Zimbabwean activists granted bail - again

http://www.swradioafrica.com

By Violet Gonda
6 May 2009

The political and human rights activists who were re-arrested on Tuesday
were freed on bail Wednesday. The bail request was approved by the same
Magistrate who had refused to entertain it the day before. In this surprise
u-turn, Magistrate Catherine Chimhanda reversed her earlier decision
following an agreement with the legal teams. This clearly shows how Mugabe
continues to control the rule of law in Zimbabwe as it is believed the
Attorney General, Johannes Tomana, consented to the bail as a result of a
meeting between Mugabe, Tsvangirai and Mutambara late Tuesday.

Prime Minister Tsvangirai's spokesperson, James Maridadi, told SW Radio
Africa that the Principals agreed in the spirit of the Global Political
Agreement (GPA) that the bail conditions that were in place before the
activists were re-arrested should be re-instated. He said they also summoned
Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa and asked him to implement what they had
agreed. Maridadi quoted the GPA, saying 'people should be free of political
persecution and discrimination of any kind.'

Defence lawyer Charles Kwaramba said they had filed a High Court bail
application on Tuesday and were ready to go and argue the matter when they
were told that the Attorney General wanted to discuss the matter on
Wednesday.  The AG agreed to consent to bail and to stick to the original
bail conditions.

Kwaramba also clarified that there were actually 16 activists, including
Jestina Mukoko, who had been formally charged on Monday with an alleged plot
to overthrow Robert Mugabe - not 18 as previously reported.

After their abduction and incarceration at the end of last year they had
been held incommunicado for many months. They were first released on bail
two months ago. The lawyer said after their re-arrest on Tuesday, 13 were
released from Chikurubi Maximum Security Prison, except for journalist
Shadreck Manyere and MDC officials Gandhi Mudzingwa and Chris Dhlamini, who
are still being held in police custody in hospital. An application for their
bail has been filed in the High Court and the matter is supposed to be heard
on Thursday.

Analysts say the re-arrest and sudden freeing of the activists merely shows
that ZANU PF continues to play 'games' to distract everyone from the
critical issues that continue to negatively affect the unity government.
Sadly this is happening at the expense of the accused persons, who the MDC
say face trumped up charges. On the surface it would appear that Mugabe is
giving ground on the issue of political detainees, but if he was working in
the spirit of the inclusive government the charges against the 'political
detainees' would have been totally dropped.

One SW Radio Africa listener asked: "If these individuals are accused of
trying to topple Mugabe were they doing it for their own benefit? If they
were doing it for the MDC then is the MDC also being indicted? What purpose
is this serving if these persecutions serve to undermine the mirage we
thought was a unity government?"

The political intervention in a legal matter continues to raise more awkward
questions, as both the detentions and the release, twice, on bail were
politically motivated. Lawyers say this is a serious indictment on the
justice system as they are forced to rely on the 'charity of politicians' to
ask for bail.

Kwaramba said: "What it means is that politicians can hold accused persons
at ransom when they think they want to bargain on the political level. It's
very bad and people lose confidence in the courts."

The lawyer went on to say: "The decisions are made politically and then you
try to implement them in court. We really don't like this as lawyers."

Those indicted are:
1. Jestina Mukoko
2 Concilia Chinanzvavana
3. Manuel Chinanzvavana
4. Violet Mupfuranhewa
5. Collen Mutemagawo
6. Kieta Kaseke
7. Audrey Zimbudzana
8. Broderick Takawira
9.  Mapfumo Garutsa
10. Regis Mujeyi
11. Zacharia Nkomo
12. Chinoto Zulu
13. Fidelis Chiramba
14. Gandhi Mudzingwa
15. Chris Dlamini
16. Shadreck Andrison Manyere

Magistrate reverses decision on activists

http://www.thezimbabwetimes.com/?p=16300

May 6, 2009

By Our Correspondent

HARARE - Human rights campaigner Jestina Mukoko and 14 others accused of
plotting against President Robert Mugabe were freed on bail Wednesday
apparently after top-level intervention forced the magistrate to reverse an
earlier the decision to re-detain them.

At a hastily arranged court hearing, Harare magistrate Catherine Chimanda
reversed her earlier decision without explanation.

On Tuesday, she had had denied the 15 bail. Mukoko and the others appeared
in court and were formally indicted on terrorism charges and immediately
taken into custody.

"They've all been remanded in custody, 18 of them," dejected lawyer Alec
Muchadehama said on Tuesday

Chimanda, however, refused to free three others she had ordered to be
returned to prison Tuesday, saying their case was more serious because they
had allegedly been found in possession of explosives.

Ghandhi Mudzingwa, a former personal aide to MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai,
and Chris Dhlamini a member of the security department of the party - who
are part of the group - have been accused of possessing firearms, charges
they deny.

Andrison Manyere, a freelance journalist, is among the accused. The three
were re-arrested while receiving treatment at a Harare Hospital.

The activists had been released on bail only two months ago after being
arrested and held in secret last year on various charges stemming from an
alleged plot against Mugabe.

Mukoko testified during an earlier bail hearing that she had been tortured
and assaulted during detention; the defendants had injuries and swollen
faces during court appearances late last year.

Mudzingwa, Dlamini and Manyere have made similar claims of torture.

Chimanda said Tuesday she was re-detaining them again because of a formal
indictment filed by the Attorney-General's office. Their trial is to start
July 4.

Earlier on Wednesday, MDC secretary-general Tendai Biti had demanded at a
news conference that the political prisoners be released.

At a hurriedly arranged court hearing on Wednesday morning, Chimhanda
released 15 of the eighteen suspects.

Sources said the release of the prisoners followed top-level negotiations
between Mugabe and mainstream MDC leader Tsvangirai, now Prime Minister.

Lawyers for the detainees had argued against the re-detention of the
suspects, saying the earlier decision to release them had been authorised
under the auspices of the new coalition government.

