The Zimbabwe Situation

A life in the day: David Evans, Zimbabwe farmer

Sunday Times Magazine 20 July 03

David Evans, 38, a farmer, lives with his wife and two children on a 2,000-acre farm in northern Zimbabwe partly occupied by war veterans and squatters. Interview by Lauren St John.

The guinea fowl outside the security fence are a good alarm, because they start making a noise at 4.45am. So does the magnificent hammerkop bird who walks around our swimming pool trying to catch frogs. Come five o'clock I'll get up, make coffee and think about the day's work. Farming here now comes with daily problems; you have to try to get on top of things before they arise.

Just before six, the labour arrive and we'll do a register. I'll have a meeting with the foreman and duties will be given out. This time of the year, we're curing tobacco. I have an African farm manager who's been with me for seven years; he's in charge of the day-to-day running of the farm. We'll check the temperature of the barns where the tobacco is being cured. He then checks on the work being done on the lands, and I'll follow. We'll meet to discuss how the reaping is going.

I'm downscaling my crop, as a 400-hectare section of my farm is being taken over by war veterans. On November 10, 2002, I got a Section 5, which means that the government want to take your land. You're given 90 days to appeal. In February I got a Section 8, which is compulsory acquirement. It was a huge blow. On that section, I had 400 breeding pigs, 120 sheep and 100 cattle - and we're having to destroy them all. Today I've had to give notice to 30 employees.

I feel sorry for them, but I could be farmless tomorrow. Most labourers disappear into the woodwork. Destitution is a foregone conclusion.

At 8.30 I'll have breakfast with my wife. We'll have cereal and toast, if we've found bread in the shops. The rest of the day is mainly just weighing tobacco, packing it into crates and checking on all jobs. Tobacco is very labour-intensive. Tea is at 10 and the whole farm sits down for mahewu, a high-protein porridge. Come lunch time, I'll have a Coke and a sandwich and I might sleep for an hour.

Commercial farming in Zimbabwe is just brick wall after brick wall after brick wall. Your profit margins are eaten away daily. When I first started farming, 12 years ago, my whole fertiliser bill was 400,000 Zimbabwe dollars. It's now close to Z$22m - if you can get it. Mealie meal, the staple diet of black Zimbabweans, would cost Z$580 for 50 kilograms, if you could get it - but you can't, so you buy it on the black market for Z$10,000.

In mid-April, petrol went up nearly 200% to Z$450 a litre. You can't get diesel, fertiliser, milk or chemicals.

We've had so many people leave the area. Just on my road, there are only three white farmers left out of 15. We feel completely isolated. It's like being on an island all by yourself. Every day my new 'neighbours' - black farmers resettled here by the government - come and want things fixed, and you think: 'Why should I?' Now there's animosity between both parties. We've lost some very good friends. It's hard on the women: they look to their friends. The men can go to the bar. My wife will come back from the supermarket and say: 'What the hell are we doing here? We're hated everywhere we go.' I'll come home in a bad mood, she retaliates, and we don't speak for about 12 hours.

Everyone is on antidepressants - 'chill pills'. One farmer went to the district attorney to find out what was going to happen to his farm. The DA said to him: 'Do you know what an aeroplane is?' He said: 'Yes.' The DA said: 'Well, why aren't you on it?'If someone with power wants your farm, he can make life unbearable until you break. Three times we've had mobs outside our gate, banging drums and shouting abuse. The most afraid I've been is when 120 people were at our gate and my wife and kids were in the house. You're powerless. You just hope somebody will come and help. What you get now are incidents where someone - a war veteran or a person off the street, maybe - will say: 'Why are you still here? I'm going to come and take my plot.' You can't fight it.

We work until 5pm, but if the guys finish by midday, they can go home. In the evenings I'll sit with my wife on the veranda and watch the sun go down. We live on a kopje, a small hill, with two dams below us. The water turns orange and you can hear the frogs, and the guinea fowl getting ready to roost. Sometimes you'll see kudu or sable walking about. You sit there in the peace and problems go out of your head. You think: 'There's no way I'll ever leave my house.'

Dinner is meat and vegetables, and we'll watch TV. We're in bed by 10. It's hard to sleep because you're worried about the future. The doctor's given us sleeping pills. Leaving the country is not an option. We're Africans, we'll stay here. We were born here. So yeah, the joys of farming in Zimbabwe.

The 418 soldiers owed the money were part of a Southern African
Development Community (SADC) task force that was in charge of training
Angolan, Zimbabwean and Namibian troops during the campaign.

The three SADC member-states sent troops to the DRC in 1998 to help
that country’s government fight off rebels that were backed by Uganda and
Rwanda.

