"The Zimbabwe Situation" news page
Too little, too late
Financial Gazette 20 July 2000
PRESIDENT Robert Mugabe's new Cabinet is a case of
doing too little, too late.
Too little because, although he has finally thrown out
part of the deadwood and replaced it with technocrats who have made a mark of
their own in the private sector and elsewhere, the team is still too large for
little Zimbabwe.
Too late because had he done this 10 or so years ago,
maybe - just maybe - he would have steered Zimbabwe away from its tragic
economic meltdown and possibly saved his own job.
In the event, Mugabe had to be seen to be doing something
by an increasingly hostile electorate baying for his own blood sooner rather
than later in 2002.
The result? A Cabinet dominated in substance by
non-elected officials who owe their positions solely to his patronage and are
unlikely to question his decisions, most of which have been the chief catalyst
for Zimbabwe's quick descent into the economic abyss.
Or should we be generous to him and hope that, for all his
mistakes in the past 20 years, he will this time allow the new team to take full
charge of their ministries, even when these officials take decisions that run
counter to his dear socialist dogma?
For all the new thinking that prompted him to include
private sector officials in the new Cabinet, the President has failed badly to
meet the nation's anguished cry: trim the bloated Cabinet and leave only a few
capable men and women who can deliver.
Zimbabwe, even without its present economic crisis that
requires belt-tightening by all, can and should live with no more than 15
ministers and certainly no deputies and those superfluous ministerial-ranked
governors.
When and how will Mugabe understand this basic sore point?
We ask this because time is certainly not on his side as he literally runs his
last mile and he knows it.
The results of the watershed June 24-25 parliamentary
election, which sacked some of his top lieutenants, had given him the best
chance ever to redraw the political landscape by handpicking only a few
ministers and telling the rest to go.
But as expected, he bowed to pressure from so many who
feel rightly or wrongly they are owed this or that favour and, in the process,
he missed a unique opportunity to break with an unfortunate past and redeem his
own political fortunes on the eve of a history-drawing presidential plebiscite.
For make no mistake, Mugabe is as guilty of failure as are
all his ministers who quivered or remained silent over the years when they saw
things go awry. He cannot be the only one who is to blame, although as the chief
executive he takes the biggest blame of all.
Now that the Cabinet has been announced, let's hope the
President will make the best out of the worst situation he has boxed himself in
by staunchly insisting on service delivery from each and every member and making
clear that Zimbabwe needed a new and better start yesterday.
A crumbling economy, whose effects have been dramatised by
crippling shortages of hard cash, fuel and power and rampant official
corruption, stands up as the single biggest challenge to the new Cabinet
line-up.
None among the President's men and women and, crucially
the President himself, dare fail Zimbabwe once more.
We know it's a tall order for them, but then it's
crunch time indeed: either they lead the nation out of its worst economic ruin
or they permanently go into the political wilderness. The choice is entirely
theirs.
Cabinet shake-up seen as foretaste of worse
things
Purge looms in Politburo
Financial Gazette - 20 July
2000: Sydney Masamvu, Chief Reporter
NEWLY-ELECTED Parliamentary Speaker
Emmerson Mnangagwa and Home Affairs Minister John Nkomo are being groomed to
eventually take over the leadership of the ruling ZANU PF party when the present
presidium retires under a two-phased plan being spearheaded by President Robert
Mugabe, authoritative sources disclosed this week.
According to the sources, the plan kicked off with the
purge of the Cabinet this week.
Most of ZANU PF's political heavyweights touted as
possible successors to Mugabe were unceremoniously dumped while others were
relegated to less influential portfolios.
This, according to the sources privy to the plan, will
effectively sideline them from the party's main activities during the run-up to
the presidential elections set for 2002 when the leadership of ZANU PF will be
completely overhauled.
The sources, in Mugabe's supreme Politburo organ, said the
new Cabinet line-up had been tailor-made to suit a new party leadership
structure which Mugabe envisages to come out of a special ZANU PF congress that
is expected to be held next month.
The second and final phase of the plan will involve a
dramatic shake-up of the Politburo and the dissolution of the party's provincial
leadership. Some members of the present Politburo will be retired and others
elevated.
A majority of party stalwarts are however demanding that
the Politburo be elected for the first time ever, a development now threatening
a split in the party.
The composition of Mugabe's Cabinet has already caused
rifts within the party's hierarchy, with charges that the some provinces had
been favoured in the allocation of posts.
There is a widespread feeling that power is tilted in
favour of the Midlands province.
ZANU PF's information chief Nathan Shamuyarira said
yesterday the Politburo was due to meet shortly to discuss several issues,
including the convening of a special congress.
"We are scheduled to meet to discuss a number of issues
and possibly review our proposed special congress which we intend to hold soon,"
he said.
The party's central committee is scheduled to meet
tomorrow in Harare where calls to overhaul ZANU PF's leadership in the face of a
near defeat in the June 24-25 parliamentary elections are expected to mount.
According to the sources, pressure is increasing within
party ranks for Mugabe to convene the congress and purge the Politburo, which
should have been appointed last December but was deferred until after the
parliamentary plebiscite.
Vice President Simon Muzenda has already called for the
dismissal of five of the party's eight provincial chairmen, blaming them for
ZANU PF's loss of parliamentary seats to the opposition Movement for Democratic
Change (MDC).
Among those called on to step down are outspoken Masvingo
provincial chairman Dzikamayi Mavhaire and Charles Ndhlovu of Mashonaland West.
