Bennett says military junta running Zimbabwe

http://www.swradioafrica.com/

By Lance Guma
22 October 2010

MDC-T Treasurer General Roy Bennett has said the military junta is now
running the country and that long time dictator Robert Mugabe is now just a
figure head. Speaking on SW Radio Africa's Behind the Headlines series
Bennett said: "I think Mugabe is a senile old man. He is no longer in
control of events in Zimbabwe and the military junta calls the shots."

Asked if this was not a convenient excuse that allowed Mugabe to shift blame
for human rights abuses committed in the country, Bennett was adamant Mugabe
was now just a figure head.

"You watch an interview where he stays awake for more than 20 to 30 minutes
without falling asleep. He is an old man. He is way past his time and it's
basically these people (military junta) that are driving the process,"
Bennett said.

Bennett insisted that the reason the junta still needed Mugabe was because
he was the civilian face to what has effectively become military rule.

"I think it's your Sidney Sekeramayi (state security minister), Emerson
Mnangagwa (defence minister) and then the military generals, the Brigadier
General Sango's of this world that are controlling the whole process of what
happens in Zimbabwe," he said.

Under the coalition, Bennett was nominated by the MDC-T to be the country's
Deputy Agriculture Minister but almost 20 months down the line Mugabe's
regime has refused to swear him in.

"It's deep seated racism within ZANU PF and Mugabe. It's also deep seated
hatred of transparency. They don't want anything that will expose the truth
of what is taking place within the Agriculture ministry," Bennett said.

Commenting on alleged infighting within the MDC-T, Bennett said they
completed a strategic planning workshop in South Africa. He added: "I have
never seen the MDC more united and more focused on its goal to deliver for
the people of Zimbabwe." He said the Central Intelligence Organization (CIO)
was working flat out to create "a further split in the MDC," and they were
doing this by creating many falsehoods.

Although Bennett was acquitted of terrorism, banditry and insurgency charges
by Justice Chinembiri Bhunu, the same judge is reported to be claiming
compensation from him, claiming he defamed him in an article published
online.

"It's an absolute load of rubbish. The Zimbabwe Guardian, one of these ZANU
PF internet sites. I am alleged to have made a statement to them. I've never
spoken to them in my life and it's around that statement that Justice Bhunu
is suing me," Bennett said.

With plain clothes policemen stalking his premises and a judge trying to sue
him for questioning the independence of the judiciary, will Bennett be going
back to Zimbabwe?

"I will. You know I rely on my [party] leadership and the decision that
comes out of there. I am certainly not going back to Zimbabwe to go to jail,
where I will be ineffective. It all depends on the political landscape
moving forward," he said.
 

Zimbabwe's Roy Bennett, Political Lightning Rod, Returning to South African Exile

http://www.voanews.com

Bennettt said that with the political climate growing more contentious by
the day, Bennett said he is wary of further judicial actions against him -
but added time is running out for his alleged persecutors, who he said would
end up in the dock at the International Criminal Court in the Hague one day

Blessing Zulu | Washington 21 October 2010

Zimbabwean Senator Roy Bennettt, treasurer general of the Movement for
Democratic Change formation of Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, said
Thursday that he has decided to return to exile in South Africa fearing
alleged relentless judicial persecution by President Robert Mugabe's former
ruling ZANU-PF party.

Bennett first sought political asylum in South Africa in 2006 after the
state implicated him in an alleged plot to assassinate President Mugabe
during a visit to Mutare, in eastern Manicaland province, where Bennett once
worked a commercial farm before losing it to land reform, subsequently
representing the constituency of Chimanimani.

He spent eight months in the infamous Chikurubi Maximum Security Prison in
2004-2005 under a parliamentary bill of attainder for shoving Justice
Minister Patrick Chinamasa on the House floor in a 22003 debate on land
reform.

Bennett was arrested again in February 2009 upon returning to Zimbabwe after
2008 elections gave the combined MDC formations a House majority. He was
named deputy minister of agriculture, but President Mugabe has refused to
swear him in, even after the High Court threw out treason charges, a
decision the state quickly appealed.

Bennettt now faces a US$1 million civil suit filed by High Court Judge
Chinembiri Bhunu, who acquitted Bennett, for alleged defamation in an
interview Bennett gave to Britain's Guardian newspaper.  He was quoted as
saying he did not expect to be acquitted because of Bhunu allegedly had
benefited from Mr. Mugabe's land reform program.

Bhunu said Bennett's remarks implied he was "not a fit and proper person ...
to preside over the defendant's trial."

In an exclusive interview with VOA, Bennettt said that with the political
climate growing more contentious by the day, he is wary of further judicial
actions against him. But he said time is running out for his alleged
persecutors, who he said would end up in the dock at the International
Criminal Court in the Hague, Netherlands.

Lawyer George Chikumbirike, representing Bhunu, said the defamation suit is
not politically motivated, but is simply a matter of his client taking
action to defend his professional reputation.

MDC sources said they will ask regional leaders to ensure that persecution
of Bennett ends.

Anglican bishops get death threats

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

by James Mombe Friday 22 October 2010

JOHANNESBURG -- Two senior Zimbabwe Anglican bishops have been told they
could be assassinated, the office of the Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan
Williams has revealed, as the fight for control of the church in the
southern African country gets dirtier.

The Anglican Church in Zimbabwe has been in turmoil ever since the Church of
the Province of Central Africa (CPCA) - the church's supreme authority in
the region -- first suspended and later excommunicated a former bishop who
is a close ally of President Robert Mugabe's ZANU PF party.

Nolbert Kunonga, who as bishop of Harare attempted to use the pulpit to
defend the Zimbabwean leader's controversial rule, was excommunicated in
2008 after trying to withdraw the Harare diocese from the Anglican Church.
He claims he revolted against the mother church because it supported the
ordination of gay priests.

Kunonga with the backing of government police and security agents has been
able to grab control of church halls and other property in Harare and has
regularly blocked Bishop Chad Gandiya -- who was appointed head of the
Harare diocese by the CPCA -- and his followers from using the churches to
worship.

Williams' office said Kunonga, his supporters in ZANU PF and the security
establishment have stepped up their campaign of intimidation with some
priests not aligned to the renegade bishop arrested, while Gandiya and
Bishop Julius Makoni of the Manicaland diocese were informed they were
targets for assassination.

