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Media commission interview results annulled

http://www.thezimbabwetimes.com/?p=20666

August 5, 2009

By Our Correspondent

HARARE - Parliament has set aside the results of interviews conducted with
potential candidates for eventual appointment to the statutory Zimbabwe
Media Commission (ZMC), the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA)
reports.

MISA said this was a shock development that could seriously undermine the
principle of separation of powers between the executive, legislature and
judiciary.

"According to the state-controlled national daily The Herald of 4 August
2009 the process hit a snag after Zanu-PF officials led by Munyaradzi Paul
Mangwana allegedly "realised" that the interviews were allegedly fraudulent
and biased against candidates perceived as sympathisers of Zanu PF," MISA
said.

It is reported that parties to the agreement had then resolved that all the
names of the 27 candidates interviewed be forwarded to the President without
ranking them. In terms of Constitutional Amendment No 19 the envisaged
Commission shall consist of a chairperson and eight other members appointed
by the President from a list of not fewer than twelve nominees submitted by
the Committee on Standing Rules and Orders.

It is on the basis of that constitutional provision that the interviews were
conducted on Monday, August 3, by the Standing Rules and Orders Committee
(SROC).

"To act otherwise by submitting the list of candidates wholesale to the
President would be a serious breach and abdication of responsibility on the
part of Parliament pertaining to a process that is protected by a
constitutional provision," the statement by MISA said.

"Also in contention, and of which the public is also owed an explanation,
relates to how SROC also bundled the ZMC interviews with those for BAZ when
the advertisements placed for application to be submitted for interviews by
the Committee were specifically for the ZMC and made no mention of the
possibilities of those so short listed being also considered and short
listed for BAZ appointments."

A five-member interviewing panel comprising members of SROC interviewed a
total of 27 potential candidates who will be short listed for appointment to
the ZMC and the Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe (BAZ).

A four-member panel of experts also participated to determine the final list
of candidates that will be short-listed for appointment by the President.


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Media interviews: Parly committee under fire

http://www.herald.co.zw

Wednesday, August 05, 2009

Herald Reporters

Parliament's Standing Rules and Orders Committee yesterday came under fire
over Monday's interviews for appointments to the Zimbabwe Media Commission
with the Government and observers accusing the body of outsourcing a key
constitutional function to a "mysterious panel of experts".

This comes in the wake of reports that one of the "experts" vowed to fail
"people like (Dr Tafataona) Mahoso and (Ambassador Christopher) Mutsvangwa".

Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa yesterday said the entire process was
flawed because the hiring of a "panel of experts" was done against the
dictates of the Constitution.

House of Assembly Speaker Lovemore Moyo, however, defended the process.

The SROC engaged the "experts" to sift through the 85 submitted applications
without the State's knowledge.

"For a start, the list of people to be interviewed should have originated
from the SROC. In all, 85 people applied for the posts.

"This number was whittled down to 27 who were to be interviewed. However, we
don't know how they managed to bring that number down. We were never told
what criteria were used.

"We understand that the SROC recruited a 'panel of experts' to carry out
this exercise without any real oversight from anyone.

"It would be interesting to know how these 'experts' were selected and who
exactly selected them to carry out this task.

"The process was hijacked by the 'experts' and the SROC abdicated its
constitutional mandate to carry out the selection of commissioners," he
said.

A source with Parliament's administration yesterday said one of the
"experts" openly declared: "How am I supposed to pass people like Mahoso and
Mutsvangwa?"

Minister Chinamasa said the "panel of experts" would have carried out the
entire selection process without any oversight had legislators not
intervened and demanded to be part of the process.

Even then, the minister said, the MPs still demonstrated as much bias as the
"panel of experts".

"That being the case," he said, "the proper route will be for the SROC to
deliberate and negotiate on the basis of the political realities that are in
this nation. The reality is that we are polarised and we should confront the
issue of bias squarely for us to agree on a way forward.

"It serves nobody to pretend to objectivity when we are - through and
through - political animals with political biases."

Minister Chinamasa said it had been agreed that the leaders of Zanu-PF,
MDC-T and MDC would go ahead and look at the shortlist of 27 candidates.

On the issue of the Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe,

Minister Chinamasa said the SROC had also failed to discharge its mandate by
not properly advertising vacancies for that body.

"The advertisements flighted were for the ZMC. People applied to be ZMC
commissioners.

"But we were suddenly informed that some of the applicants would be
interviewed for BAZ appointments.

"The filling of any entity should be made clear through the placement of
proper adverts. People should know what they are applying for."

House of Assembly Speaker Mr Moyo said he could not divulge who sat on the
"panel of experts" because this could leave the people open to
victimisation.

He, however, said they had finalised the list of candidates and would be
forwarded to President Mugabe soon, while another list of six would go to
Media, Information and Publicity Minister Webster Shamu for consideration
for appointment to BAZ.

