Gideon Gono in hiding as rumours of affair with Mugabe's wife Grace surface

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/

    * Jonathan Clayton
    * From: The Times
    * October 26, 2010 8:36AM

THE governor of Zimbabwe's central bank has gone into hiding amid
allegations that he has had a five-year affair with President Mugabe's wife,
Grace.

Sources in Zimbabwe said that the whereabouts of Gideon Gono, one of Mr
Mugabe's closest aides, were unknown - although he was believed to still be
in the country.

"His life is in danger, it is as simple as that. The danger for him is that
Mugabe's goons will now act as they think he would like," a political
analyst told The Times.

He said that Mr Gono, who allegedly devised elaborate schemes to allow
members of the ruling elite to enrich themselves, was a victim of a plot by
his political enemies, who fear he knows too much about their past misdeeds.

"Gono knows where all the bodies are buried, but he has no power base
himself. Mugabe and others wanted to ditch him. Rumours of this affair have
been around a long time - why do they come out now?"

Mrs Mugabe, 45, has been embroiled in family feuding over her husband's
wealth as Mr Mugabe, 86, struggles with poor health and his former cohorts
jockey for position and influence in the climate of mistrust and suspicion
surrounding the issue of his succession. Some insiders said that the affair
accusations were part of a campaign to discredit the President's wife, known
for her penchant for expensive shopping trips in Asia.

Mr Mugabe was reportedly told of the alleged affair by his sister, Sabina,
shortly before her death about 18 months ago. Newspaper reports stated that
a trusted bodyguard, Cain Chademana, who was present at the time of Sabina's
death and who knew of the alleged affair, was recently found dead, believed
poisoned.

Mr Gono was appointed by Mr Mugabe as head of the central bank in 2003. It
was on his watch that Zimbabwe's economy was destroyed by hyper-inflation.

President Mugabe was said to be devastated by the revelations at his
sister's funeral, but insiders say he is also furious that details of the
affair have now emerged.

Mr Gono personally raised the cash to fund Mrs Mugabe's early foreign
shopping sprees when he was chief executive of one of the country's largest
commercial banks. He once boasted he was being head-hunted as a future
leader of the World Bank due to the spectacular success of his policies.

Mr Gono's role as financier of the extravagant spending trips was exposed
last year in a list of so-called "parallel market" deals carried out by the
Commercial Bank of Zimbabwe (now known as Jewel Bank) in defiance of
foreign-exchange laws that Mr Gono is sworn to uphold. Opposition
politicians have long called for his removal.

Veteran observers of Zimbabwe's Machiavellian politics say the revelations
against Mr Gono were intended to force him to abandon some of the lucrative
money-making schemes which would have enabled the President's wife to have a
disproportionate amount of power in any post-Mugabe era. "The revelations
have to be seen in the context of the post-Mugabe power struggle now under
way," said a former activist in the ruling Zanu (PF) party.

South Africa and other neighbouring states are said to be concerned about
recent developments in Zimbabwe and have made clear that they will not
support another election victory marred by violence, intimidation and
vote-rigging.

Robert Mugabe 'ready for war' over wife affair allegations

http://www.telegraph.co.uk


The Zimbabwean president, Robert Mugabe, is "ready to go to war" over
allegations that his wife Grace cheated on him as she leaves the country for
their multi-million pound home in Hong Kong.

By Aislinn Laing in Johannesburg
Published: 9:00PM BST 26 Oct 2010

Sources close to the president's camp say he is livid about the claims that
Mrs Mugabe, who is 41 years his junior, had a five-year affair with Gideon
Gono, one of his closest friends and the head of Zimbabwe's Reserve Bank.

The 86-year-old leader is due to convene an emergency meeting with senior
aides and Dr Gono today and could take legal action to silence the rumours.

Mr Mugabe's spokesman denied suggestions that Dr Gono had gone into hiding
amid fears his life might be in danger.

Meanwhile Grace Mugabe is said to be "extremely upset" and lying low at the
family's £4m mansion in Hong Kong, where their daughter Bona attends
university.

She and married Dr Gono were alleged to have met up to three times a month
at her farm, friends' houses or at hotels in South Africa and Malaysia, and
to have intended to set up home together after Mr Mugabe died.

He was said to have been "devastated" when he learned of the allegations
from his sister Sabina, shortly before she died three months ago.

A man previously alleged to have had an affair with his wife, Peter Pamire,
died in mysterious circumstances and another, businessman James Makamba,
fled to the UK apparently fearing the same fate.

Robert and Grace Mugabe, a former typist in his office, began their affair
when he was still married to his terminally ill wife Sally, and married in
1996.

Dr Gono could not be reached for comment although staff in his office
insisted he had turned up for work "as normal".

A source said to be close to the Mugabes and Dr Gono told the website New
Zimbabwe said they were planning a joint fightback.

"There is a major meeting planned for Wednesday which will be attended by
lawyers and advisers to the President and Gono," she said.

Another source said: "Dr Gono is a very trusted individual who had been
allowed more than any other person access to the family.

"Gideon Gono needs to get this sorted and needs to clear this very fast to
restore the trust of the president."

 

Zimbabwe chief fired over unauthorised matches

http://af.reuters.com/

Tue Oct 26, 2010 5:49pm GMT

By Mark Gleeson

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - The Zimbabwe Football Association's (ZIFA) chief
executive was fired on Tuesday after being found guilty of sending the
national team to play unauthorised matches in Asia last year.

ZIFA legal adviser Ralph Maganga told Reuters that Henrietta Rushwaya had
been found guilty by the association's disciplinary body on charges of
"conduct inconsistent with her duties, mismanagement and insubordination".

Rushwaya, who was suspended in July on suspicion of fixing matches in the
Malaysia tournament, responded by referring all questions to her lawyer who
said he would comment on her sacking "later".

The chief executive was found guilty of requesting a loan of $103,000 from
Zimbabwe's sports commission, money which is now unaccounted for, Maganga
said in a telephone interview.

ZIFA said Rushwaya accepted the matches against Thailand, Syria and a
Malaysian club without the permission of its board or the country's sports
commission, who must authorise foreign trips by Zimbabwe teams.

Rushwaya also allowed former Zimbabwe champions Monomotapa to go to Malaysia
last year masquerading as the national team.

"She even gave them national team kit," Maganga said.

"The possibility of criminal charges is now a matter for the ZIFA board to
decide but there are allegations that border on criminality which need to be
looked at."

Both these tours are suspected of being set up by betting syndicates, said a
report by the Forum for African Investigative Reporters last month.

Zimbabwe's decision to sack Rushwaya comes in the wake of a probe by
soccer's governing body FIFA into a fake Togo team playing a friendly in
Bahrain in August.
 

MDC wants SADC monitors deployed six months before 2011 polls

http://www.thezimbabwemail.com

26 October, 2010 05:00:00    APA

Harare - Zimbabwe's former opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC)
said Tuesday that regional and international observers must be deployed at
least six months before elections scheduled for 2011 in the southern African
country to ensure the political playing field is level ahead of the polls.

The main MDC faction headed by Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai said the
Southern African Development Community (SADC) should deploy its monitors six
months before Zimbabwe's planned elections.

The monitors should remain in the country for another six months after the
polls to ensure there is no post-election violence similar to what happened
after the last general elections held in March 2008.

"Next is the issue of political violence where a number of things must be
resolved like the work of the Organ of National Healing ... (and) the role
of SADC and the presence of election monitors in Zimbabwe six months before
and six months after the elections," MDC secretary general Tendai Biti said
on Tuesday.

The Organ on National Healing is an inter-party group comprising
representatives from President Robert Mugabe's ZANU PF and the rival MDC
factions headed by Tsvangirai and Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara.

It has, however, been criticized for failing to foster the spirit of
reconciliation among Zimbabweans following political skirmishes that left at
least 500 people dead ahead of and during the ill-fated June 2008
presidential run-off between Mugabe and Tsvangirai.

The MDC said there was need for far-reaching reforms to the electoral law,
addressing key issues such as the shambolic voters' roll and ensuring the
full independence of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC).

Newly appointed ZEC chairperson - and Namibian High Court judge - Simpson
Mtambanengwe has cast doubt on ZEC's ability to conduct elections in 2011,
citing financial constraints and the fact that the voters roll is in
"disarray".

Critics say the voters' roll is outdated, with thousands of dead people
still appearing on the voter's register.

Mugabe announced this month that a coalition government formed by himself,
Tsvangirai and Mutambara in February 2009 would come to an end in February
2011, after which Zimbabwe would hold elections by mid next year.
 

Zim NGOs want SADC role in polls

http://www.zimonline.co.za


by Patricia Mpofu Tuesday 26 October 2010

HARARE - Zimbabwe's civil society has urged Southern African leaders to
ensure the country's next elections comply with regional benchmarks for
democratic polls requiring an independent body to run polls and that the
military not to interfere with voting.

In submissions to South African President Jacob Zuma -- the regional SADC
bloc's official mediator in Zimbabwe -- the groups said President Robert
Mugabe and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai's coalition government has
failed to end tensions in Zimbabwe and that the country's political
environment remains "poisoned with violence, intimidation and fear."

Both Mugabe and Tsvangirai, who bowed to regional pressure to form a unity
government in 2009 to end a dangerous political stalemate following an
inconclusive presidential election in 2008, have said polls should take
place next year to choose a new government to replace their unstable
political marriage of convenience.

The Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition (CZC) last week told a team of Zuma special
advisors on Zimbabwe that the: "SADC must insist that Zimbabwe elections
comply with its principles and guidelines governing democratic elections -
including impartiality of electoral institutions and non-interference in
electoral processes by the state security agents."

Zimbabwe's 2008 presidential election in which Mugabe lost the first round
vote to Tsvangirai failed to produce a winner after the army stepped into
the fray, waging a ruthless campaign of violence and murder in a bid to
overturn then opposition leader Tsvangirai's lead in the second round
ballot.

Tsvangirai, who analysts had strongly tipped to win the second round run-off
vote, withdrew from the race citing state sponsored attacks against his
supporters and leaving Mugabe to win the poll uncontested.

But Mugabe's victory was rejected by the international community including
some of his African allies forcing him to agree to form a power-sharing a
government with his former opposition foe.

The CZC that brings together Zimbabwe's top human rights and pro-democracy
groups said the armed forces remain partisan, while a multi-party national
security council that should have led reforms to restructure and reorient
the security forces was barely functional.

Other key institution such as the police and the attorney general's office
also remain highly politicised, the CZC said, adding that these partisan
institutions were a huge impediment to holding of credible elections.

It said: "Zimbabwe's security sector remains highly partisan, unprofessional
and politicised. The office of the Attorney General (AG) remains extremely
politicised and, together with the police, it has failed or is unwilling
to .. apply the laws of the country fully and (to) bring all perpetrators of
politically motivated violence to book."

The CZC, which is among groups calling for postponement of elections until
the Harare government implements reforms to ensure a free and fair ballot,
said the voters' roll remained in shambles, while the Zimbabwe Electoral
Commission (ZEC) neither has the financial resources nor requisite legal
power to carry out its duties.

"The voters' roll is outdated and requires a thorough clean-up, while ZEC
itself is yet to get its enabling law ... and the requisite financial
wherewithal to conduct its duties," the CZC said.

The civil society alliance also said the public media - the most dominant in
Zimbabwe - remains partisan in favour of Mugabe to further tilt the
political field to the advantage of the veteran President and his ZANU PF
party.

"Without external assistance from SADC and its member states in the
management of elections and in setting up mechanisms to prevent violence,
the next election may be no different from the chaotic and violent June 2008
polls, if not worse," the CZCZ said.

It was not possible to get immediate comment from Zuma's office on the CZC's
submissions.

Zimbabwe's collation government has done well to end hyperinflation and set
the economy on the path to recovery and growth.

But the administration's stability has been undermined by constant
squabbling among the partners, with Tsvangirai regularly accusing Mugabe of
making decisions without consulting him as required under a September 2008
power-sharing pact that led to the formation of the unity government. -
ZimOnline.

Harare council cuts water supplies to several buildings in city

http://www.swradioafrica.com

By Tichaona Sibanda
26 October 2010

A massive health scare looms in some parts of the central business district
in the capital after the Harare City council cut water supplies to several
non residential buildings owing to non-payment of water bills.

The council is believed to have disconnected water supplies to at least 16
buildings in central Harare and creating a potentially serious health
hazard. Most tenants in the buildings have outstanding water bills that run
into thousands of dollars.

Our correspondent Simon Muchemwa told us Tuesday that some of the defaulters
include government departments, parastatals as well as small to medium size
businesses dotted around the CBD. The chronic loss of revenue through the
non-payment of water bills remains the biggest concern for City Council.

Muchemwa said the municipality had pleaded with those that owe them money to
pay up prior to disconnecting water supplies. No-one was forthcoming because
of the huge debts they incurred when the country switched from using the
Zimbabwe dollar. The use of foreign currency meant the cost of utilities
escalated sharply and brought problems in converting the bills from the old
currency to US dollars.

'The criteria used to come up with huge bills such as $300,000 has been
questioned by some of the tenants. They've apparently vowed not to pay until
there has been some investigation to find out what happened,' Muchemwa said.

