Zim Online
Friday 09 February 2007
HARARE -
The ruling ZANU PF party's provincial executives have begun
debating
proposals to extend President Robert Mugabe's term amid growing
consensus
within the party's old guard that Mugabe should retire to ensure
the
resuscitation of the country's collapsed economy, ZimOnline has
learnt.
Last December, ZANU PF said it had resolved to extend Mugabe's
term which
was due to end in 2008 to 2010. But the party's central
committee, which is
the highest decision-making body outside congress, is
still to endorse the
plan.
ZANU PF spokesman and Mugabe confidante,
Nathan Shamuyarira, told ZimOnline:
"The resolutions of the conference
(which include extending Mugabe's term)
have been referred back to provinces
for further discussion and input.
"Provincial executives can add or
subtract to the resolutions before the
central committee meets next month.
The harmonization of elections is just
part of a package of resolutions the
provinces would discuss."
Authoritative sources within ZANU PF say two
rival factions battling to
succeed Mugabe had temporarily buried the hatchet
to seek common ground and
push Mugabe to retire before 2010.
The two
rival camps, one led by former army commander Solomon Mujuru and the
other
by former intelligence minister Emmerson Mnangagwa, are embroiled in a
mortal fight to take over Mugabe's job when he steps down.
A series
of meetings held last month between emissaries from the two
factions had
struck common ground to facilitate Mugabe's quick retirement,
the sources
said.
Mugabe is said to be aware of the plot to force him into retirement
with
sources saying he was now virtually "walking with his back to the wall"
as
he could no longer trust anybody among his lieutenants.
The army,
a key constituency that has almost single-handedly kept Mugabe in
power over
the years, is said to be in agreement with the plan.
"There is definite
agreement that Mugabe should be eased out and that
extending his term would
be disastrous for both the country and the party.
"The country would be
in such a bad shape that no ZANU PF candidate would
win an election,
provided we get to 2010 without serious unrest," said the
source.
"There is total buy in from the military leadership. There is
now
convergence that the country can only sink deeper with Mugabe at the
top.
There is movement towards working out mechanisms to convince Mugabe to
leave
earlier and bring in a new face, managing it as some kind of reform
from
within," he added.
The plan, which was allegedly mooted by the
Mujuru faction, had already
received key backing from the Mnangagwa faction
and several provinces that
had initially backed plans to extend Mugabe's
term to 2010.
"The two factions are not agreed about power-sharing
arrangements in a
post-Mugabe era. In fact, the issue has not even come up
for serious
discussion, but emissaries have struck an agreement to convince
Mugabe to
leave," said another source within ZANU PF.
The source only
Mugabe's home province of Mashonaland West and Mashonaland
Central were
still to commit to the basic agreement to ensure a "dignified
exit" for
Mugabe.
Contacted for comment yesterday, Shamuyarira said: "The issue of
the
presidency is dealt with at congress, not through clandestine secret
meetings. There is absolute confidence within the party in President
Mugabe's
leadership. The provinces are simply being asked to improve on the
resolutions and not to craft the President's ouster," he said.
ZANU
PF chairman for Mashonaland West said the province will stick to
resolutions
passed at the December congress to push presidential and
parliamentary
elections to 2010.
"The matter is very simple for us. We support the
president and endorse the
delay of the presidential election to 2010. We are
aware of some power
hungry individuals within the party who are trying to
succeed the president
now rather than wait for the right time. But they
won't win because the
resolutions are now irreversible," he
said.
Contacted for comment, Mnangagwa said: "I don't have that
information and I
won't comment."
Ray Kaukonde, Mashonaland East
chairman whose province is said to be driving
the retirement plan, also
refused to comment on the matter. - ZimOnline
Zim Online
Friday 09 February 2007
By
Hendriks Chizhanje
HARARE - Zimbabwe's Health Minister David Parirenyatwa
on Thursday nullified
the dismissal of 60 doctors who were fired earlier
this week for
spearheading a seven-week old strike to press for more pay and
better
working conditions.
The doctors, who were mostly based at
Harare Central Hospital, were on
Tuesday dismissed from service by the
hospital's chief executive officer,
Jealous Nderere.
Nderere said the
doctors had absented themselves from work for more than 30
days in violation
of the Health Services Regulations.
In a clear sign of confusion within
President Robert Mugabe's government,
Parirenyatwa reversed the decision
yesterday saying Zimbabwe could not
afford to lose doctors when the health
sector was already struggling with a
critical shortage of
staff.
Parirenyatwa said Nderere had merely followed administrative
requirements
when he issued the dismissal letters.
"Our position is
very clear. We don't want to lose them (doctors). As a
ministry we are doing
all we can to retain them. We are offering those young
doctors an immediate
letter of assumption of duty as a matter of following
regulations.
"What we do is we make sure our administrators follow
regulations but as a
matter of policy we want our doctors on the ground. Its
an administrative
matter," Parirenyatwa said.
Hospital Doctors
Association President Kudakwashe Nyamutukwa could not be
reached for comment
on the matter yesterday.
The doctors downed tools last December demanding
salaries of Z$5 million a
month. The government awarded the doctors a 300
percent salary increment
which they rejected.
The doctors also
rejected a further 300 percent salary hike saying the money
was still way
below their minimum demands.
Zimbabwe's health delivery sector, once
lauded as one of the best in Africa,
has virtually collapsed due to
mismanagement and lack of funds. Strikes by
doctors over low pay and working
conditions are common in Zimbabwe which is
battling a severe seven-year old
economic crisis. - ZimOnline
Zim Online
Friday 09 February 2007
By
Thulani Munda
HARARE - Zimbabwe's Environment and Tourism permanent
secretary Margaret
Sangwarwe was on Thursday implicated in illegal gold
mining activities
around the country becoming the first government official
to be publicly
named in the scandal.
Sangarwe was named during a
hearing called by parliament's portfolio
committee on mines and environment
to gather information from the ministry
and small-scale gold
miners.
The Zimbabwe government last year launched a crackdown against
illegal
miners, known here as makorokoza, in an operation code-named
Operation
Chikorokoza Chapera.
Giving oral evidence to the committee,
a small-scale miner from Chegutu
town, Febbei Jabulani, said Sangarwe, who
was accompanied by a truck-load of
illegal gold miners, had at one time
stormed a gold milling plant in the
area and wanted to take over operations
at the mill.
"Mother (Sangarwe) drove the car with makorokozas who wanted
to attack me,"
said Jabulani, who leads the Women Mining Association of
Zimbabwe.
Jabulani also told the committee that some illegal gold miners
were also
operating at Sangarwe's Grange farm along the Chegutu-Mhondoro
road causing
serious environmental damage. She said nothing was being done
to stop the
illegal miners.
Sangarwe, who was present during the
hearings, remained rooted on her seat
following the revelations while
Members of Parliament and Senators appeared
stunned.
Hwange East MP,
Tembinkosi Sibindi had to interject saying the committee
should not
personalise matters but deal with the wider problem of illegal
gold mining
activities.
But Guruve South legislator Edward Chindori-Chininga told the
committee that
it would be scratching the surface if it was not informed of
individuals
behind the illegal mining activities.
Senator Tsitsi
Muzenda concurred saying the committee had to get down to the
crux of the
matter by getting the names of senior government officials who
were
benefiting from the illegal operations.
When committee chairperson Joel
Gabbuza asked the small-scale miners whether
they were in a position to name
and shame the government officials, they
declined saying they feared for
their lives.
It was resolved that they should write to the committee
informing them of
the top government officials involved in the illegal gold
mining activities.
Illegal diamond and gold panning, allegedly
spearheaded by senior
government ministers and officials, has become
rampant in most pasts of
Zimbabwe.
Thousands of individuals have also
joined in as they battle to make ends
meet because of a severe seven-year
old economic crisis that has spawned
shortages of jobs, food and other basic
survival commodities. - ZimOnline
Zim Online
Friday 09 February 2007
By Menzi Sibanda
BULAWAYO
- A Zimbabwean court in the southern district of Nkayi on Thursday
refused
to put on trial eight opposition supporters who were arrested on
Tuesday for
seizing eight tonnes of grain from ZANU PF supporters.
The eight Movement
for Democratic Change (MDC) supporters last week
impounded the maize to
protest against unfair grain distribution in the
district.
They were
picked up on Tuesday and were taken to court yesterday with the
police
accusing them of violent conduct.
But state prosecutors in Nkayi refused
to take up the matter and instead
accused ZANU PF supporters in the district
of triggering the disturbances
after they barred the MDC supporters from
buying the grain.
"There was clearly no issue there and we told the
police to be serious with
their job. It was just too ridiculous," said a
prosecutor who refused to be
named for professional reasons.
The MDC
supporters were protesting against unfair maize distribution
practices by
ruling ZANU PF party supporters in the drought-prone Nkayi
district, some
230km north of Bulawayo.
The MDC and human rights groups have in the past
accused the ruling party of
denying food aid to opposition supporters to
punish them for not backing
ZANU PF. ZANU PF denies the charge. -
ZimOnline
Zim Online
Friday 09 February 2007
Hendriks
Chizhanje
HARARE - A United States-based media organisation has asked
President Robert
Mugabe to halt attacks on the press in Zimbabwe saying it
was in the country's
best interests to have a free and robust
media.
The Overseas Press Club of America (OPC), an association of
foreign
correspondents working in the United States, said Harare was
increasingly
turning the heat on the free press following attempts to strip
newspaper
publisher Trevor Ncube of his Zimbabwean citizenship.
Ncube
is the publisher of The Independent and Standard weekly newspapers in
Zimbabwe, the only remaining independent voices in the country as well as
South Africa's Mail and Guardian.
In a statement released yesterday,
the OPC said it was also concerned with
recent reports that state security
agents were confiscating radios in rural
areas to block people from
listening to "hostile" foreign radio stations
such as Studio 7 and SW Radio
Africa.
"Press freedom in Zimbabwe has been under attack for years, but
current
events threaten the limited space remaining for free
expression.
"We at the OPC are repeatedly impressed by the lengths to
which your
government will go in its effort to squelch all but approved
speech," read
part of the statement.
The OPC said Mugabe should open
up the media to help improve the country's
battered image.
"Your
nation would be better served, and its international reputation
greatly
enhanced, by allowing open and robust debate of the serious issues
before
the country," said the OPC.
Zimbabwe has some of the harshest media laws
in the world with journalists,
for example, being forced to register with a
state-controlled media
commission before practising their
profession.
