Budget presentation postponed again

http://www.swradioafrica.com

By Tichaona Sibanda
22 November 2011

The budget presentation for 2012 has been postponed to Thursday to allow
Principals to the Global Political Agreement to attend the function,
according to Veritas, which monitors parliamentary and legal issues.

This is the second time the presentation has been postponed. Last week
Finance Minister Tendai Biti was forced to cancel it because Robert Mugabe
was outside the country on a State visit to China.

On Tuesday, Bill Watch, produced by Veritas, said the reason given for the
postponement was that Mugabe, Prime Minister, Morgan Tsvangirai and Arthur
Mutambara had prior commitments to attend to on Tuesday.

The national budget for 2012 is expected to be $3.5 billion, up from $2.7
billion this year. The budget is expected to focus on job creation,
macro-economic growth and stability and maintaining inflation levels.

With the country preparing for presidential and parliamentary elections next
year Biti is expected to set aside $300 million for the referendum on the
Constitution and the poll, all expected in the second half of 2012.

Tsvangirai marries

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

By Tonderai Kwenda, Deputy News Editor
Tuesday, 22 November 2011 11:48

HARARE - Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai has paid $36 000 lobola for
Locadia Karimatsenga, a woman believed to be carrying his twins.

Our sister paper, the Daily News on Sunday, exclusively revealed in June
that Tsvangirai had found a soul mate and was only bidding for time before
going official.

Family emissaries accompanied Tsvangirai to officialise the union in
traditional African culture to the Karimatsenga family home in Christon Bank
near Mazowe yesterday afternoon.

Karimatsenga is a businesswoman related to Zanu PF legislator for Goromonzi
Beater Nyamupinga.

An elder relative only identified as Sekuru Zvaipa, who acted as the
middleman, paid $15 000 as the main bride price, also known in local Shona
language as rusambo.

Other costs, including groceries and “damage” for impregnating Locadia out
of wedlock shot the entire cost to $36 000.

He was reportedly accompanied by his brother.

Officials in his office, including his spokesman, refused to comment
officially. Spokesperson Luke Tamborinyoka said he knew nothing about the
issue.

But authoritative sources said Prime Minister Tsvangirai marries Tsvangirai
arrived at the Karimatsenga home at around 4pm, ostensibly for introductions
after the payment of the bride price. He left at around 5.30 pm.

Sources said Tsvangirai immediately requested for a wedding after the
payment of the bride price. The bride’s family promptly granted the request.

The wedding date is yet to be fixed but sources say a December event is in
the offing.

Eyewitnesses told of how Tsvangirai rolled into the Karimatsenga’s homestead
in a convoy, curious onlookers in tow.

Tsvangirai, who has tried hard over the past two years to keep a lid on his
love life, told the Daily News on Sunday in June for the first time that he
was in love and of his plans to re-marry after the death of his wife Susan
in early 2009.

At the time, he refused to give the identity of the woman who had stolen his
heart saying it was too early to rush into marriage.

“I don’t want to go to those personal things but let me assure you that
people make the mistake that the Prime Minister has no right to date. I have
a right to date and there is a difference between dating and marrying.

“To marry is a serious commitment. You don’t marry somebody you have known
for a day and say you are getting married,” Tsvangirai said at the time.

The premier’s love life has been a favourite on and off subject for the
media since the death of Susan.

Although the matter has been written about repeatedly, the Daily News on
Sunday’s June interview remained the only authoritative report on his love
life and the only such time that he has openly talked about his love life.

The media has linked Tsvangirai to several women among them his late wife’s
sister, Leah Mhundwa, who is said to be looking after his last born twins in
Johannesburg, South Africa where they are attending school.

Corruption is getting worse in Southern Africa / New survey from Transparency International shows the police are seen as most corrupt

Facilitators to meet negotiators on Wednesday

http://www.swradioafrica.com/

By Tererai Karimakwenda
22 November, 2011

The team of facilitators to Zimbabwe’s political negotiations, representing
President Zuma of South Africa, is due in Harare again on Wednesday, to meet
with the negotiators, who represent the political parties.

The meeting is intended to once again try to resolve the remaining issues
blocking full implementation of the Global Political Agreement (GPA), which
was signed more than three years ago.

The facilitators, led by Lindiwe Zulu, will then forward a final report to
the chief negotiator President Zuma. Zulu told SW Radio Africa last week
that President Zuma will meet with the principles in Harare soon after that,
but no date had been set.

No information is available regarding the outcome of last Friday’s meeting
between the negotiators. However, it is clear that deadlines for key reforms
already agreed to, have not been met. Media, electoral and security sector
reforms have emerged as the most contentious issues.

Many observers have criticized the slow pace of progress that has surrounded
the entire GPA process, saying there is a lack of urgency and political will
within the unity government.

Additionally ZANU PF has refused to discuss security sector issues, saying
security is a sovereign issue that will not involve outsiders.

The GPA negotiations were facilitated by the regional leaders as a
transitional arrangement leading to elections in Zimbabwe. But three years
later the parties have remained deadlocked, violence against the MDC and
arrests of their officials continue and there appears to be no solution in
sight.

Registrar General Says Deportees Stretching Capacities

http://www.voanews.com

21 November 2011

Principal Immigration Director Clemence Masangano said South Africa has
deported 3,900 Zimbabweans since early October while Botswana has sent home
18,700 Zimbabweans since the beginning of the year

Irwin Chifera & Tatenda Gumbo | Washington/Harare

Zimbabwean Registrar-General Tobaiwa Mudede told Parliament’s committee on
home affairs Monday that deportations of Zimbabweans from South Africa and
Botswana are stretching his department’s capacities, forcing it to operate
seven days a week.

Mudede said his staff now work long hours top process documents for deported
citizens. He says his office is overloaded even though last year staffers
went to South Africa to document Zimbabweans without passports who sought
permits to reside there.

He said just over 72,000 Zimbabweans received South African residency
documents though there are estimated to be more than 2 million living there.

Principal Immigration Director Clemence Masangano told the committee that
deportees from South Africa complain of harassment on both sides of the
border. He said South Africa has deported 3,900 Zimbabweans since early
October while Botswana has sent home 18,700 Zimbabweans since the beginning
of the year.

Masango expressed concern that Botswana even punishes some deportees by
flogging. He said the Zimbabwean government has engaged Botswana to end
this.

Meanwhile, the International Organization for Migration refuted reports that
hundreds of Zimbabweans are being deported from South Africa though their
papers are in order.

IOM officials said that based on its own records and government figures such
cases have been isolated and that those incorrectly deported have been able
to return.

The organization has helped 2,758 deportees make their way back to Zimbabwe
since South Africa resumed deportations in earnest in October, helping
returning Zimbabweans at the border with food, medication and transport
toward their homes.

Natalie Perez, head of the IOM office in Zimbabwe, told VOA reporter Tatenda
Gumbo that the Beitbridge reception center is sufficiently funded to operate
through March.

Civic group fears for Zim returnees

http://www.dailynews.co.zw

By Bridget Mananavire, Staff Writer
Tuesday, 22 November 2011 15:43

HARARE - Zimbabwean political refugees are at risk of being sent back to the
very hands they fled from by South African authorities, a Pretoria based
human rights group has said.