Party insiders familiar with Mugabe's succession plan say
Muzenda's call is a forerunner to the election of a new provincial leadership
that will conform with a new leadership of the party to be unveiled at the
congress.
Mugabe, who has repeatedly said he will not groom a
successor, favours Mnangagwa and Nkomo, the party's national chairman, to head
the party.
ZANU PF's presidium is currently composed of Mugabe
himself, his two deputies and Nkomo.
Mugabe pushed hard for the acceptance of Mnangagwa's
candidature for the speaker's post among his Politburo members this week,
stressing that he wanted a firm person to deal with Parliament which will
contain a significant number of opposition MPs for the first time in Zimbabwe's
post-independence history.
Though Mnangagwa was initially not keen to take up the
post, Mugabe leaned on him to go along. Mnangagwa's candidature had received
some opposition within ZANU PF, with some members preferring to back outgoing
Speaker Cyril Ndebele.
The newly-elected ZANU PF MPs were instructed to vote for
Mnangagwa at a Politburo meeting chaired by Mugabe on Monday.
Mnangagwa, who lost his Kwekwe Central constituency to
little-known Blessing Chebundo of the MDC, was among several long-serving
ministers of the party who were excluded from the new Cabinet that is dominated
in substance by technocrats.
By virtue of being speaker, Mnangagwa becomes the fourth
most powerful man in line with government protocol after the President and his
two deputies. At party level, where he is the finance boss, he holds the fourth
powerful post.
Mnangagwa, 58, has repeatedly stressed that he harbours no
presidential ambitions, but insiders said the position of speaker would help him
lift his national stature after a series of political blows which threatened to
bury him politically, including his loss of the party's national chairmanship to
Nkomo last year.
"He will preside over a Parliament which will have a heavy
presence of members from the opposition and this could help him as a platform to
emerge as a natural leader," a senior Politburo member told the Financial
Gazette.
"It will also help him forge close links with ZANU PF MPs
from other provinces and portray him as a national figure."
LETTERS to the Editor - Financial Gazette 20 July 2000
New Cabinet superb by Jongwe standards
EC, Non-Partisan
Observer, Harare.
EDITOR - The long-awaited Cabinet that
was unveiled by President Robert Mugabe at the weekend is brilliant by Jongwe
standards.
One can only pray that the advent of a professor in his
office is not a clue on his choice of possible successor!
Although the Cabinet is still bloated, for the first time
in 20 years his choice of ministers could not be easily predicted.
The relegation of the proverbial deadwood that had worn
out as a result of over-recycling during the last 20 years is commendable.
Hopefully, Jongwe is not going to tarnish the image and reputation of the
brilliant technocrats he has hired by interfering with their work.
The fact that Mugabe did not bring his defeated
comrades-in-arms through the back door by appointing them non-constituency
Members of Parliament in order for them to be eligible for Cabinet appointments,
as was widely expected, caught many offside, including the concerned comrades.
However, Jongwe could have done much better by doing away
with deputy ministers and merging some of the ministries such as those of
education and those related to agriculture and rural development.
He could also have taken the opportunity to retire his
ageing vice presidents or at least one of them.
Of course as usual there are also appointments such as
those at justice that raise eyebrows.
In spite of these shortcomings, Jongwe must still be
commended for his Cabinet line-up, knowing the arrogant and stubborn character
of the man who has been at the helm of Zimbabwe during the last 20
years.
Murder most foul!
Samanga, Harare
EDITOR - When I heard of the death a
fortnight ago of 13 soccer fans at the National Sports Stadium I was shocked and
angry with the police. I then resignedly said to myself: ''at's life, the Lord
had called.''
Apparently from the list of the deceased I could not pick
out anybody I knew. But when I realised from last week's Financial Gazette that
Dean "Gonyeti" Fidesi was among the dead, I was deeply saddened and started
asking myself many questions. I realised I had been wrong.
That was not life - that was murder! The boy was a joy at
the Fingaz social soccer matches and had a deep passion for the game (he took
after the father of course).
And to think that on the Saturday before his death,
Gonyeti was all smiles and jokes at Prince Edward when Fingaz played Econet
pains me. What a waste!
Please Leo Mugabe and Augustine Chihuri, for how long must
we endure you?
Police conduct barbaric
Charles Nyatsuro, Harare.
EDITOR - Grief and sympathy over 13
lives that were lost at the National Sports Stadium on July 9 2000 have
compelled me to give my comments.
While I deplore in the strongest terms the actions of a
few charlatans and lunatic elements who instigated the firing of missiles onto
the pitch, I mostly find the conduct of the police reprehensible and hold them
responsible for these deaths because of their ineptitude.
Honestly, how could the police fire teargas in an
enclosure with so many people? It's ridiculous.
It would be romancing a python that would eventually
swallow me if I exonerate President Robert Mugabe of this tragedy. Mugabe has
been condoning lawlessness in the run-up to elections and directly or indirectly
inculcating a sense of negligence on the part of the police and up until now,
lawlessness is rife throughout the country.
Only a new political dispensation will free Zimbabweans
from the yoke of this tyranny.
Police used to settle unfinished business
Harrisons
the Match Commissioner, Harare.
EDITOR - With reference to President
Robert Mugabe's remarks on the recent soccer tragedy, I believe issues
pertaining to human lives should be treated with the sanctity they deserve
rather than to be capitalised upon and used as pedestals for disillusioned
political geriatrics to relaunch their waning political careers.
