http://www.thezimbabwemail.com
12 December,
2010 10:38:00 Africa Legal Brief
The aging Zimbabwean dictator Robert
Mugabe is to set up a commission of
inquiry that will assess the security
threats posed to the country by the
stunning wilileaks revelations, a Zanu
PF source said, but those in the know
say basic elementary law will tell you
that you won't take internet evidence
floated around in the media for
treason charges.
A Zimbabwe Mail reader said: "I can hire a website
designer to develop a
website and post documents just as on wikileaks and
label them as minutes of
the Zanu PF politburo . They will contain proper
formatted minutes with
dates ,attendees,agenda amongst other
items."
"The minutes will discuss the planning of murders of opposition
members and
also murders already done by state securities agents under the
instruction
of the Junta amongst other atrocities."
"If wikileaks
documents can be accepted in court just by downloading them on
the internet
then any documents against Zanu should also be acceptable."
"They can
only be disqualified if proven not to be original. In such a case
the
original Politburo minutes will be required and this cannot be. The same
applies for wikileaks. We need original cables from the US
embassy."
"In Pakistan, a number of newspapers have been caught
publishing fake
WikiLeaks."
"So you think the USA will provide this
to you?
"Very stupid Zanu PF thugs", he said.
"The case is buried
and that's it"
Zanu PF source said, the commission will also assess
whether any laws were
broken as the American government through its US
Embassy in Harare sought to
effect regime change in the country with the
help of some Zimbabweans.
Legal experts said the commission should assess
the impact of the
revelations on the country’s national economic interest,
national security
and the broader public interest issues.
“The
commission should determine whether any laws were broken and by who and
recommend the legal course of action to be taken. The commission should
advise the Government on how to respond to the cables published by
WikiLeaks,” said a top legal expert who refused to be named.
Another
legal expert who spoke on condition of anonymity said it was
possible for
President Mugabe to set up a commission of inquiry to
investigate Mr
Tsvangirai on treason charges.
“He (Mr Tsvangirai) took an oath of office
which does not permit him to
commit the treasonous offence he has committed.
President Mugabe has an
obligation to set up a commission of inquiry,” he
said.
“Mr Tsvangirai has shown to the whole country that he has his own
agenda
against the country’s economic interests and the people of Zimbabwe.
His
private calls for more sanctions against the same country of whose
Government he is a member.” He added: “There is a clear indication that Mr
Tsvangirai was from the outset against the prosperity of the nation as a
whole.
“In the event that President Mugabe sets up a commission of
inquiry, it will
be made up of legal, financial and political experts who
will give the
President opinions on the treasonous offences committed by Mr
Tsvangirai.”
The legal expert, however, hinted that there were chances
that Mr Tsvangirai
was violating the country’s Constitution knowing fully
well that the GPA
provided for the post of Prime Minister.
A top
official in the Attorney-General’s office said Mr Tsvangirai deserved
immediate prosecution.
“The people of Zimbabwe should not only look
up to President Robert Mugabe
to take action against Mr Tsvangirai, as it is
now clear to them that he
committed treason and should be charged by the
laws of the land and the
people. Sanctions imposed by the West have crippled
the entire economy and
Mr Tsvangirai as a member of the Government and the
Executive goes behind
its back to ask for more sanctions that will hurt
ordinary Zimbabweans, it’s
unacceptable.
It is every citizen’s
obligation to uphold the laws of the country but when
a Prime Minister
breaks the law he should be arrested and brought before the
courts,” said
the official. He said there was urgent need for Mr Tsvangirai
to make a
public apology, since his actions are causing untold suffering
among
Zimbabweans. The legal experts rapped the US Embassy in Harare saying
the
revelations by WikiLeaks showed that the mission has over the past
decade
been trying to effect regime change instead of promoting
international
relations between Harare and Washington.
“The embassy has been here and
continues to be here for the past decade to
effect regime change using the
MDC as the principal tool. There are more
cables to come and we are
expecting worse things but one thing that is
consistent so far is the regime
change agenda by the US government,” said
one expert.
The expert said
even other US embassies in Sadc and even East Africa were
working together
with the Harare Embassy to effect regime change. Zanu-PF
Politburo member Dr
Sikhanyiso Ndlovu said the WikiLeaks shocks are nothing
but a major
revelation of treasonable acts.
He said the WikiLeaks cables also prove
what Western imperialists have
sought to achieve since the country attained
independence.
“WikiLeaks cables are nothing but a major revelation of
treasonable acts,
which should not be taken lightly by a sovereign state and
its people,” he
said.
“Since 1980, when the country gained its
independence, America and Britain
have never put to rest their agenda of
toppling Zimbabwe’s democratically
elected Government.
“The WikiLeaks
cables confirm what we learnt during the armed struggle about
imperialists’
infiltration and the use of counter-revolutionaries through
embassies in
different countries.”
In one of the cables published by WikiLeaks Mr
Tsvangirai is said to have
called for the partial lifting of sanctions —
“without giving the impression
that we are rewarding lack of progress or bad
behaviour”.
Another cable dated July 13 2007, reveals that the US has
been working with
the MDC-T to effect regime change in Zimbabwe. Former US
ambassador to
Zimbabwe Mr Christopher Dell wrote to Washington saying th
MDC-T was not an
“ideal” conduit to its programme, as it lacked able
leaders.
He said there was no opposition to Zanu-PF and President Mugabe.
The
communication — titled “The End is Nigh” — to the US State Department
and
other diplomatic missions was on July 13, 2007 and gave Dell’s
assessment of
how the 2008 elections were likely to go. Dell said MDC-T
leader Mr Morgan
Tsvangirai was, however, useful for American purposes in
Zimbabwe.
He lamented: “Zimbabwe’s opposition is far from ideal and I
leave convinced
that had we had different partners, we could have achieved
more already. But
you have to play the hand you’re dealt.”
Dell said
the MDC leadership had little executive experience and would
“require
massive hand-holding and assistance should they ever come to power”.
Dell
described Mr Tsvangirai as a “flawed figure” who was “not readily open
to
advice, indecisive and with questionable judgment in selecting those
around
him”.