But of immediate concern to the Ministry of Health is the unavailability of
running water in some of the high rise buildings as it poses major health
problems.

There are water born diseases such as cholera that is highly contagious. It
causes severe diarrhea and vomiting that can kill a patient within hours.

Two years hundreds of people died of cholera across the country and a total
of 11,071 suspected cases were reported during one of the worst ever
outbreaks of the disease in the country. In a built up area an epidemic
could be devastating.

School children and teachers force-marched to ZANU PF rallies

http://www.swradioafrica.com/

by Irene Madongo
26 October 2010

Primary school children and their teachers are still being forced to attend
pro-ZANU PF political rallies in Masvingo and the Midlands, the president of
the Progressive Teachers' Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) has said.

For the past months, the notorious pro-ZANU PF war veteran Jabulani Sibanda
is reported to have been carrying out a reign of terror in Masvingo. In
September the MDC said he disrupted classes at Nhema Primary School when he
ordered teachers and school children to his rally before proceeding to Fuve
Business Centre in Zaka, Masvingo province. There he allegedly threatened
hundreds of villagers with violence if they stayed away from his meetings in
the area.

On Tuesday Takavafira Zhou PTUZ president said: "The teachers are forced to
abandon their work to attend a political rally, that is not proper. Teachers
have become targets of political violence, it is unfortunate. A war vet
known as Jabulani Sibanda is well known for writing letters to several
schools in Zhaka, Masvingo, Bikita, ordering teachers to close their schools
and attend political rallies. This is very unfortunate taking into
consideration what happened in terms of political violence to teachers.

"School children lose their learning time and they are also called to attend
the political rallies and they lose the value for learning, and it is not a
proper environment to learn. When they arrange meetings, they call anyone,
even from those who are in primary school as well as those at secondary
school. There are cases where the crowd is so low, so they want to boost the
crowd by the number of school pupils, they are then forced to attend," he
added.

Zhou also said it was no use reporting the matter to the police, adding that
despite discussing this problem with the Minister of Education nine months
ago - no action had been taken against the perpetrators.

European bank insists it is not ‘boycotting’ Zim diamonds

http://www.swradioafrica.com

By Alex Bell
26 October 2010

A European banking group that has previously stated its refusal to finance
diamond transactions with Zimbabwe has now insisted it is not boycotting the
country’s stones.

The bank, ABN Amro, said during a mining conference earlier this month that
it would not deal with Zimbabwe or its diamonds, citing concerns about its
reputation. Both Victor van der Kwast, a senior ABN Amro official and Pierre
de Bosscher from the Antwerp Diamond Bank, made it clear that “reputational
issues” stood in the way of their banks involvement with Zimbabwe.

De Bosscher stated that “ethical standards must improve,” and that “we will
not finance diamond transactions with Zimbabwe while it is still on the OFAC
(European sanctions) list, under an EU trade embargo as well as a number of
other such issues.” He went on to say: “We are not willing to even finance
roundabout transactions in South African rands or Hong Kong dollars, because
this isn’t good for the transparency of the industry.”

But ABN Amro’s van der Kwast has this week moved to ‘clarify’ his position,
telling an Indian newspaper that it was not ‘boycotting’ Zimbabwe’s diamonds

“ABN Amro would like to help Zimbabwe mine its rich mineral and diamond
resources,” Van Der Kwast told the Times of India. “But since the bank is
based in Europe, it has to follow European regulations and comply with the
EU sanctions currently in place against trading in Zimbabwean diamonds.”

Van Der Kwast’s clarification comes after a new Indian rough diamond
sourcing consortium – Surat Rough Diamond Sourcing India Ltd (SRDSIL)
entered into an agreement with Zimbabwe’s government to train Zimbabweans in
diamond cutting and polishing in exchange for a direct supply of rough
diamonds. The deal is worth US$100 million in rough Zimbabwe diamonds a
month to India, but Deputy Minister of Mines Chimanikire said Monday that
the deal did not reflect government policy and that diamonds auctions will
go ahead as normal.

International diamond dealers have been warned against dealing with diamonds
mined in Zimbabwe, because the mining parastatal involved in plundering the
natural resource is still on both European and US sanctions lists. The US
based Rapaport Diamond Trading Network (RapNet) has cautioned its members
against trading in stones mined from the Chiadzwa diamond fields, partly
because of this involvement.

The parastatal Zimbabwe Mining Development Corporation (ZMDC) took over
Chiadzwa in 2006, after the legal title holder, London based African
Consolidated Resources (ACR), was forced off the claim at gunpoint. In 2009
the ZMDC joined forces with two South African owned entities to mine the
alluvial fields, in a partnership that will see the ZMDC take 50% of the
diamond profits. But the ZMDC is still listed on the targeted sanctions
lists of both the US and EU and, legally, American and European diamond
groups are restricted from dealing with the ZMDC.

Abandoned Harare Constitution Meetings To Resume

http://news.radiovop.com/

26/10/2010 15:38:00

Harare, October 26, 2010 - The Constitution Select Committee (COPAC) has
resolved to hold the outstanding Harare outreach exercise this Saturday and
Sunday after there were abandoned last month due to political violence and
intimidation.

The Zimbabwe Republic Police would be on very high alert as the COPAC
resumes consultations on the crafting of a new constitution in Zimbabwe to
replace the compromised Lancaster House document which has been amended 19
times, the last being the creation of the coalition government after an
inconclusive Presidential election.

Douglas Mwonzora, one of the three co-chairpersons of COPAC, told a media
briefing in Harare on Tuesday that treasury had made available funds to
allow for the conclusion of the consultation exercise in Harare.

The meetings which were supposed to be done on 18 and 19 September were
abandoned due to violence.

An MDC supporter died of injuries sustained after clashes with Zanu (PF)
militia in Mbare during the ill-fated exercise in Harare last month but
despite the culprits being known, no-one had been arrested yet.

"The Political Party Liaison Committee met and agreed that 52 meetings will
now be held in Harare over the coming weekend," said Mwonzora, adding that
the requirements for the holding of the Harare outreach would be adhered to.

The COPAC management committee required that political parties take
responsibility for the behaviour of their supporters during the outreach
programme.

"In this regard , the political parties will publicly and in writing
contained in a document signed by their secretaries general, denounce
violence, intimidation, racism and other malpractices during the outreach
programme and implore their supporters to desist from these activities," he
said.

The document states that Zanu (PF) and the two formations of the Movement
for Democratic Change (MDC) had the prime responsibility to prevent the
bussing of people from outside Harare.

The COPAC management committee called upon the police to immediately take
action against those responsible for all crimes committed during the
outreach exercise, including the crimes committed during the disturbances in
Harare between 18 and 19 September, 2010.

Mwonzora said the successful completion of the Harare outreach will usher in
the post-outreach phase that will begin with data uploading and collation,
the sitting of the thematic committees, drafting, second stakeholders'
conference, presentation of draft to Parliament and the referendum. The
referendum is slated for the first quarter of 2011 which is expected to be
followed by presidential and general elections in mid 2011.

MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai has accused state security institutions that
included the army of disrupting the abandoned meetings in Harare,
Chitungwiza and other centres, intimidating people at the same time.

Vice President Joice Mujuru over the weekend urged Zanu (PF) supporters to
accept the new charter at the referendum even before the document had been
finalised.

The National Constitutional Assembly (NCA) has said it will campaign for a
'No' vote arguing the constitutional meetings were done in a partisan
manner, with the main political parties playing a big role in the process.
 

Finance Minister turns to prayer to get through budget meetings

http://www.swradioafrica.com


by Irene Madongo
26 October 2010

Finance Minister Tendai Biti says he is turning to prayer, hard-work and
exercise to see him through the demanding budget consultative meetings he is
having across the country.

The Finance minister is required by law to lay before Parliament the annual
budget for 2011 by November 2010 to allow for public scrutiny before
adoption. He has been meeting the public and government bodies in different
parts of the country to discuss their expectations.

On Tuesday he told SW Radio Africa that demands on the financial purse are
very high. He said they provided $2,2bn for the year 2010, of which it was
hoped $800m was going to come from the international community, but they did
not get this money.

"If we were to craft realistically a budget for 2011, it has to be $2bn. But
the expectations in Bindura alone, where we did consultation last Friday, we
quantified what people said they wanted - roads, water, schools, the Bindura
University, the total came to $8bn."

Biti also said energy, health, education were a top priority in the budget.
With the meetings raising tough issues, the Minister explained how he has
been surviving the consultative process: "It is a tough job and everyone
looks up to you. You have your coping mechanisms and exercise is one of
them, prayer is another and hard work is the other and then you leave
everything in God's hands. In this budget process we have been guided by
four 'P's - that is pro-people, principled, pragmatic and proximate. We can
have the fifth as prayer."

He was quick to dismiss the view that, seeing as Zimbabwe has a shortage of
money, the consultative meetings are a waste of time as the demands people
will bring forward are unlikely to be met.

"It is a very foolish statement. Last year we took a heavy beating from MPs
for not consulting. Then we consulted and then we are attacked. Of course we
have the money, these things don't cost money. At most consultation process
will cost $5,000 in terms of transport and providing lunch and of course we
have the money, we are collecting $140m a month," Biti argued.

 

Zanu PF will never handover power to MDC - Chairman

http://www.thezimbabwemail.com

26 October, 2010 06:00:00    By Nkululeko Ndlovu

Mutare - ZANU-PF National Chairman Simon Khaya Moyo said ZANU-PF will never
handover power to a non revolutionary party.

"We are a revolutionary party and any other party which thinks will rule
this country is day dreaming. We will not relinquish power to any other
party other than ZANU-PF", Khaya Moyo told a ZANU-PF meeting at Mary Mount
Teachers' College in Mutare at the weekend.

ZANU-PF is using soldiers to bar MDC rallies in Manicaland and the
servicemen are also directing chiefs and other traditional leaders to block
MDC rallies.

Last week villagers in Nyanga said Headmen and Chiefs were forced by
soldiers to gather at Nyamasara secondary school in Nyanga where they were
told to not to allow the legislator for the area Douglas Mwonzora to
organise any meeting any more.

There are fears that the country will soon drift back into 2008 pre-election
violence after Mugabe indicated earlier in the week that elections could
follow immediately after the expiry of the Global Political Agreement.
 

Zimbabwe's ZANU-PF Mobilizes Supporters to Back As-Yet-Undrafted Constitution

http://www.voanews.com/

Vice President Joice Mujuru told supporters at a party conference Sunday in
Bindura, Mashonaland Central province, that ZANU-PF loyalists must cast
their ballots in favor of the new constitution

Patience Rusere | Washington DC 25 October 2010

Though no draft of Zimbabwe's revised constitution as yet exists, President
Robert Mugabe's ZANU-PF party has started to mobilize its supporters to cast
a "Yes" vote in favor of the overhauled basic document in the referendum
which is likely to be held in the first part of next year.

Vice President Joice Mujuru told supporters at a party conference Sunday in
Bindura, Mashonaland  Central province, that ZANU-PF loyalists must cast
their ballots in favor of the new constitution.

The National Constitutional Assembly, a non-governmental organization, has
been campaigning for months for a "No" vote on grounds that the revision
process as led by parliament and political parties is fatally flawed.

ZANU-PF spokesman Rugare Gumbo told VOA Studio 7 reporter Patience Rusere
that the party is backing the draft  though it has yet to be presented
because it has been made by Zimbabweans for Zimbabweans.

Meanwhile, officials in charge of the revision process said the Zimbabwe
Republic police through the Ministry of Home Affairs has made an undertaking
to ensure that proper security measures will be in place when Harare
outreach meetings canceled in September because of violence are rescheduled
next weekend.

Co-chairman Douglas Mwonzora of the Parliamentary Select Committee on
Constitutional Revision said the co-ministers of Home Affairs had guaranteed
that security measures will be put in place, adding that investigations into
the September violence are under way and that arrests are being made.

A supporter of Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai's Movement for Democratic
Change, Crispen Mandizvidza, died of injuries sustained when ZANU-PF
supporters stoned a constitutional meeting in Mbare, Harare.

Mwonzora added that the rescheduled Harare outreach meetings will be broken
down into smaller, more manageable groups to prevent people from other areas
being bused in as reportedly occurred in September.

Mwonzora said the overall process remains on schedule despite delays
experienced along the way.

Elsewhere in politics, Prime Minster Tsvangirai speaking as head of the
dominant MDC formation urged Zimbabweans to register to vote to move past
the unity government which he said has not delivered real change.

Addressing supporters on Sunday at Beit Hall in the Sakubva section of
Mutare, capital of eastern Manicaland province, Mr. Tsvangirai said his
party has launched an education drive to promote registration.

Mr. Tsvangirai said elections should only be held after the voters roll has
been cleaned up and that the new Electoral Commission must ensure that
elections will be transparent and peaceful. He repeated that his party would
not quit the national unity government despite disagreements over adherence
to the 2008 Global Political Agreement.