Mukoko is the head of the Zimbabwe Peace Project, which documented human
rights abuses surrounding last year's controversial elections.

She was taken from her home on December 3 by a dozen armed men who claimed
to be police, according to fellow activists, and was not seen again until
she appeared in court three weeks later.

She later told a court that authorities had beaten her on the soles of her
feet during interrogations. Mukoko flatly denied charges that she had
recruited militants to topple the government.

MDC sets deadline for resolution of outstanding issues

http://www.sokwanele.com/thisiszimbabwe/archives/4095

Via Press Release - The MDC has set next Monday as the deadline for the
resolution of all outstanding issues, MDC secretary-general, Hon. Tendai
Biti has said.

Addressing a press conference at the party's headquarters at Harvest House
in Harare today, Hon. Biti said if the outstanding issues were not resolved
by Monday, the party would refer the issue to the party's supreme making
decision body, the National Council, which will meet on 17 May 2009.

He said the outstanding issues that remained unresolved were the appointment
of provincial governors, permanent secretaries, ambassadors, the Reserve
Bank of Zimbabwe Governor Gideon Gono and the Attorney-General, Johannes
Tomana.

He said the appointments of Gono and Tomana were unprocedural in that they
were executive appointments done after the signing of the GPA, which states
that such appointments must be done following an agreement by the
principals.

Also of concern to the MDC was the refusal by Robert Mugabe to swear in MDC
treasurer-general, Hon. Roy Bennett as the deputy Minister of Agriculture
and the unilateral grabbing of ministerial portfolios by Mugabe.

Hon Biti said Bennett was innocent until proven guilty. He said according to
the GPA, which was now part of the Constitution of Zimbabwe; Mugabe had no
powers to refuse to swear-in Bennett after being nominated by his party. The
MDC secretary-general urged the deputy-minister designate to go to his
office and start work.

The MDC secretary-general also lashed out at the service chiefs for failing
to respect "the new authority in town, which is the office of the Prime
Minister."

He said the service chiefs had shown reluctance to respect the Prime
Minister, Hon. Morgan Tsvangirai during the Independence Day celebrations
and at the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair.

"The delay in finding a lasting solution to outstanding issues is of great
concern to the MDC.

"In our view these issues should have been concluded soon after the
formation of the inclusive government in February," Hon. Biti said.

He said the party was worried that some elements in government, Zanu PF, the
security forces and public media continued to disregard some clear
provisions laid out in the Global Political Agreement (GPA).

"There are a number of toxic and poisonous attitudes that some of these
institutions are showing. Their attitude is as if they are in a war
situation," Hon. Biti said.

He said the public media, especially The Herald and the ZBC, continued to
preach hate speech intended to assault the MDC, which is a democratic party
that won the 29 March 2008 elections with a clear majority.

Hon. Biti also raised concerns over the disregard of human rights by some
State security agents in light of the re-arrests of Zimbabwe Peace Projects
director, Jestina Mukoko, Ghandi Mudzingwa, former personal aide of the
Prime Minister and 16 other MDC and civil society activists.

"We find it unacceptable that when we want to make progress there are some
people whose conduct is inconsistent with rebuilding a new Zimbabwe," he
said.

He said the conduct of Zanu PF continued to undo all efforts to rescue the
country.

The secretary-general, however, assured MDC supporters and the people of
Zimbabwe that the party stood by its principles and values that it had been
fighting for the past ten years.

Hon Biti said the MDC has "an excellent relationship" with South African
President Jacob Zumba and hoped that the new era in South Africa would bode
well for Zimbabwe.

This entry was posted by Sokwanele on Wednesday, May 6th, 2009 at 3:30 pm

Journalists boycott media conference over Manyere detention

http://www.swradioafrica.com

By Lance Guma
06 May 2009

The Media Alliance of Zimbabwe has stuck to its guns and boycotted a
government media conference that was meant to start on Wednesday in the
resort town of Kariba. The national chairman of the Media Institute of
Southern Africa - Zimbabwe Chapter, Loughty Dube, told Newsreel they made it
clear to the government that as long as any journalist remained in
detention, under the same laws that are meant to be discussed at the
conference, their members will boycott.

The re-detention of former ZBC newsreader and Zimbabwe Peace Project
director Jestina Mukoko, plus that of journalist Shadreck Anderson Manyere,
on spurious banditry and terrorism charges, triggered the initial boycott
move on Tuesday. Although Mukoko was released on Wednesday along with other
political detainees, Manyere remains locked up along with Gandhi Mudzingwa
and Chris Dhlamini in hospital. The failure to release Manyere has prompted
the media groups to insist they will not attend the conference.

Dube told us they met the Deputy Minister of Information Media and
Publicity, Jameson Timba, at his request in the morning.  Despite Timba
assuring them that the government was doing something to resolve the issue
the media alliance members reiterated their position. 'We are not attending
unless something changes in the coming few hours,' Dube told us.
Registration for the conference was meant to begin Wednesday according to
Dube, but most journalists were still in Harare in the afternoon suggesting
the boycott was being adhered to.

The media alliance comprises the Media Institute of Southern Africa-
Zimbabwe Chapter, Media Monitoring Project of Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe National
Editors Forum, Voluntary Media Council of Zimbabwe, and the African
Community Publishing and Development Trust. Input from the groups is seen as
critical to shaping a proper reform agenda for the media, especially given
the slow pace of reforms so far.

But even before the latest controversy which triggered the boycott, there
was already concern that the conference deliberately ignored most of the
major stakeholders in the media and had an unclear agenda. Not only did it
ignore exiled media organizations forced out by repressive laws, but the
same people who persecuted the media, such as former information minister
Jonathan Moyo, were selected to be keynote speakers. A Zimbabwe Standard
newspaper commentary described the line up as one of 'media taliban's' and
'characters with a violently unrepentant disposition towards free speech.'

