The Zimbabwe Situation

Zim Online

Wednesday 14 February 2007

By Pfudzai Chibgowa

HARARE - Zimbabwean diplomats abroad have gone unpaid for months and many
could find themselves forced to live on and work from the streets as
landlords threaten to evict them for failure to pay rent, Foreign Affairs
secretary Joey Bimha said on Tuesday.

Bimha told a special parliamentary committee on foreign affairs, industry
and international trade that most of the 40 missions abroad faced eviction
for non-payment of rentals for chanceries and for staff accommodation
because Harare did not have the foreign currency required to pay.

"The rental arrears at chanceries have gone for up to three months while
staff have endured up to two months without salaries," Bimha said.

Bimha said former finance minister Hebert Murerwa had allocated enough money
to Foreign Affairs but it was in local currency. "It is the foreign currency
that has proved to be a problem," he said.

Zimbabwe is experiencing its worst economic crisis that has seen inflation
spike to nearly 1 600 percent, the highest in the world, unemployment surge,
shortages of food, fuel and foreign currency.

The opposition Movement for Democratic Change party and Western governments
blame the crisis on repression and wrong policies by President Robert Mugabe
such as his seizure of white farms for redistribution to landless blacks.
Mugabe denies the charge.

The chaotic and often violent farm seizures derailed the agricultural
sector, the backbone of the economy, causing food shortages and sending the
economy on a recession that the World Bank has described as unprecedented
for a country not at war.

Bimha said it would be ideal, depending on availability of hard cash, for
Harare to buy premises it was currently renting to accommodate its diplomats
in foreign capitals as this would be cheaper in the long run.

But his statement on the country's foreign representatives defaulting on
rent payments lends credence to reports that diplomats in Brussels and New
York were last September given notices to vacate the houses they lived in
because of non-payment of rent.

Sources say some diplomats and their spouses have been forced to 'moonlight'
in order to survive.

But while this is going on diplomats sent in as 'military attaches' have
been receiving their salaries regularly while others are going without.

The military attaches are said to have turned themselves into liaison
officers mainly from the government's spy Central Intelligence Organissation
and are said to also routinely claim inordinately huge amounts in
allowances.

Bimha lamented the drying up of development aid from Britain that he
attributed to the bi-lateral disagreement with the British government.

He said relations with the British government remained frosty despite Harare's
attempt to build bridges and mend the rift.

Responding to Bulilima legislator, Moses Mzila Ndlovu of the opposition MDC,
Bimha said the British had influenced other European Union (EU) countries to
withdraw development aid although the West still offered humanitarian aid.

Bimha said the European Union was giving more aid for AIDS programmes to
South Africa and Zambia than they were giving to Zimbabwe.

London denies any bilateral dispute with Harare and instead says Western
countries have ostracised Zimbabwe chiefly because of the failure by Mugabe's
government to uphold human rights, democracy and the rule of law. -
ZimOnline

Tsvangirai to launch party's presidential campaign

Zim Online

Wednesday 14 February 2007

Own Correspondent

HARARE - Zimbabwe's opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party
led by Morgan Tsvangirai says it will on Sunday launch its campaign for a
presidential election next year that however looks much in doubt because
President Robert Mugabe wants it moved to 2010.

Mugabe says pushing the presidential poll from March 2008 to 2010 so it
could be held jointly with elections for Parliament would save on
administrative costs but the MDC and civic groups have dismissed this as a
ploy by the veteran President to hold on to power without going through an
election.

Elias Mudzuri, the national organising secretary in the Tsvangirai MDC told
ZimOnline yesterday that the party will launch its presidential campaign on
Sunday in preparation for the March 2008 election.

"As far as we know, Mugabe's term expires in March 2008. Our party's
position is that we are going to vote in 2008 under a new Constitution and
we will continue to mobilise people towards that end.

"We have no plans to partake in the betrayal of the people by blessing
Mugabe's egocentric plans to extend his term to 2010," said Mudzuri.

Tsvangirai is expected to address the rally at Zimbabwe Grounds in Harare's
Highfield suburb, a bastion of the opposition party.

Insiders within the MDC say the launch of the presidential campaign will
help put pressure on Mugabe to abandon plans to extend his 27-year old rule.

Mugabe is already facing stiff resistance from his own party over the plan
with ZANU PF failing to endorse the proposal at its annual conference held
last December in Goromonzi.

The other faction of the splintered MDC led by Arthur Mutambara has also
said it will mobilise its supporters to resist Mugabe's plans to hang on to
power. - ZimOnline

As Inflation Surges, Zimbabwe Automatic Tellers Dispense Z$10K Bills

VOA

      By Blessing Zulu
      Washington
      13 February 2007

Banks in Zimbabwe are no longer distributing bills smaller than $10,000
through their automated teller machines, which some observers are taking as
a sign the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe might have to lop more zeroes off the
currency this year.

The Z$10,000 note is worth US$2 on the parallel foreign exchange market.

The central bank trimmed three zeroes off the currency on July 31, 2006, in
what the monetary authority called Operation Sunrise, then called in all old
bank notes in a chaotic process in which police arbitrarily seized sums
deemed to be ill-gotten.

But the so-called bearer notes issued during and after that currency
overhaul quickly lost their value as the exchange rate on the parallel
currency market gravitated to around Z$5,000 per U.S. dollar while the
official rate has remained at Z$250.

Bankers said that with inflation approaching 1,600% it makes no sense to
load ATMs with small-denomination bills. Soaring inflation is also putting
pressure on Reserve Bank Governor Gideon Gono to delay the introduction of a
new currency.

Reserve Bank sources said new notes were printed by the German firm Giesecke
& Devrient in July and were intended to be introduced some time this month.

Economist John Robertson of Harare told reporter Blessing Zulu of VOA's
Studio 7 for Zimbabwe that bankers are doing the right thing by shifting to
larger denominations.

In other economic news, the cabinet has assigned newly appointed Finance
Minister Samuel Mumbengegwi and Economic Development Minister Sylvester
Nguni to revive business-labor-government wage talks in hopes of forging a
new social contract that might help the government cope with burgeoning
labor disputes. The two ministers were to be assisted by RBZ chief Gono and
Labor Minister Nicholas Goche.

Cabinet insiders said a new social contract is Harare's only hope of pulling
back from the brink of total economic collapse and deepening social
upheaval.

Business and labor both want a firm commitment from Harare, for different
reasons.

The Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce is unhappy about arrests of
business executives over alleged price gouging on essential goods. Business
leaders clashed with Mumbengegwi in 2004, when he held the trade portfolio;
he told a Congress of Industries meeting that Zimbabwe did not need the
International Monetary Fund.

So the business community doubts Mumbengegwi can deliver the needed reforms.

Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions President Lovemore Matombo said that while
the labor body welcomes new tripartite talks, it doubts Harare's sincerity.

1,600pc inflation makes new notes useless

Zimbabwe protesters arrested, activist says

International Herald tribune

The Associated PressPublished: February 13, 2007

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa: Police in two Zimbabwean cities arrested scores
of demonstrators on Tuesday as they tried to stage pre-Valentine's Day
marches to press for social justice, a leading activist said.

Jenni Williams, of Women of Zimbabwe Arise, a group that frequently stages
marches in cities in Zimbabwe, told the Associated Press that 274 protesters
were rounded up by police in the second city of Bulawayo and at least eight
in the capital Harare.

"We have a confirmed figure of 274 men and women and 20 babies arrested in
Bulawayo," Williams said in a telephone interview. "The lawyers managed to
count them before they (the lawyers) were chased away and threatened by riot
police," she added.

It was not immediately possible to get independent confirmation of the
arrests.

Under Zimbabwe's tough security laws, protests are not allowed unless police
permission has first been granted a regulation WOZA chooses not to comply
with.

This is the fifth year that WOZA has held Valentine's Day protests in
Zimbabwe, where an economic crisis is deepening. This year's marches were
brought forward a day in an attempt to outwit police, who frequently arrest
and beat marchers.
The attempt failed. In Bulawayo, marchers found themselves confronted with a
"heavy police presence" as they tried to distribute Valentine's Day cards
and red roses on the streets of the city, said WOZA in a separate statement.

In Harare, police fired tear gas at marchers as they approached the central
parliament building, the statement said.

The women were reported to be singing in the local Shona language "your term
is up you have stayed too long" in reference to attempts by President Robert
Mugabe and some of his associates to amend the constitution to extend his
stay in power by two years.

"Our issue is that Mugabe has failed to deliver the promises of the
liberation war," in the 1970s, Williams, who was not among the arrested,
said.

"We want to hold the political leaders accountable for their inability to
deliver social justice," she said.

WOZA activists say women and mothers are bearing the brunt of Zimbabwe's
economic and social crisis, as the cost of food, clothing, transport and
school fees soars beyond the reach of most.

The annual inflation rate has reached 1,593.6 percent, Zimbabwe's Central
Statistical Office (CSO) was quoted as saying Tuesday.

WOZA claim the streets of Harare and Bulawayo

Students arrested at Harare Polytechnic

By Violet Gonda
13 February 2007

Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights have confirmed that at least 35 students
were arrested at the Harare Polytechnic on Tuesday. The arrested include
President of the Zimbabwe National Students Union, Promise Mkwananzi.
Student activists from colleges around the country were holding a general
meeting at the Harare Poly to discuss the educational crisis, when armed
police officers stormed the institution.

Human Rights lawyer Rangu Nyamurundira said they were being held at Harare
Central Police Station. Although the lawyer was not allowed to speak with
the arrested students he said; "What we are aware of, or the information we
got is, that the students were arrested while one of them, a ZINASU
representative, was about to deliver a speech to the students. So as far as
we are aware there was no actual demonstration taking place."

He said the gathering was not illegal and the students' body has a right to
speak to their members to voice whatever concerns the students have. "It is
obviously a violation of their freedom of expression and association."

According to an unconfirmed report from the Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition,
some lecturers were also arrested.

Earlier this month the ZINASU leadership gave the government an ultimatum
which expired today, calling upon the state to address the education crisis,
as tuition fees have gone beyond the reach of the general population.

Zimbabwe is seeing a wave of strikes and demonstrations as more and more
people fail to make ends meet due to the hyperinflationary environment.

SW Radio Africa Zimbabwe news

Water cuts likely at Zimbabwe hospitals, prisons

SABC

February 13, 2007, 11:15

Zimbabwe's National Water Authority is owed more than Z$800 billion in
unpaid water bills by government departments, residents and private
companies and is considering disconnecting the debtors' water supplies,
Harare's Herald Online reported today.

The Minister of Water Resources and Infrastructural Development, Munacho
Mutezo, said among those in arrears were hospitals, prison services and
farming settlements, who were not paying water bills.

