There
are no new listings of farms for section 5, 8, or 7 notices in today's
(Friday 14.1.2005) Herald
newspaper.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------- UPDATE
ON THE LOWVELD INTERPLEAD HIGH COURT INITIATIVE
Just to confirm that
today Bon Espoir have won the Interplead Action in the court. We have not
seen the written judgement (due out in a fortnight), but Kevin Arnott
attending the case confirms that the Judge has ruled that since the
commercial farmer was the landowner in 2003 (due to the currency of the HV
Act), he was entitled to all revenue from the sugar crops on that land. The
court further instructed that the farmer invoice HVE for all monies due,
including those due from by-products like molasses. This will now set a
precedent for all 18 farms involved in the Interplead. There
is, theoretically, no room for HVE to appeal as in their Interplead
document they state in their own words that they are a neutral third party
and agree to 'abide by the ruling of this honourable court'.
Assuming
that Hippo has already paid a sum to the A2's harvesting our cane, it is
likely that HVE will have to pay twice (ie us and the settlers). To the
approximately 12 farms further protected by an Interim Relief Order, this
ruling will also apply to the 2004 and even 2005 cane crops.This will have a
serious impact on the company's financial results and contingent liabilities
are estimated to be around Z$6billion and are therefore material to
shareholders.
JAG Hotlines: (091) 261 862 If you are in trouble or need
advice, (011) 205 374? (011) 863 354 please don't hesitate to contact us -
we're here to help! 263 4 799 410 Office Lines
Correction
to JAG PR Communiqué 13th January
2005 --------------------------------------------------------------------------
FROM:
The Bennett family, received 14 January 2005
CORRECTION OF: JAG PR
Communiqué 13th January 2005
Bennett Yet To Decide on 2005
Elections
Contrary to recent media reports (Daily News Online), Roy
Bennett has not yet committed himself to standing in the 2005 parliamentary
elections.
Roy's wife Heather said that he was waiting for the MDC to
announce whether or not they were participating in the elections before he
would evaluate his position and decide whether or not to stand.
"I saw
Roy on Saturday, no-one else has seem him since so the reports in the media
that he is definitely standing are false". said Heather.
Heather added
that Roy will not make a final decision until he has had feedback from the
people of Chimanimani and consulted his family.
"The people in his
constituency and his family have already suffered so much because of the
government's intolerance of any opposition that it is not a decision that Roy
will take lightly".
"At the same time, he will not abandon the people if
they call for him, but that decision will not be taken for a few weeks",
Heather added.
-
Re: Trevor Shaw's Letter - Charles Fitzell - History's And Cfu Leadership -
Displaced Farmer - In Defense Of Trevor Midlane - Julia Burdett -
Permanent Residents' Vote - Trudy Stevenson - Dogs And Fences - Eddie
Cross - Burials -
Muremwaremwa ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Letter
1: RE: TREVOR SHAW'S LETTER, received 13 January 2005
by Charles
Frizell
Dear JAG,
I was cynically amused to note the furore
stirred up by Trevor Shaw's letter requesting donations for Mujuru. What was
surprising was that it seemed to cause surprise!
When the invasions
first started way back in 2000 it soon became apparent that they were
orchestrated by the CIO. I advocated an immediate halt in production by all
farmers in protest, not only those who had been invaded. This provoked an
attack on me by the CFU leadership for being "confrontational". My comment
that having one's property invaded was somewhat confrontational in itself
fell on deaf ears, and the policy of appeasement began in earnest. Even then
it was obvious where it would lead, but no protests were made. The CFU did
not comment on the blatantly racist and unconstitutional targeting of "white"
farmers, and did not fight back in any meaningful way.
What was
amazing to me was that you elected and then re-elected the executive of the
CFU, they were your chosen representatives. I was also told that "farmers are
individuals and cannot work in unison" as well as "we are farmers, not
politicians." That last must be one of the most puerile arguments I have ever
heard. Also, I cannot understand why you as a group seem so unwilling to help
and defend yourselves. Some may recall that I tried to get a letter-writing
campaign going last year - defeated by total apathy. At the end of last year
I attempted to get some action on the selling of produce from stolen farms. I
had many responses from people here in the UK, but could not follow up
adequately because I was unexpectedly extremely busy, some weeks only
spending 16 hours at home. Yet there are thousands of ex-farmers who could do
the job far better than me.
I am not and have never been a farmer, but
hopefully have a sense of what is just and what is unjust. I was however a
rural district councillor and enjoyed my duties. I was heartened that in my
area commercial farmers, ex-combatants, chiefs and people from the communal
areas all worked together for the benefit of the wider community. We may have
been unique in that we were an "independent" council, and indeed we were
later disbanded by the Minister probably for that reason.
I regret to
say that probably the majority of farmers made little or no attempt to
integrate with the local people. At many of the farmers meetings I attended
the only black faces were the waiters. Drinking tea with the D.A does not
count as working with the people!
