SADC Panel Punts on Zimbabwe Crisis Talks as Members Fail to Show

http://www.voanews.com/

Two members of the SADC troika on security - Zambian President Rupiah Banda
and Mozambican President Armando Guebuza, did not make it to Gaborone,
Botswana, for the crisis-resolution talks

Blessing Zulu 19 November 2010

The Southern African Development Community troika or committee on politics,
defense and security was obliged late Friday to schedule a meeting at which
its members were to take up the deepening crisis in Zimbabwe after two heads
of state failed to show up.

The mini-summit was cancelled at the last minute after President Rupiah
Banda of Zambia and Mozambican President Armando Guebuza failed to arrive in
Gaborone, Botswana.

Mr. Banda is currently chairman of the troika. South African President Jacob
Zuma, SADC mediator in the longrunning internal disputes in the Harare
power-sharing government, was the only one of the three troika members to be
on hand.

Banda aide Dickson Jere told VOA that Mr Banda, who had been on a visit to
Brazil, had urgent buisnesss to attend to and had excused himself.

A Zuma aide told VOA that theSouth African leader ended up holding
consultative meetings with the three principals in the Zimbabwean unity
government - President Robert Mugabe, Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and
Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara.

Lindiwe Zulu, a foreign policy advisor to Mr. Zuma, said her president will
now travel to Harare for further consultations before updating his fellow
troika members.

Zimbabwean Industry Minister Welshman Ncube, secretary general of the
Movement for Democratic Change formation led by Deputy Prime Minister
Mutambara, confirmed the new schedule. Ncube said President Zuma is expected
to be in Harare next week.

Political analyst Charles Mangongera said the no-shows by Mr Banda and Mr.
Guebuzza suggest that SADC does not assign a high priority to resolving the
Harare dispute.

The troika leaders were  were expected to refer the increasingly acute
political crisis in Zimbabwe to a full SADC summit on Saturday, but that too
was scuttled.

Extreme tensions within the Harare power-sharing government were to  be
taken up by the full SADC summit under the heading of the regional and
economic environment.

The summit was initially called discuss the transformation of the African
Union into a powerful economic and political bloc along the lines of the
European Union.

Pretoria  sources tell Studio 7 that Mr Zuma is expected to press the three
principals in the national unity government  - to implement decisions
reached on issues left unresolved or which have arisen since the government
was launched in 2009.

SADC's failure to hold summit irks Zimbabwe's opposition leaders

http://www.sabcnews.com/

November 20 2010 , 7:02:00

Tshepo Ikaneng, Botswana

Zimbabwean opposition leaders have expressed regret at the Southern African
Development Community's (SADC) failure to hold an extra-ordinary summit to
discuss current tensions within the Zimbabwean unity government.

The summit was cancelled at the last minute after Zambian President Rupiah
Banda and his Mozambican counterpart Armando Guebuza failed to arrive in the
Botswana capital, Gaborone.

Banda is currently the chairperson of the SADC Troika on Politics, Defence
and Security, which deals with regional security issues.  Several SADC
leaders, including President Jacob Zuma are in Gaborone to attend the
official commissioning of the new SADC headquarters.

Zimbabwe's main opposition the Movement for Democratic Change has been at
odds with Zanu-PF leader Robert Mugabe, accusing him of reneging on
implementing some of the recommendations of the 2008 Global Political
Agreement which paved the way for the formation of a unity government.

Zimbabwean Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai travelled to Botswana to seek
guarantees from SADC leaders that they will establish a road map to allow
free and fair national elections in Zimbabwe by mid-next year.

Zimbabwe Mines Minister Challenges Kimberley Process Over Diamond Sales

http://www.voanews.com

Hirsch put Kimberley Process members on alert Thursday saying Zimbabwe
monitor Abbey Chikane had certified Marange diamonds for export without
approval by the organization as a whole

Sandra Nyaira | Washington 19 November 2010

Zimbabwean Minister of Mines Obert Mpofu confirmed on Friday that a
consignment of diamonds from the Marange field in the east of the country
was sold recently despite the failure of a recent Kimberley Process meeting
to give a green light to such sales.