"The situation for Anglicans in Zimbabwe is getting worse," said the office
of Williams, who is the symbolic spiritual head of the worldwide Anglican
Communion.

The statement to update Anglicans on developments in Harare which was made
available to ZimOnline on Thursday said: "In the first week of October
Bishop Julius (Makoni) and Bishop Chad (Gandiya) were informed that orders
had been given to assassinate them both.

"The Dean of Harare received threatening phone calls to this effect. Eight
henchmen came to Julius' house last week looking for violence, but he had
thankfully just left."

According to Williams' office the security establishment views Anglican
bishops as supporting Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai's MDC party and the
campaign against the clergymen was to meant to force them to throw in their
lot with the pro-ZANU PF Kunonga and by so doing end their perceived backing
of Tsvangirai and his party.

"Inside sources say that security forces see Anglican bishops as campaigning
for MDC (there is no proof for this) and so Kunonga has been given support
to eliminate them," Williams' office said.

The office said Kunonga, who all along has been fighting to regain control
of the Harare diocese was now claiming power over the whole of the
Zimbabwean Anglican church as self-appointed bishop of Zimbabwe.

In addition to Harare and Manicaland, the Anglican Church has other dioceses
in Masvingo, Central Zimbabwe and Matabeleland.

Gandiya and Makoni, who have led resistance against Kunonga's attempts to
seize control of the Anglican church, have maintained their clerical work
despite the mounting intimidation but Williams' office said various foreign
embassies have said were ready to evacuate the bishops to safety should the
need arise. - ZimOnline.

 

Mutambara Under Fire From Main MDC Faction

http://news.radiovop.com/

22/10/2010 08:08:00

Harare, October 22, 2010 - Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai's Movement for
Democratic Change (MDC) has launched a scathing attack on Deputy Prime
Minister and leader of the smaller faction of the MDC, Arthur Mutambara for
siding with President Robert Mugabe in the controversial appointment of
provincial governors.

During a question and answer session in parliament on Wednesday, Mutambara
said there was nothing wrong with Mugabe's unilateral appointment of the
provincial governors and said if Tsvangirai had problems with it, he had to
approach the courts.

Mutambara attacked Tsvangirai for writing to the United Nations, European
Union and South Africa disowning the appointments but in a statement, the
MDC hit back and labeled him a Zanu (PF) supporter.

The MDC described Mutambara as a 'lean thinker' on Thursday, saying he was
trying to be a representative of those who rejected him in the March 2008
elections when he contested for a parliamentary seat in Chitungwiza and
lost.

"The MDC dismisses Arthur Mutambara's attempts to act as a Zanu (PF) side
kick. The formation of the Inclusive Government brought in undemocratic and
un-elected leaders-the likes of Mutambara, who is trying to be relevant on
the political stage by leading a little entity, which at present is
disintegrating.

"His contribution in the Inclusive Government has been to try and outshine
Zanu (PF) by being more Zanu (PF). For a man who cannot win an election in a
burial society, we find his actions unacceptable.

"The fact of the matter is that Mugabe unlawfully appointed Provincial
Governors, Ambassadors, the Attorney - General, the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe
Governor. The reality on the ground is that Mugabe unlawfully appointed
judges and the Police Service Commission.

"Therefore, for Mutambara to pretend that he does not know the reality of
that is not only mendacious but exposes the political opportunist that he
is," read part of the statement by the party.

The statement noted that the Global Political Agreement signed by Mugabe,
Tsvangirai and Mutambara had in many ways helped the people of Zimbabwe by
ensuring that everyone had, at least, access to basic human rights - the
right to food, shelter, health and education.

Ironically, the Mutambara faction issued a statement last week condemning
Mugabe on the appointment of the provincial governors. Analysts pointed out
on Thursday that Mutambara's divergent remarks were an indication that his
MDC was disintegrating.
 

Diaspora draft constitution ready for submission to COPAC

http://www.swradioafrica.com/

By Tichaona Sibanda
22 October 2010

A draft constitution produced by exiled Zimbabweans is to be presented to
the COPAC management committee before the deadline for submissions next week
Tuesday.

Diaspora groups, representing almost four million Zimbabweans living in
exile have had an input in the draft, after getting the go-ahead from COPAC
to contribute to the formulation of a new constitution for the country.

Zimbabweans living outside the country, except diplomats have not been
allowed to vote since independence and want to contribute to the democratic
process to ensure that their views are reflected, especially on issues
regarding dual citizenship and voting rights.

Zimbabwe Exiles Forum executive director Gabriel Shumba, who is in charge of
correlating submissions from diaspora groups said the draft was almost
complete and would be dispatched before the deadline on Tuesday.

"I'm glad to say it's almost done. We never in our wildest dreams expected
to get the response we've had from Zimbabweans living in exile. The
submissions were so overwhelming we had to go through all of them to ensure
we captured the views of groups dotted around the globe," said Shumba.

Unsurprisingly, on citizenship, the diaspora groups say everyone born in or
outside Zimbabwe is a Zimbabwean citizen by birth if either of his or her
parents is a Zimbabwean citizen at the time of birth.

Currently Zimbabweans lose their rights to vote if they stay outside their
constituency for two years and the feeling now is the diaspora community
should be allowed to cast their votes in general elections from outside the
country.

The former ZANU PF government has been keen to take money from the diaspora
community in the past but has never wanted their votes. In 2005 they
encouraged the diaspora community to send much needed money home through the
'Homelink Money Transfer' system. There is, however, no such system to
collect overseas postal votes. Exiles have not been allowed to vote from
outside the country since independence.

A copy of the draft, in SW Radio Africa's possession, advocates for a
president to be elected directly by the people and who should not be in
office for more than two five year terms.

Any appointments to positions such as the head of the Army, Airforce,
Police, Prison service and the CIO must done by the President with the
advice and approval of Parliament.

A submission on the Security Services Commission reads, 'Such appointment
must be based on their experience in administration and professional
qualifications. These persons must be apolitical, impartial and
non-partisan.'

The Zimbabwean diaspora groups have also requested COPAC to include them in
future processes and structures such as the thematic committees, the second
national stakeholders' conference, the drafting stage and the constitutional
referendum.

