UK government to resume enforced returns to Zimbabwe

http://www.swradioafrica.com/

By Tichaona sibanda
14 October 2010

The British coalition government on Thursday announced it will be resuming
enforced returns of failed asylum seekers to Zimbabwe.

A ministerial statement read out in parliament by the Minister for
Immigration, Damian Green, said the time was 'now right to bring our policy
on returns of failed Zimbabwean asylum seekers into line with that on every
other country.'

Green told the House of Commons that they based their decision on the
improved situation on the ground in Zimbabwe since the formation of the
inclusive government in 2009.

'This will mean that failed asylum seekers from Zimbabwe will from now on be
treated in exactly the same way as failed asylum seekers of all other
countries when it comes to enforcing returns,' Green said, adding that those
found not to be in need of protection have always been expected to return
home.

'We prefer these individuals to return voluntarily and many hundreds have
done so. It is in everyone's interest for people to return to Zimbabwe and
use their skills to support themselves and help rebuild the country,' the
immigration minister added.

Forcible returns to Zimbabwe have been suspended since September 2006, when
high court judges ruled that those who could not demonstrate their loyalty
to Robert Mugabe's regime would face persecution on their return.

Zimbabwe Association coordinator Sarah Harland told SW Radio Africa on
Thursday she was shocked and extremely disappointed by the decision to
resume the forced returns of people to Zimbabwe.

'The reason why I'm shocked is the timing of the announcement when there is
a country guidance case for Zimbabwe still to be presented, which is
expected next week. The country guidance allows independent judges to give
the correct picture of the current situation in Zimbabwe. So I was
anticipating the government would wait for the outcome of the report,'
Harland said.

'But as far as I'm concerned, the situation in Zimbabwe is still volatile.
In fact, in the past few months there have been reports intimidation and
harassment of supporters of the MDC and of human rights defenders, so we
find it strange when they say they situation has improved,' Harland added.

She then went on to say; 'The Zimbabwe Association does not believe that
this is the right time for enforced returns, with control of the state
security forces remaining in the hands of the perpetrators of violence. A
recent international report on Zimbabwe after the Global Political Agreement
recognises that there has been no improvement in respect for the rule of law
since the signing of the GPA.'.

The Zimbabwe Association has successfully helped as many as 5000 Zimbabweans
with their asylum applications since 2000. Harland said an additional 15,000
cases of asylum applications from Zimbabweans have not yet been resolved.

'What I can say to people in this category is not to panic. Although we were
initially alarmed by this, we must put faith in the country guidance report
that will come out soon,' she said.

The British Guardian newspaper disclosed that the decision to declare
Zimbabwe a safe country for returns partly rests on the report of a UK
fact-finding mission in August. The paper said the report is based on
interviews with seven people, who had voluntarily returned from Britain, who
officials said faced no significant problems at Harare airport or in
resettling in Harare or Bulawayo.
'The mission's report said Harare and Bulawayo were considered to be
relatively safe from violence, especially for ordinary MDC supporters.
However several human rights organizations said small urban centres such as
Bindura and Chiredzi and the rural heartlands of ZANU PF were subject to the
risk of sporadic violence,' the paper added.

Reports say Mugabe snubbed Zuma's envoys Wednesday

http://www.swradioafrica.com

By Tererai Karimakwenda
14 October, 2010

The delegation sent by South Africa's President Jacob Zuma to Zimbabwe, to
try to resolve the latest crisis in the unity government, arrived on
Wednesday. Unconfirmed reports say they have met with Prime Minister Morgan
Tsvangirai but failed to secure a meeting with Robert Mugabe. We were unable
to contact any of Zuma's delegation members for an update.

Upon their arrival Wednesday the team of Charles Nqakula, Mac Maharaj and
Lindiwe Zulu tried to downplay the seriousness of the row that has developed
between Mugabe and Tsvangirai, with Nqakula saying: "We are back here as
part of our monitoring exercises to check with political parties here what
has happened since the last summit."