It is saddening that even before the board of inquiry into
the tragedy has met, "Sabhuku" has already thrown the mud on the Movement for
Democratic Change.
This all goes to prove that he is so irritated with the
opposition that he has stopped to exercise any fair-minded analysis of issues
affecting the country.
To say hooligans were planted to disrupt the match is an
affront to the soccer fraternity, an unfounded, ludicrous misconception that
only serves to show how bereft of ideas the Old Man has become so as to try to
link every ill thing to those who threaten his political life.
Will there ever be an objective of probing the tragedy,
seeing that the "I-know-it-all" Prince has already passed the verdict?
Is he trying to protect the "ZANU Republic Police", his
political pawn, which of late has been scorned publicly for failing to bring
peace to the farming community but is now trying to demonstrate its presence by
victimising defenceless citizens?
But that is all absurd for how could they claim to be
trying to disperse people who were in an enclosed area? Was this not a sure
catalyst of such untold pandemonium with tragic consequences?
After all, no fighting had erupted, no fan had jumped onto
the field of play, no life was at risk but only plastic bottles that naturally
would have been thrown by any frustrated fans. And this never warranted such an
over-reaction from the overzealous uniformed (Sabhuku's) puppets.
I am in all sincerity tempted to believe that "someone" is
using the boys to settle some "unfinished business".
While we
would be happy to see immediate resignation of the commissioner of police, I
tend to believe that nothing would ever change as long as the string-puller is
still behind the curtain.
War vets continue chasing farmers off land
Financial Gazette 20 July 2000 -
Staff Reporter
THE Commercial Farmers' Union (CFU)
complained this week that independence war veterans are ordering farmers to
vacate their properties despite the government having started the land
redistribution programme.
CFU director David Hasluck said the veterans had ordered
several farmers across the country to vacate their properties, a situation he
said was severely disrupting already downsized production on the farms.
"We have a lot of cases countrywide where war veterans are
demanding that farmers vacate their properties, which is making the situation on
the farms untenable," Hasluck told the Financial Gazette.
"A number of farmers in Mashonaland Central and other
areas, including Guruve, Matepatepa, Shamva and Bindura, have been asked to
leave their farms which has caused work stoppages."
These developments follow the government's weekend launch
of a fast-paced land resettlement programme which will see landless peasants
being immediately moved onto 200 farms.
The exercise will also benefit the veterans, who have
occupied more than 1 600 farms since February and are blamed for the deaths of
five white farmers and the halting of production worth billions of dollars.
Launching the resettlement programme, Vice President
Joseph Msika, who is also chairman of the government's Land Acquisition
Committee, said it was the government's sole responsibility to implement the
land resettlement exercise.
The CFU said it supported Msika's statement that the task
of allocating land should be executed by the government and not by the veterans,
who have been selling plots on occupied farms for as little as $30.
Hasluck said the dominant commercial farming sector was
urging the government to intervene and ensure that the veterans did not
interfere any further with farm operations.
President Robert Mugabe, who has backed the invasions, has
ordered police to defy two court orders outlawing the farm seizures.
Hasluck said the CFU fully supported a well-planned land
resettlement exercise that followed guidelines that were laid down by a donors'
conference in Harare two years ago.
Such a resettlement exercise, he said, would meet with the
approval of the donors who have refused to fund the programme by withholding $25
billion until it is carried out in a transparent manner to eradicate poverty.
Msika said the government, which needs $40 billion to fund
resettlement in the next 10 years, was prepared to bankroll the programme from
its own limited resources if donors refuse to provide any aid.
Zim probed for illegal sale of ivory to China
Financial Gazette 20 July 2000 -
Staff Reporter
TRAFFIC, the international wildlife
trade monitoring organisation, yesterday began auditing Zimbabwe's ivory stocks
following reports that the government had illegally sold more than eight tonnes
of ivory to China as part payment for arms supplies.
The director of Traffic's Harare-based office for East and
Southern Africa, Tom Milliken, said his organisation was investigating stocks of
ivory at the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Management at the
invitation of the government.
"We have been asked to undertake an audit of the ivory
stocks - that is to check on the movement of every piece of ivory, establish
what stocks should be there and what is physically being held," Milliken told
the Financial Gazette.
In its edition of July 9, London's Sunday Times alleged
that Zimbabwe's cash-strapped government had in May this year flown to China
ivory worth US$1 million as part payment for thousands of AK rifles delivered by
Beijing to Harare around the same time.
The paper claimed that the Geneva-based secretariat of the
Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), to which
Zimbabwe belongs, had already begun investigating the alleged illicit ivory sale
which, if found true, could be a serious breach of CITES rules covering limited
ivory trade.
Under CITES rules, elephant herds in Botswana, Zimbabwe
and Namibia are listed on Appendix Two of the convention, which allows only
controlled sales of ivory and all of which have to be first sanctioned by the
world body.
Zimbabwe this week dismissed the British paper's claims as
speculation intended to tarnish the government's name.
"That is ridiculous. It is mere speculation aimed at
damaging the image of the government," said Charles Chipato, secretary of the
Ministry of Environment and Tourism which has overall control of Zimbabwe's
elephant herd.
Zimbabwe last sold its ivory to Japan in 1998 and with the
approval of CITES, he said. Since then it had not sold any ivory to China or any
other country and its stock, now worth about 18 tonnes, was always under the
constant watch of CITES, Traffic and other animal rights groups, Chipato
stressed.
"There are scientific modes of monitoring the growth and
mortality rates of elephants and CITES can at any time easily check and verify
what stock we should have in our warehouses," he said.