Zimbabwe Committee Proposes 40 Percent Indigenous Stake in Foreign Banks

http://www.voanews.com

Sources said the Financial Services Sectoral Committee recommended that
foreign banks would be asked to sell 40 percent of equity to Zimbabweans
instead of 51 as earlier targeted by the Indigenization and Economic
Empowerment Act

Gibbs Dube | Washington 25 October 2010

A committee within Zimbabwe's Ministry of Indigenization has recommended
foreign-owned banks be required to sell  40 percent of their shares to
indigenous black Zimbabweans. Sources told VOA that the Financial Services
Sectoral Committee submitted its advice to the Indigenization Ministry late
last week.

The sources said the committee believes that foreign banks can only part
with 40 percent of equity instead of 51 percent as earlier targeted by the
Indigenization and Economic Empowerment Act. It recommended that the process
begin next year with the transfer of least 20 percent of their equity to
black Zimbabweans.

The banks would then sell another 20 percent at a rate of 5 percent over the
next four years.

Some economists have warned that compulsory indigenization of the financial
sector could derail the recovery of the banking sector which has been hit
hard by liquidity constraints under the country's mixed hard currency
regime.

Bulawayo-based economist Eric Bloch said the committee's recommendations
will be hard to implement. "No foreign bank is prepared to capitalize a
(subsidiary) bank where they don't have a controlling interest," he said.

But economic commentator Bekithemba Mhlanga said banks should take the lead
in the indigenization program before their assets are seized by government.

Zim improves on global corruption index

http://www.swradioafrica.com/

By Alex Bell
26 October 2010

Zimbabwe has improved its position on the global Corruption Perceptions
Index for the second year in a row, but there are concerns that the country
remains very low on the international scale.

In the 2010 index published by Transparency International, Zimbabwe scored
2.4, up from 2.1 last year. The country is now ranked 134 this year, up from
position 146. The 2010 result is a vast improvement from 2008 when Zimbabwe
was ranked 166, the country's worst ranking ever.

But while the result is a positive sign of improvement, Transparency
International has warned that Zimbabwe still has a long way to go. In 2001,
the first year the corruption index was compiled, Zimbabwe was ranked at
number 65.

According to Transparency International, in order for Zimbabwe to improve
its global standing's, the country's leadership will have to integrate
anti-corruption measures in all sectors. Transparency International
advocates stricter implementation of the United Nations Convention against
Corruption, the only global initiative that provides a framework for putting
an end to corruption.

At the bottom of the scale is Somalia at 178th place, with a score of 1.1.
Close behind is Myanmar and Afghanistan, jointly ranked at 1.4 and Iraq at
1.5. Denmark ranks as the least corrupt country in the world and is tied
with New Zealand and Singapore at the top of the list with a score of 9.3.

"Notable among decliners over the past year are some of the countries most
affected by a financial crisis precipitated by transparency and integrity
deficits. Among those improving in the past year, the general absence of
OECD (Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development) states
underlines the fact that all nations need to bolster their good governance
mechanisms," Transparency International said.

Mobile internet revolution takes Zimbabwe by storm

http://www.swradioafrica.com/

By Lance Guma
26 October 2010

Zimbabwe entered a new digital era last week Friday when the largest mobile
phone network Econet Wireless launched its mobile broadband package
available to their estimated 4.5 million subscribers.
Econet CEO Douglas Mboweni said this was the most ambitious project they had
undertaken since 1998 when the company was launched adding the broadband
would be pivotal in reconstructing the country's economy.

Reporting from Harare our correspondent Simon Muchemwa said three broadband
packages were being offered; "On the Go" for customers on the move using
internet capable handsets and laptops, the "@Home" package for home users
surfing for leisure, school and light business and "@Work" for business
users.
Muchemwa said customers were asked to send a blank text message to 145 and a
confirmation would then be sent by Econet confirming if the line has been
activated. Subscribers can then buy internet 'bundles' ranging from 1 to
1000 megabytes to allow them to connect to the internet. Each megabyte costs
50 US cents although many customers were given a free promotional 100
megabytes.

The project has cost Econet close to US$100 million and covers many of the
major cities. Previous attempts at launching the service in September last
year resulted in an over-subscription and Econet had to suspend offering the
service to new customers until the necessary upgrade had been completed.

While the economic advantages are obvious, Muchemwa reports that activists
are excited at the prospect of the technology helping to discourage rights
abuses. 'Anyone with a camera or video phone can capture incidents of
political violence and within minutes the whole world will be watching,' he
said.

Cost however will remain the main stumbling block for the service to take
root effectively. At 50 US cents per megabyte, many people will struggle to
afford the luxury of sending and receiving large files. Early signs are
promising though with Muchemwa saying in the first day of the launch
hundreds of people in Harare could be seen glued to their phones and laptops
surfing the internet.

Zimbabwe's Christian Care Shifts Focus to Food-For-Work From Aid Programs

http://www.voanews.com

Christian Care Director Forbes Matonga said his organization has
traditionally targeted the most vulnerable households, but will now
emphasize work for food programs to encourage community change and reduce
aid dependency

Tatenda Gumbo | Washington 25 October 2010

At the urging of the Zimbabwean government, the non-governmental
organization Christian Care is launching food-for-work programs in the
districts of Gutu, Masvingo province, Chimanimani and Chipinge in Manicaland
province and Mbire, Mashonaland Central province.

Christian Care National Director Rev. Forbes Matonga said the move is in
keeping with the government's general policy of expanding work-for-food
initiatives along with food assistance programs to relieve shortages.

Reports said some 80,000 participants have signed up in Masvingo province.

Matonga said the Christian Care program involves local communities in
assessing need, deploying able-bodied workers and distributing food to
workers. He noted that Christian Care has traditionally targeted the most
vulnerable households, but will now emphasize work for food programs to
encourage community change and reduce aid dependency.

What's going on at the UK Border Agency?

Zimbabwe: The threat of violence remains

http://www.bwint.org/

26/10/2010

ILO’s enquiry commission puts forward a series of recommendations

“The BWI welcomes the progress made with the ILO Commission of Inquiry and
will follow-up on the implementation of its recommendations." says Ambet
Yuson, general secretary of the BWI. "You have been through rough and tough
times and the trade union movement in Zimbabwe is still in a complex
environment. Trade unions in Zimbabwe continue to face violence and
intimidation despite gradual improvements under the power-sharing
government. We stand by you." A meeting hosted by the Zimbabwe Confederation
of Trade Unions (ZCTU) in Harare followed up on the recent report of the
International Labour Organisation, which found widespread abuse of trade
union rights including violations of the right to strike and demonstrate and
widespread violence against of union members.

Under the "inclusive government" of President Robert Mugabe and former ZCTU
leader Morgan Tsvangirai as prime minister, the country has seen the level
of political violence decline. However, much of the population remains in a
situation of poverty, and unemployment reaches 86 percent. The threat of
violence remains. There have been fatal attacks on dissident voices during
meetings to discuss the drafting of a new constitution.

The recent report from the ILO's enquiry commission puts forward a series of
recommendations to the Zimbabwe authorities including the immediate halt to
victimisation of trade unionists; creation of an effective Zimbabwe Human
Rights Commission; training on human rights for the security forces;
strengthening of the rule of law; and legislative changes to comply with
international labour laws.

ZCTU General Secretary Wellington Chibebe told the conference. "We are still
in the trenches and we will keep up the fight. We are in a position to once
again take the lead."

Listen to learn: News from Kubatana - 26 October,2010

It seems like when civil society organisations decided to professionalise they stopped advocating on issues. What has taken us backwards is when we are told in meetings, when we raise an issue, "oh you are just being emotional". I'm saying that there is nothing wrong with being emotional. What is so shameful about that? I think people living with HIV and civil society should get to that level of being emotional. When we were emotional we got things done, we were angry enough and we made things change.
Listen to HIV/AIDS activist Matha Tholanah speak about her work in Zimbabwe

Kubatana does regular audio interviews with a variety of interesting Zimbabweans. Please listen to them here

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City Of Harare: Press Statement

Harare Water is calling on all water customers whose accounts are in arrears to come to Old Mutual House, Cnr Speke Ave/Sam Nujoma St to arrange payment plans by end of October 2010.  City of Harare will embark on massive water disconnections on all out-standing accounts after that date.

For more information contact:
David 0773 775151
Luke 0774 173 604

Get active! We encourage you to use the numbers listed above to question these disconnections if you haven’t been receiving any municipal water and if you haven’t been receiving accurate and timely water bills.

Meanwhile, Natasha Msonza reckons that the City of Harare should just cut its losses: “A way forward is for City of Harare to put good billing systems in place, then start charging reasonably for actual usage. They would be amazed how much people would be motivated and willing to cooperate when given a chance to start on a fresh slate.” Read more from Natasha here

Also, Upenyu Makoni-Muchemwa reports on a forthcoming research project on emerging alternative institutional forms for managing domestic water In Harare.  Find out more

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BPRA to demonstrate against ZESA

Date: Wednesday 27 October
Time: 10am-2pm
Start: Large City Hall, Bulawayo
End: ZESA Western Regional Offices (Cnr Fife St / 10th Ave), Bulawayo

Bulawayo Progressive Residents Association (BPRA) has organised a protest march against the Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (ZESA) that will take place on Wednesday 27 October 2010 from 10am to 12pm. The march will begin at the large city hall and end at ZESA Western Region Offices at the corner of Fife Street and 10th Avenue, where a speech will be delivered by the BPRA chairperson, Mr Reason Ngwenya and a petition handed over to ZESA regional management.

The demonstration will be a peaceful one and the police have been notified.

Background

In August this year, the Competition and Tariff’s Commission (CTC) made a ruling that ZESA should review its tariffs. Following the ruling, during the month of September 2010, BPRA held consultative meetings with residents of Bulawayo in all its 29 wards to inform them of the ruling and get their suggestions on a way forward. Bulawayo residents made it clear that they are dissatisfied and appalled with ZESA tariffs and poor service delivery. They argued that the tariffs are exorbitant in light of the fact that there are rampant power cuts almost on a daily basis. Furthermore, residents called for the parastatal to review its billing system as it is flawed, as evidenced by the unclear circumstances on which residents have accrued mammoth bills since the inception of the multi-currency system in early 2009. Residents suggested that ZESA should be taken to task to ensure that the commission’s ruling is adhered to. They proposed demonstrations, legal action and a boycott of bill payments.

It is in this regard that BPRA is organising the demonstration, to give the residents of Bulawayo, the people that it represents, a platform to air their grievances and have their demands heard with regards to the issues of poor service delivery and unreasonable charges by the power utility. The demonstration is the first step of a series of actions that will be taken against ZESA until the power utility complies with the people’s demands.

Key Demands

The residents of Bulawayo and BPRA demand that ZESA:

• Comply with the CTC ruling
• Charge reasonable tariffs
• Review its billing system
• Write off all existing debts accrued on the basis of a flawed billing system
• Prioritise service delivery over employee remuneration
• Compensate residents whose property was damaged by erratic power supply
• The end of corruption by the parastatal’s employees

Contact BPRA on:

Email: progressiveresidents@gmail.org or progressiveresidents@yahoo.co.uk
Telephone: +263 9 61196
Mobile phone: +263 772 516 729

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Community radio has gotten innovative!

Community Radio Harare (CORAH FM) has devised an innovative news service (Free Voices Harare) of providing news headlines, run polls on pertinent issues and an opportunity for you to send voice and text messages.

All you need to do is dial +263 777 437 300 and get connected to our news server by following simple instructions and you will get news headlines and also an opportunity to text us messages on whatever subject. News headlines are updated every weekday.

You can also dial +263 777 437 301 to leave a voice message. Just dial this number and wait for an instruction that will ask you to wait for a beep sound and say whatever you want and when through, hang down the phone and we will have received your voice message.

Start dialling now and get connected.

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Public meeting . . .

Mass Public Opinion Institute Public Seminar

Topic: Zimbabwe's Constitution Reform: From Process to Output
Venue: New Ambassador Hotel
Date: Thursday, 28 October 2010
Time: 17:30 to 20:00 Hours

Speakers:
1. Hon. Paul. M. Mangwana: ZANU-PF House of Assembly (Chivi Central) and COPAC co-Chairperson
2. Hon. Douglas Mwonzora: MDC-T House of Assembly (Nyanga North) and COPAC co-Chairperson
3. Mr. Silver Bhebhe: Communications Secretary; Mavambo/Khusile/Dawn.
4. Mr. Derrick Matyszac: Senior Researcher, Research and Advocacy Unit.

Chairperson: Mr. Herbert Ndoma

Admission: Free. All are welcome!

For further enquiries please contact: Mass Public Opinion Institute: +263 4 771358/758700 / Cell: +263 772 100 409

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Buddyz Annual Festival of the Arts

When: 29 - 31 October 2010
Where: Harare Gardens

Mainly targeted at the youth and young adults of Zimbabwe, the festival is an annual event celebrating the use of arts as a vehicle for development and empowerment of communities.

This year’s line up includes:

• Theatre Performances
• Music Performances
• Poetry
• Traditional/Contemporary Dance
• Workshops
• Exhibitors

To find out more contact Patsime Trust: +263 4 776188/776627, +263 4 2917355, info@patsime.org.zw, www.patsime.org.zw

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Grab a bit of culture!

