The Zimbabwean
HARARE - The MDC has
fingered Zanu (PF) as the hidden hand behind the
Mabvuku violence in which MP
Trudy Stevenson and some of her colleagues from
the Mutambara faction of the
opposition party were brutally assaulted.
MDC spokesman Nelson Chamisa the
police and Zanu (PF) were fumbling for
evidence in a desperate attempt to
implicate his party and its members in
the assault, which has been widely
condemned by the President of the MDC
Morgan Tsvangirai, the secretary
general Tendai Biti, as well as the women's
and youth leagues.
"The police
are now fumbling to get to the bottom of this matter and we
believe it is
only because the perpetrators of this heinous and shameful act
belong to Zanu
(PF). They are using propaganda to derail our focus.
"Since the event, a
number of MDC members including the MP for Mabvuku,
Timothy Mubawu, have been
tried, condemned and sentenced by The Herald," he
said.
Chamisa said the
inordinate amount of publicity given to the assault by the
"state-owned
propaganda machine" was in itself a cause for suspicion.
"There has been a
story and photos every day in which The Herald has flouted
all journalistic
norms in its attempts to implicate the MDC," he said.
"For the record, MDC
members Tererai Todini, Tonderai Ndira, Ernest Gengezha
and Tendai Chidziva,
who were arrested last week for allegedly attacking Mrs
Stevenson were
released on Saturday for lack of evidence linking them to the
case. But The
Herald continues to peddle lie that they are in police custody
and will
appear in court."
Chamisa said that while the five men were in custody, the
police seemed far
more interested in finding out more about the planned mass
protests than the
assault incident.
"They were surprised that the police
focused mainly on finding out which
members of the armed forces were in touch
with the MDC leadership and
exactly when the protests would begin."
When
the men asked why they were being arrested, the police told them they
were
'getting instructions from above'.
Chamisa said the events surrounding the
assault were reminiscent of the Cain
Nkala murder case of 2001, when MDC
members were arrested and spent nearly
two years in jail before the courts
eventually acquitted them. The judge
confirmed that they had been tortured
and the police had doctored evidence
to incriminate them. Fletcher
Ndulini-Ncube, MP, lost an eye while in
prison.
"The state media had a
field day - they tried these men and found them
guilty. The true murderers
are still at large," added Chamisa.
"We are convinced that Zanu (PF) was the
author of the violence in Mabvuku.
Trudy is a member of the MDC and the party
has an obligation to protect its
membership. It is the responsibility of the
police to protect citizens and
we note that the police failed to protect
innocent and defenceless citizens,
particularly women and children. To date,
400 members of the MDC have been
killed at the hands of Zanu PF and the
assailants are still roaming freely
and continue to commit other crimes with
impunity."
He said state security agents had launched an unprecedented terror
crusade
on MDC members in Mabvuku.
"The police continue to mislead the
nation that the MDC has "safe houses" in
Greendale and Mabvuku without
providing any shred of evidence. Zanu PF
vigilantes, state security agents
and one Gabriel Chaibva are moving around
the houses of all known MDC members
in Mabvuku, terrorizing them and
accusing them of attacking Mrs
Stevenson.
"We also note with concern that Mubhawu is now being implicated in
this case
for allegedly being the owner of the 'blue truck' that was used by
the
assailants. For the record, he does not have a blue truck and he
was
attending a church service at the time the alleged assault was carried
out."
The Zimbabwean
BY GIVEMORE
CHARI
I decided to flee to South Africa after continued persecution and
torture in
Zimbabwe by the government. I was abducted and nearly killed by
state
security agents who aimed to thwart the efforts of Zimbabwean
student
leaders. We were trying to make the government of Zimbabwe address
bread and
butter issues and also restore democracy to the country.
Last
year in October, I was suspended at college for the whole semester as
a
result of having called for the government to address the issue of
payouts
and student welfare in the country. Baseless allegations were created
to
justify my suspension. At this time, along with other students, I formed
a
student movement - Radicals for Delivery. We clashed with Zanu (PF)
youth
over the party's effort to establish its youth ranks throughout the
student
representative council. We are of the view that there is a thin line
between
student activism and national politics. We should not have students
gate
crashing the student body, riding on political connections to further
the
interests of certain political gurus; especially at the expense
of
addressing the plight of students. As a result we were labeled
members
of the opposition, put under surveillance by state security
agents and
received death threats. We were arrested and beaten during student
protests.
The persecution got worse when I attended the ZINASU congress two
months ago
in Harare where, among other resolutions, we resolved to carry out
mass
action against hiking of fees and the continued suffering of students,
which
the government is failing to address.
When we arrived at the venue
of the congress, there was a portrait of Mugabe
in the conference room. The
delegates agreed unanimously that it should be
removed because we believe he
rigged the elections and is not the legitimate
president of Zimbabwe. As a
result 48 students, including myself, were
arrested and charged with stealing
Mugabe's portrait and denigrating the
highest office in the land. We were
threatened in the process. Some female
students had male police officers
taking advantage of them and some of us
were beaten under the soles of our
feet by the police and denied access to
food until after our lawyers
intervened. We spent a night in police cells
but this did not destroy my
fighting spirit.
Barely two days after my release, Bindura University was
rocked by massive
student demonstrations against the hiking of tuition fees
beyond the reach
of many students. The police pounced on the students'
peaceful
demonstration. They brutally attacked students, arresting 18 and
injuring
many others. One student sustained a broken jaw after a ruthless
police
officer stepped on his head deliberately. Those arrested were
severely
tortured so much that they could not stand by themselves or speak.
Many of
them were tortured to reveal my hideout and were asked what I said
in
addressing them.
This made many students bitter and resulted in violent
clashes between
students and the police. During these protests I was abducted
by suspected
CIO members who were driving a brown Toyota pickup. I was
punched in the
head several times. My captors told me how they were going to
kill me. I
could tell they meant what they said but I managed to jump off the
car after
having seen that we were approaching a bushy area near Mazowe road
and
managed to out-sprint these three guys. I was hit by a beer bottle
and
sustained a minor head injury with a swollen eye.
I hastily left
Bindura and the police search for me intensified, to the
extent that secret
intelligence personnel beat my parents to get them to
reveal where I was. The
demonstration at the University continued and a
building was burnt down and
about 58 students were arrested and detained.