During a consultative meeting with Zimbabwe Diaspora groups in South Africa
last month, COPAC co-chairpersons Douglas Mwonzora (MDC-T) and Paul Mangwana
(ZANU PF) assured them their views will be taken and made part and parcel of
the final product.

Dispossessed Dutch farmers file compensation suit in court

http://www.swradioafrica.com/

By Alex Bell
22 October 2010

Thirteen former commercial farmers of Dutch origin, whose farms were seized
by Robert Mugabe's government, have approached a court in America in an
attempt to seek compensation for the losses.

The group is trying to get the court to seize funds and assets from four
State owned companies, namely the Minerals Marketing Corporation of
Zimbabwe, the Zimbabwe Mining Development Corporation, the Industrial
Development Corporation of Zimbabwe and Agribank. The Reserve Bank of
Zimbabwe has also been named in the court application.

The 13 farmers filed an application in a New York court seeking compensation
for their farms and movable assets they value at more than 10 million euros.
The state owned companies have jointly countered the application saying they
are not an extension of the government and are stand-alone entities.

The court action by the Dutch farmers comes after they were granted an award
by the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes in
Washington, last year. The farmers then sought compensation from the
government through the Ministry of Finance. But last October, Finance
Minister Tendai Biti wrote to them saying the country did not have the
money.

The farms in question were acquired between 2001 and 2003 as part of Mugabe's
land grab campaign, and the seizures were a direct contravention of the
bilateral investment protection agreement signed by the Netherlands and
Zimbabwe in 1996.

John Worsley-Worswick from Justice for Agriculture (JAG) said that the
government has been given more than enough time to compensate the farmers
and are effectively in contempt of court. The JAG official said farmers are
left with no choice by to seek international assistance for redress, and
added JAG fully supports these efforts.

Econet launches Zim's first broadband service

http://www.thezimbabwean.co.uk

Written by Martin
Friday, 22 October 2010 17:22

HARARE - Zimbabwe's largest mobile phone operator Econet Wireless last week
launched the country's first nationwide broadband service after unveiling a
US$100million network covering the major cities.

Econet Wireless chief executive Douglas Mboweni said Econet Broadband was
the most ambitious project undertaken by the company since its launch in
1998, adding that broadband connectivity was crucial in the reconstruction
of Zimbabwe's economy.

"We have essentially connected Zimbabwe to the global digital economy,"
Mboweni said. The network uses the latest 3G and WiMax technology and is
linked together by a fibre optic transmission system, with satellite back-up
to ensure reliability.

To cater for the different preferences of customers, Econet is offering
solutions for mobile, home and office internet use.

The "On The Go" package is offered to subscriber on the move who would
access the service using data-capable mobile phones.

Econet Broadband's home solution, "@HOME", offers internet access at home,
allowing users to use the web for business, school or leisure.

For the business user, Econet offers a package known as "@WORK"

Court ruling exposes police - lawyers

http://www.dailynews.co.zw

By Guthrie Munyuki
Friday, 22 October 2010 14:57

HARARE - Lawyers representing Renaissance Financial Holdings chief executive
officer Patterson Timba and his brother say a magistrate court ruling
freeing their clients has exposed unprofessionalism by some senior members
of the police force.

Innocent Chagonda of Atherstone and Cook, in welcoming the ruling setting
Timba and his brother, Stephenson, free, said it was obvious that the state
case would crumble.

"The ruling is not a surprise. It is a confirmation of an obvious position
that the dispute was entirely a civil matter which never warranted police
involvement in the first place.

"We are happy with the judiciary pronouncements which are a bad indictment
on the professionalism of some of the senior police officers who were behind
the prosecution of these innocent people," Chagonda told Daily News.

Police spokesman, Wayne Bvudzijena, said their job was to investigate
complaints brought before them and would not make unilateral decisions on
them.

"We forward the evidence to the courts that make their own rulings. There is
nothing wrong with us doing that," he said.

On Wednesday, magistrate Vongai Muchuchuti set free the Timba brothers who
were facing charges of using fraudulent documents to seize ownership of
Glencairn Mine, which has gold claims in Kadoma.

"It is disheartening when matters that have nothing to do with thecriminal
law are brought before the criminal courts," said Muchuchuti.

"Appointments of directors in a company and the matrices used to appoint
such are civil matters which have no business in the criminal courts."

"How the matter came before this court after the brilliant and instructive
note written by Mr (Chief Law Officer Chris) Mutangadura of the AG's office
explaining why prosecution was being denied boggles the mind," Muchuchuti
ruled.

Mutangadura, in a note in possession of The Daily News, hinted police acted
unprocedurally by dabbling in a civil matter that had no bearing in the
criminal court.

As predicted, Mutangadura's note punched holes into the police case which
received a hammer blow from Muchuchuti who ruled that the investigating
officer in the case did not understand the company law relating to
memorandum of understanding and articles of association.

"We have always maintained that the behaviour by some of the senior police
officials was suspicious and this ruling has removed whatever doubts were
there," said Chagonda.

The top Harare lawyer had previously written to the police expressing his
dismay at the way they had handled his clients' case in the run up to their
arrest which led to the arraignment before the courts.

"The manner in which the matter has been handled is a clear indication of
the personal interests of some police officers in this matter," reads part
of the letter.

"What was most surprising to our client was the fact that there was more
attention by the police on the complaint filed by Rushwaya (the
complainant). Lip service was paid to our clients' complaint."

Zimbabwe to produce ethanol fuel in 2011

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

By Staff Reporter
Friday, 22 October 2010 12:17

HARARE - The construction of the biggest ethanol plant in Africa at
Chisumbanje in Chipinge has gathered momentum with indications that Zimbabwe
could start getting cheap ethanol fuel by March 2011.

Green Fuel, the ethanol distillery company spearheading the project which on
completion will employ over 7000 people, said yesterday that they had
imported a state of the art plant from Brazil expected to produce ethanol
sufficient enough to meet the country's requirements.

The ethanol project is also expected to produce by-products that will
include stock feeds and 18 megawatts electricity for the national grid
during the first phase of the project.

The ethanol project has been accorded National Project Status by government
in recognition of the massive revenue inflows to be realised when ethanol
production commences early next year.

In a statement, Green Fuel general manager, Graeme Smith said: "Our original
target for commencement of production was October this year. However, this
had to be reviewed owing to the logistical challenges experienced in the
importation of the plant. Delivery of the equipment was help up by strikes
in RSA ports earlier in the year.