Literary Discussion: ‘Poetry & Identity’

The Book Café, Fife Ave, Harare
Thursday 28 October 2010
5.30-7pm

The Book Café presents another fascinating literary discussion on Thursday 28 October from 5.30pm, on “Poetry and Identity”, welcoming American writer and translator Richard Zenith and all Harare readers and writers to explore and discuss the many facets of Portuguese poet and writer Fernando Pessoa. Pessoa believed in the right of individual free expression in speech and lifestyle, including sexual preference.  His “being plural like the universe”, which he suggested we all should do, was about freeing ourselves up from the idea of a fixed, inflexible notion of self, so that we can realize the conflicting tendencies and drives that inhabit us.

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Corporate Social Responsibility Seminars

Have any of these questions crossed your mind:

• Good corporate governance and corporate social responsibility (CSR): what is the link?
• Is there a policy and strategic plan to guide the company on corporate social responsibility when we are in the red, when profits are slim and when business is booming?
• What is the link between our core business and the area sector and activities for our social corporate responsibility?
• Is there any risk associated with doing well in society? How do you know and access that knowledge?
• What are the benefits of social corporate responsibility? To who? How are they measured?  Why do it in the first place?
• Smart partnerships for CSR without compromising core business.

Southern Intelligence Presents the following life changing seminars:

• Seminar I: Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Governance for Corporate Senior Managers, Board Members and Business Owners (9 November 2010)
• Seminar II: Corporate Social responsibility (CSR) -Implementation  (11, 12 November 2010)
• Seminar III:  Capacity building for Faith Based and Community Based Organisations responses to Children and Youth living under challenging circumstances (16 – 18 November 2010)

Find out more here

To register contact: Anna or Miniyothabo on tusanani@gmail.com or sinteligence1@hotmail.com Tel: +263 4 302477, Mobile +263 775 393 141, +263 775 708 796
Other Numbers +263 772 282 893 & +263 772 338 446

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Workshop: Fundraising Fundamentals

As the role of NGOs has become more apparent in Zimbabwe, evidently there is an increased number of NGOs being borne every year.  In most cases those organisations that work on the ground and support work in the communities normally get the short end of the stick and are actually financially constrained to the extent that some of the organisations are near closure.  Due to a lack of relevant information or inappropriate exposure to the global trends in terms of fundraising, some organisations fail to solicit and successfully raise the required resources for their programmes.

With this background KFM Consultants and SCG Consulting will be hosting a workshop on Fundraising Fundamentals to give NGOs the knowledge and further develop their fundraising skills to enable practitioners and representatives of the organisations to be more confident and well equiped to solicit funds in this competitive environment.

Learning Objectives:

• Understanding the overall fundraising environment in the current  operating environment in Zimbabwe (looking at a global context)
• Understanding the basic principles of fundraising and the donor mapping process
• Application of the different concepts through understanding the i) Fundraising Strategy Development Process ii) Proposal Writing iii) Budgeting principles and preparation.

Expected Results:

It is expected that after the workshop the participants will have gained fundraising skills that will provide some long term benefits such as:

• Evident increase in the resource base of their organisations.
• Improved programming of  organisations in their various areas of expertise
• Having strong fundraising systems that are internalized
• Increasing the confidence of potential fundraising partners due to assurance of increased accountability.  
• Professional and up to date fundraising techniques used by civil society organizations

Who should attend?

An organisation cannot operate and implement its programmes without funds; this makes the fundraising function within the organization a key function which cannot be compromised.  It is therefore important that orgasnisation leadership and personnel directly involved in the fundraising function of the organisation attend and these include:

• Executive Directors
• Programme Directors
• Operations Directors
• Programme Officers and Coordinators
• Finance Managers and Accountants

Workshop Content:

• What is Fundraising - Definitions, Objectives , Why Fundraise
• The Fundraising Process - Prospecting, Cultivating, Soliciting Funds, Compliance and Reporting
• Where are the funds? - Sources of funds, Trends in Fundraising, Challenges in Fundraising, Funding Partnerships (including communicating with the funders )
• Strategy Development - What is a fundraising strategy, Issues to consider when developing a strategy Whose responsibility is it to fundraise
• Proposal Writing - Is my proposal fundable
• Budget Preparation - What budgeting skills are required to prepare a winning budget
• Standards and Accountability - Ensuring that all fundraising practices are ethical

The workshop will be co facilitated by Kudzai Midzi the Managing Consultant who has extensive experience working with NGOs in different parts of Africa in various issues around financial management and Shupikai Gwabuya the Managing Consultant of SCG Consulting who has in-depth experience in project management, grant making and fundraising in Southern Africa.

Dates: 25 and 26 November 2010

Cost: US$300 per participant

Venue: Occasions at Seasons in Harare Zimbabwe

Booking: Contact Tafadzwa Dihwa on +263 773 251 853 or +263 4 747628. Alternately you may send an email on information@kfm.co.zw

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What’s new on Kubatana blogs

Amanda Atwood compiles text messages and emails that Kubatana has received on the issue of Munya’s US$300 000 gift. In Munya’s “compensation for depression”, Natasha Msonza questions the motivation of the businessmen gift-givers in the face of the numerous charities that deserve Real Help. Upenyu Makoni-Muchemwa names and shames a reckless combi driver and Thandi Mpofu has some fun developing a soap opera called All My Diamonds

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Emails of the week . . .

Thank you for the offer to comment on Service Delivery in Zimbabwe. One particular issue is the cost of Communicating through our various telephone, email & Internet service providers. A typical individual’s minimum telephone charges in Zimbabwe (including email and limited Internet access) are in the region of US$60.00 per month and this is when the user is very careful and economical in its use. To put things in perspective, in Europe (UK for example) one can obtain full Internet access 24 hrs per month for British Pounds 21.50 (US$ 36.00). This charge covers FREE telephone calls throughout Europe, full Internet & email access and use 24hrs per day. Another example is that one can phone abroad (Zimbabwe) from the UK for 2 pence (3 US cents) per minute whereas we are charged 5 US cents/minute for a local call. One asks ''where is the logic''! If Zimbabwe is to be compete with other nations SURELY all other service providers of Electricity (although I believe current tariffs are reasonable), Water and Rates (Extortional), and rentals, have to be set at affordable/realistic levels so we can compete on an '' equal footing''. - Kubatana subscriber in Bulawayo

Traffic safety concerns us all - it is therefore obligatory to report every pothole, every non-working robot, and every non-working streetlight to the nearest police station, failure to do so will result in your vehicle being impounded and a maximum jail sentence for the driver of one weekend. In case of a custodian sentence your relatives may retrieve the working jack and a maximum of two breakdown triangles from the vehicle! - Kubatana subscriber in Harare

A lot of people are allegedly obtaining drivers licences over the counter like bread. Very young people are driving commuter omnibuses without drivers’ licences everyday passing through roadblocks. Commuter omnibus drivers are just a menace in our roads as they are reckless, just drive in any lane, stop at any point, does not even care others are using the roads and putting the lives of many into serious risk. What has so far been done about the problem - nothing? - Kubatana subscriber in Harare

If you would like to read more comments from Zimbabweans regarding the new road safety regulations, please click here

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Featured articles . . .

Zimbabweans Urged to Take Responsibility

International Relations and Cooperation Minister, Maite Nkoana-Mashabane, has criticised Zimbabweans and the leadership of the country for continuing to blame South Africa for their problems. Speaking at a University of Pretoria lecture on the role the country will be playing during its two-year term as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, Nkoana-Mashabane, pointed out that, "I think we are going to move faster, quicker and more democratic the day we hold Zimbabweans responsible for the decisions they take." She also said it is premature for the leadership to insist on holding elections next year without first concluding a new constitution as required by the political agreement they made. More of this article from Business Day here

She will overcome

Jenni Williams has been jailed more often than she can remember.  Yet she refuses to give up the fight for justice.

Two years after the formulation of Zimbabwe’s unity government, Jenni Williams, firebrand activist and leader of Women of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA), says that very little has changed.

“Very little social justice has been delivered by political leaders. Human rights defenders and ordinary people are still harassed frequently,” Williams (48) said in an interview this week.

Williams was freed from jail in late September after securing the release of 83 women arrested after a peaceful demonstration against police brutality. Woza is based on the principle of peaceful resistance – thus its slogan “Woza Moya” (Come healing spirit), which can often be seen daubed on surfaces in public spaces.

“With coalition government came dollarisation, which increased instances of crime,” Williams said. “It has become hard for an already underpaid and corrupt police [force] to clamp down. In Zimbabwe anyone can be arrested at any time, especially in the middle of the month when officers are broke. “The big criminals exploit police poverty and bribe their way out of trouble, but democratic space for human rights defenders remains limited. There’s a constant threat of a recurrence of the violence that we witnessed in 2008, as seen by the recent violence around the constitutional process.”

Williams said that two years ago most Zimbabweans did not have the luxury of one meal a day. After the formation of the government of national unity (GNU), there was a brief improvement.

“While food was available and affordable for a while, prices have begun to creep up without anyone being accountable. So people are back to being hungry,” she said. 
“Agricultural output has grown minimally, but our members still await a fair and just distribution of land with title deeds so that they can grow food for their families.”

With 98% unemployment, many Zimbabweans try to eke out a living as informal traders.  But, according to Williams, most of them have to sell “on the run” because of constant police harassment.

“In one instance the officer in charge told his officers he wanted sugar to take home at the end of the day. The next day he put in an order for bars of soap,” Williams said.

She lists other issues that Woza tries to address – lack of water, lack of security, poor education and health and corruption.

“The government can demonstrate an authentic desire for national healing by putting a programme in place like South Africa’s truth commission,” Williams said.  “We need a new constitution that addresses issues of dual citizenship, land distribution and the possibility of recalling corrupt leaders.

“People are willing to contribute to the drafting of a new democratic constitution but concerns were raised about the efficiency of the process. It’s doubtful that the people’s voices will be heard.”

The mother of three adult children has been in jail more times than she can remember.  She has also been on the business end of police batons – photographs show her body badly bruised after a beating.

She has ascribed her fighting spirit to her parents – an African father and mixed-race mother, the daughter of an Irishman who married a Matebele woman.  “As long as my children’s future is sacrificed on the altar of political expediency, and as long as I have comrades willing to fight for social justice in a non-violent manner, I will have the energy to continue to fight,” she said.

A 2008 study by Woza found that Zimbabwean women had suffered higher levels of trauma, including violence and lack of food, under the government of President Robert Mugabe than during colonial rule.

Her worst experience was her arrest with 13 colleagues during the 2008 presidential election.  They were denied bail and locked up for the entire run-off period.

“The prosecutor argued that we would ‘mobilise a Kenya’ – unfortunate language which we presumed to mean that we would mobilise people to vote,” she said. “We have a credible record of non-violence.  We were arrested on the day we were marching and calling on the SADC [Southern Africa Development Community] to put a stop to election violence.

“It was persecution by prosecution. My colleague, Magodonga Mahlangu, and I spent six weeks in prison before we got bail. The case was eventually thrown out of court. I was relieved when Amnesty International made me and my colleagues ‘prisoners of conscience’.”

Woza was founded in 2003 to give a voice to women, but men have increasingly identified with the demands of social justice and have joined it in increasing numbers.

Source: Stephanie Nieuwoudt  writing for the Mail & Guardian

Visit the Woza fact sheet and browse a list of their articles and reports here

Only Zimbabweans Can Make Peaceful Elections Happen

I object to violence because when it appears to do good, the good is only temporary; the evil it does is permanent. (Mohandas Gandhi)

Recent political developments such as the impasse concerning the Government of National Unity with only four months before it expires and the constitutional stalemate have made it fashionable to talk about elections as the only solution to the Zimbabwean crisis.

Many, including Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, believe that with the help of the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC), the African Union (AU) and the United Nations, peaceful elections are possible. Some have even called for either regional or international stakeholders to be deployed in Zimbabwe to safeguard peace during election time.

But our experience shows that SADC and the AU are powerless to stop any political or election violence in Zimbabwe. When they came for the June 2008 run-off, they just 'observed' both elections and the accompanying violence with the mild conclusion: 'elections were not free and fair!' In fact, it's a bit ambitious to expect SADC or AU to make Zimbabwe a better place. President Mugabe did not join SADC, but is the only surviving founder of then Frontline States, which changed into the Southern Africa Development Coordination Conference (SADCC) before becoming SADC. This means he has a lot of influence in regional decision-making. At the same time, it's SADC that advises AU on regional issues, including the Zimbabwean question. This means any decision made on Zimbabwe at either regional or continental level, is indirectly made by Mugabe.

Indeed, except for Operation Gukurahundi of the 1980s, which had an external influence in the substance of South Korea, the political and electoral violence that has been occurring in Zimbabwe, particularly after the year 2000, has been home grown. It has been organised and perpetrated by four community based conglomerates - traditional leaders, war veterans, youth militias and the 'women's league' - that work together.

Against their traditional role of safeguarding our culture, providing food to the needy (remember Zunde Ramambo?), mediating conflicts and preserving peace, traditional leaders have become an extension of the deteriorating ZANU PF structures. Their mandate in Zimbabwe's internal conflict is 'selling out', pin-pointing and compiling lists of ZANU PF opponents for the salaries and numerous benefits, including houses, vehicles and electrification provided at the tax payers' expense. The youth are responsible for administering the list of opponents and effecting 'punishment' according to instructions they receive from war veterans. The 'women's league' provides moral support: ululating, singing and clapping during torture or murder sessions.