At least four newspapers, including the country's biggest
daily, The Daily
News, have been banned during the past four news for
allegedly flouting some
sections of the tough Access to Information and
Protection of Privacy Act. -
ZimOnline
Zim Online
Friday 09 February 2007
By
Tinotenda Zhou
HARARE - Police on Thursday summoned Zimbabwe Football
Association (ZIFA)
officials to explain circumstances leading to a near riot
at Rufaro Stadium
when Zimbabwe's Under 23 team met Cameroon in an Olympic
Games qualifier.
An estimated 40 000 people turned up for the match with
ZIFA having printed
just 8 000 tickets.
Police averted trouble at
Rufaro after they allowed thousands of stranded
fans who were milling
outside the stadium to watch the match for free.
Although details of the
discussions between the police and ZIFA officials
were not available at the
time of going to press yesterday, it is reliably
understood that President
Robert Mugabe's government fears that riots at
football matches could easily
turn into political demonstrations.
Said an official at ZIFA yesterday:
"The police are concerned not
necessarily for the safety of the people at
the ground but are scared that
an angry nation might take political
advantage of the violence at a football
match.
"This would then torch
widespread demonstrations around Harare and
subsequently the whole country.
Remember people are disgruntled with the way
things are happening in
Zimbabwe.
"Politically people are waiting for a spark to demonstrate
against the
government," said the official.
ZimOnline understands
that police wanted to improve security arrangements at
soccer matches in
future.
The Zimbabwe government is on high alert after the main
opposition Movement
for Democratic Change party threatened to demonstrate
against plans by
Mugabe to postpone presidential elections to
2010.
The match itself was not a spectacle as the Young Warriors came
from behind
to grab a 1-1 draw against their more polished opponents.
Zimbabwe now has a
difficult task ahead of them when they travel to Cameroon
for the return leg
in two weeks' time. - ZimOnline
VOA
08 February 2007
In a preliminary
report on public opinion regarding a ruling party proposal
to postpone next
year's presidential election, the Zimbabwe Election Support
Network said
voters would rather see a new constitution than further
amendment of the
existing one.
The Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front of
President Robert
Mugabe has mooted an amendment to the constitution that
would allow
authorities to postpone the presidential election due in 2008
for two years
until 2010. The rationale offered by the ruling party is that
this would
"harmonize" presidential and general elections.
But
critics of the proposal say it is just a scheme to extend President
Mugabe's
term for two years, putting off a potentially divisive succession
fight
within ZANU-PF.
The ruling party wields a two-thirds majority in
parliament and passed a
constitutional amendment last year which, among
other provisions,
nationalized all farmland and denied legal recourse to
white farmers
dispossessed under land reform.
The Zimbabwe Election
Support Network, a respected election monitoring
group, has been holding
consultative meetings around the country to solicit
public views on the
so-called "harmonization" of presidential and general
elections in
2010.
ZESN Information Officer Ellen Kandororo drafted an article
summarizing the
opinions collected by her organization in meetings held in
recent weeks in
Harare, the eastern border city of Mutare and the Midlands
industrial city
of Gweru.
Kandororo told reporter Carole Gombakomba
of VOA's Studio 7 for Zimbabwe
that the main issue raised by Zimbabwean
voters is the need for a new
constitution.
VOA
By Jonga Kandemiiri
Washington
08 February
2007
In the fourth day of a nationwide strike by Zimbabwe
elementary and
secondary school teachers, the Progressive Teachers Union of
Zimbabwe said
Thursday that the government has stepped up intimidation of
teachers by
police and security agents.
Union officials said police
officers and agents of the Central Intelligence
Organization have entered
schools to question and confront striking
teachers.
Teachers have
been threatened with the loss of their jobs, but have
responded that their
salaries are so low that their situation is equivalent
to being
unemployed.
Police in south-central Masvingo detained and questioned PTUZ
President
Takavafira Zhou, releasing him three hours later following
intervention by
his lawyer.
Zhou told reporter Jonga Kandemiiri of
VOA's Studio 7 for Zimbabwe that the
alleged intimidation is merely
strengthening the resolve of the teachers in
their action.
VOA
By Patience Rusere
Washington
08 February
2007
Representatives of Zimbabwe's Public Service
Association, which represents
civil servants, were to meet on Friday with
government officials for
discussion about wage adjustments which PSA
officials said might forestall
job actions by state workers.
Zimbabwe
has been experiencing intense labor unrest since the start of this
year as a
300% salary increase granted to all public employees failed to
satisfy
workers facing 1,200% inflation. Resident doctors in public
hospitals in
Harare and Bulawayo, the country's second-largest city, went on
strike in
late December. Most teachers are refusing to enter classrooms
until they
receive significant pay increases.
PSA Executive Secretary Emmanuel
Tichareva said that despite veiled threats
of unspecified action, the PSA
has decided to give Harare another chance to
make a deal. The Zimbabwe
Teachers Association, which is perceived to be
pro-government, was to be
represented at the bargaining table. But the
Progressive Teachers Union,
whose 17,000 members have been on strike since
Monday, was not
invited.
The Public Service Association, which represents some 25,000
state workers,
called a nationwide strike in 1998 which virtually crippled
government
operations.
PSA chief Tichareva told reporter Patience
Rusere of VOA's Studio 7 for
Zimbabwe that if tomorrow's meeting fails to
yield the desired salary
adjustments, his association would have to go back
to its members to examine
other options.
VOA
By Blessing Zulu
Washington
08 February
2007
The Zimbabwe government has launched a crackdown on
producers of consumer
goods, vowing to close any firms it finds to have
engaged in profiteering.
Financial police Wednesday arrested Blue Ribbon
Industries Managing Director
Mike Manga and questioned National Foods
Managing Director Ian Kind. Police
said the two had asked the Ministry of
Trade for permission to raise baking
flour prices.
A Reserve Bank
survey found that prices had quadrupled in one week recently
in expectation
of a currency devaluation by the central bank, though Reserve
Bank Governor
Gideon Gono surprised many Jan. 31 when he refused to devalue.
The RBZ
survey found food, alcohol, clothes and furniture prices rose as
much as
400% in less than a week. The price of a two liter bottle of cooking
oil
climbed some 118% to Z$17,000, for example, while clothing prices soared
by
400%.
Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce President Marah Hativagone
condemned
Manga's arrest on Thursday at a news conference in
Harare.
Hativagone told reporters the state action was unwarranted and
high-handed.
She told reporter Blessing Zulu of VOA's Studio 7 for
Zimbabwe that the
state should exercise restraint if it wanted to maintain
the social contract
Gono has advocated.
Sources in the police unit
assigned to pursue the crackdown said enforcing
price controls is
problematic, as some senior government officials own
significant stakes in
the businesses on which which police have been ordered
to keep
surveillance.
Mashonaland East Governor Ray Kaukonde, Labor Minister
Nicholas Goche and
ZANU-PF Political Commissar Elliot Manyika, a minister
without portfolio,
are major shareholders in Takepart Investments, a
stakeholder in National
Foods.
Dahaw Trading, owned by the family of
Vice President Joyce Mujuru, has a 40%
stake in Wildale, a brick-making firm
which recently raised its prices by
more than 100%.
Mail and Guardian
Johannesburg, South Africa
08 February
2007 05:24
Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe has rejected
reports that all
the country's white farmers will lose their land, Harare's
Herald newspaper
reported on Thursday.
"It's only those
white farmers, perhaps, whose farms have been
taken. There are others whose
farms have not been taken," he told reporters
on
Wednesday.
"So you can't blanket them all and say white
farmers. Some white
farmers, yes."
Under the government's
Gazetted Farms Act, a number of white
farmers had recently been given notice
to vacate their properties.
At least 150 out of the remaining
600 white farmers were issued
with such notices last year under the new Act,
which came into force on
December 20.
The Herald said
farmers whose land was identified for
resettlement would be allowed to
harvest their crops. -- Sapa
Institute for War and Peace Reporting
New seizures breach Mugabe's declaration three years ago
that land reform
programme was over.
By Joseph Sithole in Harare (AR
No. 94, 8-Feb-07)
Zimbabwe president Robert Mugabe's philosophy as he
launched his so-called
"fast-track" land reform programme in 2000 was
simple: the end justifies the
means.
But that was precisely the bone
of contention of those who advised caution
and respect for the rule of law
as thousands of white commercial farmers
were violently expelled from their
land and a number were brutally assaulted
and killed
The doubters,
however, were in a minority and did not have the enforcing
powers enjoyed by
those who wield political power. In the event, Zimbabwe's
land reform went
ahead - unplanned, chaotic, violent, imprecise and
economically destructive.
Seven years down the line, remaining white-owned
commercial farms are being
expropriated in a new wave of seizures and
reallocated, mainly to
politicians of Mugabe's ruling ZANU PF party and
those with good connections
to the government.
The new seizures are a direct breach of Mugabe's
declaration in August 2003
that the land reform programme was over. He
called then on those of his
political colleagues and loyal judges who had
seized more than one
white-owned property to return some to the government.
The then land
minister John Nkomo said the government would conduct a series
of land
ownership audits to "weed out" multiple farm owners. That was the
end of the
story. No one was weeded out. And things have since gone from bad
to worse
with the arrival of Didymus Mutasa at the land, land reform and
resettlement
ministry.
Mutasa, perhaps more virulently anti-white
than even Mugabe, has issued
eviction orders like confetti to Zimbabwe's
remaining white farmers since he
took up his land affairs post in mid-2005.
Mutasa, one of Zimbabwe's most
feared officials, is also minister of state
security and head of the secret
police, making him second only in power to
Mugabe. Dismissing concern for
the HIV/AIDS epidemic that kills more than
3000 Zimbabweans each week,
Mutasa has said the country would be "better
off" with only half the current
population.
In January, Mutasa
stunned Zimbabweans, the overwhelming majority of whom
remain landless
despite Mugabe's land reforms, when he gave the Kondozi
Estate, in eastern
Zimbabwe, to his friend Transport Minister Christopher
Mushohwe. Before it
was violently seized by the government in 2004, Kondozi
was one of the
leading horticultural farms in southern Africa, with a
turnover of more than
15 million US dollars a year. Some 5000 workers and
their families were
dependent on the success of the enterprise.
What happened at Kondozi -
owned by black Zimbabwe businessman Edwin Moyo in
partnership with white
Zimbabwean farmer Piet de Klerk - was shocking,
mirroring the whole of
Mugabe fast-track reform catastrophe.
