http://www.washingtonpost.com
By Associated Press, Updated: Monday, February 25, 2:06
AM
HARARE, Zimbabwe — Zimbabwe’s broke coalition government says it has
raised
enough money privately to pay for a referendum on a new constitution
scheduled March 16.
Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa said the vote,
just three weeks away,
“will not be stopped because of lack of money,” the
state Sunday Mail
newspaper reported.
Chinamasa said the
financing was “sourced locally” from commercial and
business interests after
the United Nations and possible outside donors
weren’t given enough time to
contribute. The referendum date was announced a
week ago.
The state
election commission says it needs $85 million for the vote ahead
of national
elections later in the year to end the nation’s shaky coalition
between
President Robert Mugabe and the former opposition formed after the
violent
and disputed elections in 2008.
All coalition leaders have called for a
‘Yes’ vote on the new constitution.
Finance Minister Tendai Biti said the
United Nations cited bureaucratic
procedures preventing it from providing
referendum money, adding “we
submitted our budgets a bit late,” the Sunday
Mail reported.
“I think they are going to fund the actual election but
this time (for the
referendum) we are going it alone,” the paper quoted Biti
saying. Biti is
the third ranking official in Prime Minister Morgan
Tsvangirai’s party.
Presidential and parliamentary elections are expected
to be held around
July.
Rights and democracy groups have called for a
postponement of the referendum
to give voters more time to study the
160-page draft constitution first
published last Monday. They insist a hasty
vote will not produce a credible
outcome.
Vice President Joice Mujuru
said Saturday no Western observers will be
allowed into the country to
monitor either of the upcoming polls.
Only African and regional observers
will be permitted as election monitors,
she said while addressing a state
funeral in Harare, in the absence of
Mugabe, who was on an official trip to
West Africa.
Western nations hostile to Mugabe sought to infiltrate the
country as
monitors to influence the outcome of voting in their favor,
Mujuru said.
“Let us be wary of foreign interference in our internal
politics,” she said.
Mugabe expelled a European Union observer mission
during elections in 2002
that the European monitors alleged were marred by
violence and vote rigging.
Western donors give the bulk of pledges to
United Nations appeals for funds
to help member states.
The official
election commission says that in a departure from usual
election practice
the voters’ lists will not be used in the March 16
referendum. Voters aged
18 and above can cast their ballots in any of 9,000
polling states across
the country using only valid national identity cards.
That procedure
would mean a larger voter turnout within the time constraints
up to
referendum, it says.
In previous parliament and presidential elections,
glaring errors in the
voters’ lists, including registered voters who have
long since died or have
moved to other districts, were blamed for vote
rigging and fraud.
http://mg.co.za/
24 FEB 2013 13:32 - AFP
Zimbabwe's
Vice-President Joice Mujuru has signalled that the country will
not allow
monitors from outside the SADC to watch this year's elections.
The
15-member regional bloc brokered a coalition government between
President
Robert Mugabe and his arch rival Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai
in
2008.
Mujuru said countries that have imposed sanctions against Zimbabwe
wanted to
"impose themselves on our national election processes to influence
the
outcome in their favour".
The European Union this week slightly
eased sanctions against Zimbabwe but
the United States said it will only end
restrictions after more reforms.
Zimbabwe's official policy on foreign
election observers is unclear. It
rejected a report by EU observers, who
slammed the 2002 polls for violence.
They also said the elections were not
free and fair.
Zimbabweans will vote March 16 in a referendum over a new
constitution.
The charter will be a precursor to July polls to end a
shaky
Mugabe-Tsvangirai coalition.
Elections in Zimbabwe have been
marred by human rights violations including
killings of political opponents,
beatings and intimidation. – Sapa
http://www.telegraph.co.uk
The murder of the 12-year-old son
of a long-serving activist in Zimbabwe has
sparked fears of fresh political
violence in the country.
By Peta Thornycroft, Johannesburg3:54PM GMT
24 Feb 2013
Christpowers Maisiri, the son of Shepherd Maisiri, of the
Movement for
Democratic Change, was killed on Saturday night after his house
was set on
fire. He was asleep in the hut with two older brothers when it
was set
alight.
"My son was born a victim of Zanu PF and died a
victim of Zanu PF. I was out
campaigning and my family was at home sleeping
when people came and attacked
my dogs, and then set my house on fire and my
boy died in that fire," said
Mr Maisiri, 45.
"I am told I must trust
Robert Mugabe. That we are going to have peaceful
elections, well that is
not true. My son is dead."
Mr Maisiri, who lives in Headlands
constituency, a stronghold of Robert
Mugabe's Zanu PF, controlled by party
heavyweight Didymus Mutasa, said he
did not see who attacked his home, but
added: "I know who did this. My house
has been burned nine times before
this.
"I am a founding member of the MDC... I know these political
rivals."
A referendum for Zimbabwe's new constitution is weeks away with
general
elections expected a few months later.
After violent and
inconclusive elections in 2008 Mr Mugabe and MDC leader
Morgan Tsvangirai
formed an inclusive government which expires in June.
Since the inclusive
government was formed political violence decreased.