Reflecting the mess that has shrouded the organization of the conference
informed sources claimed Moyo says he is surprised that reports are saying
he is one of the key speakers, when he has not received an invitation to do
so.

IMF resumes technical aid to Zimbabwe

WASHINGTON (AFP) - The IMF announced Wednesday that it had resumed technical
assistance to Zimbabwe following consultations with the new unity government
in the poverty-stricken nation.

The move is a key step toward ending the African nation's isolation from the
international community and could open the door to new financial aid to the
country for the first time in years.

The International Monetary Board's executive board "decided to lift the
suspension of Fund technical assistance to Zimbabwe in targeted areas"
effective May 4, a statement from the Washington-based institution said.

The board took into account a "significant improvement in Zimbabwe?s
cooperation on economic policies" to address its problems over arrears,
which amounted to 133 million dollars, the statement said.

Zimbabwe has also moved to address "severe capacity constraints in the IMF?s
core areas of expertise that represent a major risk to the implementation of
the government?s macroeconomic stabilization program."

The decision followed consultations after Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai
took office in February in a unity government with long-time President
Robert Mugabe, whose government was shunned by the international community
and narrowly averted expulsion from the IMF over arrears.

Tsvangirai has made a priority of trying to restore ties with international
lenders and the IMF sent a mission to Zimbabwe just one month after he took
office.

The IMF mission was the first to Zimbabwe since 2006, when Mugabe's
government narrowly averted expulsion from the body over arrears.

The Fund has long criticized Mugabe's economic policies but had praise for
the efforts of the new unity government.

The IMF said that a track record of sound policy implementation, supported
by targeted technical assistance, from the Fund and other international
groups, was a "critical first step" to securing donor financial support for
the reconstruction of Zimbabwe?s economy and regularizing arrears to
creditors.

The Fund said that technical assistance could be provided to Zimbabwe in
areas such as tax policy and administration, payments systems,
"lender-of-last-resort" operations and banking supervision as well as
central banking governance and accounting.

A separate statement on the IMF assessment following consultations with the
government said Zimbabwe "is now at a critical juncture."

While the IMF welcomed efforts by the unity government to "seize the
historic opportunity" to improve economic growth prospects and poverty
reduction by political consensus, the Fund also cautioned that "downside
risks were significant."

It warned that "potential political instability and limited implementation
capacity may undermine reform and stabilization efforts, weakening the
prospects for mobilizing donor financial support and attracting private
capital inflows."

Economic and social indicators in Zimbabwe worsened significantly in 2008,
the IMF said.

The economy could have contracted by about 14 percent in 2008 on top of a 40
percent cumulative decline during the 2000-2007 period due to economic
disruptions caused by hyperinflation and a further significant deterioration
in the business climate, it said.

Poverty and unemployment have risen to "catastrophic levels," with 70
percent of the population in need of food assistance and a cholera epidemic
claiming more than 4,000 lives, it said.

Zimbabwe's Economy Shrank 14.1%, Causing 'Catastrophic' Poverty

http://www.bloomberg.com

By Nasreen Seria and Mike Cohen

May 6 (Bloomberg) -- Zimbabwe's economy contracted 14.1 percent in 2008,
while public spending collapsed, pushing unemployment and poverty to
"catastrophic" levels, the International Monetary Fund said.

Between 2000 and 2007, the economy shrunk 40 percent, while inflation was
estimated at a record 500 billion percent last September, the
Washington-based lender said in an e-mailed statement today. The economy
will probably rebound this year, expanding an estimated 2.8 percent, the IMF
forecast.

Zimbabwe's economy has shrunk every year this past decade after President
Robert Mugabe seized farms belonging to white farmers to redistribute to
blacks. That slashed export earnings, resulting in shortages of food, fuel
and foreign exchange. Mugabe agreed this year to share power with the
opposition Movement for Democratic Change, paving the way for Zimbabwe to
begin negotiating with the IMF and other lenders for loans.

"A decade of high inflation, severe economic decline, and rising poverty has
culminated in an acute, ongoing humanitarian crisis," the IMF said.
"Zimbabwe is now at a critical juncture."

The IMF's Executive Board agreed today to lift its suspension of "technical
assistance" to Zimbabwe and plans to help the country with advice on tax
policy, payments systems and banking supervision, the fund said.

The IMF requires Zimbabwe to clear its arrears to all multinational lenders
and demonstrate a sound policy track record before it can resume lending to
the southern African nation. Zimbabwe's debt arrears total about $3.8
billion, with about $133 million owed to the IMF and a total of $1.1 billion
to the World Bank and the African Development Bank.

Inflation May Slow

Inflation in Zimbabwe will probably slow, the IMF said, after the Zimbabwe
dollar was abolished and the government switched to using the South African
rand and the U.S. dollar as its main currencies in circulation.

Economic Planning Minister Elton Mangoma said on April 20 that Zimbabwe
wants to avoid a repeat of the practice of printing money that fueled
inflation and won't reintroduce the Zimbabwe dollar for at least another
year. The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe has printed money in the past few years
to repay its debts and to pay subsidies to farmers and state-owned
companies.

South Africa has agreed to give Zimbabwe 800 million rand ($95 million) in
funding, which will comprise of 300 million rand in budgetary support and
500 million in credit lines, while Botswana is considering a $70 million
loan for Zimbabwe.

Revenue Collapsed

Zimbabwe's revenue and expenditure collapsed last year as hyperinflation
took hold and the economy contracted, the IMF said. Budget revenue fell to
$133 million, or 4 percent of gross domestic product, last year, from $1
billion, or 25 percent of GDP, in 2005, the fund said.

Expenditure declined to $258 million from $1.4 billion in the same period
"causing an almost complete collapse in the provision of public services,
including a significant reduction in electricity generation capacity,
collapse of water supply, and major disruptions in railway services," the
IMF said.

