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Special vote court case postponed as ZEC u-turns on voters’ roll

http://www.swradioafrica.com/

By Nomalanga Moyo
SW Radio Africa
17 July 2013

Constitutional Court Judge George Chiweshe postponed to Thursday a hearing
in which the MDC-T wanted the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission to furnish it
with the voters’ roll used in the just-ended special vote.

Last week, the MDC-T and its deputy chairperson of elections Morgan Komichi,
filed an application at the ConCourt challenging the holding of the special
vote, citing disparities in the number of police officers that applied to
take part.

The party wanted the exercise to be delayed to July 20th while ZEC “properly
verified and authenticated the findings on the 69,222 applications”.

It also wanted ZEC to provide the party with a voters’ roll for the special
ballot, which ZEC admitted it could not supply. However, the Commission
agreed to make available a list with all the names and addresses of the
applicants.

Harrison Nkomo, the lawyer for the MDC-T, said: “When we met today
(Wednesday), the Attorney-General indicated that it did not have the details
of the number of officers employed by the police.

“This was surprising because the last time we met, there had been an
agreement that ZEC would provide that and today there would have been a
consent order indicating a common position between the two parties.

“ZEC had agreed that it would make available the details of all those who
would have voted by special ballot, including the polling stations at which
they would have voted. But now ZEC is opposing that application,” said
Nkomo.

Nkomo added that both sides are now expected to argue their cases in
chambers Thursday: “I am not sure about the politics behind ZEC’s position
but it was disheartening to see that, because their initial position was
proper and professional under the circumstances.

The MDC-T application came amid widespread concerns about possible ballot
stuffing after it emerged that only 44,133 police officers are on the
payroll, compared to the 69,000 who allegedly applied to vote on 14th-15th
July.

The party also asked the court to direct ZEC to ensure that only legitimate
police officers – minus retirees, special constabulary or those allegedly
recruited to bump up the numbers, such as spouses – will be allowed to vote.

Following the court application, ZEC officials said they had no means of
verifying the figures submitted by the police. In addition, ZEC was forced
to extend polling by another day, a move slammed as unconstitutional by the
MDC-T.

The three-day exercise was marred by chaos and delays, with reports that
ballot papers were delivered very late at some stations.

This has compounded fears that the ZEC’s supposed weaknesses are nothing but
a strategy used by ZANU PF to build a critical chunk of ‘safe’ votes before
July 31st.

Overall, 87,000 people were expected to cast their ballots under the special
vote but an MDC-T official stationed at the ZEC command centre told SW Radio
Africa that so far figures indicate that about 35,000 people voted.


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Registrar-General Blocks NGO's Attempt to Scrutinize Voters Roll

http://www.voazimbabwe.com/

Irwin  Chifera
17.07.2013

HARARE — Registrar of voters Tobaiwa Mudede on Wednesday blocked a local
civil society organization, Research and Advocacy Unit (RAU), from launching
a detailed analysis of the 2013 voters’ roll at an event expected to be
attended by election observers, already in the country for the July 31 poll.

Mr. Mudede approached the High Court and was granted an interdict stopping
the launch which was scheduled to take place at a local hotel.

Police officers were deployed at the hotel two hours before the launch
forcing the RAU to cancel the launch.

RAU director Kudakwashe Chitsike said her organisation never intended to
launch the voters’ roll but an analysis of the register.

She said the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission was aware of the audit of the
voters’ roll by her organization and had acknowledged receiving the RAU
preliminary report released June 5.

Attorney Jeremiah Bamu of the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights,
representing RAU, has since written to Mr. Mudede’s lawyers asking them to
withdraw their case alleging it was premised on wrong information.

He said if they do not do so, RAU will file opposing papers so the matter
can be heard urgently.

The report which RAU wanted to launch shows a number of irregularities on
the 2013 elections voters’ roll.

The audit shows about 2 million potential voters aged below 30 are not
registered voters and that about a 1,000 000 people on the register are
deceased.

Chitsike said the audit also shows that 63 areas have more registered voters
than inhabitants.


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Judge Orders Attorney General to Probe Zimbabwe Police Figures

http://www.voazimbabwe.com/

Thomas Chiripasi,  Jonga Kandemiiri
17.07.2013

HARARE, WASHINGTON — Judge president George Chiweshe on Wednesday directed
Attorney General Johannes Tomana to investigate the number of police
officers in the country after the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC)
formation of Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai questioned the number of
officers who had applied to cast ballots in a special voting exercise that
ended Monday.

The directive by Justice Chiweshe follows complaints by the MDC-T that the
number of police officers who applied to vote early because they will not be
in their constituencies during the July 31 national elections was inflated.

Charles Nyika, an attorney representing the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission
(ZEC), said lawyers representing MDC-T deputy chairman, Morgan Komichi,
presented in court some documents showing that the country has about 44,000
police officers against the 69,000 application forms that the police
requested from the electoral body.

This was supported by Komichi's attorney, Advocate Lewis Uriri.

Uriri said the court is expected to take an appropriate decision given that
early voting had already taken place in accordance with the ruling of the
Constitutional Court that directed that polls should be conducted no later
than July 31 this year.

In terms of the Electoral Act, special voting should take place not less
than 16 days before general polls.

However, Nyika said nothing will change because special voters have already
cast their ballots.

The case was adjourned to Thursday to allow Mr. Tomana to furnish the court
with the exact number of police officers in the country.

MDC-T says inflating the number of police officers in the early vote was one
of the many ways they think Zanu PF is using to rig the July 31 polls.

Meanwhile, Mr. Tsvangirai reportedly told his supporters in Gokwe on
Wednesday that ZEC created an artificial shortage of ballot papers after
Zanu PF realized that its support among the uniformed forces is dwindling
ahead of the elections.

The accusation by Mr. Tsvangirai comes only a day after his party's
secretary general Tendai Biti alleged that the management of electoral
affairs had been hijacked by what he described as “the junta” in Zanu PF.

VOA Studio 7 failed to get a comment from Zanu PF, but for its part, ZEC,
through its deputy chairperson, Joice Kazembe, said it failed to provide
ballot papers in time for special voting because the printing of the ballots
was delayed by the limited time her commission was given to prepare for the
elections following the ruling of the Constitutional Court ordering polls to
be held no later than July 31.

Meanwhile, The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission has announced that members of
the uniformed forces and ZEC staff members, who failed to cast their ballot
in the 2-day special voting exercise that ended in the early hours of
Tuesday, will be allowed to do so along ordinary voters on July 31.

Announcing the extension ZEC chairperson Rita Makarau said they will put in
place measures to prevent people from voting twice by deleting the names of
those who managed to cast their ballots.

But MDC T spokesman Douglas Mwonzora told reporter Jonga Kandemiiri that
what ZEC is attempting to do is illegal.

“There is a section (in the constitution) which says that once a person has
applied for a special vote and is on the list of those people who are going
to vote in a special vote, they shall not be allowed to vote in the main
election. That has to be dealt with.” Mwonzora said.


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Zimbabwe security forces to get second chance to vote

http://www.foxnews.com/

Published July 17, 2013

HARARE (AFP) –  Zimbabwean security personnel unable to cast their ballots
during chaotic early polling this week will get another chance to vote on
July 31, the country's elections chief announced Wednesday.

Facing anger from police and soldiers who were unable to cast early ballots
as planned, the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) insisted they "will be
able to vote" with the rest of the country in two weeks' time.

The vote will determine whether President Robert Mugabe's 33-year-rule is
extended.

Early voting had been organised for police and soldiers slated to be on duty
on election day, but thousands were unable to vote by the time the two days
of polling closed on Monday evening.

Election chief Rita Makarau apologised and blamed the disruption on problems
printing the ballot papers.

On Tuesday, scores of officers gathered in front of city hall in Harare,
hoping in vain to cast their vote.

The disorder drew condemnation from Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai's
Movement for Democratic Change, which hopes to end Mugabe's grip on power.

"The process is chaotic and disorganised and has exposed ZEC as a body not
ready to the task," MDC secretary general Tendai Biti said Tuesday.

Security forces, which fall under President Robert Mugabe's control, have in
the past been accused of rights abuses, intimidating his political opponents
and ballot rigging.

Police spokeswoman Charity Charamba on Monday blamed the Movement for
Democratic Change for the early voting problems.

She claimed the commission failed to print enough ballot papers in time
because the final list of candidates was submitted late.


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High Court bars advocacy group from launching voters roll audit

http://www.swradioafrica.com/
 

By Alex Bell
SW Radio Africa
17 July 2013

The High Court on Wednesday barred the Research and Advocacy Unit (RAU) from launching an audit of Zimbabwe’s voters roll, which has highlighted even more discrepancies ahead of elections.

The audit follows a preliminary report RAU released earlier this month which highlighted the critical problems discovered in the voters roll, such as the number of registered voters in some areas being higher than actual adults counted in last year’s national census.

On Wednesday the group was set to launch its detailed analysis at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Harare. But on Wednesday morning an interdict from the High Court was handed to the group and to the venue, blocking the launch.

Senior RAU researcher Rumbidzai Dube told SW Radio Africa that the interdict, filed by Registrar General Tobaiwa Mudede, was based on incorrect information. She said that Mudede had filed his application on the ‘misconception’ that RAU was launching the full voters roll. Mudede had argued in his application that RAU was trying ‘assume’ his powers, and they intended to cause ‘chaos and anarchy’ within the electoral system.

Dube explained that this was not the case, and that RAU was only planning to launch its audit of the voters roll, not the voters roll itself. She said Mudede had based his application only on information contained in a NewsDay article, and no attempt was made to verify the facts with RAU before the interdict was signed.