“He is the indispensable element for opposition success, but
possibly an
albatross around their necks once in power. In short, he is a
kind of Lech
Walesa character: Zimbabwe needs him, but should not rely on
his executive
abilities to lead the country’s recovery.”
Walesa, also
a former trade unionist, was largely built up by the West to
take charge of
Polish politics in opposition to communism during the Cold
War.
http://www.radiovop.com
13/12/2010
06:43:00
HARARE, December 12, 2010 – The Co-Minister of Home Affairs
Theresa Makone
says she is sick and tired of protecting and dry cleaning
corrupt public
officials in the inclusive government and wished her boss in
the MDC-T party
Morgan Tsvangirai was the President so as to name and shame
the culprits.
“I am sick and tired of sanitising and dry cleaning corrupt
people in this
government. It is about time we should deal with corruption
but there is no
collective effort in this regard. I alone cannot eradicate
corruption
because it needs national effort. It needs political will
starting from the
executive cascading downwards. As an individual I am
committed to dealing
with corruption once and for all, be it naming and
shaming or expelling
corrupt government officials, but it takes more than
the Minister of Home
Affairs ,it takes the whole cabinet to fight
corruption.
“If Morgan Tsvangirai was the President today I could move on
anyone, I mean
anyone. No one would be beyond the reach of rule of law. The
reason why this
country’s economy deteriorated is because of corruption. We
thought things
were going to change when we joined the government but
unfortunately nothing
has changed, “she told Radio Vop in an exclusive
interview in Harare on the
sidelines of a diplomatic golf tournament prize
presentation by Prime
Minister Morgan Tsvangirai Saturday
evening.
Minister Makone said she is facing stiff resistance from ZANU (PF)
senior
officials in addressing corruption.
“There is a sense of
impunity that pervades the whole government, because
the people that ruled
this country for the past three decades have not been
able to arrest public
officials, or to try to address the problem or bring
justice to perpetrators
of corruption, therefore these people feel protected
and as long as that
political protection exists, what I might want to do as
Home Affairs
minister becomes useless, “she said.
According to records unveiled by
Transparency International Zimbabwe,
Zimbabwe is number 134 out of 178
most corrupt countries being the second
worst corrupt country in Southern
Africa, and has scored 2,4 out of 10
points on fighting corruption a figure
which shows that nothing is being
done to curb corruption. On the global
integrity index the country scored 33
out of 100 in terms of implementation
of anti-corruption measures.
http://www.thezimbabwean.co.uk
Written by MDC Information &
Publicity Department
Monday, 13 December 2010 06:03
The MDC fully
subscribes to the calls by the United Nations Convention on
Anti-Corruption
(UNCAC) that all public office bearers should declare their
assets to
promote transparency, honesty and accountability of public
finances.
Corruption is a cancerous infection that has far reaching
consequences and
mainly affects the ordinary man on the street. In the past
decade,
Zimbabweans have watched as their natural resources have been
plundered. New
minerals have emerged which had meant to bring back social
and economic
prosperity to the public but all these have proved to be non
existent as
political heavyweights from a particular political party grabbed
and looted
these resources for their own use.
Transparency
International Zimbabwe (TIZ) today commemorated the
international
Anti-Corruption day at the Africa Unity Square in Harare.
Such
commemorations come against a poignant and pitiful background in which
Zanu
PF officials have plundered the country’s natural resources for
self-enriching projects in the name of indigenisation at the expense of the
people of Zimbabwe.
The people deserve better. They have the right to
know who has what and how
they acquired these assets. As a party of
excellence, the MDC has adopted
the Real Change Code of Ethics and Values,
which is a declaration of assets
by the party leadership, as a gesture of
achieving transparency and
accountability.
In an MDC government, such
corruption as exhibited by Zanu PF does not stand
a chance. We uproot the
cancer before it spreads, which is why we advocate
that all corrupt elements
in public offices be shown the exit door. The
people of Zimbabwe deserve
real change, where public office bearers conduct
their duties in a manner
that services the general public without exception.
http://www.swradioafrica.com
By Tichaona Sibanda
13
December 2010
A Non Governmental Organisation in Manicaland province,
Family Aids Care
Trust (FACT), has been hijacked by ZANU PF and is now
distributing farming
inputs, medicines and bicycles to ZPF card carrying
members only.
FACT has for years worked with the poor and the vulnerable
in Manicaland
without looking at political affiliations, but that has
changed in recent
weeks.
MDC-T MP for Makoni South, Pishai
Muchauraya, confirmed that FACT’s new head
in Makoni district, Potifer Guta
a ZANU PF functionary, has purged all known
MDC sympathisers from the
program, putting those receiving ARV’s at real
risk.
‘This man (Guta)
has a natural hatred for the MDC. He was recently drafted
into ZANU PF’
security department and has effectively put the lives of so
many people at
risk by excluding them from receiving badly needed medicines
like
cotrimoxazole and ARV’s,’ Muchauraya said.
The MP claimed Guta recently
indicated to one of their councillors in Makoni
that all MDC people would be
removed from the FACT registrar and replaced
with ZANU PF supporters.
‘He
has drafted in ZANU PF militia and war vets to replace MDC supporters.
About
32 health care workers in the district have also been fired because
they
were appointed by an elected MDC councillor. Guta has told one our
councillors there is nowhere he would accommodate sellouts from the MDC,’
the MP said.
The legislator added that when Guta was drafted into
ZANU PF, he pledged to
donate bicycles to the party for use during the
forthcoming election
campaign.
‘What he has simply done is remove the
32 health care workers and replace
them with war vets, youths and the
militia. The bicycles were meant for the
workers but have been diverted to
ZANU PF. We want the people who fund FACT
to know this and carry out an
investigation. We have all the proof,’
Muchauraya said.
The MP said
FACT is funded by NGO’s from Germany, Canada and also from
UNICEF. One of
the NGO’s is Action Aid International, which has offices in
Rusape and
Harare.
On its website, Action Aid says it is an international
anti-poverty agency
working together with poor people to end poverty and
injustice.