"I'm happy to say we have finally concluded the matter with 12 names to be
sent to His Excellency and six to be sent to the Minister of Media,
Information and Publicity anytime from now," he said.

"There was no deadlock (on Monday). It is normal that people would voice
concern if their preferred candidate received low marks.

"But the matter has been finalised. Parliament's presiding officers (Mr
Moyo, Senate President Edna Madzongwe and her deputy Naison Ndlovu) met.

"The panel of experts and the SROC's adjudication panel had nine names in
common. The presiding officers then considered the remaining three names for
the commission before coming up with the full list."

But a Government official who spoke on condition of anonymity said
Parliament had ironically "trashed the Constitution that it is a custodian
of".

"Right now, we are being told that President Mugabe should decide from the
shortlist of 27 who should go into the ZMC and who should go to BAZ.

"This is against the Constitution. Parliament's SROC can only give the
Minister of Information a six-name list of recommendations. The minister
then takes three of those names to the President who then has the
prerogative to appoint the selected people to the broadcasting authority.

"In the event that the minister is not pleased with the SROC's
recommendations, he writes to the organ and informs them as such."

While Media, Information and Publicity Minister Webster Shamu could not be
reached for comment on the matter last night, it is understood that he wrote
to the SROC rejecting a list they had sent him sometime back.

According to the law, the SROC is supposed to respond within 30 days after
which it is assumed that they have failed to discharge this duty and the
minister can proceed to take his own three-person shortlist to the President
for appointment to BAZ.

Media, Information and Publicity Ministry sources yesterday said the 30-day
period had already lapsed without any response from the SROC.

A human resources consultant with a Harare firm last night said using a
shortlist compiled by an unconstitutional body to come up with appointments
to the ZMC and BAZ was a "highly irregular practice".

"I don't know what the law says about how these people should be appointed
but what I do know is that the posts that were advertised were for media
commissioners and not for the broadcasting authority.

"To then say that the political leadership must appoint broadcasting
authority commissioners from those applications is a highly irregular
practice, to say the least.

"There are people out there who did not apply because they were waiting for
an advert for BAZ and now they are being told that selection has been closed
because there are people who applied for the ZMC.

"They are saying BAZ will be staffed by the leftovers from the ZMC selection
process.

"Secondly, I have a problem with the fact that they seem to want media
professionals only to fill the ZMC. When it comes to appointing people to
the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission, are they going to say they only want
experienced voters to apply?

"There should be a balancing of interests. The ZMC is not a journalists'
union inasmuch as ZEC is not a voters' club. Appointments should be made
from a cross-section of society because the media represent a diverse
society.

"In my assessment, this is flawed by definition in legal terms, flawed in
operationalisation and will be flawed in outcome."

He said the SROC should also make available the list of people who did not
make the "panel of experts" shortlist so that "Zimbabweans could decide for
themselves if the people left out deserved to be cast aside".

"It is important, after the chaos on Monday, for these things to be made
public so that we can determine for ourselves whether or not this so-called
panel of experts discharged this important national duty without bias," he
said.


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High Court to hear MDC-M MPs' case today

http://www.zimonline.co.za

by Lizwe Sebatha Wednesday 05 August 2009

BULAWAYO - Bulawayo High Court judge, Justice Nicholas Ndou today
begins hearing an application by legislators expelled from the Arthur
Mutambara-led MDC faction seeking an order barring Parliament from ejecting
them from the House.

The three - Abednico Bhebhe (Member of Parliament for Nkayi South);
Njabuliso Mguni (Lupane East) and Norman Mpofu (Bulilima East) - who were
ejected from the party three weeks ago, also want the court to bar
by-elections in their constituencies.

Justice Ndou set Wednesday as the hearing date for a High Court
application filed last Thursday by the expelled legislators, seeking an
interdict stopping Parliament from declaring their seats vacant.

In a court application through their lawyer, Thamsanqa Khumalo, the
three legislators sought to be granted an order staying and suspending their
expulsion from their party in a bid to retain their Parliament seats.

Khumalo confirmed to ZimOnline that the hearing date for the expelled
legislators begins today.

"High Court Judge, Justice Ndou, has set Wednesday as the hearing date
where all the parties involved are expected to attend the hearing and file
their arguments," Khumalo said.

In court papers filed last week, Khumalo cited the MDC-M national
disciplinary committee chairman Lyson Mlambo, the MDC-M party, House of
Assembly Speaker Lovemore Moyo and Clerk of Parliament Austin Zvoma as the
first, second, third and fourth respondents respectively.

Bhebhe, Mguni and Mpofu were expelled over charges of indiscipline and
disrespecting the party leadership. Alex Goosen, a member of the executive
council was also expelled over the same charges.

The expelled legislators deny the charges.