Eng Mutezo told the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Local Government
that the debt was crippling Zinwa operations.

Members of the committee had asked why water was being disconnected to
important institutions like hospitals and prisons, in view of the critical
services they offer. - Sapa

SA mercenary Mann facing extradition

IOL

            Basildon Peta
          February 13 2007 at 08:47AM

      A Zimbabwean court will begin hearing an application by the government
of Equatorial Guinea on Thursday to have jailed South African mercenary
Simon Mann extradited to face a fresh trial in Malabo, where he will most
certainly face a very lengthy jail term.

      Mann is serving a four-year term in Zimbabwe after he was convicted of
being the ring leader of a plot to overthrow the government of tyrannical
president Theodore Mbasogo Nguema Obiang in Equatorial Guinea in 2004.

      Mann, who also has British citizenship, and a group of about 70 other
South African mercenaries were arrested in Harare en route to Equatorial
Guinea. All the other convicted mercenaries have served one-year jail
sentences and have returned to South Africa. Some now face fresh charges of
violating South Africa's anti-mercenary laws.

      Mann remains in jail, although his sentence was reduced from a
seven-year term to four years.

      Equatorial Guinea has asked Zimbabwean authorities to extradite Mann
upon his release in May.

      But Mann's lawyer, Jonathan Samkange, said he would vigorously oppose
the extradition.

      Samkange said even though Equatorial Guinea and Zimbabwe had reached
an understanding to exchange suspected criminals, no formal extradition
treaty had been put in writing.

      And in terms of Zimbabwean extradition law, a suspect cannot be
extradited to a country where he would face torture. The wording of the
extradition request implied that Mann would face severe torture since the
government had written that it wanted to "extract" information from Mann
about the coup.

      "The word extraction as used by Equatorial Guinea authorities implies
the use of force . . . In this case torture," said Samkange.

      He said Zimbabwean law also forbade the extradition of people to
countries where they would face political trials. Since Mann was accused of
having plotted to overthrow Nguema, it was clear he would face a political
trial.

      Magistrate Omega Mugumbate will decide Mann's fate.

      This article was originally published on page 2 of The Mercury on
February 13, 2007

Accused 'may not have known about plot'

IOL

          February 13 2007 at 02:57PM

      A State witness could not deny on Tuesday that the eight accused in
the Equatorial Guinea coup trial may have been ignorant of the plot.

      Cross examined in the Pretoria regional court on Tuesday, James
Kershaw, 27, a former personal assistant of Simon Mann - one of the alleged
planners of the coup - said he himself only found out about the coup two
days before the group flew out of South Africa.

      The eight men before court - Raymond Stanley Archer, Victor Dracula,
Louis du Preez, Errol Harris, Mazanga Kashama, Neves Tomas Matias, Simon
Morris Witherspoon, and Hendrik Jacobus Hamman - have pleaded not guilty to
a charge of contravening the Foreign Military Assistance Act.

      They were among a group arrested in March 2004 when they landed at
Harare International Airport, allegedly to refuel and pick up military
equipment on their way to join other suspected mercenaries arrested in
Equatorial Guinea at about the same time.

      Defence advocate Margie Victor, noting that Kershaw did not know about
the plot till just days beforehand, despite being part of Mann's "inner
circle," asked if he could deny that the accused were also ignorant of it.

      "I cannot," he said.

      Kershaw said that a coup was not discussed at any meeting he attended.

      He did however type contracts for the group to provide security to a
mine in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

      He also heard Mann and Nick du Toit - another alleged planner of the
coup - talk about mining in the DRC on several occasions.

      When they were arrested in Zimbabwe the group repeatedly said they
were on their way to the DRC to guard a mine.

      Alwyn Griebenow, for Du Preez and Witherspoon, took a different
approach.

      He asked Kershaw if he had told the men beforehand that the coup had
the approval of the South Africa government.

      He pointed to statements by State witnesses who have not testified yet
who said Kershaw and Mann have told the group that they had approval for the
operation.

      "Can you confirm whether Mann told Simon Witherspoon that the
operation was approved at the highest level and that (President Thabo) Mbeki
was looking forward to meeting the new leader when he is put in place?"

      Kershaw said he could not confirm such a discussion.

      He also denied that he and Mann told the group the South African
National Prosecuting Authority and its head, advocate Bulelani Ngcuka, knew
of and approved the plot beforehand.

      Another State witness started to testify before the trial was
adjourned for the day.

      Crause Steyl told the court how he met and worked with Mann during
mercenary company Executive Outcomes' operations in Angola.

      Steyl turned state witness after earlier pleading guilty under a plea
bargain to involvement in a coup attempt.

      He had supplied the coup plotters with men and air assistance and was
involved in a plot to kidnap the Equato Guinean president and fly in a
"replacement".

      The trial continues on Wednesday. - Sapa

Tons of food aid moved to Chiredzi South ahead of by-election

By Lance Guma
13 February 2007

With a few days to go before the Chiredzi South parliamentary by-election,
tons of state-sponsored food aid is reported to have been moved into the
area by Zanu PF for use in their campaigns. The President of the Chiefs
Council, Fortune Charumbira, has urged chiefs to deny opposition supporters
food, calling them sell outs. The opposition and civic groups have slammed
the government for using food in this way, to manipulate hungry villagers
into voting for the ruling party. Its understood people who are seen
attending opposition rallies are being blocked from accessing the food and
Chief Charumbira has even told chiefs in Chiredzi to support the Zanu PF
candidate. Villagers who want to get food aid are being told to denounce
their parties first.

The director of the Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN), Rindai
Chipfunde-Vava, told Newsreel that they were concerned traditional leaders
and headmen have abandoned their duties to side with the ruling party. She
says their reports from the October 2006 rural district council elections
had already highlighted the enormity of the problem. ZESN say it is illegal
in terms of the constitution, and is against regional and international
standards for leaders to act in this way, since all citizens should be
protected against discrimination for their political opinions.

A parliamentary by-election is due in the constituency following the death
of Zanu PF legislator Aaron Baloyi last year. Immaculate Makondo from the
Tsvangirai MDC, Nehemiah Zenamwe- Mutambara MDC and Lieutenant Colonel
Kallisto Gwanetsa from Zanu PF are the candidates. The candidature of
Colonel Gwanetsa, the deputy commander of the 2nd Brigade, has led to
accusations that soldiers stationed at the Buffalo Range camp where deployed
in the constituency to intimidate the electorate into voting for him.

SW Radio Africa Zimbabwe news

Tel One

All day today it has been impossible to raise telephone numbers in Harare
from Bulawayo. All Tel One information lines have also been jammed with
queries. It appears to have also affected all e mail and internet
transmissions that depend on Tel One.

I called an official at Tel One in Bulawayo and they confirmed they had not
been able to communicate with Harare all day. They did not know what the
fault was and could not say when it would be rectified.

To my knowledge this is the first time the national grid has been
interrupted in this way.It signals the rapid deterioration in all aspects of
the Zimbabwean infrastructure system. This is inevitable given the loss of
skills and experience in the institutions that support these essential
services and because of the failure to maintain the systems.

Eddie Cross
Bulawayo, 12th February 2007

The end of the line for Murerwa, Gono or Mugabe?

zimbabwejournalists.com

By Chenjerai Chitsaru

ZIMBABWEANS, now perennially preoccupied with the wherewithal of their next
square meal, may have taken time off last week to contemplate a curious
coincidence.

At the same time that the Chinese president, Hu Jintao was being feted in
Mozambique and South Africa, both a short flight away from us, there was not
a word of him stopping over, even for a cup of tea, in Zimbabwe.

"Evidently, we are not considered prime trading partners, are we?" said one,
rather rhetorically, I thought.

Speculation was rife: the Chinese were unimpressed with our rate of
inflation. No country running the highest inflation rate in the world could,
by any stretch of the Great Wall imagination, be considered worth even a
brief visit by the leader of the fastest growing economy in the world.

But as the week ended, there was some consolation, particularly for people
who set great store for genuinely friendly diplomatic relations, which go
beyond just "enlightened self-interest". The Chinese ambassador to Zimbabwe,
Yuan Nansheng, and his deputy, Mrs Ma Deyun, visited Mrs Grace Mugabe's most
favourite charity, Danhiko in Harare.

All three of them showered many gifts on the physically and mentally
challenged members of the center. It was a lavish ceremony, as these things
go, covered for television with breathless eagerness by Judith Makwanya, who
usually reports on the First Lady's every important official function.

Some thought it was a coincidence - that is all. Others, lumbered with
cynicism since 2000, thought otherwise. The Chinese, feeling very guilty
about not including Zimbabwe on Hu Jintao's African safari, thought a small
gesture such as the visit to
Danhiko by their emissaries might soften the diplomatic blow.

Other Zimbabweans, whose cynicism has reached dangerously terminal levels
since the same disastrous events of 2000, thought the Chinese were not keen
to be sucked into the succession imbroglio, which they considered to have
been raised in its profile by President Robert Mugabe's Cabinet reshuffle,
in which the one real casualty was Herbert Murerwa.

It was a little fanciful of them to believe that the Chinese, now so
preoccupied with taking overt the No. 1 spot as the greatest economy in the
world, would concern themselves with the political shenanigans of a poor
African country with an economy the International Monetary Fund has said,
not in so many words, is in a mess.

Yet the question must be confronted head-on: what do the Chinese think of
our economy, whose direction has, for the past few, tragic and lean years,
been under the tutelage of our so-called Three Wise Men, Mugabe, Murerwa and
Gideon Gono.

Come to think of it, what do neutral, benevolent observers of our slow
descent into penury or perdition, think of our latest attempts to rescue an
economy that many now consider beyond redemption?

Murerwa's removal - that fact cannot now be glossed or papered over with
semantics - would not have settled right with many sympathisers of our
predicament. The former Minister of Finance, notwithstanding his lackluster
public performance, if judged against that of the great showman, Gono,
enjoyed support among international financiers and institutions which
espouse predictable formulae to cure the kind of economic malaise we have
inflicted on ourselves.

Most such critics of Gono's unconventional and largely Russian roulette
prescriptions insist they have potent evidence against the central bank
governor: his methods have failed utterly to move the economy out of the
dungeon of failure that it was plunged into by the madness of 2000.

Inflation, pilloried by Gono as the country's No 1 Enemy, has every good
reason to celebrate what could be its victory over Gono, Mugabe and Murerwa
himself.
The former finance minister's undoing was probably that monster which has
devoured others before him: Simba Makoni and Leonard Tsumba, Gono's
predecessor at the central bank: devaluation.

Gono wasn't at all convincing on his reason for not taking the plunge on
devaluation: it is hardly logical to conclude that during the eight times he
has devalued the feeble dollar, there has been no change in the country's
fortunes.

