CONSTITUTIONAL Affairs Minister Eric Matinenga came under attack
from Zanu PF MPs on Tuesday after he deferred debate on the Constitution of
Zimbabwe Bill to Wednesday.
Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa (Zanu
PF) accused Matinenga and his MDC-T party of trying to delay the Bill in the
hope of pushing elections – which President Robert Mugabe says should be
held by June 29 – further back.
MPs had been ordered to suspend all
business for the debate on the new constitution which passed a public
referendum on March 16. A motion had also been adopted suspending the
automatic adjournment of the House at 6.55PM as MPs prepared for a long
day.
Matinenga, after introducing the Bill, asked for the debate to be
deferred to allow MPs a chance to study it. But Zanu PF MPs said the Bill
had been gazetted for the preceding 30 days, and lawmakers who wished to
would have read its contents before Tuesday.
Amid noisy scenes in the
House, Zvimba East MP Patrick Zhuwawo (Zanu PF), shouted: “MaChinja avekutya
kuti tidebate constitution [The Change party (MDC-T) is now scared of
debating the constitution].”
Speaker Lovemore Moyo then called a
20-minute consultation period between MPs and their Parliamentary
leadership. Zanu PF heavy hitters Vice President Joice Mujuru, Defence
Minister Emmerson Mnangagwa, Chinamasa and chief whip Jorum Gumbo huddled
together in animated discussions while the MDC-T secretary general and
Finance Minister Tendai Biti taunted the Zanu PF MPs.
Matinenga’s
stance also appeared to surprise MPs from the MDC led by Industry Minister
Welshman Ncube. The party’s secretary general Priscilla
Misihairabwi-Mushonga reached out for talks with Chinamasa.
In the
end, Matinenga said an agreement had been reached between the parties
allowing him to introduce the Bill but defer the debate.
Mangwe MP
Edward Mkhosi (MDC), said: “We expected the minister to have a debate on the
Bill and I thought we were going into it because it is the reason why we had
to suspend all the other business.
“I thought we were coming to the end
of this process but it appears the minister had other ideas.” Chinamasa
said there was agreement between the parties that the Bill would be
introduced and debated on Tuesday before adoption by the required two thirds
majority on Wednesday.
Using that timetable, the Bill would be taken to
the Senate on Thursday with expectations that senators would pass it by
mid-week next week before President Robert Mugabe signs it into
law.
Chinamasa said: “It’s very clear they are employing delaying
tactics. They told me that they don’t want elections early. They think by
stalling this process elections can be delayed. That’s the sad thing about
people who call themselves democrats but they are afraid of
elections.
“In the meantime, I’ve spoken to the Speaker and I hope that
he’ll use his influence so that we finalise this matter on Wednesday so that
we’ve the Bill in the Senate on Thursday.”
Almost 30,000 new voters have registered to vote since the mobile
registration exercise was launched two weeks ago, the Zimbabwe Electoral
Commission (ZEC) chairperson said on Wednesday.
At a press conference
Rita Makarau told journalists in Harare that 29,940 new voters registered
since the campaign began on 29th April.
She also said that in the same
period 3,839 citizens used the exercise to transfer their votes from one
ward to the other. The former Judge of the High Court said ZEC is satisfied
with the progress achieved from the exercise despite numerous complaints,
mainly to do with the unfair distribution of voter registration centers in
the country.
‘42,882 people have taken identification cards while 33,645
have used the occasion to inspect the voters roll,’ said Makarau who urged
all Zimbabweans to take the opportunity to register as voters and at the
same time inspect the voters roll.
‘If anyone has a complaint, they
are invited to lodge the complaint with the district offices or the head
office in Harare. They should be specific as to the nature of the actual
complaint,’ Makarau added.
The ZEC chair explained that the commission
has deployed two voter educators per district to educate people on who is
eligible to vote and the type of documents that a person is required to
submit, in order to register.
Hundreds of Harare residents
who have besieged the voter registration centres in Dzivaresekwa and Glen
View suburbs are failing to register as there are acute manpower shortage
and delays, which have seriously affected the process.
The move has
disenfranchised some of the residents as they cannot cope with the long
queues and standing in the sun for long periods as a result of the chaotic
situation which is being created by the officials from the Registrar
General’s Office.
At Glen View 2 Primary School, police had to be
called in to quell the situation after the residents were angered by the
delays in registering voters by RG’s officials.
The two registration
centres in Glen View and Dzivaresekwa Polyclinic are being manned by only
six officials each. Most of the people gathered at the Dzivaresekwa
Polyclinic failed to register yesterday while the team was at Dzivaresekwa
Hall and were told by the RG’s officials to come today to the
polyclinic.
But by up to this afternoon they had not registered. On
Tuesday, at the Malborough High School in Harare, there was a highly
suspicious and covert deployment of soldiers only a few metres from the
school where the mobile voter registration centre for Harare West was taking
place.
Similar chaotic situations are reported to be taking place across
the country.
The MDC is greatly outraged at the attempts by the
Registrar General's Office to rig the upcoming general elections in Zimbabwe
through the blatant manipulation of the ongoing voter registration exercise
across the country.
The MDC position is that the Registrar General
Tobaiwa Mudede, who is notorious for rigging elections for Zanu PF should
have nothing to do with the mobile voter registration exercise and that as
provided in the GPA the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) should assume
responsibility for this important process.
The MDC cannot accept a
voter registration exercise designed to disenfranchise some people in
Zimbabwe. The clandestine manner in which the current mobile voter
registration process is being conducted is totally unacceptable.
It
is clear that the current exercise cannot produce a credible voters’ roll
meaning that it is incapable of resulting in a free and fair election. MDC
reiterates its position that it is ready for free and fair elections at any
time. However, no elections must be called on the basis of the current
voters roll.
We totally reject the current voters roll as currently
constituted. We demand complete and transparent audit of the voters roll
with the participation of all the stakeholders.
Zimbabweans are ready
for a new dispensation, an era of genuine transformation and will turn out
in their numbers to register to vote despite attempts to frustrate them.
Change is nigh. No weapon designed to detract our people shall prosper any
more for the wheels of change are on course.
The MDC continue to call
on the people of Zimbabwe to remain steadfast and vigilant in the face of
these challenges as we march towards a new Zimbabwe which will bring real
transformation to the lives of many.
Campaigning for the right to represent ZANU PF in forthcoming
elections is said to be in full throttle. No names have yet been publicised
of who will contest in the primaries, in a process that has created serious
infighting in the former ruling party.
ZANU PF’s Politburo met over
the weekend and finally adopted internal guidelines for the yet to be
announced primary elections, after weeks of haggling and fire-fighting,
especially over toning down tempers in the volatile Manicaland
province.
Political commentator and ZANU PF insider, Livingston Dzikira,
said there is no political party which will go to elections without some
squabbles, and challenges will be found in all political parties.
The
latest developments have also exposed internal divisions over who will
succeed 89 year old President Robert Mugabe. In a rare sign of public
outrage over this issue Zanu PF’s secretary for administration, Didymus
Mutasa, was quoted in the weekly Standard newspaper attacking Defence
Minister Emmerson Mnangagwa for openly challenging Vice President Joice
Mujuru.
“We all agreed unanimously. Now we are surprised that there
are some people like Mnangagwa who are now leading another faction claiming
that they want to take over the party. Anyone who objects to the legitimacy
of Mai Mujuru as the vice president of the party, then that person does
not belong to Zanu PF,” Mutasa said.
Dzikira said Mutasa was
specifically talking about Mujuru’s vice presidency, which is a unanimous
decision of ZANU PF, and was not referring to who will succeed Mugabe. “The
contest of who takes over from President Mugabe has not even opened and the
statement that has officially been given by ZANU PF is that discussion is
not there because there are no vacancies,” the commentator added.
The
ZANU PF secretary for administration accused members of the Mnangagwa
faction as being “sell outs who are perpetuating the destruction of the
party,” even though he is in the centre of faction fighting in Manicaland
province.
Mutasa and Women’s league boss Oppah Muchinguri are said to
be leading splinter groups of the party, which has led to the appointment
of a new provincial leadership led by Zimbabwe’s Ambassador to Cuba, John
Mvundura, who will now become the Manicaland provincial chairperson with
Retired Lieutenant General Mike Nyambuya as his deputy.
