Zimbabwe PM welcomes South Africa's intervention

Associated Press

By CHENGETAI ZVAUYA, Associated Press Writer Chengetai Zvauya, Associated
Press Writer - Sun Nov 29, 11:11 am ET

HARARE, Zimbabwe - Zimbabwe's prime minister said Sunday he is thankful for
South African efforts to help rescue his coalition government, and he said
South Africa's president is expected to visit the troubled neighboring
country next week.

A spokesman for South African President Jacob Zuma did not comment on a
possible visit, but said in a statement that a delegation of mediators sent
by Zuma was leaving for Zimbabwe and expected to arrive late Sunday.

"We want to thank the government of South Africa, in particular President
Zuma, for helping us," Zimbabwean Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai told
about 30,000 people at a party rally in Harare. "They still continue
monitoring what we are doing here in Zimbabwe."

Tsvangirai, the country's longtime opposition leader, entered into a
power-sharing agreement in February with President Robert Mugabe, who has
ruled the country since its 1980 independence from Britain.

South African and other regional leaders had pushed for the coalition
following a series of inconclusive elections marred by violence blamed on
Mugabe's loyalists, urging the longtime rivals to work together to end their
nation's political and economic crises.

But Tsvangirai temporarily withdrew from the unity government in October,
cited the prosecution of one of his top aides among other issues. He
returned three weeks later after receiving assurances that South Africa's
president would intervene.

"People should not live in fear of violence or being beaten by police"
because they support Tsvangirai's party, he said at Sunday's rally. "This
must end."

Mugabe, in turn, accuses Tsvangirai of doing too little to persuade Western
governments to lift foreign bank account freezes and other sanctions imposed
on Mugabe and his top aides.

Tsvangirai said Sunday that instability in Zimbabwe also had affected South
Africa, sending millions of economic refugees and political asylum seekers
across the border.

South Africans "want to see us fulfill all that we have agreed," Tsvangirai
said.

Tsvangirai has said that Zuma's predecessor took too soft a line on Mugabe.
Thabo Mbeki, the regional point man on Zimbabwe, had argued that pushing
Mugabe too hard could backfire.

It is not yet clear whether Zuma's approach will be tougher than Mbeki's.
But in what was seen as a sign that Zuma was stepping up his intervention,
he appointed two advisers and a special Zimbabwe envoy last week to work
with politicians in Zimbabwe.

Zuma's spokesman, Vincent Magwenya, said Sunday that leaders at a regional
summit in early November had called on Zimbabwe's politicians to start talks
within 30 days to resolve their differences. Zimbabwean negotiators have
been meeting behind closed doors in recent days, and Zuma's team was to
report back to him on their progress, Magwenya said.

"What is important is that parties are in dialogue and have to remain in
dialogue in order to iron out all outstanding issues," Magwenya said.

Zimbabwe struggles with budget, donors want reforms

http://af.reuters.com

Sun Nov 29, 2009 11:30am GMT

By Cris Chinaka

HARARE (Reuters) - A lack of cash is likely to prevent Zimbabwe unveiling
any major projects in its 2010 budget, but analysts say it could provide the
impetus for the reforms needed to attract foreign aid to rebuild the
economy.

Finance Minister Tendai Biti is due to present his 2010 budget on
Wednesday -- the first full budget by the unity government formed 10 months
ago to try to end a decade-long political and economic crisis in the
southern African nation.

"This is a straightforward issue. The government is broke and is living hand
to mouth," said veteran independent economist John Robertson.

"There is very little money for the pressing demands on the government and
until they are able to get some massive help there is very little they will
be able to do," he told Reuters.

"The positive side is that we may see greater movement towards reforms, more
pressure to respect private property rights and an appreciation that the
country needs massive international assistance and goodwill to realise its
goals."

Zimbabwe is trying to reconstruct an economy that the government estimates
contracted by nearly 50 percent from 2000-2008.

The global economic downturn and festering tensions in a ruling coalition
between President Robert Mugabe and his arch rival, Prime Minister Morgan
Tsvangirai, are not helping.

Biti -- a senior figure in Tsvangirai's Movement for Democratic Change
(MDC) -- has promised a "growth oriented" budget, but the coffers are bare,
and there is no sign of any significant aid on the horizon.

The 2009 budget was about $1 billion and, according to a draft medium-term
economic development plan released this month, 2010 spending is only likely
to be double that.

Biti has about a quarter of the projected budget at his disposal -- $500
million from the IMF disbursed earlier this year as part of the fund's
global assistance package to countries to help them cope with the worldwide
financial crisis.

The IMF allocation is the first major foreign aid Zimbabwe has received in a
decade after Mugabe's ZANU-PF party fell out with Western donors over its
policies.