"Plans to complete the plant by March next year are on course despite the
challenges experienced in bringing in the plant from Brazil. The ethanol
site is a hive of activity as project managers apply all their resources to
ensure that the March 2011 deadline is achieved," said Smith.

The ethanol project in Chisumbanje forms part of a Build Operate and
Transfer Agreement entered into between the Agricultural Rural Development
Authority (ARDA) and a consortium of private investors, Macdom and Rating
Investments.

The agreement says Arda provides land for the project while the investors
mobilise capital resources.

Turning to the issue of sugarcane from their fields which is harvested and
sent to Triangle for processing, Smith said it was due to the fact that
their cane had matured before the completion of the plant so they had to
take protective measures.

"The crops harvested are being sent directly to Triangle for processing
simply because the cane matured before completion of our own production
plant. We are generally happy with the yield we are getting from the
plantation.

"Infact, we are getting about 170 tonnes of sugarcane from each hectare,
about 1300 hectares are being harvested and we are still expanding in terms
of the hectrage to be planted. Presently we are just under 4000 hectares in
total and by the end of the first phase of the project we should have
planted about 20 000 hectares," said Smith.

Zimbabwe is trying to follow the example of Brazil where there are no longer
any vehicles running on pure gasoline and their mandatory fuel blend is 25
percent anhydrous ethanol and 75 percent gasoline.

According Green Fuel, benefits to the public will be "cheaper, higher
performing fuel that is good for the environment."

"Zimbabweans will be able to experience the same benefits next year when
Green Fuel ethanol is introduced to the market," said Smith in the
statement.

Mugabe’s Cousin Grabs Chieftainship

http://news.radiovop.com/

22/10/2010 18:43:00

Gutu, October 22, 2010 - Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe’s distant cousin
has grabbed the Serima chieftainship from its rightful owners in a move that
has incensed the locals who feel they have been robbed.

Mugabe travelled to Gutu Thursday to install Vengesai Rushwaya. Normally
this function is reserved for the Minister of Local Government, Ignatious
Chombo.

Rushwaya (35) is originally from Zvimba, the president’s rural home area.

Rushwaya once made headlines after assaulting a Movement for Democratic
Change (MDC-T) youth with a brick before making a false report to the police
that he was the one assaulted.

“I did not come here at the invitation of Zanu (PF) or on government
business. I came here on the invitation of Rushwaya, my brother, from
Zvimba. I urge you to like him and respect him,” Mugabe said.

“We do not want to here of court battles over the chieftainship. You have to
respect Rushwaya,” Mugabe said.

Sources said the battle over the Serima chieftainship dragged to the courts
for several years but Rushwaya finally wrestled the power using the
political muscle of Mugabe.

“We have been robbed. Our land, our control of Gutu has gone to Mugabe’s
cousin, who came in Gutu after he was given a piece of land by our
grandfathers. Now he wants to get the lion’s share. It is unfair, but we
have nowhere to complain,” said a source.

At the same occassion hungry villagers in the drought prone area appealed to
Mugabe for food handouts following poor rains.

“Mr President, we are almost dying. We had poor harvests due to drought. We
need your urgent help or else we will starve,” pleaded one villager.

“We had poor rains last year and many people hardly harvested anything.
About 1 000 people in the province are in need of food handouts. The most
affected are Gutu, Zaka and Chivi districts,’ Masvingo provincial governor
and Resident Minister, Titus Maluleke.

In response, Mugabe said:  “We will introduce food for work schemes where
people will be rehabilitating roads and getting money in return.”
 

Last chance to complete Sokwanele's Constitution Survey!

Sokwanele - Enough is Enough - Zimbabwe
PROMOTING NON-VIOLENT PRINCIPLES TO ACHIEVE DEMOCRACY

Last chance to complete Sokwanele's Constitution Survey!
Sokwanele : 22 October 2010

On August the 6th 2010, Sokwanele launched a constitution survey, available to complete online and via MS Word for those who preferred to work through the questions offline. We have had a very good response, and we thank everyone who has taken part. We are especially appreciative of the efforts made by the many Zimbabweans who completed the survey online despite slow internet connections, or who requested we send them the form in MS Word format via email even though it is a large file.

Mugabe hijacks Big Brother frenzy 'for political gain'

Zimbabweans feel Munyaradzi Chidzonga was cheated of victory on the reality TV show

Political analysts have criticised Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe for handing over $300,000 (about £191,000) to the runner-up of Big Brother Africa.

Munyaradzi Chidzonga narrowly lost out to a Nigerian contestant, who won the reality TV show's $200,000 prize money.

A close Mugabe ally started a campaign to raise the $300,000 as many people felt voting on the show was unfair.

Analyst Takura Zhangazha told the BBC Mr Chidzonga's fame had been hijacked for political purposes.

'Mascot'

The BBC's Brian Hungwe in Harare says there has been a strong sense of injustice amongst Zimbabweans that their Big Brother housemate was robbed of final victory in the final of the Mnet show on Sunday.

He received a hero's welcome at Harare airport on his arrival home on Wednesday and was immediately whisked off to State House, he says.

Later that evening, state television showed footage of Mr Mugabe handing over the $300,000 cheque, a third more than Mr Chidzonga would have got had he won the show in which contestants are voted off by viewers.

"It is being presented as some anti-Mugabe conspiracy by Mnet and the West"

Takura Zhangazha Political analyst

 

"From our point of view, for us, you were the winner," AFP news agency quoted Mr Mugabe as telling the Big Brother runner-up, who later said he was grateful and surprised by the handout.

Mr Zhangazha said it was all part of a Zanu-PF ploy to appeal to young middle-class voters, ahead of elections which could be as early as next year.

"They want to spin Munya's declared admiration of President Mugabe as evidence of the latter's reach to younger Zimbabweans," he said.

"They will use Munya as a mascot at rallies."

His loss has also been spun by Zanu-PF into the anti-sanctions debate, said Mr Zhangazha.

"It is being presented as some anti-Mugabe conspiracy by Mnet and the West."

Mr Mugabe has been sharing power with rival Morgan Tsvangirai under a deal - worked out after disputed 2008 elections - in order to halt their country's economic collapse.