After their dismissal, party secretary general Welshman Ncube advised
the Speaker of Parliament of the vacant seats to pave way for by-elections.
Ncube added that pending the holding of by-elections, the expelled
legislators should be ejected from Parliament or stopped from attending
parliamentary sessions under the party name.

According to the country's Electoral Act, a presidential proclamation
should be gazetted within 14 days after Parliament has notified the
President of a vacant seat to pave way for the by-elections.

About 10 by-elections are due at various constituencies following the
arrest of former opposition legislators on various charges or due to their
death. - ZimOnline


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Zimbabwe PM Tsvangirai Lobbies Region for Backing on Unity Gov't Issues

http://www.voanews.com



By Blessing Zulu, Brenda Moyo & Taurai Shava
Washington
04 August 2009

Zimbabwean Prime minister Morgan Tsvangirai on Tuesday stepped up regional
diplomacy on Tuesday meeting Botswanan President Ian Khama in Gaborone
following talks Monday with South African President Jacob Zuma on issues
troubling Harare's unity government.

Sources in Mr. Tsvangirai's office said that in the days ahead he will be
meeting other leaders of the Southern African Development Community, of
which Mr. Zuma is now chairman. They said Mr. Tsvangirai hopes to resolve
outstanding issues before Mr. Zuma's tenure ends in September, when he will
hand off the chairmanship at a SADC summit.

Current SADC Vice Chairman Joseph Kabila, president of the Democratic
Republic of Congo and a close ally of President Robert Mugabe, is in line to
takeover the chairmanship.

But sources in SADC say this succession is not entirely automatic, and in
light of conflict in the eastern Congo, some might urge Kabila to recuse
himself or be passed over.

Tsvangirai spokesman James Maridadi told reporter Blessing Zulu of VOA's
Studio 7 for Zimbabwe that the prime minister updated Mr. Khama on
conditions in the unity government and is likely to widen consultations with
other SADC leaders.

Some of the outstanding issues dividing Zimbabwe's governing partners - Mr.
Tsvangirai's Movement for Democratic Change, Mr. Mugabe's ZANU-PF and a
smaller formation of the MDC headed by Deputy Prime Minister Arthur
Mutambara - have been resolved, for instance the naming of MDC provincial
governors and ambassadors, breaking a ZANU-PF monopoly.

But other issues have been intractable and new issues have come to the for.

The MDC has long sought the replacement of Reserve Bank Governor Gideon Gono
and Attorney General Johannes Tomana, reappointed or appointed for the first
time by Mr. Mugabe in late 2008 without consulting the MDC despite a
power-sharing pact.

More recently, however, the MDC focus has shifted to the increasing number
of the party's lawmakers arrested, prosecuted, and in a number of cases
convicted and sentenced to prison terms in excess of six months, putting
their parliamentary seats at risk.

London-based human rights lawyer and political analyst Dewa Mavhinga said
engaging regional leaders is a sound strategic move by Mr.Tsvangirai.

In other political developments, Deputy Youth minister Thamsanqa Mahlangu,
arrested last week on charges that he stole a cellphone from war veterans
leader Joseph Chinotimba, was released late Monday on US$50 bail after state
prosecutors lowered objections. His assistant, Malvern Chadamoyo, accused in
the same alleged theft, was also released.

Attorney Charles Kwaramba told reporter Brenda Moyo of VOA's Studio 7 for
Zimbabwe that the case will be back in court on August 12.

Elsewhere, a trial date of September 7th was set in the case of Kwekwe
lawmaker Blessing Chebundo, who faces accusations he raped a 13-year-old
girl.

Gweru Magistrate William Bhila set the date after Chebundo's lawyers agreed
witnesses in the case could not be brought before the court in the three
days left this week.

Prosecutors concurred, disclosing that the state and the defense had agreed
to a "marathon trial," meaning the case would be heard over the course of a
full week.

Regional magistrate Bhila took over the case after the originally assigned
magistrate recused himself at the request of the defense team for reasons
not disclosed.


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Latest land acquisitions, unilateral, illegal

http://www.thezimbabwetimes.com/?p=20687

August 5, 2009

By Our Correspondent

HARARE - As Zimbabwean Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai met Southern African
Development Community (SADC) chairman Jacob Zuma in South Africa over the
weekend, President Robert Mugabe's Zanu-PF stands accused of taking
"unilateral and unlawful" decisions in the latest farm acquisitions in
Zimbabwe, starting June.

This, observers said, was one of the key issues that the Movement for
Democratic Change (MDC) and its smaller faction wanted resolved because the
former ruling party was "plodding ahead" with a farm acquisition programme
and notices - under the guise of government - when the necessary Cabinet
approvals over the matter had not been sought.

Under a tripartite September 2008 power-sharing agreement, Zimbabwe's
political principals agreed to a coalition government under which all State
and national decisions would be made, and implemented by consensus and this
followed the passing of Constitutional Amendment (CA) Number 19, which gave
birth to the new dispensation.