Mr Mutasa did not
answer his phone on Sunday, nor did Zanu PF spokesman
Rugare Gumbo.
http://www.newzimbabwe.com
24/02/2013 00:00:00
by Staff
Reporter
FINANCE Minister Tendai Biti said Friday that China was
likely to bankroll
several key projects as country looks to rehabilitate its
infrastructure
after years of neglect.
Speaking to journalists after
a meeting Chinese Commerce Minister Chen
Deming an optimistic Biti said: "We
discussed on how China can assist in
capital investments in Zimbabwe, road,
transportation, water and power
stations. I must say we had a very fruitful
discussion,” he said.
"We can see some serious things materialising in
the next few weeks.”
Biti said projects likely to be funded by China include
the Kariba South
Hydro- project, Hwange, the Zambezi river water project as
well as
Information Communication Technology and the transport
sector.
"The discussions are on- going," he said.
Key infrastructure
such as the country’s roads as well as water and sewage
systems in most
towns and cities fell into disrepair due to neglect over the
last decade as
the country battled serious economic crisis.
Chen Deming also described
the meeting as crucial for the economic exchanges
between the two
countries.
"We had very good exchanges on infrastructure projects in Zimbabwe
as well
as ways to expand the Zimbabwean trade to China and also with key
projects
going forward," he said.
He however distanced China from
funding Zimbabwe's elections.
"All your Ministers as well as your Acting
President they all told me that
Zimbabwe is one country, a united country
and general elections might be an
important political agenda for
you.
"It's a domestic thing to do," said Chen Deming.
http://www.dailynews.co.zw
Sunday, 24 February 2013 11:37
HARARE - Several
soldiers ran amok and invaded a gold mine, looting and
turning into miners,
the High Court has heard.
In an urgent chamber application filed
yesterday, Blooming Lilly Investments
Pvt Limited told the court that
Slashwood Mining Pvt Ltd enlisted the
services of soldiers to invade its
mine on February 6 this year.
According to court papers, Blooming Lilly
lost several mining claims,
including Danga 3, Matebele and Sheba, after the
invasion.
“Around 40 military personnel unlawfully commandeered the said
sites and
have begun illegal mining activities thereon and have ejected the
applicant
and its agents from the sites without the consent of the applicant
to such
ejectment.”
Blooming Lilly’s director Tapiwa Gurupira told
the court: “Applicant has
been in peaceful and undisturbed possession of the
said sites and has been
conducting its mining activities.
“However,
on the 6th of February 2013, respondent in the company of about 40
military
personnel invaded the sites and forcibly removed applicant’s
agents.”
Gurupira said Slashwood brought a provisional eviction order
but he said he
was not subject to the court order, since it referred to a
different legal
personality.
“It is submitted that actions of
respondent amounted to despoliation of
applicant, because the court order
was being used for other purposes than
that for which it was granted,” said
Gurupira.
“Applicant prays for a mandamant van spolie (spoliation order)
to be granted
in its favour, and the applicant will undergo severe,
unsalvageable economic
harm, should the respondent and its agents that have
begun looting from the
sites are not removed from the sites and curtailed
future and further
incursions,” reads part of the court application. -
Tendai Kamhungira
http://www.newzimbabwe.com
24/02/2013 00:00:00
by Staff
Reporter
A UNIVERSITY degree is set to become the minimum
qualification for teachers
as part of reforms that will also see unqualified
temporary teachers banned
from the country’s education sector over the next
five years.
Education minister, David Coltart told a public meeting in
Harare last week
that the government was looking at ways of dealing with the
estimated 20,000
unqualified teachers across the country.
“We are
crafting a national vision for the country’s education sector and
one of the
solutions to our crisis is the banning of unqualified teachers,”
he
said.
“We need to ensure that every single teacher is qualified. Those
unqualified
will go for training and we are giving them first
preference.
Coltart also said a university degree was also set to become
the minimum
qualification for teachers over the next five years.
“After
phasing out the unqualified teachers, the next step is to make sure
that our
teachers have a minimum of a degree as a qualification so that we
produce
the best in our schools.”
The proposed changes follow increasing concern
over falling standards in the
country’s education system which was once
touted as Africa’s best. Nearly
82% of students failed their Ordinary Level
examinations last year.
But Coltart said with the international
examination pass rate standing at 25
percent, last year’s results were not
that “shocking”.
“Our results are not shocking as some people have
claimed,” he said.
“The problem we have is that the country is expecting
every pupil to be
academically smart…we all have different talents. As long
as we focus on
academics we are denying over half of our students a decent
living.
He said results could not be expected to improve when the
education sector
was unable to attract the best teachers because of poor
salaries.
“We need to pay our teachers handsomely so that we attract the
cream of our
students to train as teachers,” he said.
“We need to
genuinely treat them as professionals. As we speak, we are
failing to
attract those who have flying colours to train as teachers.
“The current
environment attracts only those who are average and those who
have nothing
else to do are taking up teaching as a profession. So, how can
we produce
the best results?”
http://www.dailynews.co.zw/
Sunday, 24 February 2013 12:58
HARARE -
Anglicans in Manicaland Province have begun repossessing their
church
buildings and other property after the Supreme Court ordered renegade
bishop
Elson Jakazi out.
Jakazi, a sidekick of another renegade bishop, Nolbert
Kunonga, had grabbed
the properties which included orphanages, schools and
hospitals after being
chucked out of the church.