Calling it ‘unprocedural’ Dube also explained how they were not given any notice of the Registrar General’s application until the interdict was served on Wednesday.

“Ordinarily the interdict would be procedural if the Certificate of Urgency had been properly signed and stamped that would have allowed them to do what they did, but it wasn’t, so there was need for them (the RG) to serve papers on us first before coming with the final order,” Dube said.

She added: “What we have done is we have consulted our lawyers and they are in the process of filing opposing papers. We have also delivered a copy of our report to the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission.”

The key findings in the audit include:

- That there are nearly 2,000,000 potential voters aged under 30 who are unregistered.
- That there are well over 1,000,000 people on the roll who are either deceased or have left the country.
- That 63 constituencies have more registered voters than inhabitants.
- There is a marked registration bias in favour of rural constituencies.

A summary of the report can be read here.

 
 


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ZANU PF ‘quits’ govt watchdog group, blames MDCs

http://www.swradioafrica.com/

By Alex Bell
SW Radio Africa
17 July 2013

ZANU PF has reportedly quit the watchdog group meant to be overseeing the
progress of the unity government, blaming its MDC partners for abusing
‘resources’.

According to an article in the ZANU PF mouthpiece Herald newspaper, ZANU PF
was pulling out of the Joint Monitoring and Implementation Committee
(JOMIC), established as part of the unity accord signed in late 2008 that
formed the coalition government.

ZANU PF Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa was quoted by the newspaper as
saying that his party had “noted with concern rampant abuse of JOMIC assets
by the MDC formations, among them the organisation’s logo and vehicles.”

“We are disturbed that at all the rallies of the MDC-T and MDC, these
parties are abusing JOMIC vehicles to carry their supporters to their
rallies. This is undermining the neutrality of JOMIC… For that reason ZANU
PF is pulling out of JOMIC,” Chinamasa reportedly said.

JOMIC spokesperson Joram Nyathi told SW Radio Africa that he had seen the
above report. But he said there hasn’t been a formal communication of the
development made to the JOMIC team as of yet.

Meanwhile, SW Radio Africa was unable to contact either Douglas Mwonzora,
the MDC-T spokesperson or a spokesperson for their MDC partner in
government.

But political analyst Phillip Pasirayi said the accusations leveled against
the MDC groups are a “scapegoat” for ZANU PF to remove itself from an
organsiation that has accountability at the centre of its mandate.

“SADC (the regional bloc) has been trying to strengthen JOMIC and this was a
recommendation made at the last Troika summit. But ZANU PF is not interested
in any group that is trying to monitor and even act on human rights abuses
and other issues. ZANU PF is responsible for human rights abuses and
stopping key reforms, so it is clear they don’t want any part of JOMIC,”
Pasirayi said.


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Zanu PF’s pull out of JOMIC thoughtless

http://www.mdc.co.zw

Wednesday 17 July 2013

The MDC notes with great concern the decision by Zanu PF to pull out of the
Joint Monitoring and Implementation Committee (JOMIC), a body that was
created by the Global Political Agreement (GPA) to monitor the
implementation of key political processes by the inclusive government.

Despite some challenges, JOMIC has been playing an important role of
receiving reports and complaints in respect of issues related to the
implementation, enforcement and execution of the GPA and the relative peace
and tranquillity that Zimbabweans have enjoyed in the last few years was
largely a result of JOMIC’s sterling work.

The MDC would like to state categorically that the life of JOMIC ends with
that of the inclusive government.

JOMIC has a strategic plan to monitor the coming elections to ensure that
they are held under conditions of freeness and fairness.

The real reason why Zanu PF is pulling out of JOMIC is that it wants a
chaotic election as it fears losing in a credible one.

Its claim that it is pulling out because JOMIC has been abused by the MDC
for political purposes is a laughable ruse to hoodwink Zimbabwean citizens.
It is very clear that Zanu PF’s withdrawal is part of the ‘chaos faction’s
ploy to disengage from all platforms of negotiation with the MDC as a
precursor to the intensification of violence and intimidation.

The merchants of chaos in Zanu PF are in panic mode and they fear that
rigging the July election is going to be a mammoth task, hence the chaos
that they unleashed during the Special Voting process.

They have become so scared of the election that they are now seeing shadows
all over the place.

This explains Mugabe’s infantile hallucinations and scurrilous claims that
the MDC had petitioned the African Union (AU) to convene a summit on
Zimbabwean elections, something that never happened.

The Southern African Development Community (SADC), which is playing an
important mediation role in Zimbabwe, has acknowledged the important work
that JOMIC is doing and has called for the strengthening of JOMIC’s
capacity.

When SADC dispatched its officials to work with JOMIC, Zanu PF cried foul
and made flimsy claims that SADC was interfering.

How can Zanu PF accuse SADC of interfering in Zimbabwe when it is common
cause that the GPAand the inclusive government are products of SADC
facilitation?  Such disingenuousness is unacceptable to Zimbabweans.

In spite of all this, the MDC is aware that the people of Zimbabwe are
committed to a peaceful election that produces a government of their choice.
They have persevered in the face of oppression and repression by Zanu PF and
come July 31 they will get their moment of a peaceful revenge through the
ballot box.

We call upon SADC, the AU and the UN, as guarantors of the GPA, to rein in
Zanu PF and ensure that JOMIC continues to play its important role of
monitoring the political processes in Zimbabwe until a legitimate government
is elected.

YES - Together we can complete the change!!!


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EU observer mission barred — Mumbengegwi

http://www.dailynews.co.zw/

BRIDGET MANANAVIRE  •  17 JULY 2013 10:22AM

HARARE - Zimbabwe has barred an observer mission from the European Union
because they imposed sanctions on the country, Foreign minister Simbarashe
Mumbengegwi has said.

Mubengegwi said the EU bloc, which runs one of the biggest observer missions
in the world, was not part of over 50 groups invited to oversee Zimbabwe’s
crucial election.

“We have not invited any nation which imposed sanctions on us, so the EU
will not be part of the observers,” Mumbengegwi told the Daily News after
the launch of the Sadc Electoral Observer Mission (Seom) to Zimbabwe in
Harare yesterday.

“They should totally remove all sanctions if they are genuine about
re-engagement.”

Zimbabwe is currently in a process of normalising relations with the EU and
the US.

Mumbengegwi said the decision to bar the EU mission was a Cabinet decision.

“I was working under Cabinet instruction, it was not my personal decision
not to invite them, it was a Cabinet decision,” he said.

“So I invited missions from Latin America, Africa, Asia, and so forth. I
haven’t kept record of who has confirmed. We do not care what the EU will
think about our elections, but we certainly do care what these people (Sadc
mission) think.”

Apart from the EU, the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) also rejected an
application by the Carter Centre founded by former US President Jimmy
Carter.

Meanwhile, the Sadc mission dispatched 442 observers in 10 provinces and in
all 210 constituencies.

Seom acknowledged that the numbers were few to cover the 9 670 polling
stations in Zimbabwe.

“The mission will collaborate with other observer missions, both local and
foreign in their areas of deployment to their analysis and verification of
the information obtained,” said Bernad Membe, the head of Seom.

“The mission implores the various authorities and stakeholders facilitating
for this election to ensure that political and civil liberties of the
citizens are protected to enable the free expression of the voters.”


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Cops furnish MDC with voters' roll

http://www.dailynews.co.zw/

HELEN KADIRIRE  •  17 JULY 2013 9:34AM

HARARE - Two Harare Central Police Station officers have been charged for
allegedly conniving with the MDC to get a copy of the nominal voters’ roll
of all recruited police officers.

It is alleged that Tendayi Gift Munyisa, 30, and Victor Jaja, 39, received
a $1 600 bribe to furnish the political party with the documents.

The duo, were arraigned before magistrate Anita Tshuma who remanded them to
August 14 for trial on $50 bail.

They are being charged with causing disaffection in the police force under
the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act.

Allegations are that on July 9, Munyisa allegedly made a phone call to
Sergeant Shepherd Muringani who is stationed at Morris Depot, asking to meet
him as he had an urgent matter to discuss.

It is the State’s case that on the same day, Munyisa and Muringani met at
the main entrance to Morris Depot and proceeded to the corner of Baines
Avenue and 9th Street.

As they were parked there, Munyisa allegedly said to his colleague:
“Muringani, there is a deal which can result in being beheaded, you see this
vehicle, I have been sent by a certain police officer who has sent me. A
soft copy of the nominal roll of all the recruits who have registered as
voters from May 2013 up to date is required.”

The court heard that Muringani was told that the information was needed by
MDC officials and $1 600 was to be paid for the transaction.

Muringani, however, told Munyisa that he was not in a position to provide
him with such official and sensitive information as it would go against
police allegiance, loyalty and discipline.

After the meeting, Muringani later met Assistant Inspector Tevedzai Shonhai
and narrated to him what he had been told by Munyisa, before reporting to
Chief Superintendent Matumbe, who is in charge of training police recruits
and administration.

Upon being interviewed by detectives, Munyisa implicated Jaja as the police
officer who had sent him to obtain the nominal roll of recruits since he was
once stationed at Morris Depot.


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Zim voting delay could cause polling chaos

http://mg.co.za/

17 JUL 2013 20:38SAPA-AP

An independent Zimbabwe election monitoring group says many of the nation's
voters are not likely to cast their ballots if elections are not delayed.

According to the Election Resource Centre on Wednesday, many of the nation's
6.2-million voters will not be likely to cast their ballots if elections are
not delayed.

Less than 2% of police and officials eligible for a special vote ahead of
crucial national polls managed to cast their ballots in early polling
"fraught with irregularities", the resource centre said. About 80 000
police, soldiers and officials will be on duty during the July 31 vote.