In Zimbabwe the organisation works with local partners like
FACT, who are
supposed to help the poorest and most vulnerable.
‘All
we ask from these organisations is to carry out an audit of their local
partners, especially here in Rusape and see if rules are being followed. You
cannot exclude the poor and vulnerable from a project that seeks to uplift
their lives because they hold different political views from the person that
leads the program in the area,’ MP Muchauraya said, adding he’s making
efforts to identify organisations funding FACT so he could have meetings
with them.
SW Radio Africa sent an e-mail to Action Aid Zimbabwe
querying the
allegations raised by MP Muchauraya. At the time of our
broadcast, we had
not yet received a reply. We will continue to try to get
in contact with
them.
http://www.swradioafrica.com
By Alex Bell
13 December 2010
An
MP for Somabhula who has been trying to take over the property of an
elderly
farming couple, has forced his way back onto the land after being
evicted by
the courts earlier this year.
MP Jabulani Mangena has led a campaign of
harassment, vandalism and violence
against Philip and Ellen Hapelt and their
workers, claiming he has an offer
letter entitling him to their Grasslands
farm. Late last year the Hapelts
were brutally beaten by a gang of thugs, in
an attack the family believes
was meant to drive them from their
farm.
The Hapelts many years ago voluntarily gave up the majority of
their land
for the sake of ‘reform’, under an agreement that would allow
them to remain
on their homestead with a small portion of farming land. They
already have
two court orders that entitle them to live on the farm without
fear of
invasion or persecution, and in September Mangena was finally
evicted after
numerous eviction orders.
But Mangena is once again
openly disregarding the courts and this weekend
returned to the property,
threatening the couple for not leaving the farm.
The couple’s daughter Lauren
told SW Radio Africa by text message on Sunday
that Mangena “has invaded the
Hapelts’ farm in direct contravention of the
court order evicting him from
the farm.” Lauren also wrote: “My folks are
very scared.”
Lauren on
Monday explained what happened, detailing how Mangena and his
“henchman”
broke onto the property while the Hapelts were at church. The MP
started
moving his cattle and workers back onto the farm, after breaking
down a
fence. When asked who gave him permission to return after being
evicted in
September, he told the Hapelts “I gave myself permission.”
The Hapelts
have asked the police for assistance, but Lauren explained that
the police
refuse to get involved in what they call a ‘political situation’.
Lauren
said her family are going to explore the full legal route again,
including
trying to get another eviction order. But she said without the
police’s
support, an eviction won’t take place.
“My parents are not coping well,
they’re devastated. They are frightened for
themselves and for their
workers, and they just want to carry on their lives
as normal,” Lauren said.
http://www.radiovop.com
13/12/2010
10:55:00
Chimanimani, December 13 2010 - A Movement for Democratic Change
activist in
Zhombeni area here, Donald Sithole has been fined a beast by the
local
headman for allegedly putting up his party's posters in the area while
in
another incident an MDC minister faces arrest for refusing to pay road
toll
fees.
Sithole, an MDC activist was last week dragged at headman
Saurombe’s
traditional court after Zanu (PF) supporters who had seen him
putting up MDC
posters calling for a meeting reported him to the
kraalhead.
The chairperson of the MDC in the area, Lameck Chishakwe said
Sithole had
been given two weeks to pay the beast or risk being banished in
the area.
Chishakwe said the headman said the MDC was not welcome in his
area and
anyone who was seen trying to campaign for the party will be
punished.
"For putting the posters Sithole was fined a beast which he
should surrender
to the chief before Christmas,” said
Chishakwe.
Chishakwe said Sithole was part of the MDC youths who were
putting posters
in the area alerting party supporters about a meeting which
was supposed to
be addressed by local MDC- Member of Parliament, Lynnette
Karenyi.
Two weeks ago the headman forced villagers to attend and buy
Zanu (PF) party
cards in the area. One of the villagers among the gathering
contacted
Karenyi through her mobile phone advising her about the issue. The
legislator swiftly raised alarm to the police who immediately stopped the
practice.
Blessing Nyamaropa of the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights
(ZLHR) in Mutare
said actions by the the headman were illegal.
“What
the headman has done is a violation of Sithole’s rights to support a
party
of his choice. We urge him to keep a record of the proceedings and the
headman’s acknowledgement of the beast. If the issue is formally brought
to
our attention we will certainly act as human rights defenders ,” said
Nyamaropa.
The headman could not be reached for a
comment.
Meanwhile an MDC deputy minister belonging to the Morgan
Tsvangirai faction
Tongai Matutu faces arrest for refusing to pay the US1
road toll fees along
the Masvingo - Bulawayo Highway on
Friday.
Matutu who is Deputy Minister for Youth Empowerment and
Indigenisation
refused to pay the toll fees while on his way to
Bulawayo.
Masvingo police spokesperson Inspector Tinaye Matake confirmed
the
development saying:“We want to arrest him for assaulting ZIMRA (Zimbabwe
Revenue Authority) officials and subsequently refusing to pay the toll gate
fee at Mhandamahwe last Friday. We consider the crime serious since Matutu
is a minister who should lead by example.”
Matutu is also among the
six MDC-T MPs who are wanted for intimidating Zanu
(PF) supporters who had
gathered for a rally in Bikita around August this
year.
His lawyer
Douglas Mwonzora told Masvingo Magistrate Oliver Mudzongachisvo
who
convicted Matutu that all the crimes levelled against his client were a
political ploy by Zanu (PF) to thwart MDC-T in the province.
Matutu
is considered to be the strongest MDC –T strategist in Masvingo who
crafted
ideas which saw the first ever defeat of Zanu (PF) in 14
constituencies.
“Matutu is feared for what he has done so far. As a
lawyer who freely
represents MDC-T activists and a vibrant young politician,
obviously Zanu
(PF) is baying to see him being crucified,” said an analyst
who refused to
be named.
Matutu was also recently convicted of
assaulting Chief Serima.
http://www.thezimbabwemail.com
13 December, 2010
02:48:00 Eye Witness News
The Zimbabwe Youth Wing has called for
President Robert Mugabe to face
charges of crimes against humanity in The
Hague and for the United Nations
to monitor elections in the country.