The Zimbabwe Defence Forces (ZDF) was supposed to pay its soldiers in
the combined training team a monthly allowance of US$500 (Z$27 500 at the
then official exchange rate), which it did for a while but then abruptly cut
off payment.

According to investigations by this newspaper, the ZDF owes its men a
total of US$3 769 656, which is about Z$3 105 656 000 on the official market
or Z$10 176 300 000 on the flourishing black market.

ZDF spokesman Ben Ncube yesterday confirmed that the army owed money
some soldiers who fought in the DRC but he dismissed the issue as an anomaly
that could occur in any large operation such as was the DRC campaign.

Ncube said: "Admittedly the DRC operation was a mammoth task and it
was inevitable that some anomalies regarding the administration of pay and
allowances could have arisen.

"The director of ZAPR (Zimbabwe National Army Pay and Records) has
been solving pay and allowance queries even after the completion of the
operation.

"Individuals with such complaints are, therefore, advised to approach
ZAPR in order to get their problems solved. Members should acquaint
themselves with the relevant offices within ZAPR that deal with specific
queries before rushing to the media."

But investigations by this newspaper showed that some of the soldiers
had not been paid their allowances since they were deployed to the DRC front
in 2000.

Some of the troops, who claimed that the army’s pay office had
remained silent on the allowances, said they had long lost hope of ever
being paid.

"I have been waiting for those allowances since I returned from Congo
in October last year," one of the affected soldiers said yesterday.

The visibly dejected trooper, who requested anonymity for fear of
victimisation, said: "Most of us have begun losing hope that we will receive
the money because nothing has been said about it since then. The pay office
has been unhelpful."

Investigations showed that the ZDF stopped paying the soldiers the
full allowance of US$500 per person in January 2001.

Between February and March 2001 the ZDF paid the soldiers US$250 each
or half what they were supposed to get. Payments were then cut altogether in
April 2001.

Documents presented to this newspaper showed that some of the soldiers
owed money by the ZDF had since died before receiving their allowances.

According to the documents, the amounts owed to the soldiers range
from US$1 000 to US$13 500 per individual.

The ZDF pulled out its estimated 12 000 troops from the DRC last year
after peace was achieved in that country.

Zimbabwe’s involvement in the DRC conflict has been shrouded in
controversy and secrecy with allegations that powerful army generals and
government officials profiteered from trade in illegal diamonds stolen from
DRC’s mines.

A United Nations (UN) report accused the government and army officials
of turning Harare into a centre for trade in "blood diamonds".

The UN report also mentions Speaker of Zimbabwe’s Parliament Emmerson
Mnangagwa, ZDF commander General Vitalis Zvinavashe and several other
government-linked Zimbabweans among individuals who benefited from illegal
or improper exploitation of the DRC’s resources. Harare has dismissed the UN
report as false and influenced by opponents of Zimbabwe’s intervention in
the DRC which was critical in stopping the fall of the late Laurent Kabila’s
government in Kinshasa. By Farai Mutsaka Chief Reporter

Malawi is also said to have been omitted out of the project that is
being run by the Southern African Transport Communications Commission
(SATCC), which is a grouping of transport ministries in the Southern African
Development Community.

A Ministry of Transport official, Abbey Mpamhanga, yesterday said
Zimbabwe had not been consulted before decisions were taken on how best
HIV/AIDS prevalence along the busy route could be reduced.

Mpamhanga, who is a director of legislation in the Transport Ministry
said: "Zimbabwe and Malawi were left out in the consultation work and we
hear the programme is nearing conclusion before it has been started."

Mpamhanga was reacting to comments by SATCC project officer Frederico
Sarguene that the HIV/AIDS pilot project would be completed before year-end.

The SATCC project involves the running of HIV/AIDS awareness campaigns
among transport and sex workers with roadside health information units being
set along the Beira Corridor route.

Sarguene had told a meeting here that: "The programme should be
running by November and we hope by then we would be able to bring down the
infection rate among the drivers."

The SATCC project officer said reports by consultants indicated a high
HIV/Aids prevalence rate among the truck drivers in the region of about 56
percent.

Mpamhanga said it would be difficult for Zimbabwe to adopt the
consultant’s report as it had nothing on Zimbabwe.

Sarguene admitted there were anomalies in the omission of Zimbabwe and
Malawi from active participation of the consultation work.

"At least we have a starting point which would be extended to Zimbabwe
and Malawi in future."

SATCC was formed in 1980 to cater for infrastructural development of
the transport sector in the region.

It also sought to rehabilitate infrastructure in the various regional
countries that was destroyed in wars that until a few years ago ravaged some
parts of southern Africa.

It has over the years spread its interests to include the
harmonisation of customs exercise procedures to ensure smooth movement of
goods and people between SADC member states.