But the money is a fraction of the nearly $10 billion required to rebuild
the economy and sustain the fragile growth recorded since this year's
formation of a unity government.

Huge sums are needed to repair pot-holed roads, dilapidated hospitals and
broken water and sanitation systems blamed for a cholera oubtbreak that
killed more than 4,000 people last year.

The economy is starting to look up despite disputes over government
policies, the pace of democratic reforms, Western sanctions and the
appointment of senior state officials.

The government and the IMF are forecasting 3.7 percent growth this year. The
Economic Planning Minister has forecast 15 percent average annual growth
between 2010-2015.

Biti has forecast that inflation will end 2009 at 6.4 percent after turning
negative earlier in the year following the adoption of foreign currencies in
place of the Zimbabwe dollar, which had been left worthless by
hyperinflation.

Inflation had reached 231 million percent in July 2008, according to
official figures. The IMF says it had rocketed to a staggering 500 billion
percent by Dec 2008.

Another challenge for Biti is motivating state workers earning an average
$150 a month with wage increases and tax cuts.

"How the Finance Minister achieves the desired growth would be determined by
his dexterity in allocating the scarce resources among the competing
interests," the private weekly Finance Gazette said in a commentary.

Mahoso invades Mutare farm
Written by Gift Phiri

http://www.thezimbabwean.co.uk

Friday, 27 November 2009 12:32
MUTARE - President Robert Mugabe's former chief media policeman Tafataona
Mahoso has invaded a commercial farm near Mutare, giving the white owner
only 48 hours to vacate the property that had been his home for years.
(Pictured: Tafataona Mahoso)

Top military commanders, officials and supporters of Mugabe's Zanu (PF)
party have stepped farm seizures despite formation of a unity government
nine months ago and a ruling by the SADC Tribunal outlawing land grabs.
A devastated Charles Bezuidenhout told of how Mahoso - who ordered the
closure of independent newspapers including the Daily News during his time
as chairman of the now defunct Media and Information Commission - last month
stormed his Welverdien Farm accompanied by an army of AREX officers and
announced he was taking over the property.

Offer letter
Bezuidenhout initially resisted Mahoso's attempts to evict him apparently
because the former journalism lecturer did not produce an offer letter from
he government showing that he had been allocated the farm.
Mahoso went away only to return this month with an offer letter for the
200-hactare farm and told Bezuidenhout to leave immediately.
When Bezuidenhout attempted to seek help from local police he was simply
told that if Mahoso - earmarked by Mugabe's Zanu (PF) party to head the
Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe - wanted the property then the farmer had
to make way.
"Its the law of the jungle really. Mahoso and Agritex people produced an
offer letter and just took the farm just like that," said Bezuidenhout.
Earlier Bezuidenhout had accepted a government offer to subdivide his farm
between himself and state-appointed "settlers", an arrangement government
officials assured the farmer would allow him to continue farming. But that
was until Mahoso turned up demanding the piece that Bezuidenhout had kept
after subdivision of his farm.
Mahoso did not answer his phone when The Zimbabwean on Sunday tried to
contact him last Friday for comment on the matter.

Chegutu farms
Meanwhile farm invaders stepped up attacks on four commercial farms near
Chegutu last week, SW Radio Africa reported.
In a interview with the radio farmer Ben Freeth described the situation in
the farming community in Chegutu as "very tense" as mobs of Zanu (PF)
supporters acted with total impunity on the four different properties.
Freeth explained how Tom and Sue Beattie from Umvovo farm have been given
five days to leave their property, after months of harassment and
intimidation by land invaders came to a head last Thursday morning.
The invaders, led by a man known only as Hanyani, had recently intensified
their efforts to drive the family and their workers off the farm, including
breaking into the Beatties' home in August and assaulting Sue.
Last Thursday morning Hanyani, accompanied by Lands Officer Clever Kunonga,
arrived on the property demanding that the family leave. By late afternoon
the situation had turned threatening, with multiple fires being lit around
the family's thatched homestead.
Umvovo farm used to be one of the area's most productive pieces of land,
growing close to 3 000 hectares of crops when the rule of law in Zimbabwe
once prevailed.
But production on the farm has been completely halted, with the land
invaders physically stopping any planting, as well as chasing away the farm's
workforce.
Freeth explained that, with this year's national crop at the lowest ever
level of approximately 20 000 tons, "the Beattie family alone could have
increased the national crop by 20 percent if law and order were allowed to
prevail in Zimbabwe".
The Beatties used to employ well over a thousand workers, but this year the
workers are mostly unemployed, leaving even more Zimbabwean families
destitute. The land invaders have since taken over the farm workers' homes
as well as other cottages on the property, holding late night parties as
part of their efforts to drive the Beatties off the farm.