However, Zanu-PF appointed Lands and Rural Resettlement Minister Herbert
Murerwa has been accused of listing at least 20 farms for resettlement since
early June, without garnering unanimous cabinet ratification over the land
takeovers.

While CA number 19 is quite explicit "on the exercise of power and sharing
of executive authority" between Mugabe, and Tsvangirai's parties, sources
said the ageing President has virtually violated the unity government's
power sharing protocol or mechanism by ignoring MDC ministers.

A number of party representatives and analysts contacted by the Zimbabwe
Times expressed dismay over Murerwa's handling of the issue, and remained
adamant that there was no cabinet debate over the latest farm grabs.

Nelson Chamisa, spokesman of the main MDC and cabinet member himself, said
while he could not comment on cabinet proceedings, his party's view was that
the global political agreement's (GPA's) tenets on land distribution, use
and other facets must be respected.

"As the MDC, our position is that whatever is being done, it must be
implemented according to the global political agreement's (GPA's) provisions
on land. This obviously includes the undertaking of an already agreed land
audit and halting of disruptive actions on farms, so we expect nothing but a
respect of the GPA," he said.

On the other hand, a member of the splinter MDC led by Arthur Mutambara said
in the absence of official spokesperson Phineas Mushoriwa that they were
also not aware of proper consultations on the latest farm takeovers, but if
procedure was violated they would pursue correction of the matter under the
auspices of the government of national unity (GNU).

However, Murerwa - whose latest acquisition notice of about nine farms was
on June 19 - has defended and based his actions on some 2006/07 statutory
instruments, and acts of Parliament, which sought to sanitize Mugabe's land
grabs, which started nine years ago.

He has often been quoted as saying as resettlement minister he is empowered
to list and acquire properties by a raft of hastily-arranged legal
instruments during Zanu-PF's earlier majority in Parliament, and these were
not precluded by the albeit superior CA Number 19.

Besides, Murerwa has dismissed the notion of fresh invasions, saying if
there were any he would "gather the necessary facts first before resolving
the issues".

Tsvangirai, who in the weekend dialogue emphasised the sanctity of property
rights in Zimbabwe's economic revival efforts, met Zuma to pressure SADC to
pin Mugabe on committing to thrash out the teething problems under the GPA,
namely: the legitimate tenancy (of office) of Attorney-General Johannes
Tomana and central bank governor Gideon Gono.

However, little attention has been given to such key issues as the land
reforms.

An associate and official of the Harare-based African Institute for Agrarian
Studies said in his understanding, the latest seizures were unprocedural and
the development was in general an affront to the spirit of the GNU on land
reforms.

"If, for instance, they agreed to a land audit, why can't they implement it
first before going on to grab more farms? But, you see, this is the hallmark
of Zanu-PF's self-defeating tendencies, which give the outside world an
overall impression of lawlessness and insincerity," he said.

In a public statement recently, a group known as the Youth in Politics (YIP)
said land acquisitions in Zimbabwe can only be done or carried lawfully
after approval from all parties or sides of the inclusive government,
meaning MDC ministers must also give input and assent to the exercise.

Quoting section 20.1.1 and section 20.1.2 (f) of Schedule 8 of CA Number 19,
the local interest group said arising from these legal provisions, which
state that the executive authority of the GNU is shared between the
President, Prime Minister and by cabinet consensus, Murerwa should have
widely consulted before taking over these latest farms.

"With the purported takeover of the aforementioned properties having been
done for and on behalf of the state and under Section 16(B)(2)(a)(iii) of
constitutional amendment (CA) number 17, it remains to be seen whether the
entire process is compliant with the bigger and superior CA number 19, which
clearly states the exercise of power under this new era," YIP argued.

"The respective clauses state that: the Executive Authority of the Inclusive
Government shall vest in, and be shared among the President, the Prime
Minister and the Cabinet, as provided for in this Constitution and the law.

Furthermore: "The cabinet shall take decisions by consensus and collective
responsibility for all its decisions, including those originally initiated
individually by any member of cabinet," it added.

The group also said borrowing from Section 31(G)(2) of the original
constitution as well, Murerwa should have garnered the unanimous support and
backing of cabinet, especially in situations where he is dealing with people's
constitutional rights.

Hinting on the fact that it had done some "legal homework", YIP said Murerwa
faced personal liability for any damages arising from this chaotic episode,
especially if his officials continue or persisted with this partisan, Zanu
PF-type of land reform and ample evidence emerged that cabinet approval was
lacking.

It said Zimbabwe deserved a "representative outfit or voice" even in land
reforms because they know what they voted for early this year and stressed
that the essence of Zimbabwe's agrarian reforms should be poverty
alleviation, and viable farming, as opposed to a system which perpetuates a
disorderly legacy, blemishes the outlook for the respect of property rights
and disenfranchising others.