The Zimbabwe Exiles Forum (Zef) alleges that the Hawks, a special South
African police service branch and members of the SA National Defence Forces
are arresting Zimbabwean nationals and handing them over to the Zimbabwean
police.

Most of these people who fled the country to Africa’s biggest economy and
claimed asylum in that country are according to Zef often mistreated upon
their return home.

“We believe that if SA is guilty of connivance with the Zimbabwean
authorities to surrender legitimate asylum seekers and refugees, then there
is a possibility that those who orchestrated this are guilty of complicity
in crimes against humanity,”  said Gabriel Shumba, Zef executive director.

Zef’s concerns come after more than 500 Zimbabweans were deported in a week
in October and handed over to immigration officials at Beitbridge.

The deportations are ongoing.

More than a million Zimbabwean nationals are believed to be in South Africa,
according to Zimbabwe’s Registrar General Tobaiwa Mudede who on Tuesday said
it is difficult to ascertain the actual number of Zimbabweans in that
country.

“It is difficult to ascertain the actual figures of Zimbabweans in South
Africa. We only managed to process
72 261 passports in South Africa. Others had passports already and could not
report to the Zimbabwean embassy.

Others came to Harare,” Mudede told a parliamentary portfolio committee on
defence and security yesterday.

He said about 100 000 Zimbabweans applied for asylum in South Africa last
year and 275 672 applied for documentation under the Zimbabwe Documentation
Project conducted jointly by the Zimbabwean and South African governments.

Describing the actions of the South African authorities as “kidnapping,”
Shumba said the transfer of refugees from one country to another runs
contrary to the South African Immigration Act and breaches the government’s
moratorium on deportations to Zimbabwe.

He added that the act is also in violation of the UN Convention against
Torture, which South Africa ratified in 1998.

The act requires states to take effective measures to prevent torture within
their borders and forbids states to return people to their home country if
there is reason to believe they will be tortured.

The Hawks have, however, denied working with Zimbabwean authorities in
carrying out deportations saying they simply hand over illegal immigrants to
Beitbridge border authorities and have no mandate to follow up on them.

Politician shoots wife, self in SA

http://www.newzimbabwe.com/

22/11/2011 00:00:00
    by Sapa

A ZIMBABWEAN politician based in South Africa shot and wounded his wife
before committing suicide in Johannesburg on Tuesday, police said.

Justine Chiota, a founding member of the Zimbabwe People's Party, turned the
firearm on himself at his house in Morningside, Sandton, said Captain Kim
Cloete.

Lieutenant Colonel Lungelo Dlamini said the shooting happened at 11:00, when
a police officer from Sandton accompanied Chiota's wife to his house to
deliver a protection order.

The order was related to domestic violence, he said.

Chiota fired a number of shots, one of which hit his estranged wife in the
upper body.

Another bullet tore the policeman's shirt, but did not wound him.

Dlamini said the woman was in a serious condition in hospital.

When police approached the house, Chiota was found dead from a
self-inflicted gunshot wound.

ZESA renounces power deal with the Chinese

http://www.esi-africa.com/node/13861

Harare, Zimbabwe --- ESI-AFRICA.COM --- 22 November 2011 - The Zimbabwe
Electricity Supply Authority, (ZESA) has renounced the memorandum of
understanding clandestinely signed between the Zimbabwean treasury and
Chinese conglomerate Sino Hydro for the expansion of the Kariba South
hydro-electric power project, opting for a more transparent tender process.

Kariba presently generates 750 megawatts (MW) of power at its peak and the
agreement seeks to increase generation capacity by an extra 600MW. It was
signed early this year by finance minister Tendai Biti and economic planning
and development minister Tapiwa Mashakada.

Investment in the country has been subdued in the last decade with ZESA
failing to provide uninterrupted power supply to the manufacturing industry.
At time, the power authority switches off consumers for up to 12 hours as
part of its haphazard load-shedding schedule.

ZESA chief executive officer Josh Chifamba told the Mines and Energy
Portfolio Committee that the agreement awarding Sino Hydro the Kariba
expansion work had jumped the gun and would cause problems with other
Chinese companies, should it be implemented without going to tender.

“Sino Hydro made an offer, but it jumped the gun on many issues,” said
Chifamba. “The feasibility studies had not been done. We were going to have
problems with other Chinese partners. The only way was to go to
international tender,” he said.

Chifamba said such large projects needed very high levels of transparency to
encourage investment and participation by the most competent company through
a tender process.

“We need maximum transparency to encourage funding. This would also give us
an opportunity to evaluate the best tender and compare the services of the
companies in an open manner,” Chifamba said.

The debt laden energy utility conceded that the perennial power shortages
could only be solved by engaging in Public Private Partnerships (PPP) to
build new electricity generation plants.
Zimbabwe's power stations are operating at 50% capacity and producing 1,300
MW compared to a national demand of 2,400 MW. The utility meets the
shortfall by importing from the DRC's power company Snel, Eskom of South
Africa and HCB of Mozambique.

Zesa pre-paid meter project in mess

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

By Taurai Mangudhla, Business Writer
Tuesday, 22 November 2011 15:37

HARARE - Zimbabwe's power utility Zesa has been forced to reverse a public
tender for purchasing prepaid metres after it emerged that the winning
bidder only intended to lease the equipment.

The smart metres are set to bring an overhaul to Zesa’s shambolic billing
system through accurate reading and pay-as-you-consume costing.

Both domestic and industrial consumers have for long cried foul over
unrealistic bills at a time power outages hit record levels in the decade
long power woes.

Justin Mupamhanga, secretary for energy and power development, yesterday
told Parliament’s portfolio committee on mines and energy that the tender
hiccup was stalling the critical power management project.

“The winning bidder actually wanted to lend the equipment to Zesa at a cost
of $0,65 per transaction which would  make power more expensive so they have
gone back to the original list for reconsideration,” he said.

“We have not got official communication from the state procurement board and
this delays a process we had hoped to start this year. We are now looking at
starting it in the first quarter of 2012,” Mupamhanga added.

He said another power management project — set to see the country receiving
about five and half million florescent bulbs — was also stalled on the back
of the tender complications.

Mupamhanga said distribution of the energy saving bulbs, initially slated
for the last quarter of 2011, will have to be done in the first quarter next
year.

“It was discovered that none of the companies met the tender specifications
and a second bidding has been done.
Adjudication will come after December,” he said.

Zesa, which has struggled to collect revenue since dollarisation, argues
that the current power tarrif is uncompetitive.

In October, Zesa effected a 31 percent tariff hike saying the increased
revenue was meant to bankroll an ambitious $7, 8 billion rehabilitation and
expansion of its Hwange thermal and Kariba  Hydro power stations.

The utility is currently reeling under a $500 million debt owed to
international financing institutions like the IMF while it also owes $102
million to other utilities in the region.

Zimbabwe’s government owes Zambia about $260 million for the shared Kariba
Dam infrastructure the country inherited at independence.

Payment of the debt for infrastructure that Zimbabwe inherited from the
Central African Power Corporation during the federation era — is believed to
be among the reasons that have stalled the construction of the 1 600
megawatt Batoka hydro-power station.

Although energy minister Elton Mangoma said the country currently has no
capacity to settle the 30-year-old debt, there have been indications that
Zimbabwe may be required to pay only $70, 8 — which excludes interest.