The IMF said the government's Short-Term Emergency Recovery Program,
outlined by Finance Minister Tendai Biti, was based on "sound principles of
macroeconomic management" of fiscal discipline, a multi-currency monetary
framework and halting the central bank's "quasi-fiscal activities."

Still, there was "significant" downside risks because of political
instability and limited "capacity" to implement the reforms, the fund said.

Economic revival will depend on attracting foreign and domestic investment
and improving the nation's competitiveness, the fund said.

"It is essential that the government ensures the protection of property
rights, maintains the rule of law, guards against protectionism, and pursues
prudent wage and income policies," the IMF said.

Call for Zimbabwe bank governor to go

http://www.ft.com/

By Tom Burgis in Johannesburg

Published: May 6 2009 18:54 | Last updated: May 6 2009 18:54

Zimbabwe's power-sharing rivals are on course for a showdown after members
of the former opposition to Robert Mugabe's party set a deadline of Monday
for demands including the removal of the central bank governor to be met.

The ultimatum is a sign of the difficulty the Movement for Democratic Change
faces implementing the reforms donors are insisting on before they will
release funds to rebuild the shattered economy.

"The delay in finding a lasting solution to outstanding issues is of great
concern to the MDC," said Tendai Biti, the party's secretary-general and
finance minister in the unity government formed in February after last year's
elections.
Mr Biti said that the reappointment of Gideon Gono, the central bank
governor who has presided over hyperinflation and has been accused of
channelling funds to Mr Mugabe's allies, violated the power-sharing
agreement.

Regional officials see Mr Gono's continued tenure as a principal obstacle to
unlocking the hundreds of millions of dollars in aid that the International
Monetary Fund says is required to meet the funding gap in Mr Biti's
reforming budget.

Meanwhile, civil servants' pay remains low, hunger is rife and a cholera
outbreak has killed thousands.

"The ordinary citizens of Zimbabwe are paying a heavy price for delays
occurring at a political level," said Bella Matambanadzo of the Open Society
Initiative in Harare. "We need to start seeing tangible results that enable
our country to take full hold of the reconstruction opportunities ahead."

However, underscoring the MDC's lack of leverage over the authoritarian
president, Nqobizitha Mlilo, a party spokesman, told the Financial Times: "I
don't see the possibility of a withdrawal from the government at this
 stage."

Instead, if Monday comes and goes without the MDC being satisfied, the party
will convene its highest decision-making body a week later to weigh its
options.

Despite a series of pledges by Morgan Tsvangirai, the MDC prime minister,
the party is still struggling to exert authority even over some of the
ministries it controls, in the face of resistance from the security forces
and Mr Mugabe's Zanu-PF party.

Fresh violence on Chegutu's Mount Carmel farm

http://www.swradioafrica.com

By Alex Bell
06 May 2009

There has been a fresh outbreak of violent attacks on Chegutu's Mount Carmel
farm, with invaders viciously beating a farm worker as well destroying the
property, all in retaliation to a court order demanding they leave the land.

The High Court order was handed down to the invaders on Monday, as part of
an ongoing effort by the farm owner's, Ben Freeth and his parents-in-law, to
have the invaders removed from their land. But the retaliation started in
earnest on Tuesday night, with the invaders threatening to burn down the
family's home. The gang also used tractors to dig up the garden around the
house, all while the family was locked inside. When the thugs eventually
left, they took out their anger on the farm workers, threatening to burn
down the worker's village before abducting the farm foreman.

Freeth explained on Wednesday that the foreman was only found on Wednesday
morning, after he had been severely beaten and then detained at the Chegutu
police station. The worker is now recovering from serious injuries, after he
was beaten across the head and feet, and Freeth said he is unable to hear on
one side anymore. Freeth continued that there has been ongoing intimidation
and threats against his staff, with one worker being told by the invaders
that they would "cut his lips off if he did any work."

"There has once again been absolutely no support from police, and these
people are just being allowed to destroy our farm," Freeth said. "This
controlled anarchy means we are all living in fear."

The farm has been taken over almost completely by invaders working for ZANU
PF top official, Nathan Shamuyarira. The invaders moved onto the farm more
than a month ago, and have since turned the property into a mass looting and
camping site. Completely protected and supported by local police, the
invaders have used violence and intimidation repeatedly, viciously beating
the farm workers. Many were forced into hiding during the worst of the
attacks, while seven spent more than two weeks behind bars on trumped up
charges. They have since been released on bail, but have to report to the
police station on a daily basis.

The farm's legitimate owners, Mike and Angela Campbell, have since left the
property that they co-own with their son-in-law, Ben Freeth. They have had
to watch as the land has been destroyed and plundered, with all their
produce being sold off by the invaders at local markets. Tuesday night's
attack has come on the back of a ministerial order for the invaders to leave
the land, and allow farming activities to resume. Freeth explained that
there is no hope for the future of Zimbabwe, when even the orders of the
Deputy Prime Minister don't prompt any action.

"We don't really know what to do anymore, we're just hoping this government
does something soon to make this all stop," Freeth said.

Tekere says Mugabe should step down

http://www.thezimbabwetimes.com/?p=16282

May 6, 2009

By Our Correspondent

MUTARE - Former Zanu-PF strongman, Edgar Tekere says the inclusive
government will not receive any meaningful financial assistance from the
international community as long as President Robert Mugabe remains at the
helm.

Tekere told journalists attending Press Freedom Day commemorations held in
the eastern border city at the weekend that allowing Mugabe to be in charge
of the inclusive government was a grave mistake which could prove very
costly to Zimbabweans.

"A big mistake was made to allow Mugabe to lead the government after he lost
elections in March," Tekere said.  "The money that we want as a country will
not come because the donors know that Mugabe and (Reserve Bank governor,
Gideon) Gono will have access to that money."

The former Zanu-PF secretary general and cabinet minister said as long as
Mugabe was in charge of the country no meaningful development would be
realized.