Muchinguri
welcomed the new provincial leadership brought in to resolve the challenges
facing the party, which only won 6 out of the 26 parliamentary seats in
Manicaland in 2008. She is quoted in the state controlled Herald newspaper
saying: “What we want now is to win the elections. People should change
their attitudes. People must mature.”
ZANU PF has also been forced to
change the provincial leadership in Bulawayo as a result of internal
disputes, with the appointment of Callistus Ndlovu as chairperson. The party
lost all 12 parliamentary seats in Bulawayo in the last
elections.
While it has been easy for ZANU PF to call for general
elections to be held at the end of June it has not been easy for the party
to call for its own primary elections.
All the political parties in
the inclusive government are yet to conduct primary elections, including the
MDC-T which had said their internal polls will start on May 3.
In the last few weeks police have launched a
renewed crackdown on MDC-T activists and officials, with just a few months
to go before harmonized elections.
On Tuesday authorities extended
their crackdown to journalists who dared write an article about the MDC-T
engaging in discussion with some of the country’s service
chiefs.
Zimbabwe Independent Editor Dumisani Muleya and Chief Reporter
Owen Gagare, were arrested and charged for “publishing or communicating
false statements prejudicial to the State.”
Commenting on the arrest
Muleya said; ‘This is a clear abuse of the state machinery and an act of
systematic harassment and intimidation of journalists who are merely doing
their job.
‘This has always been a common feature of Zimbabwe under
President Robert Mugabe and his ZANU PF regime since they came to power in
1980. This uncalled for move is calculated to muzzle the media, in this case
ourselves, to scare us away from writing about such major issues of
overwhelming public interest, especially security sector reform, ahead of
general elections.’
Journalists, the judiciary, human rights activists
and MDC politicians are among those targeted in a pattern of threats,
harassment, imprisonment and often attacks from ZANU PF thugs.
Two
weeks ago, 19 MDC-T activists were arrested and charged with allegedly
impersonating government officials during a door-to-door campaign voter
registration campaign.
Since their arrest in Hatcliffe the activists
have been held in custody after a magistrate denied them bail last week and
their hearing did not proceed on Wednesday as scheduled. Lawyer Denford
Halimane said the case was postponed to Friday, after the state failed to
allocate a prosecutor to deal with the matter.
MDC-T Youth Assembly
President Solomon Madzore is also still behind bars after being arrested
last week Thursday on allegations that he referred to President Robert
Mugabe as “a limping donkey” during an election campaign rally in Mbire,
Mashonaland Central.
While a Bindura magistrate granted the youth leader
bail, the state prosecutor invoked a controversial law to keep him in
custody for seven days.
In Matabeleland north the party’s youth
chairman for the province, Fredrick Ngwenya, was arrested on Monday, while
in Manicaland Prosper Mutseyami, the Musikavanhu MP and the province’s
organising secretary, was arrested on Wednesday in Mutare. He’s expected to
appear in court on Thursday.
Promise Mkwananzi, the MDC-T
secretary-general of the Youth Assembly, told SW Radio Africa that as the
country approaches elections, fear was beginning to settle within ZANU PF
elements.
‘They are doing this (crackdown) with the full knowledge of the
inevitable…which is the defeat they face under the MDC-T.
‘They are
targeting key actors of the party’s campaign machinery to try and subdue the
will of the people,’ Mkwananzi said, adding that repression of dissent and
the consolidation of political power go hand in hand in ZANU PF.
‘There
is a real climate of fear in Zimbabwe, with those brave enough to speak out
against the Robert Mugabe often having to suffer badly for it,’ Mkwananzi
added.
Analysts pointed out that the ZANU PF regime is also undermining
the judiciary’s independence by using the state media to attack judges who
rule in favour of victims of human rights violations.
Cape Town, South Africa, May
8, 2013--Police in Harare have filed criminal charges against two Zimbabwean
journalists on accusations they published "false statements prejudicial to
the state" in a story about behind-the-scenes discussions between military
leaders and the opposition Movement for Democratic Change.
The April
26 story in the Zimbabwe Independent claims that Prime Minister Morgan
Tsvangirai's Movement for Democratic Change had engaged in "sensitive
high-level talks" with senior members of the military ahead of this year's
general elections in an effort to reassure them their jobs would be safe if
President Robert Mugabe were to lose in the general election due this year.
No date has been set for the vote.
Police came to the offices of the
privately owned weekly on Monday and ordered editor Dumisani Muleya and
chief reporter Owen Gagare, to report to Harare Central police station the
next day. "We were there for seven hours while they charged us, took our
fingerprints and statements," Muleya said, describing how he and his
colleague were questioned by police. "They wanted to know who was the source
for our story and tried to pressurize us." He said the journalists would not
identify unnamed sources for the story, although they noted that one source
had been named in the piece. The charge carries a maximum prison sentence of
20 years. No court date has been set.
"Vigorous, unfettered news
reporting is an essential element of any democracy, particularly ahead of
the upcoming elections when Zimbabweans will want to make informed choices,"
said CPJ Africa Program Coordinator Sue Valentine. "Independent journalism
that throws light on the attitudes and intentions of powerful groups within
society must be nurtured."
Mugabe is reported to be seeking a vote on
June 29, 2013, the date on which his five-year term ends and the
constitution orders parliament to be dissolved. However, opposition leaders
within the unity government want the elections postponed until September.
The inter-governmental Southern African Development Community is also
pushing for Mugabe to implement the reforms outlined in Zimbabwe's new
constitution before elections proceed.
Tawanda Zhuwarara of Zimbabwe's
Lawyers for Human Rights, which is representing Muleya and Gagare, told CPJ
that this is a "very serious case," in part because it concerned the
military. Zhuwarara noted a 1999 episode in which the military secretly
detained and mistreated two journalists who reported on dissent in its
ranks. Mark Chavunduka and Ray Choto of the independent Standard newspaper
were held incommunicado by the military for more than 10 days during which
they were severely beaten, according to CPJ research. Charges against them
were later dropped.
The Zimbabwe chapter of the Media Institute for
Southern Africa (MISA) said that the new arrests "make a very strong case
for urgent media legislative reforms, more so in the context of the
envisaged new constitution which will, for the first time, explicitly
guarantee media freedom and access to information."
Former
amaBhungane intern Owen Gagare and his editor Dumisani Muleya have been
released following their arrest by the Zimbabwean police.
Gagare, and his
Zimbabwe Independent editor Muleya, were released on Wednesday but the
charges against them remain, and, if convicted, they face prison sentences
of up to 20 years in jail for allegedly "publishing statements prejudicial
to the state" in terms of Zimbabwe's Criminal Law (Codification and Reform)
Act.
Gagare was the author of a story, published in the Zimbabwe
Independent two weeks ago, which alleged that Zimbabwe's Prime Minister
Morgan Tsvangirai had met with security chiefs ahead of the country's
elections.
Tsvangirai, also the leader of the Movement for Democratic
Change (MDC), reportedly wanted the military and police's assurance that
transition of government would be without incident, in the event that the
party wins the election.
Gagare and Muleya's arrests were widely
condemned. AmaBhungane, the M&G Centre for Investigative Journalism
(MGCIJ), called for the charges against them to be dropped. In a statement
on Tuesday, the centre said, "Arresting journalists for doing their work is
in flagrant violation of press freedom, the public's right to know and
fundamentally undermines the rule of law."
Gagare, during his internship,
helped lift the lid on several suspicious spending sprees carried out by a
man close to President Robert Mugabe, as well as the behind-the-scenes
dealings at the Marange diamond fields in Zimbabwe.
Arrests were
'deplorable' AmaBhungane's statement said: "The two were arrested over a
story pertaining to the possibility of a post-election pact between the
opposition party and the securocrats in the Zimbabwean
military.
"Despite their release from police cells, the spurious charges
against them remain. These charges, of 'publishing falsehoods prejudicial to
the state' are arbitrary, authoritarian and out of step with any conception
of freedom of expression.
"The MGCIJ therefore calls for the removal
of these charges and for a renewed commitment to press freedom by the
Zimbabwean authorities."
The Voluntary Media Council of Zimbabwe (VMCZ)
said the arrests were "deplorable".