A
handful of activists handed over a human rights declaration to the U.N.
offices in Pretoria on Monday. The organisation accused Mugabe’s regime of
creating poverty for members of opposition parties, while allowing the
Zanu-PF political elite to prosper.
The youth wing’s Brian Mzuringa
said the organisation wanted the U.N.
Security Council to intervene and
called for free and fair elections.
“We expect the U.N. to be responsible
for entirely everything in terms of
monitoring,” he said.
http://www.radiovop.com
13/12/2010 06:45:00
HARARE, December 12,
2010- As calls for an early election grow louder, the
country’s civic
society groups want government to launch a countrywide
investigation into
politically motivated rape cases against women.
The Zimbabwe Association
of Doctors for Human Rights (ZADHR) and the
Research and Advocacy Unit (RAU)
said in a report released at the weekend
that the government should focus on
the prosecution of political criminals
to avoid a repeat of similar crimes
in future.
“It is important for Zimbabwe to set up a multi-sectoral
investigation into
politically motivated rape in Zimbabwe led by the
Ministry of Health and
Child Welfare, together with the Ministry of Labour
and Social Welfare, the
Ministry of Home Affairs and the Ministry of Justice
and Legal Affairs,” the
groups said in the report.
“There should be no
impunity for perpetrators of violence. Cases of rape
should be investigated
and prosecuted in keeping with the law.”
The groups said the report aims
to provide a detailed description and
assessment of alleged cases of
politically motivated violence.The study
concluded that politically
motivated rape has been occurring in Zimbabwe
over the last ten years. It
said the violence has come in different forms
such as gang rape and
insertion of objects such as bottle sticks into the
women’s genitalia but
that was much more prevalent in 2008.
“A distressingly high number of the
rape took place in public or near the
victim’s home and witnessed by the
victim’s family and children,”
the report stated.Furthermore the report says
most of the women who were
raped did not receive appropriate care for the
trauma they went through.The
women also exhibited symptoms of post traumatic
stress disorder (PTSD) and
psychotic disorder. Some also displayed high
levels of sleeplessness,
nightmares, flashbacks and hopelessness.Several
people were killed during
the hotly disputed presidential and parliamentary
elections in 2008.
The perpetrators of the violence were never brought to
justice.The Crisis in
Zimbabwe Coalition (CZC) last year named top military
commanders whom it
said were behind a ruthless campaign to keep President
Robert Mugabe in
power which left scores of villagers dead and thousands
displaced.
http://www.thezimbabwean.co.uk/
Written by Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition
Monday, 13 December 2010
16:20
The Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition joins the world in commemorating
the 16
days of activism against gender based violence and calls upon the
inclusive
government to urgently dismantle structures of violence which have
been used
to instigate politically motivated violence against women. The
Coalition
demands that perpetrators of these abuses should be prosecuted
ahead of any
possible election. Thousands of women have lost their homes and
families
during political instability and were physically, psychologically
and
sexually abused by suspected youth militia and state security apparatus.
Inspite of the formation of the inclusive government in 2009, structures of
violence remain intact and perpetrators of violence remain free, while their
victims are subjected to further victimisation. The use of structures of
violence in perpetrating the abuse of women in the country is systematic and
dates back to pre- independent Zimbabwe. There are thousands of women who
were raped before and after independence, some of them contracting sexually
transmitted diseases while others were forced to mother children whose
fathers they never knew. It is common cause that rape does not only scar the
survivor physically but also psychologically and emotionally. Despite the
cases of rape as a political tool reported and recorded, the inclusive
government of Zimbabwe remains mum on the abuses, ignoring the plight of the
victims for judicial recourse or dismantling the structures responsible for
instigating these abuses.
The use of rape during key national political
processes and the culture of
impunity embedded in Zimbabwe’s political
environment, continues to deprive
women of their right to participate in key
national processes. Zimbabwe is a
state party to the Convention on the
Elimination of all forms of
Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) which
states, under Article 7 that
‘State Parties shall take all appropriate
measures to eliminate
discrimination against women in the political and
public life of the country
and, in particular, shall ensure to women, on
equal terms with men, the
right a) To vote in all elections and public
referenda and to be eligible
for election to all publicly elected bodies...’
The use of violence targeted
against women has ultimately led to increased
fear among females to
participate in national elections and other political
processes, negating
the aforestated rights that they ought to enjoy.
As
the country moves towards a constitutional referendum and possible
elections
in 2011, there is need for the inclusive government to dismantle
the
structures of violence and protect the right of women to participate in
national processes by apprehending perpetrators of violence and arraigning
them before the courts of law. The continued existence of structures of
violence in Zimbabwe’s body politic, and the continued unwitting promotion
of the culture of impunity will lead to continued women’s rights abuses and
further entrenchment of perpetration of violence against women.
The
Coalition demands that the inclusive government;
1. Dismantles the
infrastructure of violence as exemplified by youth
militias, bases and
partisan conduct from members of the security and
justice
communities.
2. Probe allegations of politically motivated violence with
the view of
apprehending perpetrators before possible elections in
2011
3. Create a conducive environment for women to participate in
national
processes particularly as the nation moves towards the
constitutional
referendum and possible elections in 2011.
During this
year’s 16 days of activism against gender based violence, The
Coalition has
also conducted an internal scan with the view of making civics
space safe
for women by avoiding unwitting or unintended structures of
violence against
women. The Coalition urges other civics, political parties
and social
movements to follow suit, in order to ensure that people’s
organisations do
not become the beasts that they are fighting.
Issued by: Crisis in
Zimbabwe Coalition
Contact Persons:
1. Phillip Pasirayi,
Spokesperson, Mobile: +263 772697782
2. Jonah Gokova, Chairperson, Mobile:
+263 772214757
3. McDonald Lewanika, Director, Mobile: +263
772127398
Email: info@crisis.co.zw, publications@crisis.co.zw
http://www.radiovop.com
13/12/2010 19:01:00
Harare,
December 13, 2010 - Zimbabwe needs to urgently come up with a Mining
Development Policy in order to benefit from foreign investment said David
Matyanga, Mineral Economist and Technical Advisor of the Chamber of Mines of
Zimbabwe (COMZ).
