vibrancy doesnot
revolve around personality cults.The MDC is a people's project that is owned
and managed by the people.The MDC brand is massively popular  and
dynamic.Whilst the ordinary Zimbabwean would go out of her/his way to be
seen to be associated with the MDC; ZANU(PF) is driven by terror and
intimidation in order to assemble crowds at its rallies and other
gatherings.Whilst  ZANU (PF) buses people to attend its meetings and other
functions, the MDC brand is so popular that people find it necessary to
travel long distances, at their own cost, to attend MDC meetings.Therein
lies the fundamental distinction between the MDC and ZANU (PF).The MDC is
about the people and it revolves around the people and on the other hand
ZANU (PF) is  about the rulers and it revolves around the rulers.

The MDC has got one centre of power and that centre of power is solidly
domiciled in the office of its President; Morgan Tsvangirai.The hierachy of
power in the MDC is as clear as daylight.Some latter-day ZANU (PF)
apologists have , of late, gone into overdrive predicting the '' collapse''
of the MDC.They have created artificial and non-existent power struggles
within the MDC; somehow wishing that the problems of factionalism and
indiscipline,will be translocated from their  permanent domicile in ZANU
(PF) to the people's project,the MDC.These unfortunate souls can dream on
because their nefarious intentions will never see the light of day.The
leadership of the MDC is composed of men and women of honour and
integrity.They all appreciate that the party is more important than their
individual egos combined.The nation can rest be assured that the MDC
leadership will never allow the MDC, the people's project, to
collapse.That's for sure.

True and genuine MDC cadres respect their leadership.We are not forced to
respect our leaders.We respect them because they have earned and they
deserve our respect.Unlike ZANU (PF) that historically has always adopted a
commandist leadership style, the MDC is a social democratic party that
believes that power vests in the people and not in one individual.This is
why it is virtually impossible for the MDC to produce a dictatorship.The MDC
constitution is intelligently drafted in that all  party office bearers are
empowered to play a crucial check and balance role in matters to do with the
party.Put simply, the MDC has never been, is not and will never be a one-man
band; unlike ZANU (PF) where the voice of the emperor is always supreme and
beyond contestation.Infact,this is the primary reason why the MDC membership
by party card is around 1,6 million people whilst ZANU (PF) hardly has 250
000 card-carrying members.Whilst the MDC is the party of today,tomorrow and
the future; ZANU (PF) is locked up in history; it belongs to yesterday and
hence it has dismally failed to move with the times.Some of us were
thoroughly shocked and amused at the same time to learn that ZANU (PF)
launched a website just a few days ago! How, all along, ZANU (PF) was
operating without a website and a party newspaper absolutely boggles the
mind! And this is a party that dreams of winning a free and fair election in
Zimbabwe soon?

Differences of opinion and strategy can never be equated to factionalism.The
MDC is Zimbabwe's largest and most popular political party and it is simply
ridiculous for anyone to think that in such a gigantic and mass party, there
should be no differences of opinion and strategy.To the best of my knowledge
( and readers can be assured that I am very well-informed) there is noone in
the MDC who is seeking to unconstitutionally challenge our leader; Morgan
Tsvangirai.Our leader has the unequivocable support of the masses of the
people both within the MDC and outside the MDC.I am not boot-licking and/or
singing for my supper when I boldly state that the Morgan Tsvangirai brand
is an extremely strong brand.It is a brand that has been tried and tested
and all cadres of the MDC know this.Thus, the rumours about factions and
power struggles within the MDC are a figment of the imagination of the
enemies of the party.These enemies will be thoroughly disappointed.Contrary
to their expectations,the MDC will emerge even stronger and more united
after the dust has settled.The party is not about to split and indeed; it
will not split.We are cadres who love Zimbabwe.We are fighting for real
change and not for positions of power and influence.

Day in and day out, new members are joining the MDC led by Prime Minister
Morgan Tsvangirai.These are Zimbabweans who appreciate that real change can
only be achieved by joining and supporting the MDC.The ZANU (PF) propaganda
machinery located at Zimpapers and the ZBC can huff and puff.They can doctor
their news bulletins and editorials desperately  and falsely painting a
picture of a resurgent ZANU (PF).The fact of the matter, however, is that
ZANU(PF) is dead and buried.It might try to resurrect itself through the use
of crude propaganda, viloence and intimidation but one thing is for sure :
it will never win the battle for the hearts and minds of the people.That
battle was won by the MDC  a long time ago.And because of this reality, ZANU
(PF) is running scared.

Written by :

Senator Obert Gutu

Bill Watch 18/2010 - 3rd May [Media Commission Open for Business from Tuesday 4th May]