But the trio arrived without an appointment, which confirms the fact that
the trip was made in a hurry and Mugabe's lack of interest in seeing them
immediately.

Regarding the crisis created in the unity government by Tsvangirai finally
standing firm against Mugabe's unilateral appointments of governors, Nqakula
merely said Wednesday: "Obviously we will pick up on what has happened
recently but our main concern is to follow up on instructions given by SADC
to the principals to act on."
Apart from not recognizing the governors Tsvangirai has said that
ambassadors posted to the United Nations in Switzerland and New York, the
European Commission, South Africa, Sweden and Italy, do not represent the
whole of the government as they were again appointed unilaterally by Mugabe.

He has also refused to recognize the legitimacy of the chief of police, the
central bank governor, the attorney general, 10 ministers and five judges,
all appointed by Mugabe alone.
Political commentator Psychology Maziwisa said it has always been clear
Mugabe refuses to share power. He added: "SADC is a useless bloc run by
useless blokes. It is time Zimbabweans said enough is enough and took
matters into their own hands."

Asked if he meant taking to the streets and risking violent retaliation by
the armed forces, Maziwisa said: "We have tried every other diplomatic
channel, SADC and the A.U., and let's be honest the U.N. is not coming to
help the situation until it reaches crisis point. We Zimbabweans have to now
take charge."

Tsvangirai Boycotts Cabinet

http://news.radiovop.com/

14/10/2010 15:50:00

Harare, October 14, 2010 -Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai on Wednesday
boycotted cabinet over the ongoing impasse in the inclusive government
created by the unilateral re-appointments of governors and envoys by
President Robert Mugabe.

Tsvangirai did not attend the cabinet meeting but instead travelled to
Nyanga to meet victims of political violence belonging to his party.

Tsvangirai is also understood to have met South African president, Jacob
Zuma's facilitation team at his Strathaven home in Harare on his return from
Nyanga.

Zuma facilitation team which comprises Lindiwe Zulu, Charles Nqakula and Mac
Maharaj arrived in the country on Monday and met the principals and left the
country on Thursday morning.

"Tsvangirai was conspicuous by his absence from cabinet. The coincidence
with the coming in of the facilitation team made things worse as everyone
thought he skipped cabinet to meet them," sources said.

However Tsvangirai's spokesperson, Luke Tamborinyoka said the PM had made
prior arrangements to travel to Nyanga.

"The PM had gone to attend a social rights cluster meeting and later had a
separate meeting with the Zuma facilitation team," he said

The sources said there was already suspicion amongst the three parties in
the inclusive government.

Tamborinyoka also said MDC leader Arthur Mutambara and President Mugabe also
met the Zuma team separately on Wednesday.

Friction over key appointments has strained the unity government since its
formation in February last year.

President Jacob Zuma's three-member mediation team arrived in the country on
Wednesday in the latest bid to ease tensions rocking the coalition
government.

The visit follows Tsvangirai's declaration of a constitutional crisis last
week, over President Robert Mugabe's unilateral appointment of senior
government officials.

Tsvangirai has upped the stakes by writing to several countries, including
South Africa, declaring ambassadors posted there were illegitimate, saying
they were appointed without consultation.

Tsvangirai described the latest move by Mugabe as "rank madness and utterly
nonsensical".

The ambassadors that Tsvangirai demanded to be ignored are Phelekezela
Mphoko, James Manzou, Mary Mubaiwa, Steven Chiketa, Chitsaka Chipaziwa and
Margaret Muchada.
 

Zimbabwe constitution reform hits another delay

Associated Press

(AP) - 8 hours ago

HARARE, Zimbabwe - Lawmakers in charge of a troubled constitutional reform
program in Zimbabwe say they have run out of money for final public
meetings.

A new constitution must be drawn up before fresh elections can be held, but
the process has been plagued by delays and accusations of intimidation since
it began in July. One man died in violence last month.

Paul Mangwana, co-chair of the lawmakers panel, said meetings that were
abandoned after the violence were postponed for a second time Tuesday.