Own Correspondent

Hi everyone

Just to put those of you in the picture who don't know, I was talked into, by the entire MDC Committee (blacks and whites), to stand for election in the coming Council elections to be held on 30 & 31 August 2003. Although I am from pioneer stock; my forefathers having come here not long after the arrival of the Amandabele, and all my predecessors having been born here, and myself, my Mother happened to be born in England and brought back here at just three months old. This, according to our evil illegal "Government" precludes me from standing for election, and even has the audacity to declare that I am not a Citizen of this Country!

My understudy for this post is an extremely good and articulate young man by the name of Nqala Vusumuzi Dlodlo , known by us all as "Vusa".

At the Nomination Court today he was accepted as a candidate for election in Ward 5 of Bulawayo. He is, of course, on an MDC ticket He has two opponents; a somewhat capacious lady who obviously took up an awful lot of bench room, standing (not on the bench that is) for ZANU PF. She glared at us all with utter disdain! The other one, who is the present Councilor for Ward 5, is standing as an Independent. He is not only the only Independent standing for election, but he is also the only white. I fear, should he get in that he will be a voice in the wilderness and that even less, if thetas possible, will be done for Ward 5.

Ward 5 includes Suburbs (South of 7th Street), Quails, Bradfield, Famona, the whole of Hillside (West of Hillside Road), Burnside (West of Burnside Road), South Riding, Hillside South, Eloana, Retreat, Famona, Morningside and Greenhill.

At the Nomination Court today two Wards out of the total of 29 were unopposed and consequently MDC already has two Councilors elected. These were Ward 4 and Ward 20.

There are five Wards in Bulawayo South Constituency, and we are confident these will all go to MDC. We plan to make Bulawayo South the finest Constituency in Zimbabwe, and without a doubt a voice of five in unison will definitely have an effect in Bulawayo.

I will be following up this newsletter shortly with our plans to promote Ward 5 and Bulawayo South and actually the whole of Bulawayo.

Bulawayo has always been the first prize in Africa. Chosen by all the Kings, from the San, who left for our enjoyment, the World's largest art gallery, to the greatest dynasty this Country has ever known, the Rozwis, who chose Bulawayo for their Royal City. to Kings Mzilikazi and Lobengula and even Rhodes, the wealthiest man on this Earth.

The end of our present misery is very close. An unprecedented boom for this Country is not far away. Bulawayo is the only place practical as the epicentre of that boom. We need a strong team to lead this city into the future befitting of it's glorious past.

Kindest regards

Brian

Several other MDC candidates in Chegutu, Bindura, Marondera and other
towns were reportedly prevented by suspected ruling party youths from
presenting their papers to nomination courts sitting in their areas, a
development that enabled ZANU PF candidates to win several seats because
there was no opposition.

In Bindura, ZANU PF’s Martin Dinha was declared the mayor after Fred
Chimbiri of the MDC failed to get to the nomination court as all the roads
leading to the court had been sealed off by suspected ZANU PF youths. MDC
councillor-candidates also failed to submit their papers.

MDC spokesman Paul Themba Nyathi last night told the Daily News that
his party would contest the violence-marred nomination processes at the
courts.

Nyathi said: "We failed to field all our candidates in Rusape,
Bindura, Karoi, Chegutu and Marondera

because of violence. We can’t allow this situation to prevail, we will
seek recourse in the courts."

ZANU PF spokesman Nathan Shamuyarira could not be reached for comment
on allegations that ruling party youth militias had attacked MDC candidates
and prevented them from submitting their nomination papers.

Electoral Supervisory Commission spokesman Thomas Bvuma could also not
be reached for comment on the matter.

The ruling party, which in the past three years has been defeated by
the MDC in nearly all major elections held in urban centres, battles it out
with the MDC in municipalities of Bulawayo, Masvingo, Karoi, Bindura,
Victoria Falls, Chitungwiza, Kwekwe, Redcliff, Gweru, Mutare and Chegutu.

But in Chegutu town 10 ZANU PF candidates were declared winners in the
council election after MDC candidates failed to get to Chegutu Town House to
submit their papers because alleged ZANU PF youths had blocked the road.

The opposition party last night said one of its candidates in Chegutu,
Albert Ndlovu, suffered a broken neck after being attacked by alleged ZANU
PF youths who were manning the gate at Town House.

It could not be established by last night whether they had managed to
submit their papers to the nomination court.

In the town of Karoi two MDC candidates had to be rushed to hospital
after they were severely assaulted by suspected ZANU PF youths.

But in Masvingo city both ZANU PF and the MDC were able to field
candidates for the 10 wards to be contested.

In Gweru the two parties were also able to field candidates in all the
17 wards.