Socio-economic commentators have also said Zanu-PF's reluctance to
incorporate its GNU partners' ideas and input in the land reform programme
is one of the many "hygienic factors" and strategic blunders, which called
into question its commitment to the power-sharing agreement and continue to
amplify the outside world's skepticism over the sustenance of the
transitional authority.

Stakeholders such as Justice for Agriculture have long complained about a
new wave of disruptions and said that such acts as the March 2009
nullification of a SADC tribunal on about 78 farmers' relief order over the
removal from their land were nothing, but an attempt "to fast-track
lawlessness and farm seizures."

In the recent judgement, Zimbabwean High Court Judge Anne-Mary Gowora
disposed in a dispute involving Senate president Edna Madzongwe and a
Chegutu farmer that the tribunal's decisions did not apply, and cannot be
enforced in Zimbabwe, unless parliament ratified the protocol that set it
up.

Tribunal President Justice Luis Mondlane had ruled last year that white
Zimbabwean farmers should be protected against dispossessions of their land
and those who had already lost must be fairly compensated.

And while the ruling was seen as victory against future evictions, such
optimism has dwindled and come to nought as almost 100 properties have been
seized so far and tens of dozens of farmers arraigned before the courts.

Mugabe, who earlier this year gave a nod to the new invasions during a
birthday bash, has been tackled by Tsvangirai and regional colleagues over
the issue, but he has not indicated when the wanton overruns will stop.

On the SADC tribunal's ruling, the octogenarian leader also emboldened his
supporters by declaring that the regional grouping had no right to interfere
in Zimbabwe's land affairs.


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Zim exports fall

http://www.zimonline.co.za

by Cuthbert Nzou Wednesday 05 August 2009

HARARE - Zimbabwe's export sector took a huge knock from the global
recession in the first half of the year with receipts dropping by a massive
38 percent, the country's central bank has announced.

The southern African country exported goods valued US$475 million compared
to US$762 million delivered to world markets during the same period last
year, Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe governor Gideon Gono said in his latest
monetary.

Gono attributed the fall in the exports to the global credit crunch that
started late last year and left millions of people worldwide jobless.

Mining accounted for 42 percent of Zimbabwe's export receipts between
January and June. Tobacco and manufacturing sector accounted for 26 percent
and 14 percent respectively within the same period.

"The 2009 mining shipment exports represent a decrease of 57.6 percent
compared to 2008. This is mainly due to the fall in mineral prices caused by
the world recession. Furthermore, the sector still faces challenges in
specific sectors like labour shortages, frequent power cuts and foreign
currency shortages," Gono said.

Agriculture, formerly Zimbabwe's major export driver before government
embarked on a chaotic and controversial land reform exercise seven years
ago, fell 14.9 percent comparatively.

"Total exports under the agriculture sector amounted to US$191,3 million
compared to US$224,9 million worth of exports for the same period in 2008,"
Gono said. "This represents a decrease of 14,9 percent. Like any other
sector of the economy, the agriculture sector has been affected by the
prevailing shortages of foreign exchange for procurement of critical
 inputs."

The global recession has also had its toll on agriculture exports,
especially the horticulture sector, where prices have continued to be
depressed, the central bank said.

But the central bank remains optimistic that the dollarisation of the
economy at the beginning of the year would spur production and resultantly
boost exports.

Zimbabwe is emerging from a decade long economic crisis characterised by
high inflation, foreign currency and power shortages because of poor
political and economic policies. - ZimOnline


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Poets speak of hopes for a new Zimbabwe

http://www.independent.co.uk

Harare's youth are providing the soundtrack to their country's slow escape
from poverty, writes Alex Duval Smith

Wednesday, 5 August 2009

"Grandpa, Grandpa, you let me down," chants Zola Badman, 22, to giggles of
approval from the rowdy audience at the House of Hunger poetry slam. At the
end of the recital, a sarcastic MC grabs the mic to assure the crowd that
Badman "was of course referring to his own grandfather", but we all know
Badman meant Robert Mugabe.

As Zimbabwe limps on, apparently with two governments and with uncertain
signals as to whether the power of the 85-year-old President or the will of
Prime Minister, Morgan Tsvangirai, will ultimately prevail, a boom in
performance poetry is, intellectually and economically, seeing young
urbanites through.

Performer Trymore Munyarari, 32, has come to the House of Hunger at Harare's
Book Café for the third time. "For me the slam is as much a question of
survival as expression," he said. "I used to recite poetry in schools but
the education department has no funds now. Here, everyone pays US$1 [59
pence] to get in. If I win, I will make, say $25, and I will be given an
anthology of poems by Chirikure Chirikure, who is my hero."