Milliken commended Zimbabwe's elephant and ivory stock
control systems and expressed doubts on the alleged illegal ivory sales but said
an audit by his organisation should help clear the issue.
"Considering what we have been observing on the ground, we
also have doubts as to the authenticity of those claims but the audit must set
the record straight," Milliken said.
At a CITES summit in Kenya earlier this year, Zimbabwe,
Botswana and Namibia fought off fierce opposition from mostly Western-based
animal rights groups to have their elephants stay on Appendix Two.
Any claims of an upsurge in the poaching of elephants or
the illegal sale of ivory can damage prospects of continued trade which the
southern African governments say brings in millions of dollars that help in the
good management of wildlife annually.
Mugabe cancels MPs' party at last minute
Financial Gazette 20 July 2000 - Staff
Reporter
PRESIDENT Robert Mugabe yesterday
unexpectedly cancelled at the last minute a traditional reception which he hosts
for MPs on the eve of the opening of Parliament.
This is the first time since Zimbabwe's independence 20
years ago that Mugabe has scrapped the function, whose invitation cards had
already been sent out.
The Office of the President said the function was
cancelled because of budgetary constraints.
The occasion was going to be the first time Mugabe would
have met legislators from the opposition Movement for Democratic Change at his
official residence since the June 24-25 parliamentary election. Mugabe
officially opens the fifth session of Parliament today.
Police, Fans to Be Charged Over Fatal Soccer Stampede
HARARE, Zimbabwe (AP) -- At least five police officers
could face involuntary manslaughter charges for firing tear gas into a packed
soccer stadium, setting off a deadly stampede at a World Cup qualifying match,
Zimbabwe's police chief said Wednesday.
Thirteen fans died in the July 8 stampede at Harare
stadium. Police chief Augustine Chihuri said an inquiry found some of the
officers were "derelict" in their duty when they used tear gas against unruly
fans.
"Truly, there was too much gas. Perhaps it should not have
been applied," he said.
But Chihuri also blamed the opposition Movement for
Democratic Change party, saying it had trucked some 300 agitators into the
stands, causing the mayhem. The MDC has repeatedly denied the allegations.
The riot broke out after fans threw objects onto the field
following a goal by visiting South Africa. The match had to be abandoned in the
84th minute, with South Africa ahead of Zimbabwe 2-0.
Chihuri said fans gave the MDC's open hand salute and held
up red cards -- a soccer symbol the opposition used during the campaign for last
month's parliamentary elections to signify that Mugabe's party should be
ejected.
The singing of the Zimbabwe national anthem was
"interrupted by some hooligans," the inquiry reported.
Chihuri, an appointee of President Robert Mugabe, denied
allegations that the 400 police overreacted because they were so angered by the
opposition slogans. Witnesses at the stadium said political jibes were also
directed against Mugabe's nephew Leo, head of the Zimbabwe Football Association.
The opposition poses the biggest challenge to Mugabe's
hold on power since he led the nation to independence in 1980.
The MDC won 57 of the 120 elected seats in parliament in
last month's election. The ruling party won 62, and holds 30 other seats
appointed by Mugabe.
Chihuri said two people were arrested for throwing objects
onto the field and other suspects from among the group of agitators were being
sought. Among those killed in the stampede were four children, the youngest aged
5.
Five people died in a stampede at the same stadium in
1998, when police closed the gates after it was filled to capacity and thousands
more fans tried to force their way in.
Zimbabwe Police Accept Some Blame for Stampede
HARARE, July 19 (Reuters) - Zimbabwe police on Wednesday
accepted some blame for the deaths of 13 soccer fans in a stampede during a
World Cup qualifier, saying five officers might be charged with culpable
homicide.
"The performance of our police officers who were on duty
on the day leaves a lot to be desired," Police Commissioner Augustine Chihuri
told a news conference.
"The police were not coherent in their response to the
disturbances within the stadium. I am aware that maybe five officers who were in
charge at the stadium may be charged with culpable homicide."
Twelve people died in the stampede after police fired
teargas during a World Cup qualifier between Zimbabwe and South Africa on July
9. Another person died later in hospital. But Chihuri dismissed calls for his
resignation and said an inquiry had found that local soccer body ZIFA and
hooligans backed by the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) should
also shoulder responsibility for the tragedy.
"If you make an operational mistake on the job, does your
boss resign? No one would be a police chief anywhere in the world (if that were
the case)," he said.
Chihuri said police had arrested two people and were
investigating reports that the MDC had recruited about 300 people to disrupt the
match.
He denied accusations that police had fired the teargas in
anger at taunts by MDC supporters.
"The police were not angry, that is not what the board of
inquiry found. What sparked their reaction was the throwing of missiles onto the
football pitch," Chihuri said.
President Robert Mugabe has pointed an accusing finger at
the MDC, which loosened ZANU-PF's 20-year grip on power in voting on June 24 and
25.
The MDC has denied responsibility for the tragedy,
accusing police of overreacting in the stadium.
The world soccer body FIFA has banned international soccer
matches at the stadium until further notice.
Zimbabwe Tightens Security for Parliament Opening
HARARE, July 20 (Reuters) - The Zimbabwean government
deployed hundreds of police around central Harare on Thursday before the opening
of parliament by President Robert Mugabe after his party survived its strongest
challenge in 20 years.
Riot police carrying batons, teargas canisters and some
sporting rifles and shotguns ringed the parliament building and closed off some
nearby streets.