Kunonga was recently
booted out by the Supreme Court after he also violently
grabbed church
properties.
Last week, Supreme Court judge Vernanda Ziyambi ruled that
Jakazi, a former
military officer, was offside and had no right to claim the
Anglican Church
of the Province of Central Africa (CPCA)
properties.
Julius Makoni, the CPCA Manicaland Diocese, bishop said after
five years of
worshipping under trees, members would begin using their
facilities today.
“We went to the Supreme Court and Justice Vernanda
Ziyambi ruled in favour
of us — in short he (Jakazi) lost. So we are happy
to repossess our
properties,” said Makoni.
Jakazi seized all church
properties in the province, which included more
than 150 parishes.
He
also took control of respected schools and institutions such as Bonda
Mission School and Hospital, St Faith Mission in Rusape, St Augustine
Mission in Penhalonga, St Peters Clinic in Honde Valley, St Mary Magdalene
High School in Nyanga, main church offices including the Cathedral in
Mutare, Holy Name Matsika School in Nyazura and all small health centres
dotted across the province.
Under the management of Jakazi, the
properties were reduced to hellholes,
with formerly elite schools such as
Bonda and St Augustine collapsing into
gutter institutions.
CPCA
members were jubilant yesterday.
Prominent Anglican parishioner Tapiwa
Mbutsa said the church needs to be
vigilant next time when choosing
leaders.
“I think Anglican CPCA community has learnt that each time we
choose a
leader we need to pray and fast for God’s guidance. The bible
teaches us to
ask God for a leader. The election into office of Jakazi and
Kunonga was
full of corruption,” Mbutsa wrote on the church’s Facebook page.
- Vasco
Chaya
http://www.newzimbabwe.com/
24/02/2013 00:00:00
by
citifmonline.com
FORMER Ghana president Jerry John Rawlings has
commended Prime Minister
Morgan Tsvangirai for working towards a peaceful
political climate in
Zimbabwe.
Speaking during a meeting with
Rawlings, Tsvangirai stated that the
political and economic situation in
Zimbabwe has improved since the
establishment of a unity government
following disputed elections in 2008.
The two held a meeting in Seoul,
South Korea, where both leaders are
attending the World Peace Summit of the
United Peace Federation.
The Summit is being held under the theme,
“Peace, Security and Development”.
Tsvangirai said relations with
President Mugabe had improved and there was
civil discourse between the
two.
The MDC-T leader said even though there was significant political and
economic improvement in Zimbabwe, the international media was only keen on
reporting the negative news about the country.
He said the economy
had grown 9% over the past two years, an indication that
his country is
moving positively.
Tsvangirai also said he did not foresee any trouble as
Zimbabwe moves
towards a new election later this year.
http://www.dailynews.co.zw
Sunday, 24 February 2013 12:22
HARARE -
Mining giant Zimplats is struggling to contain reports that it,
together
with the National Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment Board
(Nieeb)
undervalued the company’s worth, as the Nieebgate scandal rages
on.
Investigations by the Daily News have revealed that Nieeb did not
consult
relevant government arms like the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ),
the
ministry of Mines and that of Industry among others.
It also
emerged during investigations that a company which was awarded the
deal for
advisory services for seven of the indigenised companies did not go
through
tender as required by law.
Transactions worth more than $300 000 have to
go through the Tender Board.
Besides the suspected undervaluing of
Zimplats, questions are also being
asked over “vendor financing” provisions
in the deal which legal experts say
could be ultra vires the Companies
Act.
Zimplats has valued its machinery and equipment at $2,7 billion
while the
resources underground have been pegged at the same value, raising
fears that
the deal has been seriously undervalued.
Government
insiders told the Daily News that professional valuations
conducted by other
companies of international repute indicate that the Great
Dyke contains
platinum reserves valued at $200 billion at the current market
price of
platinum, which is averaging $1 700 per ounce, while valuations
done to
specific platinum reserves smaller than Zimplats indicate a single
endowment
of over $20 billion as compared to the $2,7 billion for Zimplats
In a
terse two-line statement to the Daily News this week, Zimplats appeared
to
play down the issue.
And as Mike Nyambuya’s Nieeb pushed forward with its
efforts to deny that
government was cheated in the $971 million deal,
Zimplats also insisted due
diligence on the deal was done.
“Zimplats
followed due process with integrity when valuing its assets,” Busi
Chindove,
Zimplats’ head of corporate affairs said in the statement.
“The final
transactional value was arrived at through negotiation by the
joint
technical team.”
Adding intrigue to the whole debacle is what Justice and
Legal Affairs
minister Patrick Chinamasa said in November 2010 in the
dispute between
asbestos miner SMM and government where he clearly stated
that export
receipts from the company could not be used to settle a $60
million debt in
the purchase price of the Zvishavane-based asbestos
mine.
In the Zimplats deal, structured by private equity investment firm
Brainworks Capital, payment of the shares will come from 85 percent of the
dividends declared by Zimplats over the 10-year period.
Indigenous
people must pay $971 million within a period of 10 years, failure
of which
the shares revert back to the owners of Zimplats.
Clause 14 of the
Zimplats deal partly reads: “On the expiry of 10 years
following the
effective date, Zimplats Holdings will have the option to
repurchase as many
of the VF shares as it is sufficient to settle, by way of
set off, the VF
balance as at the end of the VF term (Repurchased VF
Shares).