Matyanga told Radio VOP that currently the country
did not have a Mining
Development Policy and this was "seriously affecting
both progress and
investment" especially from the international
world.
"Zimbabwe has operated without a Mining Development Policy for too
long,"
Matyanga said.
"This document can help inform all stakeholders
where the industry is going
during the tenure of the policy document. It
will also clarify government
intentions and focus on mineral development for
the benefit of the industry
which had almost come to a standstill about two
years ago."
He said the government should also deal with the Mines and
Mineral
Amendments because they were scaring away potential investors who
did not
want to see their hard earned finance go down the
drain.
"This will provide a greater sense of security to investors,"
Matyanga said.
"The management of mining titles will also be dealt with
here. The
amendments being proposed affect the management of mining
titles."
He said the law gives the conduct of business in the mineral
sector.
"The government also needs to finalise the modalities of the
Indigenisation
and economic Empowerment Act," he said. "There must be
greater clarity on
how this policy will be implemented because this also
affects investment
since decisions must be made quickly
now.'
Matyanga said going forward government needs to help solve the
electricity
crisis facing the mining industry as time was being lost when
there is no or
insufficient electricity.
"The issue of electricity
and that of liquidity need to be addressed
urgently for us to go forward,"
he told radio VOP.
http://www.swradioafrica.com
By Irene Madongo
13 December
2010
A group of university students who were thrown into prison for
participating
in a demonstration in 2008 want to have their arrest declared
illegal, after
a ruling in another case by the Supreme Court last month
declared that the
arrest of demonstrators was not lawful.
In November
this year the Supreme Court declared that the arrest of two
leaders of Women
of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA) during a demonstration in 2008 was
illegal. Now the
five students are hoping that their arrests will be judged
similarly. They
were charged under Section 37 of the Criminal Law
Codification and Reform
Act for disturbing the peace, which is the same
charge that the WOZA pair
were landed with.
On Monday SW Radio Africa’s Bulawayo correspondent
Lionel Saungweme said:
“The students want an appeal to be heard with the
Supreme Court. They were
apprehended by the anti-riot police in a very
brutal fashion. They were
beaten, spat on and kicked,” he says.
“The
anti-riot police were backed by the Central Investigations Department’s
Law
and Order officers. These people assisted the anti-riot police squad
with
the physical identification of the students during the
demonstrations.”
On 11 November 2008, Melusi Hlabano, Sheunesu Nyoni,
Samson Nxumalo, Brian
Mtisi and Archford Mudzengi, all members of the
Zimbabwe National Students
Union, were arrested for participating in a
political demonstration in
Bulawayo. At the time there were countrywide
demonstrations organized by the
National Constitutional Assembly and the
Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions,
calling for an end to the ongoing
political crisis. They students were
released after two days but charges
were not dropped. Since then their case
has been repeatedly
postponed.
On Monday they appeared before the Magistrate’s Court to
request that their
case be brought before the Supreme Court. The students
say it is the 45th
time they have appeared in court since proceedings
started in 2008. They
added that the whole process has affected them
psychologically and is
nothing more than a strategy by the state to
frustrate them.
The case of these five students further highlights how
the heavy handed
Zimbabwean police force continues to harass and arrest
students, alongside
civil activists and other groups, who organise or
participate in
demonstrations.
This year alone scores of students
have been arrested since the beginning of
the year, as the government
continues to suppress any form of protest. In
March this year around 33
students were arrested around the country after
they staged a series of
demonstrations protesting high tuition fees and the
political deadlock in
the country. In August more arrests were reported,
including those of
leaders from the students union, following a
demonstration over the increase
in fees.
In October students presented a list of grievances to Prime
Minister Morgan
Tsvangirai, following a class boycott countrywide which
called for reforms
in the education sector. The students said Tsvangirai
admitted that ZANU PF’s
Higher Education Minister Stan Mudenge was failing
to adequately deal with
student grievances, but said he was limited in what
he could do to help
their plight as the MDC was not in full control of the
government.
http://www.radiovop.com/
13/12/2010
19:03:00
Masvingo, December 13, 2010 - Six children succumbed to
hunger related
diseases in Chikombedzi’s Mlanguleni and Boli villages last
week amid
reports that girl children below the ages of 18 years were being
married off
as starvation wrecks havoc in the arid low-veld
district.
Villagers interviewed by Radio VOP claimed girl children below
the age of 18
years were being married off to elderly men, mostly foreigners
from
neighbouring South Africa in order to get money to buy
food.
“The situation is dire our children will perish if we do not get
help from
our government and humanitarian aid groups in the country. Peoples
are using
desperate means of getting grain to feed their families like
trading their
daughters which is so bad considering the children rights as
most of these
young girls will be below the age of 18,” said Thomas Chauke
from Old Boli.
Health officials in Chikombedzi told VOP during a visit
over the weekend
that the children died of malnutrition and kwashiorkor as
availability of
food in the district continued to be a nightmare to the
majority of
villagers who had a poor harvest due to low rainfall received
last
agricultural season.
A senior nurse at Chikombedzi General
Hospital said the children below the
age of 10 were admitted after they
began to show signs of malnutrition and
lost their lives as the hospital was
facing a severe crisis of drugs and
food shortages.
“Hunger situation
here is getting worse, we have lost human lives of minors
over the past week
due to starvation related diseases and we are likely to
lose more if
government does not intervene immediately,” said Alice
Hlalangani nurse at
the hospital.
She added that losing six children in a week was
frightening.
Villagers said they were facing grain shortage to prepare
the country’s
staple food sadza for their families in order to
survive.
Some said they were trading their cattle in exchange of some few
bags of
maize-meal but had since run out of livestock to give
away.
Officials at the hospitals said a number of children were still
admitted at
the hospital and slow reaction of help could cost their lives
and add to
statistics of children dying of hunger.