Earlier on Wednesday, the state commission said in a statement it apologised
to the uniformed forces, state officials "and to political parties and the
nation at large" and acknowledged "substantial numbers" of voters were
turned away during the special voting on Sunday and Monday that spilled into
Tuesday.

"All persons who were deprived of the opportunity to vote will be able to
vote on July 31 when the rest of the electorate votes," it said.

Voting papers and equipment were not delivered in time at most of the 210
voting posts, and the resource centre blamed delays in printing the
materials. Zimbabweans are scheduled to vote at 9 600 polling stations for
countrywide vote that is two weeks away.

The resource centre said the nation faced "further shame and embarrassment"
if polls were not delayed. It said Nigeria in 2011 postponed elections twice
for logistical reasons and went on to have a fair poll.

'A chaos faction'
​Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai's party, in a shaky coalition with
longtime President Robert Mugabe since the last violent and disputed
elections in 2008, said in a separate statement the special voting exposed
the commission's inability to hold a credible election at the end of the
month.

Tendai Biti, the third ranking official in Tsvangirai's party who is also
the finance minister, alleged "a chaos faction" in Mugabe's party was trying
to derail election procedures to sow confusion across the country for their
own gain at the polls.

"This election is illegitimate and unfair. We are participating because the
people are tired and want change. We are going to soldier on," Biti said in
the statement. – Sapa-AP


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Two million youths fail to register to vote

http://www.theindependent.co.zw/

July 17, 2013 in Elections 2013, News, Politics

OVER two million potential voters aged under 30 years failed to register
during the recently concluded shambolic voter registration exercise, while
63 out of 210 constituencies have more registered voters than the actual
population in those areas, it has emerged.

Herbert Moyo

According to findings contained in a research conducted by the Research and
Advocacy Unit (RAU) which the organisation intended to present in a more
detailed discussion on Wednesday morning in Harare, a further one million
people, who are either deceased or emigrated are still on the voters’ roll,

The launch was, however, blocked by the Registrar-General’s Office through a
High Court interdict delivered to the organisation and Crowne Plaza, which
was supposed to host the function.

This, according to RAU, means that over 29% of the total adult population is
unregistered.

The report said 41 other constituencies deviate from the average number of
voters per constituency by more than the permitted 20%.

RAU also found a “marked registration bias in favour of rural
 constituencies” generally perceived to be Zanu PF strongholds.

“The registration rate in purely rural constituencies, from which Zanu PF is
regarded as drawing the bulk of its support, is thus considerably higher
(94%) than that in purely urban constituencies (74%) from which the MDC
formations are regarded as drawing most of their support, that is, about 20%
more. This is particularly so in the over 65+ age bands,” wrote RAU.

RAU also found that some people’s names appear on the voters roll even
though they have never registered to vote while the suffixes of the national
registration numbers of 44 000 voters have been altered .

RAU described the interdict as “unprocedural and an abuse of the justice
system and court process.”


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Doubts over AU summit on Zim elections

http://www.thezimbabwean.co/

17.07.13

by Edgar Gweshe

The two MDC formations say they are yet to receive formal communication from
the African Union concerning the continental body’s summit on Zimbabwe’s
elections which is reportedly scheduled for July 19.

President Robert Mugabe revealed on Monday at a Zanu (PF) rally in Marondera
that the AU was set to hold the summit after it was petitioned by the MDCs.

The two MDCs contend that Zanu (PF) has created an uneven playing ground
ahead of the polls through the party’s reluctance to implement reforms
pertaining to the media and security sector among others.

The parties allege that Mugabe is pushing Zimbabwe into a rushed election
that will lack in credibility.

“They (the MDCs) have taken the matter to the AU, which used to be our OAU.
So we have sent Chinamasa to be prepared on the 19th of July.

They want to postpone elections, but that will never happen with the
absolute deceitful British who are supporting that,” said Mugabe.

MDC-T spokesperson, Douglas Mwonzora, could neither confirm nor deny whether
the summit was still on.

“We have not received any communication at the moment. We do not know
whether the summit is on or not because so far, there is no communication
that has been sent to us,” said Mwonzora.

The deputy spokesperson of the MDC led by Welshman Ncube, Kurauone Chihwayi,
said: “No one knows whether that summit is on or not. We have not received
any communication or invitation to attend the summit and I don’t have
information pertaining to any kind of presentation that the President
(Welshman Ncube) is going to make at the summit,” said Chihwayi.

Mugabe on Monday vowed that the July 31 date for election will stand no
matter the outcome of the AU summit.


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2 000 Zimbabwe war vets demand compensation

http://www.zimdiaspora.com/

WEDNESDAY, 17 JULY 2013 18:26     EDITOR     NEWS
ABOUT 2 000 people have been camping at a farm on the outskirts of Harare
for the past two months demanding compensation from government for
participating in the liberation struggle.

The group — consisting of both men and women most of them aged above 50 who
have been camping at a farm near the Koala Abattoir adjacent to the
Harare-Chitungwiza Highway — are from all the provinces in the country and
are demanding to be addressed by President Robert Mugabe. They do not claim
to have fought in the war of liberation, but say they crossed the border and
participated in the struggle in various ways, including nursing freedom
fighters and doing other chores outside the country.

Efforts to get a comment from Mugabe’s spokesperson George Charamba
yesterday were fruitless.

On Monday, when a our correspondent visited the farm, some members of the
group wearing Zanu PF regalia were reading the party’s manifesto under
trees.

Contacted for comment yesterday, the chairman of the Zimbabwe National
Liberation War Veterans’ Association, Jabulani Sibanda, said he was aware of
the presence of the group at the farm.

“They are people who were in the struggle, but did not receive military
training that qualifies them in terms of the War Veterans Act to be regarded
as war veterans,” he said.

“Some of them were teachers and nurses, for instance, but they were part of
the war. They have genuine grievances and I spoke to some of their leaders
and some of these comrades have started going back to help the party
campaign and win the elections. Their issues will be attended to after the
elections when the party (Zanu PF) has won the elections.”

In 1997, former freedom fighters staged demonstrations forcing government to
capitulate and give them Z$50 000 each as gratuity for taking part in the
15-year war.

Sources close to the group said although they did not receive any military
training, they wanted government to pay them pensions and gratuities in the
same manner their counterparts who “received military training” during the
liberation struggle and considered “war veterans” under the War Veterans Act
were compensated.

“These people spend the whole day milling around and occasionally go to town
saying they are going to the Zanu PF headquarters,” said a source. “They say
they are waiting to be addressed by Mugabe on the processing of their
gratuities and pensions.”

Local farmers have raised concerns of a looming health disaster as the site
does not have adequate sanitary facilities.

The people are also reportedly demanding food from local farmers as well as
transport to take them to Zanu PF headquarters – Newsday.


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Presidential campaign hots up as poll nears

http://www.swradioafrica.com/

By Tichaona Sibanda
SW Radio Africa
17 July 2013

With just two weeks left to polling day, the presidential campaign tempo
picked up over the last 48 hours as the three leading candidates targeted
each other with the incumbent being challenged over the legacy he wishes to
leave for Zimbabwe.

Presidential aspirants Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and MDC leader
Welshman Ncube have challenged President Robert Mugabe to retire from
politics after the July 31st General Election.

Tsvangirai has been telling supporters at his rallies in the Midlands North
province that it was time for Zimbabweans to elect youthful leadership to
steer the country to the next stage of development. Ncube, speaking in
Manicaland province, told Mugabe to be ready for stiff competition for the
top seat.

Political analysts believe the forthcoming presidential election is going to
elicit the ‘mother of all political battles’ as the presidential hopefuls
strive to win the right to occupy State House.

While Mugabe had the luxury to break from his campaign trail on Wednesday in
order to attend King Letsie III’s 50th birthday celebrations in Lesotho,
Tsvangirai continued with his quest for the top job by addressing thousands
of his supporters at Gokwe centre

The MDC-T leader asked Zimbabweans to shun politicians who do not offer them
practical solutions to their challenges. He said politicians, while
campaigning for the various positions and seats, should tell Zimbabweans
their plans for the country, instead of engaging in useless political
rhetoric.

He reminded people in Gokwe to judge presidential aspirants by their
development records, saying the party had brought about economic stability
after years of mismanagement by the former ZANU PF ruling party.

Tendai Goneso, an active party member, told SW Radio Africa that a ‘massive
change of attitudes’ was swinging the vote in Tsvangirai’s favour. He said
it is evident from the rallies the premier has held so far that that ZANU PF
has no new ideas to solve the problems of Zimbabwe, adding that ‘the MDC-T
hasn’t bussed or paid anybody’ to attend their rallies while ZANU PF has
been bussing people to their rallies and distributing freebies.

Meanwhile mystery surrounds the source of information that saw Mugabe
angrily accuse the MDC of taking the Zimbabwean election issue to the AU,
claiming they were seeking a postponement.

The 89 year-old presidential candidate vowed not to accept any such move,
saying he had ordered Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa to convey the
rejection message to the AU.

Surprisingly, both the MDC parties and the regional SADC bloc have said they
know nothing about a special African Union (AU) summit on Zimbabwe which
Mugabe said was due on Friday.


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Independent Zimbabwe poll monitors foresee more poll chaos, call for election postponement

http://www.foxnews.com/

Published July 17, 2013
Associated Press

HARARE, Zimbabwe –  An independent Zimbabwe election monitoring group says
less than 10 percent of police and officials eligible for a special vote
ahead of crucial national polls managed to cast their ballots in two days of
chaotic polling.