What about the other fundamentals? What about a deliberate attempt to
campaign for a balance of payments helping hand from the IMF? Mugabe has
displayed only contempt for the IMF. In the beginning, Gono did not share
this contempt. At one time, particularly at the beginning of his tenure as
the central bank boss, he made decidedly positive noises on the prospects of
getting back into bed with the Bretton Woods institution.

But Mugabe is a very headstrong leader - as we had confirmed in Edgar Tekere's
autobiography, A Life of Struggle. The president has had his way since
independence: and his way has led us to where we are now, perennially broke,
unloved by many former friends, despised by many African countries and
derided by other countries which formerly embraced Marxist-Leninist economic
policies, until they realized such policies invariably led to hunger,
disease and poverty, in which are now sort of permanently mired.

Gono, once again, turned on corruption in high places as another cause of
our imminent demise as a viable economic entity. In Bulawayo, at a
breakfast meeting with the influential people in that city of kings, he was
particularly scathing about the politicians who have bankrupted this country
but insist that the blame lies elsewhere.

He was contemptuous of their efforts to rope in everyone they could into the
succession debate, including Gono himself. Some other people have blamed the
succession debate for the distortions bedevilling, not only our politics,
but even the economy.

Yet no one has had the guts so far to challenge Mugabe and Zanu PF - except
Edgar Tekere - on these and other crucial questions of governance. The
people around Mugabe may pretend that they too play a crucial role in the
running of this country. Yet, if any conscientious and honest assessment
were to be made of the so-called people's conference in Goromonzi, the
inescapable conclusion would be this: IMF - it's Mugabe's fault.

In fact, if we were to analyse the causes of the Cabinet reshuffle, it would
not take us long to conclude that, even in that exercise it is Mugabe's and
only Mugabe's consideration that mattered.

Simba Makoni was bounced out of the finance portfolio in the most public and
humiliating manner imaginable. Mugabe didn't even blink and it was left to
Makoni himself to count his losses and re-assess his future in the political
scheme of things.
He is back in the Zanu PF fold, perhaps chastened and convinced that he
could still have another bite at the cherry of ultimate power - the
presidency.

Murerwa remains a Member of Parliament, a member of the Zanu PF central
committee and perhaps still a respected representative of his constituency
in both the party and Parliament.

Yet even he must know that, unless he makes the right conciliatory noises
with Mugabe, he could be out of favour for good: the Zanu PF landscape is
littered with the political corpses of others who were presumptuous enough
to challenge Mugabe.

Gono's future is another matter for speculation. To many observers he
sounded as if he had reached the end of the tether with his monetary
gymnastics. He had failed, it sounded as if he was saying. Someone else
ought to try their hand.

It may sound far-fetched, but the chances are that Gono has conducted his
last roundup. Not many people can imagine him going another round. For one
thing, it is difficult to imagine him providing a new formula to save this
economy from total collapse.

Of course, if he steps out of the scene, that might also spell Mugabe's
imminent exit. The president invested so much faith in Gono's talent as Mr
Fixit, he cannot now be convinced that the man has not succeeded.

Mugabe's formula could be to start on a completely new slate: forget 2010,
quit in 2008 and pray that whoever takes over can convince the world that
Zimbabwe is truly on a new, pragmatic and realistic path.

Ambassadors of Belarus and Zimbabwe consider issues on expanding contacts between two states

National Legal Internet Portal of the Republic of Belarus

13/02/2007 12:36

      Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Belarus to Russia
Vasiliy Dolgolev and ambassador of Zimbabwe to the Russian Federation
Phelekezela Mpoko met in Moscow to discuss issues on expanding the contacts
between the two states.

      As BelTA was told in the Belarusian diplomatic mission in Moscow, Mr.
Phelekezela Mpoko called the relations between Belarus and Zimbabwe
traditionally good and expressed readiness to present credentials to the
president of Belarus. The Zimbabwean diplomat noted his country valued
highly the quality of the Belarusian farm machines and was interested in
importing the Belarusian tractors and fertilizers. According to Mr.
Phelekezela Mpoko, the setting up of joint productions of farm machines and
joint projects in the educational sphere are rather promising for the two
states.

      In turn, Vasiliy Dolgolev confirmed readiness of this country to
promote mutually beneficial cooperation with Zimbabwe and stressed the need
to establish all-level contacts. Vasiliy Dolgolev also informed the
Zimbabwean diplomat about development of the Belarusian industry.

      Within the framework of the meeting the two diplomats shared their
views concerning international problems: drawbacks of the existing unipolar
world order; the necessity to pursue independent policy and to protect the
national interests.

Jollity that Depicts Worlds Apart

Silence Chihuri

The video posted via U-Tube onto the Internet in which Finance Minister
Mumbengegwi's jolly children were seen by the whole world belting out the
popular jive known in Zimbabwean showbiz circles, as Borrowdale dance should
never have been anything out of the ordinary. Neither should there have been
any cause for dismay or concern. It is a picture depicting happy children
with lots of air above them and very little if any, signs of worry or
bother. They are actually fit enough to waltz their way round their father's
office.

The only sad thing about these children and their over the board jollity is
that their kind of happiness is not at all replicated by their fellow
Zimbabweans of similar age groups who have to endure extreme misery and
deprivation. Other children in Zimbabwe are living in abject poverty and
medieval squalor, with malnourishment and disease being highest on the list
of their sources of misery. Consequently, dancing to any tune of music
however sweet would be the last thing on their mind, let alone recording
their daily experiences. Their worry is the next meal or where they will
sleep.

Contrasted with these privileged children and their rare exposure to the
high-tech life of e-videos and the oft-imposing corridors of power, there is
an alarming depiction of two worlds apart. It does not stop there, because
the problems that our country is saddled with at the moment are artificial
and man-made. They strike right at the very heart of government incompetence
and clue-less-ness that is typified through the reduction of the public
office into a playground with no sign of officialdom in sight.

What causes concern is not that Mumbengegwi's children are privileged. No at
all! Every child deserves to be privileged and it is a pity that not just in
Zimbabwe but also in Africa at large, there are still largely
underprivileged children. The cause for concern is that this is Zimbabwe we
are talking about. This is a country with inflation that has hit a record
figure of 1500%, over and above a host of other economic and financial
problems. And these are the children of the man who has just been tasked
with taking Zimbabwe out of that abyss.

And if it is true that this was Mumbengegwi's office, whereupon it is
suppose to be in that office where Zimbabwe's way out of the doldrums is to
be orchestrated and executed, that should not just embarrass Mumbengegwi,
but should worry all of us. Because Zimbabwe is a country with no time to
waste and neither room for over the top jollity especially at the public
work place. Rather, there is an overwhelmingly urgent need for a way out of
the vicious cycle of economic and social reversal that our nation has
unjustifiably endured over the last six years.

This kind of state of affairs can only be acceptable in a country like
Zimbabwe where people are rewarded for clowning, corruption, underachieving,
malfunctioning as well not giving a toss about their moral wellbeing or
justification for occupation of public office. It is only in Zimbabwe where
ministers who have demonstrated the lowest net performance have been
rewarded not just through their retention, but also through promotion when
the least that could have been done was to make them redundant. This culture
of gross abuse of the work place has not only been demonstrated through such
play-ground antics of innocent but spoilt children, but it has been shown
through gross abuse of power and the propensity to hold people at ransom.

Our problems today are largely man-made and attributable to outright
arrogance, a chronic lack of responsibility as well as the destructive
actions on the part of those in power. Everyone is so disgruntled to the
extent that even the so-called new look-cabinet has already been dismissed
contemptuously, as another turning of a dead composite heap. How could the
cabinet look new with those old and tired faces? These are the same faces
with the same misplaced priorities and the same pungent for self
looking-after.

Elsewhere in the establishment, energies are being focused on the opulent
preparations for the birthday of an eighty-year old president who has
presided over the worst economic and social decadence that our country has
ever witness. The reward for twenty-six years of misrule is a reported $1.2
birthday bash. In the process they are forgoing the health and future of the
children who are languishing in abject, government-imposed poverty and ill
health.

Why can't President Mugabe simply issue a presidential decree and say that
yes, raise all that money but when you have collected it I want it all spent
on some provincial or district hospital and see what that kind of money can
do to the lives that are being needlessly lost? The answer is simple. Even
the President of the country has lost all his senses. He has lost all his
sense of responsibility to his people. Mugabe is now a man under siege and
neither can he point out to the inadequacy of his own cabinet ministers
because he is a leader whose own judgment is now extremely questionable.

It is only in Zimbabwe where the minister of local government can usurp the
powers of the electorate to elect mayors of their choice to run their cities
and replace them with appointed praise singers whose sole purpose is to run
down the such cities. It is only in Zimbabwe where people like Sekesai
Makwavara whose incompetence stinks to high heaven can be rewarded bizarrely
for a supposedly job well-done. Where in this earth can anyone be rewarded
so generously for running down a city that was once the industrial and
tourist capital of Southern African? Makwavarara is not lucky as such, but
it is Zimbabwe that is cursed.

Joseph Made has been bungling ever since he took over at the granary and
what has happened to him? Assuming charge of an even more high-sounding
portfolio in the panned Agricultural Engineering and Mechanisation ministry
has been his reward. What on earth is Made going to mechanise for God sake?
Made is simply being rewarded for looking after Gushungo estates and surely
the First Family will be top on his list of mechanisation. And does he care
an aorta? Of course not, why on earth would he care when in actual fact he
would be more rewarding for the opposite?

A few people have been saying Gideon Gono has at last taken the bull by its
horn because in his last monetary statement he finally mumbled about the
political element of the national problem. Was it a monetary statement or
rather a budget statement by some G8 finance minister? Only in Zimbabwe can
a reserve bank pelt out such a high sounding monetary statement. It is one
thing to take the bull by the horns but what are the intentions? Does Gono
intent to put a leash round the bull's horns, or to cut them, or simply to
test the bull's strength and still let it go?

How strong is Gono's leash in the face of such a determined bull? The
problem with Gono is that he got the leash from the very bull and the
tightness of the leash round the bull's horns will simply be the
determination of the bull himself. Whenever the nose gets too tight for the
bull, Gono will simply be tossed into the air and as long as this kind of
bull remains at large and on the rampage, the destructive trail will be
there for us all to see.

No matter how much Gono may pan with words and milk all the cows for his
so-called breakfast meetings, he does not have the requisite political
pedigree necessary to deal with the Zimbabwean problem. The bull simply
needs either to lie down on its own, or to be put down. No aiming at the
horns Gono better be the head.