The way forward is to destroy this network. The removal of the youth from this violence equation would make elections safer. Real war veterans and traditional leaders are too old to torture or kill. Recently in Bikita the youth refused to be 'used' in violence by war veterans. Communities must discourage the youth from cooperating with violence mongers. Instead, the youth should become the defenders of their communities against the 'intrusion' and violence, especially caused by 'imported youth' from other villages or districts.

Surely, we don't need SADC, AU, United Nations or international forces to stop us from beating or killing one another?

- By Arkmore Kori

Want to comment on this article? Please email info@kubatana.net

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The Kubatana web site is updated regularly. Here are some new articles and reports.
There are over 17 300 articles and reports available to browse.


Remaining Harare outreach meetings scheduled for Saturday 30th & Sunday 31st October - Constitution Watch 21/2010
44 constitution outreach meetings to replace those meetings that were disputed or not completed during the original Harare outreach over the period 18th to 20th September will now be held next weekend, 30th and 31st October. Details of venues and times for the meetings will be circulated as soon as they are made available by COPAC. After the disruption of so many of the original Harare outreach meetings by violence and intimidation, coaching of participants and bussing in of outsiders, the COPAC management committee agreed that the coming Harare meetings would be subject to preconditions, which were announced in a COPAC press statement of 6th October. Read more from Veritas

The death penalty provisions in the Constitution of Zimbabwe and the abolition of the death sentence
The adoption of a new Constitution provides a unique opportunity for Zimbabwe to show its commitment to the protection of internationally recognized human rights by abolishing the death penalty in law. The reduction in the number of offences punishable by death combined with the five year hiatus in executions suggests that Zimbabwe is already heading towards joining a progressive trend in Africa where more countries are abolishing this inhuman and degrading punishment in the defence of human rights. Amnesty International Zimbabwe is urging the Constitutional Parliamentary Committee to demonstrate Zimbabwe’s renewed commitment to human rights as outlined in the Global Political Agreement by taking the final step and expunging the death penalty from the Constitution. Read more from Amnesty International

- MDC-T Chief Whip Innocent Gonese on POSA amendments - SW Radio Africa - Read more
- No temporary teachers, less schooling - IRIN News - Read more

Corruption burns universal access
Corruption diverts highly needed public monies from their initial use into private hands, leads to inefficient public investment, and causes a lack of private investment. Corruption in the health sector is probably one of the most detrimental faces of the problem because life is directly at stake. If treatment is made conditional to corrupt practices, it could well be that the lives of those who cannot afford paying bribes will be endangered. In the case of HIV/AIDS, the danger is even higher, as there is no cure for the disease, despite the mitigation effect of antiretroviral treatments. The figures shown in this study definitely call for action. One can argue that informal payments are being solicited as a livelihood strategy by poorly paid health personnel. This certainly holds true to a large extent. However this assumption does not prevent a government from taking action within a health sector reform process. At the other end of the spectrum, civic action and human rights advocacy groups can hold the authorities and the health staff accountable for their results and practices. By repeating the urgency of the situation, civil society organisations can certainly help in moving the anticorruption agenda within the health sector forward and make people more aware of the serious consequences on health of governance deficiencies. To that end, well-researched and grounded work, such as what has been produced here by the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, is needed. Hard facts, as those presented here, widely distributed among the health community, will hopefully create momentum for changing mindsets and practices. Read more from Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR)

Golden key and padlock survey 2010: Survey on the most open & secretive government institutions in Zimbabwe
The duty to facilitate access to information rests with government and public institutions and encompasses two key aspects: enabling citizens to access information upon request; and proactively disseminating important information. Therefore, between 30 June and August 06, 2010, MISA-Zimbabwe sought to assess the level of accessibility to information held by government and public institutions in Zimbabwe. The ministries and public institutions assessed were randomly picked with particular attention being paid on the relevancy and nature of information they hold. All six government and public institutions surveyed had websites. However, none of the websites had updated information. Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (ZESA), for example, only had updates of faults as reported by customers and the period within which its workers would attend to the faults. The rest had out dated information, which was in many cases irrelevant. In general, the failure by these institutions to provide adequate and useful information on their operations, programmes, comprehensive budgets, employment criteria and direct contact details makes them appear secretive and non-transparent public institutions in Zimbabwe. Read more from MISA-Zimbabwe

- Residents keen to clamp down on corruption - BPRA - Read more
- Ballot update - Issue number 15 - September 2010 - ZESN - Read more
- Summary on politically-motivated human rights and food-related violations - August 2010 - ZPP - Read more

A Fourth Chimurenga, for gold
A new wave of farm invasions in Zimbabwe has been dubbed the Fourth Chimurenga (liberation struggle) - the fast track-land reform programme launched by President Robert Mugabe in 2000 was the third - but this time they are not looking to redistribute land, they are looking for gold. Thousands of unemployed Zimbabweans trying to survive in an economic meltdown that has lasted almost a decade have taken to unlicensed prospecting for gold and other minerals along the country's rivers. As more and more illegal miners crowd the river banks, people have begun spreading onto farms near the rivers; sometimes they find consenting land owners, who often collude in the illicit enterprise. Undocumented miners cannot dig openly so they sneak onto the farms at night and use wheelbarrows and sacks to cart away the rocks - which they hope will be gold-bearing - to millers who crush the ore and extract the gold. Read more from IRIN News

Working with men in responding to HIV and AIDS through redefining masculinities and ending violence against women and children
HIV and AIDS is one of the most leading causes of deaths that have besieged many families in Zimbabwe. This is despite the fact that most people have information on the AIDS pandemic. People are not changing the contributing toxic behaviours. Harmful gender relations which manifest themselves in some negative cultural practices and belief systems have been highlighted as the major contributing factors to the rise of HIV and AIDS issues (SAfAIDS Report, 2008). For example, in polygamous relationships men are permitted to have multiple wives, increasing the probability of exposure to abuses and diseases. In its on-going quest for creating a gender just society, Padare/Enkundleni/Men’s Forum on Gender has taken a step in challenging and interrogating some of the harmful cultural practices in responding to HIV and AIDS. In so doing it has come up with a National Programme of Redefining Masculinities working with eight districts in various Provinces of the country. This programme targets Men and significant stakeholders, in responding to HIV and AIDS through reflectively redefining masculinities, ending violence against women and children and promoting positive fatherhood. By redefining masculinities the programme sought to expose men’s practises and explore ways of recognising changing behaviours, attitudes, practises and beliefs that fuel the spread of HIV and Gender Based Violence. Read more from Padare

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Call for participants . . .

Call for participants in working groups on cultural policy
Deadline: 5 November 2010

One of the most important areas of work for Arterial Network is in the area of cultural policy. With the support of the Commonwealth Foundation and the Doen Foundation, we have developed a cultural policy framework that may be used by civil society organisations as well as governments develop cultural policies for their own countries based on international and African cultural policy instruments.

We have also produced introductory papers on various cultural policy themes in order to develop and project African perspectives on these themes into regional and global debates about these.

Both the cultural policy framework and introductory policy papers will be published by the end of 2010 to contribute to ongoing debate about these.

In order to ensure that African creative practitioners remain on top of the debates around these themes and that in fact, they provide leadership in some of them, and that more African experts on these issues are identified and nurtured, this is to invite interested individuals to participate in continental working/reading groups on various cultural policy themes.

These working groups will:

• undertake research, share information, ideas and perspectives on-line on an ongoing basis;
• prepare blogs, papers and articles about the subject ;
• host at least one continental seminar on the theme annually;
• identify individuals to represent Arterial Network’s on these themes in regional and global forums;
• be represented on Arterial Network’s Cultural Policy Task Group to develop and/or inform Arterial Network’s positions on these cultural policy themes.

The working groups will function primarily on-line with a continental facilitator who will drive the discussions and ensure translations where necessary, but should there be sufficient members within a country/city (at least 4), they could form a reading/working group at a national chapter too.

Each working group will focus on a different cultural policy theme including:

• culture and development
• the UNESCO Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions, Intercultural Dialogue and Cultural Diplomacy
• creative industries, the African creative economy and the African Union’s Plan of Action on Cultural Industries
• the rights and status of artists
• intellectual property

Other working groups will be created as the needs arise.

Should you wish to participate in an on-line working group on one of these themes, send your name, country and the theme of the working group you’re interested in (you can participate in more than one) to info@arterialnetwork.org by Friday 5 November. If you would like to be considered as a facilitator of the group (facilitators will serve on the Cultural Policy Task Group and represent Arterial Network at relevant forums on the theme), send a letter of motivation and a CV indicating your expertise in this area as well.

We plan to launch these working groups by the end of November 2010.

Call for proposals . . .

Call for decentralisation projects
Deadline: 26 November 2010

In association with one of its funding partners, Africalia, Arterial Network hereby calls for applications for support for projects that decentralise access to African creative goods and service.

By “decentralisation”, is meant:

• touring products or disseminating creative goods and services beyond the major centres of a particular country to second cities or rural areas;
• touring creative products or disseminating goods and services from one country to another country or to a number of countries i.e. building regional markets, which at the same time facilitates exchange and/or collaboration between different artists;
• providing access to the arts to people, communities or marginalised groups who may not traditionally have access to these.

Essentially, it’s about building new audiences or markets on the one hand, and on the other, realising Article 27 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights that affirms the right of everyone to participate in, and have access to the arts.

The maximum grant will be in the region of 12 000 Euros and should be regarded not as the sole support for the project, but to catalyse further funding if required. The project must be completed by 30 November 2011, although, hopefully, it will leave a legacy beyond that time.

We will seek to ensure that there is at least one project per African region, but ultimately, the best projects – those that most show the potential to realise the manifold aims – will be selected.

Only registered members of Arterial Network may apply.

Applicants should include:

• an outline of the project;
• an indication of how it will meet the aims of decentralisation outlined above;
• the location/s of the project;
• the time framework in which the project will be initiated and end;
• the projected legacy of the project;
• the leaders/organisers/facilitators of the project and their experience in this regard (provide copies of their CVs);
• a motivation for how the project will realise the aims of the UNESCO Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions and the AU’s Plan of Action on Cultural Industries, in building regional/national markets for creative goods and services and/or how it will realise the human rights goal to make the arts accessible to those who do not generally have access to the arts;
• an indication of the date when they registered as members of Arterial Network;
• any other information deemed relevant to the application.

Please send applications to info@arterialnetwork.org

Awards . . .

Call for Nominations: 10th Auxillia Chimusoro Annual HIV and AIDS Awards
Deadline: 21 November 2010

The Auxillia Chimusoro Awards honour individuals or organisations that have excelled in their involvement in the fight against HIV and AIDS in Zimbabwe. A cash prize and Award Certificate will be awarded to winners in each category.

Who is Auxillia Chimusoro?
- Born in 1956 at Gokomere Mission, Masvingo, Zimbabwe
- Publicly revealed her positive status in 1989
- Founded Batanai HIV/AIDS Support Group in 1992
- Co-founded Zimbabwe National Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS in 1992
- Founded Auxillia Chimusoro Masvingo Provincial Network for People Living with HIV/AIDS
- Passed away on Friday, 19 June 1998

You are invited to nominate an individual or organisation for consideration in any of the following award categories:

Communication Award

This award recognises initiatives that provide information about HIV and AIDS using various channels of communication. Nominees for this award should be individuals or organisations who have excelled in providing up to date, relevant and accurate information addressing current issues on HIV and AIDS and targeted at a broad audience in Zimbabwe. Such efforts should demonstrate informed knowledge and promote innovative responses to the HIV and AIDS pandemic.

Social Investment Award

This award recognises visionary and strategic leadership in the fight against HIV and AIDS. The nominated individual/organication should demonstrate innovation, commitment, relevance and consistency in the manner he/she has applied himself/herself in leading the HIV and AIDS response in Zimbabwe. The demonstrable areas of leadership may include but are not limited to policy, advocacy, programme implementation and management in all sectors.

Leadership Award

This award honours an individual or organisation that has designed and implemented creative and unique approaches to directly mitigate the socio-economic impact of HIV and AIDS on society. The nomination must clearly demonstrate that the individual or organization has invested their own resources to support new or existing interventions and has gone further to build local sustainability of the intervention.

Special Recognition - Lynde Francis Award

This award will be given only to a deserving individual or institution whose actions have made a remarkable impact on the tide of the epidemic in Zimbabwe. Selection of the qualifying awardee will be subjected to rigorous assessment to measure impact, relevance, integrity and quality of work.

Nomination Rules

• No self nominations are permitted
• Provide a reason(s) for nominating this individual or organisation (no more than 300 words)
• Nominations must be accompanied by supporting evidence or documentation
• The organizers shall, where appropriate, use their own means to verify claims, therefore, nominations must provide full contact details of themselves and their nominee(s)

An independent panel of judges will review all nominations and determine winners. Their decision shall be final.