This latest round of appeasement by the
few remaining active farmers will achieve nothing. Mugabe has said that he
intends to seize all white owned farms. And he does mean all. Yes, it is
illogical, but the whole exercise was illogical except in the political
context and in the context of buying loyalty. But that is, was and always
will be the sole aim. One cannot do a lasting deal with untrustworthy people,
as many have already found to their cost.
The saddest comment one can
make is that commercial agriculture in Zimbabwe did not lose the battle
against injustice and mayhem; they just ran from the arena or rolled over in
submission with their legs in the air. There was no fight, and there is now
not even any rearguard action. Why was there no loud protest from affected
people in the world media? Why do extremely few know of the "law" where not
only your fixed property but your implements as well can be "legally"
stolen?
Letter
2: HISTORY'S AND CFU LEADERSHIP, received 13 January 2005
by Displaced
Farmer
Dear Editor,
Historical records tell us that about two
thousand years ago there lived a man called Pilate. J.L. Dow (MA) describes
the fellow: "The character of the man comes out clearly in his treatment of
Jesus. He allowed expediency and self interest to take the place of courage
and justice."
Then, just over sixty years ago there lived a man called
General Henri Philippe Petain. (1856 - 1951) He is described in this manner:
"French general and later collaborator. Headed the pro Nazi Vichy Regime in
France in World War ll."
What are historians going to write about the
leadership of the CFU over the last five years?
It seems that the
manuscript of this period of Zimbabwe's history is being proof read on the
Jag Open Letter Forum at the moment. In this instance it is a bit like
"history live" - the captains and coaches at the CFU - past and present -
have the unprecedented opportunity to give their side of the story.
-
The inside story of Benjamin Freeth's suspension - possibly still in place? -
would be a great start. - The closure of The Farmer magazine another
interesting topic for debate. - The reclamation by Matabeleland Farmers' of
their sovereignty, another. - And finally, a tally on the successes of the
Dialogue Policy as faithfully enunciated by CFU's previous Legal
Consultants.
Letter
3: IN DEFENCE OF TREVOR MIDLANE, received 14 January 2005
by Julia
Burdett
Dear JAG
I am quite sure that Trevor Midlane can and will
defend himself against the objection that Joyce Banes lodged but feel that I
would like to speak in his defence, from Zimbabwe.
Trevor was not a
farmer in Zimbabwe but had and still has "very dear farmer friends" living
and working in Zimbabwe under great stress, not necessarily farming! Trevor's
"suspicions" that most remaining farmers, still on their farms, in Zimbabwe
are still operating because they have "sympathetic leanings" cannot be
construed as an angry, bitter attack/insult on her devout Christian friends
or indeed the remaining farmers.
Trevor has no reason to be angry, bitter
or insulting towards those still on their farms, he merely made an
observation after reading a letter that clearly indicates what is "actually"
going on. There are thousands of devout Christians and ordinary farmers who
had no choice in the matter of being on their farms to look after their
workers or not. Thousands of men, women & children, white and black ,
were violently & illegally evicted from their homes, and businesses,
often with nothing more than a suitcase, if they were lucky, who have
received no compensation or help from anybody. Joyce's friends are very
fortunate to have a "choice" in remaining on their farm and helping their
workers. I say again, thousands had no choice!
There was no angry attack
on any farmers and Trevor very rightly drew comparisons with France in the
2nd W W. There is a very similar situation in Zimbabwe today and people would
be wise to think about what they are doing and what the long term effects
will be. We must learn from history, not make the same mistakes over and over
again.
Letter
4: PERMANENT RESIDENTS' VOTE, received 13 January 2005
by Trudy
Stevenson
It is the constitutional right of every Permanent Resident of
Zimbabwe to vote:
The Constitution of Zimbabwe states
that:
"Schedule 3.3 Qualifications and disqualifications for voters 1)
Subject to the provisions of this paragraph and to such residence
qualifications as may be prescribed in the Electoral Law for inclusion on the
electoral roll of a particular constituency, any person who has attained the
age of eighteen years and who:
A) is a citizen of Zimbabwe; or
B) since the 31st December 1985 has been regarded by virtue of a
written law as permanently resident in Zimbabwe;
Shall be qualified
for registration as a voter on the common roll."
During the 2005
Presidential election, many permanent residents were removed from the voters
roll on the infamous "Hit List" and not allowed to vote. This was completely
unconstitutional, and it appears that the Registrar General's Office now
recognises this fact, because now Permanent Residents of Zimbabwe are allowed
to register again.
You can register at any Registration Centre (Makombe
Building, Provincial Offices and in Harare at Market Square, Mt Pleasant,
Machipisa, Mabvuku and Hatfield District Offices) NOW, or at the many Voters
Roll Inspection Centres which will open on Monday 17 January until 30 January
ONLY.
Permanent Residents currently outside the country should contact
their nearest Embassy or Consulate. You need to take your passport
with "Permanent Resident" stamped in it, plus a letter from
Immigration confirming your status. The letter should not be strictly
necessary, but officers are insisting on this.