Silence Chihuri is a Zimbabwean who writes from Scotland. Contact him on
silencechihuri@hotmail.com

Interview Part 2: Margaret Dongo

SW Radio Africa's Violet Gonda talks with former Zimbabwe Union of Democrats leader Margaret Dongo for the Hot Seat programme. This is the second and final part of the interview:

Last updated: 02/14/2007 08:13:43
Broadcast on Tuesday, February 13, 2007

Violet Gonda: In the programme Hot Seat, we bring you the final part of a discussion with former freedom fighter and politician, Margaret Dongo. We ended the discussion last Tuesday talking about the support base of the opposition in rural areas.

Last week, one website reported that Isaac Matongo, the national chairman of the Tsvangirai MDC, admitted at a rally recently that the opposition party may have lost past elections mostly because of poor support in the rural areas rather than just vote-rigging by Zanu PF.

According to the website, Matongo said people in the rural areas do not understand the battle they have against Mugabe and allegedly urged party supporters from urban areas to go and teach their relatives in the rural areas. As someone who has worked in the rural areas, Margaret Dongo knows about the issues of political empowerment and voter education. I first asked for her thoughts on Matongo’s admission.

Margaret Dongo: Let me first of all salute him and say he’s a man and a half and he’s now beginning to be a politician. You know, it’s rare for opposition to accept their mistakes, and that alone, that statement that he has made, I do respect him. And, I hope, now to me it says a clear light that now something has knocked the sense in their head that, have a look, let’s accept we have made our own problems, but, have a look, the problems, coming back to your question, the problems in the rural areas are to do with development.

You know, people in the rurals don’t usually live on air pies; promises. No. They just want to see something physical. They want to be attached. If they have a problem and tell you kuti we have x problem and if you come and you sympathize with them and you make an effort to give them ideas on how they can get out of the problem with or without the problem, that’s the greatest campaign. And, I’m glad that Matongo has actually seen it as a Chairman, and I think what they would need to do now is to go back to the rurals to address the problem that he has already identified.

Rigging; yes, but have a look, every country, even in America, you know I stayed in America and I’ve been wondering what happened in Florida. Until I left nobody was ever able to give me an answer. I witnessed the Macedonian elections where there were 29 political parties contesting - a lot of things happened. Yes, elections are rigged. You know, you look at a Party like Zanu PF, they have tasted the power, they enjoyed the power and they never, they don’t want to be out of power, and, you know what they will do? They will make sure they will maintain power at all costs and this is why you find at times there is violence, because, they just want to maintain that power.

And, as opposition people have to sit down and strategise and say ‘OK fine, how can we get it away’. Banda never gave up power. Kaunda never gave up power. Moi never gave up power. Moi, actually, in Moi we had the same scenario where there was FORD. You were here, you were still in Zimbabwe. FORD came out hot but I’m telling you; the first election; second election they were diluted, there was a split.

But those people were able to do a comeback and realise their mistakes because they went in for the Presidential elections and there were many candidates; their votes were more than the Moi votes. So, they realised their mistakes that they were putting power before the people, which is happening here in Zimbabwe. It’s about power, power struggle. So that’s the price of power what we are going through right now.

Violet: It’s also been said there is a need for a strategic change especially when fighting a strong system like Zanu PF. What about the element of fear, how do you get rid of that?

Margaret Dongo: Yes, true, I don’t want to refuse. Fear is there, even in the rural, it is there. I remember I went to an area which I don’t mention because I don’t want them to be visited again, and it’s not Chipinge actually it’s around Zvishavane. And this man was giving a testimony and said to me ‘Mrs. Dongo, I’m not interested to hear about any politics, opposition or Zanu PF’.

Then I said ‘why?’ Then he said during his time he went to opposition, he was one of the greatest supporter of MDC. He was beaten in front of his kids, he was made to take off his clothes and he had to eat his whatever, I’m not going to talk about it. And, he will never forget this experience, and then after this, he also spoke to his Party and nobody came to his rescue. Fine. And this is where I am saying you know such people would need a continuous support; they would need to be strengthened every time.

You need people to sympathise with them, you need people to counsel them, you need people to make them understand kuti the struggle is not easy. I’m telling you, the difference between today’s struggle and the liberation that we waged is that the previous struggle we were using guns. And, the current struggle, it’s even worse and it’s even heavier and painful because we are having to use brains. Brains, if they get strained, they don’t function very well. So that’s the difference that we have.

Violet: But how can the progressive forces come up with a strategy which will attract or motivate the rural mass to join hands?

Margaret Dongo: Ya, my thinking is it’s possible. I think we need to draw, as I have said, we have got a lot of intelligent people in this country; I think we need to draw like-minded people from all sectors of the society. We need those people that are the committed cadres, a team of people which is committed enough to take up the challenge, and we don’t have to discriminate anyone. We need to start even negotiating with those people that are in Zanu PF, already in opposition, there is a discourse which is there.

It’s obvious, things are not well in the Ruling, there are people who share the same views with us as opposition but they don’t want to be seen on the open. But, I think it’s time we should be creating discussions with those people and see how best we can come up with a front where we can say we have people that can lead the challenge. So it’s possible, we have the people here. And, I think people have to come together regardless of colour, creed, whatever it is, even whatever political party. The common agenda that we have here today is the current system has to go. We need an overhaul of the entire government from the head to the tail. That’s what we need.

Violet: And in terms of democratic forces, would you agree that one of the main problems the opposition has, or the pro-democracy has is dealing with set-backs and adversity?

Margaret Dongo: Yes, that’s a major one and this is why we are talking about the history to say you know, history will always repeat itself. We are talking about the rebellion; you know it happened in Zanu PF. We are talking about Nhari, we are talking about Vashandi, we are talking about all the encounters that people went through in the liberation struggle, and we are talking about the two factions that happened in the last year.

And, you know, dealing with these problems has become a major problem in the opposition movement; one: there is no tolerance, there is no tolerance. And, they have also been affected by the politics of personality. You know, very soon, I’m not surprised, I would agree with people that think some political parties are run like personal entities, and this is exactly what is happening. That’s the major problem that we have. And I think it’s high time that the opposition should come together and begin to agree to say we need to have what we call an intra-party democracy. Democracy within their own set-up, because even the split was not necessary if there was democracy; if there was intra-party democracy.

That split I’m telling you was not necessary, because that split, as far as I’m concerned, it was not a split in terms of ideas. It was a split in terms of power. We had split iri serious in terms of ideology in the struggle, but have a look, we were able to survive. Manje iyi, the split yandinoona iyi (the split that I see) the split has nothing to do with ideology, it has nothing to do with people at large. It’s about power sharing. So until and unless we agree kuti (that) the price of power will develop those set-backs, then we know how to deal with the whole thing, and the only solution to it is probably to go back on the drawing board and identify, learn to listen to other people, accept our mistakes.

Violet: And looking at the differences between the politics now and the politics before, does it make the situation worse that unlike during the liberation struggle the enemy was Ian Smith but now it’s a Nationalist?

Margaret Dongo: Yes it’s a pity that it is happening that way. It didn’t have to be that way. You know, you didn’t need to be exploited by people of your own blood, your own colour. It’s actually the most painful thing. In fact, I was watching a slavery film about Kunte Kinte last night and a lot of memories came back into my mind about what we went through in the liberation struggle and how many people we have lost. It’s not proper to be what it is because it’s so painful to be exploited.

But, when you talk about exploitation you know mal-administration and dictatorship, it knows no colour. People put power before, you know, politicians are just the same. It’s like they are born by the same mother, they put power before the people. Before they get to power they are peoples’ choice, they are peoples’ servants, when they get into power they are there to govern the people. They don’t even think of governing together with the people but they actually dictate all the ideas to them. Like if you see what has happened in the last Zanu PF Conference.

I was surprised when I was going round and I was talking to very senior people in the rurals. ‘But you guys how can you pass on a thing which is damaging in terms of yourself, the whole nation and also even your own community. You agree to say you want to prolong the elections to 2010, can’t you see the damage?’ And guess what they said, ‘Mai Dongo, we don’t even know’. They are the individual leaders who want to appease the President and they just go to them to say ‘the people have said this’. And that’s where I’m saying you know we opposition we are still in bed, we should have used that opportunity, even now we can still use it because the Central Committee has not approved it. We need to go back and explain to the povo what effects it has in their life; what it entails.

Violet: Does the rural population know that there are these plans to harmonize the elections and even move the Presidential election?

Margaret Dongo: They don’t know, I’m telling you! I’ve been to – yes Violet to be honest, some don’t know, I’m telling you, I’ve been to several places. Anyone who wants to challenge me I can go with him or her and I don’t see anyone, that’s typical of Margaret and I don’t want our people to be abused. I was even asking my Headman – what does he understand about the 2010 elections? He doesn’t know. He says ‘takango mirira vakuru takanzi tichauya techitaurirwa kana vabva kumusangano’ - you know they will come and tell us what is to be done when they come from the Congress. Can’t you see kuti that’s the worst exploitation that you are doing to human beings? Can’t you see that’s how the rural people are being undermined? Can’t you see that’s how the rural people are being abused by their own government? You have abused the rural people in many ways.

Have a look, before this country used to feed from the peasant farmers in the rural and today the rural people cannot get enough implements, enough resources, enough inputs to feed themselves. And, at the end of the day they will go again to drain their maize, send to GMB, they give them peanuts. And yet, during the liberation struggle we used to say don’t exploit the masses ‘Hanzi tisatore zvinhu zvevanhu tisina kuzvi bhadhara, handiti?’ (Don’t take people’s produce if you have not paid for it).

And I tell you, all Ten Commandments from the liberation struggle, they have been broken by the same people. If you look at the cost of the maize, the lending cost of the imported maize, my dear I’m not going to say the price, and you look at the money that is given to the rural people who are producing under very difficult conditions, and you say who is the exploiter? How can you, the big brains who are now in power, help exploit your people who put you in power? That’s being rubbish! That’s rubbish!

If you look at it, a person gets 30, 000 a tonne, and the lending cost; which I don’t want to mention; of imported maize is ten times that. Is that not being cruel!? And today you talk about abusing people - (Dongo starts singing) Taiti kuhondo - tisanetse vasungwa vatinenge tatora (we used to say during the war do not harass the captured prisoners).

And today what are we doing? We are abusing them. We beat them in the prisons. Hanzi bhadharai zvamunotenga nenzira dzakanaka. Bhadarai mutengo vacho nezvazviri? (Pay a fair price for the things that you buy) But look at how we are exploiting maproduce atiri kuona kupovo (But look at how we are exploiting the produce that we are getting from the poor people). So you see we have a lot to share with the rural people to convince them kuti (that) they are being abused.

Violet: And in general Amai Dongo, what about the issue of resources, how did the Nationalists do it during the liberation struggle because it seems to be one of the biggest problems for the opposition, you know, the lack of resources?