"The VMCZ reiterates that it is
undemocratic for the state to seek and continue to criminalise the work of
professional journalists. This is particularly so where there is the
utilisation of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act to arrest and
charge journalists under criminal law with publishing falsehoods."
WASHINGTON — President Robert Mugabe's Zanu PF and
Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai's Movement for Democratic Change have shot
down suggestions by the International Crisis Group that the life of the
government of national unity be extended to allow for further reforms before
elections are held sometime this year.
The think tank’s report titled
“Zimbabwe Election Scenarios” says reforms have been slow in coming and the
risk of large scale violence and military involvement is high.
The
unity agreement was facilitated by the Southern Africa Development
Community (SADC) in 2009 with the hope of ending political violence,
stabilising the country’s battered economy and creating a roadmap to
credible elections. This after a disputed election in 2008.
The ICG
report says: “Deferral, if accompanied by firm SADC pressure, presents
opportunities to promote reforms, on condition that strict timelines are
defined, monitoring is enhanced significantly, political parties understand
the risks of failure, and institutional weaknesses and the potential for
interference by the security sector are reversed.”
SADC appointed
mediator, President Jacob Zuma of South Africa is struggling to come up with
an election road map for Zimbabwe. The slow pace of reform forced Mr.
Tsvangirai to embark on a diplomatic initiative last week, meeting key
African leaders urging them to push President Mugabe to implement crucial
political and media reforms.
Spokesman, Douglas Mwonzora of the
Tsvangirai-led MDC told VOA that extending the life of the GNU is not
something they are considering though they still want further
reforms.
Zanu PF spokesman Rugare Gumbo concurs with Mwonzora,
saying extending the life of the GNU will be unconstitutional. Gumbo says
enough reforms have been made and elections cannot be delayed.
But
the ICG report says: “As the Global Political Agreement (GPA) staggers to an
end, continued violations of the agreement, reform deficits, limited
institutional credibility and the rejection of UN election needs assessment
mission underscore the continued absence of conditions for peaceful and
credible elections, despite the new constitution adopted in March 2013."
HARARE - An
iron curtain has been drawn across Zimbabwe as President Robert Mugabe’s
Zanu PF erects an access denial policy to perceived foreign critics,
analysts have said.
Zanu PF negotiators — ministers Patrick Chinamasa and
Nicholas Goche last week boycotted meetings convened by South African
President Jacob Zuma’s facilitation team, fuelling suspicions the party
wants to ditch regional mediators pushing for reforms ahead of
polls.
Charles Nqakula, Zuma’s facilitator and convenor of the meeting,
was diplomatic about the real reasons why Zanu PF did not attend the meeting
of negotiators.
“On our part we believe Zanu PF representatives must
have had a plausible reason for staying away” Nqakula said. “We don’t
believe their action was in any way an act of bad faith.”
Earlier,
Zuma’s facilitation team was barred from a Joint Monitoring and
Implementation Committee (Jomic) meeting last month and three officials
seconded to work with Jomic by the Sadc Troika, have been denied
audience.
Despite endorsement by the heads of State summit in Sandton
South Africa in June last year, David Katye from Tanzania and Colly Muunyu,
a Zambian national were only sent to Zimbabwe a year later after protracted
resistance by Zanu PF, which interpreted this measure as interference in the
domestic affairs of a sovereign member State.
Katye and Muunyu have
been barred from meetings of the GPA negotiators.
Zanu PF fired the first
major salvo of that new conflict when it refused entry to a UN team last
month that wanted to assess election funding needs, after the international
agency requested access to meet civic society groups.
The UN mission
was expected in Zimbabwe’s capital, Harare, on April 10 for talks with
Zimbabwe Electoral Commission leaders, the Registrar-General, political
leaders in the ruling coalition representing Mugabe and Prime Minister
Morgan Tsvangirai and African and Western diplomats.
But when the UN team
tabled a request to meet with civil society groups, the trip was terminated
by Chinamasa and Foreign Affairs minister Simbarashe Mumbengegwi — both
senior members of Mugabe’s Zanu PF party.
“In the course of deploying the
mission to Zimbabwe, it became apparent that there were different
expectations on the modalities of the NAM (Needs Assessment Mission),” said
UN resident coordinator Alain Noudehou.
Trevor Maisiri, senior analyst
for southern Africa at the International Crisis Group (ICG), said under the
UN General Assembly mandate, the UN assessment teams have a template which
they use to evaluate the political environment as well the specific needs
for funding and said Zimbabwe cannot negotiate special exclusive conditions
for its Zimbabwean mandate outside of the UN General Assembly endorsed
framework.
He said Zanu PF may be uncomfortable with the downstream
effects of election observation mechanics that come out of the UN assessment
mission for example.
“The assessment mission can find local political
conditions to be so restrictive to a credible election that they can
recommend issues like early observation of election, monitoring of the
elections rather than mere observation, inclusion of international observers
— and they may also even recommend certain key reforms be in place before an
election is held,” Maisiri said.
Zanu PF’s UN blockade and subsequent
attempts to bar foreign election observation is a war of steely nerve, and
diplomatic obstruction that has left its rivals fuming.
Added to
this, Zanu PF, which faces a stern credibility test in the forthcoming
harmonised elections, has reiterated its position that only selected
observers — international and local — would be accredited for the
poll.
Zanu PF has been dilly-dallying in timeously issuing out
invitations to local and regional poll observers, effectively shutting out
any international scrutiny.
Mugabe, whose party needs to triumph in
an undisputed election to attain some measure of credibility and
respectability in the international community, has ruled out inviting
observers from Western countries — which have been among Harare’s most
strident critics over its political crisis and alleged human rights
violations - ostensibly because their objectivity has been compromised by
sanctions they imposed on Zanu PF. Non-resident Zimbabweans, believed to
number around 3,5 million and most of them in the United Kingdom, United
States and South Africa cannot vote, the government contends.
Ongoing
access denial is in contrast to public statements and pledges by the
government touting an “open-door policy” to foreigners ostensibly because
“we have nothing to hide.”
Analyst Daniel Molokele said Zanu PF was
anxious to ensure it continues to unfairly influence the electoral
contest.
“Zanu PF is afraid that if the electoral environment is more
open and enabling, then it will not stand a good chance,” he said. “Zanu PF
would like a semblance of free and fair elections as long as it is able to
retain power.”
Maisiri said Zanu PF has been adamant about
instituting further reforms beyond the adoption of the new constitution
while the MDCs have been insisting on further reforms.
“Zanu PF’s
actions are meant to discourage any further reforms and are seen as making
way for an election without them,” Maisiri said.
“Given the time
limitations, it does not look likely that we will have full reforms before
the elections; however should Sadc remain resolute we may have at least a
credible election process.
“Everything depends on how much Zanu PF will
hold on to its anti-reform stance, how much the MDCs will hold on to their
pro-reform stance; and just what position Sadc takes in trying to find a
balance.”
Analysts warned that indications of the government’s paranoia
bordering on the absurd would increase as election day drew
closer.
The analysts noted that in the face of a seemingly stubborn MDC
barely showing signs of visible political fatigue, Zanu PF was now jittery
hence its determination to ignore or disregard implementing some of the
minimum standards on democratic elections agreed by the Sadc at successive
summits.
The MDC says the ex-majority party had put huge obstacles in the
opposition’s way to winning the polls and alleges Zanu PF has cobbled up
cosmetic changes to “hoodwink” Sadc and other international stakeholders
with a keen interest in the polls.
Zanu PF negotiators in the GPA
Patrick Chinamasa, left and Nicholas Goche allegedly snubbed South African
president Jacob Zuma’s facilitation team. - Gift Phiri, Political Editor
By Fungai Kwaramba, Staff Writer Wednesday, 08 May 2013
12:45
HARARE - President Robert Mugabe’s loyalist and Vice President
Joice Mujuru is walking with a spring as her faction is on a roll, cleansing
provinces ahead of elections and positioning itself for an eventual takeover
of Zanu PF.
Mujuru, who is reportedly engaged in a fierce battle to
succeed Mugabe with bitter rival Defence minister Emmerson Mnangagwa, has
her interests protected by the party’s secretary for administration Didymus
Mutasa and national chairperson Simon Khaya-Moyo.