“In the
event that an indigenous entity commits any one of a number of
specified
acceleration events, Zimplats Holdings will be entitled to
repurchase the VF
shares earlier.
Indigenous Zimbabweans have 10 years to pay the $971
million but if they
fail, they will be given 10 days within which to pay
cash or they will
forfeit the shares.
Zimplats has in the last 10
years only paid a total dividend of $50 million
making it almost certain
from the onset that the indigenous people will not
be able to pay the $1
billion repayment to secure their 51 percent.
Chinamasa told Parliament:
“It is very wrong, any lawyer will tell you that
you cannot use a
shareholder, to use the receipts of the company to pay for
the purchase
price of those shares.”
“It is not allowed in terms of the Companies Act
and in any case, even a
bookkeeper will tell you that receipts are the
income of a company,”
Chinamasa said.
“It is the receipts that are
used to pay for the production costs, the
running costs, (and) the working
capital of that company.”
While Brainworks managing partner George
Manyere yesterday told the Daily
News that questions about how the company
bagged the top-dollar financial
advisor contract must be directed to Nieeb,
he denied that he is due to
pocket up to $45 million from the Zimplats deal
alone, saying he stands to
pocket “only” $14,5 million.
Charles
Kuwaza, the State Procurement Board (SPB)’s executive chairperson,
has told
the Daily News that the SPB did not receive any proposal from
Brainworks and
the accounting officer at the Indigenisation board or Nieeb
has not
approached them in that regard, adding he got to know about
Brainworks when
the Daily News exposed the Nieebgate Scandal.
Finance minister and
secretary-general for Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai’s
MDC, Tendai Biti
also said implementation of the indigenisation programme
was not only
illegal, but only benefits well-heeled elites.
“In the Indigenisation and
Empowerment Act, you will not find the word
community share trust, you will
not,” Biti said.
“Then you come to the regulations, statutory instrument
number 30 of March
2010 that was passed or enacted by Saviour Kasukuwere,
again you will not
find the name community share trust.
“So the issue
of community share schemes is actually an afterthought which
is not backed
by the empowering act, the Indigenisation and Empowerment Act
such that
community share schemes don’t actually have legal existence
vis-a-vis the
Indigenisation and Empowerment Act.”
Biti added: “To the extent that
there is no company in Zimbabwe that I know
of which has actually parted
with 51 percent of its shareholding whether its
Zimplats or not, you are
having the anomalous situation where companies are
bribing themselves out of
compliance with the act by paying a mere US$10
million, US$5 million,
whatever is the amount of the community share
scheme.”
“Another
problem with this empowerment programme is certainly in the way it
is being
implemented; it is very opaque. Nobody knows the circumstances that
those
companies are parting with those monies.”
Politically, the evolving dynamic
holds both promise and peril for
government, not to mention for
Zimplats.
Now that it is possible the deal might be revisited in Parliament
next week,
the ruling administration might reap some of the credit if it is
seen to be
riding herd on the Zimplats deal.
Zimplats’ move to give
thumbs-up to a flawed deal is revealing: the
government through Nieeb going
toe to toe with a foreign corporation in
which it holds no tangible
benefits.
In its current form, Zimplats stands to regain its shares in 10
years,
perhaps explaining its move to quickly give the transaction a clean
bill. -
Gift Phiri, Political Editor
http://www.dailynews.co.zw
Sunday, 24 February 2013
12:22
HARARE - Jonathan Moyo makes the point that the Zimplats
Indigenisation
Implementation Plan (ZIIP) has not been completed and,
therefore, it is
premature for any discussion as to the merits or demerits
of the underlying
transaction to meaningfully take place.
This
position is supported by the chairman of the National Indigenisation
and
Economic Empowerment Board (Nieeb), Mike Nyambuya, who in an interview
published in the Herald of February 21, 2013, stated: “Let me start by
giving clarity on the Term Theet signed between Zimplats and indigenous
partners.
“The term sheet provides for general principles on the
Zimplats
indigenisation implementation plan and is not legally binding. The
terms and
conditions therein are not definitive. Neither party therefore is
bound by
these terms.”
It is common cause that a Term Sheet with 16
pages was signed on January 11,
2013.
Moyo who is neither a director
nor an officer of the Nieeb let alone a
member of the executive branch of
the Government of Zimbabwe had this to
say: “Firstly, there has been a
pervasive and gross lie deliberately told
through some gullible sections of
the media whose import has been to give
the false and thus misleading
impression that the Zimplats indigenisation
transaction is a done deal which
has been finalised and completed. This is
far from the actual
truth.”
Any casual observer in the matter would be entitled to ask the
basis of the
authority and capacity of Moyo to make the above
statement.
How would Moyo as a member of the legislature get to know what
is false or
true in respect of facts that can only be privy to the
signatories of the
said Term Sheet?
Could Moyo be part of a parallel
government structure?
Could he be working secretly for the Nieeb?
If
not, what interest would inform this kind of spirited defence?
Whether
the information ventilated in the public domain about the Zimplats
is false
or not should not be of concern to Moyo precisely because his
version is
that a Terms Sheet has no legal consequences as it can be varied
by the
contracting parties before conclusion.