Masvingo
provincial medical director, Doctor Robert Madyiradima declined to
comment
on Monday stating that they were still investigating the causes of
the
death.
http://www.thezimbabwemail.com
12 December,
2010 06:56:00 By
PRIME MINISTER Morgan Tsvangirai is focusing on more
important matters
affecting the country rather than the leaked US cables on
Zimbabwe, a senior
party official said yesterday.
Nelson Chamisa, the
MDC-T spokesperson said Tsvangirai would not be
distracted from his duties
by Zanu PF “functionaries” who were calling for
his resignation or arrest
for alleged “treasonous offences”.
These included Professor Jonathan Moyo
and former MDC national executive
member Gabriel Chaibva whom Chamisa
yesterday described as a “certifiable
idiots”.
Among others, the two
on Friday called for Tsvangirai’s prosecution saying
he was a traitor for
holding conversations with US diplomats on ways to end
the Zimbabwe
political and economic crisis.
Some of the leaked cables reveal that
Tsvangirai discussed options on how
President Robert Mugabe could be removed
from power.
But Chamisa yesterday said the revelations were merely
“wikilies” with
neither basis nor credibility.
Rather than be
obsessed with fiction, he said, Tsvangirai had more important
business to
deal with.
“There are pressing issues in the country as we prepare for
elections. We
can’t allow ourselves to chase shadows and shoot at straws.
Tsvangirai wants
Zimbabwe to be free and democratic and nothing can distract
him from that
goal.”
Zanu PF has started cranking up the propaganda
on Tsvangirai demanding
immediate resignation from Government and public
life or face what it called
prosecution for a litany of treasonous offences
he committed as detailed by
WikiLeaks.
In an interview with State
media, Tsholotsho North legislator Professor
Jonathan Moyo said: "There are
only two things that could happen in any
civilised democracy, for him to
resign not just from Government but public
life altogether. He must also be
prosecuted for a litany of treasonous acts
against the State."
"The
only questions about those two thi-ngs is not whether they should
happen but
when they are going to happen," he added.
Prof Moyo said it was shocking
to note that while in Government and having
taken an oath to uphold the laws
of the country and as a Cabinet member, Mr
Tsvangirai continued to campaign
for the retention of sanctions and for use
of unlawful means to cha-nge the
Government.
"As early as 2000 he was actively asking the US to bring
troops to Zimbabwe
to effect a coup," he said.
Former MDC infiltrator
and member of the Central Intelligence Organisation
Mr Gabriel Chaibva
echoed Moyo’s sentiments adding that it was treasonous
for Tsvangirai and
his party to craft ZDERA and continue to call for the
retention of sanctions
against Zimbabwe.
"This is treasonous and Tsvangirai should be held
accountable for his
actions. The only sensible thing for him to do now is to
resign because more
evidence is coming from WikiLeaks or those in the MDC-T
must push him out
because he is a traitor and has become a liability to the
people of
Zimbabwe. The quicker he goes, the better," Mr Chaibva
said.
He said another alternative to rid the country of Mr Tsvangirai and
his
party was to call for elections.
"There has never been a more
compelling reason for elections than there is
to get rid of this political
party. More importantly when we go for
elections, the people of Zimbabwe now
know that this man (Tsvangirai) all
along has been working to advance the US
and British interests in Zimbabwe.
"He never worked for the people of
Zimbabwe and this explains why he has
been making senseless demands on the
so-called outstanding issues. It has
been about usurping powers through the
back door. Zimba-bweans must punish
him at the polls for who wants to
associate with an American puppet," added
Mr Chaibva.
Another Zanu PF
political analyst Mr Godwine Mureriwa said because of wild
shortcomings,
Zimbabweans would deal decisively with Mr Tsvangirai through
the ballot
box.
"The people of Zimbabwe will judge him at the polls," he said.
http://www.radiovop.com
13/12/2010
18:59:00
Harare, December 13, 2010 - Prime Minister, Morgan
Tsvangirai on Monday
enjoyed a joke thrown by President Robert Mugabe about
his party, Zanu (PF).
Morgan Tsvangirai leads the Movement Democratic
Change main faction known as
(MDC-T).
At a ceremony to officially
launch the One Stop Shop of the Zimbabwe
Investment Authority (ZIA) in
Harare, President Mugabe said : "I just told
the MDC that as soon as we
finish cutting the ribbon at the ZIA offices to
officially open the One Stop
Shop, then we will gather at our (Zanu PF)
offices. As you know Zanu (PF) is
also a One Stop Political Shop."
The Zanu (PF) Headquarters is situated
just across from the ZIA offices
housing the One Stop
Shop.
Tsvangirai, then immediately laughed at the joke made by the
President soon
after he gave his official address to more than 400 invited
guests at the
Harare International Conference Centre (HICC).
The
event was attended by the "Who is Who" in Zimbabwe including members
from
the World Bank, Botswana Government officials, Rwanda and also from
Mauritius. These three countries, Rwanda, Botswana and Mauritius, all have
similar and successful One Stop Shops in their countries.
In his
address, President Mugabe urged his government officials to "honour
all
investment proposals" and treat them speedily because this "is exactly
what
this facility is all about".
The One Stop Shop intends to approve or
disapprove, as the case may be, any
project within five days of reception
from the 96 days that it currently
took to do so.
However, Deputy
Prime Minister, Arthur Mutambara, said : "The One stop Shop
should instead
approve projects within 24 hours and not the five working
days that you are
talking about. This can be done and I don't see why not."
Tsvangirai said
at the same occasion, Zimbabwe must ensure a stable
political environment
and be consistent with its policies to attract foreign
investment.
"We must ensure a stable political environment. Investors
from all over the
world will shy away from the perceived political risk,"
Tsvangirai said.
Mugabe said the One Stop shop will be able to articulate
the indigenisation
and investment laws that are in the country which
foreigners have to
observe.
Mugabe, however, said sanctions were
hurting economic growth.
"This process should ensure that foreigners do
not encroach into investment
areas reserved for locals in terms of our
indigenisation and empowerment
programmes and some people might say this
very law will drive away
investment, it doesn't. It might frighten them for
a while but soon they
will come, " Mugabe said.
"The ultimate
objective is to ease the doing business environment and make
it as hassle
and bustle free as possible," he said.