Margaret Dongo: You know, fine, it’s a very good question. Do you know our people during the liberation struggle, especially the rural people, made a lot of contributions, we actually fed from them, we were housed by them and in terms of clothing, the little money they were earning is the same money that was buying us clothing. Handiti mainzwa kuti gandanga haridye derere. (you would hear that - a liberation fighter does not eat okra). We used to eat whatever chickens; you know whatever the little they had. They used to contribute because they had something to share.

Now, as I had said earlier on, I talked about people having been dismantled economically, politically and socially. Now the povo has nothing to share anymore. It’s very difficult for opposition to go and appeal for support especially when it comes to the rural areas. They can’t get that monetary support because they are waiting to be supported themselves because they are living under a destitution situation.

Violet: Many groups in Zimbabwe including junior doctors, teachers have gone on strike demanding better working conditions. Now critics have said attempts by the opposition to organize peaceful demonstrations against the Mugabe regime have failed. Is it now up to angry workers to trigger street protests?

Margaret Dongo: I think workers have had enough. Workers I’m telling you have had enough. Workers, to some extent, I’m telling you, the labour movement in this country their feeling is that they have been betrayed because they have been used as sacrificial lambs. Because, at the end of the day, one, the government is exploiting them, the private sector is exploiting them as well, because they tell you ‘your government is not functional, we cannot trade, we have no money and the worker is not a priority’, but, they want to make sure that the companies are still functioning.

So the worker has been abused to the extent that now the worker would want to stand on his own. If you look at the prolonged strike by the Doctors, it has got a serious message to the government and to some of the Trade Union leaders. It has, because honestly if you look at Doctors and Teachers, the money that they are paid, it’s not enough to take a meal for the whole week. And you ask yourself ‘how are they surviving’. And the other question is ‘is the money going to be a solution?’ That’s the major question. No matter how much increment they have worked and how much they get, that’s not the thing that we would want.

We actually want to change the system, because for as long as you get that increment, Gono can print extra money and give them the money that they want and cause hyperinflation. It’s not about the money that we want, even if you freeze wages it’s better, freeze the wages and change the government that’s what we want! We want to create an environment where people would stand up and have a free and fair election. We want to have a situation where we have free media.

Have a look, I always enjoy when I am watching other televisions, politicians from different parties having a debate, arguing on national issues. Here you can’t have that happen, the TV is owned by Zanu PF - full stop! And here, even the media you have a paper which is pro Tsvangirai, you have a paper which is pro Mutambara and a paper which is pro Zanu PF and other people have no space, dear. So we still have a long way to go as far as politics is concerned in this country. And we need to take everyone on board, regardless of who you are.

Violet: You say unless the workers make a connection between poor working conditions and a poor political environment they won’t make any headway. So why is there no political spin on these demands?

Margaret Dongo: Have a look, you think they don’t? They have. They know it very well, they know where the problem is. Have a look, they have taken their role as Doctors, they have taken their part, this is why they have gone on strike. Everyone else who has felt the same thing has got to do likewise. They have already played their role they are showing people that things are not well, that’s a good indicator as far as I’m concerned.

For me the Doctors are passing on a message to other sectors. This is what is there, they are shedding light. They have actually co-coordinated the two things. They know where the problems are. If they didn’t know where the problems are they could have taken whatever little package they were given and gone back to work, but, they feel kuti that money is not enough to solve their problems. For as long as there are corrupt people administering, for as long as the system is not sustainable they will still come back to the same problem. Whatever money they are going to get today, whatever increment, it’s useless because the prices have skyrocketed and they know that the reason is that it’s because of the political.

Violet: On the other hand Zimbabweans have seen that the response of a regime that has no morals, always acts violently in order to secure legitimacy, so are protest marches against Robert Mugabe a waste of time?

Margaret Dongo: Not at all, it depends what you want to achieve through marches. You know, at times marches have to be complimented by certain things behind. You know you look at what people were looking at in Indonesia. You know there were marches which resulted in a change of government. It’s not only the marches that matter; there are a number of things that would be happening behind the scenes. So marches are not a solution, because even now people have fear and they are so tired, they are so poor because they want to run around and see whether they can take their kids to school. You can’t actually get the same - you can’t organize the same support like we used to do in 1998 when it comes to organising marches and so forth.

People are reluctant and some people have been discouraged and some people have lost confidence. It’s like we really need to build the whole opposition movement, we need to restore confidence of the opposition movement within our povo. That’s what we require. So, I’m telling you, marching, yes, but to what extent? It’s a component but you also need to have something happening behind the scenes, there has to be something happening.

There’s nobody who has marched to the State House in Washington and managed to get power away from Bush. And, the arguments in Britain about Tony Blair but there’s not been anyone who’s been able to march to 10 Downing Street and been able to push him out. So, when it comes to democracy there’s a process, there’s certain things that have to be followed, there’s no shortcut to democracy that’s what I want you to understand and that’s what we want to understand as people of Zimbabwe.

I think we should take that seriously. There is no shortcut, we can march but we can’t march into the State house. I’ve seen lots of people demonstrating, London and whatever country but they’ve never been able to go and pull a person that very day. There has to be something happening Violet, there has to be something, you have to build the masses, you have to make sure that you have the same thinking, the same approach and everything and things will work out.

Violet Gonda: Before we go Amai Dongo, a final word?

Margaret Dongo: My final word is dear, we have had enough of it, our mouths are full and I think we’ve been reduced to nothing, and I’ve no doubt there is a few majority which is actually enjoying the corruption and which is feeding fat on the corruption which is happening in this country. And I feel, and I am appealing to them - sense should knock into their heads. Honestly we need to come together and see how we can bring about a solution. I want to give them a reminder, which I always say to people. Whatever wealth you accumulate, you still leave it behind. Nobody was buried with that wealth. What is important, let’s create a good environment for the people of Zimbabwe; they have suffered enough!

You can be proud parking 10 Mercedes Benz which you get through different ways but there’s one child who is unable to pay Z$50 000 for school fees and why and it’s the same system where you are benefiting from. Let’s stand up and say ‘No’ and condemn corruption. Have a look, we can’t all be politicians, this is why in politics we call - there are allies and there are confidantes. Allow me to identify what I’m saying our allies are.

Allies are people who share the same views, the like-minded people, the people who have the strength to fight the political space. And confidantes are people who actually believe in a straight government, in a non-corrupt government, in a clean government, in a democratic government, and they can come in and give support without playing an active roll. Please, we know the confidantes and the allies are there, people should come together and give an end to the suffering that people are going through. Thank you very much.

Audio interview can be heard on SW Radio Africa’s Hot Seat programme. Comments and feedback can be emailed to violet@swradioafrica.com

Mugabe's $1.2 Million Bash Fuels Inflation Anger

Business Day (Johannesburg)

February 13, 2007
Posted to the web February 13, 2007

Dumisani Muleya
Johannesburg

ZIMBABWE's galloping annual inflation surged to a new record of 1 593%, data
showed yesterday, as the "21st February Movement" launched a fundraising
campaign to raise Z$300m (about $1,2m) for President Robert Mugabe's
birthday party.

Zimbabw 's Central Statistical Office (CSO) said yesterday that inflation
had reached 1593% last month, which will almost certainly fuel social
discontent and unrest, and give momentum to a series of ongoing strikes.

The February 21 Movement, which needs about Z$300m to bankroll the
celebrations, raised Z$87m in cheques and pledges at the launch, which was
held in Harare, the Herald newspaper reported yesterday.

Fundraising committee chairman Emmanuel Fundira said the fundraising
campaign would be taken to the country's 10 provinces.

Fundira said this year's celebrations, scheduled to be held in Gweru on
February 24, would be held under the theme "empowerment, prosperity and
peace".

Zimbabwe's 180000-strong public servants threatened to go on strike at the
weekend-- joining thousands of doctors, nurses and teachers -- to protest
over low salaries and poor working conditions.

Mugabe's new cabinet met for the first time this year on Thursday under a
cloud of worsening economic problems and growing social unrest to confront
the situation.

Nothing much came out of the meeting except mere acknowledgement of the
crisis.

Zimbabwe is reeling from chronic shortages of foreign currency, fuel,
electricity, food and basic commodities.

Water curbs and power outages are now commonplace, while sewerage facilities
are breaking down.

Hospitals, clinics, schools, roads and utility infrastructure are in an
advanced state of dilapidation.

Last month's 1 593,6% was up from 1281,1% in December.

Month-on-month inflation jumped to 45,4% last month from 36,3% in December.

"It is the nonfood items that pulled the inflation rate upwards. The top
three items that contributed most to year-on-year inflation were
electricity, gas and other fuels," said Moffat Nyoni, acting CSO director.

The International Monetary Fund has warned that Zim- babwe's inflation will
be 4000% by December but the Zimbabwean government says inflation will fall
to 350%-400% by the end of the year -- but no one believes its forecasts.

Public service union leaders warned the government at the weekend there was
"countrywide discontent" and that their members were preparing to go on
strike.

Record inflation could tear apart proposed social contract

Zim Online

Wednesday 14 February 2007

By Tsungai Murandu

HARARE - Zimbabwe's runaway inflation could rip through a fragile
partnership being proposed by the country's monetary authorities to resolve
a seven-year-old economic crisis, analysts said on Tuesday.

The analysts said the southern African nation's annualised inflation, which
the Central Statistical Office this week said had quickened to a
record-busting 1 593.6 percent in January up from 1 281.1 percent last
December, was the litmus test for the much-vaunted social contract on which
the government was pinning hopes for resuscitating the comatose economy.

University of Zimbabwe business school lecturer Anthony Hawkins said the
greatest challenge facing the government would be how to broker an agreement
with business and labour against the backdrop of deteriorating economic
fundamentals.

"It's going to be very difficult to get agreement within the next two weeks,
which is the time left before the social contract comes into effect," said
Hawkins.

The "social contract" is premised on the need to attain mutual understanding
on prices, wages and productivity among government, business and labour.

The need for such a contract was the main thrust of the 2006 year-end
monetary policy statement announced by Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ)
governor Gideon Gono on January 31.

Gono shocked the market when he refused to devalue the Zimbabwe dollar as
was widely expected and instead insisted that the three key social partners
had to reach consensus over the future of the economy.

He proposed the freezing of prices and wages from March onwards, a
proposition the analysts said would not be viewed favourably by business and
labour given the latest rise in inflation.

"I would be surprised if the trade unions would settle for 300 percent wage
increases at a time inflation is expected to rise above 1 800 percent in the
next month," said Hawkins.

The analysts said timing would play a crucial role in the creation of the
social contract.

"Any contract involving the social partners will only be effective if it
comes into force when there is evidence that prices have stabilised.
Otherwise all attempts to broker an agreement would rightly be viewed with
suspicion by labour and business," said an investment banker who declined to
be named for professional reasons.