Controversial politician, Patrick Kombayi, was disqualified from
standing as an MDC candidate in Ward 6 as he was not a registered voter in
that ward. He was immediately replaced by Mildred Ncube.

ZANU PF and MDC were also able to field candidates in all the nine
wards up for grabs in the mining town of Redcliff.

MDC supporters in Bulawayo started chanting victory songs by early
morning yesterday after two of their candidates were declared winners
because the ruling ZANU PF party had failed to field candidates.

The country’s two biggest political parties also fielded candidates in
all the five municipalities of Bindura, Kwekwe, Redcliff, Gweru and Mutare
where new mayors are to be elected.

Tsitsi Muzenda of ZANU PF will battle it out for the Gweru mayoral
post with MDC’s Sessel Zvidzai.

In Mutare, ZANU PF’s Ellen Gwaradzimba will fight against the MDC’s
Misheck Kagurabadza. ZANU PF member, Rajab Mayesera, and MDC member, Patrick
Matsanga, are standing for the Mutare mayor’s job as independents. Shadreck
Beta, a former ZANU PF chairman in Manicaland, who had said he was going to
contest for the mayorship as an independent, did not file papers yesterday.
Sternford Bonyongwa of ZANU PF will contest with Henry Madzorera of the
opposition for the mayor’s post in Kwekwe. In Redcliff MDC’s Sonny Rogers
Chisi, who is a lecturer at the University of Zimbabwe, will lock horns with
the incumbent mayor Charles Danha of ZANU PF. Staff Reporters

Youth, Gender and Employment Creation Minister Elliot Manyika last
Friday officially opened the new Vumba National Youth Training Camp.

The camp, which was formerly known as Eagle Training Centre and
offered courses in secretarial studies, becomes the government’s first
all-girls camp for its controversial national youth service training
programme.

The head of the Youth Ministry in Manicaland province, under which
Vumba falls, Reward Magama said the displaced secretarial students had been
moved to Magamba, which is another government vocational college about 15
kilometres north of Mutare.

Magama said: "College activities have been moved to Magamba. There is
enough space there for everyone."

The government official refused to comment on reports that the
government had decided to open a new all-girls camp following reports of
female cadets falling pregnant at camps where males and females are
enrolled.

But a government source said: "There were complaints that girls were
being impregnated at some of these centres so we decided to have an
all-girls camp for a start."

The new Vumba camp, which can take about 700 cadets at any one time,
brings to six the number of youth camps opened by the government since it
launched the controversial youth training programme three years ago.

The government says the youth training programme is intended to build
Zimbabwe’s youths into responsible and patriotic citizens.

But critics, human rights groups and churches accuse the government of
using the youth programme to train gullible youngsters into a violent
militia brigade for the ruling ZANU PF party.

The government summoned the youths to help the army and police crush
opposition Movement for Democratic Change demonstrations at the beginning of
last month.

Nearly all reports on the human rights situation in Zimbabwe since the
programme began have accused the youths of unleashing terror and violence
against government and ZANU PF opponents.

The Zimbabwe Council of Churches, the biggest umbrella group for
churches in Zimbabwe, this week said it was setting up a committee to probe
the government’s youth programme and allegations that the youths were
committing human rights violations.

The Zimbabwe National Students’ Union (ZINASU) yesterday said apart
from students missing results, several others had received result for
subjects they did not sit for.

ZINASU vice-president, Jabulise Shumba, said: "A lot of students have
failed to get their results but the problem is mainly prevalent in
polytechnic colleges.

"We are still compiling a full list of the complaints but as of now we
have received complaints from Masvingo Technical College, Mutare Technical
College, Bulawayo Polytechnic and Harare Polytechnic. This kind of bungling
is a manifestation of the crisis that is bedevilling the education sector.

"Some students are saying that they did not got marks for examinations
that they wrote while others received awards for subjects they never wrote,"
Shumba said.

He said his organisation was now pressing the government’s Higher
Education Examinations Council (HEXCO) to remark the examinations.

HEXCO director and acting permanent secretary for the Higher Education
Ministry, Fananidzo Pesanai, confirmed there were problems with the tertiary
examinations but he said he had directed students to channel their queries
through their respective colleges.

Pesanai said: "I have advised students that all queries should be
directed through their principals. So far I have not received complaints
from any principal. The results were openly ratified and the process of
collection is currently going on.

Officials at various state-run institutions and colleges yesterday
confirmed the examinations mix-up but said this was normal because of the
large numbers of candidates who sit for such public examinations.

Bulawayo Polytechnic College vice-principal, Alexander Zengeya, said:
"Our results are here and we are issuing them out to students.

"But like in any normal examination process, there are one or two
queries and we are handling these separately," said Zengeya.