Materially, life has improved in the Zimbabwean capital in the six months
since Mr Tsvangirai, formerly leader of the opposition, was sworn in as
premier and the unity government adopted the South African Rand and US
greenback instead of the hyper-inflationary Zimbabwe dollar. Civil servants
are receiving salaries again - ranging from $100 a month for teachers to
$300 for Mr Tsvangirai and Mr Mugabe. Hawkers sell 10 bananas for $1 but
problems arise if you only want five; virtually no coins are in circulation.

Small employers have gone back to work. At the Feredays factory in Central
Avenue, four tailors turn out high-quality canvas bags and ammunition belts
made from Zimbabwean cotton. Its director, Nick Knill, said: "There is a
sense of optimism now. We really think we have been through the worst of it.
Having said that, we have a long way to go. We used to employ 23 tailors and
now we are down to four. But the optimism is back and that makes a huge
difference."

Other green shoots can be seen on the stock exchange, where trading is
increasing. Two recent investor conferences were well attended. The Finance
Minister Tendai Biti - who is also secretary general of Mr Tsvangirai's
Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party - recently raised his growth
forecast for this year from 2.8 per cent to 3.7 per cent.

Grain production is on the increase and last week, the Tobacco Industry and
Marketing Board said seed sales were booming. By last Friday, about 44
million kilograms of tobacco had been sold, beating the 42 million target
set for the season. However, as a comparison, a decade ago, Zimbabwe was
producing 200 million kgs.

Western diplomats stress that the country cannot be rebuilt on optimism
alone. "Politically we remain extremely cautious," said a senior European
diplomat. "For every step forward, there seems to be a step back. Until that
situation changes and there is real progress, we will be very careful where
we put our money.

"Of course, investors are free to take risks, and some South Africans are
returning. But you won't see any meaningful influx of investment until there
are real signs of political stability, by which I mean minima which we
demand of other countries in the region: freedom of expression, an
independent judiciary, respect for human rights and a degree of
transparency."

Twenty years ago, Zimbabwe was the breadbasket of the region. A white elite,
some occupying farms the size of small countries, led an Out of Africa
lifestyle.

The inbuilt injustices in the system, including racism and a vast
white-black wealth gap, were tolerated by Mr Mugabe's government because
Europe sent lashings of money to post-independence Rhodesia. In those days,
Mr Mugabe, as the head of a friendly Southern African frontline state during
the Cold War, was a necessary interlocutor who had to be kept sweet. But
then, in 1991, Nelson Mandela was released and the world changed for Mr
Mugabe as the West diverted the gravy train.

Needing to maintain the patronage system installed by the ruling Zanu-PF, Mr
Mugabe turned his rhetoric against Britain and, in 1999, set in motion the
now famous land invasions targeting 4,000 white farmers. Today, there are a
few hundred commercial farmers left. None will return to farm on a large
scale until a meaningful land reform programme - including workable tenure
rights - is in place.

This is where the lack of political progress effectively condemns Zimbabwe,
as an economy, to continuing to live hand-to-mouth. Last week, Mr Biti
received a bullet and a death note through the post. Up to 12 MDC MPs are
facing prosecutions or appeals on charges that they claim have been trumped
up to have them convicted so that by-elections can be held and the slim
parliamentary majority that the MDC won in violence-marred elections in
March 2008 can be wiped out.

In the past week, Zimbabwe has served up two positive political
developments. The BBC and CNN have been allowed back into the country and
the first meeting has been held of the National Security Council, a body
intended to replace the feared Joint Operations Command, made up of Mr
Mugabe's top military men and often referred to as the "junta".

But sceptics say Mr Mugabe has made the concessions only because he fears
being lambasted for obstructionism at a Southern African Development
Community summit next month.

On Monday, Mr Tsvangirai took his concerns to Jacob Zuma, the South African
President who is the chairman of the regional grouping. Afterwards, Mr Zuma
admitted the problems facing Zimbabwe were "weighty" but insisted they could
be resolved.

He will no doubt be pressed on the matter by the US Secretary of State,
Hillary Clinton, when she lands in Pretoria tomorrow. "[She] certainly
intends to talk about Zimbabwe with the South African leadership," Johnnie
Carson, the assistant Secretary for African Affairs, said ahead of the
visit. "We'll encourage [them] to continue to press the government of Robert
Mugabe to fully implement the global political agreement that he signed."

At the weekly House Of Hunger, the jury - selected from the audience and
fuelled by sarcasm and humour - is still out on the latest concessions from
"grandpa". This is a place where the audience likes its poetry to be as
political as possible and where the highest accolade a performer can receive
from the jury is "We know where you live".

In fact, in a country with no independent broadcasters and a struggling
independent press, the ephemeral nature of slam appears so far to have
protected the performers from a clampdown by the authorities.

One of the House of Hunger founders is a 28-year-old white dreadlocked poet,
Samm Farai Monro, aka Comrade Fatso. "We started with open mic sessions in
2005," he said.