Gono's overtures for a social contract come against the backdrop of rising
worker discontent, which has since the beginning of the year seen strikes by
doctors, nurses, teachers, and power utility employees.

Government employees at the weekend issued an ultimatum for a review of
their salaries and working conditions and threatened an indefinite
industrial action if their demands are not met.

The analysts said there were two options available to the government in the
event that its proposal for a social contract failed. One of these would be
to impose the social partnership on the other parties while the second one
would be for Gono to climb down and accept a devaluation of the Zimbabwe
dollar.

The local currency has been fixed at 250 dollars to one United States
greenback on the official market since 31 July 2006 at a time when the same
American unit is trading at 5 000 Zimbabwe dollars on the illegal but
thriving parallel market.

Gono believes that devaluing the Zimbabwe dollar is not the solution to the
country's economic woes while industry has argued that a weak currency is
stifling plans to increase production and boost exports. - ZimOnline

Mbeki can't make summit, Mugabe was not invited

From The Cape Times (SA), 13 February

Peter Fabricius

Neither President Thabo Mbeki nor Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe will be
attending French President Jacques Chirac's big Franco-Africa summit in
Cannes this week, though their reasons are apparently unrelated. The French
have not invited Mugabe. They did invite Mbeki, who originally planned to
attend until an urgent and important meeting of the ANC's national executive
committee (NEC) was re-scheduled and clashed with the summit dates. The
French government's decision not to invite Mugabe represents a significant
shift in its approach to the Zimbabwe crisis. Chirac did invite Mugabe to
the last Franco-Africa summit, held on French soil in 2003 - very
controversially, as he had to waive a European Union travel ban on Mugabe to
allow him to attend. France's view then was that it was better to talk to
Mugabe than to ostracise him in seeking a solution to the Zimbabwe crisis.
This year France appears to have either acknowledged that in the intervening
four years dialogue has not worked, or has bowed to pressure from its more
anti-Zimbabwe fellow EU members, such as Britain and Sweden, not to invite
Mugabe. According to EU sources, France has invited Zimbabwe to the summit
as a government - but only in terms of the relevant EU rules. This was
intended as a pointed reference to the ban against Mugabe and 125 other
senior officials of the ruling Zanu PF party travelling in EU territory.
Zimbabwe government officials could not be reached last night to establish
whether Zimbabwe would send a representative for Mugabe, or would instead
boycott the summit. The SA Department of Foreign Affairs announced yesterday
that Mbeki would not be attending the summit and that Foreign Minister
Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma would attend in his place.

Harare City Council Demands Rates Arrears From Civic Group Chief

VOA

      By Jonga Kandemiiri
      Washington
      13 February 2007

The City of Harare has written a letter of final demand for unpaid rates to
Combined Harare Residents Association Chairman Mike Davies, who has in his
capacity as a resident of the city been refusing to pay rates for the past
27 months.

The council wrote to Davies on January 29 and threatened that if he failed
to pay back rates within seven days the city would take legal action against
him. It is claiming some Z$143,523 from Davies. But Davies said no action
has subsequently been taken.

Davies has been spearheading a campaign calling for the boycott of water and
refuse disposal rates to protest what his group regards as an illegal city
commission. As many as 5,000 residents are withholding rates, but many more
simply cannot afford them.

Davies told reporter Jonga Kandemiiri of VOA's Studio 7 for Zimbabwe that
the Harare Commission does not have the interests of the city's residents at
heart.

Council spokesman Percy Toriro could not be reached for comment.

Zimbabwe currency nears total repudiation as inflation soars to just under 1,600 percent in January

John Birch Society

COMMENTARY:
After 27 years of communist-style dictatorship, the country once known as
Rhodesia is now deteriorating at a very rapid pace as its printing press
money becomes less valuable day by day. Electrical service has been
curtailed in some cities; water treatment facilities have broken down;
teachers, doctors and nurses are striking; and even the police are
threatening to riot if conditions don't improve.

How bad things have become can be understood when a single sheet of toilet
paper (not a roll) costs 417 Zimbabwe dollars. Bread, meat, margarine and
other staples have virtually become unobtainable luxuries. The government's
response has been to outlaw wage and price increases, even while the
printing presses continue spewing out near worthless currency. The situation
in Zimbabwe proves that destruction of a money system can destroy an entire
government.

Three decades ago, Rhodesia was known as "the breadbasket" of central
Africa. Its agricultural industry was the envy of neighboring countries,
some of whom it actually fed and supplied with the fruits of its vibrant
economy. But, after Robert Mugabe triumphed in a civil war and launched his
own socialist and racist regime, the breadbasket started emptying.
White-owned farms, some possessed by families for hundreds of years, were
confiscated without compensation, carved into small plots, and the pieces
were given to poor blacks who had neither the skills nor the disposition to
produce.

Over recent years, Mugabe destroyed the nation's free press, established a
single party dictatorship, and socialized all of the nation's industry. Most
of the white producers fled, usually with nothing but the clothes on their
backs. The quality of life for all went downhill slowly at first, but far
more rapidly in recent months.

The lesson is that sound money does not result from a thriving economy; it
is one of its major stimuli. At the current rate of inflation - which
totaled 1,593 percent in January - the average cost of goods in Zimbabwe
will rise seventeen fold before the year ends. But the rate of inflation
continues to soar. A national collapse cannot be too far off. Only police
state measures, many of which have been partially in place for years, will
maintain order. The 82-year-old Mugabe seems unwilling to give up his
control. Meanwhile, his countrymen languish in a deepening crisis.

John F. McManus
John F. McManus is President of The John Birch Society.

Kintyre Estates revival projects hang in balance

The Herald

By Martin Kadzere

      THE revival of horticultural projects at Kintyre Estates, an
export-oriented estate outside Harare, is hanging in the balance amid
revelations that plotholders are failing to access funds due to lack of
collateral.

      Traditionally, the 629-hectare prime land, situated about 30
kilometres west of Harare, produced horticultural products which found their
way to various foreign destinations, earning the country millions in
precious foreign currency.

      Kintyre Estate has been designated under Section (5) of the Amendment
17 to the Zimbabwean Constitution, which gives ownership of the land to the
State.

      Since the land belongs to the State, individual farmers cannot use it
as collateral.

      Out of 50 plots on the land, only 10 are currently engaged in
horticultural production with the rest producing maize and soyabeans, among
other crops, for the domestic market.

      According to Kintyre Farmers' Association chairman Mr Greenwich Ndanga
at least $1 billion was required to set up a single greenhouse on a
10-hectare piece of land.

      Mr Ndanga said the amount was "too high" adding that the majority of
the resettled farmers did not have private properties that could be used as
collateral security for loans.

      "It is quite disappointing that despite the commitment that farmers
have shown with their little resources, they still cannot access money to
expand projects from reputable financial institutions since we cannot use
land as collateral," said Mr Ndanga in an interview yesterday.

      "It is our understanding that with enough resources, our farmers can
do wonders as they have already demonstrated that they have the capacity. We
are appealing to the relevant authorities to intervene."

      Mr Ndanga said his association had already approached the Ministry of
State Security, Lands and Land Reform and Resettlement, which was still
considering the matter.

      He said they would have been in a better position to access capital
loans from banks if they had been issued with 99-year leases.

      Efforts to get comment from the State proved fruitless.

      Kintyre Estate has the potential to generate more than US$200 million
annually, and create over 10 000 jobs if it is fully utilised.

      In late 2005 the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe recognised the need to
"regreen" the estate and pledged to give its maximum support.

      Since then it has been financing some of the projects at the estate,
particularly those engaged in floriculture.

JAG Open Letter Forum No 466

Please send any material for publication in the Open Letter Forum to
jag@mango.zw with "For Open Letter Forum" in the subject line.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Letter 1 - Cathy Buckle

Dear Family and Friends,

Zimbabweans have lost count of how many times we have been told that the
country's land reform programme is over. At least twice a year for the past
three years the statement has been regurgitated that it's over, it's done
and the land is now re-distributed. At every ruling party event for the last
two years, from birthday party's to annual conferences and from state
funerals to political rallies, the posters have been there for all to see.
Posters that say: "Now the land is ours!" or "The land is in our hands!"

It is, therefore, cause for enormous confusion to keep hearing that more
farms are to be seized, more farmers and their employees are to be evicted
and more food production is to be stopped. Mixed messages and confusion are
the only constant aspects of Zimbabwe's agriculture seven years into the
21st century.

A week ago Lands Minister Didymus Mutasa said that farmers with the latest
batch of 45 day eviction notices had to be off their properties by the 3rd
of February. The Minister warned that: "those who resist leaving the farms
will be arrested and face the full wrath of the law." The deadline came and
went and then the Minister said : "We have, as a government, agreed to let
them stay put and wind up their businesses, at least until harvest time."

Do you have to be a farmer to know that it just doesn't work like this?
Farming isn't a 45 day business or a 90 day business. It's an ongoing
process where plans are made at least a year in advance when it comes to row
crops, two years in advance when it comes to livestock and five or more
years in advance when it comes to specialist crops like fruit and nut trees.
It seems that these basic agricultural facts, seven years down the
line, continue to elude the men in the ministry.

This week we heard that Agriculture Minister Dr Made who has been at the
forefront of the farm seizures has been shuffled out of his post and into
something called the Ministry of Agricultural Engineering and Mechanisation.
Since Dr Made blamed the shortage of fertilizer last winter on a monkey that
broke an electricity transformer, perhaps now he will be in a more
appropriate Ministry to prevent a recurrence.

By all accounts this summer cropping season has been a nightmare for
farmers. With patchy rains, shortage of fertilizer, the wrong fertilizer,
insufficient fuel for ploughing and hyper inflation it is nothing short of a
miracle that our farmers have been able to grow any food this summer. In
just three months time winter crops should be going in the ground but who in
their right mind will plant wheat this May. A 45 day eviction notice may be
served at any time; an arbitrary bloke off the road may arrive and say he
has an "offer letter" from the government which gives him this farm or a mob
may arrive and simply chase the farmer off.

In February 2000, when this all began a loaf of bread was just 20 dollars.
Now that same loaf costs 840 dollars - or in reality it is actually 840
thousand dollars - before three zeroes were slashed from the currency.
Tragically there is no mixed message in the price of a loaf of bread or the
millions who can no longer afford it. Until next week, thanks for reading,

love cathy. Copyright cathy buckle 10th february 2007.

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

Letter 2 - Clive Midlane

Dear Jag,

We all know who the "lucky ones" are, but it is going to be very satisfying
to see their names been made public by their ally, Zanu PF, and when change
comes and the rule of law returns, then hopefully the people of Zimbabwe
will decide who the "lucky ones" are.