Reports said US$160 million was raised in the sale of rough diamonds to
Indian buyers after Kimberley Process monitor Abbey Chikane certified the
stones in an action that was overruled by Kimberley Process Chairman Boaz
Hirsch when the sale came to light.

Hirsch put Kimberley Process members on alert Thursday saying Chikane had
certified Marange diamonds for export without approval by the organization
as a whole.

Hirsch asked industry participants to immediately report to the body’s
Working Group on Monitoring any consignments suspected to include diamonds
from Marange.

He said no trade in Marange diamonds can take place until Zimbabwe has
fulfilled its commitments under a work plan agreed at a meeting in Namibia
in late 2009. The group authorized auctions under supervision at a meeting
this year in Russia, and such sales were conducted in August and September.
But no blanket approval was given.

Under the Kimberley work plan Zimbabwe committed itself to a number of
reforms in the Marange field, including the phased withdrawal of military
still in control there.

Mpofu said Hirsch did not have the authority to issue his statement this
week, and said Zimbabwe will continue to sell its diamonds. He said the
country would not attend a meeting of Kimberley stakeholders in Brussels
next week focusing on Zimbabwe.

Political analyst Charles Mangongera said that by selling the diamonds so
soon after the failed Kimberley conference in Jerusalem, Harare has proven
that it has always wanted to market outside the purview of Kimberley, even
though its oversight was limited.

African diamond producers slam watchdog on Zimbabwe gems

http://www.businessday.co.za/

Published: 2010/11/20 01:53:27 PM

African producers criticised Friday the Kimberley Process, tasked with
stopping the flow of conflict diamonds, for reinstating a ban on Zimbabwe's
Marange gems where abuses were reported.

"The motives behind the attempt to block Zimbabwean diamonds are sinister,"
said African Diamond Producers Association executive secretary Edgar de
Carvalho.

"Zimbabwe cannot be held to ransom just because a minority of countries
within the KP (Kimberley Process) continue to block consensus deliberately,"
he said in a statement.

The Kimberley Process barred the sale of Marange diamonds in November 2009
following reports of human rights abuses by the army at the mine.

A monitor appointed by the watchdog in July partially lifted the ban, saying
Zimbabwe had ceased abuses by the military, which seized control of the
Marange fields in late 2008 and forced out tens of thousands of small-scale
miners.

Zimbabwe held its first diamond sale in August.

Kimberley Process chairman Boaz Hirsch said in a statement on Thursday that
no agreement was reached on Zimbabwe's sale of Marange diamonds at a recent
conference, therefore no trade should take place.

Hirsch said consultations continued within the Kimberley Process to
determine if Zimbabwe should be allowed to sell diamonds from the Marange
fields.

He called on KP members not purchase Marange diamonds outside the
organisation's regulations.

"As a consequence, no trade of Marange diamonds can currently take place
under the Joint Work Plan until an agreement can be found," said Hirsch.

The 18-member African Diamond Producers Association wants Hirsch to withdraw
his statement.

"The ADPA might also be forced to make a declaration that might have severe
negative ramifications regarding the continued participation of its member
states in the Kimberley Process," de Carvalho said.

The association met in Namibia to discuss harmonisation of regulatory and
fiscal legislation for African diamond-producing countries.

Zimbabwe Police Raid Homes, Civic Groups Seeking Short-Wave Radios

http://www.voanews.com

Gwanda activist Jastone Mazhale said the police campaign to confiscate
radios was motivated by the desire to silence alternative voices as the
country braces for possible elections next year

Gibbs Dube | Washington 19 November 2010

Police in Zimbabwe's Matabeleland South province have been raiding
non-governmental organizations and visiting homes demanding the surrender of
wind-up short-wave radios associated with the Voice of America’s Studio 7
program for Zimbabwe.

Civic activist Jastone Mazhale, chairman of the Gwanda Agenda, said police
on Thursday visited his office and questioned him over the radios. Mazhale
said the police officers indicated they were acting on orders from police
headquarters in Harare.

Police are said to have raided households suspected of possessing such
radios. Wind-up short-wave radios have been awarded to Studio 7 listeners in
promotional contests and drawings, most recently in connection with Studio
7's LiveTalk call-in program.

Mazhale told Studio 7 that the effort to confiscate radios was an attempt to
silence dissenting voices as the country braces for possible elections next
year.