But last week he expressed his frustration about constant wrangling within the coalition government, saying the lifespan of the political accord had reached its end.

Election call raises fears of more violence

Photo: HUBO/Kubatana

Fears mount of a return to election violence

Harare, 22 October 2010 (IRIN) - A call by President Robert Mugabe to hold national elections in 2011 and end any possibility of extending the government of national unity (GNU) has been greeted with concern by NGOs, fearing a surge in political violence.

"We want to get to elections and get into a situation where ZANU-PF can rule the country. We do not want to pass June [2011] without elections. We want acceleration of the pace [to ensure that the polls are held]," Mugabe, who has been in power since independence from Britain in 1980, told a ZANU-PF women's league meeting recently.

Zimbabwe's unity government was formed after the violent parliamentary and presidential elections in 2008, when ZANU-PF lost its parliamentary majority for the first time since independence and Mugabe became president after his main opponent, Morgan Tsvangirai, leader of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) and now prime minister, withdrew from the poll in protest against political violence.

Mugabe said elections should be held by June 2011 after the two years of the GNU lifespan expires in February 2011, and has instructed the finance minister, Tendai Biti, to set aside US$200 million to fund the election.

Part of the aim of the unity government was to promote reconciliation and lower political temperatures; the MDC claims more than 200 of its supporters were killed and thousands of others displaced after the 2008 poll.

Hostility

Tsvangirai has indicated he would favour elections in 2011, but the Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN), an umbrella body of about 30 NGOs advocating for free and fair polls, said in a statement: "To date [the national healing organ established by the unity government to promote political tolerance] has not been able to make any significant impact on the hostile relations among the people of this country."

ZESN said political groupings remained "very suspicious of each other" and "the political environment in Zimbabwe remains largely volatile and tense".

The MDC has in recent months routinely complained that veterans of Zimbabwe's liberation war aligned to Mugabe's ZANU-PF party were establishing bases in rural areas to intimidate people.

Violence is our nemesis. Over the past six months, co-operation among the political parties has been undermined, especially by ZANU-PF, which is confrontational

The MDC claims the war veterans' president, Jabulani Sibanda, had established a camp in Masvingo Province, where voters switched their support from ZANU-PF to the MDC in 2008, and was forcing people to declare their allegiance to ZANU-PF.

Sibanda has denied the allegations and said his operation, codenamed "Budiranai Pachena" (Declare your Position), was reminding people about the history of Zimbabwe's liberation wars.

Deployment of soldiers

A May 2010 report by the Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition (CZC) said speculation about elections next year - before Mugabe's announcement - had already seen an increase in political violence and cited Marambapfungwe, a district in Mashonaland East province, as one area where political tensions had spiked.

The report states: "ZANU-PF has re-launched 'Operation Surrender', originally launched during the run-up to the June 2008 election, as a strategy to arm-twist MDC supporters into supporting ZANU-PF [and involved the] training of youths at designated bases and unleashing of violence on villagers."

CZC said five training camps had been established and some traditional leaders stripped of their authority as they were suspected of supporting the MDC, while "police are allegedly ignoring reports submitted by victims [of political violence], resulting in increased intimidation and harassment".

The report quoted another human rights organization, Restoration of Human Rights, which said 30 families had been displaced and soldiers deployed in the three districts of Muzabarabani, Shamva and Bindura in the ZANU-PF stronghold of Mashonaland Central province.

A recent CZC statement said "the militarization of the country's electoral politics should be stopped and all military personnel deployed in communities recalled to barracks".

Welshman Ncube, secretary-general of an MDC break-away faction led by deputy prime minister Arthur Mutambara, told IRIN: "The whole purpose of the GNU was to secure stability that would lead to democratic elections, but up to this day, we have failed to ensure civil liberties and violence and tension are still rife."

He said it would take a long time to complete the electoral reform process and should the elections be held in 2011, his party would participate, albeit under protest.

"Violence is our nemesis. Over the past six months, co-operation among the political parties has been undermined, especially by ZANU-PF, which is confrontational, and this has resulted in the deterioration of relations, with Mugabe and Tsvangirai getting angrier with each other," Ncube said.

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

Zimbabwe's Unity Government Unloved - But Some Reluctant to Say Game Over

http://www.voanews.com

Not everyone agrees Zimbabwe should go back to the polls - many Zimbabweans
are loath to see the nation plunged back into the ferocious political
partisanship that left more than 200 dead after the 2008 elections

Patience Rusere & Brenda Moyo | Washington 21 October 2010

Zimbabwe's power-sharing national unity government has probably spent as
much time in crisis as it has solving the many problems facing the Southern
African nation, but President Robert Mugabe's contention that it is not
worth the trouble so new elections should be called next year is far from
universally shared by Zimbabweans.

Mr. Mugabe told a meeting of his former ruling ZANU-PF party's youth league
last week that sharing power with the rival Movement for Democratic Change
formations of Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and Deputy Prime Minister
Arthur Mutambara has been too problematic and will have run its course in
February 2011.

At that point the unity government based on the 2008 Global Political
Agreement signed to resolve a stalemate in the country after failed
elections in 2008 will have been in place for two years, its term under the
GPA. The arrangement could be extended if its principals agree - but any one
party to the GPA can call it off after two years.

The unity government is now facing its most severe test to date with
relations between the president and the prime minister strained to the
breaking point over Mr. Mugabe's appointments of top posts including
ambassadors, governors, judges and others without consulting his governing
partners.

Mr. Tsvangirai recently declared such appointments unconstitutional thus
"null and void," informing the European Union and United Nations plus
several countries that the envoys Harare had sent them lacked valid
credentials. Mr. Mugabe rejected this argument and said the dispute showed
that power sharing just wasn't working out.

Mr. Mugabe said elections should be held by mid-2011, and Mr. Tsvangirai has
also been telling his MDC wing to get ready for elections - though with the
caveat that this is only on condition they will be free, fair and
nonviolent.

Not everyone agrees Zimbabwe should go back to the polls, however. Many
Zimbabweans are loath to see the nation plunged back into the ferocious
partisanship that left more than 200 dead after the 2008 elections, out of
which Mr. Mugabe emerged with a putative new presidential mandate - but one
lacking legitimacy even in his own

Some in the the Southern African Development Community, a guarantor of the
2008 power sharing agreement, have suggested that the unity government could
go on for years until its members have put in place the new constitution and
electoral reforms they agreed to institute such that the country will really
be ready for elections.