The Election Resource Center said Wednesday two days of voting for 80,000
police, soldiers and officials who will be on duty on July 31 was "fraught
with irregularities." Voting papers were not delivered in time at most of
the 210 voting posts.

The official Electoral Commission blamed delays in printing the materials.

The resource center said the nation faced "further shame and embarrassment"
over the full poll just two weeks away. It said Nigeria in 2011 postponed
elections twice for logistical reasons and went on to have a fair poll.


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Defiant prosecutors deny bail to two Beitbridge residents

http://www.swradioafrica.com/

Staff reporter
SW Radio Africa
17 July 2013

Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights report that two Beitbridge residents are
in remand prison after a defiant prosecutor vetoed a bail order granted in
their favour.

Itai Gombe and Alice Mugariro were arrested in Beitbridge in Matabeleland
South province on 10th July and charged with assault. The allegations are
that they attacked and tore the clothing of two ZANU PF members, with whom
they had a fight.

They were granted $50 bail each when they appeared at Beitbridge Magistrates
court on 12th July.
But prosecutors invoked Section 121 of the Criminal Evidence and Procedure
Act to suspend the bail order for seven days, pending the filing of an
appeal by the State in the High Court.

Zimbabwe’s human rights lawyers said that this Section 21 ‘has been
selectively and unlawfully applied by the AG’s office against human rights
defenders and legitimate political activists in order to persecute these
individuals, even where courts have found no evidence that they would pose a
threat to the interests of justice, society or the State, if they were to be
released on bail.’

They added that there is an urgent need for such repressive and
unconstitutional practices to be brought to an end and for accused persons
to be afforded their basic rights and freedoms.


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Chitungwiza rally tragedy

http://www.swradioafrica.com/

Staff reporter
SW Radio Africa
17 July 2013

It has been confirmed that one person died at President Mugabe’s rally in
Chitungwiza on Tuesday. Several others were injured.

It was reported that the tragedy happened at Chibuku Stadium after the
stadium doors had been locked to stop more people entering as there was
already a large crowd inside. But when the doors were opened to allow an
ambulance to leave a stampede happened.

Speaking to the state media, police spokesperson Charity Charamba said: “One
unidentified female adult, aged approximately 52, was injured in a stampede
that occurred when people were stopped from entering the stadium which had
exceed its capacity. She later died at Chitungwiza (Central) Hospital.
Police are appealing to relatives to proceed to Chitungwiza Police Station
and see the officer-in-charge.”

The hospital’s chief executive, Dr Obadiah Moyo, said they had attended to
61 cases. He said that 25 of those were from the stadium but that the others
were from a lorry accident at Manyame Bridge that was carrying people to the
rally.

Although the state media has been reporting that Zanu-PF’s star rallies have
been ‘drawing bumper crowds’ many reports say that there is forced
attendance at Mugabe’s rallies. We have also received reports that in
Chitungwiza ZANU PF youths forced people to shut down their businesses and
flea markets and made them go to the rally. In addition wrapping cloths, t
shirts and food were promised, to persuade many people to attend.

In a country with an estimated 90% unemployment rate the offer of any free
goods could be enough to cause a stampede.


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Zec not ready for polls: MDC

http://www.dailynews.co.zw/

MUGOVE TAFIRENYIKA  •  17 JULY 2013 10:29AM

HARARE - Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai’s MDC has said the chaotic special
vote has exposed the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec)’s lack of
preparedness for a free, fair and credible July 31 poll.

MDC secretary-general Tendai Biti told  a press conference in Harare
yesterday  that though his party has respect for Zec commissioners and its
chairperson Justice Rita Makarau, it was dismayed by the actions of the
electoral body’s secretariat, which he alleged was taking instructions from
a “chaos faction” of Zanu PF.

Biti said the MDC had been vindicated in its calls for reconstitution of the
Zec secretariat.

“It is evident that our fears are being vindicated,” he said.

Since the special voting exercise started on Sunday, the process has been
marred by delays in the dispatching of ballot papers, administrative
blunders and blatant violation of the electoral law.

“Some observers are still demanding a free and fair election but that is too
late. The election is immoral, illegal and unfair,” Biti said.

“We are really worried about Zec and we have lost our institutional respect
despite our respect for some individuals because it has been hijacked by the
Junta and our claims that it needs restructuring have been vindicated.

“It is self evident that there is a disconnect between the commission’s apex
and its junior officials in the provinces as there are clear violations of
the electoral processes. Clearly there is a hidden hand behind the chaos
after some people suddenly realised that this group (of officers) is not a
captive constituency so they have taken over the process.”

The MDC secretary-general complained that in some areas such as Manicaland,
Mashonaland Central and Masvingo, their election agents were turned away
allegedly because they were not accredited yet they had been duly endorsed
by the electoral commission.

He said in Harare’s Mount Pleasant, voting was not a secret as voters were
being called into the polling station before voting, a situation he
described as “regrettable and totally unsustainable”.

“Voting in some areas was characterised by inadequacy of ballot papers
because those printed had no relationship whatsoever with the over 70 000
that applied for special voting,” Biti said.

“In Mabvuku-Tafara they totally discarded the voters’ roll and anyone could
simply vote; while in Nkayi illegal electoral practices were reported where
Zanu PF candidates slaughtered beasts for Zec officials just 100m away from
the polling station.”

Biti said he was happy that some members of the force had leaked information
to the MDC “because they were tired of being used by Zanu PF.”

He said his party was putting in place mechanisms to stop the shenanigans
which include approaching the courts, engaging Zec and Sadc and “other means
which I clearly cannot disclose”.

“When you force people to cheat, you may realise that they are not with you
because right now we have been informed that in Kwekwe for example, fake
force numbers were created.

“It is unacceptable and illegal. Zec discarded the voters’ roll and is using
illegal election practices,” he said.

Biti queried why 70 000 applications had been made when the police had an
estimated contingent of 45 000.

“No one is recruited without Treasury concurrence,” said Biti, adding that
the MDC had managed to get hold of a copy of the full list of civil servants
who had applied for special voting and will be analysing it comprehensively
to expose any rigging that may occur.

Joyce Kazembe, Zec deputy chairperson, ruled out electoral malpractice at a
Monday press conference.

“We have adequate security. Because of time limitations, we were not able to
ask for a printed voters’ roll, but we have lists which are open for
inspection by the public and scrutiny,” she said.

“We had not anticipated court challenges, but we are ready for the polls. By
end of next week, all ballot papers will be ready as we gear for the
harmonised elections on July 31.”


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Baba Jukwa: ‘Zanu PF To Push For Election Date Shift’

http://www.zimeye.org/

By Baba Jukwa

Published: July 17, 2013

Zimbabwe’s self styled whistle blower, Baba Jukwa, claims that Zanu PF is
planning to push for a shift of the poll date after realizing that the
Special Voting process did not go according to plan and in Zanu PF’s favour.

Baba Jukwa claims that a plan being hetched at Justice Minister Patrick
Chinamasa’s office under the watchful eye of Emmerson Mnangagwa is to push
the African Union (AU) and Zimbabwe’s Constitutional Court to shift the
election date from 31 July. Chinamasa is set to attend AU Summit on
Zimbabwe, according to president Mugabe.

This new development as claimed by Baba Jukwa contrast an earlier assertion
by Mugabe on Monday that he and his party are not moving an inch from the
initial set poll date whatever outcome from the Summit.

“They (the MDCs) have taken the matter to the AU, which used to be our OAU
(Organisation of African Unity), so we have sent (Justice Minister Patrick)
Chinamasa to be prepared on the 19th of July. They want to postpone
elections, but that will never happen with the absolute deceitful British
who are supporting that,” Mugabe told Zanu PF  supporters in Marondera.

Writes Baba Jukwa:

Zimbabwe our team have gathered that Chinamasa, Mnangagwa, Chihuri,
Kasukuwere, Jonathan, Chiwenga, Zimondi, Misheck Sibanda, Rita Makarau, and
others we are yet to confirm name met and were plotting in Chinamasa’s
office. Mnangagwa was the chief plotter. They want to push the AU and the
local CON Court to shift the election date because the special vote did not
deliver what they wanted.

See the latest video here:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y6SdlS2G5mA


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1st TV to the rescue after Zim loses SABC signal

http://mg.co.za/

17 JUL 2013 15:40STUART THEMBISILE LEWIS

For Zimbabweans who have lamented the loss of the SABC signal north of the
border, a new independent voice has been launched as elections approach.

New free-to-air satellite TV channel, 1st TV, says it aims to bring an
independent voice to Zimbabwe's almost entirely state-owned broadcasting
sector.

With just over two weeks to go until the Zimbabwean elections, a new
free-to-air TV station will be hitting airwaves within the country on
Friday. Billed as Zimbabwe's "first independent television station", 1st TV
will be broadcast by satellite into the country and will be available on the
Wiztech free-to-air decoders.

Devices like the Wiztech have been widely used by Zimbabweans to access
international radio and television broadcasts. Up until very recently, most
of the traffic has been owned by South African channels but unencrypted
access to these was cut off earlier this month.

South African signal carrier Sentech was issued with a court order in early
2011 instructing it to encrypt access to SABC 1, 2 and 3 to prevent the
channels from being pirated across the border. The order came out of
litigation by eBotswana, sister channel to South Africa's e.tv, attempting
to limit illegal competition within Botswana's borders.

Sentech finally complied with the order and started encrypting at the
beginning of July 2013. Zimbabweans, who were able to watch the unencrypted
SABC channels through Philibao free-to-air decoders, were consequently
deprived of access to non-ZBC channels.