The two strongmen
are leading a party restructuring exercise ahead of elections.
The
former guerrilla movement is on fire with factional fights spreading across
the country’s 10 provinces including the restive Masvingo province, where
knives are drawn out for the incumbent chairperson Lovemore Matuke —
reported to be a key member of the Mnangagwa faction.
Already the
former guerrilla movement has been forced to reform its Manicaland and
Bulawayo provinces as factional wars escalate ahead of an election which
could be the 89-year-old Mugabe’s last due to advanced age.
Ousted
Manicaland chairperson Mike Madiro — also fingered in the infamous
Tsholotsho declaration of 2004 which sought to block the elevation of Mujuru
to the vice presidency — was last month booted out for allegedly stealing
Mugabe’s birthday party beasts and had been replaced by Dorothy
Mabika.
Mabika has also been suspended.
In Bulawayo, Callistus
Ndlovu has replaced Killian Sibanda as the Bulawayo Zanu PF provincial
chairperson. Both in Bulawayo and Manicaland province, Mujuru has emerged
triumphant as individuals loyal to her faction are in the saddle.
The
case is no different in Masvingo province.
In a letter seen by the Daily
News, Zanu PF Masvingo political commissar Trainos Huruva has invited the
party’s national chairperson — who heads a crack team formed by the
politburo to “unite” the party ahead of polls — to visit the province on May
10.
“I am writing to confirm that Masvingo province is ready to receive
you this Friday 10th of May 2013,” Huruva’s letter says.
“All
arrangements are lined up in respect of the meeting. As the political
commissar for the province, I strongly recommend that you come and lay the
groundwork for an immediate change in leadership in the Masvingo Zanu PF
provincial executive in line with the agreed roadmap.
“Mr Matuke, the
current chairman of the province is resisting to co-operate with the VP’s
views on the province’s new direction.”
Matuke yesterday said he was
unaware of a plot to oust him, even though he confirmed that he was aware
Khaya-Moyo was due in Masvingo province.
“Yes, they are coming but I
don’t know their aim, however, they have been to other provinces,” he
said.
Asked whether he knew his head was on the guillotine ostensibly
because of failed leadership, Matuke retorted, “I am not aware of that,
maybe it is his (Huruva) opinion.
“As far as I know, we are doing the
right thing. It is just a letter from an individual and we cannot respond to
that.”
Matuke is accused of having snubbed the Independence Day
celebrations at Mucheke Stadium preferring to attend a low key meeting of an
aspiring MP in Mashava.
The Mujuru faction, led in the province by
politburo member Dzikamai Mavhaire, wants Mugabe to discipline their rivals
for defying his calls for non-electioneering before primary elections dates
and guidelines are set.
“In every province there could be factions but in
Masvingo they are not that big. Factionalism had been suppressed but then it
can arise anytime because people have their own interests,” Matuke
said.
The factionalism rocking Masvingo presents a further headache to
Mugabe whose party has failed to groom or anoint a
successor.
Insiders say the chaotic scenes bedevilling the Masvingo,
Bulawayo and Mutare provinces are replicated in all the 10 provinces, which
are divided along factional lines and engaged in deadly combat.
The 10th conference of African spy chiefs ended in Zimbabwe
Wednesday amid reports of ‘a charm offensive’ by President Robert Mugabe
ahead of the harmonised poll.
Since May 2nd, members of the Committee
of Intelligence and Security Services in Africa (CISSA) were gathered for
the annual meeting, whose theme this year was ‘The nexus between Africa’s
natural resources, development and security.
In his opening remarks,
Mugabe told the CISSA delegates that at least 20 armed conflicts in Africa
have been used by outsiders since 1990 to spy on African
countries.
“Our erstwhile colonisers continue to manipulate international
institutions and conventions to justify unilateral military interventions in
African states with the objective of extracting and unfairly exploiting our
resources,” the Associated Press reported Mugabe as saying.
Mugabe
also spoke about the “increasing human and drug trafficking, money
laundering and cyber-terrorism.”, and called for Africa’s security chiefs to
guard against the “new scramble for control of Africa’s “raw
wealth”.
The president then extended an invitation to the more than 4,000
delegates to “enjoy Zimbabwean hospitality” and visit the nation’s tourist
attractions. Delegates were also asked to indicate their golfing
capabilities, with several of them going on to enjoy the game in teams on
Sunday.
By Wednesday, the security chiefs were in Victoria Falls, for
what media reports said was a “5-star tour” of the holiday resort hosted by
the town’s mayor and officials from the tourism ministry.
Quoting a
source in the President’s Office, the online newspaper The Zimbabwe Mail,
reported that the spies “were showered with extraordinary luxuries, with
some being bribed with diamonds to set them to influence their governments
to back a stolen election in Zimbabwe.”
The paper further cited the
recent visit to Zimbabwe by Malawian President Joyce Banda where she
received lavish state treatment, as another example that Mugabe was on a
path to win continental leaders to his side ahead of the
elections.
However speaking off the record, a senior MDC-T official said
ZANU PF was wasting resources on a strategy that was bound to
fail.
The official said: “Africa has moved forward. ZANU PF needs to
realise that they can’t perpetuate the old order by simply lobbying security
agencies. Most of these security agents in Africa belong to the younger
generation and so the sentiments of the old guard that centre on liberation
war credentials don’t work them.
“Besides, as intelligence agents,
they would have been able to assess and analyse for themselves the situation
in Zimbabwe on arrival. So if they thought they could use hospitality as a
bribe for support in the event of a stolen poll, they got it all wrong,” the
MDC-T official said.
MDC spokesman Nhlanhla Dube said Mugabe’s attempts
to curry favour with African leaders will not work.
Dube told SW
Radio Africa via Facebook: “As long as the monitoring and observation of
elections is done by a broad spectrum of the international, continental and
regional groupings then ‘stealing’ the election will be
difficult.
“It is because of these attendant fears the MDC has called
for the de-politicisation of the securocracy and the confinement of the
military to the barracks.”
Political analyst Rejoice Ngwenya said
Mugabe was wasting time and resources in trying ‘bribe’ the continent’s
intelligence services, and added that the whole of Africa was democratising,
and it was time ZANU PF realised this and moved with the
times.
Zimbabwe’s top spy Happyton Bonyongwe, head of the country’s
feared security agency the Central Intelligence Organisation, has taken over
the chair of the continental spies’ organisation.
CISSA was formed in
2004 to tackle the increasing security challenges on the continent. Last
year, the conference was held in Algiers, Algeria.
HARARE -
Robert Mugabe has embarked on an intricate charm offensive ahead of generals
elections as he hosts Central Intelligence and Security Services of Africa
(CISSA) chiefs, sources in President's Office says this is a daylight
bribery mission in preparation for backing from African leaders after
rigging elections.
Some of Africa's most brutal State spies agents
are being pampered and taken to splash Victoria Falls tourist resort at a
considerable cost as a plot to influence their governments to secure his
shaky position.
Last week Mugabe hosted Malawian President Joyce Banda on
a five day official visit to Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe's relations with Malawi had
hit an all-time low when Banda took over the presidency of that country. Too
close to the West, Zimbabwe thought of Banda.
With Mugabe in a war of
contrition with the West, it was unthinkable that the Zimbabwean President
could sup with Banda. She came into the country and she was conquered with
unprecedented State welcome protocol.
This week Zimbabwean intelligence
agents dressed in dark suits thronged the corridors of the downtown Harare
convention center.
Mugabe said he hoped the visiting intelligence chiefs
will enjoy "Zimbabwean hospitality" and visit the nation's tourist
attractions.
Accreditation forms for the convention asked delegates to
provide details of their golfing handicap and several played golf in teams
arranged Sunday.
General Happyton Bonyongwe, head of Zimbabwe's feared
domestic security agency, the Central Intelligence Organisation, took over
as chair of what is known as "the spies' organisation" for the next
year.
The members of the Central Intelligence and Security Services of
Africa (CISSA) are now in Victoria Falls for a Five Star tour of the
majestic falls, which is one of the Seven Wonders of the World.
Last
night a senior source in President Mugabe's office said the Spy agents were
being showered with extraordinary luxuries since their arrival and behind it
all, some are being bribed with diamonds to set them to influence their
governments to back a stolen election in Zimbabwe.