Please reclaim your
vote NOW, to be ready to VOTE FOR A NEW BEGINNING FOR ZIMBABWE.
Trudy
Stevenson MP & Candidate, Harare North
Constituency
Letter
5: DOGS AND FENCES, received 20 December 2005
by Eddie Cross
Dogs
and Fences.
When I attended Gwebi Agricultural College in the early 60's
the faculty told the students that we should watch out for two features when
on a farm visit - the state of the fences and the nature of the dogs. The
first would suggest what sort of farmer we were about to visit and the second
would indicate what sort of an employer he or she was. It was amazing how
often these two simple features of ordinary farm life projected accurately
the type of farmer we would encounter.
Today we can apply the same
criteria to the whole country. The state of our farm fences is such that they
no longer contribute in any serious way to the management and control of our
livestock. They are either falling down or non-existent. As for the dogs -
well the only kind of dog seen on most properties today are thin emaciated
animals of dubious pedigree! They survive by scavenging - like many of the
rest of us.
We have now reached the stage where squatters of various
descriptions occupy 90 per cent of our large-scale commercial farms
illegally. There are, we are told, 129 000 small scale squatters - about 500
000 people in all and some 12 000 larger scale squatters. Most of the latter
are not resident; they are bank managers, doctors, and business persons
with interests in towns and civil servants. Many are army officers and
members of the Police. After 4 years of chaos, we have about 600 000
people partially settled on 12 million hectares of land that once supported
2 million people. The same land now employs about 60 000 people in paid
jobs - where once we employed 350 000 and incomes have plummeted from
about three times the national average to well below the national average
income per capita.
Before the chaos called "land reform" we were the
third largest exporter of tobacco in the world, we were the largest beef
exporter in Africa and were major producers of cotton, milk, sugar, fruit and
horticultural products. The industry generated a third of Zimbabwe's national
employment, half its exports and fed a population of 11 million.
Today
we have 75 per cent of our population dependent on food handouts or imports;
we are unable to supply our needs for vegetable oils, milk, meat and fruit.
Our food prices have risen to the highest in the region from being the lowest
in Africa in 1997.
And the madness goes on - just this past week at least
two farmers per day were being systematically evicted from their land - by
force and without any legal basis. People need to understand what happens as
it still seems to me to be totally bizarre and how anyone, anywhere, can call
this "land reform" or defend the practice, is beyond me.
Let me give
you one example from the past week. A tobacco farmer - one of 200 who were
still on their land and were encouraged to grow a crop this year by the
authorities, living in a homestead he built in the bush after many years of
living in ramshackle conditions while he became established. Having given
away three quarters of his farmland and trying to make a living for himself
and his 100 farm workers on the remainder, is giving a birthday party for his
89 year old father who has been on the farm for 50 years. A convoy of luxury
vehicles arrives and men and women in dark glasses and imported shoes arrive
at the gates and inform the farmer that he has 24 hours to leave. The convoy
departs leaving a Police detail to ensure that no assets are removed when the
family departs.
In the ground are 35 hectares of tobacco, weeks away from
reaping and other crops that are grown in rotation or as supplements - a bit
of irrigation. The inputs for the crop - fertilizer and chemicals are in the
sheds as are 4 tractors and several trailers and all the other equipment you
need to farm. By Monday morning the farmer and his family are with friends
in Harare and the farmer is desperately trying to get the people he
is contracted with for the tobacco to persuade someone to get him
permission to go back and finish his crop - to no avail. The ZTA hold an
emergency meeting with the Governor of the Reserve Bank and he calls in the
army and the Police and demands action to protect the crop - to no
avail.
The farmer and his family have been "allowed" to take three
quarters of their furniture and their personal effects. There was even a
squabble about the farm pick up - the 7 tonne truck was a no go.
This
farmer was - with several others in the District, helping hundreds of small
growers who were trying to grow tobacco on the farms they occupied. He had
grown seedlings, helped with advice and even held a field day on his property
when the crop was in and growing. Now they sit shattered by the loss of a
lifetime of hard work and sacrifice. Their children bereft and the old man
confused. When they had bought the land in the early 50's it had been 1200
hectares of wild bush. They had cut the road for 15 kilometres from the
nearest Council road. Built a pole and dagger hut to live in and grown a
tobacco crop to get started. Everything they earned they put back into the
farm. They survived the liberation war and helped build up the industry again
after 15 years of mandatory UN sanctions.
All they have to show for this
now is some money in a bank, some shares in agro industry and their clothes
and some worn furniture that has raised three children. They have their
memories and are now deciding what to do with the rest of their life. They
get phone calls from friends in Zambia and Botswana - come and join us here.
But do they trust Africa again? How about a fresh start in Australia - they
find they are too old. The UK? No real links in that direction. South Africa?
From the frying pan into the fire!
And the tragedy of it all is that
these guys were the best farmers in Africa. They took marginal land and a
variable climate and no help from anyone except a hard-nosed bank and built
up an African empire with real African expertise. Now it's all gone and all
that remains are a few mangy dogs and broken down fences. It will take a long
time to put it all back together again.