ZBC (the Zimbabwean Broadcasting Corporation) is state-owned and has a
monopoly on airwaves in the country. Its content has been criticised as
pro-Zanu-PF propaganda by many Zimbabweans. ZBC only competes with two other
commercial radio stations owned by a businessperson within the ruling party
and the state-owned Herald newspaper, respectively.

Influence and guide the channel
The station said it aims to fill the gap vacated by the SABC channels with
"impartial, factual news" as well as popular films and television shows. If
successful, the channel has a massive audience waiting for it.

Research conducted in 2011 as part of the Zimbabwe all media and products'
surveys showed there are three-million decoders in the country. The majority
of these are free-to-air decoders, which will be able to receive 1st TV's
broadcasts.

1st TV also intends to have a large social media presence, which they hope
will allow ordinary Zimbabweans to influence and guide the channel.

The team behind the new channel include former ZBC producer-presenter Temba
Hove, Short Wave Radio Violet Gonda and executive producer Andrew Chadwick,
formerly of Sky News.


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Zimbabwe media landscape to open up?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/

17 July 2013 Last updated at 14:55 GMT

Andrew Harding, Africa correspondent

It is an intriguing twist in an already dramatic and fractious pre-election
campaign in Zimbabwe.

As Zimbabweans prepare to decide whether to grant President Robert Mugabe
another term in office at the end of this month, a brand new television
channel has just been unveiled - after weeks of rushed and secretive
preparations - promising to offer viewers "quality, independent information"
in sharp contrast to the "biased reporting of the state media".

1st TV will be beamed into Zimbabwe from abroad by satellite - and is hoping
to reach "3 million viewers plus", or roughly a quarter of the population.

The source of the station's funding is, for now, a secret.

"The majority of our investors are private," said executive producer Andrew
Chadwick, a former communications director for Zimbabwe's Prime Minister
Morgan Tsvangirai.

"We've also received support from groups supporting human rights, freedom
and democracy.

"But none of them want to be named because of the vindictive nature of some
of the authorities within Zimbabwe."

Mr Chadwick insisted that 1st TV was not looking to swing the election
towards Mr Tsvangirai's Movement for Democratic Change party.

"That's not our job. We plan to provide Zimbabweans with independent
information to allow them to make decisions," he said.

"It can only have a positive effect in a country where all electronic
broadcast media are effectively controlled by one party.

"Why do we have a country that's been independent for 33 years but has no
independent television?" asked Mr Chadwick.

'It is hostile'
The state media, including television channel ZBC, are openly loyal to Mr
Mugabe and his Zanu-PF party.

For years the president has consistently avoided implementing agreed media
reforms and other changes widely seen as essential to holding free and fair
elections.

There is growing international concern about the upcoming elections, with
human rights groups warning of a crackdown on activists, and new allegations
that the electoral roll has been tampered with on a massive scale in order
to exclude millions of young and urban voters considered likely to vote
against Mr Mugabe.

The new station will be based in Johannesburg, South Africa, and will rely
on agencies, freelancers and other contributors to supply news.

"We're not doing anything illegal," said Mr Chadwick. "We will be
approaching Zanu-PF to ask them to participate in our editorial programmes
and for advertising."

But reached by telephone in Harare, Zanu-PF spokesman Rugare Gumbo said his
party would have nothing to do with the new station.

"We don't welcome it. It's hostile. We only deal with information that
emanates from Zimbabwe. They are welcome to come and register in Zimbabwe
and follow the normal procedures," said Mr Gumbo.

1st TV is scrambling to meet its target of starting to broadcast at 18:00
local time (16:00 GMT) this Friday.

It will be carried on a free-to-air satellite platform and will include
South African soap operas, comedy and discussion programmes, as well as
contributions from the growing number of Zimbabweans with access to mobile
phones and the internet.


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Land reform made poverty worse: study

http://www.thezimbabwean.co/

17.07.13

by Thabani Dube

The land reform programme that began in 2000 impoverished rural Zimbabweans
by depriving farm workers of a means of survival, according to a Poverty
Reduction Forum Trust’s study.

“The broad structural and economic results of Zimbabwe’s land and agrarian
reform programme and its impact on rural development forced commercial farm
workers to revert to already overcrowded rural areas,” PRFT said.

Mineral-rich
The report analysis was carried out in April this year in the diamond rich
Zimunya, Marange and Odzi areas of Manicaland.

“The area is endowed with minerals and natural resources like the famous
Chiadzwa diamonds, but its inhabitants are far from living decent lives,”
noted the report.

PRFT said when the land reform came people expected it to ease overcrowding
in rural areas, reduce poverty and resettle communal dwellers.

“The discovery of diamonds in the Marange fields has not benefited Mutare
rural. Only a few locals managed to benefit from the gems rush before the
area was government-controlled. Much of the mining profits go to private
miners and the national coffers as tax revenue,” said PRFT.

PRFT is a civil society organisation whose mission it is to conduct poverty
related research and advocate for and facilitate national dialogue on
sustainable poverty reduction and human development issues in Zimbabwe.

Similar studies have been conducted in urban areas like Mutare, Harare and
Bulawayo in 2012.

HIV and AIDS
“Most rural farmers have poor marketing of their little produce as they
often lack access to information and bargaining power. Middle men get farm
produce from communal farmers for a pittance and then resell it at a greater
profit in urban areas,” noted PRFT.

PRFT added that the HIV and AIDS pandemic had exacerbated rural poverty by
decimating human resources.

“The pandemic has increased the number of orphans and vulnerable children,
school absenteeism for both teachers and children as some are ill and others
have to assume caring roles for sick parents,” PRFT said.

In Zimunya rural, especially in Dora area, the study noted that the majority
of the rural dwellers had resorted to deforestation to sell as firewood.

“Their lives have become running battles with the Environmental Management
Agency and the Zimbabwe Republic Police as they try to avoid arrest for
environmental damage,” reads part of the report.

Sand for sale
Another group in Zimunya community have resorted to selling river and pit
sand to urban dwellers. “These people wake up as early as 2am to do their
business before the law enforcement agencies start patrolling the area,”
said PRFT.

The study discovered that rural unemployment is gendered and also affects
the youth more than other age groups.

“An interview with one of the sex workers now frequenting Odzi clinic for
anti-retroviral drugs revealed that women are forced into prostitution in
the area as they seek to make money from either tourists or prospective
diamond mine investors,” reads the report.

PRFT said that in order to reduce rural poverty, it was necessary to develop
alternatives to current sources of livelihood, empowerment of women and
youth.

“Free health care, education for all, rural development and the integration
of small farmers into the market structure would improve the living
standards of the poor,” said PRFT.


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Voters grill political parties

http://www.dailynews.co.zw/

MARGARET CHINOWAITA, COMMUNITY AFFAIRS EDITOR  •  17 JULY 2013 8:07AM

HARARE - As elections draw near, Zanu PF is dangling 1 600 stands in the
Gumbeze area of Marondera Central.

Zanu PF is also offering money to youths, chickens for rearing for old
people over 65, two weeks before the plebiscite.

Stewart Matereke, Marondera Central Ward 2 political commissar made the
announcement at a meeting organised by the Centre for Community Development
in Zimbabwe (CCDZ).

The meeting was meant for three political parties in the Global Political
Agreement, to speak about peace and also say what they are offering to
communities in the coming elections.

Matereke, clad in a bomber jacket and sneakers, said: “This would be given
to everyone despite belonging to Zanu PF. Everyone would be given stands,
money for projects and we do not forget the elderly. The old would be given
chickens for rearing. Zanu PF is a party for everyone, so everyone who comes
to us would be given these items.”

The ward political commissar’s statement seem to have angered members of the
audience and one elderly man stood up sharply and said: “We do not want to
be taken for advantage. You Zanu PF people have always offered us
non-existent stands in Gumbeze area.

“In 1985 you offered us the same stands but we never got them. You should
have respect for the people, we are thinking individuals and this time we
will not be hoodwinked.”

A woman who did not identify herself for fear of victimisation said Zanu PF
should desist from using the same tactics each election because people are
wiser.

“This has become a habit of Zanu PF to want to offer us things before
elections. If I am given this stand I know I would be asked to become a
member of Zanu PF, failure of which I would be chucked out of the house.
This is Zanu PF tricks, we know them. Where were they with the goods over
the years?”

However a well-spoken Matereke assured the audience that this time Zanu PF
was standing by its words. “You should try us this time because you can
actually acquire your residential stand, money for a project and chickens so
you can start a business.”

Another resident of Marondera Central complained that a place in Ward Five
at Chitanda Shopping Centre was turned into a Zanu PF political base.

He said members of the MDC were being threatened and harassed when they pass
through the shopping centre wearing their party regalia.

However, Jonathan Gumbodete, Welshman Ncube-led MDC aspiring councillor for
Ward 10 and Funnel Mlambo, Morgan Tsvangirai-led MDC chairperson for Ward 7
said their political parties were offering jobs in the coming elections.

The audience however, took them to task asking them how they were going to
create jobs in Zimbabwe. Gumbodete said:  “We are going to attract investors
that would come in with jobs and we are going to institute order in the
industrial and commercial sectors that can result in job creation. Our
Manifesto speaks of these things.”

Mlambo said besides jobs, Tsvangirai-led MDC would focus on health,
education and the general well-being of the people.

Meanwhile, George Makoni the CCDZ’s communication officer said: “CCDZ will
continue to encourage dialogue, tolerance and peaceful co-existence between
all Zimbabweans. People should vote for candidates of their choice from an
informed position."

“Elections come and go but the community will remain, there is more which
unites us than what divides us in our communities. The programme will be
taken to all provinces, even after the elections, for it is CCDZ’s firm
belief that peace and development are intertwine.”