But Mangwana said they will resume when funding is available "hopefully
soon." He said a referendum on a new constitution is scheduled for June
2011. The new constitution was part of a power-sharing agreement that has
been strained by deep divisions.

Outreach meetings in Harare postponed again

http://www.swradioafrica.com

By Tichaona Sibanda
14 October 2010

Constitution Parliamentary Committee co-chair Paul Mangwana told the media
in Harare that Harare's outreach meetings have now been postponed until
further notice, due to lack of funds. 40 meetings that were aborted or
failed to take off in Harare were supposed to be done this weekend. This is
not the first time that COPAC has complained about the lack of funding,
despite many millions being provided for the outreach.

The delay puts in danger the drawing up of a new constitution, whose process
has been plagued by delays and intimidation since it began in July. COPAC
has announced June 30th 2011 as the tentative date for the referendum,
meaning that it now has just over eight months left to come up with a new
set of laws that are acceptable to the majority of Zimbabweans.

Mangwana would not comment if the roadmap they set to complete the
constitution-making process would be met after this latest delay.

The drafting of a new constitution in Zimbabwe is seen as a major step
forward to new elections and the hope they might end the political crisis
that followed the violent and controversial ballot in 2008.
The process of consulting the Zimbabwean people on a new constitution was
set to come to end with the holding of the Harare and Chitungwiza meetings.
70 teams of 25 people each have in the last four months criss-crossed the
country holding consultations in each of the country's 210 voting districts.

At the end of this month the teams are expected to report their findings to
17 commissions specializing in a wide range of issues, such as human rights,
elections and the justice system. These commissions are then to draft the
document, which will be submitted to Parliament, before it goes to the
people in a referendum.
Due to the widespread disruption and intimidation during the consultation
process there is skepticism from many observers that the results will
genuinely reflect the will of the people.

Mining industry attracts child labour as economy picks up

Photo: Kevin Walsh/Flickr

Mines become a beacon for the desperate

SHURUGWI , 14 October 2010 (IRIN) - The economic upswing in Zimbabwe is luring workers under 18-years-old to the now bustling mining town of Shurugwi, about 350km south of the capital Harare in Midlands Province.

Tinashe Mugwira, 15, left home in January this year and walked the 50km to Shurugwi in search of work at the mines in the mineral belt known as the Great Dyke, where gold, chrome and nickel are found.

"I had always heard that these Chinese were employing young children for as long as they can work on the mines, so I decided to come here when I stopped going to school after my father fell ill and my mother could not raise money for food," a skinny Mugwira told IRIN.

Foreign mining companies started investing in the area after locally owned mining firms went bankrupt due to the country's decade-long recession. Child rights activists say the use of child labour is becoming "common practice" in many of the country's mines.

Mugwira said he was one of scores of children working on the opencast mine - ferrying chrome ore in buckets and wheelbarrows - with no formal contracts, protective clothing or medical benefits.

"I get US$10 for every ton I fetch and it takes me about three days to do so. We work from sunrise to sunset together with the adults and are treated the same, but the job is so hard," he said.

Mugwira has been bedridden three times since he began working at the mine, suffering from severe coughing and headaches, but has never received medical treatment and was unable to say what his medical condition was.

He lives in a squatter settlement at the foot of the nearby Boterekwa escarpment, with other children and their adult colleagues, many of whom work as illegal gold-miners.

A friend from school working with him on the chrome mine was recently taken to Shurugwi hospital by his older brother, an illegal gold miner, after falling ill. He died of respiratory complications shortly after being admitted.

"It is risky working on these mines but I have no choice. I am the [oldest] in our family and my brothers and sister will die of hunger if I go back home without money," said Mugwira.

Elfas Shangwa, chairman of the Harare-based NGO New Hope Foundation, which campaigns for the rights of children, said: "Poverty is the main cause behind this prevalent practice of child labour at mines and in other sectors of the economy."

An IRIN correspondent visited two mines in the Shurugwi area and witnessed about 17 children working. Most were working on a temporary basis.

According to a mine worker who declined to be identified, the use of minors was not being practised by established mining companies, as checks were carried out, but was occuring at smaller mines.