Kondozi's 550 acres were producing
huge quantities of baby corn, sugar peas,
green beans, melons and red
peppers that were flown almost daily to
supermarkets in Britain and South
Africa. The lowest paid workers were
earning the equivalent of 100 US
dollars a month, a princely sum by
Zimbabwe's current dire standards. Farm
workers had free housing and primary
schooling for their children, and
company clinics provided free health care.
Then on Good Friday 2004
police with sub-machine guns and water cannons
invaded the farm, drove away
the workers, and beat and arrested those who
tried to resist.
Today
at Kondozi, there is only dry earth where rows of sweet corn maize
once grew
tall and only weeds where green beans and peppers used to sprout.
It was not
only the farm workers who were driven into destitution and forced
to live on
roadside verges. Some 22 black farmers who sold beans, maize and
melons to
Kondozi under contract also lost their livelihoods.
Barclays Bank, which
funded Kondozi, in its heyday an oasis or organised
agriculture, had to
write off huge loans.
The madness is not yet over. Mutasa has issued a
new warning that the
government will take over all remaining white-owned
farms, "except..the
lucky ones".
His definition of "lucky ones"
refers to the tiny handful of white farmers
who have vocally supported
Mugabe's land reforms and not made any protests.
When Mugabe began his
controversial policy, there were some 5,000 white
commercial farmers. Now
there are fewer than 400, all on reduced acreages.
Mutasa's latest decree
has caused huge alarm among residual commercial
farmers, most of who had
applied for new 99-year leases of their farms after
the government
nationalised all land in 2005. So far, these farmers have yet
to receive
responses to their lease applications. Most had remained on the
land,
despite the political violence and deteriorating economic situation,
because
they were engaged in such specialised farming as dairy, poultry,
sugarcane,
tobacco and beef stock. These farms are located mainly in
difficult,
semi-arid areas of Zimbabwe, which did not attract the attention
of land
invaders in the early stages of the land grab exercise.
Many remaining
white farmers in the Chiredzi district of semi-arid Masvingo
province, 350
kilometres southeast of Harare, were ordered by Mutasa to
vacate their
properties in the first week of February. One Mugabe loyalist,
ZANU PF
parliamentary deputy Titus Maluleke, stormed a Chiredzi farm with
soldiers,
forced the owner, Collin Labat, from his property and declared
himself the
new owner.
Mutasa's expulsions went ahead in spite of numerous appeals by
Reserve Bank
governor Gideon Gono calling for an end to farm evictions to
allow farmers
to restore order and begin productive work again. Mutasa's
actions expose
just how dysfunctional the Mugabe government has become,
unable to agree
among its members on a constructive way forward. Analysts,
meanwhile,
predict ever-darker gloom for Zimbabwe's economy before sanity is
restored
in the agricultural sector, once the backbone of a healthy
economy.
Renson Gasela, agriculture and land secretary of the opposition
Movement for
Democratic Change, MDC, said the new wave of farmers ordered to
go will have
no option but to slaughter or sell their entire cattle
herds.
"Is there anything functioning that this government won't
destroy?" Gasela
asked. "What is there that is still working and will be
spared?"
Fresh legislation - the Gazetted Land (Consequential Provisions)
Act - makes
it illegal for a farmer to remain on one of the farms newly
listed by
Mutasa. The once-powerful Commercial Farmers Union said there had
been a
flurry of eviction notices, which have seen 80 farmers displaced
since last
October.
What is baffling about the latest evictions is
that the targeted farmers
have only one farm to their names, most of which
have been reduced to 20
hectares shared with new black settlers. While in
theory Mugabe has said no
farmer who wants to farm will be left without
land, his ministers seem to
have agendas of their own which critics say
amount to "ethnic cleansing".
Whatever the future holds for Zimbabwe,
there is no doubt that it will take
the destroyed agricultural system
decades to recover, if ever, and regain
for the country its previous glory
as the breadbasket of southern Africa.
Lost markets in Europe, North
America and Africa may never be recovered.
Hippo Valley Estates, covering
125 square kilometres in Chiredzi, has for
fifty years been Zimbabwe's
biggest sugar producer. But the European Union
withdrew its privileged sugar
export quota after militias and peasant
militants loyal to Mugabe invaded
parts of the estate, destroyed crops and
reduced production.
The
country has also lost its 9100-tonne annual beef quota to the EU as a
result
of rampant foot and mouth disease caused by the uncontrolled movement
of
native cattle and wild animals because of land invasions which have seen
the
widespread tearing down of fences, often to make animal snares.
Because
of its increasing international isolation, Zimbabwe no longer enjoys
the tax
concessions on textile exports that the US gives to developing
nations.
"All these disasters are problems of our own making," said
an agricultural
expert who asked no to be named. "It's that simple. How can
you settle a
person who has no resources and has no experience of farming on
a sugarcane
plantation and expect him to produce?
"Maize, yes -
anybody with a hoe can produce this for himself. That is why
you see a lot
of tree destruction across the country as peasants do
chitemene farming
(burning vegetation as a crude method of fertilising the
soil). But
intensive, high quality maize production for export is what
Zimbabwe
desperately needs to get foreign currency to import electricity,
diesel,
petrol, drugs and everything else."
Zimbabwe's leading economist, Peter
Robinson, said he estimates that if all
on-farm disruptions stopped today
and "everybody put their shoulder to the
plough", it would still take
Zimbabwe nearly a quarter century to restore
agricultural production to the
level of 1996/7 - a record year before
Mugabe's land reform began. "Our
current position," said Robinson, "is like
falling to the bottom of a well
and trying to get out with few prospects of
success because we keep falling
back."
So far, the government has yet to indicate it has a strategy to
halt the
precipitate decline. Zimbabwe has the fastest declining gross
domestic
product in the world, with GDP having declined absolutely every
year for the
past seven years. Inflation is running at nearly 1300 per cent,
by far the
highest in the world. In the first week of February alone, prices
of
essential goods quadrupled.
Everything now hinges on the outcome
of Mugabe's succession politics. Will
he go next year, after a scheduled
presidential election. Or will he succeed
in his present efforts to postpone
the election until 2010 and thus extend
his uninterrupted rule to more than
thirty years? Without a change on the
political front, all reputable
analysts warn that Zimbabwe can kiss goodbye
to any prospects of immediate
economic recovery.
Joseph Sithole is the pseudonym of an IWPR contributor
in Zimbabwe.
Institute for War and Peace Reporting
Critics says there is a ZANU PF political agenda behind
registrar-general's
incessant harassment of people over their
citizenship.
By Tichona Shorai in Harare (AR No. 94, 8-Feb-07)
It
is often hard to tell whether Zimbabwe's registrar-general Tobaiwa Mudede
is
a misanthrope, or whether he simply approaches his important job with
exaggerated zeal.
He draws up election voters' rolls and supervises
the count. He gives you
your national identity at birth, and can withdraw
it. He determines whether
to give you a passport or not, and can also
withdraw it. Mudede can cost you
your citizenship and render you stateless
if you have no claim of
citizenship to another country.
For more than
twenty years, President Robert Mugabe has relied on his fellow
Zezuru
clansman Mudede to enhance the head of state's increasingly absolute
powers.
Mudende, a hard-line loyalist of Mugabe's ruling ZANU PF party, has
responded with fervour bordering on fanaticism.
Since the enactment
of the Citizenship Amendment Act 12 of 2003, Mudede has
been engaged in a
relentless battle against people perceived "not to be
Zimbabwean enough",
according to his interpretation of the law.
Unfortunately for all his dogged
diligence, the courts have been reluctant
to respect his wishes - he has
lost virtually all the cases at great cost to
the taxpayer.
His
starting point in all these litigations is simple enough: Zimbabwean law
prohibits dual citizenship. It is his unenviable burden to ensure compliance
with the law. But this law was complicated by the 2003 amendment which
asserts that Zimbabweans whose parents were born out of the country
"potentially" have a claim to the citizenship of the country where their
parents were born and must therefore "renounce" this
potential.
Critics say the amendment was meant to disenfranchise
thousands if not
millions of Zimbabweans of Mozambican, Malawian, Zambian or
British origin
who were perceived to be opposed to President Mugabe's rule
and the
notorious land reform exercise which began in 2000 and saw thousands
of
whites driven off their farms and sometimes killed.
These alleged
aliens were seen by Mugabe and ultra-loyalists like Mudede as
underpinning
the white economy by providing the bulk of the labour on
commercial farms.
They were further accused of voting for the opposition
Movement for
Democratic Change in heavily rigged elections in 2000 and 2002,
which
nevertheless came near to toppling Mugabe and ZANU PF.
In a statement in
the state-owned daily Herald newspaper in January 2005,
Registrar-General
Mudede's office advised people who had been rendered
stateless by the
amendment to regularise their status. This meant renouncing
non-existent
foreign citizenship ahead of a parliamentary election in 2005.
People
affected included those who were born outside Zimbabwe, whose parents
were
Zimbabwean nevertheless. Mudede also defined as stateless anyone born
and
bred in Zimbabwe but whose parents were aliens.
Powerful businessman John
Bredenkamp, born in Zimbabwe and operating in
Zimbabwe, lost his Zimbabwean
citizenship after he was accused of using a
South African passport on 65
occasions.
A classic case still to be resolved is that of Judith Todd,
the daughter of
the late Rhodesian prime minister Sir Garfield Todd, who was
deposed as head
of government when he tried to liberalise Rhodesia's
apartheid-style rule.
Todd, who subsequently tried to help black guerrilla
fighters, was deprived
of his passport by the government of Ian Smith and
was twice placed under
house arrest. After Rhodesia became independent
Zimbabwe, Todd gave 3000
acres of farmland to black guerrillas who had been
disabled in the war of
liberation.
Mudede has tried since 2002 to
deprive Judith Todd - born in
Zimbabwe/Rhodesia in 1943, and expelled by the
Smith government from
Rhodesia because of her liberal views - of her
citizenship because she has
not renounced any claim to citizenship of New
Zealand, where her father was
born.
Judith Todd returned to Zimbabwe
after independence, but just as she had
opposed with courage the racism of
the past, so she also became a trenchant
critic of the increasing terror
tactics of Mugabe's government.
Mudede has in the past lost court cases
even where it has been widely
accepted that the parents of the affected
person were not born in Zimbabwe.
In each case, it has been demonstrated
that the Registrar-General's office
was guilty of misinterpreting the law.