The mere fact that Moyo
authoritatively states that he is fixed with
knowledge that the Zimplats
transaction has not been finalised and completed
should be an issue of major
concern to the Nieeb board who are custodians of
the institution and yet
Nyambuya does not deal with this material issue in
his interview.
The
authority to represent Nieeb is vested in the board of directors and at
the
very least, one would have expected Nyambuya to reprimand Moyo from
assuming
powers that the Act and Constitution of Zimbabwe do not support.
Although
it is appreciated that Moyo is a political animal, it is not
apparent why he
would behave in the manner in which he has chosen to —
unless he is some
kind of “hired gun”.
Naturally mercenaries are not guided by principles
and values but by cash
that flows.
This would lead any rational
observer to attempt to locate the fault lines
in the transaction with a view
to establishing possible angles that would
allow the fees from the deal to
flow to all possible actors including the
few that may see danger in
transparency.
Against a backdrop of a dispute confirmed by the chairman
of Nieeb in
respect of the true meaning of a Term Sheet and the implications
that would
arise from its signing, it is important to define the term so
that lay
people can better appreciate the issues at hand.
A Term
Sheet is defined as a bullet-point document setting out the material
terms
and conditions of a business agreement.
This sheet that has been signed
is not just an ordinary Term Sheet but a
direct consequence of the
application of a law i.e. the Indigenisation and
Economic Empowerment Act
(the Act).
In terms of the Act whose true interpretation is often clouded
in mystery,
it would appear the transfer of shares to indigenous persons
would mirror
the experience of the land reform programme in which the
beneficiaries of
land were never subjected to Term Sheet and complicated
terms like “vendor
financing” as if to suggest the indigenous people through
the ministry have
the necessary financial competency to enter into such
contracts.
It is normal that after a Term Sheet has been “executed”,
lawyers would then
prepare final agreements. It is a guide and normally the
terms agreed to;
are unlikely to change.
A Term Sheet then implies
the critical terms of the known transaction that
according to the political
propaganda machinery should result in 51 percent
of the issued share capital
in the target company being transferred to
indigenous persons as defined in
the Act for no consideration.
Although a Term Sheet is similar to a
letter of intent, it lists the deal
terms in bullet point and this has been
done lest surprises spring in — that
were not anticipated.
Now that
the public knows the bullet points, it cannot be argued that the
bullets are
created by enemies of the revolution but the signatories to the
Term Sheet
must speak for themselves.
It would be obvious from Mike Nyambuya that
the engagement of Brainworks
Capital predates the signing of the Term
Sheet.
Accordingly, to Nyambuya, the letter of engagement was signed on
June 8,
2012 prior to his appointment as a director and chairman of the
Nieeb.
The question that then arises is how Nyambuya who was not part of
the
governance of the Nieeb can be so eloquent in defending matters that he
has
no personal knowledge of.
The question that both Nyambuya and
Moyo seem to avoid responding to relates
to the appointment of Brainworks,
services rendered and remuneration issues.
Moyo who exposes that he is an
insider in this matter, states as follows:
“Page 1 of the Term Sheet which
has 16 pages and which was signed on January
11, 2013 clearly and
unambiguously states that, “The terms and conditions
set out in this term
sheet in respect of the Zimplats IP (Indigenisation
Implementation Plan) are
non-binding and are subject to definitive legal
documentation in respect of
the transactions forming part of Zimplats
transaction”.
How did Moyo
who is evidently not a party to the Term Sheet obtain a copy of
this
agreement that ordinarily should be private and confidential?
If he has
this document, how many other documents of government are in his
possession?
Who would have an interest in giving these documents to a
member of the
legislature?
If regard is taken into account as to the
correct function of a legislator,
then one has to be concerned about the
constitutional health of Zimbabwe and
the circumstances that would allow a
legislator to defend the actions of the
executive in this clumsy
manner.
Surely, Moyo’s interests should be aligned with the people he
represents in
Parliament who would no doubt also want to know the true
nature of this deal
to be disclosed in the public interest.
However,
in this transaction as in many, Moyo who is no longer in the
executive
continues to behave in an unconstitutional manner validating the
concerns of
Zimbabwe’s partners that the rule of law must be restored before
sanctions
are lifted.
Moyo must show the lead and yet his footprints are all over
this transaction
without good cause.
Perhaps he may have a public
relations contract with the government that he
has not yet
disclosed.
The fact that he sings from the same hymn as Nyambuya must
also be of
concern.
Moyo then authoritatively states as follows:
“Paragraph 22 of the Term Sheet
clearly provides that “In addition to any
other conditions set out in this
Term Sheet, the Zimplats IIP, including
each of the transactions forming
part thereof, is, subject to waiver at the
discretion of Zimplats Holdings,
subject to the fulfilment of the following
conditions precedent by June 30,
2013 or such other date as the key
participants may agree upon in writing”
confirming his intimate knowledge of
the transaction.
He then states: “The key participants shall use their
reasonable endeavours
to fulfil these conditions precedent by June 30, 2013.
However, should
regulatory authorities or other processes necessitate an
extension beyond
June 30, 2013; the key participants agree that the said
date shall be
extended to a date agreed by the key participants to
accommodate such
regulatory process” without explaining how he got this
privileged
information.