Submit nominations to:

The Secretariat, Auxillia Chimusoro Awards 2010, P.O. Box EH 306, Emerald Hill, Harare

Email: auxilliachimusoro@psi-zim.co.zw

Or: 30 The Chase West, Emerald Office Park, Block ‘E’, Emerald Hill, Harare

Competitions . . .

IMANI’s Africa-wide Essay Contest
Deadline: 20 December 2010

Choose any of the three essay topics below and read helpful texts here

1. Is the free market economy alien to Africa’s development?   Discuss  (1500 words only please)
2.  What would cause you to love your country and fear your government?  Are you comfortable with the present size and influence of your government? (1500 words only please) 3. Do you believe entrepreneurship holds the key to poverty eradication?.  How does your government treat entrepreneurs? (1500 words only please)

Prizes:
1st place: $1000 
2nd place: $850
3rd place: $650 + Full scholarship to 2011 summer school
4th place: $300 + Full Tuition scholarship to 2011 summer school 
5th place $200 + Full Tuition scholarship to 2011 summer school
Other prizes: 10 Honourable mentions: $ 100 each

This essay competition is open to African students and young professionals between the ages of 18-35 and resident in Africa.

Winners to be announced on January 15, 2011

Please send your entries to: Adedayo Thomas, Publisher and Outreach Director of AfricanLiberty.org on adedayo.thomas@gmail.com and copy Franklin Cudjoe Executive Director/Editor, IMANI and AfricanLiberty.org - franklin.cudjoe@gmail.com

This essay contest is an initiative of IMANI-AfricanLiberty.org sponsored by the International policy Network and supported by Atlas Economic Research Foundation and IMANI Ghana.

Grants . . .

Research Grant Programme For African Scholars
Deadline: 1 December 2010

The H.F. Guggenheim Foundation makes grants for scholarly research into problems of aggression and violence. One program is reserved for African Scholars under the age of 35, educated and living on the African continent. Selected applicants will attend a methods workshop to refine and improve their research plans in Accra, Ghana, in March 2011, and after submitting revised plans, will receive grants of $2000 each to support their fieldwork. In 2012 they will be funded to attend a professional conference to present their findings and will receive assistance in finding a publisher for their work. Find out more

Consultancies . . .

End of Project Evaluation - Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric Aids Foundation
Deadline: 1 November 2010 (4pm)

Elizabeth Glaser Paediatric AIDS Foundation invites interested organisations/individuals to submit proposals to conduct an evaluation of a psychosocial support project for Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC) and Children Living with HIV and AIDS (CLHA) under 5 years in four districts and one city in Zimbabwe. The project implemented through Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundations’ two implementing partners namely the Organisation for Public Health Interventions and Development (OPHID) and Zimbabwe AIDS Prevention Project (ZAPP-UZ) has been running since October 2009 under the guidance of the Ministry of Labour and Social Services, Ministry of Health and Child Welfare and UNICEF. The project staff has worked closely with the relevant district personnel from the District Health Executive, Child Protection Committees, the District AIDS Action Committees, and local leadership in the communities who will be key stakeholders and collaborators in the evaluation process.

Key Evaluation Areas

• To assess the alignment of the project objectives to the overall objectives of the Foundation.
• To review the methodology used in the implementation of knowledge development and knowledge management in the communities where the project was implemented.
• To assess the major achievements and challenges of the project.
• To document the major differences including the strengths and weaknesses of health facility based versus community based play centres.
• To identity key areas of improvement so as to inform scale-up as well as improved quality of Psycho-Social Support (PSS) programming for children affected and infected with HIV and AIDS.
• To examine the extent to which The Foundation and its partners have contributed to the awareness to PSS programming in the communities they were working in.
• To review the sustainability and cost effectiveness of the implementation methodology.

Interested candidates will prepare an evaluation proposal which will operationalise and guide the evaluation exercise. The proposal will describe how the evaluation process will be conducted, bringing refinements, specificity and elaboration to the terms of reference.  The proposal should also include the roles and responsibilities and profile of lead evaluators and a detailed budget.

The evaluation proposal will address the following key elements with clarity and greater understanding:

• Overview of project
• Expectations of evaluation
• Evaluation methodology (review of project documentation, field visits and interviews, collection of data and data analysis
• Evaluation Framework
• Work scheduling
• Roles and responsibilities and profile of lead evaluators
• Reporting

Successful applicants will meet the following criteria

• Demonstrated experience in planning and implementing final project evaluations required
• Knowledge of the psychosocial support sector in Zimbabwe
• Demonstrated competence in conducting qualitative research including the development of interview schedules and qualitative data analysis required
• Excellent written and spoken English skills required
• Working knowledge of local language(s) preferred
• Experience working in rural communities
• Complete the consultancy by 3rd December, 2010

Professionals and institutions that meet the above mentioned requirements should submit their updated C.V. or an official profile and introduction of the institution with its function/roles with a cover letter clearly marked “PSS END OF PROJECT EVALUATION” including any proof of previous work done.  Only short listed organisations/persons will be contacted.

Detailed TORs for the evaluation are available at 143 King George Avenue, Avondale, Harare.

Contact person: The Country Director
Address: Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation
143 King George Road, Avondale, Harare
Telephone:  +263-4-302625, +263-4-302144


Consultant To Conduct Project Terminal/Final Evaluation HIV Prevention, Care, Treatment And Support In Prison Settings In Southern Africa: UNODC – United Nations Office On Drugs And Crime
Deadline: 5 November 2010

Curriculum vitae and application letters are sought from interested and qualified individuals or organisations for the Terminal/Final Evaluation of the HIV and AIDS Prevention, Care, Treatment and Support in Prison Settings in Southern Africa. This is a 45 days assignment starting on 01 December 2010 and estimated completion on 18 February 2010.

Activity Background:
 
HIV/AIDS is a serious threat in many countries and presents significant challenges for prison and public health authorities and national governments. The levels of HIV infection among prison populations worldwide tend to be much higher than in the general population. Since it is acknowledged that prisons and prisoners are part of the broader community, the health threat of HIV within and outside prisons are linked, since most inmates are in prison for only a short period of time, and therefore HIV infections acquired inside can easily be transmitted outside. Protecting inmates against HIV and AIDS is in the long run protecting society outside.

In 2008 UNODC Regional Office for Southern Africa launched a regional project covering Mozambique, Zambia, Swaziland and Namibia. The main objectives of this project: ‘HIV Prevention, Treatment, Care and Support in Prisons Settings in Southern Africa’, are to: (i) reduce the risk of transmission of HIV within prisons and; (ii) reduce mortalities related to HIV and AIDS in prisons.

These objectives are expected to be achieved through advocacy for improved prisoners’ and prison staff’s access to HIV and AIDS services by addressing structural issues such as rules and regulations, overcrowding, monitoring and improving general conditions of prisons, at the same time supporting the operationalisation of national policies. The project will also extend technical capacity building to service providers as well as raising their awareness on HIV and AIDS in Prisons.

In 2009, UNODC Regional Office for Southern Africa received further funding from Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA) to support and strengthen HIV and AIDS programmes in more countries in Southern and Eastern Africa. Countries identified to benefit from this funding were Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi and Zimbabwe, in Southern Africa, and Tanzania and Zanzibar, Seychelles and Ethiopia in Eastern Africa.  UNODC, in coordination with national and international stakeholders in abovementioned countries, will undertake HIV prevalence and needs assessments in prison targeting both staff and prisoners. In addition, other health related conditions could be assessed, for example, tuberculosis, sexually transmitted infections and other viruses.  he purpose of these exercises is meant to support governments to develop and sustain good HIV strategies and programmes for the prisons services.

The expected overall impact of this project is improved health status of prisoners, prison staff and all those in the prison system. The programme is a comprehensive one with activities targeting staff, prisoners and policy makers. It provides technical assistance at various levels, but also supports the development of a conducive HIV sensitive policy.  The service providers, such as CSOs, will also see their capacity increased by supporting them in the implementation of activities, but also in the processes of documenting and evaluating interventions in order to promote and ensure that only solid and evidence-based interventions are promoted in prison settings.

Scope of the Terminal Evaluation (TE): 

The Terminal Evaluation (TE) will critically assist UNODC to reach conclusions regarding the project’s relevance and performance (based on indicators identified in the Logical framework) at the regional and country levels and the degree of achievement of its stated objectives. The evaluation should provide information on the achievements, lessons learnt and recommendations with regard to:

• Appropriateness, impact and sustainability of the project, including any gaps or unintended outcomes
• The effectiveness of the mode of implementation and the appropriateness and use of national and international best practices.

The evaluation should also highlight both administration and technical issues of the project and should explicitly elaborate achievements and challenge encountered in the implementation of the project.

Qualifications, skills and attributes: A successful candidate must possess:

• Advanced university degree in social sciences, medicine or public health, with specialised training in evaluation and project/programme management
• A minimum of three (3) years’ working experience in HIV and AIDS-related issues
• Strong knowledge of analytical, qualitative and quantitative research skills
• Strong knowledge of statistical skills, including knowledge of Statistical Packages
• Ability to function independently and as a member of the team
• Excellent organisational and report writing skills

Remuneration: The consultant will receive a payment relevant to his/her qualifications in line with UN rules.

Full TORs can be downloaded from UNODC Website here

Applications should be directed to: nthabaleng.motsomi@unodc.org

NB: Only short-listed candidates will be notified.

Qualified women are encouraged to apply.

Evaluation of CAMFED’s community action for the protection, empowerment and welfare of girls and young women in Zimbabwe programme
Deadline: 15 November 2010

CAMFED seeks the services of a consultant/consulting team to undertake an evaluation of its 3 year project designed to build the capacity of the inclusive community institutions, empowering them to create a protective community framework for excluded and disadvantaged girls and other vulnerable children in 24 rural districts of Zimbabwe so that more children complete school. The evaluation will be carried out between January 2011 and April 2011 including 2 weeks fieldwork.

Qualifications, Experience & Skills:

• At least a master’s degree, PHD an added advantage, in any social science, preferably including gender, evaluation or social research.;
• 10 years of working experience in evaluation, at least 5 in evaluation of development programmes particularly those related to gender, women empowerment and community development.
• Good understanding of Zimbabwe and knowledge of evaluation of funding mechanisms particularly European external assistance;
• Proven experience as an evaluation team leader with ability to lead and work with other evaluation experts;
• Ability to produce well written reports demonstrating analytical ability and communication skill;
• Ability to work with the organization commissioning the evaluation and with other evaluation stakeholders to ensure that a high quality product is delivered on a timely basis;
• Fluent in English. Ability to speak and understand Shona and/or Ndebele will be an added advantage.

Interested applicants should send their CVs and applications to jmabaya@camfed.org

Only short listed candidates will be contacted.

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Vacancies . . .


Two (2) Data Analysts: Plan International
Location: Mutare/Chiredzi
Deadline: 27 October 2010

Plan is an international humanitarian, child centred community development organisation dedicated to working with and for children in need in developing countries including Zimbabwe.  Plan offers equal opportunity employment to suitably qualified applicants for vacant positions within the organisation.

The Zimbabwe program is seeking services of suitably qualified candidates to fill the following vacant positions on fixed term employment contracts valid until 31 December 2010.

Job summary

Provides support on all phases of data quality checking, processing and analysis for the Emergency Education Response & Preparedness Network project.

Skills specific to the post
-    Strong strategic and analytical thinking skills
-    Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
-    Advanced computers skills in Excel, MS Access, SPSS and other statistical packages

Qualifications and experience
-    A Degree in Research Studies/Statistics/Social Sciences
-    At least 3 year relevant working experience using statistical data analysis methods
-    A minimum of 3 years experience in data collection, analysis and reporting
-    Good working knowledge of MS Access; SPSS or similar data analysis programs

Interested candidates who meet the above requirements are required to submit their electronic applications to: zwe.recruitment@plan-international.org or hard copies to be delivered to: The People & Culture Manager, Plan Zimbabwe, 7 Lezard Avenue, Harare.  Please highlight the post being applied for.

Reference & background checks will be performed for successful candidates including clearances on child related offences in conformity with Plan's Child Protection Policy. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

Six (6) Field Monitors: Plan International
Locations: Mutare/Chiredzi
Deadline: 27 October 2010

Job Purpose

Responsible for collection, verification and submission of quality education statistical data from assigned schools for the Emergency Education Response & Preparedness Network project

Skills Specific to the Post
-    Excellent communication skills
-    Gender sensitive and good report writing skills
-    Excellent interpersonal skills
-    Committed, honest and transparent
-    Good computer literacy skills

Qualifications and Experience
-    A Diploma in Education or equivalent qualification
-    At least 3 years practical experience in community development work
-    Ability to work in teams, communicate and coordinate with government departments and other development agencies at ward level
-    A valid class 3 or 4 Drivers  licence
-    Ability and willingness to ride a motorbike

Interested candidates who meet the above requirements are required to submit their electronic applications to: zwe.recruitment@plan-international.org or hard copies to be delivered to: The People & Culture Manager, Plan Zimbabwe, 7 Lezard Avenue, Harare.  Please highlight the post being applied for.