In a case reported in the now defunct
independent Daily News in 1999, Mudede
lost a citizenship lawsuit against
18-year-old Sterling Purser whose father
was born in the United Kingdom.
Although Purser was born in Zimbabwe in
1982, Mudede wanted to deny him a
passport, claiming that he had not
renounced his British citizenship. Purser
insisted he had renounced British
citizenship, as required by Zimbabwean
law. Mudede argued that the
renunciation had to be done with the British
authorities because he was "a
British citizen by descent". Mudede lost the
case.
Purser's lawyer,
Adrian de Bourbon, said by demanding that Purser renounce
his British
citizenship, Mudede was acting beyond the scope of the
legislation. "Mudede,
who is merely a government official, cannot himself
become the arbiter of
what is and is not the law," said De Bourbon. "The law
is clear. Provided
the renunciation is done in the prescribed manner, it has
effect for the
purposes of the law of Zimbabwe of bringing an end to foreign
citizenship.
"In view of the attitude adopted by Mudede who, rather
than behaving as a
responsible public servant, has taken it upon himself to
ignore the law, it
is respectfully submitted that this is an appropriate
case in which Tobaiwa
Mudede pays the costs personally for this unnecessary
litigation."
Nevertheless, Mudede, who has been registrar-general since
soon after
independence, was undeterred.
He had earlier lost a
similar case against Roby Carr who wanted to renew her
passport, which had
expired. Mudede refused, saying she should first
renounce her British
citizenship. The Supreme Court ruled that Carr had
fully complied with the
law.
In both the Purser and Carr suits, Mudede was ordered to pay the
costs.
Mudede, who qualified as a barrister at Gray's Inn in London, was
back in
the dock again in 2005 after he had pursued lawyer Joseph Sibanda,
trying to
deny him a passport because both his parents were born in Malawi.
The
registrar-general's office said he must first renounce his Malawian
citizenship before he could get a Zimbabwe passport.
In a
precedent-setting judgment, Bulawayo High Court judge Tedius Karwi
ruled
that Sibanda, who was born and bred in Zimbabwe, was a citizen of
Zimbabwe
by birth. Justice Karwi ruled that Sibanda was "a Zimbabwean
citizen with
all privileges, duties and obligations attaching such
citizenship".
Following the string of cases that he has lost in the
courts, it came as
surprise when in January he again tried his luck with
Zimbabwe-born media
mogul Trevor Ncube, whose mother was born in Zimbabwe
but whose father came
from Zambia. When Ncube submitted his passport for
renewal because it had
run out of pages, he was shocked to receive news that
he was no longer a
Zimbabwean citizen. Mudede declared that Ncube had
forfeited his Zimbabwean
citizenship because he had failed to renounce his
Zambian citizenship in
2001, although Ncube has only ever been to Zambia
twice on business trips.
"His [Ncube's] failure to comply with the
requirement to renounce Zambian
citizenship within the prescribed period
automatically meant loss of
Zimbabwean citizenship," said Mudede. The Ncube
case renewed fears among
hundreds of thousands of Zimbabweans whose parents
were born outside the
country of being made stateless by the
registrar-general.
Ncube, whose two weekly newspapers are the only
independent media surviving
in Zimbabwe, tested the issue in the High Court
where, on January 25,
Justice Chinembiri Bhunu ruled that there was no legal
reason to strip Ncube
of his nationality. "It is accordingly ordered that
Ncube is a citizen of
Zimbabwe by birth," said the judge. "The withdrawal or
cancellation of his
citizenship is unlawful, null, void and of no force or
effect."
After the High Court had previously ruled that Sibanda, both of
whose
parents were born in Zambia, was a Zimbabwean by birth, it is curious
that
Mudede thought he could win his case against Ncube.
Critics says
there is a ZANU PF political agenda behind Mudede's incessant
harassment of
people over their citizenship. They suggested that the aim was
to strip
Ncube of his citizenship as a prelude to shutting down his Zimbabwe
Independent and Standard newspapers that are both critical of government
policies.
"The two papers that I own stick out like a sore thumb,"
said Ncube, who
warned that the last vestiges of Zimbabwe's press freedoms
face imminent
threat. "The pressure is on to try to soften us." He added
that he believed
the state was trying to intimidate his journalists by
sending the message
that "if we can do this to your boss, we can do it to
you".
Tichona Shorai is the pseudonym of an IWPR contributor in
Zimbabwe.
By Violet
Gonda
8 February 2007
Willas Madzimure, the Member of Parliament for
Kambuzuma Harare, has said
residents in his constituency have been without
electricity for over a
month. Many parts of Harare including Highfields,
Mabvuku and Hatfield have
also been without power over long periods. This is
due to a lack of foreign
currency to buy spare parts, plus corruption and
theft at the Zimbabwe
Electricity Supply Authority (ZESA).
The MP
said more than 400 homes in Kambuzuma have been without power since
December
16th. He said he has gone to ZESA a number of times to enquire but
is told
that the electricity supplier is failing to raise the foreign
currency
needed to replace a burnt transformer.
Last month the acting chairman of
the country's power authority, Christopher
Chetsenga, admitted that ZESA has
no money - raising concern that the entire
country faces a total blackout.
He blamed the cash shortages on the low
tariffs being charged for
electricity.
But critics disagree and blame the crisis on corruption.
Madzimure said
mismanagement is the root cause that has helped destroy the
power utility.
He said: "Hupfumi urikungo paradzwa nekuti urikungo
pfachurwa" - Our wealth
is being destroyed because people are squandering
our wealth.
The blackouts in areas like Kambuzama have left residents
desperate.
Although it has become a way of life having no electricity, many
are finding
it difficult to cope. Firewood has become scarce, because many
people have
been cutting trees for cooking. Furthermore, most of the people
who used to
sell firewood were evicted during Operation Murambatsvina. It
has also
become very difficult and expensive to get fuel. The legislator
said one
bottle of paraffin now costs about Z$5,500 making it unaffordable
to many.
He said each household uses a bottle of paraffin a
day.
Zimbabwe also faces a potential switch-off by international
suppliers South
Africa, Mozambique, Zambia and the Democratic Republic of
Congo, who are
also experiencing a power crisis in their own
countries.
SW Radio Africa Zimbabwe news
By Lance
Guma
08 February 2007
The Public Service Association (PSA), one of the
biggest trade unions in the
country and representing civil servants, has
given government up to 23rd
February to improve working conditions or face
unspecified action. The union
placed an advertisement in the Monday edition
of the Herald newspaper
highlighting their frustrations with government. The
threat comes in the
face of a similar one from the Zimbabwe Congress of
Trade Unions (ZCTU) who
warned government they will call for a general
strike if the demands of
workers across the country are not addressed by the
23rd February. The ZCTU
said its general council will meet on the 24th
February to decide on dates
for the industrial action.
The Zimbabwe
National Students Union has given 13th February as their
deadline for a
class boycott over recently introduced unaffordable tuition
fees. Itayi
Zimunya an advocacy officer with the Crisis in Zimbabwe
Coalition told
Newsreel the strikes by doctors and teachers are still in
progress while it
seemed the majority of nurses had been intimidated to go
back to work. Asked
why the government seems to be ignoring the strikes,
Zimunya said they did
not want to be seen to be caving in to the demands of
the unions, as this
would send unwanted encouragement to the political
pressure groups, that
protests work. He said the government has money to
give funds from the
Central Bank to people and organisations with links to
the ruling Zanu PF,
but cared little about anyone outside their circles.
The authorities have
meanwhile responded by launching a crackdown on
doctors, nurses, teachers
and students going on strike or protesting. Four
nurses were arrested after
convening a meeting at Harare Central Hospital
and addressing 50 nurses,
before proceeding to Parirenyatwa Hospital and
mobilising fellow nurses to
strike. A court on Tuesday dismissed their
application for refusal of
further remand. Harare magistrate Brighton Pabwe
instead gave the state time
to amend the charge, which at the time of arrest
was wrongly cited using
wrong legislation. The four have been remanded out
of custody on free bail
to February 21st.
Meanwhile sixty junior doctors were fired by government
from Harare Central
Hospital. The hospitals chief executive officer,
Jealousy Nderere, signed
the dismissal letters saying the doctors were,
'discharged from service with
effect from 21st January 2007.' The letter
reads, 'It has been noted that
you have not been reporting for duty for a
continuous period of 30 days
since the 22nd December 2006.' Doctors want
their salaries reviewed from
Z$56 000, which is way below the poverty datum
line of Z$344 000 per month.
The country is reported to have at least 350
junior doctors and close to 800
senior practitioners working for government
hospitals.
SW Radio Africa Zimbabwe news
By Tichaona Sibanda
8 February
2007
Sales from the country's sole producer of steel have registered a
dramatic
slump of about 94 percent from 4161 tonnes in 2005 to just over
2000 tonnes
last year, according to figures released by the chamber of mines
of Zimbabwe
on Thursday.
Production at the KweKwe based Zimbabwe Iron and
Steel Company (Ziscosteel)
has been on a downward trend over the past four
years, owing to high-level
corruption, poor management, lack of investment
and high input costs. Last
year the company earned a meagre US$704 000
compared to US$1,2-million a
year ago.
But the money ended up being
looted by senior government officials, many of
whom were named in a damning
report compiled by the national economic
conduct inspectorate, which is
controlled by the ministry of finance. The
report has been kept under wraps
by government, amid revelations that there
were fears in the corridors of
power that it would claim high-profile
political casualties.
MDC's
KweKwe legislator Blessing Chebundo doubted the figures released by
the
chamber of mines, hinting they could be far less than US$700
000.
Chebundo said there hasn't been much activity at the company owing
to the
massive looting of assets. He added; 'they're vultures out there who
have
milked Ziscosteel dry. In other countries this would have called for a
commission of inquiry and heads would have rolled.'
The legislator
also explained how production loss at the company has
affected a lot of
families in the town because many have lost jobs and other
have not had a
salary increment in the last four years.
Government is still reeling from
the disclosure by state investigators that
massive looting at the company
had resulted in huge losses. The report,
distributed to a few government
officials has however been leaked to the
media by concerned civil
servants.
'Workers from the company brief me on a weekly basis that there
is still
high-level corruption. Big allowances in foreign currency still
find it's
way to top government officials and their cronies who claim to be
doing
government business. As long as government fails to take action
Ziscosteel
will collapse very soon,' said
Chebundo.