I believe this bombing was the
work of the intelligence guys in order to
fabricate criminal charges around
their prey because any peaceful protest by
university students in Mashonaland
Central was accompanied by state
sponsored violence on college property. This
violence was perpetrated by
Border Gezi militia masquerading as students, in
order to create grounds for
subsequent torture unlawful detentions and
incarcerations. I do not regret
my clashes with the regime because we were
fighting for a just cause in a
very democratic way. I will fight even
although I am in exile because I have
not run away from the struggle but have
only relocated strategically. I will
only stop the struggle when I am
dead.
But for now I need to continue with my education but the biggest hurdle
is
finance. -
Givemore Chari was the SRC president at Bindura University
of science
education. Anyone willing to assist him to continue with his
education in
South Africa can contact +27 (0) 783920363 or +27 (0)
768480753.
The Zimbabwean
BULAWAYO - A former
political prisoner and war veteran who split from the
ruling party has
accused the government of favouring ex-detainees who
support Zanu (PF) and
rewarding them financially. Ernest Malandu said all
former political
prisoners in the country were supposed to be receiving
monthly payments from
the government as stipulated in the Ex-Detainees Bill,
which became law last
year. But he has not been paid at all and neither have
many other
ex-detainees in Matabeleland. Malandu said the vetting exercises
to determine
who gets benefits were held at Zanu (PF) offices and
ex-detainees in the
rural areas of Matabeleland were never told.
He believes they are targeted on
many levels because it is no secret they do
not support Mugabe. - Tererai
Karimakwenda
The Zimbabwean
CHINHOYI - The
former mining town of Shackleton has been without running
water for weeks now
and a health crisis is looming. Without running water
the toilets cannot
flush. Many residents have built Blair toilets but there
are piles of waste
in many places. An outbreak of measles has already hit
the town but something
more serious could develop if no running water is
made available soon. The
residents of Shackleton were moved there from a
nearby farm where cholera had
started to spread. At the time the small
mining compound was owned by The
Zimbabwe Mining Development Corporation.
There was running water when the
Chinhoyi council took over but no
maintenance work has been done on the
pipes. The council has told the
residents there is no money for spare parts
either. - SW Radio Africa
The Zimbabwean
BY TATENDA MOYO
GABORONE -
The Zimbabwean Embassy here has responded to intensified pressure
from the
Botswana Civil Society Solidarity Coalition for Zimbabwe (BOCISCOZ)
by
attacking it in a statement.
The recently-launched coalition has been
conducting awareness campaigns on
the crisis in Zimbabwe through rallies,
marches and prayer vigils.
"As it turned out, the church service,
demonstrations and rally were
platforms for the non-governmental
organisations and individuals who were
linked to opposition political parties
in Zimbabwe, to preach the usual
anti-Zimbabwe rhetoric about good
governance, the rule of law and human
rights, and to plot their next actions
against the Government of Zimbabwe,"
read part of the statement that was sent
to Ditshwanelo, a human rights body
in Botswana.
The statement also
attacks Britain and the western countries for causing
social unrest in
Zimbabwe in order to attain regime change and for
manipulating developing
countries in Africa.
"One wonders whether the remarks made by a local priest
at the so-called
solidarity church service that the church should support the
weak whether
right or wrong; do not apply here, where a small country is
being victimized
by the rich and powerful.
It has become so obvious that
Britain and her allies are trying heir best to
use the issue of governance,
rule of law and human rights in their campaign
to isolate Zimbabwe in order
to effect regime change ."
The ambassador to Botswana, David Mandigora, has
turned down an invitation
from the coalition to attend a seminar on Zimbabwe
was held on Thursday in
Gaborone where representatives of WOZA, Crisis in
Zimbabwe Coalition and
Professor John Makumbe were in attendance.
The Zimbabwean
BY MAGARI MANDEBVU
I have heard a
lot of people rushing to condemn 'those responsible' for the
assault on Trudy
Stevenson. It is important not to rush to conclusions about
who is
responsible.
Seven of the attackers have been named, but who are they? And
who put them
up to this brutal attack?
There are three possibilities: they
were sent by the leaders of the main
branch of the MDC, or they were paid
agents of Zanu (PF) or they were
unwitting agents of Zanu (PF).
I find the
first hard to believe. Even after what we have seen happening in
the NCA, I
have more trust than that in the integrity of the leadership of
either
faction of the MDC. The leaders may not be able to control their
followers
completely, but that is another question which I will deal with
later.
The
second doesn't seem likely, either. Zanu (PF) members are not all
stupid.
They know that a willing ally is better than a paid agent, which is
really
only another name for a mercenary. I feel they would avoid anything
this
crude if they could find an alternative that serves their purpose.
My bet is
on the third alternative. We have an atmosphere of violence. That
being so,
it would be surprising if any organisation was completely free of
people with
violent tendencies. If Zanu (PF) has done anything beyond
creating that
atmosphere of violence, it might use subtle means such as
making sure that
some of the assailants' drinking companions plant ideas
about who to attack
when those assailants have drunk enough for the violence
bottled up inside
them to start bubbling to the surface. Actually, it would
be truer to say
they found an atmosphere of violence, learned to play that
game more
effectively than Smith's gang and emerged with 'degrees in
violence'.
A
member of the former ZAPU, said recently about the political violence
of
earlier times: "Yes, we all did it. That is what the situation drove us
to."
That man is one of the least likely among all my acquaintances to
believe
violence solves anything, but he admits that there were situations in
the
past where "we all did it" and he was carried along by that tide
of
violence. Who can guarantee that he or she won't be carried by the
next
surge of that tide? Could we expect the MDC leaders to be able to
discipline
their followers?
That is the real evil that faces us daily now.
We have been hating our
opponents for 40 years or more until we all became
uncomfortably like what
we hated. Yes, violence is 'the Zanu way' but they
didn't start it and it
doesn't end with them. It is a poison in the air we
breathe.
Of course we must demand that those who are guilty of murder, arson,
torture
and rape repent and make what reparation they can, but we persuade
them
better if we show we are concerned that they have made themselves into
evil
people and we want to help them overcome that evil. If we set out to
grind
them down in revenge, we would become like them and what good would
that do?
Remember the wise words of Mahatma Gandhi: "An eye for an eye only
leaves
the whole world blind."
The Zimbabwean
BY MARICO
SOKO
BULAWAYO - Billowing smoke can be seen in broad daylight, but it is
not
because winter has arrived in Bulawayo's high-density
suburbs.