Reference & background checks will be performed for successful candidates including clearances on child related offences in conformity with Plan's Child Protection Policy. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

20 (Twenty) Data Entry Clerks: Plan International
Location: Harare
Deadline: 27 October 2010

Responsible for daily data sorting; entry and cleaning activities for the Emergency Education Response & Preparedness Network Project

Skills Specific to the Post
-    Excellent computer literacy skills
-    Strong typing and data entry skills
-    Accuracy in data entry
-    Ability to perform requested tasks with minimal supervision
-    Excellent communication skills
-    Good interpersonal skills
-    Highly organized and work well under pressure
-    An effective team player

Entry qualifications and experience
-    A minimum of 5 "O" levels including English Language
-    A Diploma in Secretarial/Computer studies
-    Data entry exposure

Interested candidates who meet the above requirements are required to submit their electronic applications to: zwe.recruitment@plan-international.org or hard copies to be delivered to: The People & Culture Manager, Plan Zimbabwe, 7 Lezard Avenue, Harare.  Please highlight the post being applied for.

Reference & background checks will be performed for successful candidates including clearances on child related offences in conformity with Plan's Child Protection Policy. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

3 (Three) Drivers
Location: Harare/Mutare/Chiredzi
Deadline: 27 October 2010

To provide transportation services to the Emergency Education Response & Preparedness Network Project (EERPN) staff in a safe, courteous and timely manner

Skills specific to the post
-    Good communication skills
-    Good interpersonal skills
-    Good computer skills

Qualifications and experience
-    Class 2 Drivers licence plus a valid defensive driving certificate
-    A minimum of 5 "O" levels including English Language
-    Certificate in logistics, administration/ procurement an added advantage
-    A minimum of 5 years of experience in vehicle maintenance and driving

Interested candidates who meet the above requirements are required to submit their electronic applications to: zwe.recruitment@plan-international.org or hard copies to be delivered to: The People & Culture Manager, Plan Zimbabwe, 7 Lezard Avenue, Harare.  Please highlight the post being applied for.

Reference & background checks will be performed for successful candidates including clearances on child related offences in conformity with Plan's Child Protection Policy. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) and Food For Assets (FFA) Quality Co-ordinator: CARE International in Zimbabwe
Location: Bulawayo
Deadline: 28 October 2010

Reporting to the Food Security Programme Deputy Chief of Party, the position will work closely with agency based technical FFA staff and Food Security Programme co-ordinators. The Position includes assessing staff and target community/districts capacity levels, designing tailor made training modules on DRR concepts suitable for operating context, rolling out DRR trainings and subsequent follow-ups to ensure appropriate application of acquired DRR skills in the identification and implementation of Food Security Programme activities. The incumbent will research on best DRR concepts/practices and incorporate the same into the Food Security Programme activities as an overarching implementation methodology. The Food and Security Programme has a huge FFA component. S/he will co-ordinate design of FFA activities with a DRR lens, provide technical support in the design and application of standardised community led inclusive processes, structural designs and budgeting procedures and will travel extensively to target districts to monitor implementation, cover FFA technical meetings for progress review and planning. S/he will promote exchange visits for cross-learning and harmonisation of approaches, guide design of standard FFA work norms and payment computation modalities, support development and implementation of common environmental impact assessment tools in liaison with the M&E unit, promote implementation of common environmental protection practices for sustainability, ensure compliance to approved standards, facilitate development of watershed management resource materials, staff capacity development, document and circulate lessons learned ensuring adoption of good practices, consolidate and circulate FFA monthly progress reports.

Minimum Qualifications and Experience

• BSc. in Civil/Agriculture Engineering or equivalent
• Over 3 years experience in a management position with an NGO, implementing community infrastructure development projects, linked to food security
• Good interpersonal, training facilitation skills
• Demonstrated visionary/leadership, project planning, resource mobilisation, networking, co-ordination and management skills
• Proficiency in use of computers, including architectural design applications, excel, word, power point, desk top publishing and database programmes
• Valid Class 4 driver’s licence

Suitably qualified and interested candidates are to submit their applications together with detailed and updated Curriculum Vitae to:

The HR and Legal Co-ordinator, 8 Ross Avenue, Belgravia, Harare or The HR and Legal Co-ordinator, P.O. Box HG937, Highlands, Harare

Senior Finance Officer: The Open Society Initiative for Southern Africa (OSISA)
Deadline: 29 October 2010

The Open Society Initiative for Southern Africa (OSISA) is an African institution committed to deepening democracy and human rights in southern Africa. OSISA's vision is to promote and sustain the ideals, values, institutions and practice of open society, with the aim of establishing a vibrant Southern African society in which people, free from material and other deprivation, understand their rights and responsibilities and participate democratically in all spheres of life. Based in Johannesburg with a mandate that includes operating in ten countries in the region, including four that are in crisis and/or transition from conflict, OSISA requires an individual who is able to operate in a fast-paced environment, demonstrating superior leadership skills and an ability to multi-task.

OSISA seeks to fill the position of Senior Finance Officer. The Senior Finance Officer will form an essential part of the Finance team, with an overall mandate for supporting the Finance Director and the Executive Director in guiding the implementation of the budget of the organization. The role of the Senior Finance Officer specifically involves the following:

Main Job Tasks and Responsibilities:

Reporting to the Finance Director, the Senior Finance Officer is responsible for applying accounting principles and procedures, analyzing financial information, preparing accurate and timely financial reports and statements and ensuring appropriate accounting control procedures are implemented. Specifically he/she is responsible for:

• Compiling and analyzing financial information and preparing financial statements and supporting schedules including monthly and annual accounts. This will include the:
• Supervision and/or preparation of monthly reconciliations:
• All petty cash accounts All bank accounts including issued cheque accounts
  • All staff advances control accounts
  • All creditors control accounts
  • All credit card accounts
  • All transfer accounts
• Conducting regular reviews of the trial balance, ensuring the integrity of financial information therein
• Ensuring financial records are maintained in compliance with accepted policies and procedures
• Ensuring all financial reporting deadlines are met
• Preparation of financial management reports as required
• Ensuring accurate and timely monthly, quarterly and year end close
• Establishing and monitoring the implementation and maintenance of accounting control procedures
• Resolving accounting discrepancies and irregularities timeously
• Monitoring and supporting taxation issues ensuring that payment deadlines are complied with
• Financial audit schedules preparation and coordination of the audit process . Ensuring accurate and appropriate recording and analysis of revenues and expenses; including the booking of travel expenses met through the Amex Card
• Analyzing and advising on business operations including revenue and expenditure trends, financial commitments and future revenues
• Analyzing financial information and recommending or developing efficient use of resources and procedures, provide strategic recommendations and maintain solutions to business and financial problems

Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s or higher degree in Accounting or Finance
• Knowledge of accepted accounting practices and principles
• Knowledge of auditing practices and principles (preferably someone who has done articles)
• Knowledge of South African applicable laws, codes and regulations
• Experience in the NGO industry a plus but not required
• Knowledge and experience of email and internet applications including proficiency in the use of MS Excel and MS Word. Knowledge of Sun Accounting Systems would be an advantage
• A minimum of 5 years experience in the management of financial systems and budgets, financial reporting, financial data analysis, auditing, taxation and providing financial advice

Key Competencies

• Attention to detail and accuracy
• Ability to meet assigned deadlines
• Ability to act and operate independently with minimal daily direction from manager to accomplish objectives
• Planning and organizing
• Strong communication skills
• Judgement and problem-solving skills
• Strong supervisory skills
• Ability to work cooperatively and collaboratively with all levels of employees, management, and external partners to maximize performance, creativity, problem solving, and results.

A competitive remuneration package, commensurate with experience is applicable. The job is offered on a two-year contract. Interested and qualified candidates who match the above profile are invited to submit their detailed CV and a letter of interest to: Ms Prava Singh Human Resources Manager humanresources@osisa.org

No telephone enquiries please. Only those applicants short-listed for an interview will be contacted. The Open Society Initiative for Southern Africa is an equal opportunity employer.

7 (Seven) Positions with OSISA
Deadline: 29 October 2010

1. Coordinator: Law, Human Rights and HIV/AIDS (To the HIV and AIDS Programme)
The Coordinator will deploy grant-making and operational strategies to advance legal and human rights-based responses to HIV and AIDS in the region

2. Sexual Diversity Coordinator
The Sexual Diversity Coordinator will deploy grant-making and operational strategies to advance the health rights of LGBT communities and sex worker communities in Southern Africa.

3. Education Programme Manager
The Education Programme Manager will be responsible for assessing and recommending project support to the board of Trustees’, overall development and management, monitoring and evaluation, administering of grants of OSISA’s Education portfolio. The Programme Manager will also be responsible for networking and liaison with donors and stakeholders in 10 countries in southern Africa, including the DRC.

4. Media Programme Manager
The Media Programme Manager will be responsible for assessing and recommending project support to the board of Trustees’, overall development and management, monitoring and evaluation, administering of grants of OSISA’s Media portfolio. The Programme Manager will also be responsible for networking and liaison with donors and stakeholders in 10 countries in southern Africa, including the DRC.

5. Human Rights and Democracy Building Assistant Programme Manager (APM)
The APM will be responsible for assessing and recommending project support in the Human Rights and Democracy Building sections of the programme, and will in that section share the work with the Programme Manager on the basis of proposal inflows, as well as agreed strategic emphases. The APM will also have direct ongoing monitoring and liaison responsibility over some projects. In addition, the APM will be responsible for the management and development of information resources in the programmes.

6. Human Rights and Democracy Building Programme Assistant

The role of the Programme Assistant is to provide high-quality administrative support to a complex regional programme that works across ten countries and requires communication with a range of partner institutions. The PA role is one that requires an ability to manage budgets, to coordinate regional events, and to document or manage the process of documentation of workshops, seminars and meetings. A key role of the PA is also to communicate matters related to the management of grants.

7. Economic Justice Assistant Programme Manager (APM)
The APM will assist in the development of the Economic Justice Programme strategy and implementation work plans across the Southern African region. The APM will have lead functions on initiating, assessing and recommending project proposals for support by the Economic Justice Programme. In addition, the APM will oversee a portfolio of advocacy, capacity building, facilitation and knowledge production grants in furtherance of the strategic objectives of the Programme. The APM will have direct ongoing monitoring, evaluation and reporting functions over economic justice projects working under the supervision of the Programme Head.

Interested candidates can view the full job description of each of the listed positions and guidelines on how to apply at http://www.osisa.org/articles/careers.htm

Project Field Assistant: National Council of Disabled Persons of Zimbabwe (NCDPZ)
Deadline: 30 October 2010

NCDPZ is an organisation of persons (men, women, boys and girls) with disabilities. Its main aim is to advocate for the creation of a society where all disabled people enjoy equal opportunities at the same time working with other partners in the promotion and protection of livelihoods in Zimbabwe.

Post: Project Field Assistant
The incumbent will be a team member in the promotion and protection of household livelihoods in the Protracted Relief Programme (PRP).

Job Summary:
-    Assist in implementing the Livelihoods Protection and Promotion Programme
-    Assist in training
-    Coordinate community public meetings with / through local leadership
-    Compile beneficiary profiles and other necessary data required for the completion of the HH register

Qualifications Specific To The Post
-    Diploma in Social Sciences, Development Studies, Public Health or Agriculture
-    Experience in implementing development programmes in the community
-    Experience in mainstreaming gender, HIV and Disability
-    Experience in project monitoring, evaluation and report writing
-    Good communication skills
-    Driver's license class 4/3

Interested persons should submit an application letter with motivation statement, complete resume and 3 contactable references to: The National Programmes Coordinator NCDPZ, Freedom House, Box 1952, Bulawayo or Email ncdzim@mweb.co.zw People with disabilities are encouraged to apply.

Start Date: Immediate. This is a two-year contract with the initial 3 months period renewable depending on performance.

Only shortlisted candidates will be notified.

3 (Three) Public Finance Management and Engineering Experts
Deadline: 31 October 2010

Three positions to provide technical assistance to our client (a government Ministry)

1. Regional Budget Execution Expert

Main Task: Development of expenditure monitoring capacity

Requirements:

• 10-15 years experience of public finance management reforms
• Experience in developing expenditure monitoring capacity in developing countries
• In depth understanding of IFMIS systems (preferably SAP)
• Experience in developing simple expenditure monitoring toolkits
• Experience in implementing PFM reforms in southern Africa is preferable
• Suitable academic qualifications in Finance or Accountancy
• Required to start deliver 10 days in November 2010 and 10 days in February 2011

2. Budgeting / Procurement Expert

Main Task: Assessment of procurement capacity at prioritised line ministries

Requirements:

• 10-15 years experience of public finance management reforms
• In depth understanding of government procurement systems and the interface between procurement and cash management
• Experience in reviewing and strengthening national budgeting execution processes
• Experience in assessing government procurement systems in order to enhance national budgeting processes
• Experience in implementing PFM reforms in southern Africa is preferable
• Suitable academic qualifications in Economics or Accountancy
• Required for 10 days input in December 2010 and 15 days input in February 2011. Note – this person needs to be a budget execution expert with procurement understanding rather than a procurement expert with budget execution understanding

3. Project Management Expert (Technical Services Engineer)

Main Task: Developing capacity in project appraisal and project management
Requirements:

• Experience in building government’s capacity to appraise capital development projects
• 10 years experience of managing and appraising complex capital investment projects
• Experience of working for a range of donor agencies with good understanding of donor project cycles
• Good understanding of government project management processes in Zimbabwe
• Suitable academic qualifications in at BSc / MSc level
• Required for 10 days input in November 2010 and 10 days input in February 2011.