Cronies benefited
It is understood that the invasion is being carried out on behalf of Senate
President Edna Madzongwe, who also led the lawless attacks and eventual
takeover of Stockdale Citrus Farm.
At the same time, Lands Officer Kunonga's brother, Abel, earlier this year
led the invasion on the Keevil family's Dodhill farm, an attack that
eventually saw the Keevils forcibly evicted.
Chegutu police have refused to assist the Beatties or any other farmers in
the area who have faced similar attacks, leaving the farmers completely
helpless against the unlawful 'jambanjas'.
Mugabe has defended his government's chaotic and often violent farm
redistribution exercise that saw the majority of the about 4 000 white
commercial farmers expelled from the land, saying it was necessary to ensure
blacks also had access to arable land that they were denied by previous
white-led governments.
But critics blame the land reforms for plunging Zimbabwe into food shortages
after Mugabe failed to support the black villagers resettled on former white
farms to maintain production.
In addition, the critics say Mugabe's cronies - and not ordinary peasants -
benefited the most from the farm seizures with some of them ending up with
as many as six farms each against the government's stated one-man-one-farm
policy.

ACTION ALERT: Chaos and intimidation affecting several farmers in Chegutu

Power cuts cripple flower industry

http://www.thezimbabwean.co.uk

Written by TONY SAXON
Friday, 27 November 2009 11:44
MUTARE - Power cuts affecting the country have hit hard the horticultural
industry with growers unable to irrigate flowers for long periods, a
situation that has production tumble, according to the Zimbabwe Flowers
Growers Association (ZFGA).

Association president Craig Johnston is some areas farmers were getting only
two hours of power supplies despite the Zimbabwe Electricity Supply
Authority (ZESA) promising to ensure 21-hours of supplies to the sector that
depends on electricity to power irrigation pumps.

"Flowers have not been irrigated for a month in the main flower producing
areas in Vumba. We are having interrupted power supplies of 19 to 20 hours
contrary to the 21 hours of uninterrupted power supply that had been
promised by ZESA," said Johnston last week.

He said many growers were unable to meet export orders beause of the power
cuts affecting production of quality flowers.

"The viability of flower growers has been seriously threatened and the
biggest challenge is remaining in this industry," he said.
ZESA's inability over the years to boost generation capacity at its ageing
power stations and a critical shortage of foreign currency to import
adequate electricity from neighbouring countries has left Zimbabwe grappling
with severe power shortages.
ZESA's only response has been to implement a punishing power rationing
regime to save on the little electricity available. Under the rationing
schedule, both domestic and commercial consumers have to endure long periods
without electricity, a situation that analysts say could cripple efforts to
revive the country's economy.

Zimbabwe relocates Chiadzwa residents

http://www.zimnetradio.com

By NOZIPHO MASEKO

Published on: 29th November, 2009

 MUTARE - Two investors at Chiadzwa have set aside US$10 million for
immediate relocation of 1 700 households living in the vicinity of the
diamonds mine fields while government is considering giving them small-scale
mining licenses.

Locally-owned Mbada Mining and Canadile Miners Private Limited are the two
investors that have joined the Zimbabwe Mining Development Company in
extracting diamonds at Chiadzwa, as full exploitation of the precious gem
gains momentum.

Speaking in the Parliament last week, Mines and Mining Development Deputy
Minister Mr Murisi Zwizwai said government "was in the process of marking
homes for the people of Chiadzwa to be resettled there (Arda Farm), as
investors have set aside US$10 million for the exercise," he said.

Mr Zwizwai was responding to a question by Magwegwe Member of the House of
Assembly, Mr Felix Sibanda during questions without notice session, last
week.

Mr Sibanda wanted to know government policy on households settled around the
Chiadzwa diamond fields.

In a telephone interview yesterday, Mr Zwizwai said relocation was going
ahead despite some challenges with people having already started farming
activities in the area.

He said the committees and the taskforce were working "flat out" to make
sure the relocation exercise was expedited and the community to also benefit
from the mining ventures in the area.

"The Chiadzwa people will be relocated to former Arda farm near Mutare where
we have considered issues of land and an irrigation schemes which we believe
is going to incentivise them because there will be better tillage in a
number of ways.

"The US$10 million availed by the two investors is going to be used in
improving infrastructure and building better houses for them.

However, they can still go back to Chiadzwa after the mining activities have
been ceased since diamond is non-renewable resource.

The villagers, he added, could still maintain their houses at the farm.

Mr Zwizwai said government was considering issuing small-scale mining
licenses to the community people for them to also benefit from the precious
mineral.

"We are also considering to deliberately give small scale mining licenses to
people of Chiadzwa so that they can also benefit from the diamond
activities.

"We cannot just give licences to foreigners only and overlook our people
that is why we want to give small scale mining licenses to Chiadzwa people,"
Mr Zwizwai said.