Residents of this city of more than 2 million have trained
themselves to use
firewood as the country battles acute energy shortages with
constant
powercuts.
The power utility calls it load shedding, a strategy
intended to save
electricity, amid reports the country owes neighbouring
countries supplying
it million of United States dollars.
The Central
Business District, the city's commercial hub suddenly comes to a
stand still
as load shedding comes to town despite previous efforts by the
power utility
to spare industrial areas and other centres of commerce.
60-something year
old Susan Chisale says firewood has become her lifeline,
though she complains
she still has to pay her monthly electricity bill to
the power
utility.
She stoops by the fireplace each morning to prepare food for her
extended
family, and she says this reminds her of days she spent as a child
at her
rural home.
"But what can we do," she sighs as smoke assaults her
old eyes.
Firewood has become the source of livelihood for many here as it
has become
the cheapest source of energy as many families cannot afford the
previously
cheaper alternative, paraffin.
But this commodity has also
disappeared from service stations and now to be
found for an arm and a leg in
what is now referred as the black market where
virtually all scarce
commodities can be found.
As Zimbabwe's energy woes continue stalking the
country with the nation
having learnt to live with daily powercuts, the
environment has become the
latest casualty with trees fast
disappearing.
Families in urban areas have turned to firewood despite
concerns by
environmentalists that no trees are being planted for
posterity.
With the country's energy crisis in full swing, families have
turned to
firewood, as many here cannot afford alternative but expensive
fuels like
gas stoves.
Mrs Chisale is one among millions here who have
turned to trees for
survival, but Portia Mdumbu of Environment 2000, an
environment watchdog
here, says this has been at a huge cost to the
environment.
Ms Mdumbu says trees in urban areas are fast disappearing as
families cannot
afford paraffin with many also not able to afford what are
popularly known
here as primus stoves which use paraffin.
She says though
conservation of natural resources has always been emphasised
by
environmentalists and other concerned groups, this has become difficult
as
families have little or no choice in the absence of electricity.
Her
sentiments were echoed by Bulawayo City Council spokesman Mr Pathisa
Nyathi
who says though the council has by-laws which seek to protect
the
environment, this has become difficult to enforce considering the
continuing
power shortages.
Titus Mlotshwa sells firewood outside a
council beerhall. He says he gets
this vital source of energy which has found
ready buyers with urban
residents from a farm along Gwanda Road just outside
Bulawayo.
He says this farm, occupied by veterans of the liberation war
during the
height of the farm invasions, has seen trees dwindling as demand
has grown
in urban areas.
Zimbabwe faces an unprecedented major energy
crisis as the country's foreign
currency crunch and recession now into its
seventh year continues stalking
the country.
Meanwhile, the country's
ministry of environment is yet to come out in the
open with any position on
the conservation of natural resources as
deforestation threatens to leave
large tracts of unprotected earth across
the country.
Each year on the
first Saturday of December, the country observes National
Tree Planting Day,
but during the course of the year there has not been any
emphasis from the
authorities, though the parastatal Forestry Commission
proclaims that trees
are life.
The Zimbabwean
PRETORIA - The innovative
Zimbabwe Pastors Forum (ZPF) has been offered a 10
hectare farm in
Hamaskraal, some 30 kilometres north of Pretoria, to start
income generating
projects for asylum seekers, refugees, unemployed and
people living with
HIV/AIDS.
The offer was made by a non-governmental organisation called the
Cross-Over
Projects (COP), which is being administered by United Nations (UN)
expert
Elizabeth Gordon.
Speaking at the hand-over ceremony on Sunday,
Gordon said the farm would
help ease economic suffering among the Zimbabwe
refugee community living in
South Africa.
"This farm is enough to cater
for several hundreds of the Zimbabwean and
other refugees communities if
fully utilised.Viable projects such as
piggery, poultry, animal husbandry and
crop farming would help create dozens
of jobs for the disadvantaged people,"
she said.
A tour of the farm revealed a huge dam, full of water and a lodge
that could
be used for hosting seminars and conferences in order to generate
income.
Speaking at the same function, the Zimbabwe Pastors Forum (ZPF)
Vice
President, Freddy Chinanga of the Family of God (FOG) Johannesburg,
thanked
God for bring the forum into contact with COP. - CAJ News
The Zimbabwean
BY DR FARAI
MADZIMBAMUTO
'Politicians have no respect for the opinion of health
professionals'
Have you ever wondered why it is that when you hear about a
humanitarian
health disaster somewhere in the world, you hardly ever hear
what the
doctors there have to say about it? This is specially so in Africa
where the
are many heart rending goings on in Darfur, Congo, Sierra Leone,
Zimbabwe
and many others. One is more likely to hear from Medicines sans
Frontiers,
or Save the Children Fund or some other.
Last month medical
associations from Canada, Thailand, Malaysia, South
Africa, Nigeria, Ghana,
Zimbabwe, Zambia, Sudan and the British Medical
Association met to discuss
'improving health in the developing world: what
can national medical
associations do?' Also present were a number of
interest groups.
The UN
Rapporteur on 'right to highest attainable health', Paul Hunt said
every
country in the world was a signatory to the international conventions
that
enshrine 'health' as a human right. As a result every country
government has
obligations to fulfil. The problem is 'who' is going to be
seeing to it that
these are fulfilled? It is the responsibility of citizens.
It is the coming
together of the demand on governments to fulfil their
obligations and civil
society to monitor that constitutes the 'right to
health'
movement.
National Medical Associations [NMAs] represent and consist of
citizens who
are informed and influential. They have a duty to watch the
government on
behalf of their patients and ensure that it is fulfilling its
obligations.
They also have a duty to inform the citizens so that people can
participate
and make informed decisions about the health choices they
have.
One of the medical association delegates asked why it is that the
leaders of
medical associations sometimes become government ministers, and
then often
do more damage to the health system during their tenure than a
non-medical
person. The irony was heightened when it was pointed out that
medical
associations are often set up with lofty aims of doing social good
and
maintaining standards, but actually when they meet they discuss only
forms
of personal gain.
Many medical associations cosy up to government
thinking they can influence
it, but in reality politicians have no respect
for the opinion of health
professionals with regard to health policy or
administration. This is not an
African phenomenon only.