"They want people to listen to negative propaganda broadcast by the
state-controlled Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation linked to ZANU-PF," he
said.

Nyarota And Kuwaza Clash At Press Club

http://www.radiovop.com/i

20/11/2010 14:03:00

HARARE, November 20, 2010 – Former editor of the now defunct Daily News
Geoff Nyarota on Friday clashed openly with the deputy chairman of the
Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) Charles Kuwaza at the Quill Club for
Journalists.

The drama began when Kuwaza stormed into the press club after hearing that
Nyarota was a panelist there.
Nyarota did not waste time identifying Kuwaza as he stood quietly among an
audience of Journalists hungry for juicy news stories. The two men exchanged
some harsh words over a story which appeared in South Africa,s Sunday Times
recently alleging that the First Lady Grace Mugabe had an affair with
Reserve Bank Governor Gideon Gono.
In an article published in the Herald last week, Nyarota claimed that he met
Kuwaza at a city sports club and discussed the alleged sex scandal story
which was picked up by many foreign based news agencies. Gono accuses Kuwaza
of fighting to have him ousted as central bank chief.
But Kuwaza, in a Herald response to Nyarota this week, made a scathing
attack on Nyarota whom he accused of being a liar and a corrupt Journalist
working to get “30 pieces of silver”.Nyarota said Kuwaza had arranged for a
meeting with him over refreshments inside a city sports club but Kuwaza, for
strange reasons, ambushed him in thick darkness at the gate and drove him in
his own (Kuwaza) car to a different place in a typical abduction style.

“At one point, I was tempted to jump out of the car but realised perhaps
driving on was a more desirable option,” he said.Nyarota did not stop
describing the incident evidently unconcerned about Kuwaza’s growing
discomfort as journalists turned to focus on him.After Nyarota had finished
his lengthy presentation, Kuwaza was immediately confronted by journalists
to respond to the statements but could not stand the heat.
“I just came simply to listen. I have just been playing squash. Should I not
be here?” protested Kuwaza, who claimed he had a distant relationship with
Nyarota.As pressure mounted on him, Kuwaza stormed out of the Quill club but
not before he had another skirmish with a journalist whom he accused of
photographing him.

Zimbabwean workers protest over treatment by Chinese companies

http://www.thezimbabwemail.com

19 November, 2010 09:28:00    Daniel Bardsley, Foreign Correspondent

BEIJING - China's engagement in Africa has come under the spotlight amid
claims from Zimbabwean union officials that Chinese companies are engaged in
the "gross violation" of labour rules.

Chinese firms are said to have underpaid workers, forced them to work
overtime for free, and not provided adequate safety clothing, according to
the Zimbabwe Construction and Allied Trades Workers' Union.

The complaints were made to the Zimbabwean newspaper Newsday.

"We would like to warn the Chinese contractors who are operating in Zimbabwe
that if they do not follow the laid-down laws, the union is going to take
strong action against them," the secretary general of the union, Muchapiwa
Mazarura, told Newsday.

He said members had complained of the "gross violation of labour laws", and
called on Zimbabwean government ministries to make greater efforts to ensure
Chinese companies complied with the law.

"When the Chinese donate funds for projects and development to the
government, they should be reminded that our government does not donate
human resources in return," Mr Mazarura said.

The comments have gained widespread media attention in China, and labour
rights organisations said they had heard similar complaints.

They represent the latest controversy centred on China's extensive dealings
in Africa, which have polarised opinion among observers as bilateral trade
has grown to exceed US$100 billion (Dh367bn) a year.

Some see China's focus on building infrastructure as speeding development in
a way aid money has failed to, while others have voiced fears China is
exporting its own poor environmental and labour standards to Africa.

While as many as 750,000 Chinese nationals are thought to have moved to
Africa, Deborah Brautigam, an academic and author of The Dragon's Gift: The
Real Story of China in Africa, said during a visit to Beijing this year that
Chinese companies operating in the continent employed about 80 per cent
African staff. She said "often standards are not good" for such employees.
According to Geoffrey Crothall, a spokesman for the Hong Kong-based pressure
group China Labour Bulletin, Chinese companies were "exporting their
domestic management style" to Africa.