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MDC-T Manifesto: Election Manifesto 2013

http://www.sokwanele.com
 

Dowload the full manifesto here:

Introduction: Message from the President

This election represents a crossroads for our country. Over three decades ago, we engaged in a liberation struggle and were successful. Since then, we have experienced political and economic turmoil, international isolation, and severe hardships for our families because of unemployment, unprecedented hyperinflation, high cost of living, lack of food and decline in healthcare and education services. Zimbabweans deserve better. Zimbabweans deserve a government that cares and works for the people.

Unemployment remains the biggest challenge facing our country today. Our young people graduating from high school, colleges and universities want jobs. Yet businesses have been shutting down over the years and emigrating to more competitive economic environments. An MDC government will ensure Zimbabwe is open for business. We will responsibly align and manage our nation’s resources to meet this challenge and restore Zimbabwe’s prosperity.

You and I know we have come a long way since the early days of the party in 1999. We have gone through many trials and tribulations. We have lost some of our cadres along the way; limbs have been broken, livelihoods destroyed and houses have been burnt down. Many of us, including myself, have suffered grave personal losses. But what defines us is our resilience and our ability to see opportunity in the face of adversity. We will never forget the sacrifices that have been made. It is our historic mission to meet the demands of the present generation, to fulfil the dreams of our cadres who are no longer with us and the aspirations of generations that will come after us.

You will recall that one of our founding objectives was to change the Lancaster House Constitution and replace it with a new, people-driven and democratic constitution. This year marked a historic moment when the people of Zimbabwe overwhelmingly voted for a new constitution. As the Chairperson of the National Constitutional Assembly at its formation, I am humbled by the achievement of this landmark moment in our nation’s history. But, fellow citizens, now that we have the new Constitution, we must convert the stated rules and principles into reality. You can only trust those who championed the Constitution to make it work and you know that it was the MDC that fought hard and drove the constitution-making process. As leader of Government, I will take the lead in defending the Constitution and making it work for the people of Zimbabwe.

The MDC will work for the people, all the people, regardless of race, gender, religion, ethnic affiliation or political party. By joining together we can build a better future. The MDC is the future. It’s the people who make Zimbabwe great and an MDC government will partner with the people to return Zimbabwe to greatness and its rightful place in the family of nations. We are faithful and obedient sons and daughters of the Almighty God under whose wise guidance and stewardship this country will find its way to the top again.

We are a party of excellence and our pledge is to improve the quality of life for every Zimbabwean.


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ZANU PF Manifesto: Team Zanu PF 2013

http://www.sokwanele.com/
 

Download the full manifesto here.

Introduction from the Manifesto:

Zimbabwe has truly come of age with a proud global reputation of resilience, survival and real achievement in winning the goals of the people against unprecedented odds.

Under Zanu PF and President Mugabe’s leadership, Zimbabwe has become one of the most indigenised and empowered countries in the developing world in terms of the untold livelihood opportunities that have been availed to the indigenous population.

The opportunities have widened and deepened since independence as a direct result of Zanu PF’s pro-people policies such as the hugely successful land reform programme which is now widely acknowledged as a major source of economic prosperity for the country.

Zanu PF’s empowerment policies have not been diminished by the daunting challenges that have come in the way over the last decade such as the illegal economic sanctions and the illegal regime-change machinations of the British government and its allies in the EU, US and the White Commonwealth.

Thanks to the leadership of Zanu PF, the people’s responses to these challenges have been gallantly exemplary.

Against this proud backdrop, this People’s Manifesto for the 2013 harmonised elections explains why an overwhelming majority of Zimbabweans are voting for Zanu PF, by chronicling how the Party will enable Zimbabweans to take back the economy to meet the goals of the people as a direct response to their grievances and needs.

This will be done against the backdrop of major Zanu PF achievements in recent years. The goals of the people that the Zanu PF Government will consolidate, widen and deepen after the forthcoming elections include the following: Independence, Sovereignty, Unity, Security, Respect for the values and ideals of the liberation struggle, Patriotism, Gender equality, Respect for the elderly, Economic prosperity, Achievement, Equity, Peace, Freedom and democracy, Non-violence, Tolerance, Stability, The youth as the future, Employment, Housing for all, Respect for persons with disabilities, Development, Freedom of worship.

For example, in the past decade, Zanu PF has indigenised 12,117,000 hectares of land which was previously in the hands of 3,500 beneficiaries of colonialism and illegal and racist Rhodesian rule and has resettled 276,600 households that have created over one million jobs that have become a source of livelihood with enormous trickle down effects on the economy.

The People’s Manifesto also details what Zanu PF is going to do in the same vein and for the same reasons over the next five years.

This includes creating value of US$7,3 billion from the indigenisation of 1,138 companies across 14 key sectors of the economy and over US$1,844,223,157,000 created from the idle value of empowerment assets unlocked from parastatals, local authorities, mineral rights and claims and from the State to capacitate Agribank with US$2 billion to finance the stimulation of agricultural productivity; to capacitate IDBZ with US$3 billion to finance the rehabilitation and construction of physical infrastructure; and US$2 billion to finance the rehabilitation of social infrastructure and to capacitate Sedco with US$300 million to fund innovative women’s and youths initiatives.

These initiatives will create 2,265 million jobs across key sectors of the economy and contribute to export earnings, food security and to the fiscus among many other benefits including urban housing, and construction or peri-urban farms acquired during the land reform exercise.

In addition, Zanu PF’s Indigenisation and Empowerment initiatives outlined in this People’s Manifesto will see an average GDP growth rate of nine percent by 2018 up from the current 4,4 percent; 250,000 low income housing units will be built; 1,250 public houses and buildings will be rehabilitated; 2,500 shell factories, flea and vendor market stands will be created; 310 clinics and 300 schools will be built and a new Parliament Complex will be constructed in Mt Hampden.

Zanu PF’s pro-people policy interventions have always been informed by an unwavering determination and revolutionary commitment to address and meet the goals of all Zimbabweans regardless of their social, economic, cultural or ethnic affinity, background or affiliation.

In particular, the beneficiaries of the policy interventions will include rural and urban communities, youths, women, war veterans, war collaborators, ex-detainees, ex-restrictees, indigenous business enterprises, professionals, academics, workers, farmers, civil servants, teachers, students, sports men and women, artists, parents and children, small and medium scale enterprises, schools, churches, patriotic NGOs, traditional leaders and indeed, all citizens and residents.

Other key post-election deliverables

As part of taking back the economy over the next five years after the elections, the Zanu PF Government will unlock value from the following currently idle assets within the Zimbabwe economy in order to augment the US$7,3 billion of assets to be unlocked from the indigenisation of 1,138 foreign-owned companies to capacitate IDBZ, Agribank and Sedco:

  • US$1,844,223,157,000 of idle assets based on the technically determined or indicated economic or mining viability of Zimbabwe’s unexploited but measured mineral reserves.
  • US$7,681,078,582 of idle assets in the custody of parastatals.
  • US$1,357,010,326 idle assets with local authorities.
  • Support of the following programmes led by the President and First Secretary of Zanu PF, Cde R.G Mugabe:
    • US$19,572,000 Presidential Scholarship Programme
    • US$27,200,000 Presidential Support Programme for Chiefs
    • US$5,900,498 National Presidential Youth Initiative
    • US$300,000,000 Presidential Agricultural Input Support Scheme
  • Establish the Harare Stock Exchange (HSE), including under it an exclusive platform called IndigeNex for exclusive participation by indigenous individuals and 100 percent indigenous companies to generate incomes and create employment.
  • Recapitalise and capacitate all sectors of the national economy using value unlocked from idle assets.
  • Reduce the urban housing backlog by, among other interventions, urgently regularising the tenure of urban dwellers that were allocated housing and commercial stands on peri-urban farms under the Land Reform Programme.
  • Maintain proficient, technologically competent and well-motivated defence and security capabilities.
  • Restore sanity and eliminate corruption, particularly in urban councils.
  • Give bankable leasehold security of tenure to all agricultural beneficiaries of the Land Reform Programme.
  • Institute measures to legalise artisanal mining (makorokoza).
  • Ensure food security as a central pillar of Zimbabwe’s sovereignty by launching a targeted national programme to spearhead, coordinate and promote production, processing, marketing and utilisation of nutritions for both rural and urban communities.
  • Give national languages the same status as English in accordance with the new Constitution.
  • Promote and fund the development of local content in the music industry and the preservation of national cultural norms and values through education and other national platforms.
  • Create more and vibrant opportunities for the youth by establishing a twenty-five percent quota as threshold for their participation across all sectors of the state and the economy.
  • Repatriate Zimbabwe’s sanctions-bled human capital from the diaspora.
  • Engage Britain and its EU, US and White Commonwealth allies to unconditionally lift illegal sanctions, stop their sustained regime-change onslaught and normalise relations with Zimbabwe.


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18,000 voices call for violence free elections in Zimbabwe

http://www2.amnesty.org.uk/
 
 

Today, Amnesty colleagues and I will present 7,000 action cards to the South African High Commission and an 11,000 strong petition to the Tanzanian High Commission in London, calling for violence-free elections in Zimbabwe.

What have South Africa and Tanzania got to do with these elections?

Well, the answer is quite simple; they’re two countries which could play a crucial role in ensuring Zimbabwe’s elections are peaceful. Both countries hold key roles within the Southern African Development Community (SADC), a body of 15 countries, whose pressure on the Zimbabwe authorities over the next two weeks could be vital in preventing a repeat of the violence that has accompanied previous Zimbabwean elections.