Josh Chifamba, Zesa chief executive recently said consumers are set to pay
more for their electricity to meet the increase in operation costs arising
from construction and rehabilitation of  Kariba and Hwange power stations.

He said electricity tariffs are low compared to production expenses and
could increase by 47 percent in the coming five years to meet power
expansion costs.

“We are currently retailing at $0,095 per Kilowatt-hour and this is low
compared to production and you also have to factor in the transmission
costs.

“As a result, we expect tariffs to go up by about $0, 04 to hit $0,14 in the
coming five years,” he said, adding that tarrifs would go up to pay for the
face-lift as is the case of neighbouring countries.

The two projects are meant to increase power output to 2 220 megawatt from a
current 1 320 megawatt which leaves a 640 megawatt deficit.

The country has a total installed capacity of 1 680 megawatts, with 750 MW
from Kariba South, 780 MW from Hwange Power Station and 150 MW from small
thermals — but only 940 MW of this is currently available against a peak
demand of 1 950 MW.

Tracy Mutinhiri to be sacked as Minister next month

http://www.swradioafrica.com/

By Lance Guma
22 November 2011

Deputy Minister of Labour and Social Welfare Tracy Mutinhiri is set to lose
her government job next month following her expulsion from ZANU PF. In
September ZANU PF decided to expel their MP for Marondera East, following
long running accusations that she was de-campaigning the party and building
a relationship with the MDC-T.

Although the former ZANU PF Women’s League Commissar says she has not
received an official letter confirming this she told journalists: “I expect
this because the Constitution says one ceases to be a minister after 90 days
of suspension from Parliament. Since I was expelled from Parliament on
September 14th, I expect to leave office anytime soon.”

SW Radio Africa spoke to ZANU PF national spokesman Rugare Gumbo and he said
it was up to the party’s Secretary for Administration, Didymus Mutasa, and
their Chief Whip in parliament, Joram Gumbo, to decide on the matter. “I don’t
know what comrade Mutasa and comrade Gumbo will say about that but I think
generally that is the parliamentary law,” he said.

Mutinhiri’s troubles are believed to mirror the infighting within ZANU PF.
Her problems started when she and fellow ZANU PF MP for Goromonzi West,
Beatrice Nyamupinga, were accused of betraying the party and supporting the
MDC-T candidate for Speaker of Parliament, Lovemore Moyo.

Since then she has had her farm in Marondera invaded by war vets and ZANU PF
youths, allegedly sponsored by State Security Minister Sidney Sekeramayi.
Mutinhiri at the time hit back and accused ZANU PF of trying to kill her in
the same manner that she says ZANU PF had killed MDC-T supporters.

Mutinhiri specifically pointed to the Central Intelligence Organisation
(CIO), currently headed by Sekeramayi, and said the CIO wanted to kill her
and dump her body in the Wenimbe Dam: “Like they did to hundreds of innocent
suspected MDC supporters in June 2008.”

Meanwhile SW Radio Africa asked Gumbo how ZANU PF would have known which
candidate for Speaker of Parliament Mutinhiri could have voted for, if it
was a secret ballot.

“I was not involved (in the decision). It’s the people who were in
Parliament who voted for the speaker of Parliament. So I really don’t know.
Frankly I don’t think that is the major issue as far as Tracy Mutinhiri is
concerned. I think there were quite a number of issues which transpired
which led to her being expelled. Those in the Parliamentary Caucus are
better placed to explain,” Gumbo said. Other reports are suggesting that
Mutinhiri is being punished for allegedly calling Mugabe ‘old’.

Tracy is also a former wife to the retired army Brigadier-General, Ambrose
Mutinhiri, cited as directing several incidents of political violence
against MDC-T supporters. Ironically, it’s likely she will also lose the
farm that she and her husband invaded and seized with the help of war vets
in 2002.

Asked if there was a way back for Mutinhiri, Gumbo said: “Well I can’t think
of anything except appealing to congress, which comes in about 2 to 3
 years.”

ZANU PF refusing to pay for conference venue

http://www.swradioafrica.com/

By Tererai Karimakwenda
22 November, 2011

Officials representing ZANU PF are reportedly refusing to pay for a city
owned venue that they plan to use during their annual conference, which is
to be held in Bulawayo next month.

According to SW Radio Africa correspondent Lionel Saungweme, ZANU PF
officials making the arrangements have told the council they do not pay for
such services, because they are the “revolutionary party” ruling Zimbabwe.

Saungweme said so far ZANU-PF has approached the General Manager of the
Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF) building, Daniel Chigaru, seeking
to use the venue’s Pavilion, which has big hall and offices.

Chigaru in turn wrote to the town clerk at Bulawayo City Council, who then
forwarded the request letter to the councilors. “After meeting in chambers
the Mayor and councilors decided that ZANU-PF should pay the required rental
fees and other costs,” Saungweme said.

But ZANU-PF has turned the issue into a party political affair, insisting
they will not pay the MDC for any services. Saungweme explained that the
Bulawayo council is led by MDC-T councilors, who argued that they paid for
venues used for their party events and ZPF should abide by the law.

“It is not the first time that ZANU PF has refused to pay for venues used
for party business,” Saungweme said, adding: “It is a way of undermining the
MDC-T’s authority.”

Saungweme said the Mayor and councilors instructed ZANU PF to write to the
Minister of Local government affairs, Ignatius Chombo, if they believe they
are being refused a privilege that should be granted to political parties.

It is not known whether Chombo has been approached. But the ZANU PF congress
is due to start next month, and the row is sure to intensify should Robert
Mugabe and more senior officials of the party get involved.

HIV tests for Zanu PF conference delegates

http://www.newzimbabwe.com

21/11/2011 00:00:00
    by Lunga Sibanda

THOUSANDS of Zanu PF delegates attending the party’s conference in Bulawayo
next month will be asked to undergo an HIV test, officials said.

The testing would be voluntary, but the party hopes most delegates will opt
in and “set the tone in the fight against HIV/Aids”.
The unprecedented plan will be put into action during the conference running
from December 6-10.

The party has mobilised 50 professional testers and counselors from the
United Bulawayo Hospitals who will set up a mobile facility at the
conference venue, the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair.

Tirinani Mafuwa, Zanu PF’s provincial health secretary for Bulawayo said:
“Our intention is to de-stigmatise HIV and encourage people to know their
status.”

Zanu PF expects some 6,000 delegates from around the country to attend the
conference which will be addressed by party leader, President Robert Mugabe.

The mass testing will be held just days after World Aids Day on December 1,
which is dedicated to raising awareness of the AIDS pandemic caused by the
spread of HIV infection.

Health campaigners say early testing can save millions of lives as it allows
those who test positive for HIV to immediately go on life-saving drugs.

Ncube, Mutambara fight over MPs

http://www.thezimbabwemail.com

By 11 hours 44 minutes ago

TENSION is set to heighten in the MDC party with factions led by Professors
Welshman Ncube and Arthur Mutambara claiming ownership of parliamentarians
who were elected on the party ticket.

The two are already immersed in an acrimonious legal wrangle over control of
the party with Prof Ncube seeking to replace Prof Mutambara as the Deputy
Prime Minister in the inclusive Government on the strength of his election
as party president at a congress held in Harare early this year.