"We have seen several cases in Africa with local workers being treated very
badly by Chinese companies, expecting the local workers to work in the same
conditions as the same standards they would expect workers in China to work
in. These conditions are pretty bad," he said.

Tensions between Chinese managers and African workers often develop, Mr
Crothall said, as a result of "culture clashes". While in Chinese factories,
staff are commonly expected to work long hours and at high speed, such
expectations create "resentment" when applied in Africa. He called on
Chinese companies in Africa to pay workers "decent" wages and not to flout
the local laws.

Chinese companies operating in Africa have denied they are mistreating
workers, in comments made to media in China.

Staff were provided with protective clothing and paid according to rules set
out by the local trade union, Ge Yizhong, the deputy general manager of Zim
Nantong Construction, said of his company's operations in Zimbabwe.

"There is no ill treatment of workers at my company," he told the Global
Times newspaper. "We have adjusted working hours to meet workers' demands.
We have raised their pay twice since last year to counter the devaluation of
the local currency."

As well as disputes over labour standards, China's ties with Africa have
sparked concerns that efforts to promote human rights and good governance
are being undermined, because development assistance does not depend on
improvements in these areas. - The National

EU ambassador to Zimbabwe calls for free elections

http://www.dailynews.co.zw/

By Guthrie Munyuki
Saturday, 20 November 2010 19:23

CHIREDZI - The European Union (EU) ambassador to Zimbabwe, Aldo Dell Ariccia
has called on President Robert Mugabe and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai
to hold an election that is violent-free and reflecting the will of the
people.

Dell’Ariccia said if the Zimbabwean leaders go ahead with the 2011 election,
they must first create an environment that promotes free and fair elections.

“It’s for Zimbabweans to decide which leader they want but it is important
for the Zimbabwean leadership to take a leading role in creating an
electoral environment that will reflect the will of the people.

“The government must make sure that there is total absence of intimidation
and violence; the voter’s roll must be complete and the Zimbabwe Electoral
Commission (ZEC) must be technically and professionally supported to do its
work; that is making sure the election is credible and reflects the wishes
of the people of Zimbabwe,” Dell’Ariccia told the Daily News in an interview
on the sidelines of the commissioning of irrigation schemes in rural
Chiredzi  on Friday.

He said both Mugabe and Tsvangirai should honour the Global Political
Agreement and should  implement  reforms that should help or build towards
the holding of free and fair elections in the slated polls whose date is yet
to be known.

The EU envoy said although there have been efforts to institute reforms in
the media, human rights, electoral field and on corruption, more must be
done to reflect a genuine political will to create a free and enabling
political environment.

“The point is that there must be a level playing field, all parties having
access to the public media and all parties campaigning freely.

It is evident that there have not been complete reforms and this could take
time before they are instituted,” Dell’Ariccia said. “However, it is up to
the people of Zimbabwe to decide.”

The EU call resonates with pro-democracy and human rights groups that have
expressed disappointment with Mugabe’s and Tsvangirai’s obstinacy with
regards to the holding of the elections which they say are coming before
agreed reforms Civic society groups argue that the GPA has been largely a
box ticking exercise which both parties in the inclusive government have
treated without the seriousness required of such an agreement.

Critics argue that it is too early to hold elections in the absence of
national healing which they say is critical to remove fear, suspicion and
tension in the local communities.

Victims of previous political violence and perpetrators of that violence,
argue the critics of the inclusive government, are still trapped in the
mindset of 2008 when suspected Zanu PF supporters unleashed violence on
opposition supports in the run-up to June Presidential run off.

Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition has since engaged the Sadc facilitator and
South African President Jacob Zuma, to try and persuade the Zimbabwe leaders
to fully implement the reforms that promote the holding of a free and fair
elections.