He then concludes by saying: “It is therefore
quite clear that all the talk
which claims or gives the impression that a
deal has been finalised is false
and nonsensical with no empirical or
documented support whatsoever.”
“So far, there is only a non-binding Term
Sheet pending the finalisation of
substantive agreements such as a
Shareholder’s Agreement which is yet to be
concluded.”
Who benefits
from exposing transactional details to a party whose interests
in the deal
is not obvious and transparent?
Moyo’s knee-jerk reaction undermines the
integrity of a signature programme
that his party wishes to seek a sixth
term on.
He may very well be the architect of “bhora musango” as his
actions confirm
that Zimbabwe is operating as a “banana republic”.
No
country that respects the rule of law would allow this kind of thuggish
behaviour. This is the second of a four part series on the Nieebgate
Scandal which was unearthed by the Daily News.
On a bitterly cold
Saturday, with the temperature not rising above 2 degrees centigrade, we were
surprised to be joined outside the Embassy by President Mugabe, tearing himself
away from his 89th birthday celebrations.
As befits a man of
such advanced years, he took a rest on one of our camp chairs while he
contemplated the prospect of another term of office. Where to holiday next? The
UN in New York perhaps? Or there must be an AU meeting in Addis Ababa? Or Rome
to meet the new Pope? Or even Brussels – so keen to drop sanctions! No, better a
quiet visit to Hong Kong to count the money. (PS remember to avoid South Korea
as Tsvangirai is already there busy preparing for the elections . .
.)
As Mugabe dozed off
under the snowflakes, Vigil supporters tied him to his chair with the SADC bonds
which we hope will produce free and fair elections: ‘International Observers’,
‘Curbs on Partisan Security Forces’, ‘Impartial Electoral Commission’, ‘Reformed
Voters’ Roll’, ‘No Hate Speech’ and ‘Open Airways’ (perhaps we can even have our
radios back . . . )
With Mugabe’s ability
to steal the elections curbed by these restrictions, Vigil supporters trooped
off to the South African High Commission to deliver a letter for President Zuma
warning him that unless the GPA reforms are implemented there is no hope that
Mugabe will allow free and fair elections (for full text of the letter see last
week’s diary: http://www.zimvigil.co.uk/the-vigil-diary/475-zuma-save-zimbabwe--zimbabwe-vigil-diary-16th-february-2013).
Thanks to Fungayi
Mabhunu for playing the role of Mugabe in our demonstration which was part of
the Free Zimbabwe Global Campaign which has been staging monthly demonstrations
since January last year.
Other points
·
We were glad to be
joined by MDC stalwart Makusha Mugabe (no relation!) who runs the ChangeZimbabwe
website, especially as our numbers were depleted by the attendance at the launch
of a new ROHR branch in Southampton.
·
We are missing Josie
Zhuga who is such a buoyant personality on the front desk. She is not well and
is awaiting surgery.
·
It was good to meet
Andrew Veremu who came down from Coventry University to speak to us about a
documentary he is doing on Zimbabwean asylum seekers for his master’s degree. We
are only too happy to help the many students who come to us seeking help with
projects on Zimbabwe and asylum.
For latest Vigil
pictures check: http://www.flickr.com/photos/zimbabwevigil/.
Please note: Vigil photos can only be downloaded from our Flickr website – they
cannot be downloaded from the slideshow on the front page of the Zimvigil
website.
FOR THE
RECORD: 40 signed the
register.
EVENTS AND NOTICES:
·
ROHR Central London
Branch meeting. Saturday
2nd March from 12 noon to 1.30 pm. Venue: Strand Continental Hotel
(first floor lounge), 143 Strand, London WC2R 1JA. For directions see entry
below. Contact: Fungayi Mabhunu 07746 552 597, Cynthia Mutede 07548 609
683.
·
Zimbabwe Action Forum
(ZAF). Saturday
2nd March from 6.30 – 9.30 pm. Venue: Strand Continental Hotel (first
floor lounge), 143 Strand, London WC2R 1JA. The meeting will take place straight
after the Vigil. Directions: The Strand is the same road as the Vigil. From the
Vigil it’s about a 10 minute walk, in the direction away from Trafalgar Square.
The Strand Continental is situated on the south side of the Strand between
Somerset House and the turn off onto Waterloo Bridge. The entrance is marked by
a big sign high above and a sign for its famous Indian restaurant at street
level. It's next to a newsagent. Nearest underground: Temple (District and
Circle lines) and Holborn. Next ZAF, Saturday 16th March same time
and venue.
·
Mike Campbell
Foundation: Hope in a Desert. Thursday
7th March at 7 pm. Venue: Royal Geographical Society, 1 Kensington
Gore, London SW7 2AR. Speakers are Ben Freeth, Dr Craig Richardson and Gillian
Higgins. The event will be chaired by Kate Hoey MP, Chair of the All Party
Parliamentary Group on Zimbabwe. Tickets: £15. Check: http://www.mikecampbellfoundation.com/images/rgs2013flyer.pdf
for more information.
·
Zimbabwe Vigil
Highlights 2012 can be viewed on this
link: http://www.zimvigil.co.uk/the-vigil-diary/467-vigil-highlights-2012.