The principal of Harare Polytechnic, Stephen Raza, said: "Why are they
going to the Press? Do they think their problems will be solved by visiting
newspapers?

"The students know what to do if they have problems and anyway, that
is not a story that can sell newspapers. Advise those youngsters to come
here."

Some college lecturers yesterday blamed the chaos gripping the
tertiary examination results on the decentralisation of the marking process
by HEXCO.

In the past, markers stayed at a central venue from where they would
mark the examination papers.

"There was no proper supervision of the markers. This was mainly
because markers were based at their usual centres with no one hovering over
their heads to make sure things were in order," said one lecturer from
Bulawayo Polytechnic.

But Pesanai insisted that the decentralisation programme had not
affected the quality of the examinations.

He said: "We were forced to decentralise the system because of the
escalating costs of hotel bills.

"But all the same the decentralisation process was properly done and
markers were supervised by HEXCO officials."

Staff Reporter

The group, which campaigns for a new and democratic constitution for
Zimbabwe, also said the reports suggesting Madhuku or other members of his
executive had abused the organisation’s funds were untrue.

The state-run Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) yesterday
announced that members of the NCA had resolved to oust Madhuku when the
organisation meets to elect a new leadership in September this year
allegedly because Madhuku had failed to engage the government on the need
for a new constitution for Zimbabwe.

The ZBC said former opposition Movement for Democratic Change party
legislator Munyaradzi Gwisai was tipped to replace Madhuku.

NCA spokesman Douglas Mwonzora said: "The NCA dismisses as false and
unfounded reports by the ZBC as from the morning of Monday 21 July 2003,
which state that a vote of no confidence has been passed against the NCA
chairperson.

"This is as mandated by legitimate members of the NCA at the last
elective annual general assembly."

Gwisai told the Daily News yesterday that while the ZBC was entitled
to its views it was not correct that he wanted to contest for the NCA
chairmanship, adding that his organisation supported Madhuku’s leadership.

Gwisai heads the Zimbabwe chapter of International Socialist
Organisation (ISO).

"In any democratic organisation members are entitled to their views
but as ISO we are very strong NCA members and we support Madhuku’s
leadership and will support his candidature if he decides to run for the
post," said Gwisai.

Madhuku denied the allegations that he had abused NCA funds and said
that he was not aware of any complaints by NCA members against his
executive.

He said he suspected the allegations against him were coming from
opponents of constitutional reforms who were unsettled by the organisation’s
nationwide public meetings at which intense debate on the need for new
legislation are taking place.

In February 2000, the NCA led a coalition of civic organisations and
opposition political parties in rejecting a government-sponsored draft
constitution in a referendum after it argued the proposed supreme law of the
land was being manipulated to suit the desires and interests of the ruling
ZANU PF party.

As we reported yesterday, anti-torture group Redress has appealed to
United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan to facilitate the arrest and
prosecution of a Zimbabwe Republic Police officer who is presently part of a
UN mission in Kosovo.

The officer was allegedly involved in acts of torture while he was
still in Harare.

As a Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights official noted in our report
yesterday: "This should serve as an adequate reminder to law enforcement
agents who are being implicated in torture that the day of reckoning will
come and it can be anywhere in the world."

Indeed, the international group’s determination to see that justice is
done for Zimbabwean victims of torture should strike as much fear into the
hearts of the perpetrators of political violence as it must surely give hope
to torture victims that their tormentors will not go unpunished.

As history has shown, the truth will always come out and even those
crimes committed in the darkest and most forgotten cell will one day come
back to haunt their perpetrators.

And as Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet’s experience has shown, when
the day of reckoning finally comes, there will literally be nowhere to hide.

It would therefore be foolhardy for the people who have sanctioned and
performed horrific and barbaric acts of torture and violence in Zimbabwe in
the past three years to believe that they can commit these crimes with
impunity.

When the day comes for them to pay for their brutal violation of the
trust the nation has placed in them, it will not be enough to plead that
they were merely following orders.

Neither will it be enough for those in charge of the rogue agents
committing these crimes to plead ignorance of their actions.

There are too many cases of torture in which state agents are alleged
to be involved, so many that any reasonable person must realise that
something is terribly wrong in the country’s security agencies.

In its June political violence report, released this week, the
Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum notes that there were 113 reports of torture
in June and 379 between January and last month.

Many of these allegedly involved state security agents and led to the
death of at least one person in June.

Medical evidence of injuries sustained in police custody has been
provided by several alleged torture victims.

Some of this evidence was even tabled in court earlier this year by
opposition party legislator Job Sikhala, prompting the court to order an
investigation, the results of which – if there was any investigation – have
not been made public.