The delegation
including directors-general from the CISSA member states, were received at
the Victoria Falls Airport by Mayor Jiyane, ZTA Chief Executive Karikoga
Kaseke, Tourism and Hospitality Industry Secretary Margaret Sangarwe and
other senior government officials.
The delegates will tour the rainforest
and the Zambian side and also get an appreciation of the state of
preparedness ahead of the UNWTO General Assembly in August.
The Mayor
of Victoria Falls, Jiyane said the delegation has been given an opportunity
to experience the true hospitality of Zimbabwe and as such should be tourism
ambassadors and market the country when they go back to their home
countries.
He said Zimbabwe is proud to host the 10 CISSA conference and
hopefully the intelligence chiefs will endorse Zimbabwe as the tourism
destination of choice.
Opening a convention of the continent-wide
49-nation Committee of Intelligence and Security Services on Monday, Robert
Mugabe said outsiders have used at least 20 armed conflicts in Africa since
1990 to gather intelligence and deploy “stealth predator drones,” unmanned
surveillance aircraft, to spy on African countries.
He told Africa’s
annual meeting of security agents who work under the cloak of secrecy that
they are now confronted by increasing human and drug trafficking, money
laundering and cyber- terrorism.
Mugabe said Africa's vast reserves of
untapped resources and the world-wide recession have triggered a new
scramble for control of its "raw wealth."
Opening a convention of the
continent-wide 49-nation Committee of Intelligence and Security Services,
Mugabe said outsiders have used at least 20 armed conflicts in Africa since
1990 to gather intelligence and deploy "stealth predator drones," unmanned
surveillance aircraft, to spy on their countries.
"Our erstwhile
colonizers continue to manipulate international institutional and
conventions to justify unilateral military interventions in African states
with the objective of extracting and unfairly exploiting our resources,"
Mugabe said.
He told Africa's annual meeting of security agents, who work
under the cloak of secrecy, that they are now confronted by increasing human
and drug trafficking, money laundering and cyber-terrorism.
The
pervasive fear of violence and intimidation in Zimbabwe’s 2013 elections
contradicts Robert Mugabes’ rhetorical commitments to peace, and raises
concerns that the country may not be ready to go to the polls.
The
last time Zimbabwe held an election it descended into extreme violence. 200
people were killed and thousands more injured.
Zimbabwe’s Inclusive
Government – the country’s uneasy power-sharing experiment, based on a 2008
Global Political Agreement (GPA) between, principally, President Robert
Mugabe’s ZANU-PF party and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai’s MDC-T party –
averted greater political violence and repression.
But it has not
delivered political or economic stability. A reasonably free, conclusive
vote is still possible, but so too are disputed polls or even a military
intervention by security officials supporting, and profiting from, Mugabe’s
continued rule.
ENERGY Minister Elton Mangoma has come under pressure
after a Chinese company questioned the award of a billion dollar tender to
upgrade Hwange Thermal Power Station to a rival firm charging at least
US$300m more.
Synohydro Corporation bid US$990 million for the project
which will see Hwange’s capacity increased by up to 600 megawatts while
rival, China Machinery Engineering Company (CMEC) offered to do the work for
US$1.3 billion.
The tender was awarded to CMEC with Mangoma insisting
that Synohydro were satisfied with the manner in which the process had been
adjudicated.
“This tender was properly evaluated,” Mangoma told reporters
last week. “Sino Hydro actually raised a query and they were called in and
they were walked through the evaluation. As far as I know, they were
satisfied.”
But Synohydro issued a statement Wednesday contradicting the
minister’s claims, according to the Herald newspaper. “We are not
satisfied at all; besides, it’s not a matter of us being satisfied or not.
It is up to the Zimbabwean Government’s judgment,” the company is quoted as
saying.
“If the government preferred a higher price, as Sino Hydro we
respect that decision, though we feel US$300 million would have been a big
saving.
“We are interested in continuing to work with the Government of
Zimbabwe in infrastructural development as we are doing in the expansion of
Kariba South Hydro Power Station.”
Zimbabwe currently produces about
1,400 MW of electricity against peak national demand of about
2,200MW. Efforts to plug the gap with imports from the region have been
undermined by ZESA’s financial problems forcing the utility to ration
supplies to both domestic and commercial users.
HARARE — The European Union (EU) says it is
willing to help fund Zimbabwe’s electoral processes as the cash-strapped
unity government considers introducing new mining taxes to raises money to
pay for this year’s crucial polls.
The EU spoke as the Zimbabwe
Electoral Commission (ZEC) admitted today that it is reeling under a severe
financial crisis to pay for the voter education exercise.
The EU’s
top diplomat in Zimbabwe, Ambassador Aldo del’Arricia told a news conference
that the EU is willing to fund elections expected to be called sometime this
year. Harare, however, has not requested any election funding from the EU
nations.
Harare recently withdrew its $132 million election funding
request from the United Nations after the Zanu PF side of the unity
government expressed concerns over conditions set by the world body,
including media and security sector reforms, arguing the UN wanted to
interfere with the country's internal politics.
Zanu PF wanted the
money but without conditions.
Following Harare’s refusal to accept terms
set out by the UN, Zimbabwe has not been able to start its voter education
campaign ahead of the crucial polls.
ZEC chairperson, Rita Makarau,
told reporters that the electoral body does not have enough resources to
fund the voter education programme which is running concurrently with the
mobile voter registration exercise.
Makarau said about 25,000 new voters
have been registered since the mobile voter registration exercise started on
April 29. She urged all eligible voters to ensure their names are on the
voters’ roll to enable them to exercise their right to vote when elections
are eventually called.
As election talk gathers momentum, del’Arricia
said the EU is closely monitoring the human rights situation in the country
ahead of the polls following Tuesday’s arrest of two scribes from the
Zimbabwe Independent newspaper and the recent onslaught on civic society
organizations.
Meanwhile, the ZEC said election observers that want to
monitor the polls can start submitting their applications to her commission
once the election dates have been proclaimed.
Foreign Affairs
Minister Simbarashe Mumbengegwi is on record saying observers from countries
that imposed sanctions on President Robert Mugabe and some senior Zanu PF
officials will not be invited to monitor Zimbabwe’s elections.
But
Makarau said the minister can only recommend to the commission who should be
accredited.
It was not immediately clear whether the unity government
would accept election funds being offered by the EU or whether there would
be some conditions tied to the support.
The process of
appointing a new Governor of the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe will not run
smoothly, analysts believe.
Gideon Gono will in November have
served his second and last term in accordance with the Reserve Bank of
Zimbabwe Act. The law stipulates that a governor and his or her deputies can
only serve a maximum of two five-year terms.
Analysts agree that the
country is not short of competent bankers but fear that politicians will
continue to put their interests ahead of the needs of the
economy.
Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce president, Oswell Binha,
said he was worried by political appointments.
“What we are worried
about is the process. It has to be transparent and stringent, giving the
assurance that the right candidate will be selected,” Binha said. “We want
the right candidate appointed for the job.”
Economist John Robertson said
he feared that competent and skilled bankers would not want to be considered
for the post because they would not be willing to take political
directives.
“The technically qualified people I know would definitely not
be willing to work under those conditions,” Robertson said. The respected
economist was, however, not willing to put forward any
names.
Confederation of Zimbabwe President, Kumbirai Katsande, said it
was a shame that the industry was not consulted on such matters.
“We
are not consulted on these issues. We just wait for whoever is appointed and
work with that individual,” Katsande said.
Finance and economics research
firm, Econometer Global Capital, in its survey of bank chief executive
officers for 2013, identified three candidates including CBZ Holdings chief
John Mangudya and deputy governor Kupukile Mlambo as some of the leading
contenders for the post.
“We tip the top man at CBZ Holdings to be a
leading candidate with individuals such as Mthuli Ncube, a senior economist
at the African Development Bank, remaining a contender for the post without
discounting the chances of the newly appointed RBZ deputy governor,”
Econometer said.
Analysts also say since the new governor is going to be
a political appointment the result of the forthcoming elections will also be
a factor in deciding who the new central bank chief will
be.
President Robert Mugabe appointed Gono to his current post in
November 2003 and the tenure was renewed in November 2008. Past occupants of
the office in independent Zimbabwe include Leonard Tsumba and Kombo Moyana.