Prof Mutambara, who disputes the congress, said he will be announcing his
national executive council this week where names of legislators who are in
the Prof Ncube faction's national executive council and the national council
will be included.

The faction's chairman, Mr Joubert Mudzumwe, said all the MPs who were
elected under the MDC ticket during the harmonised elections in 2008 were
loyal to Prof Mutambara.

However, Mr Edwin Mushoriwa, who is vice president in Prof Ncube's faction,
dismissed the claims saying the legislators were loyal to Prof Ncube.

Said Mr Mudzumwe: "At the moment three House of Assembly Members out of
seven and four senators out of six have confirmed that they are with us. The
others are not yet clear of where they are but we suspect they will be
coming out in the open very soon.

"Welshman and Priscilla Misihairabwi Mushonga have no people and they just
want to protect their ministerial positions."

Mr Mudzumwe said the nominations for NEC members had already been done and
handed over to him to consult with the 38 nominated members.

He said the names would be announced after the NEC meeting to be held
sometime this week.
Mr Mushoriwa said it was irregular that the Prof Mutambara faction would
come up with an NEC without holding a congress.

"It is common knowledge that there are three parties in Zimbabwe led by
President Mugabe (Zanu-PF), Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai (MDC-T) and
Professor Welshman Ncube (MDC)," he said.

"They cannot claim to own our MPs because in areas where we have
parliamentary seats, our structures are behind our leadership. If they were
a party, they should address rallies so that we can see if they have people.

"We know people can hallucinate and dream and they are probably saying they
have MPs because of MP Nomalanga Khumalo (Umzingwane) whom we know she has
been siding with the MDC-T."

Mrs Khumalo publicly expressed her allegiance to Prof Mutambara after Prof
Ncube's faction accused her of working with the MDC-T.

In separate interviews last week, some of the MPs from the two factions said
they respected the leadership that was elected at the congress held early
this year.
The Mutambara faction boycotted the congress except Prof Mutambara.

"There was a congress in January and I follow the decisions of that congress
because it has a lawful structure," said Khumalo Senator, David Coltart.
Tsholotsho Senator Believe Gaule said: "The party had a congress early this
year and we respect the congress that chose the leadership that we have."

Insiza South House of Assembly Member Siyabonga Ncube refused to disclose
where his allegiance was.

Bulawayo High Court judge, Justice Lawrence Kamocha last week reserved
judgment in the case in which Prof Ncube's faction is seeking confirmation
of a provisional order barring Prof Mutambara from presenting himself as
president of MDC.

The applicants sought an amendment barring Prof Mutambara from continuing as
a Global Political Agreement principal.

Justice Kamocha deferred the ruling saying he needed time to consider issues
raised by both the applicants and the respondents counsel.

Prof Mutambara is opposing the granting of the final order.

The postponement means that the provisional order granted by Bulawayo senior
High Court judge Justice Nicholas Ndou on 16 February this year, barring
Prof Mutambara from exercising any function vested in the president of MDC,
remains in force.

‘Land probe gives Chiyangwa chance to clear name’

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

By Xolisani Ncube, Staff Writer
Tuesday, 22 November 2011 17:31

HARARE - Harare City Council has dismissed allegations by property mogul
Philip Chiyangwa that the local authority was targeting Zanu PF party in
setting up a land probe team.

Chiyangwa last week approached the High Court in a bid to stop council from
investigating shady land deals that were unearthed by a special council
committee in 2009.

He said the appointment of the probe team was targeting him and his Zanu PF
party.

In his opposing affidavit filed at the High Court last week, town clerk
Tendai Mahachi argued that council was not in any way targeting Chiyangwa
and his Zanu PF party saying the investigations were actually meant to bring
an end to the controversial issue.

“If anything the applicants should be happy that there is this probe as it
gives them a chance to put to rest any suggestion of ill-gotten gain. He
(Chiyangwa) needs the probe to shame his detractors, instead of shielding
himself from scrutiny,” said Mahachi.

Chiyangwa recently bragged that he has vast tracks of land in Harare
including 57 000 residential stands which he got from council after
assisting them with salaries and vehicles during the hyper inflationary era.

Chiyangwa and local government minister Ignatius Chombo were named among
many other Zanu PF officials who are accused by the MDC party of acquiring
council land illegally.

So far council efforts to have Chombo and Chiyangwa investigated by the
police over the matter has failed with the former telling the Daily News in
an interview at the weekend that police reluctance to investigate is a sign
of his innocence.

This has, however,  left Harare Mayor Muchadeyi Masunda with no option but
to set up a three-member team led by retired Supreme Court judge Justice
Ahmed Ebrahim to probe their land acquisitions.

The team is also made up of Andrew Chigovera, Sarah Kachingwe and John
Rein-Rowland.

Mahachi, who is also named as a beneficiary of the controversial land deals,
told Chiyangwa that the enquiry will not tarnish his image nor that of his
Zanu PF party.

“It is certainly not a score that Chiyangwa purports to love Zanu PF with a
passion. I don’t see how punishing him and his companies will affect Zanu
PF. If for instance the deponents business acumen is discredited how will
that hurt Zanu PF and how will it help the MDC party. While I cannot speak
for those in council who are affiliated to the MDC, I do not see how
destroying the applicants will affect the Zanu PF which he purports to
belong to,” said Mahachi in his court papers.

Chiyangwa accused the probe team of being anti-Zanu PF saying the
individuals appointed were likely to be biased against him.

He argued that the tribunal was likely to fix him for being a member of Zanu
PF.

“Andrew Chigovera is former Attorney General of Zimbabwe. The circumstances
relating to his resignation, although unclear show that it was
unceremonious.

“It is common knowledge that he did not have good relations with the then
Zanu PF government, which I was part of as MP,” said Chiyangwa in his court
papers.

He further accused Justice Ebrahim of once delivering some judgments that
were directly opposed to the Zanu PF government during his tenure as Supreme
Court judge.

ICG: Mugabe Party Blocking Reforms

http://www.voanews.com

November 22, 2011

Peta Thornycroft | Johannesburg

The International Crisis Group warns reforms will not be in place before June 2013,
the deadline for Zimbabwe's next election. In a new report, the ICG says 
President Robert Mugabe's ZANU-PF party is the main obstacle to timely and fair elections." 

Zimbabwe analysts say the report correctly highlights the need for tougher
mediation by the Southern African Development Community (SADC).

Piers Pigou, ICG's Southern Africa Project Director, says ZANU-PF is
blocking wide-ranging political reforms spelled out in the 2008 Global
Political Agreement (GPA), which established Zimbabwe's power-sharing
government.

"A number of people inside ZANU-PF have said that they are not going to
negotiate themselves out of power," he says. "If they construe any reform as
weakening their hegemony, they are not going to support those kinds of
processes, so there is little incentive to pursue a reform strategy which
might weaken it."

The GPA outlines a series of reforms, including a new constitution, to be
carried out by ZANU-PF, the former opposition MDC party and a smaller MDC
faction. But Pigou says there has been no “significant” progress in
implementing the agreement since March, when SADC's Zimbabwe mediator, South
African President Jacob Zuma, made a speech in Livingstone, Zambia. In that
speech, Zuma, without naming names, blamed ZANU-PF for blocking reforms to
achieve free and fair elections.