"Now the slam movement has spread to every city and township. It provides a
space of truth for young people in a country where we are surrounded by
censorship. It also ties in with a centuries-old tradition of oral
expression. As long as people don't have bread, and probably beyond, there
will be a need in Zimbabwe for performance poetry."


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Eight killed, 14 injured as kombi crashes

http://www.herald.co.zw

Wednesday, August 05, 2009

HR.

Eight people died - six of them on the spot - while 14 others were injured
when a kombi they were travelling in burst its rear right tyre and
overturned 176km along the Harare-Mutare Road yesterday.

Two others died on admission at Rusape General Hospital, police have
confirmed.

Among the dead were five men and three women.

Police spokesman Superintendent Andrew Phiri last night said it was not
clear where the kombi was coming from.

"There were 22 passengers in a Toyota Hiace, which means it was overloaded.
The accident happened at 2:15pm The injured 14 were admitted to Rusape
General Hospital and their condition is stable," he said.

Yesterday's accident comes barely two days after a Mhunga bus killed 38
people and injured 28 others along the Harare-Masvingo Road. - HR.


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Zimbabwe recruits 20 000 more police

http://www.zimdiaspora.com

Wednesday, 05 August 2009 09:45

By Our Correspendent
THE Zimbabwe Republic Police is to recruit 20 000 more police officers to
implement an "inter-agency approach" as a means of fighting crime, a senior
police officer has revealed.

In an interview yesterday, police spokesperson Superintendent Andrew Phiri
said the approach entailed encouraging stakeholders to play a bigger part in
the battle to curb crime.

He said the country had nearly 30 000 police officers and the force needed
to increase the figure to 50 000 to effectively administer the programme
countrywide.

Supt Phiri said the force was using all available platforms to attract new
recruits.

"We have decentralised the enlisting of prospective officers to station
level and most of the details that used to be processed in Harare are now
being done at district level. We have introduced the junior police programme
at schools and we are drafting members of neighbourhood watch committees
into the force. The police also use mass gatherings like the Zimbabwe
International Trade Fair to attract recruits," he said.

The police spokesperson said the expansion and new approach would make it
difficult for criminals to operate.

"It was necessitated by demographic changes after the land resettlement
programme in 2000, and the need to be relevant as we move with the times."

"We want to establish as many bases as possible near the people because we
exist for them. The force needs to be proactive rather than reactive when it
comes to controlling crime. Large numbers would also help us to maintain
visibility to deter would be criminals," Supt Phiri said.

This has resulted in the promotion of hated Police Commissioner Augustine
Chihuri to Commissioner General to accommodate the expected expansion.

"Four Deputy Commissioner-Generals and five Commissioners were also promoted
to the posts in line with the anticipated inter-agency approach programme,"
he said.

"We have already had pilot projects for the scheme in parts of Mashonaland
West, Central and Mhangura with good results. Individual officers, called
home officers, are assigned specific areas (beats), which they will be
responsible for. The idea is for the officer to get to know and be known by
everyone in the area."

Supt Phiri said this made it easy for the officers to identify strangers and
quickly detect crimes, while at the same time making it simpler for
community members to approach them on matters regarding crime.

The community would also be encouraged to form neighbourhood watch
committees and in some cases provide transport for officers to attend crime
scenes, thereby overcoming the resource constraints faced by the police
force.

"Under the same scheme, banks, security companies and other institutions
that have been the target of armed robberies are encouraged to share
information and resources with the ZRP to cover any loopholes for
criminals," said Supt Phiri.

He said the police had data banks and the modus operandi of most criminals
and sharing such information would enable the institutions to strengthen
their security systems.

Supt Phiri said the institutions would also be encouraged to link their
surveillance cameras to police stations to reduce reaction time in case of
robberies.


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Army Brigadier-General Mujaji wreaks havoc at Headlands farm

http://www.zimeye.org/?p=7778

By John-Chimunhu

Published: August 4, 2009

(HARARE)Rights campaigners Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) have
published sensational details of the abuse of yet another large-scale
commercial farmer and defiance of court orders by a senior official of
Robert Mugabe's armed forces, Brigadier General Austin Mujaji.

Charles Lock, one of a handful of white farmers still on the land told the
latest ZLHR publication Legal Monitor obtained on Friday (Jul 31) that armed
soldiers numbering about eight at any given time were preventing him from
harvesting about 500 tonnes of maize and export tobacco, all valued at
nearly US$1 million.

"Legally, Lock has obtained rulings in his favour in every court, including
one from the Supreme Court. Politically, he has secured written and oral
support from the Presidency and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai," the
rights group said. "But still, top soldier Mujaji, despite a warrant for his
arrest over the land case, has proven extra powerful," the newsletter said.

Lock's lawyer, Happias Zhou said: "At the moment, Lock is being prevented
from moving his tobacco and maize by a troop of soldiers stationed at the
farm by Mujaji."