Operation “Mugabe Zvachose” launched

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

Written by Tony Saxon
Thursday, 18 November 2010 17:31

MUTARE – Zanu (PF) youth militia, war veterans and members of the uniformed
forces have launched an operation called Mugabe Zvachose aimed at drumming
up support for President Robert Mugabe (Pictured) in the forthcoming
elections.
The team responsible for the operation is reportedly disrupting MDC
political meetings in the province and at the same time stepping up pressure
on MDC-T supporters to call Mugabe as the Life President. The notorious
militia is reported to be forcing other villagers including youths to march
in business centres to chant Zanu (PF) slow guns and shouting Mugabe’s name
as Life President.
“The militia is disrupting the MDC political meetings because they know that
the majority are against Zanu (PF). They are now hijacking the meetings by
forcing people to accept Mugabe as Life President. The people are being
forced to march in business centres delivering the message that Mugabe is
Life President,” said John Veremu, a villager in Chigodora, Mutare South.
Human rights activists and analysts in Mutare said such episodes of violence
and intimidation reflected determination on the part of Zanu (PF) to
dominate the political space with a constitutional referendum and new
national elections between now and 2012.
“I can confirm that we have been receiving reports that Zanu (PF) youth
militia and war veterans have established torture bases in the province and
have been disrupting MDC meetings. They are now forcing the people to shift
focus to accept Mugabe as the Life President,” said Martin Matika a member
from ZimRights.
Matika added: “Flaring violence has made many people reluctant to voice
their opinions in public meetings as the country moves into a referendum
late this year or early next, and eventually in new presidential, general
and local elections.” Some prominent human rights activists who are on the
forefront of mobilizing the people to reject Zanu (PF)’s proposal to make
Mugabe the Life President have gone into hiding alleging harassment and
intimidation by the Joint Operations Command (JOC), a panel of top military
and security officials.
“Our meetings are being interrupted by some members of the central
intelligence and plain clothes police. Therefore people will not be free in
expressing their independent views,” said Matika. Members of the JOC include
Defence Minister Emerson Mnangagwa, State Security Minister Dydmus Mutasa,
Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe Governor Gideon Gono, and the commanders of the
Army and the Air Force.

Anti-torture billboards offensive, say police

http://www.thezimbabwean.co.uk

Written by George Mombe.
Friday, 19 November 2010 14:25

BULAWAYO – Police here have ordered the Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO to pull
down billboards and street signs calling for the abolition of torture,
saying they were offensive and could cause disharmony, the civil society
alliance has said. (Pictured: Police beat up anti-government demonstrators)
The Forum that brings together several pro-democracy and human rights groups
in Zimbabwe has since the beginning of the year run a campaign to raise
public awareness against organised violence, torture and other cruel
treatment of citizens as part of a drive to end the practice of such inhuman
activities in the country.
The NGO group obtained permission from local authorities in Harare,
Bulawayo, Gweru, Masvingo,  Mutare and Chitungwiza to erect billboards and
street signs calling for the abolition of torture. But police in Bulawayo
have ordered the Forum to remove the nine billboards mounted across the
city, allegedly because they were offensive.
“On 5 November 2010 chief superintendent Patrick Moyo and CID officer
Samakanda from Bulawayo contacted the Forum demanding that the Forum remove
all of its billboards in Bulawayo,” the Forum said in a statement last week.
“The basis given for the removal of these billboards was that they were
offensive. However, this claim was not substantiated,” the group said.
Politically motivated violence, human rights abuses and torture – mostly
blamed on the police, other state agents and militant supporters of Zanu
(PF) party have accompanied every major election in Zimbabwe since the 1999
emergency of the MDC as a potent electoral threat to President Robert Mugabe
and his party.
But human rights activists says torture - which is prohibited under Zimbabwe’s
laws - has become entrenched and was no longer limited to political cases
but has become widespread in the country with the police increasingly using
torture to obtain information even from common criminals.

ZBC Demands U.S.$10 Million From Standard

http://www.herald.co.zw/

20 November 2010

The Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation is demanding US$10 million from The
Standard newspaper for a story in which the publication claimed the national
broadcaster was collapsing.

The Standard published the story under the headline "ZBC faces collapse as
managers plunder" on November 13 claiming that the broadcaster had failed to
pay its workers for the past three months, but was giving hefty salaries,
allowances and loans to managers.

The story also claimed ZBC had obsolete transmission equipment.

In a letter to The Standard yesterday, ZBC chief executive Mr Happison
Muchechetere dismissed the allegations and demanded a page one retraction
and US$10 million for defamation. "In the circumstances we demand, as we
hereby do, a full retraction of the story and payment of US$10 million as
defamation damages," Mr Muchechetere said.