It is tragic that the government has not treated these allegations
with the seriousness that they deserve and history will, without doubt,
judge the ruling ZANU PF harshly for its failure to take vigorous action
against those accused of acts of torture.

We fully support the recommendations made by the Zimbabwe Lawyers for
Human Rights to Home Affairs Minister Kembo Mohadi, calling for the
government to include in local legislation international policies against
torture and cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment.

It is imperative that the government investigates allegations of
torture made against identified state security agents and allows the law to
takes its course if these people are found guilty.

The state’s failure to strongly condemn and vigorously act against
those accused of torture will only lead Zimbabweans to conclude that neither
is the government ignorant of what its agents are doing nor is it wholly
opposed to their actions.

            President Robert Mugabe said today Zimbabwe would cultivate
friends in the Third World to break out of international isolation because
poor countries could not afford to be weak. In an address marking the
official opening of parliament, Mugabe made an apparent reference to the
US-led invasion of Iraq, calling the global environment as "dangerous as it
is unjust". The West shuns Mugabe, accusing him of human rights abuses and
criticising his seizure of white-owned farms for distribution to landless
blacks. However, African states led by South Africa have resisted calls to
isolate him further.

            "We have to recover lost alliances, resuscitate those that are
dormant, and reconstruct those we may have neglected because it has become
clear that the evolving global environment is unkind to the small, dangerous
to the weak and the isolated, and tempting to the greedy," Mugabe said.

            He said his government would work to cultivate links with Third
World nations and that his election this month as a deputy chairperson of
the African Union was a sign of confidence in his rule. "Such an election
was meant to send an eloquent message to those who have spitefully sought
our isolation and ruin," said Mugabe (79), who has ruled Zimbabwe since
independence from Britain 23 years ago. The West has slapped a variety of
sanctions on Mugabe and his officials but South Africa says it prefers to
use "quiet diplomacy". For the first time in four years, opposition
lawmakers did not boycott Mugabe's speech, and even Morgan Tsvangirai, the
Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) leader, attended the session.

            The main opposition MDC, which holds just over a third of the
150 seats in parliament, said it had decided to attend to create an
environment for political dialogue - although Mugabe made no mention of this
possibility in his speech. The MDC accuses Mugabe of rigging his re-election
last year and says he has mismanaged the economy, leading to record
unemployment of over 70% and one of the highest rates of inflation in the
world. In a 30-minute speech uncharacteristically devoid of attacks on
domestic and foreign opponents, Mugabe vowed to clamp down on corruption and
warned of tough measures against smuggling scarce foreign currency out of
the country. - Reuters

The Herald (Harare)

July 22, 2003
Posted to the web July 22, 2003

Walter Muchinguri
Harare

THE Government will soon release the long awaited quarterly review of the
country's economic perfomance with a view to making adjustments where
necessary, Finance and Economic Development Minister, Dr Herbert Murerwa has
said.

Dr Murerwa is also expected to appraise the nation on the progress made
regarding the implementation of the National Economic Revival Programme,
which was introduced in February this year.

"When we announced the first review, we agreed that another will be done at
the end of June. We are almost through with the exercise and the nation
should expect an announcement from us soon," he said.

The Government has announced a series of measures aimed at enhancing the
economy since the beginning of the year.

Some of the measures saw oil companies being allowed to import fuel while
motorists over 16 years were also given the greenlight to import 200litres
of fuel.

The foreign exchange rate was adjusted for exporting sectors to $824 for the
greenback.

However, the US1 to Z$55 rate remained for all non export sectors.

The Government had almost completed its review of the economic performance
of the country and the past three months and would make its findings public
very soon.

Among other issues, there has been widespread debate on whether or not to
review the exchange rate. Most exporters have been advocating for an upward
review of the exchange rate while economic analysts have shot down the idea
arguing that it would be counter-productive.

Most exporters have argued that some countries, which they export to such as
Zambia, were using the parallel market rate to calculate the value of their
goods.

They also argued that the rate should be reviewed because they were buying
hard currency from the black market to procure their raw materials and when
they export they were offered a rate of US$1 to $824 which is below the
parallel market rate.

However, analysts have said a downward review of the exchange rate was not a
solution as it had the effect of making Zimbabwean exports cheaper.

Such a move, they said, would lead to a reduction in export earnings.

Most of the country's exports are primary goods.

The analysts said that focus should be on the exportation of value-added
goods.

The analysts also indicated that the downward review of the exchange rate
was likely to fuel the rise in the street value of hard currencies.

"As long as we have a shortage of hard currency, the street market will
continue. Until such a time that we have sufficient supplies and if the
authorities try to match the street value as some people are proposing, then
we are likely to see rate shooting up," said one of the economic analysts.