Let me take you back. The last time Zimbabwe went to the polls in 2008, violence spread across the country after the first round of polling. Much of it was state-sponsored and resulted in more than 200 people killed, 10,000 injured and 28,000 forced to flee their homes. The violence was so widespread that the hospitals even ran out of crutches. Political activists and human rights defenders were often targeted, as were the young and old.

Our researcher described to me recently the horror and the sadness he felt after interviewing an 84 year old woman that year. She had been beaten so badly it resulted in a broken arm, leg and bruises all over her body. Her crime? All she did was not attend a rally organised by the ruling ZANU–PF party, let by President Mugabe. ‘In a society that is supposed to respect the elderly, that was just too much’ he told me.

But this is where SADC comes into play. You’ve been emailing and campaigning for SADC to take a strong stance now, to prevent violence, intimidation and harassment from marring this election.

Today we’ll take your messages to them - we'll update this blog today as we go!

Your message to South Africa: Vote for human rights

We’ve just handed in over 7,000 action cards sent in by you from around the UK. South Africa is a key influencer because it holds a formal mediating role, on behalf of SADC, between Zimbabwe’s main political parties. SADC’s intervention in 2008 helped to stem the violence and their influence that helped bring the main political parties together to form a ‘Government of National Unity’.

Although we hope it won’t get to that point, it could be South Africa’s intervention as a mediator that will be crucial again this year.

Tanzania: key to keeping peace in the region

Tanzania is the current chair of the SADC ‘Organ on Politics, Defence and Security’. In plain English, this is the SADC grouping responsible for peace and security within the region, and why they were the target of our 11,000-strong petition.

SADC is also one of the few international bodies which will have observers at the 31 July election.  For Amnesty this means they have both the opportunity and a responsibility to record any human rights violations and abuses they observe and monitor human rights conditions beyond polling stations and their immediate vicinity, since often serious human rights abuses happen outside of these locations.

In other words: please act as human rights monitors as well as election observers.

Next steps for a violence- and intimidation free election

Your petition signatures and action cards are now with the Tanzanian and South African High Commissions, and we’re confident your voices have been heard. The key test now will be whether violence erupts during the elections, and the response of SADC.

We’ll be very closely monitoring the elections, especially the treatment of human rights activists. Hopefully we won’t need you, but be ready to take action if we do. Follow us on Twitter or Facebook to keep up-to-date with the campaign.


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Expectations are low as Zimbabwe goes to the polls

http://www.timeslive.co.za/

The Times Editorial | 17 July, 2013 00:15

Zimbabwe always was going to need a miracle if it was going to be
transformed from a gerrymandered ''power-sharing'' government that had the
effect of preserving the rule of Robert Mugabe even though his Zanu-PF party
had been defeated at the bloody 2008 polls.

When Mugabe declared July 31 as the election date last month - pointing out
that he was merely complying with an order of his constitutional court - he
set in motion a chain of events that will ensure the polls are almost
certainly deeply flawed.

To their credit, the leaders of the Southern African Development Community,
among them President Jacob Zuma, managed to persuade the ageing president to
go back to court to ask for a bit more time. But the application was denied.

So, when millions of Zimbabweans go to the polls again in two weeks, they
will cast their votes even though the state media is still firmly in
Mugabe's hands, the police and army are Zanu-PF loyalists and the judiciary
is untransformed.

Moreover, the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission is patently unready for the
mammoth task awaiting it. Long queues, the late delivery of ballot papers
and allegations of rigging marked the recently concluded special vote for
the security services who will be on duty on July 31. If it cannot cope with
a relatively manageable special vote, how on earth is it going to pull off a
general election?

SADC and African Union observers will be on duty - their counterparts from
nations that enforced sanctions against Mugabe and his inner circle have
been excluded - but their presence will not be enough to ensure a poll that
meets basic international standards.

But, provided the irregularities are not too extensive and there is no
wide-scale violence, as there was in 2008, the SADC will probably find
itself signing off on the vote.

Democracy? No. More like democracy of a special type.


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Robert Mugabe's Zimbabwe cannot survive an era of internet openness

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/

The old dictator is offering a huge reward for the identity of an internet
mole embarrassing his government. But it won't work

By Samuel Napthine3:21PM BST 17 Jul 2013

This week Zimbabwe leader Robert Mugabe revealed a $300,000 reward to anyone
who will uncover the identity of an internet mole known as “Baba Jukwa”. But
in a country which is getting ever more connected to the internet, can they
really stop government secrets being revealed?

Three out of five people in Zimbabwe now have direct access to social media
in Zimbabwe, and with Baba Jukwa’s revealing of information through Facebook
people are becoming more and more aware of what is going on in their
government. In a country which has been governed by a strict and corrupt
ruler for more than 30 years this sudden access to the internet will surely
result in backlash or even revolution.

We have already seen the internet used as a tool of protest in recent years.
With the 2011 Arab Spring starting from an internet campaign, it led to
street rioting and inevitably a new government in countries in north Africa,
there is nothing to say this change will not spread south and spark mass
protests in Zimbabwe and perhaps elsewhere.

The internet is also challenging the old ways of Mugabe; his policies and
tactics are no longer viable in the internet age. He may be offering a
reward for the identity of the mole, but it is not money the people of
Zimbabwe want, it is transparency in government. In a country which has long
controlled its population through propaganda in the media, people are
finally discovering truth about their government. Money will not solve this
problem, and nor will Mugabe’s old fashioned tactics: it is honesty and
which will.

Unlike other dictatorships, such as North Korea, Zimbabwe has embraced the
internet, and now the country will never be able to get rid of it and the
information it has unleashed. This is a threat Mugabe has never known before
and evidently does not know how to tackle. Even if Mugabe does catch Jukwa
it will not solve his problem: because the internet is anonymous and as long
as it is there as a platform people will use it. The mole could even be in
another country, and Mugabe would be powerless to stop him.

With his 90th birthday looming Mugabe’s days are limited, and if his 32-year
regime comes to an end the government will find it hard to resist change.
Change is imminent in Zimbabwe and with an election occurring at the end of
the month the internet will in no doubt be used heavily. At the last
election violence was used as a tactic by the military, and there is no
question it will be again, but with a population now largely online, and
sharing information which up until now has been carefully handled by the
government, freedom will ultimately triumph.


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My Vote Zimbabwe

http://www.rnw.nl/africa/category/tags-africa/my-vote

Listen to various voters' stories here.


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Open Letter To The African Union July2013

By

Andrew M Manyevere*

Events in Zimbabwe and, in particular, those that reveal nakedly the
historical and dictatorial stance that Zimbabwe and Zimbabweans endured for
thirty three years, has now come to fruition under your watch Excellences

Never have we seen a leader who failed a nation to prosper protected under
rubrics of nationalism and liberation struggle as we see done for Zimbabwe
tyranny leadership.  To the effect that one third of a country’s population
resides abroad, with perhaps one half of this population residing in the
neighbouring South Africa, is evidence that, irrespective of what anyone can
say of Zimbabwe leadership, all is not well politically in Zimbabwe.

Despite African Union’s good faith on Zimbabwe and the hope that Zimbabwe
would, after the 2009 Government of National Unity (GNU) agreement, achieve
political sanity to carry a free and fair election, Zanu leadership has not
repented and reveals, beyond a shadow of doubt that she will not settle for
a second position in Zimbabwean politics.

We need observe that even though some of the Zanu leadership took part in
the country’s liberation struggle, the pretext is no license to crucify
people by a tyrannical leadership. Signs of dictatorship are empirically
evident that Zanu leadership has desired and still desire to:

1.       Isolate the nation from the rest of the world with the objective to
carry her poor governance stance shamelessly and increase human abuse
activities, hopefully, without interference from either African Union or
United Nations.

2.       Return the country’s economy and politics back to the 2005 through
2009 phase when the rule of law, value of human life and that of the money
lost its purpose to Zanu.  Zanu never rectified the situation.

3.       Perpetuate political chaos in the country through creation of false
popularity by forcing people to attend rallies through reprisal methods
clandestinely employed by night under cover of darkness. Establish political
monopoly in governance at the expense of any other political formation in
the country through, in part, the deployment of thugs into rural areas as
well as armed central intelligence organization (CIO) guys who use covet
methods to deal with people.

No doubt, Zanu has in preparation for the 2013 electoral rigging, begun
implementing elections outside agreed scales.  Statistics on voters are
suspicious. No one is able to confirm or inspect the voter’s role. The
Police, the military and special constabulary so-called special time to vote
has already opened a Pandora box on statistical differences between the real
number of serving men and women and those put forward by Zanu. Without a
clear inspection at all these elements, it is difficult policing fairness.

Repeatedly Zanu has failed to run free and fair elections in the past, let
alone to accept defeat. The human suffering, intimidation and trauma through
arson and violence are apparently growing into the scene by the day each day
as election dates draw close.

It is not part of Zanu political DNA to control violence. For Zanu
leadership to have failed changing the 1970s liberation army sentiments in
the then joint army into a unitary professional military force after
thirty-three years is not deliberate on the part of Zanu leadership but
failure to grow and watch democracy succeed.

As diaspora, we do not see the need to shade blood fighting with a corrupt
army, police and Zanu political appendages. We appeal and endorse the
Zimbabweans’ petition to seek the AU intervention and speak out to protect
people rights in Zimbabwe. Zanu has nakedly abused people, in particular the
rural population.  Zanu has denied rural areas information and sparingly
allocated scarce commodities to chosen sections of the population to capture
votes.

We are not impressed that Zanu does not want international observers in the
coming elections.  That alone should tell the story why. We do not approve
of Zanu personal attacks on other world leaders, as this does not augur well
for good international relations. We find Zanu’s attack on other world
nations neither in the national interest nor in global interest except to
serve personal interests of Zanu and its leadership.