SW Radio Africa Zimbabwe news
IPSnews
Moyiga
Nduru
JOHANNESBURG, Feb 8 (IPS) - Floods have hit a swath of southern
Africa, from
Mozambique in the east to Angola in the west, causing a marked
increase in
cholera and malaria cases, say aid workers.
Torrential
rains across Angola, Zambia, Mozambique and Malawi since January,
have left
a trail of destruction and disease, according to the International
Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), which is helping
thousands of people in the region.
"More than 120,000 people have
been affected; of which some 52,700 have been
temporarily displaced
(approximately 27,400 in Mozambique, 13,800 in
Madagascar, 6,000 in Angola
and 5,500 in Malawi), the United Nations Office
for the Coordination of
Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported last month.
OCHA estimated that 84
people had been killed, most of them in Angola, and
many more were missing.
The floods destroyed hundreds of hectares of crop
and damaged schools,
public buildings, road networks, bridges and
communication infrastructure,
said the report.
Mozambique in particular has suffered from deteriorated
conditions
"Mozambique has not yet declared a state of emergency. But the
authorities
there have asked the people in the affected areas to move to
higher ground
to avoid the floods," Tamuka Chitemere, in charge of disaster
management at
the IFRC, told IPS by phone from the organisation's regional
headquarters in
the Zimbabwean capital of Harare.
"The people are
vulnerable. They don't live in concrete buildings. Whenever
there are heavy
rains their houses get destroyed," Chris McIvor, programme
director for Save
the Children UK in Mozambique, told IPS by phone.
As many as 46,500
Mozambicans could be affected by the rising waters, said
National Disasters
Management Institute director Paulo Zucula, according to
the British
Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) Thursday. At least 29 people had
died, and
4,600 houses, 100 classrooms and four health centres were
destroyed by the
storms and flooding, the BBC reported.
The situation in Angola, which is
emerging from decades of bloody armed
conflict, is no better. "In the
Cacuaco region of Angola at least 71 people
have died and 184 families have
lost all their personal belongings. Roads
were submerged and bridges were
damaged. The heavy rains also worsened the
cholera outbreak that began last
year. Since Jan. 1, a total of 3,868 new
cases have been reported in 15 out
of 18 provinces, with Luanda, Cabinda and
Benguela the most severely hit,"
the IFRC said in a statement made available
to IPS Thursday.
"Our
team members on the ground in Angola are distributing emergency items
such
as tents, chlorine tablets for purifying water and jerry cans to the
affected people," Chitemere said. According to the IFRC, 180,000 households
have benefited from the kits as well as from hygiene promotion
messages.
A similar health message campaign is planned for Mozambique,
which is
considered vulnerable to flooding. "Soon we'll distribute leaflets
in local
languages and broadcast messages to prepare people for floods,"
McIvor said.
The outside world, perhaps, remembers Mozambique through a
woman who gave
birth in a treetop during the devastating floods which
displaced one million
people and killed another 700 between 2000 and 2001.
TV footage showed
traumatised people, including women with babies strapped
to their backs,
trapped in isolated villages being airlifted by helicopters
to safety.
"In Zambia, we have sent shelter materials for fixing roofs
which were
destroyed by the heavy rains," Chitemere said.
In general,
the rains start in November and end in March in most of the
14-member
Southern African Development Community (SADC). Apart from
cholera -- which
has affected Mozambique, Angola, Zambia and Zimbabwe,
claiming at least 143
lives --, malaria is also causing havoc in parts of
the region. Malaria is
carried by mosquitoes, which breed in stagnant
waters.
In Mozambique,
McIvor says they have donated mosquito nets and blankets to
help prevent the
disease, which is endemic particularly in Malawi,
Mozambique, Angola and
Zambia.
This year's flooding, which meteorologists and aid agencies say
began
earlier than normal, is far from over. "Major rivers in the region,
such as
the Pungwe, Lucite, Licungo, Mutumba, Shire and Zambezi, are swollen
and,
specifically in the Zambezi River and surrounding tributaries, water
levels
have reached their alert threshold. Further flooding is to be
expected,"
OCHA said.
Francoise Le Goff, head of the IFRC regional
office in Harare, said her
organisation had released more than 216,000
dollars to help relief efforts
in Angola, Malawi, Mozambique and
Zambia.
"An emergency appeal to combat cholera in Angola for 1.2 million
Swiss
francs (960,000 dollars) has been extended until June 2007. To date,
it is
only 55 percent covered and donors are urgently requested to increase
their
support to avoid further spreading the epidemics," she said in a
statement.
Financial Gazette
(Harare)
February 8, 2007
Posted to the web February 8,
2007
Kumbirai Mafunda
Harare
RESERVE Bank of Zimbabwe governor
Gideon Gono last Wednesday waded into the
raging salary dispute between
striking health workers and the government,
saying poor remuneration is one
of the many distortions that needs to be
addressed to arrest the country's
eight-year-old economic crisis.
Gono said salary misalignments together
with rampant indiscipline, low
utility tariffs, subsidies on the selling of
maize, fuel and fertiliser were
a major millstone around Zimbabwe's
tottering economy requiring head-on
attention.
The central bank
chief, who is attempting to resuscitate the country's
wobbling economy, said
the effective turnaround of the economy requires
vibrancy in the labour
market where workers get salaries and wages that are
in line with
productivity.
He listed doctors among a group of workers whose salaries
cannot cover basic
commodities and hence are too demoralised to contribute
to the take-off of
the economy, which has been wheezing for the last eight
years.
"To illustrate the severity of this distortion, say a medical
doctor earns a
salary of $56 000 gross per month. With the price of a
standard bed pegged
say, at $800 000, the medical doctor will have to put
aside his or her total
gross salary for one year two months to afford the
bed, without provision
for anything else," Gono said in a monetary policy
statement broadcast on
national television last week.
He said the
plight of civil servants among other workers cannot be allowed
to go on
unaddressed if the workers are to fully contribute to productive
enterprise.
Doctors have been on a work boycott since December to
demand better salaries
and working conditions.
They have since been
joined by nurses and other hospital staff who this week
rejected a
government offer to increase their salaries again, the second
inside one
month.
The work boycott by medical practitioners only highlights the rot
in
Zimbabwe's public health delivery system that was once lauded as one of
the
best in Africa but has virtually crumbled due to years of under-funding
and
mismanagement.
An acute economic crisis now in its eighth year
has only helped worsen the
situation with President Robert Mugabe's
administration short of hard cash
to import essential medicines and
equipment, while the country has suffered
the worst brain drain of doctors,
nurses and other professionals seeking
better opportunities abroad.
The Zimbabwean
(
08-02-07
By Gift Phiri
Staff Reporter
HARARE - The governing Zanu (PF)
party has resorted to a surreal mix of
threats and intimidation as it
battles to secure the forthcoming Chiredzi
South special election, with the
ruling party's campaign manager retired
General Vitalis Zvinavashe
threatening gullible villagers that if his party
loses it would be viewed as
a rebellion and that the army would be unleashed
on the province to deal
with "dissidents."
Zvinavashe is laying the groundwork for a campaign
programme launched at the
Zanu (PF) headquarters in Harare last week, which
will see the two Zanu (PF)
secretaries and Vice Presidents Joseph Msika and
Joice Mujru deployed to
Chikombedzi Growth Point next week for "star
rallies" ahead of the February
17 by-election.
+Our correspondent in
Chiredzi South reports that Zvinavashe, a retired
four-star General who was
commander of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces, now Gutu
Senator, told a rally at
Chikombedzi Growth Point last Saturday that if the
ruling party lost the
election to the "British-sponsored MDC", Chiredzi
South would be viewed as a
constituency inhabited by enemies of the State
comprising "British
puppets".
Consequently, said the general, government would cut food aid and
deploy
soldiers to the province to deal with the rebellious
residents.
Zvinavashe told the timid crowd: "If the ruling party lose in this
election
then we know that you have rebelled against the government and you
know what
happens when government is threatened by rebels, we will
definitely send our
armed forces to deal with
the enemy. So I urge (you)
to vote wisely or you will regret."
Earlier Zvinavashe, who was accompanied
by political commissar Elliot
Manyika, Masvingo Senator Dzikamai Mavhaire
and provincial governor Willard
Chiwewe had summoned all chiefs, headmen,
kraal heads, and traditional
leaders to an adhoc caucus where the village
heads were cautioned on the
dire consequences of voter apathy.
Tensions
were reportedly high in the constituency amid reports military
trucks have
been patrolling the constituency ahead of the by-election. The
election is a
litmus test to the governing party as it would gauge whether
Zanu (PF) still
commands support in rural constituencies given the deepening
economic
hardships.
The Zimbabwean heard that tensions are expected to escalate next
week as the
ruling party deploys an advance team made up of Zanu (PF)
chairman John
Nkomo and Administration secretary Didymus Mutasa, who will
address rallies
that will precede Mujuru and Msika's star rallies, scheduled
for February 14
and 15 respectively.
Meanwhile, the Morgan Tsvangirai-led
wing of the Movement for Democratic
Change (MDC) has scoffed at allegations
by the Arthur Mutambara faction that
Emmaculate Makondo, the Tsvangirai-led
MDC's candidate in the by-election,
and her supporters, have been seen
removing and defacing posters of the
Mutambara faction candidate ahead of
the key poll.
A spokesman of the Tsvangirai-led MDC, Nelson Chamisa, rebuffed
the
allegation today charging that the Mutambara faction candidate posed
absolutely no challenge in the Chiredzi South by-election. Chamisa said the
biggest challenge that his wing faced was the Zanu (PF) candidate, retired
Colonel Kallisto Gwanetsa, who he accused of using "the military, coercive
tactics, traditional institutions and state resources to manipulate the
electoral outcome."
The Mutambara-led MDC's deputy secretary-general
Priscilla Misihairabgwi
Mushonga, yesterday circulated a statement to all
media outlets in Zimbabwe
alleging that Makondo, Lucia Masekesa, a national
executive member in
Tsvangirai's MDC; and one Malaba had been reported to
the police on
allegations of defacing posters of the Mutambara-led MDC's
candidate,
Nehemiah Samuel Zanamwe.
Misihairabgwi-Mushonga stated Makondo
and "her gang" were in contravention
of the Electoral Act, Chapter 2:13 in
section 152 which outlaws "defacing or
removing any billboard, placard or
poster published, posted, or displayed by
a political party or candidate
contesting the election."