Government officials have also expressed reservation about reviewing the
exchange rate further since anticipated inflows of foreign currency after
the initial review did not occur.

The Employers Confederation of Zimbabwe president, Mr Mike Bimha said the
Government had been misled by the people who had negotiated on behalf of
business for a review of the exchange rate.

Meanwhile, Dr Murerwa hinted that the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe could
actually introduce the $1000 bill earlier that the anticipated period of
November.

He said Government had put some measures on a fast track as it wanted the
Central Bank to continue to step up efforts on dealing with the cash
shortage in the country.

"We have had to cut some processes on the production of the $1000 notes," he
said.

Dr Murerwa said that they were not considering the introduction of higher
denominations onto the market other than the $1 000 bill.

"We have received suggestions to that effect but we have not considered
those measures yet.

"After all, the whole point in introducing higher denomination is for
convenience sake and at the moment we believe the $1 000 note will serve the
purpose," he said.

The country has been experiencing serious cash shortages during the past
three months.

The RBZ has responded by injecting $24 billion into the market in tranches
of $4 billion and also encouraging the use of cheques and electronic money
as an alternative to cash.

On Friday, a further $12 billion were injected into the market as part of
efforts to alleviate the shortage of cash in the country.

HARARE - A top Zimbabwean opposition MP was arrested today soon after his
party announced MPs would not walk out on President Robert Mugabe's annual
parliamentary opening speech.

Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) spokesman Paul Themba Nyathi,the MP who
was arrested, said in a statement before his incaceration the decision was
aimed at "reducing political tensions in the country so that an atmosphere
conducive to dialogue can be created, with a view to amicable negotiations
for a dignified exit for Mr Robert Mugabe".

In return, the MDC expected Mugabe's ruling Zanu(PF) to end its harassment
of the party, stop its campaign of violence and to restore law and order.

Immediately after he issued the statement, Nyathi was ordered to present
himself at Harare central police station where he was detained under recent
legislation for allegedly ridiculing Mugabe, said David Coltart, the party's
secretary for legal affairs.

Nyathi was accused of publishing a disrespectful cartoon last month ahead of
a five-day national strike to protest against Mugabe's rule. The cartoon
showed a terrified Mugabe fleeing a mob of angry people.

"Our decision (on Monday) was meant to be the test for ZANU(PF) to respond
to our gesture," Coltart said.

"It's ironic that Paul should be arrested the very next day."

The arrest came as heavily-armed paramilitary police ringed the city centre
hours before the 79-year-old president was due to preside over the
ceremonial annual opening of Parliament.

The MDC's gesture was made amid mounting international diplomatic pressure
on both parties to begin negotiations to end the country's crisis.

Pressure was stepped up sharply on July 9 when United States President
George Bush visited South Africa. He and South African President Thabo Mbeki
agreed to make "urgent" efforts to end Zimbabwe's political and economic
crisis.

The day before the opening, the MDC said, 11 of its candidates had been
forcibly stopped by ruling party militias from formally registering for
local government elections in urban areas around the country.

Three would-be candidates, one of them with a broken neck, were in hospital
after ruling party youths attacked them when they tried to register.

In other areas, Mugabe supporters blocked roads leading to registration
offices.

The seats were then allocated to ruling party candidates because the MDC had
"failed to contest them", Nyathi said in a statement on last night.

The MDC, which has holds 54 seats in the 150 seat chamber against Zanu(PF)'s
64, was due to boycott Mugabe's address for a second time in two years,
following his widely disputed victory in presidential elections in March
last year.

The MDC said the boycott was a symbolic refusal to recognise Mugabe, whose
presidency the MDC, most Western governments and international election
observers said was won through fraud, violent intimidation and laws that
gave the ruling party almost total control of the running of the election.

Nyathi said the decision by the MDC to drop its walk-out "does not in anyway
change our position that Mugabe's position is disputed".

A reception for MPs, leading national figures and the diplomatic
corps,traditionally held at State House, Mugabe's official residence, the
day before the opening of Parliament, was cancelled on Sunday with no
reasons being given. It was also expected to be marred by a boycott by
opposition MPs and Western diplomats.

MDC sources said the party's decision to sit in the chamber through Mugabe's
speech had been reached after lengthy negotiations between MDC
vice-president Gibson Sibanda and Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa.

The sources said Chinamasa had agreed that authorities would stop arresting
opposition MPs and allow them to attend report-back meetings in their
constituencies.

Most of the MDC's MPs have been arrested by police in the three years since
they were elected, but in no cases have there been any successful
prosecutions. In most cases, courts have dismissed the charges before trials
could begin.

Nyathi was last arrested in April for allegedly plotting to overthrow
Mugabe.