While we respect the policy of territorial integrity, we respect more the
people’s voice in each country and urge the AU to revise her mandate if she
has to foster the concept and practice of United States of Africa. It is our
considered opinion that Zanu leadership abuse of power and the electorate is
one case  neglected by the AU for far too long. We repose faith in
collective responsibility of the continent leadership over human protection
and territories ‘democracy.

·         The author is a Zimbabwean human right activist in Canada.


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Bill Watch 29/2013 of 17th July [Legislation Update]

BILL WATCH 29/2013

[17th July 2013]

Legislation Update

Acts of 2013 Already Gazetted

Constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment (No. 20) Act, 2013 [No. 1/2013] on 22nd May 2013

Money Laundering and Proceeds of Crime Act, 2013 [No. 4/2013] on 21st June, 2013

Bills Passed by Parliament not yet Gazetted as Acts

The following Acts await gazetting following Parliament’s passing of the relevant Bills in its dying days:

·        Electricity Amendment Act

·        Securities Amendment Act

·        Microfinance Act

·        Income Tax Act.

No Reforms of Acts Curtailing Civil Liberties

Apart from the new Constitution, and the Bills recently pushed through by the Minister of Finance, there has been very little legislative activity this year.  Parliament had plenty of time to handle more Bills, but none of the hoped-for democratic reform Bills indicated in the Global Political Agreement and Short Term Economic Recovery Plan were presented by the inclusive government.  Attempts to go an alternative route and get reforms passed by introducing Private Members Bills were finally blocked by court proceedings culminating in the Supreme Court judgment ruling out such Bills for the remainder of the GPA.  This means that POSA and AIPPA, and repressive provisions of the Criminal Law Code, remain as they were for the 2008 elections, with all their considerable potential for frustrating the levelling of the electoral playing field and the holding of free, fair and credible elections.

SI 85/2013 – Electoral Act Amendment – Never Laid Before Parliament

SI 85/2013 – the Presidential Powers (Temporary Measures) (Amendment of Electoral Act) Regulations gazetted on 12th June – was made under powers conferred on the President by the Presidential Powers (Temporary Measures) Act.  Section  4 of this Act requires copies of all such regulations to be laid before Parliament “no later than the eighth day on which Parliament sits next after the regulations were made”.  After 12th June, Parliament sat on another seven days [13th, 19th, 20th, 21st, 25th, 26th and 27th June] before adjourning for good.  The regulations were not laid before either House on any one of those last seven days.  Now that the Seventh Parliament has expired, it is impossible for the SI to be laid, and Minister Chinamasa and the President are off the hook. 

Comment:  This adds one more item to the list of legally unsatisfactory aspects of the transition to the new Constitution.  But at this late stage the Constitutional Court, having already endorsed the 31st July election, is obviously unlikely to entertain further legal objections to the basis of the electoral process now under way.

SI 85 is a temporary measure, valid for 180 days only – enough to provide for the coming election.  In mid-December, on the 181st day, the SI will fall away completely, leaving the Electoral Act as it was before the SI was gazetted on 12th June.  So a high priority early task for the next Government and Parliament will be the passing of a Bill to bring the Electoral Law into line with the new Constitution – preferably a Bill for an entirely new Electoral Act rather than another amending Bill.

Quorum Query on Parliament’s Passing of Income Tax Bill

A suggestion is doing the rounds to the effect that the Income Tax Bill was not validly passed by the House of Assembly.  It is said that there was no quorum in place at the relevant time.  The quorum for the House of Assembly was 25 MPs – the figure fixed by section 54 of the former Constitution. 

There is no merit in the suggestion of invalidity.  68 MPs were recorded as present when the sitting started at 2.15 pm on the day in question, 25th June.  Even if the number of MPs in the House later dropped below 25, that alone does not invalidate any of the afternoon’s proceedings because no MP raised a “no quorum” objection.  This lack of objection is the important point, because section 54 of the former Constitution states that it is only if a “no quorum” objection is taken by an MP in the House that proceedings will have to be discontinued.  [If an objection is taken, section 54 allows MPs a period of 7 minutes, as prescribed in Standing Orders, to reach the Chamber.  During those seven minutes the division bells, audible throughout Parliament building, are rung to summon MPs, and it is only thereafter, if a quorum still cannot be assembled, that the House must adjourn without concluding its business.] 

Cabinet Meetings Suspended

The President told Ministers at the Cabinet meeting on 2nd July that there would be no further Cabinet meetings before the elections.  Press stories then speculated that President Mugabe and the permanent secretaries of Government Ministries would now be running the Government to the exclusion of Ministers.  Later, an official statement on 8th July from the Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet explained the situation as follows:

·        Cabinet meetings are temporarily suspended to allow Cabinet members to concentrated attention on the elections

·        Ministers may be summoned to attend Cabinet meetings in the usual manner should the need arise.

Comment:  Whatever the factual situation in individual Ministries over the next three weeks, the legal and constitutional position is as stated in paragraph 15 of Sixth Schedule to the new Constitution: 

·        the posts of Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Ministers and all Ministers and Deputy Ministers all continue in existence until the person elected as President in the coming elections assumes office after the elections

·        the persons holding these posts on 22nd May remain in them.

It follows that Ministers retain their powers and functions until the winner of the coming Presidential election is sworn in as President – in early August or, if there has to be a run-off election, in mid-September [the date for the run-off election, if any, is Wednesday 11th September].

Paragraph 15 of the Sixth Schedule to the new Constitution applies “notwithstanding any provision of the former Constitution” – which means that the President cannot dismiss the Prime Minister or the Deputy Prime Ministers, or any of the Ministers or Deputy Ministers, in reliance on the former Constitution. 

Government Gazette

[NOT available from Veritas]

Statutory Instruments

Collective bargaining agreement  SI specifies wages and allowances for workers in the soft drinks manufacturing industry for the year 2013.

Radiation protection  SI 99/2013 enacts the highly technical Radiation Protection (Naturally Occurring Radioactive Material) Regulations.  A licensing system is set up for generation, possession, distribution etc of naturally occurring radioactive material [NORM] “whose radionuclide concentrations have been increased by or as a result of human practices”.   Radiation protection standards, measures to protect workers, waste disposal and safety criteria for products are among other matters covered.  The preamble to the regulations recites that they were made in terms of the Radiation Protection Act, and in consultation with the Board of the Radiation Protection Authority, by the “Office of the President and Cabinet”. 

[Note: As the Radiation Protection Act confers regulation-making power on “the Minister”, meaning a Minister to whom the President has assigned responsibility for the Act, and as the regulations were not made by a Minister but by an Office, the regulations may well be invalid.  It is true that the President by SI 162/2012 assigned the Radiation Protection Act to the “Office of the President and Cabinet”, but as pointed out in Bill Watch 49/2012 of 22nd October 2012, this assignment is of doubtful validity and therefore challengeable in court.  Perhaps the next assignment of Acts, under the new Constitution, will avoid repetition of this error.] 

Public service vehicles  SI 100/2013 enacts new fees for the Road Motor Transportation (Public Service Vehicles) Regulations, replacing fees of 2009.

Collective bargaining agreement  SI 98/2013 sets out minimum wages and allowances for workers in the Detergents, Edible Oils and Fats industry for 2013, following an arbitration award.

Local authority by-laws  Kariba Municipality has amended burial fees [SI 102/2013] and rents, water and supplementary charges in Nyamhunga and Mahombekombe townships [SI 103/2013].

General Notices

National monuments  GN 354/2013 notifies the declaration by the co-Ministers of Home Affairs of various sites as national monuments, including the National Heroes Acre, Sikombela Restriction camp, and several provincial heroes acres. 

Elections notices  These notices are listed below.

Latest Website Postings

NEW since Bill Watch 28/2013:

·         GN 361/2013** – Presidential Candidates

·         GN 362/2013** – National Assembly Constituency Candidates

·         GN 363/2013** – Addresses of Constituency Elections Officers

·         GN 364/2013** – Party Lists for National Assembly, Senate and Provincial Councils

·         GN 366/2013** – Withdrawals of National Assembly Constituency Candidates

·         GN 347/2013** ZRP Promotions Notice

·         Electoral Act as amended [incorporating amendments made by SI 85/2013]

·         MDC-T and ZANU-PF election manifestos

**  Please note these items are available on the Veritas website veritaszim.net but are not available by email

·         Money Laundering and Proceeds of Crime Act, 2013 (Act No. 4/2013)*

·         Electricity Amendment Bill [passed by Parliament 26th June, not yet gazetted as an Act]

·         Minister of Justice and Legal Affairs’ application to the Constitutional Court for a two-week extension of the harmonised elections polling date

·         South African Constitutional Court judgment in Government of the Republic of Zimbabwe v Fick & Others [delivered on 27th June.  The judgment dismisses the Government’s appeal against the enforcement in South Africa of a SADC Tribunal costs award in favour of complainants in the Campbell case.] 

·         Public holidays for 2013 [GN 348/2013] 

*still available by email if requested from veritas@mango.zw

Other recent postings:

·         SI 85/2013 [regulations amending the Electoral Act]

·         SI 86/2013 and SI 96/2013 [Election proclamation and correction]

·         SI 88/2013 [Electoral Electoral (Nomination of Candidates) Regulations

·         SI 89/3012 [Electoral (Accreditation of Observers) Regulations

·         Constitutional Court order in Mawere v Registrar-General & Others [the dual citizenship case].

 

Veritas makes every effort to ensure reliable information, but cannot take legal responsibility for information supplied


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