Police inaction

"For a long time, we have been receiving so many reports of child labour on mines throughout the country and intend to carry out our own investigations. Unfortunately, when we report the cases to the police, they tell us they can hardly do anything because Zimbabwe does not have explicit laws on child labour," Shangwa told IRIN.

If these children don't come and work for us, their families will have no money to send them to school or buy food

Zimbabwe is a signatory to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and the International Labour Organization (ILO) anti-child labour convention, and Shangwa said his organization was lobbying government to adopt policies discouraging child labour practices.

In Mazowe, a farming district in Mashonaland Central Province, about 70km northeast of Harare, businessmen who have recently acquired small mining concessions use children to mine gold ore and then load it on to trucks.

"The issue of child labour is neither here nor there," Isdore Rukweza, one of the businessmen who has secured mining concessions, told IRIN. "If these children don't come and work for us, their families will have no money to send them to school or buy food."

An activist with a locally-based NGO, Coalition Against Child Labour in Zimbabwe, who declined to be identified, told IRIN the group was embarking on a nationwide survey of child labour practices with other child rights organizations.

"We are aware that children are working long hours in unhygienic conditions for small wages. In some of these cases, adults are shunning the jobs because the employers pay very little," the activist said.

[This report does not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations]

Mugabe party hits out at PM over envoys

http://www.nation.co.ke/

By KITSEPILE NYATHI, Nation Correspondent
Posted Thursday, October 14 2010 at 18:41

Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe's Zanu PF party has accused Prime
Minister Morgan Tsvangirai of trying to subvert the constitution by
disregarding unilateral appointments made by the veteran ruler.

The defiant stance by Zanu PF is set to escalate tensions in the shaky unity
government.

The coalition was last week thrown into further turmoil by the PM's refusal
to recognise Zimbabwe's ambassadors to the United Nations and the European
Union.

Mr Tsvangirai's Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) has also refused to
recognise several key appointments made without the PM's input.

South African President Jacob Zuma's mediation team is already in Harare to
try to resolve the rift that threatens to paralyse the coalition.

But the team's visit was greeted by a defiant statement by Zanu PF, which
said Mr Tsvangirai was exaggerating his powers in the coalition.

Zanu PF insists that President Mugabe retained his executive power despite
the signing of the Global Political Agreement (GPA) and subsequent
amendments to the constitution.

This is despite the fact that the GPA says "the executive authority of the
inclusive government shall vest in and be shared among, the President and
Prime Minister."

Top Zanu PF official in land grab

http://www.dailynews.co.zw

By Godfrey Mtimba
Thursday, 14 October 2010 17:56

MASVINGO - Zanu PF central committee member, Clemence Makwarimba left a
white commercial farmer Brett Connar and his family  destitute after he
grabbed   their farm 20km east of Masvingo city, as farm invasions continue
in defiance of the GPA.

Zanu PF officials in Masvingo have embarked on fresh farm invasions as panic
over the issue of governors grips the country after the MDC protested
against the recent reappointments of Zanu PF governors by
President Mugabe saying that it was unconstitutional.

According to investigations made by the Daily News the official fear that
they will never get the  opportunity to  grab  farms if an MDC governor is
appointed, as governors head the provincial lands
committee that redistribute land.

Brett Connar lost his Justice farm to Makwarimba who evicted him with the
help of violent party youth militias who beat up his farm workers last
Saturday and is living in the open with his family that includes
his parents, wife and kids.

Makwarimba, who is also the provincial party secretary for administration
and the Masvingo Rural District Chief Executive Officer is believed to have
been attracted by Connar's  large farm house and heavy farming machinery.

Connar told the Daily News that he was now leading a destitute life as he
was staying in the open exposed to all forms of hazards and fears for his
elderly parents' lives.

"Right now I don't have anywhere to call home that's why I am staying here
in the open. Makwarimba came and forced me out saying he had been resettled
here by the land redistribution committee headed by the governor. I tried to
resist but  he came with violent youths who told us to take our clothes,
blankets and a few food items," said Connar.