The government has rolled out its five year plan to
restore the Zimbabwe National Water Authority to its ‘original intended
level’, a policy document shows. 08.05.13
by Farai
Mabeza
In the National Water Policy, the Ministry of Water Resources
Development and Management said that within five years ZINWA would focus on
its core functions of planning, developing and managing the country’s water
resources in accordance with the provisions of the Water Act of
1998.
The government said it wanted to revitalise agriculture and needed
an agency to manage the country’s water resources.
“It is vital that
the primary function of ZINWA be urgently restored,” the policy document
says. “At the end of the five year recovery period, ZINWA’s functions will
be clearly split into two.” ZINWA has been heavily criticised for its
inefficiency. According to the document, the treated water supply function
will be addressed through the creation of a National Water Supply and
Sanitation Services Utility.
“This will be in line with the original
thinking at the time ZINWA was formed,” the document explains. However, the
government said that in order to avoid disruptions during the recovery
period, ZINWA would continue to provide portable water services to
government institutions and local authorities.
The Minister of Water
Resources and Management Samuel Sipepa Nkomo revealed to the media in
February that ZINWA was in the process of handing back water and sewer
infrastructure to municipalities such as Gwanda, Beitbridge and
Plumtree.
He said in order for a municipality to qualify for a
handover of the water and sewer reticulation, it should have a proper
billing system and have an ability to demonstrate revenue
collection.
During its management of Harare water, ZINWA was accused of
failing to properly manage water supplies and sewer reticulation. In terms
of the Water Act, the authority is obliged to assist the government with
matters pertaining to the development, exploitation, protection and
conservation of water resources.
ZINWA’s operations are always under
the spotlight because of the organisation’s importance to Zimbabwe’s
agro-based economy.
Incarceration of
opposition party's youth president is sign of president's desperation, says
Movement for Democratic Change
David Smith, Africa
correspondent The Guardian, Wednesday 8 May 2013 15.36 BST
A
Zimbabwean opposition youth leader arrested for allegedly calling Robert
Mugabe a "limping donkey" who should be put out to pasture is to spend a
second week behind bars.
Solomon Madzore, head of the youth wing of
the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), denies describing the 89-year-old
president that way and claims the charge was trumped up by police loyal to
Mugabe's Zanu-PF party.
In a further sign of rising tensions before
elections expected this year, a newspaper editor and reporter were arrested
on Tuesday and charged with publishing false statements prejudicial to the
state.
Madzore was arrested on 2 May after allegedly insulting the
president during a pre-election rally in Mbire, Mashonaland Central
province. The MDC said prosecutors have used a contentious appeal law to
block a court ordering his release on $100 bail. He faces a fine or several
months' imprisonment.
The MDC claimed Madzore's arrest was a sign of
desperation by Zanu-PF, calling it "the kicks of a dying horse". Clifford
Hlatywayo, spokesman for the MDC youth assembly, who was at the rally, said:
"The accusation is not true. He said he respects the person and the office
of the president and wants Zimbabwe to move forward. We don't remember him
insulting individuals. These are fabrications that are meant to disturb the
movement and the person."
Hlatywayo said the youth assembly was
campaigning for the prime minister and MDC leader, Morgan Tsvangirai, around
the country and calling for a peaceful vote, a message that riled Zanu-PF.
He added: "Zanu-PF is allergic to peace. It hates peace so anyone who
proclaims peace is an enemy to them. They brew and drink
violence."
Hlatywayo visited Madzore in remand prison on Wednesday. "He
is in a good condition. The jail is well-known for inhumane conditions but
he is surviving well. He is in high spirits. He is giving us courage to
soldier on and encouraging us to continue with our campaign."
Madzore
has previously spent more than 400 days in prison in connection with the
death of a policeman.
Detention for making offensive comments about the
presidency is not unusual in Zimbabwe. At least 60 have been arrested and
charged with insulting Mugabe since 2010, according to Zimbabwe Lawyers for
Human Rights.
Two journalists from the Independent newspaper were
arrested on Tuesday over allegations of publishing "falsehoods" against
state institutions involving reports that generals and security chiefs were
willing to meet Tsvangirai, who is seeking reforms in the armed
forces.
Dumisani Muleya and Owen Gagare, editor and chief reporter of the
weekly paper, were released later in the day after police said their
investigations into the allegations were continuing.
Mugabe's two
most senior generals have publicly said they will not meet Tsvangirai. The
Independent's reports that other generals are willing to do so allegedly
demoralised the ranks of the police and military and jeopardised state
security.
In comments reported byrelayed by the Media Institute of
Southern Africa after his seven-hour detention at Harare central police
station, Muleya said: "This is a clear abuse of state machinery and an act
of systematic harassment and intimidation of journalists who are merely
doing their job. This has always been a common feature of Zimbabwe under
president Robert Mugabe and his Orwellian Zanu-PF regime since they came to
power in 1980."
He added: "This uncalled-for move is calculated to muzzle
the media, in this case ourselves, to scare us away from writing about such
major issues of overwhelming public interest, especially security sector
reform, ahead of general elections. But one really wonders why authoritarian
regimes like the one in Zimbabwe still think they can successfully suppress
the media in this digital and social media age."
Rights groups claim
there has been an increase in arrests and intimidation of journalists and
civil society activists as the country prepares for elections, probably in
August or September, to end the shaky unity government formed by Mugabe and
Tsvangirai in 2009.
Philani Zamchiya, outgoing regional director of the
Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition, warned that "silence and subjugation" would be
used. "There are likely to be systematic attacks on civil society
organisations and activists as we proceed towards elections ...… It is rule
by law, not rule of law."
The former amaBhungane intern Owen Gagare shares his experience of
being the difficulties facing many journalists in Zimbabwe
today.
Journalists in Zimbabwe have never had it easy. The Mugabe regime
has a history of arresting and detaining reporters it believes are guilty of
crimes such as "undermining public confidence in a law enforcement
agency".
Now, with an election looming, the arrests of a former Mail
& Guardian journalist and his editor in Harare this week have drawn into
sharp focus the climate of insecurity that persists in the country. In
particular, the arrests have highlighted the fear surrounding the
post-election future of it’s securocrats – many of whom have allegations of
gross human rights violations, dating back to the country’s bloody 2008
election, hanging over their heads.
Owen Gagare, chief reporter at
the Zimbabwe Independent and a former intern at amaBhungane, the M&G's
Centre for Investigative Journalism, and the Zimbabwe Independent’s editor
Dumisani Muyela were arrested on Tuesday and charged with “publishing or
communicating false statements prejudicial to the state". They were charged
under section 31 of Zimbabwe’s Criminal Law (Codification and Reform)
Act.
Their alleged crime is the publication of a story, which revealed
that Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and his Movement for Democratic Change
were talking to the country’s security chiefs about various post-election
scenarios, in the event that Robert Mugabe’s Zanu-PF loses the
elections.
President Robert Mugabe has pushed for an election to be held
in June, when the current Zimbabwean Parliament's term ends.
He has
done little to allay fears that the country will stick to a Southern African
Development Community election road map, and that observers will be allowed
to ensure a free and fair vote.
The South African government is
reportedly negotiating a conditional loan to Zimbabwe to assist with the
election process.
Jail sentence In terms of the provisions under which
they have been charged, Gagare and Muyela: "(a) published or communicated to
any other person a statement which is wholly or materially false with the
intention or realising that there is a real risk or possibility of
-
(iii) undermined public confidence in a law enforcement agency, the
prison service or the defence forces of Zimbabwe …"
A conviction
carries a maximum jail sentence of 20 years. They have denied the
charges.
According to Gagare, he and Muyela were summoned to a police
station in Hahare on Tuesday, and interrogated for seven hours under police
guard. Their every move was monitored by the police, including trips to the
toilet. Their interrogators intimated they would only be released once they
revealed their sources.
Gagare said they were forced to hand over
their banking details too. He said he could only speculate that this was to
check if they were receiving foreign funding of any kind.
This is
despite the fact that Gagare’s story quoted at least two named sources –
both senior military men. The police therefore already knew who their
sources were.
“They gave us the sense that if we didn’t cooperate they
would detain us over night, and that if we cooperated we would be released,”
Gagare said.