"The MDC is deeply concerned by the intolerant and
criminal behaviour
exhibited
by members of the Morgan Tsvangirai led
group," Misihairabgwi Mushonga said
in a statement issued Wednesday. "It is
disappointing to note that a time
when all democratic forces should be
uniting to dislodge the Zanu (PF)
regime and secure all democratic space,
the Tsvangirai group finds
confidence in emulating Zanu (PF) tactics of
denying other political actors
space through the use of organized
thuggery."
Chamisa however rejected the allegations in an interview with The
Zimbabwean, stating it was part of a smear campaign being spearheaded by the
rival faction.
"Our competitor in Chiredzi South is Zanu (PF)," said
Chamisa. "As such, our
campaign is targeting Zanu (PF) because it is the
obstacle to freedom,
justice and prosperity for Zimbabweans. It is
unfortunate that certain
individuals may choose to crucify us for their own
unfortunate misfortunes."
Misihairabgwi Mushonga's statement further stated:
"It is this very
behaviour of failing to obey laid down laws and engaging in
nefarious acts
aimed at undermining democratic principles that culminated in
the split of
the MDC."
The two MDC factions split in October 2005 over
differences to contest the
newly introduced senate. The division resulted in
what became known as the
anti-senate MDC (led by Tsvangirai) and the
pro-senate MDC, (led by
Mutambara.) Officials in the pro-senate MDC were
accusing Tsvangirai of
being a dictator after the MDC leader declared that
participating in flawed
elections whose results are pre-determined was a
waste of time. Pro-senate
officials argued the party would cease to be
relevant if it surrendered
political space to the ruling Zanu (PF) party
without a fight.
Asked why his anti-election group was now participating in
polls which the
faction staunchly resisted in the first place, an issue
which is also at the
core of the MDC split, Chamisa replied: "Contesting is
not an end in itself.
Contesting is way of exposing the various ills and
ailments associated with
the electoral route, which is fraught with
landmines. Our participation is a
process of demining the electoral route.
This is why we are saying we need a
new constitution to guarantee us an
independent electoral realm and also
that the electoral route is managed in
manner that is not open to
contestation."
Financial Gazette
(Harare)
COLUMN
February 8, 2007
Posted to the web February 8,
2007
Gondo Gushungo
Harare
WAS he right? Was he wrong? Was he
acting in deference to his political
masters to whom devaluation is
anathema? The heated debate rages on after
Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe governor
Gideon Gono refused to budge an inch on
devaluation.
To many, the
economic case for devaluation was so overwhelmingly compelling
that a forced
downward adjustment of the Zimbabwe dollar's par value was a
foregone
conclusion. Indeed, the proponents of devaluation and a free float
exchange
rate are arguing that by digging in his heels, Gono is just
postponing the
inevitable. In any case, they say, there is always a dark
side to a fixed
exchange rate. And they could have a point.
Other than increasing
protectionist pressure and distorting price signals,
it is possible for
inflationary pressures to be built up -- but be held in
check -- during a
fixed exchange rate regime and then explode into open
inflation when a float
is adopted. This means that in such a situation, the
high inflation would be
blamed on the floating exchange rate though it
should properly be attributed
to the fixed exchange rate.
But Gono is not moved. He is sticking to his
guns because he is only too
aware of the limitations of monetary policy let
alone devaluation if
implemented in isolation. Hence his argument, though
not in so many words,
is that there should be a well-filled pot of
ingredients to be stirred to
brew up measures that will result in a holistic
approach to the woes
besetting Zimbabwe first before contemplating
devaluation.
And unlike the traditional central bank governor who is
accidentally on
purpose vague for fear of his remarks being overanalysed or
misconstrued,
Gono was, when he presented his monetary policy, not exactly
backward in
coming forward on what needs to be done. Bold enough to speak
with
uncharacteristic valour, he put it very succinctly. Some would say he
was
right on the money. Admittedly, in his astringent remarks, there was
nothing
new about what he has said in the past about corruption, plummeting
productivity and continued disruptions on the farms.
But it was his
emphasis on the need for Zimbabwe to embrace dialogue,
change, tolerance and
stop forthwith the arbitrary violation of certain
concepts fundamental to
market economy and business confidence such as the
law of property and the
law of contract as well as to avoid policy
contradictions that caught many
by surprise. Unless these issues are
expeditiously addressed, he hinted,
there could never be any quick recovery
and the smart money would be on the
crisis not only deepening but taking
longer than the government would want
to make the world believe.
Central bank governors are usually extremely
cautious with their words. But
not for Gono this time around, probably
because, as The Financial Gazette
said a fortnight ago, he realises that
hoping to fight the country's
economic problems using monetary policy alone
is like bringing a knife to a
gunfight. It is an exercise in futility. Thus
he plunged into governance and
political issues -- which many are agreed are
at the core of the country's
deepening crisis. The issue of politics is
critical bearing in mind that, as
already pointed out by economic
commentators, the fixed exchange rate, the
chaotic and disruptive land
reform exercise and the bail-out packages to
parastatals are all a result of
political decisions.
To many, the no-holds-barred monetary policy
statement last week contained
the clearest and most meaningful statements to
date, of a man failed
generally by the politics of the country and
particularly the politics of
the ruling ZANU PF -- a man who recognises that
Zimbabwe cannot go it alone
and should therefore be aggressively seeking to
work with international
business partners and investors who come from a
whole raft of the country's
long lost friends -- a man who some previously
felt kowtowed perhaps a bit
too much toward the ruling ZANU PF's position on
key issues.
And if government officials are a useful soundboard for
relevant government
thinking and position on key issues, then Zimbabweans,
who have seen the
erstwhile regional breadbasket reduced to a land of
grinding poverty, misery
and contagion, shunned by international investors,
can now start looking up
to a bright future. But for the fact that for the
government, the devil lies
in implementation.
What Gono said might be
deemed offensive by some ZANU PF politicians
engrossed in the dog-fight,
political intrigue and gamesmaship to succeed
President Robert Mugabe and
are always after the scalps of those who try to
get things moving. But the
fact remains, what he said is what the outside
world, with which the country
now has a tenuous relationship, has been
saying about Zimbabwe. And that
should be instructive. Only that their
advice has been falling on stony
ground. Thus Gono's message is clear: there
is a fork ahead on the road,
it's either deeper reforms or deeper
conservatism which would be ruinous for
the nation.
But are Gono's sentiments the thinking in government and the
ruling ZANU PF
today? If so, then this is a typical case of a major
political change
tiptoeing in silently -- a pleasant surprise. Can we
believe that the
politicians now accept that, to borrow from Chinua Achebe,
things are
falling apart precisely because of the politics of the
country?
Much as the ruling ZANU PF politicians, who have continued to
speak ad
nauseam about an invisible economic turnaround only they can see,
do not
want to admit it, the politics of the country is to blame for the
loss of
Zimbabwe's credibility, prestige and friends. It is politics that is
responsible for the increased isolation because in the eyes of the
international community, Zimbabwe is a country that not only stifles
democratic space but also has a terrible human rights record. And there is
no gainsaying it. That is why Gono's message is a call on Zimbabwe to adopt
a new plan that provides a different way of looking at things to renew
investor confidence in the crisis-hit country.
True, the ruling ZANU
PF government might not agree with all this. But
perception is reality. And
for as long as the government, which has been
refusing to acknowledge the
existence of a crisis in the country, does not
recognise this fact, then
producing the so-called new economy -- an economy
with high employment and
low inflation -- will forever remain a pie in the
sky.
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 - Ann Hidden
Dear JAG Team,
I pray that I am addressing the
right people, but I just wanted to thank you
from the bottom of my heart for
sending out my appeal. The response that I
have has has been absolutely
unbelievable, with people giving me tyres for
no charge and also offers of
employment. It is heartening to realise that
although the times are so hard
for everyone, there are still people out
there who are prepared to help
others for no payment. I don't know how to
thank all these people and your
staff who obviously work very hard. I have
passed on what kindness I can to
those less fortunate than me, and will
continue to do so, and in that way
hopefully repay all the kind people who
have helped me. If there is anything
owing for your time and help, please
inform me so that I can at least do
something for you. Thank you once again
for your help and kindness, and may
you and your always walk with the Lord.
ANN
HIDDEN
---------------------------------------------------------------
Letter
2 - Cathy Buckle
Dear Family and Friends,
It took two hours this
week for the Governor of the Reserve Bank to present
a monetary policy for
Zimbabwe to encompass the next few months. After
speaking for an hour Dr
Gideon Gono hadn't got to the financial plan yet.
He had spent the first
sixty minutes exposing the corruption, scams,
schemes, smuggling, wheeler
dealering and the downright looting of the
country by the elite. The
audience were in their best bib and tucker,
seated on padded chairs and with
polished desk space in front of them. There
were business men and women,
government officials and a number of government
ministers. There were,
however, a couple of notable absences, one of which
was the Minister of
Finance and another Vice President Mujuru. In front of
each person was a
bottle of safe, clean, pure mineral water and the best
brand of orange juice
in the country - the one that most people can't afford
anymore.
What
the Reserve Bank Governor described for that first hour was a
disgraceful
catalogue that any country should and would be deeply ashamed to
admit and
yet there was almost no response from the audience. Dr Gono said
that the
"consequences of maintaining the status quo" were "too ghastly
to
contemplate". He spoke of massive maize scams, of fuel racketeering
and
fertilizer fiddles. He continually accused "those amongst us" as being
the
people engaged in these activities. He said that the smuggling of
gold,
diamond and other minerals had reached mammoth proportions and was akin
to
"mafia style dealings". Dr Gono was scathing in the extreme about the
new
A2 farmers many of who are high ranking government officials. He said
they
were given the best of the seized commercial farms and yet still failed
to
produce. He said the farmers were consumed with incessant "baby crying"
as
they begged for cheap fuel, seed, fertilizer and tractors. And when these
A2
farmers, many of whom have other businesses and drive luxury 4x4
vehicles,
have been given everything at massively subsidised prices, Dr Gono
said they
find a queue of scapegoats to blame for 6 unbroken years of
dismal
production. This far into the speech Dr Gono had said nothing that
all
Zimbabweans do not know already.
An hour and a half into his two
hour speech and after we'd had the religious
stories and the world history
lesson, Dr Gono made the first monetary
announcement. "There will be no
devaluation" he said, and at that point
there was a half hearted smattering
of applause from the audience. People
sat back in their chairs, faces took on
a glazed look and from that moment
it seemed as if everyone knew that nothing
was going to change - how could
it without political backing. Everyone also
seemed to know that in just two
days time another round of scams and schemes,
frauds and fiddles would
probably begin as almost all the remaining
commercial farmers fall victim to
the latest government eviction notices
which take effect on Saturday 3rd
February.