Connar said he lost property worth millions of dollars including a 200 head
of cattle to the  Zanu PF official.

Some of the property includes a fleet of tractors; combine harvesters,
planters, harrows, irrigation pumps, sprinklers and pipes and scores of
agricultural inputs he had bought in preparation for the coming
agricultural season.

Efforts to get comment from Makwarimba were fruitless.

Masvingo General Agricultural Plantations and Workers' Union of Zimbabwe
(GAPUZ) lambasted Zanu PF officials for resuming farm invasions.

"We condemn the behaviour by Zanu PF officials who have started fresh
invasions in the province; we have received a lot of reports on farms that
have been invaded over the last two weeks including Connar's. The way they
are doing it is a direct violation of human rights and they must stop," said
Merenciana Chikonzi the provincial coordinator of GAPUZ.

Other top officials who have grabbed farms include the provincial governor,
Titus Maluleke, War vets leader Trinos Huruba to name a few

Mutambara vs Ncube power struggle blamed for MDC-M fissures

http://www.swradioafrica.com

By Lance Guma
14 October 2010

Bitter jockeying for power between MDC-M leader Arthur Mutambara and his
Secretary General Welshman Ncube, is being blamed for widening fissures that
are threatening to tear the party into two factions. Ncube has already
publicly stated he will challenge Mutambara for the presidency of the party
at the next congress.
According to a Newsday report, party members loyal to Mutambara have accused
Ncube and his deputy Priscilla Misihairambwi Mushonga of unconstitutionally
removing elected officials who are viewed as loyal to the Deputy Prime
Minister. The two allegedly went around the country holding secret
provincial elections without the knowledge of those occupying the positions.

A statement issued by the party said; 'The National Chairperson of the MDC
Women's Assembly and the National Organising Secretary of the same wish to
categorically distance themselves from the unprocedural and unconstitutional
actions of Welshman Ncube and Priscilla Misihairabwi in circumventing the
National Women's Assembly structure.'

The meetings in question are said to have taken place in Chitungwiza and
Bulawayo without following the party's procedures of convening such
meetings. 'We are surprised that being a constitutional lawyer, the
Secretary General should exhibit such poor governance as to violate the
party constitution left, right and centre,' the statement said.

Edwin Ndlovu, the Bulawayo spokesman of the party, spoke to Newsday and said
although there was a walkout at the Bulawayo meeting, this had nothing to do
with Ncube. 'The party has been restructuring since September last year and
the districts decided that we have a new leadership and this had nothing to
do with Ncube, any other leader or the congress,' he was quoted as saying.

SW Radio Africa tried to get comment from Ncube, Misihairambwi, Mutambara
and party spokesman Edwin Mushoriwa, but all their mobile phones went to
voicemail.

Former St Mary's MP Job Sikhala, who left the MDC-M to form his own MDC-99,
was scathing of his former colleagues branding them a waste of time. He told
SW Radio Africa the party was in 'total disarray' and the infighting was
being caused by people 'jockeying to join the gravy train ' in government.
He predicted the party would be 'taught a lesson by the people of Zimbabwe
in the next election.'

Trade unionist Wellington Chibebe receives historic award

http://www.swradioafrica.com

By Tererai Karimakwenda
Thursday 14 October 2010

The Secretary General of the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU),
Wellington Chibebe, has become the first recipient of the Arthur Svensson
International Award, established by the Norwegian National Trade union,
Industri Energi.

Chibebe, who travelled to Norway for the awards ceremony that took place on
October 11th, told SW Radio Africa that the citation for the award says that
it is given for outstanding and committed performance by an individual or
organisation towards the welfare and rights of workers in a particular
country.

Chibebe joined the trade union movement back in 1988, just after completing
his railway apprenticeship, and later became president of the railway union.
He joined the ZCTU in 2001 and has dedicated most of his time to union
activities, keeping global attention on the plight of Zimbabwe's workers.