Links to previous years’ highlights are listed on 2012 Highlights
page.
·
The Restoration of
Human Rights in Zimbabwe (ROHR) is the Vigil’s
partner organization based in Zimbabwe. ROHR grew out of the need for the Vigil
to have an organization on the ground in Zimbabwe which reflected the Vigil’s
mission statement in a practical way. ROHR in the UK actively fundraises through
membership subscriptions, events, sales etc to support the activities of ROHR in
Zimbabwe. Please note that the official website of ROHR Zimbabwe is http://www.rohrzimbabwe.org/. Any other
website claiming to be the official website of ROHR in no way represents the
views and opinions of ROHR.
·
Vigil Facebook
page: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=8157345519&ref=ts.
·
Vigil Myspace
page: http://www.myspace.com/zimbabwevigil...
·
Useful websites:
www.zanupfcrime.com which reports on Zanu
PF abuses and www.ipaidabribe.org.zw where people can
report corruption in Zimbabwe.
Vigil
co-ordinators
The Vigil, outside
the Zimbabwe Embassy, 429 Strand, London, takes place every Saturday from 14.00
to 18.00 to protest against gross violations of human rights in Zimbabwe. The
Vigil which started in October 2002 will continue until
internationally-monitored, free and fair elections are held in Zimbabwe. http://www.zimvigil.co.uk
http://www.un.org/africarenewal/web-features/zimbabwe-learning-chinese-lucrative-investment
22 FEBRUARY
2013
Tonderayi Mukeredzi
Ni hao, Chinese for “hello,” or ting
bu dong, meaning “I hear you, but I don’t
understand,” are two expressions
one often overhears today in Zimbabwe’s
capital. It is one of the results of
tenacious efforts by governments,
private companies and individuals across
Africa, but in Zimbabwe
particularly, to learn the Chinese language and
understand China’s culture.
Learning Chinese as a second or third
language has been a global trend in
the last few years. In Africa, the rapid
increase of Chinese investments and
trade (China is currently the
continent’s biggest trading partner) has
spurred the
trend.
Zimbabwe’s government has been very deliberate in enhancing its
bilateral
relationship with China. It launched the Look East Policyin 2003to
give
priority to investors from China, Japan, Singapore and other countries
from
that region.As a result, trade between China and Zimbabwe has been
growing
exponentially — China is now the biggest buyer of Zimbabwe’s
tobacco.
Although learning Chinese dates back to Zimbabwe’s liberation
struggle in
the late 1960s and 1970s when freedom fighters went to China for
military
training, the trend has now accelerated significantly, and for
different
reasons.
Confucius Institute
To spread the Chinese
language and culture, the government of China is
utilizing a concept called
Confucianism. Confucius was a great Chinese
philosopher and educator born in
551 BC. The Chinese believe that his
thoughts have tremendously influenced
Chinese culture and even had an impact
other cultures. Chinese people refer
to Confucius as “a greater teacher.”
Zimbabwe leads the rest of the
continent in the training of local teachers
of Chinese, having integrated
the Confucius Institute into the University of
Zimbabwe’s academic
structures in 2007, as part of an expanding network of
about 400 Confucius
Institutes worldwide. The programme has largely been
successful, and the
university is poised to export surplus teachers of
Chinese to other
countries as well.
Professor Pedzisai Mashiri, the inaugural director of
the Confucius
Institute at the University of Zimbabwe, says that one of the
institute’s
goals is to promote the Chinese language and culture in
Zimbabwe.
Because the government is yet to integrate Chinese into the
national
curriculum for primary and secondary schools, schools that host
Confucius
classes offer the Chinese language as an extra-curricular
activity. More
than a thousand students have received such language training
through the
institute since 2009. A few others are completing studies in
China and will
join the university soon.
A skill that
pays
Observers say there has been a rising demand from organizations and
individuals seeking to learn Chinese. Clarence Makoni, the founder of the
Cendel Language Bridge, a private company that provides translations,
interpretation and foreign language instruction, told Africa Renewal that
there are huge benefits in learning foreign languages. Chinese, he says, is
by far the most sought after.
“If you look at the rate at which the
Chinese are coming into this country,”
says Mr. Makoni, “you do not need to
be a prophet to tell who is going to be
the most significant employer in a
few years to come. . . . All the people
we train are snapped up by companies
as soon as they finish their courses,
and they are paid very
handsomely.”
He adds that the ability to speak another major language
besides English is
a great selling point in the marketplace. A
Chinese-speaking interpreter can
rake in a monthly salary of Z$5,000, while
a bilingual secretary with the
same capabilities can claim up to Z$3,000 —
earnings deemed at the top range
in Zimbabwe.
Laston Mukaro, a
language consultant and lecturer at the University of
Zimbabwe’s linguistics
department, says that although his job grading has
not yet changed, he is
now earning much more after learning Chinese.
“It makes sense to learn
Chinese now other than for the reason necessitated
by the government’s Look
East Policy,” he says. “Chinese is one of the
United Nation’s official
languages and if you look at the way China is
expanding into the world, you
can do better if you speak their language.”