On the same day as the
presentation of the monetary policy, news came of 19
confirmed cases of
cholera from high density suburbs outside Harare. Film
footage on television
showed women scooping basins of murky water out of
puddles - desperate after
days of dry taps. This is physically just two
dozen kilometres out of Harare
but it may as well be a world away from the
suited businessmen, the bottled
mineral water and the orange juice. You have
to wonder how it would go down
if the next monetary policy took place
there - among the mud and the flies,
the sewage and the garbage. These are
the people suffering the results of the
scams and schemes, the looting and
smuggling and you can only wonder how much
more they can take. Until next
week, love cathy Copyright cathy buckle 3
February
2007
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Letter
3 - Gerry Whitehead
Lowveld news 7th February 2007
Illegal
eviction.
The owners of sugar cane farm 48 had lost all their lands to A2
settlers
some time before and were paying a white caretaker to look after
their
homestead. Yesterday morning when he tried to open the doors he found
that
they had been locked from the outside, however he managed to get out
through
a window and left on his motor bike for town, when he returned he
found the
house completely locked and he was unable to get back in. He had
been
evicted from the house illegally as he had not been convicted of an
offence
and had not received an eviction order from the courts.
Some
time later the supervisor for the A2 settler who had taken over the
house let
him back into the house to remove his house hold goods
and
furniture.
Gerry
Whitehead
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Letter
4 - Derek Sparrow
Dear JAG,
I am gravely concerned by the
statutory ultimatum to remove the few
surviving commercial farmers to
complete the ethnic cleansing and outrageous
theft of all the farms. These
remnants of a once prosperous and economically
essential national industry
are accused by many of their former colleagues
of selfish collaboration with
the government thereby giving it recognition
and approval.
Although I
can understand these accusations I regard such isolated and
vilified
survivors as a nucleus for a possible revival of the agricultural
industry
when the new era dawns as it inevitably will, bringing repeal and
replacement
of the current failed land reform. I foresee the introduction of
a realistic
and racially unbiased agricultural regime including experienced
and highly
successful white settlers and the aspiring new
indigenous
farmers.
Such a scheme would be welcomed and supported by
numerous external sources
providing expertise and abundant financial aid for
redistribution of the
land and improvements and compensation for the
dispossessed farmers not
included.
Over a year ago I advocated the 99
year lease proposals as a last resort
opportunity for the surviving farmers
and I am dismayed by the reports of
the wholly inappropriate terms of the
leases which are generally
unacceptable and particularly useless for the main
purpose of serving as
security of tenure and therefore for commercial loans.
However I suggest
that such leases should be cynically accepted by the
surviving few as a
means of staying on their farms, employing their loyal
workers and
continuing with production, many serving as essential support for
their
inexperienced and appreciative new neighbours.
Presumably such
leases would not be required as security for loans in
relation to the farmers
with a personal track record and their other
unacceptable terms could be
suffered in the short term pending the dawn of
the new era when freehold or
new lease terms would be substituted for the
current leases. Apart from their
vital nucleus role the survivors' racially
novel cooperative activities could
serve as useful precedents for the new
multiracial order.
If my belief
in a new government representative of all races adopting
traditional and
intelligent nonracial policies including the revised land
reform is incorrect
or too premature and the existing leases and their terms
reach an intolerable
stage the surviving few could wind up their operations
in their own time on
the best terms available. This would be preferable to
being evicted now in
the current conditions. I am now refining my research
of the Zambian long
lease system to which I referred as a satisfactory
precedent and I am
thoroughly disillusioned by the policy and procedure
relating to renewal of
such leases which appears to be pure administrative
practice unfounded on any
detailed statutory conditions and not referable to
judicial review. I am
concerned that the consent required from the state for
transfers may also be
exercised on the same unacceptable basis. If so the
value of the leases may
be severely compromised by any unreasonable and
arbitrary executive
decisions.
I therefore qualify my support for such leases in the land
reform unless the
concept of State land is politically essential. However if
a leasehold
format has to be followed the leases should be automatically
extended as of
right so as to be perpetually renewable and therefore
equivalent to
freehold, freely transferable and not subject to any conditions
leading to
arbitrary interference or cancellation. Most importantly such a
statutory
system should be subject to review by a newly appointed
independent
judiciary.
I regard the survival of some farmers as
discouraging the continuing exodus
of the long suffering and racially
harassed remnants of the white population
whose predecessors developed the
country into a modern and outstandingly
successful state in less than fifty
years. In a new order such a patriotic
and highly effective nucleus could
play a vital role in repairing the severe
damage to the infrastructure and
kick starting a new era of development
probably attracting the return of a
substantial number of the Diaspora with
useful external experiences
particularly of the multiracial state of affairs
in South Africa which
struggles to establish Mandela's rainbow state.
For those who challenge
my historical and ongoing role of the white
population I refer to a previous
authoritative acknowledgment in both
respects by quoting from Ian Smith's
report of his only meeting with Mugabe,
slightly paraphrased. It included the
latter's acknowledged "good fortune at
inheriting a jewel in Africa - a
wonderful country with its sophisticated
infrastructure, viable economy,
broad based industry, the breadbasket of
Central Africa". Mugabe also said
that he "appreciated the vital need to
retain the confidence of the white
people so that they would continue to
play their part in building the future
of our country".
Derek Sparrow
30/1/07
---------------------------------------------------------------
Letter
5 - Japie Jackson (New Zealand)
Dear JAG,
I do not have an e-mail
address of Keith's family, but would much appreciate
it if you could place
this tribute to him. I am writing from New Zealand.
I will not list
Keith's many great achievements, but would like to say a few
words about
him. For more than forty years I was involved with him.
Annually we spent
many hours in conversation, as we worked together, and
travelled together.
Often I have referred to him as the greatest
environmentalist I have known.
He was intensely interested in everything
environmental. He loved, and
understood the soil. He loved grass, and knew
the multitude of different
species. He loved the flora, and especially
trees, in their great diversity,
and the beauty of the Msasas. He loved all
the fauna, and especially the
birds, which he identified, and whose
behaviour he watched. He delighted in
all the wonders of creation, and on
some precious occasions he told me how he
saw God's hand in it all. How he
loved his Mashona cattle, and all cattle!
But as an environmentalist he was
unique because he especially saw man's
place in the whole scheme of things.
Consequently he was very interested in
people. And he served his community
and country with great dedication and
distinction. The adjoining tribesmen
could not have wished for a more
sympathetic, knowledgable, helpful,
neighbour than Keith. So often their
special requests were on his Harare
shopping list. And he went to a lot of
trouble to find some of the items.
He well deserved being addressed as "Baba"
(father).
Whenever I think of Keith I am reminded of the fact that when
God created
man, the primary task He gave him was to conserve the
environment. I am also
reminded of the writing of the Apostle Paul where he
says that all creation,
at present, is in a state of groaning. It is
desperately in need of
restoration. It is anxiously waiting for the dawning
of the next
dispensation, when the resurrected "sons of God" will appear on
the scene.
Their role obviously will be one of restoration. And I often
think how many
Keith Harveys will be needed. The prophet Isaiah poetically
pictured the
wonder of restored creation in the words "The mountains and the
hills will
break forth into singing, and all the trees of the field will clap
their
hands". And as other prophets confirmed "The earth will be filled with
the
glory of God as the waters cover the sea".
Keith showed me the
beautiful spot where he wished to be buried. My
thoughts and prayers are
with his family.
Japie Jackson. (New
Zealand)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Letter
6 - Ruth Vosloo
Dear JAG,
Please help to get the word out. As I
am sure there are a lot of people out
there who are as blissfully ignorant as
I WAS:
On our way into TM at Sam Levi's Village on Saturday morning, a
very stroppy
policeman approached us, flashed his ID and arrested my son for
wearing a
"camouflage uniform". My son was dressed in black T-shirt, black
track
shoes and washed out camouflage board shorts.
We were
flabbergasted, apologised, promised now that we knew it was an
offence that
he would not wear them again etc, etc. He would hear nothing of
this and said
he was going to book him and put him in jail as in committing
an offence my
son was now "his" and had given up any right to freedom. The
brave policeman
had three other "hardened criminals" in his custody, another
child of 15 also
wearing camouflage board shorts and two older chaps, one
wearing a camouflage
floppy hat and the other a bush cap with bamboo on it,
no camouflage in
sight.
My son turned 18 last week, legally making him "an adult".
However we were
shocked to find that the police can arrest and hold a child
14 or older, for
at least 48 hours if they so wish.
It is an offence
to be in possession of a "Camouflage Uniform" which is
defined for legal
purposes as any piece of "apparel" bearing a camouflage
print or pattern and
in our Policeman's case even a similar pattern and
colour will do. This law
was passed in July 2006. It is punishable by a
fine, 6 months in jail or
both.
It was clear on our arrival at Borrowdale Police Station that this
was
clearly a case of one Policeman having a bad day. He threatened the
boys
with being able to hold them until Wednesday and scared the living
day
lights out of them and us. Thank goodness for The Member In Charge who
very
helpful and patient in the face of very over protective parents, he
arranged
for the "criminals" to be released by the end of Saturday. No
outcome has
been reached and my son as it stands will have to appear in court
to answer
these charges.
PLEASE BE WARNED and warn your children that
although camouflage is the
"height of cool" at the moment, it is illegal to
even possess it, much less
wear it in Zimbabwe.
Regards
Ruth
Vosloo
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Letter
7
ZNSPCA WOULD LIKE TO REMIND ALL LIVESTOCK AND PET OWNERS THAT OUR
INSPECTORS
REMAIN AVAILABLE FOR RESCUE ASSISTANCE
SHOULD THE NEED
ARISE.