Chibebe said the biggest challenge facing Zimbabwe's unions is a lack of
democratic space for them to operate freely and therefore to organise. He
saluted the unions in the country, both public and private, for their
resilience.

As for global awareness of the situation in Zimbabwe, the feisty labour
organiser said: "They know very well that from 2002 Zimbabwe has been
appearing before the ILO Standards Committee in Geneva every year and the
international community, particularly the trade unions, have been behind us
all the years, culminating in the commission of enquiry which came to
Zimbabwe last year and a report that moved the government to address the
problems that have been facing unions."

The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) released a statement
this week which welcomed Chibebe's receipt of the Arthur Svensson
International Award.

The statement read in part: "As COSATU we have come to know and work with
Comrade Chibebe on issues of democracy and human rights violations in
Zimbabwe, as well as issues of the international trade union movement,
global justice and workers rights. We know from our own experience his
courage, passion and firmness of principle.

We believe the African trade union movement in particular and the global
trade union movement in general have an asset in him and we are yet to see
more of his outstanding contributions as we intensify our struggle for
justice."

Zim xenophobia victims to return to SA communities

http://www.swradioafrica.com

By Alex Bell
14 October 2010

Victims of last year's xenophobic violence in South Africa's Western Cape
province will return to the communities they fled, when the refugee camp
that was set up for them closes over the weekend.

Only a few hundred of the original victims who fled their homes in De Doorns
have remained at the camp, which was set up at a local sports field after
xenophobic violence almost a year ago. The violence in November last year
was sparked by local anger over the number of Zimbabweans working for
cheaper rates on surrounding farms. This anger spilled over into violence,
with local South Africans tearing down the shacks serving as homes to
Zimbabweans and threatening the foreigners with violence.

More than a thousand Zimbabweans fled the informal settlements where they
lived and took shelter at the temporary camp. Conditions there were only
suitable for a temporary stay and soon began to deteriorate, with barely
enough food or water for the Zimbabweans who stayed there.

Local municipal authorities have been trying ever since to close the camp
and reintegrate the Zimbabweans back into their settlements. But a number of
complexities surrounding this have seen the camp remain open until now.

But as of this weekend the camp will be closed, apparently following an
agreement that will see the remaining Zimbabweans volunteering to return.
There has been "much collective work" between the local municipality, the
camp residents, various provincial government departments and refugee rights
group PASSOP. According to a joint statement, "many issues were raised and
resolved."

"Final implementation of the voluntary procedure, including the necessary
transport arrangements and the payments of the agreed upon once off
settlement gratuity, will be completed this week- resulting in the voluntary
camp closure," the statement read.

The camp closure rests on a three pronged strategy of "relocation,
re-integration and repatriation." It aims provide the government with an
opportunity "to ensure equal and fair opportunities to both South Africans
and foreigners with the labour intensive grapes season ahead."

"All the critical role-players and stakeholders are convinced that this
final attempt to close De Doorns Camp is in line with human rights and are
in the interests of both South Africans and displaced Zimbabwean camp
residents," said the statement.

Mike Moyo from the Displaced Committee, which has been working to ensure
that all the Zimbabweans are properly protected during the process, told SW
Radio Africa on Thursday that he is confident the time is right to close the
camp, but added "we don't really have a choice." He said that xenophobic
tensions still exist in South Africa, and many of the Zimbabweans believe
they are returning "at their own risk."

Zimbabwe Government & Marange Diamond Zone Residents in Liaison Committee

http://www.voanews.com

Sources said 44 families are resisting government efforts to move them from
their ancestral lands to make way for diamond mining operations in the
Marange field where in the past serious human rights abuses have been
alleged

Jonga Kandemiiri | Washington 13 October 2010

Families facing relocation from the Chiadzwa communal area of Zimbabwe's
diamond-rich Marange district have formed a Iiaison committee with the
government to examine the many issues facing them, in particular their
controversial transfer to a government farm elsewhere in Manicaland
province.

Sources said 44 families are resisting government efforts to move them from
their ancestral lands to make way for diamond mining operations in the
Marange fields. Twelve families have been relocated to Arda Transau Farm.