Tekere said while it was also his wish for the inclusive government to be
successful it was unlikely to receive the much needed financial help from
the international community as long as Mugabe was at the helm of the
government.

"I want the inclusive government to be a success but the assistance will not
come because donors know there is no way Mugabe and Gono will fail to dip
their fingers into the funds received from them," Tekere said.

Tekere spoke as the inclusive government, formed by the three main political
parties in Zimbabwe, struggles to attract financial assistance to shore up
the country's economy.

The United States and Britain have indicated Zimbabwe needed to undergo more
radical political change before they can move in with the much needed
financial assistance.

Mugabe's Zanu-PF and the two MDC political parties led by Morgan Tsvangirai
and Arthur Mutambara formed an inclusive government to address the political
and economic crisis besetting Zimbabwe since 2000.

The tough-talking Tekere also took a swipe at Gono, the Reserve Bank
governor, saying he should shoulder much of the blame for the collapse of
the country's economy.

He questioned Gono's wisdom in printing a ten trillion bank note saying it
was very illogical.

Gono has also come under fire from several quarters for his policies which
are blamed for exacerbating the country's economic woes.

Tekere said he was surprised regional grouping Southern African Development
Community (SADC) allowed Mugabe to lead Zimbabwe after losing a presidential
election to Tsvangirai, leader of the mainstream MDC political party.

He said Mugabe should now step down and pave the way for a much younger and
more vibrant leader.

Tekere also told the gathering he was worried Simba Makoni's Mavambo
movement had failed to transform itself into a political party, saying the
failure to do so was "unfortunate and disappointing".

Tekere was dismissed from Zanu-PF in 1989 after he publicly challenged
Mugabe and his top lieutenants who were intent on transforming Zimbabwe into
a one-party state. Tekere also incurred the wrath of his colleagues by
launching a war on corruption.

Tekere was fired from Zanu-PF and formed the Zimbabwe Unity Movement which
contested general elections in 1990. His party lost the poll but he cried
foul saying the electoral process had been rigged in Zanu-PF's favour.

Confusion mars start of new school semester

http://www.swradioafrica.com

By Alex Bell
06 May 2009

The new school term has started under a cloud of confusion this week, with
many teachers still waiting for the go ahead for a nationwide strike that
was threatened to begin on Tuesday.

The strike was narrowly averted Monday following a crisis meeting between
education ministry officials, teachers' union leaders and international
donor representatives. The Education Ministry has admitted that the
government does not have the funds to increase teachers' wages, and has
instead called on the help of the international donor community to try to
drum up support for Zimbabwe's teachers. Teachers have been demanding, among
other things, a significant wage increase of more than US$1,000, and had
threatened the mass action to coincide with the start of the new school term
on Tuesday.

But the mass action was averted after the Ministry and the teachers' unions
agreed that teachers' children would receive free education; banks would be
encouraged to reduce their charges to teachers; and the ministry would
negotiate a five-year benefits plan for teachers. The donor community has
also pledged to help find financial support for the country's education
sector, delaying a strike that would likely have sparked a chain reaction of
mass action across the public service.

But while many teachers have reported to work at the start of the term on
Tuesday, many of those who did arrive embarked on a 'go-slow', refusing to
teach classes until the message from their unions to strike or not was
received. In Mashonaland, only six of the province's nine schools have
reportedly reopened. Many teachers across the country have also been unable
to afford the transport fees to return to their teaching posts.

Oswald Madziva, the Programmes and Communications Officer for the
Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ), explained on Wednesday that
the late finish of Monday's crisis meeting meant not all teachers received
the message that the strike had been called off. He said that as of
Wednesday, more teachers were back to work, and overall there was a positive
response from teachers to the news that the strike had been averted.

Madziva explained that the academic year is likely to be marred by the
financial worries of the government, acknowledging that "the plight of
teachers will only be resolved with the resolution of the political
deadlock."

The ongoing violations of the Global Political Agreement that are
threatening the future of the unity government mean international donor
assistance has been held off, leaving the education sector struggling
against almost total collapse.

Zimbabwe gold production plunges 76%

http://www.mineweb.com/

Despite new rules allowing gold producers to sell directly to world market,
major mining houses are still avoiding Zimbabwe.

Author: MacDonald Dzirutwe
Posted:  Wednesday , 06 May 2009

HARARE (Reuters) -

Zimbabwe's gold output plunged 76 percent during the first four months of
2009 after most miners shut their operations last year at the height of a
political crisis, a senior industry official told Reuters on Tuesday.

Gold producers are now re-starting production after new rules allowed them
to sell gold directly to the world markets but uncertainty over ownership
laws is likely to keep big mining houses away from exploring the country's
rich mineral deposits.

Chamber of Mines President, David Murangari, said the entire mining sector
was struggling due to lack of capital to re-start and increase production.

"The major challenge to the mining sector at the moment is financing needed
to resume production as well as re-start exploration and development of new
deposits. This is particularly so for gold mines," Murangari said in an
email in response to questions from Reuters.

Murangari said gold output between January and April this year stood at 335
kg, down from 1,407 kg during the same period in 2008.

Gold production for the whole of last year hit a record low of 3,072 kg from
6,798 kg in 2007. At its peak, Zimbabwe produced an average of 2,400 kg of
gold a month.

Gold contributes one-third to Zimbabwe's dwindling export earnings since the
collapse of commercial agriculture after President Robert Mugabe's
government started in 2000 forcibly taking land from white farmers to
resettle blacks.

Miners have since 2002 struggled with a political and economic crisis and
foreign currency shortages, forcing mines to shut down while skilled labour
flocked to neighbouring South Africa and as far as Australia.

But gold producers now want to re-open their mines after Zimbabwe's central
bank in February relinquished its role as sales agent for gold, allowing
firms for the first time to sell the metal and keep all the proceeds.

The country's biggest gold producer, Metallon Gold, London-listed Mwana
Africa and Canada's New Dawn Mining Corp, have plans to re-open their mines
within months.