Pigou says that even agreements between the negotiators that have been
endorsed by the
principals - President Mugabe, MDC leader Tsvangirai and
small MDC party president Welshman Ncube - have not been implemented.
The principals have also failed to resolve issues deadlocked at the
negotiating table.

“We get a sense that SADC is sitting on its hands in the post-Livingstone
consensus," says Pigou. "We don’t see them stepping up to the plate in terms
of the violations that have continued in the post-Livingstone setting - the
continued harassments, the arrests of cabinet ministers, the invasion of
parliament, the  violence over the last couple of months. We don't see an
adequate, an expeditious response from SADC."

In June, SADC officials agreed to send a three-man technical team to Harare
to help the multi-party Joint Implementation and Monitoring Committee
resolve a large number of political issues and day-to-day problems.

The SADC team has yet to arrive.

"At the moment, I am not expecting much from SADC until it gets its people
on the ground in order to be able to inform itself, because at the moment it
is completely reliant on the Zimbabwean parties themselves, who are
continuing to present positions that are diametrically opposed in terms of
analysis and substance," says Pigou.

He says all attempts at reforming the security sector, which is controlled
by ZANU-PF, have failed.

Veteran Zimbabwe analyst Brian Raftopoulos says President Mugabe, who is 87
and in uncertain health, is hindering progress toward free and fair
elections.

"I think the central problem around the GPA is the problem within ZANU-PF,
the succession issue, which has been a major problem not just for ZANU but
for the people of Zimbabwe, and the fact that ZANU cannot conceive of itself
as a party which can lose power," says Raftopoulos. "The idea that ZANU
thinks it owns the state is a key problem."

Raftopoulos says the SADC should do more to resolve outstanding GPA issues
such as security reform and consider suspending Zimbabwe from the SADC if it
fails to fulfill GPA obligations.

"We are seeing in [the Arab world], for example, the strong stand taken by
the Arab League around the Syrian question," he says. "It is important for
regional organizations to understand that they can play a positive role,
that they can take strong measures like suspension, and that option needs to
be made known if Mugabe and ZANU-PF continue to carry on [the] recalcitrant
stand they are making. But one hopes it doesn't get to that. [One hopes]
there will be movement through negotiators and that lessons will [be] drawn
from what is happening elsewhere on the continent."

Ibbo Mandaza is a former senior member of ZANU-PF and an academic who leads
a political think tank in Harare. He says intellectuals are mapping out
ideas to reform the GPA so the inclusive government could continue beyond
2013 in order to avoid ZANU-PF political violence.

"The violence has always been related to elections and we have been saying
to [concerned] parties, 'Stop talking about elections,'" he says. "If you
put the election issue on the back burner, there won’t be violence or there
will be less violence. Institutional mechanisms related to GPA will make
violence increasingly impossible."

Zimbabwe's last elections in 2008 were marred by numerous killings and
beatings, most of them administered by ZANU-PF supporters against Mugabe's
opponents.

1700K ‘human wall’ to stop diamond smuggling? Only in Zimbabwe

McGee Is A Liar: Claims Zanu-PF MP

http://www.radiovop.com

Chivi, November 22, 2011 –Zanu-PF’s Chivi South Member of Parliament (MP),
Ivene Dzingirai who was fingered in the controversial expose wiki-leaks has
lashed out at the former US envoy to Zimbabwe calling him a liar.

Dzingirai was earlier in the year exposed by the wiki-leaks for undermining
his party and leader in secret conversations with US ambassador,  James
McGee.

Addressing a press conference at a local hotel in Masvingo on Monday night,
Dzingirai said it was a shame that he ended up being a victim of what he
never said. Although some media organizations had earlier reported that
Dzingirai had admitted that he spoke to US officials in 2009.

Though Dzingirai said he was not aware of McGee’s aim by lying about him, he
attacked him for sending misleading information that has a possibility of
denting his image among his party colleagues.

“I was never threatened by Zanu-PF top officials for allegedly speaking to
McGee but this has a long after effects,” he added.

“I don’t know where it is all coming from – I never admitted that.
Journalists are twisting what I said, in fact, my point remains that McGee
is a blatant liar who is not shameful of quoting me out of contest. I never
met him and I don’t even know why he opted to quote
me as having spoken to him.

“The only time I remember going to US embassy was the day when I applied for
my VISA to go to America on special trip which I never enjoyed anyway,” he
said.

Dzingirai participated in the International Visitor Program (Africa Region
Program) on Principles of Transparency in the US Government from 8 to 26
February 2009.

However, Dzingirai said instead of getting new knowledge in the program, he
ended up being a laughing stock – going through under rigorous checks at any
airport in the US.

“It was all embarrassment to me because they were all laughing at me calling
me Mugabe’s son. I ended up being nick-named comrade. I was also being
delayed at some airports such as Atlanta and Dallas where I missed my plane
as the security personal wanted to find out why I was in America.

“At times they would ask why I was not on sanction list,” he added. Although
he admitted having informal discussion with US Embassy staffer Andrew Schute
in 2009, Dzingirai said he had never spoken anything bad about Mugabe or
Zanu-PF in his life.

“I would tell them that Mugabe is the finest leader in Africa but
surprisingly they end up cooking lies and exaggerate facts,” added
Dzingirai.

Knives were out for Dzingirai in June this year when he called for
legalisation of all pirate radio stations in Zimbabwe.

Madzore bail hearing postponed for the 4th time

Monday, 22 November 2011

The High Court bail hearing for Solomon Madzore, the MDC Youth Assembly chairperson has been postponed for the fourth time in a week after Justice Maria Zimba Dube said she wanted time to go through the State’s responses. She then postponed the matter to tomorrow.

Justice Dube today took over the hearing from Justice Hlekani Mwayera who last week had to postpone the hearing three times. Madzore’s bail hearing was first deferred last week Wednesday to Thursday after State prosecutor; Edmore Nyazamba requested more time to file a response to the bail application.

On Thursday, the matter was postponed to Friday as Justice Mwayera said she wanted more time to go through the State’s response. On Friday, Justice Mwayera was forced to postpone the case to today after Nyazamba claimed he was attending a funeral.

Madzore is part of 28 MDC activists who are facing trumped-up charges of murdering a police officer in Glen View in May.  He is detained at Chikurubi Maximum Prison.

The people’s struggle for real change: Let’s finish it!!!

--
MDC Information & Publicity Department

Harare deputy sheriff face charges of criminal abuse of duty

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

By Court Writer
Tuesday, 22 November 2011 08:52

HARARE - Harare-based deputy sheriff was last week hauled before a Harare
magistrate’s court facing charges of criminal abuse of duty as a public
officer.

Gift Chingore, 56, is a deputy sheriff at Harare magistrates’ court and is
being accused of improperly serving court papers in a bid to secure eviction
without exhausting the necessary court procedures.

Chingore first appeared in court on September 19 pleading not guilty to the
charge. Chingore denied committing the offence and told the court that the
charges were motivated by malice.

He told the court that he properly served the complainant Tarik Adam with a
notice to appear in court and alleges that the return of service was signed
by a tenant identified as Noah who was at the premises.

Chingore unsuccessfully applied for discharge at the close of the state case
last week, after the state had led evidence from three witnesses.