The remaining families are demanding compensation before agreeing to leave
their homes. More than 4,000 families could be displaced by Marange diamond
mining by companies in joint ventures with the Harare government.

The Marange diamond field has drawn international attention with human
rights organizations alleging serious abuses in the military-controlled zone
while others have charged that national resources are being diverted for
private gain.

Mutare West Member of Parliament Shuah Mudiwa of the Movement for Democratic
Change formation of Prime Tsvangirai told VOA Studio 7 reporter Jonga
Kandemiiri that he was not informed about the creation of the liaison
committee, explaining that his first information about it came from news
reports.
 

Masawara aims to buy BP, Shell assets

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

SISEKO NJOBENI
Published: 2010/10/14 07:08:46 AM

INVESTMENT firm Masawara, which is listed on London's Alternative Investment
Market (AIM), is on the verge of buying the entire business of BP and Shell
Marketing Services in Zimbabwe through its wholly owned subsidiary, FMI
Zimbabwe, the company has said.

This ends uncertainty over the fate of these assets since South African
petroleum products marketer Engen's failed attempt to buy them. The
Zimbabwean government blocked the Engen deal earlier this year, saying it
was in contravention of empowerment legislation.

Zimbabwe's Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment Act states that
Zimbabweans should own 51% of "strategic" businesses in the country.

Engen and Kenyan oil retailer KenolKobil had been eyeing the assets
following Shell and BP's decision to exit the Zimbabwean market. Engen has
not given up on the Zimbabwe market. Last month, t he company announced
plans to acquire Chevron's assets in seven sub-Saharan Africa and Indian
Ocean Island countries, including Zimbabwe.

The deal between Masawara, BP and Shell encompasses their entire business
interests in Zimbabwe, which comprise 73 retail sites, storage capacity of
approximately 59,5-million litres of product across 10 centres, and a staff
of 87.

Last year, the business sold 66- million litres of fuel products and sales
of more than 85-million litres are forecast for this year, Masawara said.

"With their experience and existing businesses in Zimbabwe, we believe that
FMI Zimbabwe will be able to build on (BP and Shell's) good assets and grow
the business further, in line with their plans," BP southern Africa CEO
Sipho Maseko said.

Masawara said it was committed to a broad-based empowerment initiative in
the business that is expected to encompass a share trust for management and
staff as well as a dealer ownership scheme for a significant number of
sites.

The agreement is subject to approval by the various regulatory bodies in
Zimbabwe.

BP southern Africa spokeswoman Glenda Zvenyika yesterday confirmed the
mooted sale.

njobenis@bdfm.co.za

Not much room for Tsvangirai: Analysts

http://www.zimonline.co.za/

by Edward Jones Thursday 14 October 2010

HARARE -- Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai has called on the United Nations
and foreign governments not to recognise diplomats unilaterally appointed by
coalition partner President Robert Mugabe in what analysts said is largely a
symbolic protest that would not reverse the appointments but puts further
strain on relations in the unstable unity government.

Tsvangirai wrote letters to the UN, South Africa and some Western countries
that the posting of new ambassadors by Mugabe was unconstitutional and also
wrote to Chief Justice Godfrey Chidyausiku, a Mugabe ally, telling him to
disregard the appointment of High Court judges, which were made
unilaterally.

South Africa's President Jacob Zuma, who is the regional SADC's point man on
Zimbabwe, on Wednesday dispatched a team of officials to Harare after
Tsvangirai informed him of the latest crisis to hit the unity government,
while the office of European Union foreign relations chief Catherine Ashton
expressed concern over Mugabe's unilateral actions.

But analysts were not holding out much hope that Zuma's intervention or
disapproval from Catherine will force Mugabe to yield to Tsvangirai's
demands to nullify the controversial appointments.

The analysts said Tsvangirai and his MDC-T party, which formed a unity
government with Mugabe's ZANU PF last year, have little room to maneuver in
the latest dispute unless they completely pull out from the coalition.