And for those people who try
to justify this racist, illegal, unbelievably short sighted action, I say
what about the consequences for the millions who now suffer and who have no
external options or havens of safety? If we are going to allow such actions
simply because a few of the victims are white - then we have really lost the
plot altogether.
from I went
to a funeral the other day at a Harare cemetery. It was the engaging
colourful, cheerful event that has become a hallmark of the Shona fashion
today.
What did come as a surprise to me was the covering of the coffin
with a sheet of corrugated iron over which was poured a slab of
reinforced concrete. I was told that this had become necessary because of
grave robbers who would, within days, dig up the dear departed and steal
anything that could be sold or recycled. Far out!
It is fascinating to
see how our culture so dynamically incorporates such necessities so
seamlessly. So let's be thankful that the unemployment rate is only 9% or
think how much more creative our citizens would have to
be.
Muremwaremwa ------------------------------------------------------------------------ THE
JAG TEAM
JAG Hotlines: (091) 261 862 If you are in trouble or need
advice, (011) 205 374 (011) 863 354 please don't hesitate to contact us -
we're here to help! 263 4 799 410 Office Lines
SA not involved in spying on Zimbabwe: Intelligence
January
15, 2005, 07:45
The Ministry of Intelligence Services has denied that
South Africa may be involved in spying on Zimbabwe. Sandy Africa, the
ministry spokesperson said in a statement: "Various media reports suggested
that South Africa has been implicated in developments which have seen
several top Zimbabwean government officials facing charges of spying for
foreign governments.
"To the best of our knowledge, the information
reflected in the earlier media reports has not provided any basis for
concluding that South Africa was involved in illegally soliciting
information about Zimbabwe."
Africa added: "In any event, as a matter of
course, the intelligence services do not comment on operational matters."
For these reasons the ministry "declines to comment on the
matter".
The department was reacting to reports that an MP of Zimbabwe's
ruling Zanu-PF party may have spied for a South African agent and was paid
R60. 000 a month to provide information.
Phillip Chiyangwa appeared
in the High Court in Harare yesterday. He was arrested on December 15 with
four others on allegations of spying.
Sent: Saturday, January 15, 2005 5:30 PM Subject: I hang my head in disgust
and shame
Dear Family and Friends, When I wrote the first of these
letters to family and friends back in February 2000, I was a farmer. I have
told the story of what happened on our farm before, and of some of the
horrors on 3000 other farms that were seized across Zimbabwe. In 2000, The
Commercial Farmers Union, to whom I paid membership fees and crop and
livestock levies, were supposed to represent my interests as a farmer. As the
weeks went past and I wrote about the abuses being inflicted on my family,
our employees and their families and our property and livestock, the CFU told
me to stop making waves. The CFU said that I should not be confrontational
with the rabble who were pulling down fences, chopping trees and erecting
shacks on our farm. The CFU said that I should engage in "dialogue" with
drunk and drugged men who came to the gate and demanded my car, ordered me to
leave my home or pointed a gun at me and threatened to shoot me. When I
wrote newspaper articles about what was happening to other farmers, the
CFU would have nothing to do with me. In confidence I was told that it
had been stipulated that my name was forbidden from being mentioned in any
CFU meetings
The CFU have continued to attempt to appease the Zimbabwe
government for the last 59 months. When court orders were ignored, laws were
changed and the constitution was amended in relation to farms, still the CFU
called for dialogue with the government. Farmers were murdered,
tortured, abducted and arrested and the CFU said its dwindling membership
should downsize, share their land and talk to government officials.
Hundreds, thousands and then hundreds of thousands of farm workers became
homeless, destitute beggars living in the bush and the CFU still called for
dialogue with the government. A law was passed protecting squatters from
eviction and another allowing government to compulsorily acquire farm
materials and equipment but still the CFU said dialogue was the only way
forward.
Below are extracts from a letter written by the Midlands branch
of the CFU. I would like to suggest that if the CFU have any money left over
they will donate it either to the team campaigning to free farmer and MP
Roy Bennett from prison or to some of the three hundred thousand farmers
and farm workers who have been made destitute by the Zimbabwean land
reform programme. As a former farmer and onetime member of the CFU, I hang
my head in disgust and shame.
CFU MIDLANDS "We have received a
request to donate cattle, chickens and mealie meal to a welcoming reception
next week for the new Vice President, Joyce Mujuru. This request has come to
us through the Midlands Leadership ... I suggest that each member pay in 1
million in cash to Bob at the CFU office by the end of business hours on
Monday the 10th January 2005, as we need to secure these donations from our
sector by Wednesday the 12th. Each individuals name will be on the list of
donors when we present the donations so think hard before you do nothing. It
is a strategy that I believe will ultimately lead to benefits of sorts in the
future. But it is like gambling. ... For those non-members I say to you all
that unity is our best defense. This we are not, we all are to blame as we
now find ourselves divided and ruled. To change this we must change - unite
and stick together and speak with one voice. When the time comes
for significant changes to the current situation we have been pushed
into kicking and screaming foul play, then more than ever the voices of
the divided will not be heard clearly and negotiations will be held from
a point of weakness. Is this what we want, choose for
yourselves. ........To end all I can safely say is that there is some
activity currently in progress and I'm sure you will understand that this is
at present too sensitive to disclose ........Your Chairman, TREVOR SHAW
AND OFFICE STAFF. P.S. Cash or Kind 1 ton Mealie Meal or Potatoes etc,
5 Steers for slaughter, 100 Chickens. We need about 30 million
for this...."