Lock said trucks sent to the farm to start moving the crop were turned back
empty by the soldiers. He said he feared that his tobacco would lose quality
and value as it was turning mouldy.


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Are the indigenous exempt from hard work?

http://www.thezimbabwetimes.com/?p=20682

August 5, 2009
John Robertson

THE argument I was trying to offer in my blog last week didn't quite make it
as the final paragraphs were lost somewhere in cyberspace. Allow me, please,
to make the points that went missing.

I was describing the publication that was presented to the Zimbabwe
International Investment Conference, an event that was claimed to have been
"designed to showcase Zimbabwe's potential" and that was said to have
adequately presented investors the opportunity to assess areas of possible
investment "through interacting with Zimbabweans themselves".

The "co-operation with indigenous investors" theme was indeed frequently
emphasized at the conference and the organisers produced the said glossy
colour publication that listed all the things that need to be built, rebuilt
or re-equipped.

That too referred to requirements for local participation.

As this fancy document was described on the front cover as a Prospectus,
potential investors might have been forgiven for believing that it would
invite them to subscribe to loan stock and shares issues and would reveal to
them the full extent of financial requirements, the returns they might
expect and the extent of local support. But not a sum was suggested, not a
project was described in financial terms and not a single domestic
contribution was identified. In no way did the document describe even the
smallest contribution that would come from indigenous people.

In short, in no way did the document amount to a Prospectus.

Ignoring these points completely, Golden Guvamatanga, the journalist from
The Herald who was so pleased with it, said, "We welcome with open arms
investment that not only have locals as partners but one that benefits them
so that the unprecedented levels of poverty caused by the Western-imposed
economic sanctions can be reduced."

Forgive the grammar, please. That is a direct quote.

His main thesis is that indigenisation, by which he means being allowed to
claim the right to acquire a large part of the assets built by others, is a
wholly honourable quest. But he offers not one line to say why. Instead, we
are invited to accept without question that efforts to "rubbish" all its
laudable merits are totally unacceptable.

But what does it mean? He expressed the thought that economic sanctions
caused "unprecedented poverty", but this is absurd, not just because
economic sanctions were non-existent, but also because it fell outside his
theme, which tries to persuade everyone, to accept that indigenous people
have an unquestionable right to become partners in ventures started by
investors from abroad.

We have to ask how people can demand the rights to become partners without
contributing anything. How can they demand the right to extract benefits
from activities that depend one hundred percent on the commitments of other
people?

To get down to basics, indigenisation is a political ploy that invites
voters to loyally support the party that promises to get them things for
nothing. And the political objective of "empowerment" is to bring about the
disempowerment of any who are considered a potential threat. That is why the
Land Reform Programme also dispossessed many successful black farmers;
people who needed no favours from the State and who had empowered
themselves.

My claim was that if locals can identify good investment options, they
should go ahead and develop them. If they don't have the skills, they should
work at acquiring them. If they don't have the money, they should set about
making it, or develop the credibility to borrow it, and seek out bankers and
partners who will back their good ideas.

In other words, do what all other investors do.

Genuine investors do not wait for others to hand them lists of opportunities
or identify good ideas for them.  They do that for themselves. That is what
they do well and that, plus lots of hard work, is what makes them investors.

Why should Zimbabweans feel they have rights to exemptions from the hard
work and risks involved just because they are indigenous? They have no such
rights and they should be deeply suspicious of politicians who tell them
they have. What they do have is the absolute right to work for what they
want. Just like everybody else.


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Mugabe is no-one's fool

http://www.sowetan.co.za

05 August 2009
Sowetan says:

AT FACE value, President Jacob Zuma's reassurance to Zimbabwean prime
minister Morgan Tsvangirai that he will have a word with President Robert
Mugabe on the issues that Tsvangirai discussed with Msholozi sounds
ridiculous.

Surely all the world knows by now that Mugabe cannot feign ignorance of the
issues that have blighted what was supposed to be a government of national
unity in Zimbabwe.

Even if nobody had told him, a man of Mugabe's intelligence would know that
arbitrarily arresting members of parliament of a party that you are supposed
to be in a coalition government with will send doubt as to your commitment
to the marriage everyone knew was of convenience.

Zuma's noncommittal stance creates the impression that those hoping for a
diplomatic stance louder than that adopted by his predecessor, Thabo Mbeki,
were too optimistic.

The message to civil society here and in Zimbabwe is clear. Political elites
will go on seeing or hearing no evil where neighbouring states are
concerned.

It means that civil society must take up the cudgels again and agitate for
meaningful change in Zimbabwe.

While we recognise the progress that has been made so far, including
Tsvangirai's elevation to prime minister, it is clear the politicians have
wasted precious time sorting Zimbabwe out.

Put differently, we expect the likes of Cosatu and the SACP to go on leading
civil society's agitation for meaningful change in how South Africa deals
with the Zimbabwean question.

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