"The establishment of the One Stop
shop investment centre and of course the
immediate removal of sanctions, if
that occurs at all, should therefore
allow us to climb to where we belong
the top of the ladder."
Zimbabwe ranked 157 out of 183 countries this
year in the United Nations
rankings on easiness of doing business. The
country is currently under a
unity deal of Mugabe, Tsvangirai and Mutambara
formed two years ago under
regional mediation.
The talk of Zimbabwe
going for elections next year has scared away potential
investors who were
willing to invest in the country. Elections in the
country in the past years
have been marred by violence and lack of respect
of property rights. No date
has been announced for the polls yet.
The country's economy has been
growing since the inception of the unity
government in February 2009. Last
year the economy grew by six percent, this
year the economy is expected to
grow by 8 percent while next year the
Finance Minister has predicted that
the economy will grow by 9.3 percent.
BILL WATCH
51/2010
[12th December 2010]
The House of Assembly will sit again on Tuesday 14th
December
The Senate has adjourned until Tuesday 8th February
2011
Recalled
Senate Meets – No Further Rumpus over Provincial Governors
The Senate
met on the 7th December, having been recalled to meet from that day on
notwithstanding its November adjournment until 8th February 2011. The recall was ordered by Senate President Ednah
Madzongwe, at the request of President Mugabe, in terms of Senate Standing Order
187, which permits her to recall the Senate during an adjournment if she is
satisfied that the “public interest”
requires it to meet. Business
proceeded normally, without MDC-T Senators objecting to the presence of the
provincial governors whose recent reappointments are not recognised by MDC-T. A
party spokesman said that MDC-T Senators would not repeat their November
blocking of Senate proceedings, because the provincial governors issue was now
before the High Court and also being dealt with by SADC Facilitator President
Zuma. At the same time he reaffirmed the party position that the governors’
reappointments were not constitutional.
New MDC-M
Minister and Deputy Minister Sworn In
On 9th December President Mugabe swore in the new:
Minister of State in the Organ for National
Healing, Reconciliation and Integration – Moses Mzila Ndlovu [MP for
Bulilima West] [he fills the place of the late Gibson Sibanda, who died on 23rd
August].
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs – Rabson
Makhula [Senator for Nkayi] [he fills the post formerly held by new Minister
Ndlovu].
ZANU-PF Congress
The ZANU-PF National People’s Congress
runs from 15th to 18th December. It will kick off with a politburo meeting on
Wednesday the 15th in Harare followed by the main Congress in Mutare on the 17th
and 18th.
On the House of Assembly Order Paper for this
Week
Tuesday may be the House of Assembly’s last sitting day of 2010, as
the ZANU-PF national congress commences the following day and in previous years
Parliament has always adjourned to allow this event to take
place.
Senate’s recommended amendments to Finance Bill: The main item of business will be consideration of three amendments
to the Finance Bill recommended by the Senate on Friday. Under the special
rules applicable to money bills the House of Assembly is not obliged to accept
these recommendations, and the Bill can be submitted to the President for his
assent either with or without the recommended changes, as the House decides.
The recommendations are that members of the ZIMRA board, the Procurement Board
and the Reserve Bank board should be restricted to sitting on only two statutory
boards, rather than three as proposed by the Minister of Finance in the
Bill.
Deposit Protection Corporation Bill: The Bill awaits its Second Reading. It envisages the setting up of
the Deposit Protection Corporation and Deposit Protection Fund to provide for
the compensation of depositors in failed financial institutions. This will
replace the existing compensation scheme, which is spelled out in the Banking
Act and in regulations made under that Act.
Other Bills: Progress on the three bills currently with the Parliamentary
Legal Committee [PLC] [see below] is unlikely.
Other items: These include motions for discussion of adverse reports by the
Parliamentary Legal Committee [PLC] on statutory instruments, motions on reports
and the ongoing debate on the President’s speech opening Parliament in
July.
In the House of Assembly Last Week
POSA
Amendment Bill: Hon Gonese’s
private member’s bill went through its Committee Stage, during which the House
agreed to three amendments to the bill proposed by Mr Gonese. The amendments
received a prompt non-adverse report from the Parliamentary Legal Committee and
the Bill was then passed and transmitted to the Senate. The Senate’s adjournment until 8th February means that the bill
cannot now become law this year. [Electronic version of bill as passed by the House available – please
address requests to veritas@yoafrica.com.]
Fast-tracking Bills: On 25th November the House approved the fast-tracking of the money
bills and all the other bills already on the order paper [see below].
The resolution also approved late-night and Friday sittings and the suspension
of Questions on Wednesday. [Comment: Fast-tracking of Budget and other
end-of-year business has become routine, but remains a deplorable practice, as
it undermines well-established procedures designed to ensure proper
consideration of Parliamentary business. Surely any government should be able
to plan ahead. Also, the tradition of allowing a party congress to take
precedence over Parliamentary work needs to be
reconsidered.]
Money Bills:
On Tuesday the debate on the Budget continued,
with portfolio committee chairpersons reporting to the House following the
post-Budget analysis carried out by the committees. The Minister’s allocations
attracted much criticism and there were calls for changes. Hon Zhanda,
chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Budget, Finance etc. attempted to have
the debate postponed until MPs had been able to meet the Minister of Finance for
further discussion, but was ruled out of order by the Speaker. On Wednesday the
Minister replied to the debate, putting up a spirited defence and pointing out
that the whole Government had approved the Budget. On MPs’ calls for a larger
allocation for constituency development funds he pointed out that 39 MPs had
failed to activate their constituency funds this year. In the end, despite the
rumblings of discontent, there was no backbench revolt and on Tuesday the
Estimates of Expenditure for 2011, the Finance Bill and Appropriation (2011)
Bill were passed without further debate. On Wednesday the Revised Estimates for
2010 and the related Appropriation (2010) Amendment (No. 2) Bill; [making
adjustments to appropriations for 2010 as a result of revenue collections for
2010 having exceeded expectations] were passed without debate. The two money
bills for 2011 and the Appropriation (2010) Amendment (No. 2) Bill were
transmitted to the Senate.