Deputy Prime Minister Mutambara has also broken with his two governing
partners on calling new elections, saying it is premature and accusing his
fellow leaders of "grandstanding" when they know elections are ill-advised.

(Mutambara, who has often been stranded in the middle when the president and
prime minister have clashed, said in Parliament on Wednesday that the
Supreme Court should decide whether Mr. Mugabe exceeded his powers. Lawyer
Job Sibanda told VOA Studio 7 reporter Brenda Moyo that he believes the
deputy prime minister had a point.)

For a look at both sides of the debate VOA Studio 7 reporter Patience Rusere
turned to Promise Mkhwananzi, a former president of the Zimbabwe National
Students Union currently studying foreign relations in the Netherlands, and
London-based political analyst Mqondobanzi Magonya.

Mkhwananzi said elections should be held as soon as possible because the
unity government is simply not getting the job done. Magonya said the
environment has not yet been created for credible, nonviolent elections.

Down to their last five rhinos

Africa Human Rights Day a non event in Zimbabwe

http://www.swradioafrica.com

By Tererai Karimakwenda
22 October, 2010

October 21 is a day set aside as Africa Human Rights Day, and on Thursday
the Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum released a very sombre statement
commemorating the event.

The statement said that the theme this year was "Realising Human Rights: A
key to Achieving Sustainable Peace in Africa." The Forum explained that this
means sustainable peace on the continent is dependent on the respect for
human rights, and this is the key to unlocking the conflict in Zimbabwe.

But unfortunately even after the Global Political Agreement (GPA) that
created the Government of National Unity, there has been no peace in
Zimbabwe. Soon after the GPA was signed, violence erupted associated with
the constitutional outreach program that was supposed to solicit the people's
views. And more violence is now expected after Mugabe announced that there
would be elections by mid-2011.

There are also political divisions between the three principals that have
destroyed the so-called coalition government that is running the affairs of
state. In this context an important day that should have been celebrated in
Zimbabwe passed with not even a mention by any of the key leaders.

The Forum statement said: "Democratic practice is a prerequisite for
sustainable peace. There can be no peace where individual and collective
rights and freedoms are not acknowledged and respected. Such freedoms
include the rights of citizens to freely assemble, express various political
views and participate in the governance of their country through free and
fair elections."

None of the values that are represented by this occasion are being practiced
in Zimbabwe and in many other African countries. Zimbabwe has not had a
peaceful election since ZANU PF came to power in 1980.

With elections due next year, it can only be hoped that peace will prevail
and the process will be conducted fairly. But signs on the ground right now
do not bode well for that to happen. And this is perhaps why Thursday,
October 21 remains a non-event to most Africans.

The day I met Rev Jesse Jackson over Zimbabwe

Rev Jesse Jackson (left) with Elliot Pfebve (right)

When I met the Rev Jesse Jackson, he changed my life, changed the way I think about my country, the course of action to a free Zimbabwe and my identity. I was privileged to have a chat with him and hand him a copy of my book now available on Amazon. The book, "Zimbabwe my home my frustration", is a detail of events from 1999 the MDC was formed to the formation of GNU. It does put Zimbabwe on International perspective both positively and negatively. Rev Jesse Jackson is World class human rights activist, the citizen of the world type man. I will have to admit that I got blessed to fight on for my rights and those of my fellow Zimbabweans.

Recent events in Zimbabwe where the marriage of convenience or is it of inconvenience between the 3 principal parties, MDC-T, MDC-M and ZANU (PF) gives a grim hope for Zimbabwe. It's not much about whether it was not going to work, because many political commentators who know Mugabe well knew that he is not capable of changing into a new political order. It was then left to MDC to use its goodwill to tame the mighty beast, mindful of the fact that it is as impossible as mixing water with water but expecting a colour change.

MDC did a good thing in coming out clean of the shady deal hence confirming what everybody has come to believe that the GNU was propping up the ZANU (PF) regime. Now that each party is going on a sole political rollercoaster, the people of Zimbabwe must be weary of which side of their bread is buttered. MDC in 2 years had injected fresh ideas thereby turning around the economy which ZANU (PF) has ruined for the past 30 years. There is no doubt that ZANU (PF) knows that it currently has no mandate of the people to govern after losing in the 2008 General elections, right? It also knows that it has no fresh ideas to turn around the country's economy right? It also is an aging party right? It also will never win a free and fair election right? One then wonders why Mugabe is adamant that he will stand and win 2011 General elections. Is it the violence machinery coming back to haunt Zimbabweans again? Well indeed violence has already started, it seems Zimbabweans generation after generation will have no right to choose its own leaders, and surely it can't be right Bob.

All peace loving Zimbabweans must come together and defeat ZANU (PF) at the polls irrespective of your party affiliation. MDC must reach out to all organizations and individuals. Let's not be greed for power, power is not there yet, what is there is the despotic Mugabe and his friends of doom.

2011 should be set aside as a year of NO OPTION BUT CHANGE!!!!

Live from Zimbabwe - Film Festival - Munich - Germany

Currently the City of Munich is dedicating a complete film festival to
ZIMBABWE.
For more information please hava a look at http://www.livefromzimbabwe.org

Sincerely yours,
Andreas Wutz

Festival director
Live from Zimbabwe
Munich 16-26/10/2010
Tel. +49-179-8030265

JAG open letter forum - No. 722- Dated 21 October 2010

Email: jag@mango.zw; justiceforagriculture@zol.co.zw

Please send any material for publication in the Open Letter Forum to
jag@mango.zw

with "For Open Letter Forum" in the subject line.

To subscribe/unsubscribe to the JAG mailing list, please email:
jag@mango.zw with subject line "subscribe" or "unsubscribe".