Until next week, with love, cathy Copyright cathy
buckle 15th January 2005.
A
member of parliament of the ruling Zimbabwean Zanu-PF party spied for a
"South African agent" and was paid $10,000 a month to provide political and
economic information, media reported. This emerged when a court case
against Phillip Chiyangwa MP was moved from the Harare's Magistrate's Court
to the High Court on Thursday and was briefly opened to the
public.
Chiyangwa, a provincial chairman of ZANU-PF, was arrested on
December 15 with four others on allegations of spying.
The news
reports could sour relations between Zimbabwe and South Africa less than
three months before Zimbabweans go to the polls in a general
election.
The South African Ministry for Intelligence Services responded
to the media reports yesterday.
Ministry spokeswoman Sandy Africa
said in a statement: "Various media reports suggested that South Africa has
been implicated in developments which have seen several top Zimbabwean
government officials facing charges of spying for foreign
governments.
"To the best of our knowledge, the information reflected in
the earlier media reports has not provided any basis for concluding that
South Africa was involved in illegally soliciting information about
Zimbabwe."
Africa added: "In any event, as a matter of course, the
intelligence services do not comment on operational matters."
For
these reasons the ministry "declines to comment on the matter".
"We can
state, however, that we have very positive relations with the intelligence
services of Zimbabwe, and that we are in touch with them at all times,"
Africa said.
Meanwhile Zimbabwe's courts have refused to allow three of
Chiyangwa's co-accused to change their pleas from guilty to not
guilty.
AFP reported yesterday that another diplomat accused of
involvement in the alleged spy ring, Erasmus Moyo, disappeared from his post
at Zimbabwe's embassy in Switzerland after Chiyangwa's arrest.
It
said the five detained had been charged under the Official Secrets Act and
face up to 20 years in jail if convicted.
Earlier this month, state media
reported that top politicians and government officials, including two
Cabinet ministers, were suspected of having divulged the contents of
confidential government and party files to "hostile intelligence agencies,"
including the CIA and Britain's MI5.
Zimbabwe has repeatedly accused
Britain and the United States of supporting Mugabe's opponents in a bid to
replace the increasingly autocratic leader -- allegations both countries
deny.
South Africa has adopted a policy of "quiet diplomacy" toward its
neighbour despite international calls to take a tougher stand against
political and human rights abuses in Zimbabwe.
The two countries
share strategic information, but it has been suggested in local media that
some South African officials may have been dissatisfied with the
intelligence they received from Harare, AFP said.
THE Zanu PF boat kept on rocking on stormy waters yesterday,
with the party's national chairman, John Nkomo, describing information
minister Jonathan Moyo as "a confused and stupid professor" who had joined
the "wrong church". Nkomo, who was responding to an article in yesterday's
Herald, in which the junior minister lampooned him and fellow politburo
member Dumiso Dabengwa over the Tsholotsho saga, had no kind words for the
associate professor. Moyo has been barred from contesting in his home
constituency, Tsholotsho, and his rabid attack of Nkomo and Dabengwa
insinuated that there were many other ways of getting to Parliament. Said
the professor: "In any event, Comrades Nkomo and Dabengwa should know that
there is no one ticket to heaven; there are many churches and many religions
and all with tickets to heaven." Nkomo said the Herald story attributed to
Moyo made sad and disturbing reading. The article clearly showed the
professor had forgotten that grievances within the party fell under his
(Nkomo's) office. He denied having convened a meeting in Tsholotsho, that
Moyo referred to, in a bid to bar anyone from contesting. The meeting, he
said, was a follow-up to the Dinyane caucus now deemed as the infamous
Tsholotsho Declaration, which has seen six provincial chairpersons banished
from Zanu PF for five years. Nkomo, who maintained that Moyo's Tsholotsho
meeting had a hidden agenda, said it was sad this had affected many people
in other parts of the country and he had evidence to buttress the Tsholotsho
debacle. He said it was not his duty to consider which candidates should
stand for Zanu PF in the March elections, but that of the national elections
directorate. He reiterated that he could not have gone to Tsholotsho to
impose candidates. Nkomo said: "But one understands that the good
professor is confused, totally confused, and what further compounds the
situation is that he is a wounded person and does not feel bound by
procedures that have to be followed. One would advise the professor that he
is in a wrong church. In this church we insist on discipline. The general
understanding is that he has lost balance." Nkomo said because of Moyo's
alleged waywardness, the people of Tsholotsho were now suffering. On
allegations by Moyo that he wanted to weaken Zanu PF in Tsholotsho to pave
way for his young brother, Samuel Sipepa Nkomo of the opposition MDC, Nkomo
said: "He is not just silly, but stupid." He would not say what action the