However, villagers in Chiadzwa are reluctant to be relocated as they argue
that government cannot just relocate them to another area.

They say the community should benefit through employment at the mine.

Chiadzwa Community Development Trust chairman, Mr Newman Chiadzwa speaking
to The Herald last week said their expectation as a community were that they
were also given a stake in the ventures.

The Manica Post, last week reported that over 650 jobs had been created at
the mine of which 90 percent of the workers mostly guards are from Chiadzwa
and Marange areas.

There were reports that more jobs could be created as the two companies
expand operations and new investors stake their claim at the vast diamond
field covering some 70 000 hectares.

Chiadzwa Community Ignorant About Constitution

http://www.radiovop.com

Chiadzwa, November 29, 2009 - The people living around the rich diamond
fields in Chiadzwa at the weekend exhibited their ignorance of the current
constitution making process currently underway in the country.

During a question and answer session, the villagers were asked which
constitution the country was using and most of the answers that came out
made reference to the Kariba draft confirming fears that Zanu PF youths are
on the ground campaigning for people to vote for the Kariba draft.

The Kariba draft constitution was adopted by the three signatories to the
Global Political Agreement (GPA), which brought about the inclusive
government in February. The two Movement for Democratic Change (MDC)
factions led by Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and his deputy Arthur
Mutambara, together with Zimbabwe's civic society, have supported the idea
that the draft be put to the people for further discussion before it is
adopted as a new constitution for Zimbabwe. However Zanu PF has said the
Kariba draft was final and has been campaigning to have it adopted as the
new constitution of the country.

In some areas there have been media reports that soldiers and Zanu PF youth
were forcing people to meetings where they would demand them to adopt the
Kariba draft constitution.

Zimbabwe, according to the GPA, needs a new constitution in place before it
holds fresh elections to replace the current inclusive government. The GPA
is as a result of the intervention of the Southern African Development
Community (SADC) after a decade of political and economic crisis in
Zimbabwe.

"That shows that there is very little civic education taking place and one
wonders how these people are going to effectively participate in the
constitution making process," said Okay Machisa, the ZIMRIGHTS Director
speaking at the concert hosted by his organisation together with Artists for
Democracy in Zimbabwe Trust (ADZT). "There is a lot of work to be done."

Giving their views at a civic education campaign concert held at Chakohwa
Business Contre in the area, only one person out of the five people
correctly answered that the country's was currently  using the Lancaster
House Constitution. Of the other four, one ignorantly said the country was
using the Kariba House constitution, while the other two said the Zimbabwe
Association constitution while two others said the country was using the
Kariba draft.

The educational campaign featured music, poetry, dance and drama with a
constitutional theme.

The community said they wanted the country's new constitution to give them
rights to benefit from the diamonds in the area.

"We have tasted the benefits of diamond and we know that they can change our
lives for the better, just look at the news houses, satellite dishes, cars
and boreholes built around, that's why we want the new constitution to give
us rights to mine these diamonds," said Tensen Chaka.

Another woman said the government should remove the soldiers who are
providing security at the diamond fields for just two days and allow them to
mine once more. "We just want to the government to give us just two days to
mine the diamonds because that's where we get our money. The constitution
should let us mine diamonds freely," said the woman.

Zimbabwe was recently under investigations from the Kimberley Certification
process for human rights abuses in Chiadzwa in which thousands of
Zimbabweans were allegedly killed by the police and army for illegally
mining the precious mineral. Zimbabwe was spared a ban to mine the mineral
by the organisation recently on condition that it removes the army and
police out of Chiadzwa and stop further human rights abuses.

 

Runway for Marange diamond field

http://www.thezimbabwean.co.uk

Written by RBM Solicitors
Thursday, 26 November 2009 15:13
HARARE - A private investor is looking to construct a runway at the
controversial Marange diamond field in eastern Zimbabwe to ensure secure
movement of the gemstones to a handling facility being built in Harare.
(Pictured: Diamonds will be airlifted from Marange to Harare)

A top official of Mbada Investments, which was chosen together with another
private firm to partner state-owned Zimbabwe Mining Development Corporation
(ZMDC) in exploiting the Marange claim, said the runway was part of efforts
to halt any illicit movement or smuggling of diamonds from the Marange or
Chiadzwa field.
"Diamonds from this area will be flown to Harare in a more secure
 condition," Mbada chairman Robert Mhlanga told government taskforce that
visited Marange at the weekend.
"We are also constructing a diamond handling facility at the Harare
International airport and time permitting we will be inviting you to see the
facility in Harare," Mbada said.
A team from the Kimberley Process (KP), the world diamond industry watchdog,
that visited Zimbabwe at the end of last June condemned rampant smuggling of
diamonds among other illegal activities as well as gross human rights abuses
at Maranage.
But a KP meeting in Namibia about three weeks ago decided against banning
Zimbabwe diamonds from the world market and instead agreed to give Harare
more time to review operations at Marange and improve security arrangements
to comply with the organisation's standards.