About a thousand supporters of Mugabe's ruling ZANU-PF and
the opposition Movement for Democratic Change gathered in a park opposite
parliament singing, dancing and taunting each other while police kept a watchful
eye.
ZANU-PF narrowly defeated a fierce challenge from the
nine-month old MDC in June elections which were marred in the runup by a wave of
violence which left more than 30 people dead.
The ruling party won 62 of the 120 contested parliamentary
seats, while the MDC captured 57. One seat went to a small opposition party.
The supporters of the MDC -- which made Mugabe's handling
of the economy a key election issue -- taunted the ruling party on Thursday,
singing that it was rotten to the core.
ZANU-PF supporters shouted back that the opposition party
was a puppet of whites.
A police officer warned the crowd against "insulting the
office of the president," a statement apparently directed at the opposition
supporters, who called for Mugabe to be sacked.
Mugabe, who faces presidential elections in 2002, was
scheduled to open parliament at 1000 GMT.
Mugabe Consolidates Power Before Presidential
Race
HARARE, July 19 (Reuters) - Zimbabwe President Robert
Mugabe has consolidated power within his ruling party after tough parliamentary
elections, paving the way for his re-election bid in presidential polls in 2002,
analysts said on Wednesday.
Three weeks after his ZANU-PF survived its strongest
electoral challenge since coming to power 20 years ago, Mugabe has named a a new
cabinet comprised mostly of young technocrats whom he can dominate, and
sidelined potential presidential rivals.
"He has moved into a stronger position and given himself
room and options...outflanking a number of senior officials who may have been
trying to position themselves for his post," political scientist Alfred Nhema
told Reuters.
Mugabe dumped more than a dozen long-serving ministers
when he announced his new cabinet on Saturday, including two potential
presidential rivals -- minister without portfolio Eddison Zvobgo and Home
Affairs Minister Dumiso Dabengwa.
Nhema said Mugabe had manouvered himself into a position
from which he could either run for office again or back a close ally in the
presidential poll due in 2002.
This week Mugabe helped former Justice Minister Emmerson
Mnangagwa win ZANU-PF's nomination for speaker of parliament.
Mnangagwa, who was defeated in last month's parliamentary
poll, was elected speaker by parliamentarians on Tuesday.
Mnangagwa has denied having presidential ambitions, but
analysts believe he is Mugabe's favoured successor and was given the speaker's
post to keep him close to the presidency.
Under Zimbabwe's parliamentary system, the speaker does
not have to be a member of parliament and can act for the president in the
absence of the two vice-presidents.
"It's clear the president is strengthening his position in
the party, but I think he is doing it to pave the way for a possible successor
not because he wants to run for office," said one African diplomat based in
Harare.
"I think if things work out well, Mugabe is looking at
retiring gracefully in 2002," he told Reuters.
ECONOMY A KEY FACTOR
ZANU-PF narrowly defeated a fierce challenge from the
Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) which made Mugabe's mismanagment of the
economy a key election issue.
The ruling party won 62 of the 120 contested parliamentary
seats, while the MDC captured 57 seats and one seat went to a small opposition
party.
ZANU-PF only retained a workable majority in the 150-seat
parliament because 30 members are appointed by Mugabe himself.
Nhema said Mugabe's handling of the economic crisis will
be a deciding factor if he tries to run for president again.
"I don't think 18 months will be long enough for him to
change his fortunes," he said.
"Unless the economy improves dramatically and his
management style also improves drastically, Mugabe is going to face a very big
challenge from the opposition," he added.
Zimbabwe is battling its worst economic crisis since
independence, with severe shortages of fuel and foreign currency and inflation
and unemployment at record highs.
The economic crisis has been compounded by Mugabe's
controversial plans to seize more than 800 white-owned farms for black
resettlement. The move has severely damaged Zimbabwe's agriculture sector and
discouraged Western donors from resuming aid to the southern African country.
Analysts said Mugabe has assembled a business-friendly
cabinet, but much-needed foreign aid will be tied to critical policy changes on
the economy and the land issue.
Subject: Glendale Farmers
-----Original Message-----
Sent: 19 July 2000 06:23
Subject: From Lis
Dob
Importance: High
Dear Charles
Would you mind forwarding
this to your mailing list in the hopes that some Glendale farmers see
this.
My heartiest Congratulations to you all on your difficult decision to
shut down your farming operations until rule of law is restored and the
abominable situation you find yourselves in is resolved.
If more farmers took
a principled stand like yours, and more businessmen in the cities backed them up
by:
- not investing in Treasury Bills and
- not paying Sales Tax, PAYE, and the innumerable levies, over to central
Treasury, then the situation would be resolved very quickly.
We all have to face losses to bring a return to sanity in our beloved
country. Time for us all to pull together. With effect from the end of this
month I am withholding all tax payments and banking them in a savings account
(not the POSB). They will only be paid over to central treasury once there is
- a return to the rule of law,
- removal of all farm invaders and
- a start has been made on a people-driven constitution.
I have a small operation, and, alone, my contribution is not going to effect
change. But I hope that others will be inspired by the principled stand taken by
the Glendale Farmers, and will join me in this.
I have received three
death threats, had the CIO come looking for me while I was on holiday at Kyle,
been arrested and released, and had rifles cocked and pointed at me at a road
block. I live up in the hills in Goromonzi, and the farms all around us in the
valleys have been invaded. I'm an unarmed, grey-haired grandmother who was
mildly involved in politics (not even with the MDC!!) before the elections, and
I have had ENOUGH of this s--t. It has
to be brought to an
end.