The claim is against the paper, its editor and the reporter who wrote the
story. "We demand that the payment be made within seven days of receipt of
the letter, failing which we will proceed to have summons issued through the
High Court without further notice to you," he said.

Mr Muchechetere said the "libelous, defamatory and scandalous" allegations
were reported as fact.

"In carrying this article your conduct was malicious and remains malicious,
highly irresponsible and provocative in the extreme," he said.

He also said the article was aimed at portraying the broadcaster as a
Zanu-PF propaganda tool and to make viewers and customers shun the
broadcaster.

Mr Muchechetere said this would permanently impair the goodwill and standing
of ZBC and its management.

At a Press conference at Pockets Hill, Mr Muchechetere urged journalists to
report responsibly.

He also gave managers at the broadcaster the green light to take individual
legal action against The Standard if they so wished. ZBC television studios
and quality control manager Mr Samuel Maghonde took journalists on a tour of
the complex.

IFJ Calls for Release of Journalist Detained Amid Media Clampdown in Zimbabwe

http://www.ifj.org

19 November 2010

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) today condemned in the
strongest terms the increasing threats, harassment and arrests against media
professionals after the second arrest of a journalist in a week.

Nqobani Ndlovu, a reporter with The Standard and Newsday newspaper was
arrested and detained on 17 November. His arrest followed that of Dumisani
Sibanda, President of the Zimbabwe Union of Journalists (ZUJ) on 16 November
and Bulawayo Bureau Chief of the same newspaper. Sibanda was briefly
detained over a story involving the police force and later released.

"We have serious concerns following this series of incidents in less than a
month without a credible political will to fight those who harass and
intimidate the journalists in Zimbabwe," said Gabriel Baglo, Director of IFJ
Africa Office. "It is necessary for Zimbabwean authorities to take measures
conducive for press freedom and journalists' protection," he added.

In its issue of 14 November, The Standard which is part of the only
independent media group of newspapers in Zimbabwe published a paper about
developments in the police force in relation to the low morale. For that,
Dumisani Sibanda, President of ZUJ an IFJ affiliate and also Bulawayo Bureau
Chief of the Standard was detained for a few hours and released. Afterwards,
the journalist who wrote the story, Nqobani Ndlovu was also arrested for the
same case.According to the ZUJ, the police have launched a manhunt for the
editor of The Standard, Nevanji Madanhire with a view to charging him with
criminal defamation.

These incidents follow the arrests and harassment last month of Nkosana
Dlamini and Anderson Manyere, both freelance journalists, and the beating up
of fellow freelance journalist Sydney Saize, in Mutare.

On Sunday 31 October in Mbare, a suburb of the capital Harare, two
journalists were also reportedly attacked.

The IFJ calls for the immediate and unconditional release of the detained
journalist and urges the Zimbabwean authorities to take urgent measures to
protect journalists in order to consolidate de right to information in this
country.

For more information, contact +221 33 867 95 87

The IFJ represents over 600,000 journalists in 125 countries worldwide

Zimbabwean FM Describes Iran as "Reliable Ally"

http://english.farsnews.com/

Saturday 20 Nov 2010 / 29 Aban 1389  Tehran

TEHRAN (FNA)- Visiting Zimbabwean Foreign Minister Simbarashe Mumbengegwi
appreciated Iran's continued political and diplomatic support for Harare,
and called for Iranian companies' further investment in his country.

"We always view Iran as a reliable ally which doesn't withhold its support
from Zimbabwe," Mumbengegwi said in a press conference with Iranian Foreign
Minister Manouchehr Mottaki here in Tehran on Saturday.

He further hailed his "useful" discussions with his Iranian counterpart, and
said, "We have had good talks over political and economic issues."

"The two sides discussed ways through which economic ties can be boosted,"
Mumbengegwi said, elaborating on the agenda of his talks with Mottaki.

The minister reiterated his country's deep enthusiasm for cooperating with
Iran, saying that cooperation with Iran paves the way for Zimbabwe to
exploit its rich resources.

He said the two countries can widen their partnership and cooperation in
such areas as "mining, tourism and development of infrastructures", and said
that Harare is also seeking to import technologies from Iran.