party would take against Moyo. "You shall know very soon of what action we
are going to take." Dabengwa said Moyo's statement was not meant to seek
redress but for other purposes. "We are a disciplined party and if anyone
has grievances as a member of the party, whatever their status, he should
seek redress through proper channels. When you go out to the press and
start addressing your grievances, I don't think you expect any response from
whoever you are accusing and the party. "Imagine if all members of the party
were to go to the press to address their grievances. If the professor is
such an old member of the party, he should have known the proper channels,"
he said. Dabengwa added: "These are some of the things that happen in a big
organisation like ours, and we are learning it the hard way." He said it
was up to the party to take disciplinary action against Moyo. "If anyone has
done things contrary to party procedures, it's up to the party's
disciplinary committee to take action," Dabengwa said. Zanu PF chief whip,
Jorum Gumbo, said Moyo's utterances might be a signal he would stand as an
independent. "He might be saying there are many ways of going to Parliament,
such as standing as an independent candidate," Gumbo said. Zanu PF
political commissar Elliot Manyika also indicated that the party would look
into the issue, basing it on the merits of the concerns. "I cannot say what
blanket action would be taken, we just have to deal with the matter basing
it on its own merits. "We will look at how he has attacked senior party
members and the motivation behind the attacks," Manyika said. He also
said anyone standing as an independent in the forthcoming polls
automatically expelled themselves from the party.
"If you
campaign against a candidate chosen by the party or stand as an independent,
you would have automatically expelled yourself from the party. You cannot be
Zanu PF and independent at once. It is either you are with us or against
us," he added. Another top Zanu PF official said Moyo's case was just the tip
of the iceberg. The bigwig claimed things were not well within the ruling
party. "Zvinhu hazvina kunyatsokumira zvakanaka muparty. Vanhu
varikungotukana pamusoro penyaya yeTsholotsho (Things are not well in that
party, people are insulting each other over the Tsholotsho saga)," he
said. A former Zanu PF legislator, war veteran and leader of the now defunct
Zimbabwe Union of Democrats (ZUD), Margaret Dongo, quickly advised Moyo not
to join any already established political party but to either form his own
or stand elections as an independent candidate. "I advise him not to join
any church but to play solo. Every organisation or institution has its own
politics and you cannot just jump into things, unopinda mudisaster (You will
get into problems). The best thing is to play solo, to be an independent
candidate," Dongo, who left Zanu PF to stand as an independent said. She
said the squabbles currently rocking the ruling party were not new in the
history of Zanu PF and people should not view them as good news for the
opposition. "The Tsholotsho disaster is not a new thing as far as Zanu PF
is concerned. During the struggle, there was a serious rebellion that
threatened to tear the party apart but they were able to contain it. "It
was the worst disaster during the final stages of the liberation struggle in
Mozambique," Dongo explained, without elaborating. Moyo, who was spewing
vitriol in his statement to The Herald, also said he had instructed his
lawyers to take action against Nkomo and Dabengwa for their alleged
defamatory utterances against him. This will probably be the first time
members of Zanu PF have taken each other to court for political
reasons.
ZANU PF legislators Kindness Paradza
(Makonde) and Lazarus Dokora (Rushinga) were yesterday left out of the race
to represent their constituencies on a party ticket during the forthcoming
parliamentary elections slated for March. Primary elections will be held
in 61 constituencies today and next week, as the party prepares to battle it
out with the MDC and other opposition parties in the general
elections. Paradza is facing disciplinary action for allegedly undermining
his party and President Robert Mugabe. Dokora's seat was reserved for
women under the quota system adopted by the ruling party last year. The
party has reserved a third of the seats in each province for
women. Primary elections in Tsholotsho (Matabeleland North), the whole of
Bulawayo province, and Insiza and Gwanda in Matabeleland South were also
postponed to next week after the party failed to come up with suitable
candidates before the primary elections. Deputy Minister of Transport and
Communication, Andrew Langa currently occupies Insiza, while five
candidates, including the incumbent MP, Abednico Ncube, will contest in
Gwanda. The other four are retired Major Abdul Nyathi, civic leader Rido
Mpofu, Nathaniel Abu-Basutu and Robson Mpofu. Speaker of Parliament and
Zanu PF legal affairs secretary Emmerson Mnangagwa will fight it out in
Kwekwe with his former lieutenant, Fredy Mabenge. Mabenge was Mnangagwa's
campaign manager during the 2000 elections, which he lost to MDC's Blessing
Chebundo. Cabinet ministers also to be involved in the primaries include
foreign affairs minister Stan Mudenge (Masvingo North), who will battle it