How to apply: Expressions of interest (covering letter + CV+ Fee Rate) should be sent with the subject Public Finance Management and Engineering Experts to consult@ke.crownagents.com Preference is given to Zimbabweans and nationals of Southern Africa

Finance and Administration Officer - Trócaire
Deadline: 5 November 2010
 
Trócaire is a Development Agency of the Irish Catholic Church, and the Agency works in Zimbabwe under an MOU with the Zimbabwe Catholic Bishops Conference. A vacancy for Finance and Administration Officer has risen within its Zimbabwe Office. The successful candidate will work in close collaboration with the Country Representative, and the Programme/Project Officers. The key deliveries for the position include general financial control, Human Resources, general administration, financial management, treasury and budgetary functions.

The ideal candidate will have:

• At least a Bachelors degree in Accounting, Business Administration, Commerce or Finance. Professional qualifications such as CPA, ACCA or CIMA would be an added advantage.
• Minimum three years of managerial experience in the financial area of a non-profit organisation or five years of managerial experience in finance in an international commercial organisation.
• Demonstrable working knowledge and expertise in an accounting, audit and administration role.
• Knowledge of fund accounting, procurement and financial management of donor funded organisations.
• Commitment to Trócaire values.
• Knowledge of Agresso is an added advantage.

In return we offer a competitive salary and package commensurate with education and experience.

Full job description available on request from sheilla@kfm.co.zw

To apply: Email your cover letter and detailed CV to sheilla@kfm.co.zw  with “Finance and Administration Officer” in the subject line.


Regional Agricultural Marketing Specialist: GRM International
Deadline: 5 November 2010

GRM International is a leading international development management company specialising in the provision of project design, management expertise and technical assistance to development projects for funding agencies, governments and corporations.  GRM is implementing a regional smallholder agricultural development project covering selected areas of Zimbabwe, Swaziland and Lesotho. The three-year project focuses on capacity building, kick starting markets and knowledge management. Availability and accessibility of quality inputs has been identified by the Client as a pre-condition for food security for smallholder farmers. To drive the marketing element, a full-time Regional Agricultural Marketing Specialist will be required for the project. Find out more

3 (Three) vacancies - Arterial Network
Deadline: 12 November 2010

 Arterial Network has work opportunities in three key areas, and applications are invited for the following:

1. French/English Translator and Project Manager
This post requires a full-time, highly competent translator to translate documents and information from English to French and French to English. The ideal incumbent will have excellent writing skills in both languages, work relatively fast, have some experience as a translator, with an interest in the arts. S/he should also have some project management skills and experience.

2. Communications and Marketing Officer
This post requires a full-time, energetic and creative person to promote and look after the Arterial Network brand, and manage all aspects of its profile and communication vehicles including its websites, newsletters, publications, social media (Twitter, Facebook, You Tube, etc). S/he will also be responsible for communication with members (ensuring translations where necessary) and other stakeholders.

3. Project Manager: Sustainability
Integral to building sustainability of the African creative sector, is developing support on the African continent itself. Arterial Network has identified the need to establish an African Fund for Arts and Culture and to develop the private sector as a key ally in achieving growth and sustainability of the African creative sector.

We require the services of a self-motivated, highly skilled project manager/consultant, preferably with experience in both the arts and business sectors to drive our sustainability strategies i.e. the African Fund for Arts and Culture, the business sponsors of the arts network, etc.. S/he should be able to travel extensively.

Interested applicants for these posts should send
a. a letter of application indicating the post being applied for and a motivation as her/his suitability for this post
b. a curriculum vitae emphasising relevant skills, experience and training
c. an indication of membership of, and/or outline of relevant experience of Arterial Network
d. at least two letters of reference in support of the application

These should be sent to Belisa Rodrigues at belisa@arterialnetwork.org


Regional Finance Manager - Middle East and East Africa: Habitat For Humanity International
Deadline: 12 November 2010

This position is responsible for support and oversight of the financial accounting and reporting for HFHI organisations in Middle East and East Africa. The Regional Finance Manager will perform the above role either as a programme team lead, a programme team member, or as a thematic knowledge manager.

Requirements

• Undergraduate degree in related field or equivalent
• CPA/Chartered accountant preferred
• 3 years experience in international accounting or Business Management
• 2 years auditing experience preferred
• 2 years experience with managing USAID grants or performing A133 audits preferred
• Experience in installation and training on computerised accounting systems

For detailed job description, please visit our website

Kindly submit CV and cover letters to vmestdagh@habitat.org Use reference: RFM - Surname Name.  Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.

Deputy Country Director: Mercy Corps
Deadline: 18 December 2010

Mercy Corps has been working in Zimbabwe since 2002, and currently has a multi-sectoral relief and development portfolio worth USD 20 million with almost 100 staff and 5 field offices. Mercy Corps has, and continues to successfully mobilize hundreds of communities to establish productive small scale agriculture and revive local economies. Mercy Corps Zimbabwe’s water and sanitation programming continues to grow in both size and complexity, and the country program now manages several WASH grants focusing on both rural and urban water supply.

Since June 2006 Mercy Corps has been the Lead Agency of the Joint Initiative (JI) program, responsible for administering the Joint Initiative grants, sub-grants, co-ordination, compliance and management structure. The Mercy Corps’ Joint Initiative Management Team is housed within Mercy Corps and fills the critical functions of sub-grant management and reporting, oversight to monitoring and evaluation of program activities, co-ordination of JI international partners and decision making, ensuring compliance and accuracy in financial management and reporting, and liaising with donor and government agencies. The consortium with pooled funding form various donors, seeks to address acute needs of vulnerable groups, including those affected by recent political and economic events in peri-urban and urban areas in Zimbabwe. It adopts a multi-sectoral approach that includes relief, social and child protection, shelter, food security, education and livelihood support.  The Joint Initiative brings together the expertise and experience of Africare, CARE, Catholic Relief Services (CRS), Mercy Corps, Oxfam (GB) and their local partners.

General Position Summary:

Reporting to the Country Director, the Deputy Country Director (DCD) is the senior management position for the Mercy Corps program team, with supervisory and managerial responsibility over all aspects of program design, development and implementation. For the JI working closely with the Country Director and the Steering Committee (comprising of Heads of Agencies of Partner INGOS and Donor representatives) the DCD provides vision and leadership for the consortium stakeholders, oversees all program management, administration and monitors overall project performance.

Find out more

Tracking Code: 217275-927

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The Kubatana Trust of Zimbabwe and
The NGO Network Alliance Project
PO Box GD 376
Greendale
Harare
Zimbabwe

Tel: +263-4-776008/746448
Fax: +263-4-746418
Email: admin@kubatana.net
Website: www.kubatana.net

Visit www.kubatana.net Zimbabwe's civic and human rights web site incorporating an on line directory for the non-profit sector

Zimbabwe: A gathering political storm

26 October 2010 Last updated at 18:12 GMT

President Robert Mugabe is angry that the unity agreement has not led to the lifting of sanctions against his allies

The thorny issue of sanctions and new evidence of political intimidation herald more troubled times for Zimbabwe, reports the BBC's southern Africa correspondent Karen Allen.

In the south of the capital, Harare, lies the main industrial area, but it is a dusty shadow of its former self.

In the 1990s it was bristling with activity. Now, just a handful of factories remain and men come to the gates in search of work every day, then return home disappointed and hungry.

"I've been here about two years, moving around different industries. You know there's nepotism," says one man who, like 80% of adult Zimbabweans, is learning that unemployment is a way of life.

With that backdrop, it is hard to believe, but the economic position has improved in Zimbabwe. Since Zanu-PF and the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) were thrown together in an awkward political marriage, things have started to look up - just a little.

The "dollarisation" of the currency has offered much-needed stability, there are not the queues there once were outside the banks, and consumer goods are back on the shelves.

Much of the credit has gone to Zimbabwe's finance minister, Tendai Biti, of the MDC, who has predicted staggering growth rates of 8.1%.

Foreign investors want to get their hands on Zimbabwe's diamonds

But apart from in the minerals sector - where firms have clamoured to get their hands on Zimbabwe's valuable platinum and diamonds - there has been little foreign investment.

The reason trumpeted from Harare is sanctions. They are scaring people off, and they also prevent vital spare parts coming through to factories, Zanu-PF officials say. But could they be doing even more damage than inconveniencing a struggling economy?

Sanctions - a political tool?

According to mediators led by South Africa, pleading with both sides in a shaky unity government to deliver on the outstanding reforms contained in a power-sharing deal, sanctions are blocking any prospect of free and fair elections in Zimbabwe.

What they really mean is that the presence of sanctions is being used as a political tool. A justification for stalling, obfuscating and reneging on commitments to give Zimbabweans the real prospect of a democratic future.

By January next year, the European Union will have to consider the unthinkable - and perhaps lift the restrictions on 200 allies of President Robert Mugabe and his Zanu-PF party and on a handful of state enterprises used to bankroll the party.

"It's important that parties stick to the agreement, but there are still a number of hurdles to be overcome before we are there," says the EU representative on Zimbabwe, Christian Leffler.

The outstanding issues remain the continued refusal to allow Roy Bennett, a white former farmer turned MP, to take up his ministerial post, and the entrenched positions of the central bank governor and the attorney general, who have both retained their jobs.

But the real concern for the EU is whether Zimbabwe is equipped to hold free and fair elections.

Zimbabwe sanctions

• EU - 2002 to present: Assets freeze and travel ban on some Mugabe allies, arms-sale ban
• US - 2003 to present: Trade ban against 250 individuals and 17 companies
• Other countries: Canada, Australia and UK among nations to have imposed their own targeted sanctions

Sources: EU, Reuters, US Treasury, UK Foreign Office

Though sanctions directed at Zimbabweans are targeted - not the broad economic sanctions that were used against South Africa during the apartheid regime - they serve to taint the entire economy, according to critics, who say Zimbabwean businessmen struggle to secure loans from international institutions.

But the fear that thawing the assets of those targeted by sanctions would open the door to further political patronage and violence is one of the key reasons the EU continues to enforce them.

It is looking for real political commitment, including the honouring of promises to secure a new constitution, before it will give any ground.

Meanwhile, Mr Mugabe uses the presence of sanctions for political leverage, and to justify not implementing the reform package in full. In recent weeks he has upped the ante, calling for elections as soon as the power sharing deal expires in February 2011. Under the terms of the deal, a new constitution must be in place before elections can go ahead.

It may be sabre rattling more than raw reality, but either way Zimbabwe is now facing what Ibbo Mandaza from the Southern African Economic Trust describes as "a gathering storm" - two parties that at times are barely on speaking terms, and the prospect of more political violence.

Intimidation

An election date may still be on the horizon, but already it feels like the campaigning has begun. As Zimbabweans are urged to join public meetings to discuss a new constitution, alarming evidence is emerging of violence and intimidation.

The BBC spoke to two women who were beaten on 19 September, during a meeting in the Harare township of Mbarare. Both women were so badly injured that they were hospitalised.

"They came to me, they pushed me, then they beat me until I lost consciousness," explains one of them. Another woman spoke of being hit over the head with a brick. She now sleeps with a rope dangling out of the front of her upstairs window - her escape route if the militia comes to visit her at home.

These were just two cases, but the BBC has been given a dossier of more than 80 incidents at similar public meetings.

Now a coalition of non-government organisations and Zimbabwean lawyers have published further evidence in a report laying bare their concerns. They cite more than a thousand "violations" during a 13-day period of public debate. They include the use of hate speech, intimidation and the deployment of security agents at venues.

For the authors, the meetings no longer have anything to do with a new constitution, but instead are a proxy battleground between Zanu-PF and Morgan Tsvangirai's MDC.

The allegations of violence are being played down by Zanu-PF Chairman Simon Khaya Moyo, who blames the MDC for "signing off" the meetings as having gone well.

Can they deliver?

Morgan Tsvangirai's party is looking increasingly impotent

His words betray a level of impotence that is now casting a shadow over the MDC. Mr Tsvangarai, in his strongest statement yet, recently expressed his "utter disgust" at President Mugabe's unilateral appointments of governors and ambassadors - but he can do nothing about it, except appeal to the international community to object.

He is frustrated by the heel-dragging over implementing the unity deal, but stymied by the fact that his party has failed to secure the lifting of sanctions.

And the rhetoric of Mr Mugabe over elections being held sooner rather than later has only served to leave many Zimbabweans feeling dismayed.

"We don't have a voters' roll that is credible, we haven't had a constitutional outreach that is credible, and there is still the issue of security," laments sociologist Rudo Gaidzanwa, from the University of Zimbabwe.

Back in August, the parties in the Zimbabwean government were given a 30-day ultimatum by South African mediators to deliver on the political agreement in full.

That ultimatum has now expired, and there has been no comeback for the country's political leaders. Are Zimbabweans surprised, or just bracing themselves for the road ahead?