There are many
diseases in the world that are found among communities that
do not represent
potential profitable markets for drug companies. The
research and development
resources for drug multinationals represent
hundreds of millions of dollars
per drug to reach the market.
This can only be recouped in high cost and
large volume markets. More money
still is then spent registering the drug in
all the countries of the world.
This all tends to marginalize drugs that
cannot attract large markets at
high prices for a long enough patent period.
This is a health human rights
issue.
However, private public partnerships
[PPP] in drug development can and do
make potential drugs [or compounds]
developed through public finance in
universities and other establishments
available to companies to develop for
the market. However, they need funding
support through public funds or by
attracting investors.
That some
diseases are neglected or that health needs of some communities
are
marginalized should be on the agenda of the NMAs. They could use
their
international lobby potential to press for international funding.
Dr
Titiola Banjulu, who is director of Africa Recruit, pointed out that
from
data collected from African professionals in the diaspora including
health
professionals, over 70% of want to continue to have professional
contact
with Africa including returning for periods of time, but there are
no
mechanisms that permit such a relationship to continue.
There is a
large gap of unfulfilled need existing in the community, for
which health
professionals have an ethical responsibility, which the
associations are not
addressing because they are trying to cosy up to
government. The governments
are very hard bedfellows. They take but don't
give.
In Zambia all the
junior doctors were sacked when they took industrial
action to support pay
demands. The medical system has never recovered with
very few local doctors
wanting to stay after qualifying. In Sudan over 50%
of the population has no
access to a health facility at all. In Ghana 90% of
doctors are in Accra and
Kumasi regions of the country. However, there is
some movement. The health
human rights agenda is slowly creeping up the 'to
do list'.
During the
first week of November, 12 medical associations from Africa are
meeting in
South Africa to set up the Africa Region of the World Medical
Association
[WMA]. The WMAs main arena is medical ethics and health human
rights. In May
several health human rights associations from Eastern and
Southern Africa met
in Nairobi. So, maybe, in the future it will be African
health professionals
championing the health of their people.
The Zimbabwean
By a Correspondent
HARARE - Despite its criticisms, the parliamentary
committee which reported
on the state-run media failed to address the key
issues of turning the state
broadcaster into an independent public
broadcaster, or the myriad of laws
suppressing freedom of expression,
MISA-Zimbabwe said.
In a detailed critique, the local chapter of the Media
Institute of Southern
Africa said the recommendation by the Parliament
Portfolio Committee - see
second extract on this page - that Zimbabwe
Broadcasting Holdings be
restructured into the former ZBC would not guarantee
the emergence of a
public broadcaster.
Rather than structural changes, new
laws are needed to establish an
"independent public broadcaster, which
carries the voices of all sectors in
society regardless of economic,
political, language or racial differences,"
said MISA-Zimbabwe.
Similarly,
in its examination of the state-run newspapers, led by The Herald
and The
Chronicle, the committee made no mention of notorious anti-press
laws such as
the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act. The
Mass Media Trust
board, supposed to act as buffer against state interference
when the
government bought the newspapers after 1980 independence has failed
to work.
The committee focused instead on issues such as journalists' pay.
"Zimpapers
has remained, as it was when Cecil John Rhodes formed The Herald,
newspapers
that serve the ruling elite at the expense of the rest of
society," said
MISA-Zimbabwe. It then added a recommendation that the Mugabe
regime is
certain to ignore: that the authorities divest their shareholding
in
Zimpapers.
In a contradictory stance, too, sections of the state-run media
testified to
the committee that foreign publications should be banned, while
trying, for
example, to sell The Chronicle in Botswana.
"MISA-Zimbabwe
sees no positive gain of restricting and prescribing what
citizens of
Zimbabwe can read or not read, see or not see, listen to or not
listen to. In
any case, in this day and age, such foreign publications can
be accessed
through the Internet including foreign television and radio,"
said the
critique, submitted to Parliament. "What, in fact, Hon Members
should
encourage is an increase of diverse media products, opening up of
banned
Zimbabwean newspapers, and the decision on what and which newspaper
to read
has to be made by the respective reader."
Well, that would be the day in
Mugabe's Zimbabwe.
In similar no-chance recommendation, MISA-Zimbabwe urged
that the second TV
channel, National Television Station, should once more be
leased to private
broadcasters. It noted that the former ZBC had been
successfully leasing
this channel to independent TV stations, including LDM,
MABC and Joy TV.
"As noted by the committee, the ZBH has no competition hence
the lethargic
approach to business," MISA-Zimbabwe added.
The Zimbabwean
Last week we
published the first extract from a report by a Parliament
Portfolio Committee
on the state-run media which was highly critical of
Zimbabwe Broadcasting
Holdings (ZBH). In this second extract, the Zanu
(PF)-dominated committee
concludes that the state media is poorly organized
and run, its journalists
are badly paid, and it lacks both capital and
qualified staff.
Management
felt that the General Manager (of The Chronicle, Bulawayo) was
not adequately
empowered to make decisions that matter as even small
decisions had to be
referred to Head Office. He was there just to pass
reports on to the
headquarters and be instructed on what to do. Management
also felt that the
Chief Executive Officer, Mr. J. Mutasa was wielding too
much power.
(At
The Herald) the Committee was informed that there was no workers
committee in
place as the previous committee had abandoned its duties due to
threats from
the management.
Management was accused of corruption, physical and sexual
abuse of female
workers and that management was not following the laid down
procedure when
they dealt with such issues. The Committee also learned that
Zimpapers
management was misappropriating company resources by either buying
them
below their market value or personalising its function, for example
cars,
fuel coupons or overseas trips.
Mutasa stated that the issue of the
Workers Committees plight had to do with
corporate governance. In the past
they used to have it their own way and
that in essence had brought the
company to its knees.
OBSERVATIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
The Committee
recommended that restructuring at ZBH should be done in terms
of the old
Zimbabwe Broadcasting Company structure and have top structure
with four
tiers headed by: A Chief Executive Officer (first tier), a
Directorate (4);
Human Resources, Administration and Finance, Broadcasting
Services and
Business Development (second tier), Heads of Departments: News
and Current
Affairs, Radio Services, Zimbabwe Television Services,
Information Systems,
Engineering and Technical Services, Corporate Services,
Production Services,
and Marketing and Business Services (third tear), and
editorial Staff (fourth
tear). Transmedia should be incorporated in the new
ZBH structures as part of
the Engineering department.