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1.  Cathy Buckle - Go Away

2.  Peter Dobson - Warren Hills

3.  J.L Robinson - Independent Judiciary?

4.  Eddie Cross - Once More into the Fray

5.  Almost weary farmer's wife

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1.  Cathy Buckle - Go Away

Dear Jag

On a sweltering October day I took a friend to his home in a rural
village. It was midday when we left the nearby town and we were loaded
down with maize seed, fertilizer, fencing wire, a banana tree, bicycle
and a number of bags and boxes. It was one of those days that are so hot,
you feel as if you are melting. A day when clothes are dry almost as soon
as you hang them on the washing line; when you burn your feet on the sand
if you dare walk barefoot. In the deep shade under the newly green Msasa
trees, the temperature was 36 degrees Centigrade; in the full sun my
thermometer raced up to 46 degrees. It's that time of year when all
we can think of is heat and all we long for is rain; desperately,
breathlessly, we look up, in anticipation.

The only route to my friend's home in the village, his /kumusha/,
meant travelling past my own farm - the one taken over by militant
youths and drunk, drugged men a decade ago. The one whose Title Deeds I
still own and for which I have never been paid a single cent of
compensation for. It wasn't just the heat of the weather that made
my hands sweaty and clammy as I turned onto the first familiar road.

Under a glaring blue sky without even a smudge of cloud, I travelled
through what used to be my home neighbourhood. I knew the twists and
turns of the road, looked for familiar rocky outcrops, anticipated the
deep drifts of loose sand on the verges which accumulate in the same
places every year. The names and faces of all the people who had lived
and farmed here flashed into my mind as I passed their homes. I could
hear their voices and their laughter and remember the embracing welcome
that was always waiting whenever I visited. Beautiful homes, gorgeous
gardens and everywhere the signs of production and busy farm life: men
working in fields and on fence lines; tractors trundling backwards and
forwards; big flocks of sheep and goats, herds of beef and dairy cows
- all with their heads down, on irrigated pastures, or in troughs
filled with hay, /mashanga/ (maize plant residue) and silage.

In my minds eye it was so comforting and familiar but in reality it has
all become so ugly and alien.

A magnificent purple bougainvillea against the side wall of a farmhouse
was the only thing left to look at as I passed a neighbours home. Parts
of the roof of the house have gone, the timber and beams have gone; the
walls are grey, the gutters gone, security fencing and farm fencing all
gone.

On both sides of the road all these seized farms are deserted. No crops,
no livestock, no workers, no fences,

We passed a man pushing a wheelbarrow, loaded and wobbling under the
weight of a newly cut indigenous tree, the bark still mottled with grey
and green lichen. Behind him a woman followed, thin and gaunt looking,
she had a toddler wrapped in a towel, tied onto her back. On her head,
resting on a small cloth pad, the woman carried a dozen long branches,
tied together with strips of bark. They were walking past what had once
been a prolific dairy farm where the view had always been of fat, shining
black and white Holstein cows, their udders heavy with milk. Now the view
is of nothing. Eight years after the farm was taken over by a Government
Minister, the view is of black ground and burnt bush. Deserted fields, no
sign of workers or machinery, no ploughing, planting or livestock. All
along the roadside the fences have gone, the internal paddock fences have
gone, the once lush pastures have gone, the contours protecting the soil
have gone.

Farm after farm we passed and the view was the same: derelict, burnt,
unploughed and no one out working in the lands. "Where is
everyone?' I asked my friend.

"Now that they aren't being given all the inputs by government, they are
just sitting" he said.

"But they have had ten years," I responded. "Surely by now they can
afford to put in their own crops and produce something on these farms
they took?"

My question had no answer.

My heart ached at the sight of so many tree plantations that have been
ravaged: felled or burnt. Trees planted by so many of us that farmed
along those roads: trees for fuelling tobacco barns; trees for shade, for
firewood for staff, for poles for fences.

What I saw of my own farm is too painful to write about.

Arriving at the village, my friend's family were waiting with big smiles
and a warm welcome. We unloaded the makings of their summer crop and
parted with handshakes and wishes for good, gentle, soaking rain. As I
drove away the chant of patriotism during the rescue of Chilean miners
filled my head:

"Chi, chi, chi, le, le, le."

What can Zimbabwe's chant of patriotism be, I wondered All I could think
of was the angry, alarming calls of the Grey Lourie so familiar at this
time of year: "

Go Away, Go Away" it screams again and again.

Until next time, thanks for reading,

Love Cathy

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2.  Peter Dobson - Warren Hills

Dear Jag

Warren Hills - Garden of Rest

I would like to bring to your attention and those of your readers that
this "Garden of Rest" looks more like a "Garden of Destruction". It is
not attended to at all by any municipal employee and I am sure there must
be some there although they remain invisible. Ninety percent of all
plants are dead through no watering and only those that can survive the
Zimbabwean winter such as bougainvilleas and stralitsias remain.

Perhaps more importantly, every single metal name plaque has been stolen.

The pathways are void of anybody's cherished memories of loved ones
buried there. More recently, granite plaques have replaced the metal
ones. What is of concern is - do the people of Zimbabwe know of this
destruction and do they want to do something about it? Well they can if
they act sooner rather than later and put granite plaques up. It requires
some cash and effort but at least the memories will be preserved. It is
only a matter of time before the record keeping of names and numbers of
their places of rest end up in a complete state of disarray. Perhaps
someone can take up the challenge of why the gardens are left unattended
with Municipality or even employ our own gardeners as one section of the
gravesites have done.

Please pass this on as I am sure if people knew about the disappearance
of the memorial plaques, they would do something about it as we do not
want our families and ancestors obliterated from history.

Regards

Peter Dobson

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3.  J.L Robinson - Independent Judiciary?

Dear Jag

The CFU have chosen to take a case to a Zimbabwean Court recently.

As I recall, this was done in 2003 with the Quinnel case.

It could be inferred that the CFU is lending the Zimbabwe judiciary some
form of credibility in the line that Zanu has no effect on the judiciary.

I am not yet convinced.

How many judges have been given farms?

Is a High Court Judge meant to be dedicated to the rule of law - or
rather be distracted by the offer of material largesse for politically
correct behaviour?

Remember - the magician with the Queen Mum like Ostrich Feathered Hat was
also given a farm by Zanu for "getting diesel out of a
stone."

But when the magic and diesel ran out, the farm was jambanja'd a
second time and the magician sent to jail.

Judges can also lose their magic if they do not do as they are told.

Who sent the magician to jail?

Further to that, the Campbell case sought relief from a higher authority
and was granted that relief - with costs.

The Zanu Government has chosen to be in contempt of that higher
jurisdiction of the SADC Tribunal.