Magistrate Fadzai Mutavayi threw out the application and ruled that Chingore
had a case to answer.

“After assessing the evidence before it so far, the court is of the view
that indeed a prima facie case has been proved by the state,” Mutavayi said.

Allegations in the case arose after Chingore had a dispute with Adam over
stand number 147 Mbuya Nehanda Street, Harare.

The court heard that the dispute spilled into the Supreme Court, where an
order was granted pushing for the eviction of Adam from number 147 Mbuya
Nehanda Street.

It is alleged, Chingore went to the said premises on June 29, this year
where he evicted some builders who were constructing the building although
he had not served Adam with eviction papers as required by the court.

According to state papers, he later endorsed false information on the return
of service alleging that he had served the notice to Noah, who signed the
court papers.

It is further alleged Chingore also lied that Adam had demolished the
building.

Chingore will be back in court on November 25, when he is expected to give
evidence defending himself.

Chingore unsuccessfully applied for discharge at the close of the state case
last week, after the state had led evidence from three witnesses.

SA Parliament passes controversial ‘Secrecy Bill’

http://www.swradioafrica.com/

By Alex Bell
22 November 2011

South Africa’s National Assembly has passed a controversial bill which
critics say threatens media freedom in the country, despite mass public
opposition to the proposed legislation.

The Protection of State Information Bill was approved on Tuesday after a
landslide majority vote from ANC parliamentarians. The Bill has been slammed
for limiting democracy and freedom of information, because it effectively
paves the way for the prosecution of anyone who uncovers state ‘secrets’.

Journalists and other concerned South African citizens have for months been
campaigning against the Bill, and in September the government agreed to
withdraw it and to start a process of public participation to address some
of the concerns. But no effort was made to start this participatory process
and instead, the Bill made a sudden reappearance on the parliamentary
programme.

Last week the National Press Club called for a ‘Black Tuesday’, based on
19th October 1977, the day the apartheid government banned two local
publications. Journalists and members of the public on Tuesday showed their
support by wearing black and also blacking out their profile pictures on
social networking websites Twitter and Facebook. Protests were also held
outside parliament where the Bill was discussed.

But despite this mass public display against the Bill, 229 MPs voted ‘Yes’
while 107 voted ‘No’, resulting in the Bill being passed.

Black clad media editors who attended the parliamentary session staged a
walk-out after the Bill was voted in. Katy Katopodis, the news editor for
the Eyewitness News group, told SW Radio Africa that it was a “sad day.”

“People have been saying today that we looked like we were attending a
funeral. And honestly, today that is what it feels like,” Katopodis said.

All opposition parties lambasted the Bill while most of them, including the
Democratic Alliance (DA), said they would appeal in the Constitutional Court
if the bill is passed. Nobel Laureate Archbishop Desmond Tutu also
criticised the decision on Tuesday, while the office of former President
Nelson Mandela said the Bill does not meet the nation’s goals for free
speech.

With a landslide majority vote from ANC parliamentarians, the Bill will be
drafted into legislation and then be sent to the National Council of
Provinces (NCP) for consideration. The public will then have an opportunity
to review it.

The original draft Bill was first proposed in 2008 to replace an
apartheid-era piece of legislation, which governed the classification of
state secrets. This draft was aimed at protecting state secrets while still
upholding the South African constitution, which stipulates transparent
governance. That draft was never tabled in Parliament.

A new draft then appeared last year and proceeded to shock the media
fraternity by appearing to be even more draconian than before. The new draft
sought to create a law that would allow any organ of state, from the largest
government department down to the smallest municipality, to classify any
document as secret and set out harsh penalties of up to 25 years in jail for
whistleblowers.

Media and civil organisations insist that the Bill should include a public
interest defence, as enshrined in state secrecy legislation in Canada. Such
a defence would enable journalists under threat of prison for publishing
classified information, to argue in mitigation that they had done so in the
public interest.

Commentators meanwhile have compared the Bill to Zimbabwe’s Public Order and
Security Act (POSA) which, together with other repressive legislation,
ensured that any hope of a free media would be extremely difficult. SW Radio
Africa’s founder and News Editor Gerry Jackson said on Tuesday that
developments in South Africa on Tuesday are “very worrying.”

Jackson said it is a worrying development for media freedom in the whole of
Africa, explaining how it was hoped that South Africa would lead the way for
democracy for the continent.

“It is also worrying for Zimbabwe, because South Africa is meant to be the
mediator in the political crisis and yet they are behaving in the same way
as ZANU PF,” Jackson said

He’s not here: Immigration

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

By Everson Mushava, Staff Writer
Tuesday, 22 November 2011 15:41

HARARE - Zimbabwe has denied harbouring Protais Mpiranya, a fugitive of the
1994 Rwandan genocide, who is wanted by the International Criminal Tribunal
for Rwanda (ICTR) for war crimes, according to an immigration official.

Over the years, ICTR has been accusing Zimbabwe of harbouring Mpiranya, the
former commander of the Rwandan Presidential Guard who allegedly
masterminded the genocide.

A principal director in the Immigration office Clemence Masango said
Mparinya is not in the country.

“We do not have him in our records. Interpol wrote to us on the matter and
investigations were carried out. He is not here,” Masango told a
Parliamentary portfolio committee on defence and security yesterday.

Masango was answering questions on the deportation of Zimbabweans from
neighbouring South Africa and Botswana.
He said the deportations are not a strange thing saying it is an ongoing
process which is often carried out by countries, including Zimbabwe, to
flush out unregistered foreigners.

Reports linking Mparinya with Zimbabwe caused a diplomatic tiff between
Harare and Kigali with the later accused of deliberately hiding many
genocide fugitives including Ethiopian dictator Mengistu Haile Mariam who is
wanted in Ethiopia for crimes against humanity.

Masango told parliamentarians that investigations were still in progress but
so far indications are that the fugitive is not in the country.

In an interview with a local Rwandan newspaper, prosecutor General Martin
Ngoga said while his government was not aware of the communication between
the UK and Zimbabwe, it was becoming increasingly clear that Zimbabwe was
harbouring Mpiranya.

“I am not privy to the communication between the UK and Zimbabwe but I would
not be surprised because it is getting increasingly believable that Mpiranya
is in Zimbabwe.”

“Zimbabwe must cooperate to get him apprehended and brought to justice,”
Ngonga said.

Mpiranya is accused of crimes against humanity during the 1994 war. He is
also accused of killing ten Belgians guarding the first Rwandan female Prime
Minister, Agathe Uwilingiyimana in 1994.

He is also accused of distributing weapons to the militia and to certain
members of the civilian population with the intent to exterminate the Tutsi.

Transcript of Paul Siwela on Question Time (Part 1)

http://www.swradioafrica.com/2011/11/22/paul-siwela-on-question-time-part-1/

 

Posted by Lance Guma on Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Paul Siwela

One of the Mthwakazi Liberation Front (MLF) leaders, Paul Siwela, was freed in June by the Supreme Court, more than 86 days after being arrested and charged with treason. MLF is a separatist group seeking an independent Ndebele state. Siwela joins Lance Guma on SW Radio Africa’s Question Time to answer questions sent in by listeners using Facebook, Twitter , Skype, e-mail and SMS.