Mr. Mukaro also earns a lot
of money from exchange programmes between China
and Zimbabwe. In addition,
he frequently consults for the local Confucius
Institute. Other benefits
include his current work on a handbook for
translating between Chinese and
Shona, one of Zimbabwe’s main indigenous
languages. “For those who travel to
and do business with China a lot, and
are privileged to tap its diverse
tourism, then learning Chinese is
practically obligatory and has immense
benefits,” he says with enthusiasm.
More expansion ahead
Professor
Mashiri says there are plans to open at least five more Chinese
teaching
points in other parts of the country, and to construct a Confucius
Institute
building at the University of Zimbabwe. The Chinese Embassy in
Zimbabwe has
also promised to build a cultural centre to strengthen cultural
cooperation
between the two countries.
The world is now a global village, requiring
people to understand each other’s
culture and languages, says Levi Nyagura,
the University of Zimbabwe’s
vice-chancellor. “We want to see Zimbabwean
students get jobs in China. We
will continue to work hard to
institutionalize the Chinese language, as we
have done with the other major
world languages.”
There are also suggestions for introducing Chinese into
the national
curriculum. “The net effect,” argues Professor Mashiri, “is to
have the
teaching and learning of Chinese cascade from university to
secondary and
primary schools.”
By Clifford Chitupa Mashiri, 24th February 2013.
All of a sudden Zimbabwe’s
cash-strapped coalition government has funds for
polls despite making an
appeal for help from the United Nations to foot its
US$250m election bill
only a fortnight ago.
Ironically, in April 2011, Zanu-pf turned down an offer
by the United
Nations to fund and supervise elections, accusing the UN of
taking the wrong
side in the Ivory Coast conflict.
But in a major climb
down Zanu-pf’s Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa had
co-written a letter
with MDC-T’s Finance Minister Tendai Biti to the UNDP
asking for funds for
the elections whose date still remains a mystery.
Just before putting down
their glasses of champagne of celebrating that the
UNDP had “approved”
Zimbabwe’s request for election money, another breaking
news came “Zimbabwe
fails to secure external funding for referendum”
(SWRadioAfrica.com,
22/02/13).
Although, Finance Minister Tendai Biti reportedly wanted the
referendum
delayed for lack of funds, the Head of State and Government of
disunity,
Robert Mugabe told visiting bishops Zimbabwe will be able to raise
US$200
million using its natural resources.
Curiously, the same natural
resources Mugabe was referring to (presumably
diamonds, platinum, elephants
and rhinos) have not been used transparently
to fund education, Zimbabwe’s
employment creation efforts or health for
all, but have arguably been given
to China for a song.
As if the GNU was just playing cry wolf over poll funds,
the Sunday Mail on
24th February 2013 quoted Patrick Chinamasa as saying the
government has
raised enough funds for the constitutional referendum
scheduled for March
16, without disclosing the source of the money.
Now,
the question is Where did Zimbabwe suddenly get the referendum money at
such
a short notice which did not exist before the failed joint bid by the
two
ministers for UN funding?
Given that Zimbabwean companies are operating at
50% capacity or lower and
cannot easily part with US$200 million required,
as seen from the
unsuccessful rent seeking for Mugabe’s 21st Feb Movement
which secured
donations from only two local businesses, Bhadhela and Jays
wholesalers , so
where has Zimbabwe secured funds for the controversial
referendum and
elections?
Arguably, people are left to speculate on the
coincidence of the revived
confidence with recent arrival in Harare of the
Chinese Minister of
Commerce, Chen Deming, who, without delay signed three
memoranda of
understanding with Zimbabwe including one for an interest free
US$9.6
million loan from China to Zimbabwe (ZBC, 22/02/13).
Is China
colonising Zimbabwe?
At a time when Zimbabwe Republic Police is criminalising
the ownership of
wind-up short wave radio sets, the Chinese delegation
handed over an outside
broadcasting van and the uplink obviously to boost
Zanu-pf propaganda while
denying citizens the right to hear alternative news
broadcasts by seizing
donated radios from poor rural people.
As if to
reassure her Chinese guest, the Acting President Joyce Mujuru
reportedly
declared that Western observers are not welcome to monitor
Zimbabwe’s
harmonised elections. This is a bit strange considering the fact
that they
have not yet secured the necessary funds for elections.
Or, is this Zanu-pf’s
way of telling the European Union, to stay away from
the 2013 elections,
despite easing targeted sanctions on 21 Mugabe loyalists
supposedly to
reward him, in the hope of sharing the economic cake at the
expense of human
rights given the crackdown on NGOs in Zimbabwe?
That Zimbabwe is fast
speeding towards an uncertain future is observable
from the arrogance of the
leaders who are stubbornly holding onto an
arbitrary referendum date that
nobody is ready for, while the judiciary
appears uncertain on how to handle
the NCA petition which seeks to postpone
the event feared by many as
potentially violent close to polling day.
While the source of poll funds may
be puzzling, it may not be as curious as
the MDC-T’s endorsement of the
unrealistic referendum date of 16 March given
the poor logistics in the
country.
Equally incomprehensible is Morgan Tsvangirai’s approval of what
some in
both MDC formations view as Zanu-pf sympathisers to head the Human
Rights
Commission and the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission ahead of the mother
of all
controversial elections.
Is China funding Zimbabwe’s referendum
and elections?
Clifford Chitupa Mashiri, Political Analyst, London,
zimanalysis2009@gmail.com