Clive Midlane.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
All letters published on the open Letter Forum are the views and opinions of
the submitters, and do not represent the official viewpoint of Justice for
Agriculture.

JAG Classifieds dated 13 February 2007

As a JAG member or JAG Associate member, please send any classified adverts
for publication in this newsletter to:

JAG Classifieds: jagma@mango.zw
JAG Job Opportunities: jag@mango.zw

Rules for Advertising:

Send all adverts in word document as short as possible (no tables, spread
sheets, pictures, etc.) and quote your subscription receipt number or
membership number.
Notify the JAG Office when Advert is no longer needed, either by phone or
email.
Adverts are published for 2 weeks only, for a longer period please notify
the JAG office, by resending via email the entire advert asking for the
advert to be re-inserted.

Please send your adverts by Tuesdays 11.00am (Adverts will not appear until
payment is received.). Cheques to be made out to JAGMA.

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

1. For Sale Items
2. Wanted Items
3. Accommodation
4. Recreation
5. Specialist Services
6. Pets Corner

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

1. OFFERED FOR SALE
--------------------------------------------------------------------------

1.1 Generators & Inverters for Sale (Ad inserted 6/02/07)

The JAG office is now an official agent for GSC Generator Service (Pvt) Ltd
and receives a generous commission on sales of all Kipor generators and
equipment. Generators are on view at the JAG office.

The one stop shop for ALL your Generator Requirements SALES:
We are the official suppliers, repairs and maintenance team of KIPOR
Equipment here in Zimbabwe. We have in stock KIPOR Generators from
1 KVA to 55 KVA. If we don't have what you want we will get it for you. We
also
sell Inverters (1500w), complete with batteries and rechargeable lamps. Our
prices are very competitive, if not the lowest in town.

SERVICING & REPAIRS: We have a qualified team with many years of experience
in the Generator field.
We have been to Kipor, China for training. We carry out services and minor
repairs on your premises.
We service and repair most makes and models of Generators - both petrol and
diesel.

INSTALLATIONS: We have qualified electricians that carry out installations
in a professional way.

SPARES: As we are the official suppliers and maintainers of KIPOR Equipment,
we carry a full range of KIPOR spares.

Don't forget, advice is free, so give us a call and see us at: Bay 3,
Borgward Road, Msasa.
Sales: 884022, 480272 or admin@adas.co.zw
Service: 480272, 480154 or gsc@adas.co.zw

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1.2 For Sale (Ad inserted 6/02/07)

So Far and No further! Rhodesia's Bid for Independence during the Retreat
from Empire 1959-1965 by J.R.T. Wood

533 pages; quality trade paperback; pub. Trafford ISBN 1-4120-4952-0
Southern African edition, pub. 30 Degrees South : ISBN 0-9584890-2-5

This definitive account traces Rhodesia's attempt to secure independence
during the retreat from Empire after 1959. Based on unique research, it
reveals why Rhodesia defied the world from 1965.

Representing Volume One of three volumes, Two and Three are in preparation
and will take us to Tiger and thence to 1980;

To purchase:

Zimbabwean buyers contact Trish Broderick: pbroderick@mango.zw

RSA buyers: WWW. 30 degreessouth.co.za or Exclusives Books

Overseas buyers see: http://www.jrtwood.com
and a link to Trafford Publishing http://www.trafford.com/04-2760

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

1.3 Pet Food for Sale (Ad inserted 6/02/07)

Still supplying pets food which consists of 500g of precooked pork offal and
veg costing $700 and 250g of pigs liver or heart costing $700 for 250g.

Collection points:      Benbar in Msasa at 10.30
Jag offices in Philips Rd, Belgravia at 11.30
Peacehaven which is 75 Oxford St at 13.00

This is on Fridays only. Contact details: phone 011 221 088 and E mail at
claassen@zol.co.zw

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

1.4 For Sale (Ad inserted 6/02/07)

Vintage Car: 1930 Model, a Ford. Genuine buyers please contact us on
Telephone/Fax 332450 or 308960, Email conquest@mweb.co.zw.

Tri - Axle Trailers: We have three Tri-axle trailers for sale. They can be
viewed by arrangement in Harare. Contact Chris on 611205 or 611272 or
611708, Email conquest@mweb.co.zw.

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

1.5 For Sale (Ad inserted 6/02/07)

Opel Corsa pick-up 1600is, 1998, electric windows, mags, cd player, custom
interior.

Offers? Phone 091901976 AFTER 2pm ONLY.

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

1.6 For Sale (Ad inserted 6/02/07)

ZNSPCA IS SELLING GOODS DONATED FOR RESALE TO HELP WITH OUR WORK.
ZNSPCA HQ 156 Enterprise RD, tel 497574/ 497885 / 882566

Pets meat, 500g chicken $900 00 per packet

Steel Work Bench with vice $2 000 000 NEG.

Double Bed Mattress - Therapaedic by Luxaire (as new) $650 000

Colman Fluorescent light (as New) Twin tube Battery Operated Adaptor for car
$150 000

Microwave $100 000

Window Frames

Mazda Canopy

Parquet Wooden Blocks

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

1.7 Vehicle For Sale (Ad inserted 06/02/07)

Isuzu KB 250 D/C 4x2 LE 190 Series
Altitude compensated 2.5 litre diesel engine
Electric windows, air con, CD player
16" Alloy wheels
Colour: Vortex Black
Delivery mileage.

Phone 04 443017 or 091 337640 or 011 218792.

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

1.8 Motorcycles For Sale (Ad inserted 06/02/07)

Yamaha YZ 125 Scrambler
2-stroke engine
2002 model
Excellent condition.

Kawasaki KX 85 scrambler
2-stroke engine
2002 model
Excellent condition.

Phone 04 443017 or 091 337640 or 011 218792.

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

1.9 For sale (Ad inserted 06/02/07)

Kohler Generator 60 KVA. Phone 04 480459 or 011 863049.

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

1.10 Tyres For Sale (Ad inserted 06/02/07)

Goodyear, Silverstone, Pirelli, Dunlop.
All sizes available including agricultural and commercial vehicle tyres.
If we don't have it, we'll find it. Phone 04 443017 or 091 337640.

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

1.11 Motorcycle for Sale (Ad inserted 06/02/07)

2001 YAMAHA R1, A BEAUTIFUL MACHINE, MUST BE SEEN. Please contact Gavin
091600356

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

1.12 For Sale (Ad inserted 13/02/07)

"Harrington Rare Books. For Sale, Rhodesian Verse 1888-1938,1st Edition,
Blackwell, Oxford. With a forword by His Excellency Sir Herbert J.Stanley,
governor of Southern Rhodesia,and an introduction by Arthur Shearley
Cripps.SIGNED by Cripps.A lot of the poems are by Cripps(Cripps Rd),a
maverick missionary and poet.His great nephew,the Wales based, award winning
author, Owen Sheers recently published the bestselling"Dust Diaries"in which
the mail subject is Cripps and his life in Southern Rhodesia.See
www.owensheers.com .The book,by itself is a collectable piece of Rhodesiana
but the inscription and signature by Cripps makes it an important and highly
collectable book.Asking US$200.00 equivalent ono.We also value and purchase
books in hardback,with dust jackets preferably from the following
authors:Hemingway,Boyd,Orwell,Steinway,Joyce,Huxley,Tolkien,Sinclair,Plath,Naipaul,
Hughes,Wodehouse,T.S.Elliot,Greene,Golding,Scott-Fitzgerald,Miller,Pynchon,Christie,Shiel,Fleming,L.Frank
Baum,Sewell,W.E.Johns(Biggles)Potter,Milne,Graheme.Please Contact Mr
Wallis,evenings,on HRE 496829,023894597,or email zermatt@mweb.co.zw "

ADVERT NO 2 UNDER "FOR SALE"
"Sunflower Cake for sale,collect Glen Lorne,Phone 091875035"

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

1.13 For Sale (Ad inserted 13/02/07)

SECOND HAND

1 COT
1 ADJUSTABLE CHAIR
1 PRAM WITH CARRY COT
1 CAMP COT

For more information please contact Charmaine at work 620687 up to 9 for the
above.

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1.14 For Sale (Ad inserted 13/02/07)

"THE WEAVERY".

Super gift ideas for local and overseas friends and family. Hand woven
articles which are light, easy to pack, and send, and fully washable.
Contact Anne on 332851 or 011212424.Or email joannew@zol.co.zw

Crocheted oven gloves--$20,000.
Cotton oven gloves--$15,000.
Small woven bags--$12,000.
Large woven bags--$18,000.
Crocheted bags--$22,000.

Queen(approx.250x240cms) size bedcover--$162,000.
Other sizes to order.
Single Duvet cushions(open into a duvet)--$112,000.
Other sizes to order.
2x1 meter Throw--78,000.
Baby Blanket(1x1meter)--$45,000.

3 piece toilet set--$37,000.
Bath mat--$30,000.

Decorated cushion covers--$16,000.

Table runner--$13,000.
Set(4)Bordered table mats + serviettes--$39,000.
Set(6)Bordered table mats + serviettes--$60,000.
Set(4) crocheted table mats only--$27,000.
Set(6)fringed table mats + serviettes--$48,000.
Lots of other combinations.

Small(approx.105x52cms) plain cotton rug--$25,000.
Medium(approx.120x65cms) plain cotton rug--$35,000
Large(approx.150x75cms) plain cotton rug--$45,000.
Ex.Large(approx.230x130cms) plain cotton rug--$115,000.
Small patterned cotton rug--$35,000.
Small rag rug--$25,000.
Medium rag rug--$35,000.
Medium patterned cotton rug--$45,000.
Large patterned cotton rug--$80,000
Ex.Large patterned cotton rug--$135,000.
Small patterned mohair rug--$80,000.
Medium patterned mohair rug--$100,000
Large patterned mohair rug--$125,000.
Ex. Large patterned mohair rug--$225,000.

Lots of other articles.PLEASE be aware that prices may change without
notice.

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1.15 Family Of 3 Hippos For Sale (Ad inserted 13/02/07)

These beautifully carved, wooden hippos are still "homeless" and going for
US$2000.They really are unique and worth every cent. Phone Robyn -011413609.
Or you can view them at Serendipity Coffee Shop--2a, Serendip Close, Mount
Pleasant (entrance on Golden Stairs Road). Open from
9am-5pm-Tuesday-Saturday. Phone 334377.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2. WANTED
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

2.1 Wanted (Ad inserted 30/01/07)

AN APPEAL FROM A PENSIONER

I am the proud owner of an Austin Mini Clubman, my only means of transport
and at the moment unemployed but my little car has a problem with the tyres.
I need to get hold of at least one tyre - 145/10 - as the car has been off
the road since before Christmas and I need to go and look for work. NTS
have size I need but at cost of $77 000-00 each without the tube.