Interview broadcast 16 November 2011

 

Lance Guma: Mthwakazi Liberation Front leader, Paul Siwela, was freed in June this year by the Supreme Court, more than 86 days after being arrested and charged with treason. Now the Mthwakazi Liberation Front is described by many as a controversial Matabeleland-based separatist group seeking an independent Ndebele state. Mr Siwela joins us on Question Time to answer your questions. Thank you for your time Mr Siwela.

Paul Siwela: Thank you.

Guma: Okay, opening remarks – do you see yourself as a controversial Matabeleland-based separatist group seeking an independent Ndebele state as you are often described by the media?

Siwela: Certainly not because unfortunately those who are arguing or suggesting that we are a controversial organization, they haven’t stated the reason what is controversial about our position that we have taken.

Guma: Okay, explain exactly what Mthwakazi Liberation Front is all about. What are you trying to achieve?

Siwela: Thank you. For the benefit of those perhaps who are not in the know, is that Zimbabwe which formerly was called Mashonaland before the white men came in here and Matabeleland which is Mthwakazi, there were two separate states living side by side and since then unfortunately the white men came in and combined the two. It is this amalgamation which has brought a lot of misery and suffering to the people of Mthwakazi and the people of Mthwakazi found its feet that they have to retain and regain their sovereignty which they lost in 1893.

Guma: Right, now Leonard writing to us from Victoria Falls says the world over, tribalism is taken very seriously. Do you not have any worries, he says, of being labeled a tribal outfit because if you are saying you are looking at a separate Mthwakazi state, are you saying you are looking for a separate state for Ndebeles?

Siwela: Sorry I think you are making a big mistake saying we are a tribal group or pushing a tribal agenda. In fact if there is anything tribal in Zimbabwe, it is what the Ndebele people or the people from Mthwakazi are being subjected to. So for that reason, this is why they have had to come up together, march and decide to regain their sovereignty. And this is not surprising. Even where you are speaking from yourself, so-called Citadel of Democracy, the Scots are even advocating for a separate state from that island, so I don’t understand what you are talking about or whoever is talking about the issue of tribalism.

Guma: I suppose maybe his question is based on who are the citizens that comprise Mthwakazi?

Siwela: Well perhaps for the benefit of all those who have the way of that feeling or that thinking that Mthwakazi is meant only for the original people perhaps that were, that have always lived in this area, they should not forget that, in the geography of Mthwakazi, the eastern part of the province that we call Empumalanga currently which is referred as Midlands Province, you do have Shona speaking people so it would not make sense or any sense to anybody to suggest that Shonas were not welcome in Mthwakazi.

Why would they not be welcome? Those who choose to be citizens of Mthwakazi, they are free to remain there as long as they respect the constitution of the land, coexist with the other nationals without any problems, just like the Ndebeles who choose to remain in Zimbabwe, they are not going to be coerced to leave Zimbabwe and come to Mthwakazi.

As we have seen in the past in countries like Israel, when Israel was formed in 1948, a lot of Israeli nationals are spread in the Diaspora, they did not necessarily have to go to Israel and they stay there but they still maintain that yes they are, in terms of ethnicity, they are Jews. So they are Jews wherever they are but they become nationals of that particular or rather they become citizens of that particular country.

So in as much as Shona people who want to remain and become citizens of Mthwakazi, they are free to remain as citizens of Mthwakazi, the Ndebele people who would want to remain as citizens of Zimbabwe, they are also equally free to remain in Zimbabwe there.

Guma: Now from Facebook comes another question from Patrick Zororo Tawengwa he says does it mean Mr Siwela that you are going to claim back part of South Africa where you do not deny you emanated from and make it part of Mthwakazi. He says historically you fled Tshaka Zulu and came into present-day Zimbabwe empty handed.

Siwela: Yah I think what my brother needs to know is that no-one was created by God in this land which we call Zimbabwe. In any case there was nothing called Zimbabwe before the white man came in here. The name Zimbabwe, it was a continuation of what Cecil John Rhodes did in his (inaudible) when he was trying to get this country colonized and obtain charter which he decided to amalgamate both Matabeleland and Mashonaland and called it, initially there were three names – he wanted this country to be called Cecilialand the other name he opted for was Charterland and the other one was Rhodesia and then his confident Starr Leander Jameson decided to use the name Rhodesia and that’s why this country has remained so.

But of course you have to realize that during that time, it became also difficult for them to amalgamate Matabeleland and Mashonaland, so these countries remained like that until in 1923 when about 8000 white people participated in a referendum where they were given two choices – either to have this country amalgamated to South Africa and become the fifth province or they were given the option of self-governing status and 8000 whites, realising that they were going to be overwhelmed by the numbers of the Afrikaners in South Africa decided to have the first option of self-governing status. Then they decided to amalgamate Matabeleland and Mashonaland. That’s where these two countries were joined.

Guma: K Muchemwa sent us an email saying Mr Siwela how do you see the economy of the proposed new state of Mthwakazi being sustained?

Siwela: Oh that’s going to be a beautiful economy because look there’s everything that you may need to have to run a economy. We have got gold, we have got coal, we have got diamonds, we have emeralds, we have got chrome, we have iron ore, we have timber, we have industries of course and everything is there.

We have cattle which we will export to Zimbabwe because Zimbabwe doesn’t even have cattle there except those that were looted during the so-called land reform programme in after the year 2000. A lot of cattle were looted here in Mthwakazi and taken to Mashonaland.

So we are prepared, we have all those things but otherwise everything is there to run the economy; the population, you are looking at about four point, between four million to four point five at most. Remember the demarcation of Mthwakazi and the Republic of Zimbabwe will run along from Kariba, running down to Kwe Kwe, going down to say about a hundred, to two hundred kilometres from Beit Bridge on the eastern side.

Guma: Now some will say to you Mr Siwela your intentions might be noble but you are trying to do the right thing at the wrong time because Zimbabwe is in the midst of a crisis where the focus is on removing a very repressive regime and unity is key whereas you are chasing a project that basically is splitting the energies of many Zimbabweans and it will take much longer to remove the regime if people like you continue advancing sectional interest like this.

Siwela: Well first of all those people are people who are on a self-denial about the suffering of the people from Mthwakazi, that’s why they will be talking like that. If they knew how much the people of Mthwakazi are suffering since 1893 when the white men came here, remember the Miekles Looting Committee they took over a million of our cattle from our forefathers here and nothing was done to the Miekles Looting Committee.

Guma: But would you say only people from Mthwakazi are suffering? The argument would be that the whole country…is suffering.

Siwela: No no the suffering has been going on but what we have seen after 1980, the people on the other side, Mashonaland have always been given first preference in everything – education, employment, economic empowerment. Selective treatment even when it comes to the judiciary itself so we are pretty aware of all these things and there’s no any other way to redress those things…

Guma: But are you not therefore contradicting yourself there because that is precisely the point being made that the regime in power at the moment is the one that created that scenario and removing that regime is the priority? Then you can have all these solutions. It seems you are probably putting the cart before the horse.

Siwela: Lance don’t mislead people. A classic case for your listeners to understand is in America when Obama came, a lot of our black brothers there, they were so much excited thinking that when Obama gets there, overnight the situation was going to change for them and of late we have seen the black people complaining because there’s a system that is entrenched which you cannot remove overnight.