Bill
Passed:
·
Energy Regulatory Authority Bill – the Bill passed its Committee Stage during which numerous
amendments were made at the request of the Minister of Energy and Power
Development. The PLC returned a non-adverse report on the amendments and the
bill was passed and transmitted to the Senate.
Bills still in House
· Deposit Protection Corporation
Bill [the PLC returned a
non-adverse report on 9th December, clearing the Bill for Second Reading]
· Small Enterprises Development Corporation
Amendment Bill
[with PLC for report on its constitutionality prior to
Second Reading]
· Criminal Law Amendment (Protection of Power,
Communication and Water Infrastructure) Bill [with PLC for report on Committee Stage amendments]
· Attorney-General’s Office
Bill [with PLC
for report on Committee
Stage amendments]
Motions: Discussion commenced on the report of the Public Service, Labour and
Social Welfare Portfolio Committee on the operations of the National Social
Security Authority [NSSA] and the report on the November session of the
Pan-African Parliament.
In the Senate Last Week
Like the House
of Assembly, the Senate approved the suspension of Standing Orders to enable
pending business to be fast-tracked. It sat on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and
Friday before adjourning until 8th February 2011.
Budget
Bills: The Senate received
the three money bills from the House of Assembly on Wednesday. It passed
Appropriation (2011) Bill and the Appropriation (2010) Amendment (No. 2) Bill on
Thursday. On Friday it also passed the Finance Bill but recommended three
amendments for consideration by the House of Assembly. [Note: Under the
Constitution the Senate cannot amend a money bill but can recommend amendments
which the House of Assembly is then free to accept or reject.]
International Agreements Approved: The Senate approved the following
international agreements in accordance with section 111B of the Constitution:
·
Agreement on the
Establishment of the Zambezi Watercourse Commission
·
Agreement on the
Establishment of the Limpopo Watercourse Commission
·
Loan Agreement
between Government of Zimbabwe and Export-Import Bank of China relating to
Zimbabwe’s 2G and 3G National Network Rollout Project being implemented by Net
One
·
Memorandum of
Understanding on Co-operation on Water Supply and Wastewater Management Policy
and Technology
·
Agreement between
Zimbabwe and South Africa for the Promotion and Reciprocal Protection of
Investments [BIPPA]
Bills
carried forward to February next year: The Senate adjourned without dealing with the following bills on its
Order Paper:
·
Zimbabwe National
Security Council Amendment Bill [transmitted from the House of Assembly in
November]
·
POSA Amendment Bill
[transmitted from the House of Assembly on 8th December]
·
Energy Regulatory
Authority Bill [transmitted from the House of Assembly on 9th
December]
Bills Awaiting Introduction in
Parliament
The following bills have been printed and gazetted, but have not yet
been listed on the Order Paper for presentation in Parliament:
·
General Laws Amendment Bill [gazetted 22nd
October]
· National Incomes and Pricing Commission Amendment Bill [gazetted
5th November]
SI 154/2010 – Road Traffic Regulations – Postponement Not Gazetted
Despite confirmation by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of
Transport that the commencement of SI 154/2010 would be postponed from 1st
December until 1st June 2011, no statutory instrument has been gazetted making
this postponement legally effective. This is of concern to non-compliant
motorists. Veritas has been assured that the statutory instrument is being
prepared and will be gazetted soon.
Veritas makes every effort to ensure reliable information, but cannot
take legal responsibility for information supplied
BILL WATCH SPECIAL
[13th December 2010]
House of Assembly Portfolio Committees: 13th to 17th
December
The following meetings are open to members of the public, as
observers only, not as participants. [See note at the end of this bulletin on public attendance and
participation at different types of committee meetings] As there are sometimes last-minute changes to the schedule, it is recommended that you avoid possible disappointment by checking with
the relevant committee clerk that the meeting is still on and still open to the
public. Parliament’s telephone numbers are Harare 700181 or 252936-55.
[Names of committee clerks are given below]. If attending, please use the Kwame Nkrumah Ave entrance to
Parliament. IDs must be produced.
Monday 13th December at 2 pm
Thematic Committee: Gender and Development
Brief on water and sanitation organisations in
Zimbabwe.
Committee Room No. 3
Chairperson: Hon Chitsa Clerk: Mrs Khumalo
Tuesday 14th December at 10 am
Portfolio Committee: Local Government, Rural and Urban Development
Oral evidence from Harare City Treasurer Mbvumbi on Harare Water
Account
Committee Room No. 413
Chairperson: Hon Karenyi Clerk: Mr Daniel
Thematic Committee: MDGs
Presentation on the 2010 MDG report from YET [Youth Empowerment
Trust]
Government Caucus Room
Chairperson: Hon Chief Mtshane Clerk: Mrs Nyawo
Wednesday 15th December – no meetings open to the
public
Thursday 16th December at 10 am
Media, Information and Communication
Technology
Presentation from Mr Gwatidzo on the operations of private ICT
stakeholders
Committee Room No. 413
Chairperson: Hon S. Moyo Clerk: Mr Mutyambizi
Public Attendance at and Participation in Committee
Meetings
·
Open to the public to attend as observers
only: Portfolio and thematic committee meetings where oral evidence is
being heard. Members of the public can listen but not speak. [As listed above.]
·
Stakeholders by invitation: At some committee meetings stakeholders [and those who notify
Parliament that they consider themselves stakeholders] are invited to make oral
or written representations and ask questions. [These meetings will be highlighted in these
bulletins.]
·
Not open to the public: Portfolio and thematic committee meetings in which the committees
are doing private business – e.g. setting work plans, deliberating on reports
and findings, or drafting reports for Parliament, or when the committees make
field visits. [Veritas does not list these meetings in these
bulletins.]
·
Public Hearings: When committees call for public hearings, members of the public are
free to submit oral or written representations, ask questions and generally
participate. [Veritas sends out separate notices of these public hearings.]
Note: Zimbabweans in the Diaspora can send in written submissions by email
to clerk@parlzim.gov.zw
Veritas makes every effort to ensure reliable information, but cannot
take legal responsibility for information
supplied.