“We got the sense that they wanted to harass and intimidate
us so that we don’t continue pursuing the story. My feeling was that they
wanted to remind us that worse things could happen to us if we pursued
it.”
The root of the story – and the anger it provoked within Zimbabwe’s
security networks – goes back to the 2002 elections: some of the generals in
Zimbabwe’s army swore never to salute anyone who was not a part of
Zimbabwe’s liberation movement, Zanu-PF. Now it has been revealed that some
of these generals are negotiating with Tsvangirai’s MDC.
"Clearly,
the revelations are embarrassing to them. The story upset many people,"
Gagare said.
Secured future According to Gagare’s sources, Tsvangirai
wanted to assure the generals their futures would be secured if Mugabe’s
Zanu-PF loses the election. Crucially, he wanted to assure them they would
not be charged for human rights abuses dating back to the 2008 election
violence.
Gagare said it remains unclear if this would mean indemnity
from prosecution for the army across the board. But some senior military
men, who voiced uncomfortability in working with the MDC, have been assured
that if they will be allowed to retire if they choose to.
Said
Gagare: "In 2008 the military element took over the Zanu-PF campaign. There
was a lot of violence and human rights violations. There is insecurity among
securocrats that they might be charged and prosecuted for what happened
then.”
His sources would not reveal further details; how many generals
could be granted immunity from an MDC government, or what the terms of
immunity were.
“Clearly giving more details would compromise their
negotiations, so they didn’t want to reveal too much,” he said. As expected,
some generals have denied the talks are happening at all.
Gagare
explained the climate of uncertainty in the country, especially for
journalists who remember the 2008 arrests, intimidation, and
violence:
“Generally what happens, and what is clearly happening now, is
that there’s a lot of insecurity abound the election. Just last week a
senior reporter from News Day was also summoned to the police station, and
another reporter was also arrested. Clearly there is some kind of pressure
and we can expect it to heighten closer to the election.”
'Used' by
opposition In the days prior to Gagare and Muyela’s arrest, police made
threatening statements in the state media. Journalists were threatened not
to allow themselves to be “used” by the opposition.
For Gagare, the
climate demands that journalists up their game. This is no room for stories
that quote anonymous sources, or reveal information that cannot be backed up
with watertight evidence. And this is why Gagare and Muyela are confident
that they will win if the case goes to court.
“It’s always been tricky in
Zimbabwe. You really need to be on solid ground and get your facts right. If
this story was false, we’d be in serious trouble. We just have to be a bit
more thorough and make sure we have evidence to fall back on when they come
after us,” Gagare said.
For the International Crisis Group, the climate
of fear in the country contradicts the commitments to peace made by
politicians.
Piers Pigou, the organisation's Southern Africa project
director, says elections held in a context of "acute divisions" cannot
provide stability to the country.
“The Southern African Development
Community must define and enforce the necessary minimum conditions for a
credible vote, and ensure the country does not rush into elections before
there is clarity and consensus on – and implementation of – necessary
reforms,” he said.
Statement by Energy Minister Elton Mangoma on power
development initiatives to boost power generation:
In view of the
current challenges besetting the efficient supply of power nationwide and
the need to enhance the financial position of the electricity utilities, the
Ministry of Energy and Power Development has come up with a number
strategies to mitigate the power situation in the country.
The measures
being taken are divided into Generation capacity and supply side activities,
Demand Side Management and Institutional changes. The supply side is further
split into short, medium and long term measures.
STATUS OF
GENERATION
The generation capacity of the Hwange Power Station has
improved significantly with an average of five units (580MW). This has
allowed the Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC) to carry out upgrade works and
preventive maintenance at the Kariba Power Station without causing major
power shortfall to the system. The Kariba Power Station has continued to
maintain a steady power generation.
PREPAYMENT METERS
The
smart/prepayment metering is a valuable short term strategy which seeks to
improve revenue collection by the utility and influence behaviour change on
how consumers use electricity. The system also assists ZETDC to recover
accrued debts by deducting 20 percent on every electricity purchase going
towards servicing the debt, among other benefits.
As of May 2, 2011,
a total of 150,000 prepayment meters had been installed for both domestic
and commercial users. Government issued a Statutory Instrument 44A on
Electricity (unpaid bills, prepaid meters and smart meters) regulations,
2013 which aims, among other things, to speed up the implementation of the
prepaid/ smart metering programme.
The Statutory Instrument compels all
electricity consumers to purchase and install smart meters with the
exception of high density customers, rural customers and light load
agricultural customers. The Statutory Instrument also deals with outstanding
bills on the date on which the prepaid meter is installed as these will be
transferred to the property at which the prepaid meter is
installed.
In order to ensure efficiency, ZETDC has commissioned a new
Vending Platform supplied by Itron of South Africa. The new platform can
accommodate both smart and prepaid meters.
Medium Term Power
Generation
• KARIBA SOUTH EXPANSION - The Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC)
and Sinohydro have concluded negotiations for the 300MW Kariba South
Expansion Project. As a result, Sinohydro has commenced work at the
site.
• HWANGE POWER STATION – adjudication process for the 600MW
Hwange Expansion Project has been completed and the project was awarded to
CMEC. Work is expected to commence before the end of the year.
•
84MW DIESEL GENERATOR - A diesel plant (84MW) that has operated for 100hours
has been identified at a capital cost of €37 million. This about 50% of the
cost of new plant. The ZPC has made a technical analysis and that diesel
generators are suitable for our system and have the capacity of reducing
load shedding by 80MW.
• 30 MW GAIREZI SMALL HYDRO POWER PLANT - The
project is now at design stage following completion of feasibility studies
and official launch is expected this month.
• 500MW CBM POWER
STATION- ZPC has also floated a tender for resource mapping of coal bed
methane. The tender was awarded to WAPCOS of India and it is ready to carry
out the work. However, ZPC is awaiting CBM special grants documentation
from the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development. Instead there are two
grants awarded to one company Shangani Energy and another to China Africa
Sunlight by the mines ministry. The grants are overlapping with the desired
ZPC concession area. These concessions were granted after Cabinet granted
ZPC concession but the Mines and Mining Development ministry is refusing to
effect Cabinet decision.
• 1000MW WESTERN AREA POWER STATION – China
Railway International (CRI) and China International Fund (CFI) have signed a
Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with the government to develop a 1000MW
thermal plants. China Railway International came for site investigation in
December 2012 and has submitted a draft contract for the project
development. The finalisation of reinstating the Western Area coal
concession to the ZPC by the Ministry of Mines is important. Again the
Ministry of Mines and Mining Development is not cooperating, causing a delay
in the commencement of this project.
• 100MW ON-GRID SOLAR POWER –
Some suitable sites for the 100MW solar power plant are being identified.
The ZPC has engaged the Plumtree Town Council for land to construct the
power station. A tender for the 100MW power plant is expected to be floated
soon. The tender will cover BOT, IPP, PPP and pure debt basis.
LONG
TERM PROJECTS
• THE BATOKA HYDRO ELECTRIC POWER PROJECT –Zambia and
Zimbabwe have agreed to undertake this project on a BOT basis. This was
after Zimbabwe agreed to honour the EXCAPCO assets debt of $70.8 million. So
far a total of US$40 million has been paid towards the US$70, 8 million. The
Zambezi River Authority called for Expressions of Interest to develop the
Batoka on a Build Operate and Transfer basis. The response was extremely
good -25 companies showed interest and the majority from credible
international organisations.
• THE GREAT INGA HYDRO PROJECT - is
proposed on the Congo River in the DRC. This can produce around 100 000MW.
This project is too big for the DRC and requires a regional approach. If
this is constructed it will change the economic fortunes of the region.
Hydro power is cheap and it is worth the time spent on promoting
it.
INSTITUTIONAL CHANGES
• RESTRUCTURING OF THE POWER SECTOR –
The restructuring of ZESA Holdings has been approved by Cabinet. This is to
make ZESA more efficient and responsive to the consumers, whilst at the same
time, setting up a mechanism to make it easy for Independent Power Producers
to have a level playing field.
These developments will result in the
following.
• ZESA Holdings be collapsed into a National Grid Services
Company (NGSC) and move all the legacy debts to this company. It will be
100% Government owned and it will not be privatised. NGSC will be
responsible for Transmission, Market and Systems Operation. It will have
the “reserve supply” responsibility.