So even if the people of Mthwakazi were to participate to remove Zanu PF from government, there’s a system there and in any case if those people were desirous that we should have one united front, the first thing they should have done was to come and approach and speak to us and say guys look you have your own grievances as well against this regime, “we joined later but our grievances are different from yours, can we amalgamate these grievances and we hear what your proposed solution would look like?”

Once we’ve got a common agenda of the post Mugabe situation, then we can work together. That situation was going to be perhaps a miracle even to us on the other side. But for us we’re not going to remove Mugabe for the sake of pleasing other people and then (inaudible) it’s not sensible at all.

Guma: When you say ‘to remove Mugabe to please other people’ which other people are you talking about?

Siwela: No the people of Zimbabwe, the people of Zimbabwe are the ones who are complaining of late, they have just joined in to complain about Robert Mugabe – right? And all the years they have always been happy, they even tell you, Mugabe has always been good right from 1980, we read those statements, they made those statements in public, he only started to be bad guy from the year 2000.

And yet to us, Mugabe was bad from 1980. Recall that around 15^th August 1980, he went to sign an agreement with the North Koreans to train the Fifth Brigade which came and killed our people, over 40000 of them. One million of them were displaced and three, two point five, three million of them were traumatized, they are denied employment, they are denied education, they are denied economic empowerment. What do you expect those people to do?

It’s not our business to go and remove Mugabe. Those people if they want us to participate and we are ready to do so, provided we agree on a common template which is going to accommodate our interests and our aspirations as well. But under the present environment where the idea is just to remove Mugabe, that has nothing to do with us, we’re not going to participate in that movement.

Guma: How much support do you have? We have an email that’s just come in from Barbara who says in Magwegwe and she says and I quote from her email ‘is MLF a genuine party since we only hear them in newspapers and it seems they operate mainly from South Africa?

Siwela: Well I can tell you, I would say to be very realistic, give it over 75% of the population here is quite in favour of what we are doing, they are solidly behind the MLF agenda to recreate and regain our sovereignty and they are very enthusiastic about the whole project.

Guma: Are you not guilty of not being able to separate people identifying with grievances and necessarily supporting your cause because some would say there’s a difference…

Siwela: We were already segregated. Lance we were segregated before so I don’t understand what is new today with us concerning that segregation. I can tell you right now if you go even to private clubs, after hours in social life, you go there and find the people who will be there, here in Matabeleland. You won’t find, go to the police stations, go to ZIMRA, go to any government department and see the people who are employed there and tell me if…

Guma: Let me give you a classic example which maybe you could answer – I’ll give my own example: I’m a Shona speaking Zimbabwean born in Marange but all my life I grew up in Matabeleland so the question then comes in… PS: There’s nothing wrong with that.

Guma: …yah I know first hand some of the issues you are articulating because I saw them first hand, I went to schools in Matabeleland, I know about the marginalization that you are talking about, so the question then comes in when addressing this how do you then split Zimbabwe into compartments and you tackle the issue because you have people who identify with what you are saying but who might not necessarily agree with your solution.

Siwela: Lance what is going to happen is you have a choice yourself when you decide to come here – either because you grew up here you are happy with the political governance system that we are going to put in place in Mthwakazi or you opt to go to Zimbabwe right because your maybe originally your parents came from there. The choice will be entirely yours where you want to stay.

No-one is going to force you and say go and stay there; no-one will be forced, don’t stay there, go the other side. No, it is the people who will decide where they want to stay but what we are doing ourselves is to confirm what the people of Zimbabwe, through Zanu PF have done to say we are second class citizens, they don’t want us to be part of Zimbabwe.

Just imagine, even the little kids they will ask you at home, my father will tell me why is it that the ZBC will not have Ndebele language being spoken there in the morning? That’s common knowledge when Mugabe went there after his foreign trips, he checked the use of the people who formed that entourage, you’ll never find a person from our side part of that entourage.

You will never see Morgan Tsvangirai’s entourage as well and see the people who accompany him – you don’t see anyone coming from our side. So what does that tell you? You look at the principals of this government – you’ve got Mugabe, you’ve got Tsvangirai, you’ve got Arthur Mutambara – none of our people are there who participate in the decision making.

Look at all the service chiefs, none of our people are there. Look at, come here to Bulawayo at the central police station look at the people who are at the top there, there’s none of our people in there. So…

Guma: But the question is – who is to blame for that whole arrangement? Who is to blame?

Siwela: Sorry?

Guma: Who is to blame?

Siwela: It’s now an institutionalized apartheid system in this country which has to be dismantled but to dismantle it may be very difficult so the best way, these people don’t want the people from Mthwakazi to be part of them so if that is the case, let us not bother them or force ourselves upon them. The best way is just okay guys let’s confirm this, these two countries were joined by the white colonialists, let’s go back to our original position before the white man came in here.

Guma: Okay Mr Siwela, we have so many questions to ask you, we had a huge response from people, we’re probably have to do a part two with you and get you again next week and continue asking.

Plenty of questions coming in and I think a lot of people will be disappointed I didn’t get to ask their questions but I promise we’ll get Mr Siwela again next week Wednesday and continue this discussion. That’s Mthwakazi Liberation Front leader Paul Siwela joining us on Question Time. Thank you for your time.

To listen to the programme:

http://www.swradioafrica.2bctnd.net/11_11/bth211111.mp3

 

Feedback can be sent to lance@swradioafrica.com  http://twitter.com/lanceguma or http://www.facebook.com/lance.guma

 

SW Radio Africa – on line 24 hours a day at www.swradioafrica.com and daily broadcasts on 4880 kHz in the 60m band between 7 – 9 pm Zimbabwe time. Twitter : Facebook : RSS feed You can now get SW Radio Africa on the Tunein Radio smart phone app.

Appeal for research information for a book

Clifford Chitupa Mashiri, 22/11/11.

I desperately need some information for my book from the people in Zimbabwe
or those with contacts with them. I promise to treat all submitted
information in strictest confidence and will not disclose respondents’ real
names or contact details.

How have Zesa blackouts affected you personally, your family, your
relatives, your social life or your job or business and what have you done
about it? For example, reduced hours resulting in pay cuts and so on;
children’s studies affected and how?

How have Zesa bills affected you, your family, your friends, your job or
business and what have done about it? For example, lost your job or closed
your business and so on. Have you resorted to alternatives like gas, or
firewood?

Do you think the poor have benefited from rural electrification? Explain.

President Robert Mugabe reportedly announced plans to acquire a nuclear
reactor from Argentina in the 1990s and vowed to pursue nuclear power in
2005 after Zimbabwe discovered uranium at Kanyemba but nothing has been
heard of it since then (The Guardian, 21/11/05).

Can Zimbabwe manage a nuclear reactor to supplement Zesa’s electricity and
other forms of energy given the challenges it is facing with Hwange and
Kariba Power Stations? Explain with examples.

Is Zimbabwe capable of managing a nuclear accident like the one at Japan’s
Fukushima plant given its poor disaster preparedness in lacking ambulances
and fire engines let alone trauma centres? Explain your answer.

NB: I am writing a book looking at various issues including those cited
above from a social science perspective rather than as a technical person or
engineer, because I am not.

Thank you for your co-operation.

Clifford Chitupa Mashiri, London

Please send your answers to zimanalysis2009@gmail.com