Glendale, millions of people are behind you. Our thoughts and
prayers are with you. You all deserve medals for the hardship you have endured,
and for the stand you have taken. You are an inspiration to us all.
Best Regards to all of you wonderful people.
Lis Dobb
COMMERCIAL FARMERS' UNION - FARM INVASIONS UPDATE
THURSDAY 20th JULY 2000
REGIONAL
REPORTS
MASHONALAND CENTRAL
Centenary:
Police responded well
yesterday and managed to defuse the situations at Whistlefield , Chiripiro and
Kingstone Devril. As of yesterday afternoon, there had been no comeback on
investigation into the death threats made to the owner of Ashford. The assault
of a farm worker at Rianbuk is under investigation. The war vet leader on
Chidikamwedzi Farm has been taken to the police. 50
war vets have gained access into the homestead security fence at Casa Mia and
had not allowed the owner to leave the house. Police Mt Darwin have been
notified.
Horseshoe:
Eviction deadlines are up
today for Duneverty Farm and Dande Farm and war vets have threatened aggressive
action, but police have reacted.
Victory
Block:
The owners of Vivelkia
Farm and Muir of Ord Farm received eviction notices to vacate within 7 days
yesterday.
Tsatsi:
50 war vets have arrived
at Dorking and police are dealing with the situation.
Glendale:
All
conditions set out by farmers have been met and the farms in the district are
now back at work.
Mutepatepa:
Some farms in this
district have had partial stoppages. The Police and war vet leaders have
established a 100m perimeter around homesteads and workshop areas and war vets
have been told not to interfere with farmers and labour. 9 cattle were
impounded at Chenenga and the war vets responded to this action with threats of eviction
notices and pegging.
Mazowe/Concession:
The owner of Pearson Farm
has returned home under police and support unit escort. War vets threatened
the owner and tractor drivers with death if any land prep was carried out, with
the police as witnesses. The owner of Golden Hill was threatened with death by war vets if
he did not leave. War vets demanded that the owner
of Raffeen closed down his furniture factory. They have threated violence if he
does not comply. War vets have given the owner of Iron Mask an immediate
eviction notice. A black farmer in the area was threatened with eviction and
war vets attempted to trash his home in retribution for being an opposition
supporter, however police responded and defused the
situation.
Shamva:
The owner of Hopedale
Woodlands B had planned to return to his farm yesterday, but the police wanted
to stabilise the situation first. He tried unsuccessfully to return today under
police escort.
Harare
West/Nyabira:
A police landrover was
seen dropping off building tools for war vets on Bitton Farm.
Police Support
unit have recovered the five weapons stolen from Mayfield Farm but the owner has
vacated the farm for safety
reasons.
MASHONALAND EAST
Marondera North
Chapungu: Ongoing, there is another work stoppage there today. The
police came out to the farm with little effect. Dormavale: Someone arrived in a
green 2 tonner and advised the war vets that the farm is not on the list and
they must leave. The war vets did not like this and they then proceeded to build
in his seed bed site and then generally create havoc. The situation was in the
process of being defused with police help. Rupture: One of the farm labourers
cut down the war vet house with a demo and there was a looming confrontation
between the war vets and the farm labour. This morning the three farms were
stopped from working. Lowlands: There are still 35 people on homestead lawn.
Suffolk: There is a tent erected at the gate and 2 structures are going up in
the seed bed site.
HarareSouth/Beatrice
The Joyce Mine saga is ongoing. At 4pm yesterday there was a
farmers meeting and the Chief Warden left to go and collect the Officer in
Charge to go to the Mine to sort the issue out. After the meeting some of the
farmers went out to the site and got into a heated discussion with the war vets.
The Officer in Charge managed to defuse the situation for the time being.
Land invaders are pegging on Eyam section of Witham farm which is listed.
About 30 people from the Rings Resettlement area went back to Sanctury after
they had promised the Officer in Charge that they would not go back onto the
farm. He went and dealt with them and they left the farm. Ensesdeale - about 10
war vets arrived to peg the farm. The farmer told them that they could go ahead
and do whatever they wanted to. Goldylands was visited by 3 women who seated
themselves outside his fence. They said that they had been told to sit there by
the war vets and it appeared that they were being paid, but they had left by
next morning.
Wedza
Devon: War vet Chirinda was organising the cutting of trees
for building houses on the farm - he warned that he was coming to take the
managers house in a couple of days. Rupaka: Farm invaders are refusing to allow
pre irrigation of tobacco lands and building of blair toilets in the farm
village. Wedza police have been to talk to the invaders who will not co-operate.
Support Unit were supposed to arrive on Wednesday morning to resolve the issue
but as of Thursday 8:00am they still had not arrived. Poltimore: Support Unit
came to the farm on Tuesday and the work stoppage was reversed. Msasa Estates:
There is a large increase in the number of huts being erected, tree cutting,
trespassing and general upswing in activity. Iamba: 19 people caught stealing
maize by Wedza Farm Security. Action taken by the police not known at this
stage.
Macheke/Virginia
Wednesday's work stoppages were sorted out with assistance
from Police, but on Thursday morning a new batch of work stoppages occurred. The
war vets are saying that they are are the law and proper authority in the
country.
Farms with work stoppages: Warren; Richmond, Mug, Chizanza; Spes Bona;
Fairview; Blue Gums; Howgate; Glen Somerset; Murray Field. There are about
another three continued from yesterday.
Enterprise/Bromley/Ruwa
There is a large influx of numbers of war vets into their camps.