I am asking if anyone out there has one or two tyres size 145/10 that they
would be prepared to sell me for a reasonable amount. They need not be new,
even re-treaded or second hand will be greatfully accepted.

Maybe there is a farmer out there who has a couple of old tyres for his
trailer that he no longer needs.

I can be contacted on telephone 572031 or email: plastics@dpc.co.zw

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2.2 Wanted (Ad inserted 30/01/07)

WE ARE LOOKING FOR TOP SOIL TO SURFACE OLD TENNIS COURT
PLEASE PHONE TINA ON: 091-908-720 OR 862167/8

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

2.3 Wanted (Ad inserted 30/01/07)

Looking for a hardworking, reliable gardener with traceable references.
Must be able to work with minimum supervision.
Christonbank area, accommodation provided. Tel Graham 011 406023 / 741001,
or email gtech@zol.co.zw

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

2.4 Radios Wanted (Ad inserted 06/02/07)

We are looking for 2 base sets and 7 mobile (hand held) radios. They need
to be in working order and clean. If you have radios to sell please contact
us on one of the following: Email: conquest@mweb.co.zw or Telephone/Fax:
332450 / 308960.

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

2.5 WANTED URGENTLY (Ad inserted 06/02/07)

1 GAS STOVE WITH OVEN
1 MEDIUM SIZED GAS FRIDGE

PHONE: JUDY 091 233 166 / 04 791 321

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

2.6 Wanted (Ad inserted 13/02/07)

Computer wanted by conservation organisation - Wilderness Africa Trust,
preferably as a donation. Any age or capacity would be gratefully received
to help us protect Zimbabwe's wildlife. Please phone 747929.

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

2.7 Wanted (Ad inserted 13/02/07)

Racing Canoe, preferably K2 otherwise K1. Please contact Ben on
011 882926 or email ben@yo.co.zw

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

3. ACCOMMODATION WANTED AND OFFERED

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

3.1 Accommodation Offered (Ad inserted 30/01/07)

One bedroom with bathroom, which has a bath, basin and toilet in one lounge
For more information please contact Charmaine on 620687 up to 9 for the
above

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

3.2 PROPERTY WANTED (Ad inserted 30/01/07)

Either a smallholding, Industrial, or a business.
To operate a stock-feed mixing, milling business from.

Preferably within Masasa through to Borrowdale areas.
Will consider an existing business with premises.
If an Industrial would like a shed of 1000m squared Minimum with the
ability to expand. MUST be accessible to large trucks.

We can erect our own shed if it is a small holding.

Contact Details 011-219800 / 011-424712 or 091-225413
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

3.3 Accommodation Wanted (Ad inserted 06/02/07)

Single gent, aged 55 years,a non-drinker, non-smoker, seeking either a
furnished cottage or flat as soon as possible. Will consider being a paying
boarder. Replies to aztec@zol.co.zw or 303504 (Business) cell :
091-431873.

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

3.4 Accommodation Wanted (Ad inserted 13/02/07)

Single lady looking for a 3 / 4 bed roomed house either to rent or to repair
and maintain or both. Must be secure premises

Preferred areas are: Avondale ; Mount Pleasant ; Alex park ; Gunhill ;
Newlands ; highlands ; Greendale ; Mandara ; Belvedere; Milton park

Please contact Debbie on 091 830 953

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

3.5 Accommodation Offered (Ad inserted 13/02/07)

Two bedrooms with bathroom (bed sit), No pets

For more information please contact Charmaine at work 620687 up to 9 for the
above.

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

4. RECREATION

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

4.1 Conquest Tours (Pvt) Ltd (Ad inserted 06/02/07)

2 King George Court, Avondale, Harare

Bumi Hills Safari Lodge and Tiger Bay Safari Lodge have recently been
refurbished and are looking wonderful. They are also under new management.

Conquest Tours is the main agent in Zimbabwe and is looking for agents, to
market these destinations.

South Africa               - Johannesburg, Pretoria, Cape Town, Durban, Port
Eliszbeth, East London
Zambia                       - Lusaka, the Copperbelt, Ndola
Botswana                   - Gaberone, Francis Town
Malawi                        - Blantyre / Limbe, Lilongwe
Mozambique              - Beira, Maputo
Swaziland                  - Mbabani, Manzeni, Matsapa
Australia                     - Perth, Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne
New Zealand             - Auckland, Wellington
England                      - London, Edinburg, Manchester etc

You may become an agent as an individual or you may know of a Zimbabwean who
is interested, or someone who is involved in the travel business in one of
the Cities in the Countries mentioned.

Please contact us on one of the following for further details:
Email: conquest@mweb.co.zw, Telephone/Fax:   332450 or 308960

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4.2 'MEET AND GREET" fun day

Saturday 3rd March 2007 at SANDY'S CORNER PRE- SCHOOL; 3 TROON AVE - HARARE.
BORROWDALE

We will also be holding a Car Boot Sale which you are invited to participate
in. If you do not have a car we can rent a space to you but all umbrellas,
tables etc will need to be supplied by yourselves. This is on a first come
fist serve basis and the space will cost 10 000.00 / Space

FOOD & DRINKS ON SALE

Should you have any further queries please do not hesitate to contact Debbie
Victor on 091 830 953 or 495 078.

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

4.3 Savuli Safari (Ad inserted 13/02/07)

Self catering chalets in the heart of the Save Valley Conservancy. Game
watching, fishing, horse riding, canoeing, walking trails and 4x4 hire. Camp
fully kitted including cook and fridges. Just bring your food, drinks and
relax.    Best value for money. U12 are 1/2 price

Contact John: savuli@mweb.co.zw or Phone 091 631 556

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

4.4 Hippo Pools Wilderness Camp (Ad inserted 13/02/07)

Need a break from your hectic everyday life, for a relaxing weekend or
midweek getaway Hippo Pools Wilderness Camp is the place to go. For details
phone Tracy on 747929 or email mailto:wildernessafrica@zol.co.zw "

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5. SPECIALIST SERVICES

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

5.1 STRESS & BURN OUT SEMINAR (Ad inserted 6/02/07)

In late 2006, two one-day Stress & Burn Out Seminars were held, specifically
aimed at farmers. These two days were both fully subscribed and it became
apparent that there is a great need to continue this support for our
community. In 2007 we will conduct similar one-day sessions leading towards
group therapy and support-group sessions.

We have asked the Christian Counselling Centre to gear two introductory days
on 3rd and 24th February towards this end. Thereafter, we will be looking
for a number of facilitators to take the process further. Please contact
the JAG offices to enrol for either of these two introductory days. Or,
alternatively, contact the Christian Counselling Centre directly on
hcc@mweb.co.zw or telephone 744212.

As a community, we need to help one another heal.

MANAGING STRESS

Led by: Ian Wilsher

A one-day, practical workshop for anyone wanting to manage the pressure of
modern day life in Zimbabwe. This workshop puts theory into practice.

Topics include:

+          Identifying symptoms and stresses
+          Time management
+          Dealing with the unchangeable
+          Managing anger and more

Come and find out how you can harness stress to bring positive change to
your life.

Date:     Saturday, 24th February
Time:     9.00 am - 4.30 pm
Cost:     Z$50 000 (includes lunch, manual and teas).
Venue: Christian Counselling Centre, 8 Coltman Road, Mount Pleasant,
Harare. Tel: 744212.

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5.2 Nursery School Places Available (Ad inserted 06/02/07)

Places available for 4-5 year olds at nursery school in Pomona due to
classes being moved around. Need mainly girls to even out numbers.
Children need to go for interview at school. Fees to be agreed at
interview. Pse call Lindie on 883230.

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5.3 Borehole Pumps

T M Lambert (Pvt) Ltd, Agent for Mono Pumps, Zimbabwe
Capacity Test, Installations, Repair and Maintenance on all Borehole pumps.
Phone: 494796, 091 288 448, 011 726 062
Email: tlambert@zim.co.zw, Address: 22 Highland Glen, Umwinsidale.

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5.4 Personalised Vehicle Service (Ad inserted 13/02/07)

ATTENTION

Do You Need a Personalised Vehicle Service?

Opened in Msasa at No: 179 Loreley cr. Msasa, a small workshop specialising
in basic services and brake repairs.
Phone Noel or Sandy Odendaal during work hours on 447110 or Cell No:
011615894 to book in your vehicle.

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5.5 Mr. Handy Man

For general Handy repairs in and around the house!
For all those jobs you don't have the time for!

Moving into a new place and need help putting up pictures and other annoying
little jobs?

Can't seem to get the right person to fix things in your house?

Call 011 211 852, 495078, E- mail lloyd@pcpitstop.co.zw

Mr. Handy Man Can!!!

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5.6 PARA LEGAL ADVISORY SERVICES (Ad inserted 13/02/07)

....14yrs on.......
and still providing the following much needed valuable Advisory
Services......

1.    Obtaining
        - Full (Long) Birth Certificates (FBC) for Zimbabwe (replacement of
old style)
        - Registration of new births
        - Adoption Orders - Certified Extract of originals with FBC
            (identifying biological parent/s)
        - Marriage Certificates - Certified Extract of originals
        - Death Certificates (only possible in some instances)
        - Zimbabwe Drivers Licenses - new, replacement of lost, & Letter of
           Confirmation (required when needing to obtain a Drivers Licence
in
another
           country)
        - Divorce Orders - certified extract of originals
        - Certificate of Non-Marriage

2.    Facilitating
        - Immigration formalities into Zimbabwe,
            ie Residence & Employment Permits
        - Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) - New Investor formalities

3.    Company Registration Procedures
       - New Companies
       - Statutory Returns
       - completion & submission of changes in Company/'s details

4.    Para-Legal Services
       - Wills (preparation of and amendments)
       - Establishment of Discretionary Trusts
       - enquire further as to what you are needing

Contact us for further information and/or to arrange a no obligation
consultation.

Financial Arrangements - We will always assist 'bona fide' financially
challenged persons.

Contact: Thomas Vallance ACIArb Commissioner of Oaths
PARADiGM TRUST (Pvt) Ltd, Para-Legal Advisory Services
Trust Executives & Administrators, Tels: (B) 302 207 (M) 011-617 161
Emls:[paradigm@zol.co.zw], paradigm@mango.zw]

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6. PETS CORNER
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No Adverts

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JAG Hotlines: +263 (011) 610 073, +263 (04) 799 410. If you are in trouble
or need advice, please don't hesitate to contact us - we're here to help!
To advertise (JAG Members): Please email classifieds to: jagma@mango.zw
with subject "Classifieds".

Zimbabwe fails to pay diplomats