ZIMBABWE: Forex-short students barter fees

http://www.universityworldnews.com

29 November 2009
Issue: 0042

Zimbabwean students have resorted to bartering to pay fees because of
critical foreign currency shortages, according to a report by the country's
Comptroller and Auditor General Mildred Chiri. Some students have settled
payments using groceries, livestock and other valuables instead of cash.

"My examination of records maintained revealed that students had settled
their outstanding obligations in kind by tendering valuables other than cash
such as sugar beans, cows, goats, wheat, maize, provisions, fertiliser,
chemicals and fuel coupons," the country's top auditor said in her report
for the first quarter of the 2009 financial year, tabled in parliament last
month.

"It was submitted that the items tendered in this manner were assessed and
qualified at the prevailing market value and equated to the outstanding fees
for each course."

The government dollarised the economy in February this year, in part to
escape world-record inflation that at one time stood at 1.5 million percent,
resulting in widespread poverty. The South African rand, United States
dollar and Botswana pula are now legal tender and inflation has since
dropped to below 2%.

But most Zimbabweans have little forex so some students resorted to barter
in an effort to pay tuition fees of around US$150, as well as other payments
such as accommodation.

In her report, Chiri said Zimbabwe's Ministry of Finance, as the custodian
of government assets and finances, had not foreseen settling of bills
through barter trade and had not made the necessary arrangements for
auditing purposes.

Following introduction of dollarisation, the Zimbabwe National Students
Union (Zinasu) - the country's biggest student union - launched a campaign
opposing payment of fees in foreign currency. But the campaign failed.

Meanwhile, lecturers at the National University of Science Technology have
gone on strike to protest against poor salaries. This follows year-long
industrial action at universities that only ended after the formation of an
inclusive government between President Robert Mugabe's ZANU PF party and the
Movement for Democratic Change led by Morgan Tsvangirai, now Prime Minister.

"The college authorities had made arrangements with the lecturers to pay
them US$150 every week as part of their salaries but the lecturers report
that they have gone for more than seven weeks without receiving the agreed
amount and this triggered them to go on strike," Zinasu said in a statement.

The union said students at the university were being victimised. Three
student leaders, including Brian Mutisi, were detained on 9 November after
addressing first-year students in the college hall at the national
university.

Eleven students were recently arrested at Great Zimbabwe University for
allegedly holding an illegal political meeting on campus and possessing a
firearm ahead of a scheduled visit by Mugabe. The students deny the charges.

MDC suspends its UK executive

http://www.thezimbabwetimes.com/?p=25457

November 29, 2009

By Our Correspondent

LONDON - The Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) has suspended the party's
United Kingdom and Ireland provincial executive committee, pending
investigations into what the party's leadership has described as shocking
financial irregularities in remittances of money to Zimbabwe.The suspension
was announced by MDC secretary general Tendai Biti through a letter dated
November 17. The letter is reported to have reached the 20-member UK and
Ireland executive, led by Jonathan Chawora, last week.

Biti said the suspension was with immediate effect.

In his letter, Biti said the MDC leaders had met and deliberated on the
financial report submitted by the UK and Ireland executive and was shocked
by the extent of the financial irregularities in the accounts.

"Irregularities were particularly noted on remittances and carry over
balances on membership cards and bank balances," said Biti.

"Furthermore, the party leadership noted the failure on the part of the UK
and Ireland province to submit regular financial reports as per instructions
issued to your province on 17 October 2007 by the deputy treasurer general
and by the deputy secretary on 20 June 2008."

Biti said the MDC leadership had also noted with concern "the diminished and
arrested functionality of the UK/Ireland province due to extensive bickering
and negative application energy".

The UK and Ireland executive raises funds for the party through sale of
membership cards, subscriptions and fundraising events. Membership cards
sell for £70 each while subscription is set at £5 per month.

Tendayi Goneso, the treasurer for the suspended executive, told The Zimbabwe
Times at the weekend he was shocked by the suspension. Asked if there were
regularities in the report he submitted, he said: "No, not at all. I am one
hundred percent confident that we will be cleared.

"This matter is political rather than financial."

Goneso said the MDC national leadership acted on allegations presented to it
by rival party members, and ignored his report.

"I was shocked by the suspension," he said. "In fact I am surprised because
I presented accounts which were audited according to international
standards.

"But other part members sent some allegations on abuse of funds. The
leadership acted on those allegations by rebels and not my report."

Power struggles have constantly caused havoc within the MDC executive in the
UK and Ireland. One of the most strident critics of the suspended executive
is Stanford Biti, the younger brother of the MDC secretary-general and
Finance Minister.