Featherstone
Rhodesdale: Continuous hassling, fences cut through
movement. Klipheuval: About 60 cutting trees and constructing huts. Annex
Knockolt: 10 -15 cutting trees and constructing huts - all from Mondoro. Wemel:
About 10 cutting trees Dunkirk - Gum plantation being cropped felled trees being
stolen by resettlement people. Calais - 10 building in the middle of next
seasonal land. Charter Estates 50 resident many more on walkabout. Game
slaughtering and destruction of trees. Christiana - regular visits by vehicle
who demand $50 per person to peg Nyamazaan - 50 permanent residents. There is
still no response from the POLICE at
all!!!
MASHONALAND WEST
NORTH
Lions Den:
Sheepridge Farm reported that resident war
vets had threatened the driver and stopped work for past 2 days. War vets
arrived at gate of Laureton Farm.
Tengwe:
General upsurge of activity in area and mood not
pleasant.
Kapena Farm - owner told once he has finished
grading tobacco he must move off.
Solera Farm - 20 war vets led by Peter were
very threaatening. Local farmers and police attended the scene. Owner told to
move off by Friday.
Quo Vadis Farm - owner told to move off his
farm immediately.
Gwiwa, Inanda, Manna and Driftwood Farms -
told to vacate immediately. Currently situation under control as attended by
local security group and ZRP.
Dendenyani Farm - Cattle driven off by
invaders to Jambo Farm. No land prep or tobacco seedlings to be planted. Told
to vacate immediately.
Jaybury - no cattle or land prep allowed, but
grading and seedbeds can continue.
Welgin Farm - Owner has now sold off most of
cattle and is keeping a few close to homestead after vicious attack on a steer
10 days ago. War vets consider the farm theirs.
Parendale Farm - No land prep and labour have
been moved out. War vets do not want to continue dialogue or
negotiations and are not interested in
instructions from ZANU PF, VP Msika , Police or farmers. They have taken the
land and legal papers do not interest them. Very militant and want farmers off
the land.
Beaugeste - land has been pegged and war vets
consider it theirs - not currently being farmed.
Darwendale:
Owners of Chitala, Ashby and Marere received
notes to the effect that if any farm workers wanted land they must register with
a named person.
Chinhoyi:
A group of war vets threatened to move onto a number of
farms including with all their livestock.
Battlefields:
Teesin farm was visited yesterday, no presence
today.
Selous:
6 cattle were found on Mount Carmel farm this morning with
snares around their necks, no fatalities. 16 hunting dogs were also sighted on
Mount Carmel.
Chegutu/Suri Suri:
Lourie Farm had a labour dispute yesterday which became quite
heated. The police reacted and N.E.C will be there today to negotiate.
Hippovale were visited by 4 yesterday who advised that they would return on
Friday with many more unless they were paid not to do so! Kutawa had a new
invasion and tree cutting, hut building and pegging continue. It was reported
that an overseas broadcasting corporation has said that fast track listed farms
should be vacated by Saturday, which is causing much distress.
Kadoma:
Alabama has received threats following a police call out to
investigate laying of snares. The owner was told that war vets will "chuck them
off" the farm because the Government had no say in what happened any more, but
if the owner co-operated with them they might be allowed to share the farm with
war vets.
Norton:
Aberdeen was visited by Mrs Rusike who demanded money. Fort
Martin had a further visit.
MASVINGO
Chiredzi
Area.
Samba Ranch
War veterans are moving into a 176
hectare cane plantation disturbing the cane cutting and haulage. Fishing camp is still occupied by war
vets. Extensive cutting
down of trees. All this
has been reported to Triangle Police who declined to react.
Dawlish
Ranch
Mass invasion of up to approx 300,
causing havoc and
cutting down of trees. Threats of 1000 people to move on. Swedish investors and 6 British tourists had to be flown
out of the farm yesterday. The consequences of this is that a multi - million investment deal has
been called off.
Ngwane Ranch
Invaders have been building more
huts and are using these huts as base camps operating into Ruware Ranch.
Poaching with dogs.
Chickens have been
stolen. Has been
reported to the Police and are still awaiting reaction.
BJB and Stelmarco
Ranches
Loads of people are being
transported in from the adjacent communal land (Matebe). Amongst them are
elderly people that can hardly walk and some small children. These people are also being issued
plots. The adjacent
Matebe communal land is not a very high densely populated area and there is
plenty of land available in this communal area. Reports are now that the communal
area is now vacant.
A boom has been set up by
the veterinary department on the Zaka road on the boundary between the communal
and the commercial area to monitor the movement of meat.
Fairange Estates.
The owner, his manager, a
senior game scout and a Sergeant have been threatened by the war vets in the
presence of the Police. No action taken. War Vet "Mutemachani" instructed that all game scouts be
disarmed; subsequent to this, two game scouts were seriously assaulted yesterday
afternoon. One was
beaten twice over the head with an axe and is recovering in Chiredzi Hospital
and the other was also seriously beaten over the head with an axe and is
subsequently temporarily paralysed. Arrangements are being made for medical treatment in
Harare. The
perpetrators are known and have been reported to the Police. Police visited the
game scout in the hospital and we await to see if the perpetrators will be
apprehended.
Mwenezi
Area.
Nkumi Ranch
One cow is missing, one cow found in
a snare and one cow has come into the kraal with her intestines hanging out.
2,5 km of wire has been
stolen - reported to
the Police and still awaiting Police reaction.