Our contact details are as follows:
ZNSPCA NATIONAL HQ
PO
BOX CH55 Chisipite
Tel: 497574/497885
e-mail Address(es): zimnspcahq@zol.co.zw
Glynis Vaughan -
ZNSPCA Chief Inspector:
vaughans@netconnect.co.zw
Te:l
09 240956 / 091 367 260
Inspectorate:
Simon Chikadaya 011 696
308
Regional Inspector (Mash)
Mathias Tengaruwa 091 696
311
Regional Inspector (Midlands)
John Chikomo 011 867
099
Regional Inspector (Masvingo)
Head Quarters 011 630
403
SPCA Branches:
BULAWAYO (09) 66593/66578
HARARE (04)
576355/6/7
Mary Toet 011 700 691
Yvonne Rose - Kennels 011 217
651
KADOMA (068) 23015
KWEKWE (055) 22053
MASVINGO (039)
63679
MUTARE (020) 63679
CHINHOYI (067) 22405
ANY CONTRIBUTIONS
FOR FUEL AND FEED FROM THE PUBLIC WOULD BE GRATEFULLY
RECEIVED
PLEASE
REPORT ANY CRUELTY CASES OR ABANDONED ANIMALS TO ZNSPCA OR YOUR
LOCAL
SPCA.
Should you require any further information, please
contact:
Bernice Robertson Dyer.Chairman:
Tel: 0 68 24037
Fax: 0
68 23443
E-mail: conroc@mweb.co.zw
THANK
YOU
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
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.
Please send any job opportunities for publication in this newsletter to:
JAG
Job Opportunities; jag@mango.zw or justiceforagriculture@zol.co.zw
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
(Ad
inserted 18/01/2007)
LARGE SCALE FARM AVAILABLE LONG TERM LEASE January
2007
INVITATION
Welcome to individuals or companies interested in
taking up lease for
agricultural land.
LOCATION
2-½ hour drive;
from Nairobi in the world famous Rift Valley, Lenginet is a
30-minute drive
from Nakuru, home of flamingoes and along the tourist
circuit to lake Bogoria
hot springs.
TOPOGRAPHY
One Hundred and forty (140) acres, arable flat
land, well suited for
floriculture, horticulture or any other export oriental
agriculture
activity, that may require irrigation. The farm has a permanent
river
frontage.
FARM DEVELOPMENT
Located on the farm is a 5 bed
roomed old English farmhouse with 2 kitchens
2 bathrooms, 2 living rooms and
dining room. The house can accommodate 2
families if need be. There is also
an adjoining 2 bedroom, 1 living room
guesthouse.
There are 2
underground water reservoirs, supplementing piped water to the
main house.
There is a three-phase electricity supply suited for both
domestic and
industrial - heavy machinery power supply.
There are 2 sites already
mapped as potential underground (bore hole) water
source. Other developments
include barns, stores, carport for 4 cars and
servants housing
units.
The farm is immediately available for occupation on long-term
lease
contract, 10+ years, with the option to renew.
Interested
parties may contact either of the undersigned.
DR. DAVID K. CHEMIRMIR,
SUSAN CHEMIRMIR
P.O. Box 14703, 6400 Independence Pkwy Nairobi, Post Code
00800, #4701,
Kenya
Plano, Texas 75023, USA
PHONE: +254 20 272 2046
Cell: 972-898-2493, Cell: + 254 722 715 417
schemirmir@hotmail.com, E MAIL: dchemirmir@hotmail.com
---------------------------------------------------------------------
(Ad
inserted 18/01/07)
Receptionist/Debtors Controller
Two positions
to be filled. However we would require that they would be
able to learn both
fields, to enable back up for each other:-
Post Title:
Receptionist/Debtors Controller
Responsibilities: Front Office
Management, Receptionist, Accounts
Queries, Dealing with Clients, Debtors,
Invoicing, Receipting, Handling
Cash, Banking, General Secretarial Duties,
Debt Collections
Post Title: Wages Clerk/Debtors
Assistant
Responsibilities: Wages for 65 employees, Debtors -
Entering
Invoices/Receipts, Vat Returns, NEC, NSSA etc Returns, handling
Petty Cash,
Cash Book Knowledge, Internet/Email.
Computer literacy in
Pastel Version 8 and Belina Payroll System. Previous
experience in these
fields would be advantageous. Only basic fields
covered, it entails various
other duties.
Personality Traits: Efficient, hard working, pleasant,
must be
self-motivated to be-able to perform duties without constant
supervision,
honest and trustworthy.
Dress Code:
Smart.
Salary: Salary / Package to be
discussed.
Please contact: Multi-Link (Pvt) Ltd
P O Box HG 659,
Highlands, Harare, Zimbabwe.
Tel. 737688, 705021, 708310. Fax
733844
e-mail: multilink@mweb.co.zw
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(Ad inserted 25/01/07)
Estate Manager (January 2007)
A
vacancy needs to be filled at Peterhouse:
Responsibilities
include;
Maintenance of sports fields, swimming pools and sporting
facilities.
Overseeing water supply and borehole upkeep. Controlling lawn
mowers,
tractors and equipment usage.
Managing a forestry plantation and
estate gardens
Usage and maintenance of generators
Managing a small labour
force
Please send a detailed CV with 3 references and application
to:
The Rector, Peterhouse, P/Bag 3741, Marondera
Or fax to: 079 -
24200, or e-mail to: peterrec@mweb.co.zw
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(Ad
inserted 25/01/07)
Sales Agents/Representatives for our
company:
Company: Alfa P/L
Business: Calendars;
diaries and corporate gifts
Job Title: Sales
Representative
Reporting to: Branch Manager/Sales
Co-Ordinator
Package: To be discussed
Environment:
Female
This post will be ideal for mature responsible ladies with drivers
licence
and own car. Previous selling experience will be an advantage.
Please
contact Anthea Reeler on 776772; 011 604 151, alternatively, please
email CV
to alfahre@zol.co.zw
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(Ad
inserted 25/01/07)
The following positions are immediately available
within our organisation.
Bookkeeper / Accountant
Qualifications not
absolutely necessary but experience vital as must be
competent, professional
and confidential.
Personal Assistant
Reporting to the General
Manager, a highly competent and professional PA is
required. Must have
computer experience in Word and Excel.
Vehicle Sales
Person
Responsible for all vehicle sales hence knowledge of vehicles and
good,
administrative skills required.
Workshop Manager
Responsible
for maintenance and running of company vehicles/transport and
construction
fleet. Must be able to manage general workshop requirements
and
staff.
Please forward C.V.s and contactable references to
email address :
auctions@yoafrica.com
For further
information please contact / refer to Glynis Wiley on :
751904/5/6 - 751498 -
751343
ABC Auctions, Hatfield House, Seke Road
Telephone 263 4 751904/906,
Fax 263 4
751904/906
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(Ad
inserted 25/01/07)
Breakfast Chef
Position available at a leading
Guest House in Somerset West, Cape Province,
RSA for a young Zimbabwean male
or female kitchen breakfast chef.
Please respond directly to email
address : info@ivoryheights.co.za
with all
relevant CV, reference, work experience
details.
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(Ad inserted 25/01/07)
Vacancy
A vacancy exists for a
couple to manage a caravan
park and small harbour at Lake Chivero,
Harare.
Required skills:
General management chores with a labour force
of 9 workers
Maintenance of showers, toilets, out houses
Maintaining water
and electrical reticulation systems already in place.
Liasing with
caravanners and guests taking care of the park gardens.
Overseeing general
harbour clearing and maintenance
running a small shop including daily stock
checks,
ordering supplies and banking takings.
A house and vehicle is
provided with reasonable remuneration.
This position would suit a retired
farming couple who are not afraid of
work. Driving licence essential.
The
park is quiet during the week. The shop opens all week and services
members,
staff and national park
employees.
Contact the advertiser with cv at
nella@comone.co.zw
or phone
04-305721/2 (work) or 091200030
(anytime)
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(Ad
inserted 25/01/07)
Personal Assistant - Mornings only
MORNINGS
ONLY PERSONAL ASSISTANT TO THE MD REQUIRED TO COMMENCE IMMEDIATELY.
Mature
and experienced person, capable of working without supervision,
shorthand
advantageous, reasonable computer literacy and accurate typing
skills
essential.
Please apply in writing to with a copy of your CV,
to:
General Manager, P.O. Box 2432,
Harare.
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(Ad
inserted 8 February 2007)
Junior Bookkeeper
A leading software
support organization seeks a Junior Bookkeeper who will
assist the Bookkeeper
on a day to day basis. Duties will include debt
collection, petty cash and
general bookkeeping to keep the accounts up to
date. The incumbent must be
computer literate and a knowledge of Pastel
Partner is an advantage but not
essential.
Contact Norman on 091-727835 in the first
instance.
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(Ad
inserted 8 February 2007)
FINANCIAL MANAGER (ACCOUNTANT OR SENIOR
BOOKKEEPER)
Experience essential with sound knowledge of computerized
accounting
practices to balance sheet.
Incumbent to head a department of 3
subordinates in a long established
family business in graniteside
harare
Telephone - Glynis 751704/6 or cell 011 630164
Email: auctions@yoafrica.co
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(Ad
inserted 8 February 2007)
MANAGER
Experienced manager wanted for
an expanding banana / tomato / crocodile farm
in southern
Mozambique.
Previous experience in the above fields, although not an
absolute
requirement, will be given preferential consideration.
The
incumbent must be healthy, have plenty of energy, be able to make
decisions
and handle a large Portuguese speaking labour workforce.
Mechanical and
electrical knowledge and hands on capability would be
an
advantage.
Persons without children will be given priority
attention.
Send CV to vince@york.co.za
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(Ad
inserted 8 February 2007)
PIGGERY MANAGER
Looking for a manager
for a highly productive pig unit on a Marondera Farm.
Few hundred sows. Will
be up to slaughter level. Person must be self
motivated, dedicated, have good
labour relations and have record and
administration skills. Phone early
mornings
091295736
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EMPLOYMENT
REQUIRED
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(Ad inserted 18/01/07)
Employment Wanted
I am a Diesel
Mechanic with 12 years experience. I am looking for a
position as a Workshop
Manager /Fleet Manager or any position in a related
industry. I have been
running my own business in Mozambique for the last two
years but wish to
return home.
For further information and CV please contact the
following:- Riaan Ferreira
at mtemwa@zol.co.zw
Contactable on +258
823864815 until end of January
2007
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(Ad
inserted 25/01/07)
Mature Lady aged 32
Position sought
: credit control/debt collector
Experience : 10+
years
Qualifications : Bookkeeping and accounts, SAAA
(former
ZAAT) 2ND PART
Computer packages : sage 2000, Accpac,
chameleon, windows, excel &
powerpoint
For more information call
091745939
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For
the latest listings of accommodation available for farmers, contact
justiceforagriculture@zol.co.zw
(updated 8 February 2007)