The former opposition party last year briefly withdrew from participating in
cabinet meetings chaired by the 86-year old Mugabe after another power
sharing dispute but seems unable to repeat the same action this time round.

The MDC was particularly angered by Mugabe's decision last week to reappoint
provincial governors without agreement with Tsvangirai as is required by a
constitutional amendment under their political agreement that is officially
known as the global political agreement (GPA).

"I think what they (MDC) have done is good but I do not see it changing
anything. It however helps to highlight to the world that Mugabe's argument
that sanctions have hurt the country has no merit and that it is his actions
that continue to cause the crisis," said John Makumbe, a political analyst
and long time Mugabe critic.

"Mugabe is obstinate and has never wanted to share power," added Makumbe,
who teaches political science at the University of Zimbabwe.

The unity administration has been fragile since its formation last year in
February especially on the appointment of senior government officials. The
MDC wants Mugabe to swear-in its treasurer-general Roy Bennett and five
governors from its ranks in line with political agreement signed in
September 2008.

But Mugabe, Zimbabwe's leader since the country's 1980 independence from
Britain, has refused to honour the agreement, arguing that his party would
not give ground until Western sanctions imposed on the ageing leader and his
inner circle in 2000 for human rights violations and electoral fraud are
lifted.

Analysts said the unilateral decisions by Mugabe were meant to reinforce
ZANU PF's stance that the veteran leader still has full reins of power and
that the MDC was a junior partner in the coalition with no capacity to shape
the important decisions in the southern African country.

Security chiefs vehemently opposed to Tsvangirai's leadership are said to be
behind the contentious decisions by Mugabe and would do anything to
undermine the former firebrand trade union leader.

Political analysts said Tsvangirai was also under pressure from his
disgruntled supporters to show that his party was not being trampled upon by
Mugabe, who has in the past labelled the MDC a puppet of the West that will
never rule Zimbabwe.

"I think Morgan (Tsvangirai) is under a lot of pressure from the party to
stand up to Mugabe. He has been provoked a number of times and the MDC is
demanding that he shows he ca do something about it, but I don't see him
having much room to act," said Lovemore Madhuku, chairman of the National
Constitutional Assembly political pressure group.

Makumbe added: "The GPA is very clear on these issues but Mugabe has no
regard of for the rule of law."

Mugabe has in the past two months appointed his personal choice of
ambassadors in a re-shuffle, new High Court and Supreme Court judges and
last week retained ZANU PF-aligned provincial governors without consulting
his coalition partners, which Tsvangirai says is in breach of the
Constitution.  -- ZimOnline.

Zimbabwe Association condemns enforced returns

http://www.zimbabwejournalists.com

14th Oct 2010 19:56 GMT

By a Correspondent

THE Zimbabwe Association has condemned the announcement by the United
Kingdom Thursday that it will soon resume sending back failed Zimbabwean
asylum seekers.

In response to the statement by the Minister of Immigration, Damian Green,
concerning the UKBA's intention to end the current suspension of enforced
returns of failed asylum seekers to Zimbabwe, Sarah Harland, Coordinator of
the Zimbabwe
Association says:

"ZA remains keen to work with the UK government around a sustainable and
stable voluntary return programme, as most Zimbabweans wish to go home and
rebuild their country when the time is right."

"ZA does not believe that this is the right time for enforced returns, with
control of the state security forces (police, army, CIO) remaining in the
hands of the perpetrators of violence."

She said a recent international report on the state of the rule of law in
Zimbabwe after the Global Political Agreement (GPA) came into being,
recognises: "there has been no improvement and quite possibly a further
decline in respect for the rule of law since the signing of the GPA".

Harland said, however, it is important that the government has conceded
that: "There are some Zimbabweans who continue to have a well-founded fear
of persecution; we continue to grant protection to those people." and that
the UKBA will not enforce the first returns until the IAC (Immigration and
Asylum Chamber) has delivered its determination in the forthcoming Country
Guidance Case on Zimbabwe.

Bill Watch Special of 14th October 2010 [Parliamentary Public Hearings on 2011 Budget - 18th to 22nd October]