The Committee recommends that BAZ should focus on
issuing out licences in
2006 especially the Community radios in every
district. BAZ needs new
monitoring Transmitters, as the current ones are
obsolete. BAZ must come up
with a strategy to combat the pirate stations,
which are deliberately over
spilling into Zimbabwe. The government allocation
for BAZ should gradually
be reduced, as it will become self-sustaining when
more broadcasters are
licensed.
The Committee observed that there were
newspapers that flood the Zimbabwean
market a day or two before the
elections. The Committee recommends that
there should be a regulation that
prohibits the coverage of elections at
least 48 hours prior to the elections
just as in the United Kingdom and the
United States of America they have
compliance laws
On the matter of the Media and Information Commission (MIC)
controlling
foreign distributors of newspapers and magazines, your Committee
noted that
this was a matter of public policy, which should be referred to
the public.
The Committee identified the following problems that are
universal in the
media industry; poor organizational structures that are not
in line with the
government thrust to make the parastatals self-sustaining
entities. These
organizations are fraught with administrative short comings,
for instance;
unclear authority demarcations, low remuneration of personnel
resulting in
the resignation of most of the qualified personnel, lack of
capitalization -
either in the short term or long term and in some cases
organizations had
foreign debts that are increasing year after year due to
inflation.
The Committee recommends that the government should either
streamline these
organizations by reducing them into a leaner structure with
a few Strategic
Business Units or to serious consider recapitalization or to
consider other
sources of investment.
Committee members: L. Mugabe
(chairperson), L. Chikomba, G. Chimbaira, S.
Machirori,
E. Mdlongwa, T.
Mubhawu, J. Moyo, D. .M. Ncube, C. Pote, E. Porusingazi, J.
Sikhala, Z.
Ziyambi and M. Zwizwai. Senators: E. Jacob, F. R. E. Magadu, J.
Moyo, R.
Ndlovu, S. Sai
We are not tribalists
EDITOR - We wish to raise our concern on the reports
and insults that have
been peddled on CAJ news and reprinted in your
newspaper on our organisation
and the Ndebele people in general.
For the
last 26 years the people of Matebeleland have had the worst
treatment coming
from the genocidal Mugabe Regime. We are deeply saddened by
reports based on
rumours, half-truths, lies and forged documents.
It is mischief on the part
of journalists not to seek our comment since we
disassociated ourselves from
any form of tribalism during the Umdala Wethu
Gala. None of the reports are
based on comments from our office bearers.
While we note that Mugabe has
excluded Ndebele people from the mainstream
economic and political activities
we do not take kindly to stereotypes that
Ndebele people are uneducated as
reported by CAJ news on Friday June 30.
Such kinds of treatment by media
vindicates our position that the rights of
the Ndebele as a minority group
are being trampled upon hence the need to
advocate for a free society in
Zimbabwe where people are not judged by their
village of origin but by their
qualities.
How on earth could a self-respecting news agency concentrate on
tribalism,
ignoring the overwhelming success of the Gala where Zimbabweans
rekindled
their quest for freedom which is the hallmark of Joshua Nkomo's
legacy.
The Nkomo commemoration brought the two warring factions of the MDC
to share
a platform when Nqabutho Dube and Sox Chikowero represented their
different
factions. I think this was an achievement! What does CAJ news
think?
Africa is in turmoil today in the DRC, Uganda and Sudan because of
group of
individuals who mistakenly think by virtue of their numerical
superiority
and access to resources they are ordained to speak and act on
behalf of
others.
As Mthwakazi Forum we wish to give a platform to
Zimbabweans to chat a way
forward in pursuit of their freedom and
democracy.
Mlamuli Mhlaba Nkomo, Director, Mthwakazi Forum,
SA
-----------------
Mapfumo - ever inspiring
EDITOR - I would
like to thank Thomas Mapfumo for his "all season" music.
His music is ever
inspiring to the suffering Zimbabwean masses. During the
colonial era he
fearlessly stood against oppression and a lot found solace
and inspiration
from his songs. After attaining what we believed was
independence, he helped
us celebrate by such songs as CHITIMA
CHERUSUNUNGUKO. That time no doubt
everyone hoped rosier times were
beginning to unfold. With the passage of
time and the Zanu (PF) government
beginning to show its true colours, he came
up with timely hits like
CORRUPTION. And since then he has refused to be
cowed into toeing the party
line and has never sung praises were there were
not due. He has steadfastly
maintained his true revolutionary spirit.
Listening to his song "Vanoita
Sevanokudai" one cannot help but get a clearer
picture of the relationship
between Mugabe and his ministers. MAGOBO sums up
the daily struggle by the
masses for survival in very difficult
circumstances. I hope in the near
future we will dance to his song PIDIGORI
after the fall of the current
dictatorship. Dr Mapfumo is one person I think
should finally rest at The
National Heroes Acre, although I also believe that
those who have polluted
the national shrine must be exhumed should an
accountable government take
over.
C NGAIRONGWE,
UK
------------------
People Power does work
EDITOR - Because
of total mismanagement of the country by our leaders we are
now in an
extremely critical state, with, among other things, erratic to
zero fuel
supplies, an inflation rate topping the 1200% mark, unemployment
at over 80%
and the Zimkwacha losing value daily, even over the Mozambican
metical. What
are we to do?
The ballot-box doesn't work, dialogue doesn't work,
international pressure
doesn't work, so let's get up on our hind legs and
show that people power
does work.
Those who have ridden roughshod over us
for so many years, murdering, raping
and looting with impunity, cannot be
left to go free in a post-Zanu (PF)
Zimbabwe under the auspices of the United
Nations - this would be condoning
grand larceny and murder, but to name a few
crimes committed in tenure of
office. Exchanging a return to sanity for
amnesty should not be an option -
the guilty must be punished, no matter who
they may be.
The leader of the pack hates failure at whatever he does; I'm
afraid, my
friend, you have failed dismally to manage what was once a
pristine country
with everything going for it. You have failed the people;
you are a failure
and will leave behind a legacy of ruin. What a shame for
your family and
totem (if you have one). You fulfilled a very small part of
your dream by
getting rid of a few Whites. I wonder what it'll be like going
to the grave
a non-achiever?