Formed in February, Zimbabwe's new unity government of Mugabe and his main
political rival Morgan Tsvangirai ended a long period of uncertainty and
this has buoyed investor interest in mining, Murangari said.

"There are several enquiries from new investors interested in investing in
the mining sector. This is more so after the formation of the inclusive
government," he said.

"The formation of the inclusive government should help encourage investment
in the mining sector as this builds confidence in the future stability of
the country."

But existing gold miners are still owed millions by the government for their
past gold deliveries, Murangari said.

"A final decision (on this issue) is needed from government to assure
investors who are appearing hesitant to put new money to resuscitate the
gold sector," he said. (Editing by James Macharia and Peter Blackburn)

Zimbabweans Demonstrate Outside S.A Parliament

http://www.radiovop.com/


CAPE TOWN, May 6 2009 - Save Zimbabwe Now, a coalition of civic
society organisations, which seeks to galvanise the solidarity and support
of individuals and organisations in Southern Africa to promote democracy in
Zimbabwe, on Wednesday protested against the labeling of Zimbabweans as
exclusively economic migrants during the opening of Parliament.

"This protest will make the point that Zimbabwean nationals entering
South Africa are not exclusively economic migrants, but are also refugees
who are unable to return to their home country for fear of doing so.

"It must be recognised that they are in danger and that these actions
place their lives under serious threat," said the organisation in a
statement released prior to the demonstration.

In a petition presented to SA's speaker of parliament, Max Sisulu,
Save Zimbabwe Now indicated that none of the mechanisms put in place by the
Southern African Development Community (SADC) and Zimbabwe's government of
national unity, could protect its citizens from the 'military generals and
their belief to the right of might'.

Save Zimbabwe noted that Zimbabwean courts on the  May 05 ordered the
detention of seventeen previously released Zimbabwean civil society and
opposition activists.

Save Zimbabwe noted that Zimbabwean courts on the  May 05 ordered the
detention of seventeen previously released Zimbabwean civil society and
opposition activists.

"The detention of these activists amounts to nothing more than another
round of extra legal abductions and they should be viewed as political
detainees. That such actions can take -place in the face of global attention
being paid to the current developments in Zimbabwe indicates the arrogance
of the political and military elites.

"That they take place at a time when the GNU, including the MDC, is
arguing for reinvestment and confidence building around the transition
process, exposes them as spoilers intent on destroying all efforts aimed at
peaceful change," said Save Zimbabwe.

The petition indicated that the rule of law in Zimbabwe had become a
mockery of justice where court rulings 'can be changed in one day to the
next or simply ignored'.

"As guarantors of the agreement, SADC and AU are compelled to speak
out forcefully on these detentions. They are in direct violation of
agreements reached between the principle stakeholders within the mediation
process and are further evidence of the total disregard in which Zimbabwean
people are being held.

"We implore the South African Parliament to use all its influence to
ensure the speedy and safe release of the political detainees and urge SADC
to use every means at its disposal in ensuring that abductions, torture and
all forms of repressive violence and political prisoners are released
immediately. Allow humanitarian agencies responding to the deepening cholera
and HIV/AIDS epidemic and the food shortages to work in an unrestricted
environment," said the organisation.

It also called for the scrapping of unjust legislation that restricts
the right to organise and tell the world what is going on including the
Access to Information and Protection to Privacy Act (AIPPA) as well as the
public Order and Security Act (POSA) and the creation of conditions for the
adoption of a people driven constitution and a legitimate, free and fair
election.

The organisation however commended the South African government for
granting Zimbabwean nationals a 90-day visitor's permit and the lifting of
visa restrictions on crossing the South African border on May 4.

"We have concerns about its distribution and some of the details of
the arrangement, but this recent decision seems to be a positive
development. However if Zimbabwe continues to violate human rights in such a
manner; South Africa is only dealing with the symptoms of the problems
created by mass migration.

"The Zimbabwean government must face consequences, action must be
taken by South Africa against the Mugabe Regime. The new parliament of South
Africa can no longer be seen to be standing by ZANU PF," said Save Zimbabwe.

Thabeth Chikwature, a Zimbabwean who took part in the protest, said
all she wanted was to be treated well in South Africa.

"Seven people were burnt to death while they were sleeping in their
shack at night and up to now the South African Police have not brought the
criminals to book. I want to be able to walk into the Department of Home
Affairs offices and be able to have my asylum permit renewed without having
to wait for three weeks," she said.

Farisai Nyamukohwa, another demonstrator said she wanted Zimbabweans
to be allowed to stay in South Africa until the situation back home has
normalised and outstanding issues between the political parties had been
resolved.

People Against Suffering, Suppression, Oppression and Poverty leader
Braam Hanekom, called on the opposition MDC to take necessary measures
against continued politically motivated arrests.

"We will not allow the unity government to be distracted by ZANU PF.
MDC is making a big compromise by allowing the situation to prevail. Mugabe
has violated the people of Zimbabwe and can not be allowed to continue," he
said.

Women of Zimbabwe Arise National Coordinator Jenni Williams said
although there has been some stabilisation following the dollarisation
process, the culture of fear and politically motivated arrests have remained
the order of the day.

Daily cholera update and alerts, 05 May 2009

 Full_Report (pdf* format - 187.6 Kbytes)

* Please note that daily information collection is a challenge due to communication and staff constraints. On-going data cleaning may result in an increase or decrease in the numbers. Any change will then be explained.

** Daily information on new deaths should not imply that these deaths occurred in cases reported that day. Therefore daily CFRs >100% may occasionally result

A. Highlights of the day:

- 26 Cases and 1 deaths added today (in comparison with 89 cases and 3 deaths yesterday)

- Cumulative cases 97 7821

- Cumulative deaths 4 266 of which 2 618 are community deaths

- 93.3 % of the reporting centres affected have reported today 56 out of 60 affected reporting centres

- Cumulative Institutional Case Fatality Rate = 1.7%

- Daily Institutional CFR = 0 %.