In one incident, Stanford Biti allegedly pelted Chawora and other members of
the executive with eggs. The younger Biti could not be contacted for
comment. Goneso refused to discuss the squabbling.

"I would rather address the financial issues than the political ones.
Suffice it to say the political fights are in the public domain."

Goneso said the MDC had 40 branches with a total of about 800 active members
in the UK; these contributed most of the remittances. He said about 70
percent of the funds raised through membership, subscriptions and
fundraising events were sent to Zimbabwe.

The rest was used for administrative purposes in the UK.

"We have to buy stationery, maintain our website, and hire halls for
meetings, among other things" he said.

Goneso said ideally remittances were made monthly but now funds were being
sent to Harare as and when they became available.

In suspending the executive, Biti said the members were, with immediate
effect, prohibited from engaging in any party activities or to represent the
party in the United Kingdom/Ireland province, in any capacity whatsoever.

He said an investigating committee would soon be dispatched to carry out
investigations.

Goneso said: "I am prepared to cooperate fully with the investigators. I am
responsible for finance. I, however, feel sorry for my colleagues who have
been caught up, and have nothing to do with funds.

"In the end, we do not want to tarnish the image of the party and the
struggle."

UN to launch Zim appeal

http://www.thezimbabwean.co.uk

Written by The Zimbabwean
Friday, 27 November 2009 11:12
HARARE - The United Nations will tomorrow launch an international
humanitarian appeal for Zimbabwe for 2010 amid fears of widespread hunger
and disease outbreak next year.

The 2010 Consolidated Appeal Process (CAP) will be launched by the UN Office
for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) during a ceremony in
Geneva, Switzerland.
Last year a total of 35 appealing agencies, including UN agencies,
inter-governmental organisations, international and national NGOs, and
community and faith-based organisations, appealed for US$550 million to
implement programmes and projects as part of the CAP 2009.
The amount was revised upwards in May this year to US$719 million due to
what OCHA said were Zimbabwe's rising humanitarian needs in the face of a
deadly cholera outbreak and food shortages.
A cholera outbreak, which began in August 2008, killed more than 1 400
people and affected about 100 000 others before it was contained in July
while more than half the country's 12 million-plus population were estimated
to require food aid this year.
OCHA observed at the time that the "magnitude of the economic decline and
erosion of sources of livelihood" was such that it was unlikely that
Zimbabwe's humanitarian needs would lessen in the short term.
Zimbabwe is currently among the top five recipients of humanitarian
assistance, according to statistics from OCHA.
Other top recipients were Sudan, the occupied Palestinian territory,
Pakistan and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Donors had by last Thursday committed more than US$434 million or 60.4
percent of the US$719 million sought for Zimbabwe.
No major change is expected in the 2010 humanitarian appeal as Zimbabwe's
political and economic crisis has not improved significantly since the
formation of a power-sharing government by President Robert Mugabe and
former opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai.
The shaky coalition government has been rocked by sharp differences over
appointments and policy, which has chased away potential donors.
Experts are forecasting another poor harvest during the 2009/10 farming
season amid shortages of inputs and prospects of below normal rainfall.

Zimbabwe could host Brazil for 2010 WOrld Cup

http://www.zimnetradio.com/

By NQOBIZITHA MLILO

Published on: 29th November, 2009

HARARE - ZIMBABWE'S chances to host Brazil for the 2010 Fifa World Cup
Soccer finals slated for South Africa got a major boost yesterday when the
Brazilian technical team said it had exclusively focussed on Zimbabwe and
South Africa.

The announcement by the Brazilian technical team followed a tour of
hospitality and sports facilities in Harare yesterday morning and
effectively closed out chances for other bidders like Botswana, Namibia and
Mozambique.

The two members of the technical team Mr Paul Leisegang and Mrs Doris Kevial
arrived in the country on Saturday from South Africa and the Zimbabwe
Tourism Authority hosted them.

In an interview, Mr Leisegang and Mrs Kevial said they were focusing on
Zimbabwe and South Africa only.

"Our hands are tied exclusively on Zimbabwe and South Africa not anywhere
else. We are working on camping in the two countries so we are on a
fact-finding mission.

"The altitude is fine and we are now looking at the weather conditions for
May and June and we have told Zimbabwe to give us all the details about the
weather in May and June.

"Zimbabwe has weather conditions similar to South Africa, so acclimatisation
for the boys is very important, before we move to South Africa.

"What is important is that at the moment we are not looking elsewhere but
Zimbabwe and South Africa,'' said Mr Leisegang.

He said the technical team, which returned yesterday afternoon, would be
coming back to Zimbabwe mid December for further inspection and discussion
with stakeholders.