TAYLOR,
Manicaland
--------------------
We need 2 Heroes Acres
EDITOR -
Your 15-21 June edition under the headline "Jokonya threatens the
media"
reported him as saying traitors would die: "The end of traitors is
death".
Well, it has happened.
Unfortunately, he was unable to distinguish Zimbabwe
from Zanu (PF) and was
terrified of alternative opinions which opposed his
prostituted totalitarian
force-feeding.
(The Voice seems to have met a
traitor's end as well.) He was a Hero, which
he never was in life. Those who
opposed him often were. We need two Heroes'
Acres: one for Zimbabwe and one
for Zanu (PF).
His prophecy reminds of his boss's threats to people power
advocates
.Nowhere has that led to violence. 99% of violence in Zimbabwe
since the
Gukurahundi pogrom has been perpetrated by supporters of the
government. If
the opposition decides to operate outside the forbidden areas
of state media
and police-enforced invisibility.
TITCHY JOKE,
Harare
-------------------
Wake up Britain
EDITOR - "Wake up,
Britain, it's pay-back time" had its omissions, half
truths and errors.
Anyhow, it's a little late!
Britain did not capture a "number" of
"magnificent countries" because of the
ruthlessness of Rhodes. He had nothing
to do with Swaziland, Lesotho,
Botswana, Malawi becoming British , or South
Africa for a few years; he
died, having lost power, just after the start of
the Anglo-Boer War, and in
a decade S A was independent. The Boers had been
the liberal world's
heroes -Britain should pay them back, as Mashonaland
should pay Matabeleland
for the Gukurahundi Pogrom...etc.
What is now
Zimbabwe (roughly) wasn't a 'magnificent' country, except for
its animals.
Not a good word has ever been said about the Matabele
Ascendancy of 50+
years. When Lobengula died only a few "Zimbabweans"
mourned. The Mfecane had
spread nastiness up to Nyasaland. I recall a letter
in the "Bulawayo
Comical", which congratulated "indigenous" Zimbabweans on
making room for
these refugees fleeing Tshaka. It was actually ethnic
cleansing. Oddly the
Ndebele are now called Indigenous. Are Turks in
Germany?
The population
was about one to a square kilometre. By 1980 (in 90 years) it
had multiplied
by about 40 times. (France's at that rate would have doubled
China's.)
At
least twice in the early 70's the UN put S Rhodesia top. Yet the
missionary
Moffat once reported that he had travelled 100 miles without
seeing one human
being.
Peti Nyemba is right about Rhodesia's magnificent civil service,
efficient
and, of course, incorruptible. It was dismantled in1980 when whites
were
told by the PM that they had no chance ever of promotion. Corruption
wasn't
mentioned before 1980. Soon it showed itself in the theft of vets'
pay, the
BCCI, the Sandura Commission, etc.
Pioneers had expected gold;
disappointed, they introduced farming - Africa's
best.
In the 80's, of
course, the new regime spent all its money on education and
health, but by
Marxist folly destroyed industry and the economy, so by 1990
we were in the
hands of the IMF. Well, you know the rest...
THE OBSERVER, by E
mail
----------------
Violence deplored
EDITOR - I read with
great sadness reports of the attack on Harare North
Member of Parliament,
Honourable Trudy Stevenson, Linos Mushonga, Simangele
Manyere and Others by
youth suspected to be loyal to the MDC.
I want to thank the MDC leadership
for the commitment they have demonstrated
by quickly appointing a commission
of inquiry, a commission made up of
people outside the party structures. This
is the first time in Zimbabwean
politics I have heard a commission composed
of lawyers who are not senior
officials in a political party being appointed
to investigate an incident
involving violence.
While officials from
Honourable Trudy Stevenson's party have been quick to
accuse the MDC
President on this latest incident, it is quite sad to recall
that when some
MDC activists were equally seriously injured in Bulawayo by
youth suspected
to belong to the Professor Mutambara lead party, we didn't
hear that party's
leadership blame the incident in the same manner as has
been expressed by MDC
officials. Not only have they condemned the act, but a
commission of inquiry
comprising a lawyer from the Zimbabwe Human Rights
Lawyers Association has
been put in place to investigate the incident.
I am also happy that ZIMCET
will also investigate the incident. Any claims
by anybody that the MDC
tolerates violence is therefore very unfortunate,
especially juxtaposed to
the deafening silence by the same officials when
MDC activists were attacked
in similar fashion in Bulawayo, and when
President Tsvangirai narrowly
escaped an attack by people suspected to be
activists of the Professor
Mutambara-led party.
Whoever the culprits are, and whichever party they
belong to, they should be
brought to book. If they are found to be members of
the MDC, then the party
should deal with them accordingly.
For peace and
stability, all political parties are encouraged to discourage
their youths
from violent activity, and to condemn acts of violence, even
when they could
have been carried out by their own activists.
I wish them all a speedy
recovery.
BENJAMIN CHITATE, New Zealand
-------------
Behave,
or go home
EDITOR - I am appalled to read in the D/Mail of 6th July of the
behaviour of
the Zim
student Dexter Hungwa from Abbey Manor College in
Lewisham, who assaulted
his headteacher on being asked to close a door. The
lady suffered facial
injuries in the violent attack.
His actions may be
regarded as normal back where he came from today, he
would
do well to
remember that there are rules to live by in UK. An apology from
his mother
would be more apt than the excuses she offered the press. He
should behave or
go back "home".
OUTRAGED, UK
--------------
Britain gained
most
EDITOR - I agree with Peti Nyemba that the African continent and its
people
should have been allowed to develop naturally, at their own pace
and
following their own proven way of life.
Today, Mugabe has been clever
enough to exploit the race card and jump into
the international 'no man's
land' where black cannot be questioned or
brought to justice. However, I
believe that even the uncontrolled violence
and corruption that is
encapsulated within Mugabe and Zimbabwe today is a
result of Britain's hasty
and poorly planned retreat from the country.
Sadly, the old British
pensioners are still waiting for Lord Carrington's
promises to safeguard
their pensions and civil rights, to be fulfilled.
The truth is that Britain
is the prime culprit where the collapse of
Zimbabwe is concerned. Britain
gained the most benefits out of the country -
therefore Britain should pay
the price of retribution and restoration.
SJ,
Brixton
-------------
Smart sanctions
EDITOR - Apart from smart
sanctions against the Politburo, etc., here is a
complete list of sanctions
against Zimbabwe:
1.
2.