• ZETDC will transfer the
transmission functions to NGSC and transform to Zimbabwe Distribution
Company (ZEDC) and be responsible for Distribution of
Electricity.
• SUMMARY – Measures to consolidate the power
availability and reliability will continue. Such measures will include
taking out plant for preventive routine maintenance and equipment upgrade.
Negotiations for firm power imports from the region will be pursued by both
Government and the power utility. The implementation of all power projects
continue to be a critical success factor for securing self-sufficiency and
reliability in power supply to the nation. To this end the Ministry is
continuously evaluating project risks and working on mitigatory measures to
ensure the projects are realised.
Vusi Sibanda's second one-day century guided Zimbabwe to a rare
series victory as they beat Bangladesh by seven wickets in Wednesday's third
one-day international at Queens Sports Club.
Sibanda had passed fifty
on 19 previous occasions and converted only one of those innings to three
figures, but he made the most of two dropped catches to hit the winning runs
and finish unbeaten on 103 not out with Zimbabwe having more than two overs
to spare.
The result also prompted Bangladesh skipper Mushfiqur Rahim to
announce he was stepping down.
Having limited Bangladesh to 247 for
nine in their 50 overs, Zimbabwe made a solid start to their reply as
Sibanda put on 79 for the first wicket with Hamilton Masakadza, who made
41.
That was followed by a 56-run stand between Sibanda and Sikandar
Raza, but when the pair became bogged down in the middle overs, Bangladesh
hit back with a couple of wickets that left the match in the
balance.
However Sibanda was joined by Sean Williams, who recorded his
second consecutive half-century to finish unbeaten on 55 as Zimbabwe cruised
home with 17 balls to spare.
"It wasn't easy to get dropped from the
team for the first ODI in the series, but obviously I had to keep my head up
and concentrate on making the most of the chance when it came," said
Sibanda.
"I hope this is the beginning of more hundreds to
come."
Bangladesh's innings was once again reliant on the lower order,
with Mahmudullah's career-best 75 not out and Nasir Hossain's 63 rescuing
the tourists from a position of 110 for five.
Zimbabwe's seamers had
made the most of the advantage provided to them by a 9am start, with
left-armer Brian Vitori striking twice in his second over.
Although
Mushfiqur and Tamim Iqbal led a brief recovery, both departed in the space
of three overs before Shakib Al Hasan fell victim to part-time spinner
Williams.
A 79-run stand between Mahmudullah and Nasir clawed Bangladesh
forward, but when Nasir departed with a little more than seven overs
remaining there was still plenty of work to be done.
At that point
Mahmudullah had just 28 from 44 deliveries, but he found the boundary with
increasing regularity and added 25 to his total in the last two overs
alone.
Nevertheless it was not enough, as Zimbabwe clinched their first
one-day series win since Bangladesh's last visit in August
2011.
"It's massive for us," said captain Brendan Taylor.
"This is
probably the third series win in all formats in eight or nine years for me,
so it's big for the guys.
"It should give us the confidence to push on
and keep believing that we can at least win at home. We're over the
moon."
Meanwhile, Mushfiqur said he will quit as captain of Bangladesh
after the two Twenty20 internationals against Zimbabwe this
weekend.
The Tigers began their tour of Zimbabwe as favourites after an
encouraging trip to Sri Lanka, but lost the first Test by 335 runs before
winning the second to earn a share of the series.
"This is probably
my last tour as captain," he told reporters. "I will resign once we get back
to Dhaka.
"The reason is the way we lost the games and at the same time I
failed to perform. I think I failed to lead my team, so the two T20 matches
will be my last as captain."
The 24-year-old only took over as
captain in September 2011, after his predecessor Shakib Al Hasan was removed
from the job.
MUDZI – A shocking You Tube video
exposes the murderous role of Zanu PF’s MP for Mudzi North, Milton Kachepa (also
known as Newton in other reports).
Video posted by SW Radio Africa last year implicates Milton
Kachepa as an inciter of violence in Mudzi
Despite the formation of a coalition
government in February 2009 the MP was filmed in 2012 warning MDC-T supporters
that Zanu PF doesn’t just ‘kill’ but ‘destroys’ those who provoke it by
supporting ‘sell-outs’ in the opposition.
A headman who also gave his testimony in
the video says Kachepa boasted to him during a meeting that he had killed MDC-T
activists known as Muronde, Tambo, the son of an official called Mweza and
another activist in Ward 2.
The headman said Kachepa told him: “All
these four people were killed by me. The only one left is you (he said pointing
at the headman). He said ‘You are the only one left and I am yet to kill you.
You are easy to kill.”
The video dated 20 April 2012 and which
was posted by SW Radio Africa onto video sharing website You Tube, clearly
captures Kachepa inciting violence at Dendera Business Centre in
Mudzi.
Speaking in Shona he tells the crowd:
“Don’t be taken away by things to do with sell outs (MDC-T). If you do sell out
things, I am telling you, you will cry.” He proceeds to warn them: “You should
stop provoking the spirits of the dead heroes. That’s why there was chaos in
2008.”
Kachepa was referring to the violence
that preceded the June 2008 presidential run-off.
After MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai won
the first round of the March 2008 presidential election, state security chiefs
loyal to a defeated Mugabe launched a retribution campaign killing over 500
people and maiming tens of thousands.
“We should not support something that
will make us suffer and lose our human aspects at the end,” Kachepa lectured the
crowd.
“When we talk about the nation, we talk
about death. I am with you here because of the issue of death. You say ZANU PF
kills. It doesn’t kill. If you provoke it, it destroys,” he warned
them.
Several days after Kachepa’s speech in
which he was inciting violence, a group of over 300 ZANU PF supporters advanced
on a gathering of some 70 MDC-T supporters who were having a rally at Chimukoko
Business Centre. The skirmishes resulted in the death of MDC-T official Cephas
Magura.
According to the testimony of a young
boy herding cattle at the time, Magura was hit with a stone by the ZANU PF gang,
who continued to assault him as he lay on the ground. He was then dragged to the
roadside and left for dead. Seven other MDC-T activists were injured and treated
at the Avenues Clinic in Harare.
Two ZANU PF MPs, Kachepa (Mudzi North)
and Aqualinah Katsande (Mudzi West), were implicated in this and many other
incidents in the area.
Several witnesses saw Kachepa’s pick up
truck and Katsande’s Mazda T3500 truck being used to ferry the ZANU PF youths,
who later attacked Magura.
The Zimbabwe Wall of Shame is
constantly updated with new information. If you have any extra details or
testimonies that need investigating or publishing contact this journalist via email
lance@nehandaradio.com or follow him on twitter @LanceGuma
If
patriotism was a uniform I would religiously put it on for all to see my
unwavering love for this nation of milk and honey.
I do not need
President Robert Mugabe or his Zanu PF supporters to remind me that I should
be patriotic—because that is something inbred.
Although I love my country
and would fiercely gird my loins in armour to defend this nation in times of
adversity—that loyalty which I feel to the marrow has limits.
When
police arrest women and political parties murder innocent children like
Christpowers Maisiri—I find my own resolve and patriotism snapping. When
justice is partially applied and when prisons become home to Mugabe’s
opponents I really find it stupid to be a proud Zimbabwe.
I watched
in horror as Zanu PF supporters beat up an MDC official and the BBC news
crew in Mbare recently just before a critical referendum. Repulsive as it
was, I know that the worst is yet to come—when mothers and fathers turn into
monsters, unashamed of killing opponents.
I cannot be patriotic in a
country where people are not allowed to freely choose their churches,
political parties and even wives.
How can I love a nation where free
opinion could result in your imprisonment as was the case with Beatrice
Mtetwa.
Often when elections come, we in Zimbabwe sublimate our
patriotism preferring to be withdrawn—and praying instead of acting for a
better future.
It is during times like this that I really hate to be
a Zimbabwean because the dastardly deeds that my compatriots often
demonstrate are so repugnant—I try to dissociate myself from Zimbabwe, but
it is not possible.
It is the realization that I do not have any other
home that provides me the armour to stand up and fight for children who are
murdered and wives who are raped by the militia