out with retired major Kudzai Mbudzi, while industry and international trade
minister Samuel Mumbengegwi will fight it out with four challengers for the
right to represent Chivi North in the next parliament. Mumbengegwi's
deputy, Kenneth Manyonda, will contest with Elasto Mugwadi, the chief
immigration officer, and Kudakwashe Mutomba in Buhera North. Chegutu MP and
Minister of Policy Implementation in the President's office will clash with
deputy Speaker of Parliament, Edna Madzongwe, after the electorate rebuffed
her in the recently created Manyame constituency. Efforts by Shamu to
withdraw his candidature to make way for Madzongwe were also met with
resistance by his supporters, forcing him to stand in the
primaries. Minister of Health and Child Welfare, David Parirenyatwa will
battle with incumbent, Victor Chitongo for Murehwa North, where a war of
words has already erupted between the two. Public service, labour and
social welfare minister Paul Mangwana will contest with former Zupco boss,
Bright Matonga and Jacob Nhodza for Kadoma East. In Shurugwi, environment
and tourism minister Francis Nhema will lock horns with Frank
Mbengo. Among the top government officials elected unopposed are deputy
finance minister, David Chapfika (Mutoko North), defence minister Sydney
Sekeramayi (Marondera East), youth minister, Ambrose Mutinhiri (Marondera
West), home affairs minister, Kembo Mohadi (Beitbridge), transport and
communications minister, Christopher Mushohwe (Mutare West) and
anti-corruption and anti-monopolies minister and Zanu PF secretary for
administration Didymus Mutasa (Makoni North). Indigenisation minister
Josiah Tungamirai (Gutu North), deputy minister of youth Shuvai Mahofa (Gutu
South), security minister Nicholas Goche (Shamva), higher and tertiary
education minister Herbert Murerwa (Goromonzi), Matabeleland North governor,
Obert Mpofu (Umguza) will also stand unopposed. Nine candidates, the highest
number of contestants in one seat so far, will contest for Chiredzi
North. Announcing the list of the candidates for the primaries to be held in
the 61 constituencies in the party's 10 provinces, Manyika said the party
was still going through the list of nominees for Tsholotsho, Gwanda, Insiza
and the whole of Bulawayo province. Primaries in Chinhoyi and Makonde
were later postponed to Thursday after the party's national elections
directorate recommended that both seats be declared open to men and
women. Initially, Chinhoyi had been reserved for women during provincial
nominations, only for the Mashonaland West central committee members to
reverse the decision and award Makonde to women after Chinhoyi was deemed
"unsafe" for women due to the influence of the MDC. Priscilla Mupfumira,
Betty Biri, Angela Shamu and Virginia Katyamaenza had been approved to
battle for Makonde before the recent about turn, while Kenneth Seremani, Leo
Mugabe, Douglas Mombeshora and Faber Chidarikire were all vying for
Chinhoyi. Manyika could not be reached later, concerning the latest
developments in Mashonaland West, but Mugabe confirmed notification of the
change of dates for the primaries. A total 59 candidates were elected
unanimously in all the party's provinces, with Mashonaland East to conduct
primaries in only three of its 12 constituencies. Midlands, Mashonaland
West and Harare provinces will have elections in nine of their respective
constituencies. The Tsholotsho seat was reserved for women after
front-runner, information and publicity minister Jonathan Moyo, was muscled
out of the race for allegedly convening an illegal meeting there, against
Zanu PF's agreed principles. "We will be going to Tsholotsho today
(yesterday) to look at the potential women candidates there. Thsolotsho is
still for women; we have not reversed our decision. Gwanda and Insiza are
still under consideration, including Bulawayo province," Manyika
said. War veterans leader, Joseph Chinotimba, whose supporters have been
camping at the party national headquarters in Harare protesting his
exclusion from the list of nominees by the Harare provincial executive, was
also ditched because of his disciplinary case currently before party
national chairman John Nkomo. Manyika reiterated that aspirants facing
disciplinary measures in the party or with pending criminal cases before the
courts would not be allowed to stand for the party.
A total of 177 aspiring Zanu PF
candidates go into battle today in primary elections in 59 constituencies to
select those who will represent the ruling party in the March parliamentary
poll. Zanu PF national political commissar and chairman of the party's
National Elections Directorate Cde Elliot Manyika yesterday announced the
full list of aspiring candidates as well as those who were selected
unopposed in 51 constituencies. Chiredzi North constituency in Masvingo
Province has the highest number of contestants with nine aspirants going
into the ring. Cde Manyika told a news conference that primary elections in
the seven constituencies in Bulawayo Province, Tsholotsho, Insiza and Gwanda
had been put on hold as consultations regarding the candidates continued. "I
will soon be going to these constituencies together with National chairman
Cde Nkomo to resolve outstanding issues and the primaries might be held
mid-next week. As for Tsholotsho, it has been reserved for women aspiring
candidates," he said.