"We are impressed but we have to go back for the draw and for feedback with
the team. We will come back mid December for more inspections and
negotiations," he said.

Mrs Kevial said Zimbabwe was not in a good position until the Confederations
Cup that was played in South Africa in June, where the Brazilians complained
that it was cold.

"The boys had to play with gloves and warm clothing and it affected them. We
are now looking for a better training ground before going to South Africa
and this is why we are looking at Zimbabwe,'' she said.

ZTA chief executive Mr Karikoga Kaseke said since his visit to Brazil in
March this year, Brazil had remained a top priority for Zimbabwe.

"We have never lost our focus. We have approached several other countries
from Britain, Spain, Mexico, Algeria, Nigeria and Ghana but Brazil has
remained our first priority and we hope we will win the bid.

"This is a technical inspection that will be followed by many talks and
negotiations for what they want but the fact that they are now focusing on
us and South Africa only is quite a big chance for us.

"We are prepared to do everything to get Brazil here because it is crucial
for our national tourism rebranding. It is good for us as a tourism industry
and as a people,'' said Mr Kaseke.

Zimbabwe has been courting Brazil to camp ahead of the soccer extravaganza
since May this year, when it sent a high-powered delegation led by Tourism
and Hospitality Industry Minister Walter Mzembi and Mr Kaseke.

Prior to that, Mozambique had started courting Brazil through its President
Amando Guebuza, citing a huge coastline and Portuguese language as an
advantage while Botswana and Namibia also put up their bids.

Harare businessman Mr Phillip Chiyangwa drove the Brazilian technical team
around the National Sports Stadium, Rufaro, Prince Edward High School, St
George's College and hotel facilities in his posh Rolls Royce Phantom.

Zimbabwe Vigil Diary – 28th November 2009

The Vigil is not surprised that the MDC UK and Ireland Province has been suspended by the party’s leadership in Harare. A letter from MDC Secretary General Tendai Biti spoke of financial irregularities, poor performance and ‘disfunctionality’ (see scanned copy on http://www.flickr.com/photos/zimbabwevigil/sets/72157622770117445/). The Vigil could add many other reasons. Since former Assistant Police Commissioner Jonathan Chawora was foisted on the membership going on 2 years ago, the MDC in the UK has gone steadily downhill. All its efforts have gone into fundraising but it seems Harare has seen none of the funds. Where has the money gone?  The Vigil has a good idea.

Well, the party leaders in Harare are to send an investigating committee to find out.  The Vigil can tell the committee that the disgraced UK Executive has done nothing to publicise the plight of Zimbabwe or promote the party to the British public. Instead it has devoted its energy to trying to undermine the Vigil – sometimes with veiled threats of violence. We remember Hebson Makuvise, Tsvangirai’s uncle and representative in the UK, angrily waving his fists, trying to take over a vigil. (Hebson has been nominated as Ambassador to Germany – let’s hope he’s learned some diplomacy.) 

Although Vigil supporters were pleased that action had finally been taken against the MDC bullies in the UK, many people expressed their impatience at the slow pace of talks in Harare: belatedly started on Monday only to be suspended on Wednesday, with Welshman Ncube openly scoffing at SADC’s timetable. 

There is growing suspicion among Vigil supporters that the politicians in Harare are happy to see things drag on until elections in 2013.  Their attitude seems to be: ‘as long as we have our jobs and cars and official business trips to Peru, Nepal, Azerbaijan or anywhere we can go on talking forever.’

The Vigil trusts that President Zuma will knock heads together. (He will have to knock very hard otherwise they won’t notice!) Fourteen months after the GPA there has been zero progress on the rule of law, freedom of the media – or just about anything. With our politicians left to their own devices we doubt that there every will be.

Similar pessimism was expressed on Wednesday at a meeting in London at the Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum’s offices attended by Jenni Williams and Magodonga Mahlungu of WOZA, fresh from their wonderful reception by President Obama in Washington. The London meeting was attended by Josephine Zhuga and  Sue and Francesca Toft from the Vigil who reported there was deep concern about the human rights situation in rural Zimbabwe. There was criticism that the MDC were not reaching these areas.

Similar comments were made by Gertrude Hambara, General Secretary of the General Agricultural and Plant Workers Union of Zimbabwe, who dropped in at the Vigil. Earlier in the week she had addressed the All-Party Parliamentary Committee on Zimbabwe and said the MDC needed to move into rural communities before they became ‘no-go areas’.  Gertrude told the Committee that the so-called land reform programme had displaced about 350,000 farm workers, affecting two million people when their families were included.

The Vigil has been invited to take part in a demonstration to mark Human Rights Day on 10^th December.  We are waiting for further information about the venue and time.

For latest Vigil pictures check: http://www.flickr.com/photos/zimbabwevigil/.