Of course, firms and people shun
a failed state and tyranny, but that's
their choice, not sanctions. As with
North Korea also.
FACT & FIGURES, Harare
---------------
No
dream of returning
EDITOR - Like Jackie Robinson (The Zimbabwean 29 June - 5
July) I also left
my
homeland two years ago. Unlike her I know who to
blame. She has the great
advantage of the resilience of youth and she will
adjust and adapt to life
so much quicker. At my age trying to adjust to a
culture which, although of
my forefathers, is so alien and whose standards,
principles, behaviour and
'socialising' are so very different are, to
say
the least, very difficult for me and it is slow going.
The life I knew
in Zimbabwe is dead and gone and I mourn it's passing but I
appreciate and am
very grateful for what I have here - so much more and
better than 'back
home'. Although I yearn for my 'home' I do not dream of
returning - I know
I never will. If everything miraculously 'came right'
it would take decades
to get the country back to what it was like even at
the end of the UDI
war!
S.I.R-Behn, (a lot older than 14!)
Scotland
--------------
Where is our moral fibre?
EDITOR - What
is it about Zimbabweans that takes them so long to make a
decision? Ever
since I can remember, it has been a case of "let's wait and
see". Now we've
waited so long we can hardly see a way forward.
In days gone by, if inflation
hit 15-or-so% more than GDP (in Zimbabwe's
case probably just about zero!),
there was unrest - now we're in excess of
1,000% inflation and still we just
whine - where is our moral fibre? Our
gangster government just walks
roughshod over us, and like happy whores we
just roll over and take it. We
seem to think that the UN will maybe solve
our woes, or Britain, or China or
the United States - but it is only us who
can get ourselves out of the mess
we've put ourselves in.
So what if 30,000 of us die in the process? Those
30,000 will save the
remaining 12-odd million - and we'll bring attention to
ourselves, because
the lily-livered "free world" only takes cognisance when
thousands are
killed, not only a few hundred, as is the case in Zimbabwe.
Plus we've got
no oil, so the West couldn't give a damn for us.
The only
way out as I see it is, like the majority of African states, we
need a good
old-fashioned bit of civil strife. And all you cowards in the
diaspora, come
back and shout the odds from your home turf instead of from
the safety of
faraway shores.
TAYLOR, Manicaland
--------------
All forced to
be middle-men
EDITOR - We wish that the country would go back to the old days
where you
would be rewarded even if you did not have any qualifications. My
father
only had a grade seven education, but he managed to get a clerical job
which
enabled him to buy a house and send us three children to a good
boarding
school. We spent two years at that school, this is something you can
only
achieve today with the help of someone in the diaspora.
During this
time the art of being a middle-man commodity broker was a
sophisticated job,
today almost everyone is forced into this role. The life
we lead is not good
at all. We spend the whole day at our official work
places and after work, or
in our lunch times we try and sell goods to make
ends meet. On the weekends
we go across the Limpopo and even fake sick leave
as a way of getting
by.
We no longer have time to visit relatives and friends and are often
unable
to go to funerals because we are only worried about where our next
meal is
coming from. If we do visit someone it is for strategic reasons,
perhaps he
can buy what you are selling or perhaps he has something to sell
which you
need. How do those who have not mastered the art of the middle-man
survive?
It is now a laughable matter to keep your savings in Zim dollars.
Are these
the benefits of black empowerment? You can change this situation if
you
really want to, where there is a will, there is a way.
JAMES MOYO,
Harare
July 13,
2006,
By ANDnetwork .com
An Indian firm, Steelmakers
(Private) Limited, will soon start coal
mining in Gudo communal lands in
Chiredzi, Zimbabwe.
The area is believed to have an estimated 500
millions tons of coal.
The coal deposits cover over 2 500 hectares.
Steelmakers will mine the
mineral primarily for use at its Masvingo plant
where the company
manufactures sponge iron.
Feasibility studies
at the new mine have been taking place over the
past six months.
Steelmakers operations manager, Bade Prabhakar, said they expected to
start
full-scale coal mining in the next month.
Prabhakar said the
anticipated lifespan of the mine was 100 years with
initial monthly coal
production expected to be 20 000 tons before
significantly rising in relation
to demand.
"We have completed feasibility studies and the estimated
reserves of
the coal deposits at this mine is 500 million tons which will
take us 100
years to exhaust.
"We hope to start fully-fledged
mining next month and we hope
everything will be in place by then and our
initial monthly production
target is 20 000 tonnes," said
Prabhakar.
He revealed that his company was going to venture into
coal mining
specifically for use at its Masvingo plant where it produces
sponge iron.
Board approval was necessary for the company to go
into commercial
mining.
The Chiredzi coal was one of the best in
the country as it was low in
sulphur, making it ideal for the manufacture of
liquid fuel.
Chiredzi could become a major producer within the next
decade while
another company - Verify Engineering - also on the verge of
resuming coal
mining at another site in Gudo communal lands.
Once fully operational, the Chiredzi coal mines were expected to go a
long
way in meeting the national coal demand which presently exceeds supply,
with
Hwange being the major producer of the "black stones that burn".
Chiredzi is also believed to be home to vast deposits of diamonds and
natural
gas which have the potential of turning the district, better known
for its
sugar plantations, into a mining hub.
Mining experts on Tuesday
revealed that although the presence of coal
in Chiredzi was public knowledge,
there was need for more exploration work
to determine its suitability for
different purposes.
"Coal deposits in Chiredzi are at the moment
only known to be fit for
general use such as firing boilers and further
studies need to be done to
determine whether it can be used for specialised
purposes like for
metallurgical purposes where coking coal is used and that
coal at the moment
is found at Hwange," said a mining expert in the ministry
of mines and
mining development who refused to be identified.
He
also added that besides the question of quality, Chiredzi coal was
discovered
at a later date than those at Hwange.
There was also need for
further exploration work to determine whether
the Chiredzi deposits could
sustain full-scale commercial production.
The Herald
zimbabwejournalists.com
By Dennis Rekayi
MUTARE - PATRICK
Chinamasa, the Justice Minister risks being issued
with an arrest warrant if
he fails to appear before the Rusape Magistrates'
Courts on July 17 to answer
charges of attempting to obstruct the course of
justice, an official from the
Attorney General's (AG) office said yesterday.
The official from
the AG's office, who spoke on condition of
anonymity, said Chinamasa was
served with summons to appear in court on July
17.