Cde Manyika said the directorate had received
more than 1 000 curriculum vitaes from aspiring candidates which were vetted
before coming up with the best candidates. Some of the CVs were channelled
through the provincial co-ordinating committees while those from disgruntled
aspirants, who had been disqualified for various reasons, were sent directly
to the directorate. "Those who have been disqualified include people facing
disciplinary cases while some have cases related to corruption and
espionage. The party cannot take chances by fielding aspiring candidates who
have some cases to answer either in the party or have breached the
(Zimbabwe) Constitution," Cde Manyika said. He said the Politburo meeting on
Thursday considered all CVs and appeals by the aspiring candidates before
coming up with the final list. Appeals by some aspirants, which were thrown
out included those lodged by war veterans' leader Cde Joseph Chinotimba
(Glen Norah), former Member of Parliament Cde Tony Gara (Mbare) and
incumbent Makonde legislator Cde Kindness Paradza. An appeal by the Minister
of State for Information and Publicity in the President's Office, Professor
Jonathan Moyo, was also thrown out. Prof Moyo was eyeing the Tsholotsho
constituency.
In Chinhoyi, four aspiring candidates - Cde Leo
Mugabe, civil servant Cde Douglas Mombeshora, former Chinhoyi mayor Cde
Faber Chidarikire and Central Committee member Cde Artwell Seremani - would
be locking horns. Philip Chiyangwa, who is currently in remand prison
awaiting trial on charges of contravening the Official Secrets Act, is the
sitting MP for Chinhoyi and has been disqualified from the race. In Chegutu,
there would be a battle of the titans as the incumbent MP Cde Webster Shamu
will fight it out with Politburo member and Deputy Speaker of Parliament Cde
Edina Madzongwe. Speaker of Parliament Cde Emmerson Mnangagwa will be vying
for the Kwekwe Central seat along with former Midlands provincial executive
member Cde Fredy Mabenge. Incumbent MP for Marondera West Cde Ambrose
Mutinhiri was nominated unopposed for the seat after his former wife, Tracy
Mutinhiri, withdrew from the race. In Murehwa North sitting MP Cde Victor
Chitongo is being challenged by Health and Child Welfare Minister Dr David
Parirenyatwa.
Cde Manyika said the Press was partly to blame for
causing confusion in relation to the aspiring candidates as initially the
media had published names of some aspirants while leaving out others. This
had resulted in some aspiring candidates panicking in the belief that they
had been left out thereby rushing to the party's headquarters to ascertain
the actual situation. Cde Manyika blasted some aspirants who had tried to
buy their way into the primaries using "huge sums of money" saying the
ruling party deplored such unethical conduct. "Some aspiring candidates were
paying huge sums of money to their supporters trying to commercialise Zanu
PF but (they should know that) people lost their lives during the liberation
struggle and we don't accept people who want to buy their way into the
party. "The party wants members who are patriotic not somebody who brings
money. We cannot run the party like that because what guarantee do we have
that they are committed to the people? I do not know from where they got
that money they have been dishing out," he said.
The ruling
party, Cde Manyika said, had taken positive steps by reserving one-third of
the 120 constituencies for aspiring women candidates. This was out of a
realisation that it was now time the role of women as partners in national
development was recognised. Cde Manyika said there was need for unity in the
party and the historic 1987 Unity Accord should always prevail above selfish
interests. He said disqualified candidates who were tempted to stand as
independents in the March parliamentary polls would have "expelled
themselves from the party". Commenting on allegations that Zanu PF
supporters in Glen Norah wanted disqualified war veterans leader Cde Joseph
Chinotimba to stand for the seat failing which they would not vote in the
parliamentary polls, Cde Manyika said every faithful member should respect
the position taken by the party. "Chinotimba is not Zanu PF although he is a
member and this must be understood. He has a case to answer with the
National Disciplinary Committee and the party is supreme. We have a
disciplinary code of conduct that should be followed," he
said.
Cde Manyika reiterated that the primary elections and the
forthcoming parliamentary polls should be held in a peaceful manner. The
ruling party had put all logistics in place to ensure the smooth running of
the primaries. Cde Chinotimba yesterday said he had accepted the decision by
the Politburo to reserve the Glen Norah seat for women. In a statement, Cde
Chinotimba said he respected the Politburo's decision and wanted the ruling
party to achieve a clean sweep in the forthcoming parliamentary elections.
"I welcome the decision made by the supreme body of our party for me not to
stand as a candidate in Glen Norah. That is the final result I was waiting
for and I totally welcome and accept it as it is," he said. Cde Chinotimba
said although he might be hurt because he had been campaigning in the
constituency before the decision of the Politburo, he accepted that the
party's supreme policy-making body had the final say. He would therefore not
oppose it. "I plead with the people of Glen Norah to accept this result and
choose freely the candidate they want in the primary elections. The election
should not give MDC a chance to win that constituency. Let's support Zanu PF
throughout. The party comes first before personal interests and I will be in
Glen Norah with the winning candidate and support her to the end," Cde
Chinotimba said. He also promised to update and furnish the candidate with
all the information regarding the work and projects he had initiated in Glen
Norah. "I am appealing to all comrades who were disqualified from standing
as candidates to put all their weight behind the Zanu PF candidates in their
constituencies," he said.