FOR THE RECORD: 188 signed the register.

EVENTS AND NOTICES:

·           ROHR Christmas party. Saturday 5^th December, time tba. Venue: Coronation Hall, Stoke Road, Water Eaton, Bletchley, Milton Keynes, MK2 3AB. Stations: Bletchley (nearest) or Central Milton Keynes. Use Bus 5 from both stations. Parking: additional parking is available in the Veterinary Practice next door and on the gravelled area to the front of the Practice building. Further parking is available in the Plough Public House approx 100metres from the hall. Please do not obstruct the public footpath or highway or hamper access to the neighbouring properties. Contact: Martha Jiya 07727016098, Pamela Dunduru 07958386718, Jemias V Mujeyi 07534034594, Rodah Kulhengisa 07983057533 or P Mapfumo 07915926323 / 07932216070

·           ROHR Brighton general meeting. Saturday 12^th December from 1 – 4 pm. Venue: Community Base, 113 Queens Road, Brighton BN1 3XG. Rohr executives present and a well known lawyer. Substantive committee to be elected. Contact Sinikiwe Dube 07824668763, Wellington Mamvura 07949595506 or P Mapfumo 07915926323 / 07932216070.

·           Zimbabwe Association’s Women’s Weekly Drop-in Centre. Fridays 10.30 am – 4 pm. Venue: The Fire Station Community and ICT Centre, 84 Mayton Street, London N7 6QT, Tel: 020 7607 9764. Nearest underground: Finsbury Park. For more information contact the Zimbabwe Association 020 7549 0355 (open Tuesdays and Thursdays).

·           Strategic Internship for Zimbabweans organised by Citizens for Sanctuary which is trying to secure work placements for qualified Zimbabweans with refugee status or asylum seekers. For information: http://www.citizensforsanctuary.org.uk/pages/Strategic.html or contact: zimbabweinternship@cof.org.uk.

Vigil Co-ordinators

The Vigil, outside the Zimbabwe Embassy, 429 Strand, London, takes place every Saturday from 14.00 to 18.00 to protest against gross violations of human rights in Zimbabwe. The Vigil which started in October 2002 will continue until internationally-monitored, free and fair elections are held in Zimbabwe. http://www.zimvigil.co.uk.

Mercenary Mann says South Africa backed coup plot

http://www.reuters.com

Sun Nov 29, 2009 12:46pm EST

* Mann was convicted for failed Equatorial Guinea coup

* Says South Africa intelligence tacitly backed plot

* Coup's motive was to make money from oil-rich country

LONDON, Nov 29 (Reuters) - Simon Mann, a British mercenary jailed for
plotting against the government of Equatorial Guinea, has said South Africa
tacitly supported a failed 2004 coup in the oil-rich African nation.

Mann, who was released from prison earlier this month, told the BBC he
believed that the operation had the unwritten consent of South African
intelligence.

"South Africa wanted to be in," he said, according to extracts of an
interview to be broadcast on Tuesday. "In fact, I was told: 'Get on with
it.'"

"Because, if they are very good friends of the new government, it would be
of great benefit to South Africa because they know perfectly well that
billions of dollars are at stake," 57-year-old Mann said.

Educated at Eton, Britain's top private school, the ex-special forces
officer was arrested in Zimbabwe along with 70 other mercenaries en route to
Equatorial Guinea aboard a plane.

Extradited to Equatorial Guinea, he was sentenced in July 2008 for
conspiring to topple President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo. He was
pardoned on health grounds, having served just over one year of a 34-year
sentence.

During his trial, Mann portrayed himself as a pawn of international
businessmen he said were trying to seize power and named the son of former
British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher as being involved -- an allegation
Mark Thatcher has denied.

In the BBC interview, Mann said he got on well with Mark Thatcher, at one
point his neighbour in South Africa, describing how Margaret Thatcher would
come and stay in a cottage in the garden of her son's house.

"I always sat next to her at dinner parties," he said. "She liked me. We
even went on holiday together."

Mann, who said that from his point of view the purpose of the coup was to
make money from the oil-rich country, said he wanted Mark Thatcher as an
investor in the plot, and that he had told him precisely what the operation
was.

Discussing some of his early plans for the coup, Mann said he had also
considered an assassination and a guerrilla war, but these options had been
discarded.

He said had been unhappy with aspects of the final plan but was under
pressure from unnamed backers to get the coup over.

"I thought there was quite a good chance I was going to die, because I knew
that far too many people knew about the operation," he said, adding that he
should have had the courage to halt the plans but failed to.

On Sunday, Equatorial Guinea's President Obiang looked set to win an
election landslide, extending his 30-year rule. [ID:nGEE5AS018]

PEACE WATCH of 28th November 2009 [WOZA gets RFKHuman Rights Award]