We need to remember that Einstein told us that "doing the same
thing again and again and expecting a different result is the first sign
of insanity!"

It might even be that the MDC will have to think more seriously about
Einstein's observation if they decide to enter another Zanu
supervised election.

I wonder if Mudede will get the poor magician freed to get more magic
votes out of rocks?

Does MDC expect a different result when compared to the last seven
elections?

Why?

J.L. Robinson

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

4.  Eddie Cross - Once More into the Fray

The MDC Road Map for resolving the political and economic crisis in
Zimbabwe was very simple - a campaign of democratic resistance to
force Zanu PF into negotiations, negotiations for a transitional
government, the drafting and adoption of a new constitution followed by a
national election to resolve the issue of leadership of the State. This
road map has been more or less achieved and ever since Zanu PF signed the
GPA in September 2008 they have been fighting a rear guard action to
avoid the agreed reforms.

The impression that has been created by the propaganda machine of Zanu
has been to try and establish the image that they are still in control
and that the only reason why the economy is in such a state and further
reforms are impossible, is the "illegal" imposition of
"sanctions" on Zimbabwe. The reality is that they know, that
if the GPA is implemented in full, they are unlikely to be able to
control the next elections and the consequence will be a comprehensive
and humiliating defeat.

They do not believe the fiction about sanctions and they understand full
well why the economy collapsed under their watch from 1997 to 2008. They
have a clear understanding of the remedies as evidenced by
Chinamasa's skilful presentation of the fundamental economic
reforms needed to stabilise the economy a month before the swearing in of
the new transitional government.

Their biggest problem is that their leader, Robert Mugabe, signed the GPA
and now the region and African leadership in general, is actually
demanding that they abide by that signature. In particular, the
leadership in South Africa has adopted a hard stance on the issue and as
Trevor Manuel said on Thursday, "we expect African leaders who sign
agreements to live up to them."

Zanu's strategy since February 2008 has been to delay reforms and
trigger a snap election under the conditions extant. They want an
election held under conditions where the new Independent Electoral
Commission is ring fenced and powerless, the voters roll heavily
manipulated and bloated with dead and absent voters, the delimitation of
constituencies remains the same with a 60:40 split between rural and
urban constituencies, despite the 63:37 per cent split in the actual
population - urban/rural.

They want an election where they can ring fence the former commercial
farming districts as no-go areas for the MDC where they can ethnically
cleanse these same areas of all elements that might be sympathetic to the
MDC. They want to be able to control the media, especially radio and the
print media; they want to be able to conduct a programme of political
intimidation, targeted violence and assassinations behind a screen of
anonymous silence. They want to use the traditional leaders to control
the communal population and to use fear and patronage on a massive scale
to herd people towards the Zanu PF flag.

They have the diamonds tightly controlled and this has given them new
confidence and capacity. They have their campaign strategy all worked out
right down to an advertising campaign and radio jingles.

Their only problem is that they signed the GPA and now, unbelievably, the
region is holding their noses to the grind stone. We saw that at the SADC
summit in August and there is every sign that it is happening again right
now. The facilitators were here on Tuesday and Wednesday after the
failure of the principals to agree to a resolution of the outstanding
items in the GPA on the previous Monday.

Mr. Mugabe's statement at the Youth Congress of Zanu PF on Friday
was instructive and clearly showed the influence of the discussion with
the South Africans on Wednesday night. We are going to short cut the
Copac process, he said, and hold the referendum on the new constitution
before mid 2011, and then we are going on the hold an election before the
end of the year. Nelson Chamisa's statement that the MDC is ready
for an election at any time was a clear response and confirmation that
this is the thinking in the highest levels of political leadership in the
region and in Zimbabwe.

The first reaction of most people to such a scenario is - not
again, more violence and killings, more house burnings and intimidation.
In a nutshell, rape and mayhem.

I am not so sure. I think the South Africans are going to insist on
compliance with the GPA and are going to force adoption of the essential
reforms required for a free and fair election that is recognised by the
international community. In fact recognition by the major powers in the
world is so critical to the region, that they are likely to be more
amenable to pressure from the US and Europe than normal on issues such as
the Zimbabwe crisis.

What we have to decide is what steps lie on the road map to an acceptable
electoral process? I would list the following:

·        A truly independent electoral Commission with its own budget and
freedom to control the whole electoral process, independently of the
Registrar Generals Office

·        A new voters roll conducted by a private contractor employed for
this purpose

·        A new delimitation based on the new voters roll and the
political and institutional structures agreed in the new constitution

·        Full implementation of the GPA media reforms and in particular
community based radio stations and the return of the Daily News

·        The dismantling of the Joint Operations Command and the
appointment of all MDC Governors at Provincial levels to oversee the
dismantling of the State control of all instruments of violence and
intimidation and deliberate targeting

·        The promulgation and implementation  of the electoral reforms
already negotiated and agreed

·        The provision of a comprehensive system of supervision and
observation of SADC and AU Monitors of the electoral process, campaign
and subsequent elections

·        The provision and supervision  of election monitors in every
polling station  in the country and the secure collection of all signed
polling station  returns to ensure rapid tabulation of results and total
transparency

·        Regional guarantees that the results of the election will be
respected and implemented without delay after the poll.

Is that too much to ask for? I do not think so, but it is the minimum
that we need if we are to conduct a free and fair election in Zimbabwe
which will finally resolve the political and the economic crisis. Does
the region need it - you bet, like yesterday. Can we do it in the
time allotted - of course, if we work together.

Eddie Cross

Bulawayo, October 2010

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

5.  Almost weary farmer's wife

Dear Jag

Hmm, divide and rule, divide and rule, divide and rule.... it is alive
and flourishing in our "extinct" farming communities....oh yes and Fear
and rule, Fear and rule, as most farmers are too scared to "fly above the
radar" with the exception of a few courageous souls whose bravery and
dedication are admirable.  This is why we find ourselves in this
predicament.  Can we not forget the past, and move forward regardless of
"He said/She said".

What we desperately need in our farmers unions are PEACE, JUSTICE,
ACCOUNTABILITY and DEMOCRACY, we need this in our country too....

Almost weary farmers wife

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All letters published on the open Letter Forum are the views and opinions
of the submitters,

and do not represent the official viewpoint of Justice for Agriculture.

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