Tehran has prioritized promotion of its economic and political ties with the
African states and the country is now considered as one of the African
Union's strategic partners.

In April 2010, Iran and Zimbabwe signed 11 documents for expansion of
cooperation between the two countries in different fields.

The protocols, signed during President Ahmadinejad's visit to the African
state, envisaged cooperation in the fields of tourism, science, technology,
youth affairs, transportation, aviation and education as well as lifting
political and service visa issuance.

At the same meeting, Iran's Exports Guarantee Fund and Zimbabwe's Finance
Ministry signed a Memorandum of Understanding as the two countries'
officials agreed on setting up joint investment companies and drawing up
executive plans for scientific, cultural, and technical cooperation.

Meet Harare's Ultra-Modern N'anga

http://www.herald.co.zw/

Isdore Guvamombe

20 November 2010

EACH time a traditional healer is mentioned, what comes to mind is some
elderly, ancient-looking occult authority operating from a hovel and using
unorthodox means of treatment.

In Harare there is one traditional healer who has changed the face of
traditional healing by operating in an ultra modern clinic.

Picture this: A n'anga with 10 cars, among them a Mercedes Benz E-Class, a
Pajero and an ambulance for his patients?

A clinic and pharmacy with 130 herbs!

In the heart of the small teeming suburb of Sunningdale, Sekuru Friday
Chisanyu, runs a surgery that would make any doctor green with envy.

He also operates an ambulance service for emergency patients, a computerised
herbal pharmacy; computerised and manual referral data base for all patients
and guess what . . . he writes sick notes too!

The ambulance also carries patients to referral centres which include other
n'angas and conventional hospitals and medical practitioners, when he
certifies that he cannot handle the cases.

Back to the reception, there is an outstanding fixed drawer with files
containing patient registration books and cards.

There is a reception desk manned by an executive-looking secretary and has
more than five cellphone lines and is busy too.

His patients ranging from the rich to the poor, white and black, Christians
and non-Christians have access to use of African herbs without facing any
victimisation or unfair treatment from anyone because he has packaged herbs
into capsules, cases, sachets and in the form of tablets.

As if that is not enough, Sekuru, as he is affectionately known, refers
cases that are out of his province to conventional clinics, hospitals,
medical doctors, and to other n'angas too.

In Chitungwiza, Sekuru, has opened a central pharmacy with more than 130
different types of medicines, where other n'angas come and buy herbs.

Herbalists from across Zimbabwe come and sell their herbs and he tests their
authenticity.

A DSTv at the reception, wall posters on cholera and HIV and Aids and
patients' cards carefully stashed in a rack in alphabetic order, exude an
aura of a conventional medical doctor's clinic.

An eating area well-equipped to feed those whose medication requires that
they eat first, completes the set up.

From the television set, visitors and patients get a chance to watch,
intermittently, news and cultural videos on medicine and the use of
different types of herbs.

"We must move with time. Our clients are moving with time and we risk being
redundant if we do not modernise our practice.

"I turned one of my vehicles into an ambulance because some of my patients
have transport problems during emergencies, so they call my reception and I
send my driver.

"However, what does not change is the tradition in the consultation room,
where it is compulsory to remove one's shoes, sit on a reed mat and consult
the medium.

"From there you go into the 'pharmacy', where my 'pharmacist' uses computer
codes for herbal names and expiry dates and dosage levels, just like what
medical doctors do," he said.

Sekuru Chisanyu whom the Government has recognised and elevated to the board
of the Traditional Practitioners Association of Zimbabwe, says he is now
fighting for recognition with the Medical Aid Association.

"We have engaged them because we want to be able to use medical aid cards
for our patients. If I can refer patients to hospitals why can I not be
allowed to use medical aid?

"For the record, there are people who come here to collect medication for
hospitalised relatives to supplement conventional medicine," he argues.

Sekuru Chisanyu says his type of business is centred on healing people from
a hygienic place with hygienic medication.

"You notice I keep records unlike other n'angas. The idea of registering our
patients and keeping their records is meant for check ups. We need to see if
patient requires another treatment or not.

"Fiona Hatitye is my manager and 'pharmacist' and she does all the
groundwork. She does counselling to the patients on proper use of herbs and
I have worked with her for 10 years," says Sekuru Chisanyu.