Zimbabwe's Unity Govt - The First 100 Days

http://mensnewsdaily.com

It may be difficult to believe but on Monday next week, the MDC would have
been in government for 100 days. On Tuesday the Prime Minister will address
Parliament and on Wednesday he will launch the next 100 day programme at the
International Conference Centre in Harare.

The day before that he will address Parliament for the second time and give
the country an overview of what has been/has not been achieved in the first
quarter of the two year Transitional Government. I expect the next election
will be about June 2011 and we have therefore 10 quarters of this
arrangement of which the first has come and gone.

I was a part of the "transition team" established by Morgan Tsvangirai in
January 2008 when it was expected that we would win the March election. As
everyone knows we did win but were again denied the right to rule because of
fraud and the regional community. So when we eventually did get a deal -
over the dead body of the South African President, it was a rather nasty
compromise that tied us to Zanu PF in a close embrace that is not
appreciated by either Party.

Secretly each of the two Parties looks over the shoulder of the other
towards the 2011 election and thinks only of what they have to do to win.
For Zanu PF it is quite simple - hold onto what they have left and no
compromise on anything that might ease their grip on the electoral process.
So they have spent the past three months simply stonewalling the MDC in all
the critical areas linked to the electoral process. They have no wish to
demonstrate who plays the best cricket, they feel they just have to
filibuster the MDC until they get to the point where they can go into an
election where the same mix they have used to win and hold onto power for 30
years can be brought into play. First prize for them is the collapse of the
GNU, second prize is a flawed election that they can win in 2011.

These areas of conflict have become labelled by Tendai Biti as the "toxic
issues", described as such because of their potential to destroy the GNU and
undermine the success of the transitional government.

On the part of the MDC we have sought to make the deal work and to try and
get the situation in the country back to normal - whatever that is! So you
have seen the Prime Minister leaning over backwards to accept his Zanu PF
colleagues as such and to work with and not against the President. While we
have stuck with the demand that the GNU be fulfilled in full and in spirit,
Zanu PF has simple refused to back down on any issue that might threaten
their hold on what remains of their State power.

This has made for an uneasy relationship and an uneven record of achievement
and failure. We had worked hard on the issue of macro economic stabilisation
and on our future relationship with the multilateral institutions before the
new government was formed. Because of this we were able to agree and adopt
Sterp within two weeks. This stopped world record inflation in its tracks..
We amended the exchange control regime and lifted certain regulations and
adjusted import conditions. The results were startling; food came into free
supply, market conditions recovered and after a couple of weeks, prices
began to fall.

We went out on a limb and decided to halt all quasi fiscal activity and take
the fiscal crunch with cold turkey. We paid the civil service in hard
currency and told all Ministries they could only spend what they had in the
under the mattress. In four weeks we produced a new budget, tore up the old
one and slashed government expenditure by two thirds.

The patient survived - but only just. People found they could buy things,
workers could get on a bus to work, had real money in their hands, not piles
of useless paper. Business found that the huge sums of money they had in
their accounts were actually just paper and when the cyclone of change had
swept through, they had virtually nothing left. Banks had no customers,
building societies no bonds.

Everybody found themselves on the floor, bruised and battered but alive and
we all watched the sun rise slowly over the dawn horizon of a new day.
Cyclone Gono was gone, but the evidence of its passage was everywhere.

So now we pick over the rubble and try to rebuild our lives. Food is in free
supply, but expensive, the emergency services are feeding the really needy
and health services are meeting basic needs. Clean water is scarce and
shelter is still a problem even though our population was sharply reduced by
the cyclone.

We still face major threats and problems. Pirates and gangs of criminals
roam the countryside looting what remains and exploiting the chaos and lack
of legal norms and institutions. The authorities are slow to respond and
have little capacity to protect the rights of the population. The previous
government was destroyed by the cyclone because they failed to prepare for
its arrival and passage. It will be two years before we get a chance to
elect a new government; in the meantime we have a weak and inadequate
administration that is only partly functional.

At the Victoria Falls retreat four weeks ago we took what comprises our
temporary government and asked them to map out the future and develop a 100
day programme to start our long road back from disaster. On Wednesday the
results of that process will be published, warts and all and government
Ministers will then be judged on how they perform against their own
benchmarks.

We survived! But at what a cost and many are now asking "would we be better
off dead or living elsewhere"? Things are tough, very tough. Prisoners and
long term patients in State hospitals are dying of hunger. Child mortality
remains high and human flight to other countries remains at unacceptable
levels. Our population and our economy are still in sharp decline.

Given the world crisis and the political problems surrounding aid flows, we
are going to have to rebuild the country using our own resources and
efforts. This may be healthier in the long term but it will take longer. In
the meantime the most important priority of the people is to determine how
to keep the pirates and thieves out of the next government to be elected in
2011. If we can and do, then we can pick up the pace of recovery and look
forward to better days and a real future.

Eddie Cross
Bulawayo, 4th May 2009

Environmental Conference - 11th May

European Commission Delegation in Zimbabwe

Are we not pushing Tsvangirai too much, too far?

http://www.swradioafrica.com

TANONOKA JOSEPH WHANDE

Why is there no encouraging news coming out of Harare concerning Thabo Mbeki's
illegitimate child named 'the Government of National Unity'?
These silly misnomers remind me of how despots hide behind words in a vain
attempt to divert attention from their true selves.

How democratic is the Democratic Republic of Congo? How much democracy
flourishes in the Democratic Republic of (North) Korea?

Why did they name the political rape of the MDC, forcing it to jump into bed
with ZANU-PF, "a government of national unity"?
The MDC did not want the settlement that was imposed on it. They were even
given deadlines to consummate the political marriage.
There was no unity, let alone anything remotely resembling national scope.