Alternburg
Ranch
The night before last, war vets left
the gates open. Cows
strayed onto the main tar road. A vehicle collided with the cows and
two passengers say the
injured are in hospital. A lorry and trailer also collided with cattle and the top section of the
trailer came apart. One beast was killed immediately and the other had to be put
down. After that two
fuel tankers narrowly escaped a collision. Estimated damage one million dollars.
There is a big
concentration of illegal settlers in this vicinity in the late afternoons and
tourists travelling at night must be cautious. This is not out of control, but
rather an isolated incident, of which travellers should be aware.
Poaching is rife on all
properties affected by war veterans. Cutting down of trees continues. Stealing
of wire continues.
Save Conservancy
Area.
The conservator reports
the whole situation in the Save Conservancy is still very much the same as usual
- invasions and poaching are ongoing, and some owners are meeting with war vets
today.
Gutu / Chatsworth
Area.
Extensive cutting down of trees, building of shacks and demarcating of plots continues
in this area.
.
Masvingo East and
Central Area.
Mr. Muzenda the Provincial Publicity Officer of the War Vet Association
is leading teams of invaders onto Vredenburg, Shallock Park, Yettom and Marah
Ranch where he is instructing the farmer and his labour not to interfere.
Extensive pegging and
demarcating of properties is taking place.
Beauty Farm -
7 more invaders back on
this property. Cutting trees and building shacks.
Dromore Farm - communal
cattle are still moving
onto the property. A
war veteran has now said that action must be taken to stop this.
MANICALAND
Odzi:
Kondoza Farm has had a few minor problems with
war vets that occupy his farm, but this morning when they beat up the foreman's
wife whilst she was working in the fields the labour force
retaliated.
There is still an upsurgence of war vet
movement onto farms in Manicaland.
MATABELELAND
In a local paper it is reported
that the chief war vet has been arrested and charged for
murder.
MIDLANDS
Bon Accord 'A' farm in Hunters road area invaded by +/- 60 people
including at least 5 military personnel in uniform. One is a sergeant and one
a
corporal. The vehicle has an HC number plate. Invaders pegging vigorously
and loading firewood onto army vehicle.
GENERAL
ACCOMMODATION IN UK FOR ZIMBABWE FARMERS
As part of an initiative by the Country Landowners in England offers
of
accommodation for a holiday or in some cases longer stays have been made
for
Zimbabwe farmers and their families. Details of these offers can be
made
available should anyone be interested. Funds have also been collected
to
assist farmers with public transport costs from the airport to
destination.
Contact Jan Wentworth or Nicky Petersen at Phone 309800, Fax
309874 e mail
janwe@cfu.co.zw or nickyp@cfu.co.zw
Anyone interested in farm
sitting in Beatrice from 16 August to 3 September 2000? Please contact 065-251
for further information.
COMMERCIAL FARMERS' UNION - FUEL UPDATE - 18 July 2000
OVERVIEW
At the stakeholders meeting on 18th July the
chairman advised that to the best of his knowledge no fuel had been pumped from
Beira since Friday 7th July. The pumping had apparently been stopped because
funding had not been in place to pay for the fuel.
In view of the secrecy
shrouding Noczim's transactions it is very difficult to gain a clear picture of
the fuel situation. Some idea of fuel availability in the very short term can
be derived from details of the stock position in the country.
Information
released by the spokesman for the Fuel Task Force on the radio, TV and
government press is not considered to be reliable.
We understand that new
financial arrangements have been put in place and that pumping will resume or
has resumed again from Beira. It is probable the early deliveries of diesel
will be reserved for essential services like hospitals, the army and police. It
will be some time before diesel becomes available for industry.
SUPPLY
SITUATION (in million of litres)
Feruka
Diesel
2.4
Petrol 0.5
Paraffin 0
Jet
0
Msasa
Diesel 0
Petrol 1.4
Paraffin
0
Jet 0 (0.9 at Harare Airport)
Beit
Bridge
Diesel 0.01
Petrol
0.4
PIPELINES
Feruka/Msasa
Petrol 11.1
Beira/Feruka
(outside the country)
In sequential order:-
Diesel 0.5
Jet
A 5.5
Diesel 3.7
Petrol 3.0
Diesel
2.7
COMMENT
From the above figures it is evident that diesel supplies
are already short and will remain so for the next two weeks. The local supply of
petrol appears adequate for the next few days. We are unaware of any incoming
stocks from Beira or RSA, or whether any arrangements are in place to secure
future deliveries.
In view of the prevailing uncertainty we can only
reiterate our previous advice to farmers to try to ensure their own fuel stock
via the FCA route.
Fuel prices in Zimbabwe are not economic at present
and there is mounting pressure for an increase.
JOHN
DICKENS
COMMERCIAL EXECUTIVE
Fuel Facts
...... information for
the nation
The Latest Fuel Update as at 18th July, 2000
* Diesel
supplies are already short and will remain so for the next two weeks.
*
The inland petrol supply situation has remained fairly steady over the past week
and no major change is expected in the next few days.
* We thank all
members of the public for their continued conservation efforts and courtesy at
service stations.
Fuel Facts will continue to carry regular
updates
For further information write to
The Editor "FUEL
FACTS"
c/o Box 791, Harare, Fax 263 04 703829
e-mail: procomm@samara.co.zw
COMMERCIAL
FARMERS' UNION
AGRICULTURAL INFORMATION SERVICES DEPARTMENT
Visit the CFU
Website:- http://www.mweb.co.zw/cfu