Sekuru has seven posh cars plus his Pajero and asked about his drivers, he
said the drivers are responsible for ferrying patients to hospitals and
clinics for serious cases that may arise, typical of an ambulance service.

They also travel long distances to Guruve, Mbire, Hwange, Kariba, Mutoko,
Karoi, Bikita, Mapinga and neighbouring countries in search of herbs.

Sekuru Chisanyu vehemently denies that there is any n'anga who can treat HIV
and Aids.

"We must not lie to people. No n'anga can cure HIV and Aids. People must not
be fooled into believing that HIV and Aids is curable. It can be prevented,
yes."

But how did he become a n'anga?

"It all started when I was in Grade Four. I picked up six pangolins in six
consecutive days, which I gave to Chief Chundu. Pangolins are consecrated
and sacred animals in my tradition."

"Chief Chundu consulted the spirit mediums for interpretation.

"All the spirit mediums endorsed that I was becoming a n'anga.

"I then met a small snake and cut its head off, typical of young boys but I
collapsed and was unconscious for more than 12 hours and when I woke up
everyone thought I had died and scampered for cover. That is how I became a
n'anga," he said.

Believe him or not, Sekuru Chisanyu is a n'anga in his own class. As to how
far he will go with modernising the traditional healing practice, only time
will tell.

Chickened out

Dear Family and Friends,

A few weeks ago something really peculiar started happening at the beginning
of the main evening ZBC TV news bulletin.  The newsreader would announce a
“brain teaser” for the evening, usually the meaning of the initials of some
government organisation or other. Night after night we watched in bemused
wonder as the brain teaser was posed, feeling a little like a class of
kindergarten children. This week the novelty “brain teaser” at the start of
the evening news has shot to dizzying heights. Now we have a large brown
flashing question mark in a framed box that takes up almost half of the
screen. The questions have also upgraded and are usually about nationalist
leaders and colonial issues. After the political question is read out we are
told to: “Stay tuned for the answer which will be revealed as the bulletin
proceeds.”

That’s not the only strange thing happening on the state controlled ZBC TV –
the only television news that the majority of the population have access to.
Suddenly, over the last couple of weeks, the ZBC news readers have stopped
referring to Morgan Tsvangirai as the Prime Minister of the country and
instead almost always refer to him now as the “leader of the MDC (T) party.”
Both titles are of course accurate but the inferred loss of status by not
using the title ‘Prime Minister’ is glaringly obvious. Perhaps they thought
we wouldn’t notice, or perhaps, like so many other things in Zimbabwe, the
more you say it, true or false, the more people believe it?

Brain teasers and lost titles faded into insignificance on Wednesday night
and I couldn’t believe my ears at the statement read out by the newsreader.
“Mr Morgan Tsvangirai,” she said, “leader of the MDC (T) party, has
chickened out of elections,” proposed for 2011.

“Chickened Out!” One can only imagine what would happen if ZBC TV used such
a term to refer to Mr Mugabe who is always now called: “The Head of State
and Government and Commander in Chief of the Defence Forces.”

The main ZBC TV nightly news bulletin wouldn’t be complete without the
‘sanctions’ tirade. Every night there is at least one report about “illegal”
sanctions on Zimbabwe. Targeted sanctions and travel restrictions, imposed
on less than 300 individuals, continue to be blamed for everything. If my
maths is correct and assuming a population of 11 million people, 300
sanctioned individuals represent less than 0,003% of Zimbabweans. This week
ZBC TV carried a story that sanctions were “hurting the poor;”  another
report was that the distribution of  maize and sorghum seed had been
hampered by “sanctions.” Then came the report that “sanctions on Zimbabwe”
were  having a detrimental effect on Zambia and other countries on Zimbabwe’s
borders.  I lost the thread there somewhere as I tried to make a mental list
of local foods currently available in our supermarkets and couldn’t think of
more than half a dozen items. Sanctions? And yet everything, everything we
use is imported.

As the talk of elections escalates in Zimbabwe, we descend ever faster into
that strange “Alice in Wonderland” media place again. Until next time,
thanks for reading, love cathy. Copyright © Cathy Buckle. 20 November 2010.
www.cathybuckle.com