As each day passes, evidence mount that what SADC and Mbeki did in Zimbabwe
will soon explode into violence and chaos because what this so-called
government of national unity achieved is to lull people into believing that
change was on the way.
And if that does not happen, the people might react in a manner that might
not be easy to control.

Today, slowly, Mugabe and ZANU-PF are awakening as they realise that the MDC
will never do them any harm.

I have never felt as distraught as I did when I heard media reports coming
out of Zimbabwe saying that there is disgruntlement among Tsvangirai's top
cabinet colleagues who now feel stranded since their leader is now reluctant
to criticise Robert Mugabe, both in cabinet meetings and in public.

That the MDC long lost the script is not in dispute. They were forced into
this unity government at a time when the MDC itself had two distinct camps,
each trying to influence and impose its position on the party. Things only
settled down a few weeks after the SADC meeting.
Today, the MDC does not appear to be as powerful and strong willed as it was
then, mostly because the element of personal interest has slipped into the
equation.

To make matters worse, Tsvangirai suffered two horrific tragedies in
succession. Losing his wife of more than 30 years was devastating. Then he
lost a grandchild immediately after that.
Some of his officials say that Tsvangirai returned to work too soon after
these twin tragedies.
They are only desperately trying to justify the extinguished fire in him.

Tsvangirai is failing to stand up to Mugabe but this cannot be blamed on the
unfortunate tragedies that visited him.
Tsvangirai has done a lot and he still remains a courageous man, more than
any other in the party.
But he is tired.
He has gone through much more than Robert Mugabe went through. Being locked
up in Ian Smith's prison's and coming out with a university degree does not
indicate as much suffering as we saw on Tsvangirai's face when he was
brutally beaten up by Mugabe's goons one particulary weekend.

It might not be fair to keep on criticising Mr Tsvangiari yet he has really
done so much for his party and the fake, unease respite reportedly reigning
over the country today must be credited to him.
What else do we want him to do?

After so many sacrifices, it must be devastating for him to see journalists,
teachers and others demonstrating against his government yet he has no
authority to change anything that Mugabe does not want changed.
I can almost feel his pain when he helplessly watches his closest associates
and confidants, like Ghandi Mudzingwa, a former bodyguard, and Roy Bennett,
being bundled off to jails and he failing to rescue them from what the other
half of his own government is doing.

The helplessness runs deeper when he considers the inability to help party
supporters who are being harassed and thrown into jails on trumped up
charges.
It doesn't help much that he is considered responsible for all the
complaints raised against the government and that all the shortcomings of
this unity government are heaped at his feet.

His former allies, while they still give him the benefit of the doubt,
wonder more and more what he is doing as they see that the agreements
contained in the GNU are not being met, with a lot of outstanding issues
still unresolved.
After having been forced into this deal and having accepted it "in good
faith" after much acrimony in his own party, Tsvangirai definitely feels
betrayed by Mugabe.
He sits on a pedestal where he can now easily be humiliated by both events
within the country, within government and within his own party.

Civil society is rightly up in arms over its exclusion from the drafting of
a new constitution and Mr Tsvangirai appears to have no energy left to
tackle these issues.

Did we push this seasoned brave warrior too much and too far?

The grumblings within his own party are a scary development at this
particular time, given the fragility of the unity government.
Memories are still fresh of how Welshman Ncube almost destroyed the MDC over
trivial issues but somehow managed to cause enough chaos to split the MDC
into two.

We are expecting a little too much from Mr Tsvangirai. He has to contend
with changing strategy, and that in itself is a headache. It appears that it
might have been easier to oppose Mugabe and ZANU-PF from outside, but it is
quite another to be part of the people one once so vehemently opposed.

Since the unity government came into existence, Mugabe has been slowly
applying the pressure and has been quietly showing Zimbabweans who really
holds the balance of power in the country.
Meanwhile, the MDC is also trying to show its supporters and allies that
they can handle the situation. With Mugabe's intransigence, all this
pressure is being piled on Tsvangirai, having for so long become the symbol
of resistance against Mugabe.

But now things are not going so well.

As we talk right now, journalists have taken to the streets in protest, this
being Mr Tsvangirai's government. Abductees were re-arrested by Prime
Minister Tsvangirai's police.
Poor Jestina Mukoko, with compatriots like this, does she need enemies? Oh,
if this is not Mr Tsvangirai's government, who is doing all these things and
what is Mr Tsvangirai doing about it?
He can't do anything about it.

No, we don't prefer that Tsvangirai and Mugabe be always at each other's
throat.
We prefer that Tsvangirai and his party stay clear of this nonsense. He
himself admits there are problems and he has been encountering them for a
long time now. But we just want to urge him on as if we can't see where we
are headed. We refuse to see his limitations.

Haven't we heard that ice-cold water quenches little thirst? How far will
the USA $100 a month take us if we cannot rectify the simplest of things in
as short a time as possible?

Where will it all end if the MDC cannot stand its ground? Why should the MDC
be the Samaritan always betraying its supporters' aspirations while ZANU-PF
is not changing anything about itself?

I have faith in what the past taught me. I have experienced it. What's in
our future? I don't believe in clairvoyances or crystal balls.
The heart of the matter is that Mugabe is real and he is a destroyer not to
be given an opportunity.
The MDC, but especially its leader, is paying a heavy prize for its
association with the monsters in ZANU-PF.

My wish is for Mr Tsvangirai to go into real retreat and regroup emotional
and psychologically. He needs to rediscover his inner strength. We want the
old warrior back but only after he returns to his former inner self.
We are not pushing him but we notice a creeping weakness that ZANU-PF is
eagerly waiting to exploit and we cannot afford that.
Thank you Mr Tsvangirai, your job is not done yet; please don't backslide
now.
Fellow Zimbabweans, what do you say? Send me your comments on
tano@swradioafrica.com
I am Tanonoka Joseph Whande and that my compatriots, is the way it is today,
Thursday May 7th, 2009.