Should
Chinamasa fail to appear at the courts this time around a
warrant of arrest
will be issued against him, the official from the AG's
office
said.
The minister was due to appear in court on July 3 but did not
do so
after the AG's office failed to serve him with summons.
Chinamasa was, however, served with summons on July 6 by an officer
from the
Zimbabwe Republic Police.
"He was served personally with the
summons on July 6 and we now expect
him to come to court without any
problems," said an official from the AG's
office. "If he does not attend then
a warrant of arrest will be issued
against him."
The charges
stem from an incident in which the justice minister
allegedly tried to
influence key witnesses to withdraw charges arising from
incidents of
political violence that rocked Makoni North, which initially
linked Didymus
Mutasa, the powerful Minister of State Security.
Chinamasa will be
tried together with Innocent Chibaya, head of the
dreaded Central
Intelligence Organisation (CIO) in Manicaland, Cosmas
Chiringa, the district
administrator for Makoni, Dennis Masiya, a senior
state intelligence officer,
Simba Muzariri and Robson Makoni.
Chibaya, Masiya, Muzariri and
Makoni appeared before the Magistrates'
Court in Rusape and were remanded on
free bail to July 17.
It is alleged that on December 18 2005 and
January 25 this year
Chinamasa and the four attepted to entice James Kaunye,
Leavence Kaunye,
George Mukundu, Fred Dube, Pedzisai Samanyanga, Wilson
Kuwasekera, Emma
Kapundanga, Nurse Zonke and Idah Chiparange not to give
evidence on charges
of political violence that rocked Makoni in the run up to
the 2005
parliamentary polls.
He is alleged to have approached
them during the Zanu PF People's
Conference in Esigodini in December last
year and persuaded them to drop the
case.
Ruling party
supporters loyal to Mutasa went on a rampage and beat up
war veteran leader,
Kaunye and his supporters for daring to challenge the
powerful Zanu PF
secretary for administration in the constituency.
Several of
Kaunye's supporters were seriously assaulted apparently at
the behest of
Mutasa and his campaign manager Albert Nyakuedzwa.
Mutasa was later
absolved but 23 of his supporters were dragged to
court over the violent
attacks.
The Herald, Scotland
ROB
ADAMS July 13 2006
Banjo players, accordionists and drummers may feel
they get a raw deal in
western society, being the butt of constant jokes. For
the mbira players of
pre-independence Zimbabwe, however, playing their
instrument had much more
serious possibilities - including jail
sentences.
For a woman, playing an instrument that was regarded as a male
preserve, and
which was viewed by local missionaries as Satan's work,
presented further
problems, as Stella Chiweshe quickly discovered.
Now a
major star of world music, Chiweshe is known as the Mbira Queen of
Zimbabwe.
Although, unlike her uncle, she was never thrown in jail for
playing the
thumb piano, as the mbira is also known, she was initially
stigmatised and
forced to play underground at all-night ceremonies to avoid
the
authorities.
"Why did they feel they had to ban the mbira?" she echoes my
question. "I
could ask the same of you. But with traditional, music people
can express
themselves and be more grounded. To be able to rule over us, they
had to
stop us from any cultural activities. This happened in the whole of
Africa,
of course, and to other countries outside of Africa as
well."
Chiweshe grew up in the Mhondoro forest region some 45 miles from
Zimbabwe's
capital, Harare, and as a child she was, she says, "always
drumming, on the
door, on a dish ... I couldn't stop making rhythms".
She
attended her first mbira ceremony aged 16, in 1962. After listening to
this
hypnotic, chiming sound created on a series of metal tines housed in a
gourd,
she was smitten.
"That sound just kept ringing in my head," she says. "For
two years I
carried that sound around with me until I finally got an mbira to
play."
This was easier said than done. You couldn't just go to a shop and buy
an
mbira and, when you found someone who made them, if you were a young
woman,
you might well be considered insane. It was also dangerous to own an
mbira -
Chiweshe recalls one incident when, warned of a police raid, her
family
buried all their instruments and other traditional symbols in a pit in
a
field so that when the police arrived, they found nothing.
"Since only
men played it, my desire to play made my people think I had lost
my mind,"
she says. "If there had been a clinic for mentally disturbed
people, they
would have locked me in - just because I said I wanted to play.
I still
didn't have one at this point."
Eventually, the mbira elders relented and
reluctantly agreed to teach her,
but because Chiweshe had to sit with these
men to learn from them, the women
around about began calling her names,
saying that she was loose.
"They were ashamed of me and very uncomfortable
with me playing," she says.
"But two things enabled me to keep on. The first
was that the more strongly
they refused to see me play, the more courage they
gave me. And I had a
burning desire which became more and more painful. So to
heal myself, I knew
I had to play mbira."
Chiweshe had to lead a double
life - playing at mbira ceremonies by night
and working as a maid by day. She
made her first recordings of traditional
music in the early 1970s for the
Rhodesian Broadcasting Corporation, still
using a borrowed mbira.
Then one
day in 1974, at a football match, she heard music coming over the
public
address system and, seeing the crowd's response, she decided she had
to
record a particular song. Kasahwa became her first single. It sold well
-
going gold - as did the 20 or so singles that followed, but the
financial
rewards didn't seem to match the sales.
Disillusioned, she took
a break from recording until the late 1980s.
Meanwhile, she toured as an
actress with the National Dance Company of
Zimbabwe and when the group
visited Germany, she decided to set up home
there, at least for part of the
year. She still uses Germany as her base for
touring and business and returns
to Zimbabwe to play music, as she says,
"for my elders and for my ancestors
in the countryside".
As well as communing with the spirits, she has also
passed on her skills to
her daughter, Virginia, now known as the Mbira
Princess of Zimbabwe.
For Chiweshe, the appeal of the instrument remains its
sound, which she
likens to the sound of water and is thus readily familiar to
people across
the world, and the healing quality that she recognised it
having early on.
"The mbira, for me, is so comforting each time I play," she
says. "No matter
where I play it, it heals troubled minds, it soothes, it
promotes meditation
and, above all, it reduces stress. These things, along
with a sense of
togetherness, are what I want the audience to take from my
music. There's
sustenance in it too, so don't come with a full stomach
because mbira music
is food and drink in one."
Stella Chiweshe plays
The Tolbooth, Stirling, on Saturday