Sapa

Harare

22 July 2003 13:13

A top Zimbabwean opposition member of Parliament (MP) was arrested on
Tuesday soon after his party announced MPs would not walk out on President
Robert Mugabe's annual parliamentary opening speech.

Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) spokesperson Paul Themba Nyathi, the MP
who was arrested, said in a statement before his incarceration the decision
was aimed at "reducing political tensions in the country so that an
atmosphere conducive to dialogue can be created, with a view to amicable
negotiations for a dignified exit for Mr Robert Mugabe".

In return, the MDC expected Mugabe's ruling Zanu-PF to end its harassment of
the party, stop its campaign of violence and to restore law and order.

Immediately after he issued the statement, Nyathi was ordered to present
himself at Harare central police station where he was detained under recent
legislation for allegedly ridiculing Mugabe, said David Coltart, the party's
secretary for legal affairs.

Nyathi was accused of publishing a disrespectful cartoon last month ahead of
a five-day national strike to protest against Mugabe's rule. The cartoon
showed a terrified Mugabe fleeing a mob of angry people.

"Our decision [on Monday] was meant to be the test for Zanu-PF to respond to
our gesture," Coltart said.

"It's ironic that Paul should be arrested the very next day."

The arrest came as heavily-armed paramilitary police ringed the city centre
hours before the 79-year-old president was due to preside over the
ceremonial annual opening of Parliament.

The MDC's gesture was made amid mounting international diplomatic pressure
on both parties to begin negotiations to end the country's crisis.

Pressure was stepped up sharply on July 9 when United States President
George Bush visited South Africa. He and South African President Thabo Mbeki
agreed to make "urgent" efforts to end Zimbabwe's political and economic
crisis.

The day before the opening, the MDC said 11 of its candidates had been
forcibly stopped by ruling party militias from formally registering for
local government elections in urban areas around the country.

Three would-be candidates, one of them with a broken neck, were in hospital
after ruling party youths attacked them when they tried to register.

In other areas, Mugabe supporters blocked roads leading to registration
offices.

The seats were then allocated to ruling party candidates because the MDC had
"failed to contest them", Nyathi said in a statement on Monday night.

The MDC, which has holds 54 seats in the 150 seat chamber against Zanu-PF's
64, was due to boycott Mugabe's address for a second time in two years,
following his widely disputed victory in presidential elections in March
last year.

The MDC said the boycott was a symbolic refusal to recognise Mugabe, whose
presidency the MDC, most Western governments and international election
observers said was won through fraud, violent intimidation and laws that
gave the ruling party almost total control of the running of the election.

Nyathi said the decision by the MDC to drop its walk-out "does not in anyway
change our position that Mugabe's position is disputed".

A reception for MPs, leading national figures and the diplomatic corps,
traditionally held at State House, Mugabe's official residence, the day
before the opening of Parliament, was cancelled on Sunday with no reasons
being given. It was also expected to be marred by a boycott by opposition
MPs and Western diplomats.

MDC sources said the party's decision to sit in the chamber through Mugabe's
speech had been reached after lengthy negotiations between MDC vice
president Gibson Sibanda and Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa.

The sources said Chinamasa had agreed that authorities would stop arresting
opposition MPs and allow them to attend report-back meetings in their
constituencies.

Most of the MDC's MPs have been arrested by police in the three years since
they were elected, but in no cases have there been any successful
prosecutions. In most cases, courts have dismissed the charges before trials
could begin.

Nyathi was last arrested in April for allegedly plotting to overthrow
Mugabe. - Sapa

      Churches have apologised for not doing enough regarding rights abuses

      JOHANNESBURG, - The Zimbabwe Council of Churches (ZCC) has apologised
for "not having done enough at a time when the nation has looked to us for
guidance" during the current crisis.

      A news release on the website of Christian Aid, a ZCC partner
organisation, said the ZCC was apologising for "standing by while its
country's people have starved to death due to food shortages, and while
violence, rape, intimidation and torture have 'ravaged the nation'".

      According to Christian Aid a communiqué issued at the council's annual
general meeting earlier this month said the churches "have watched as
children have been forced onto the streets out of poverty".

      It quoted the communiqué as saying that "while the church has noted
all these developments, and while we have continued to pray, we have not
been moved to action ... We as a council apologise to the people of Zimbabwe
for not having done enough at a time when the nation has looked to us for
guidance".

      But the churches' apology has left some commentators under-whelmed.
"We've heard many apologies before," said human rights activist Brian
Kogoro.

      As to the significance of the churches' statement, Kogoro commented:
"After the Matabeleland massacre [in the 1980s] the churches issued an
apology and condemned the genocide, so for those of us who have been
monitoring church involvement in socio-economic, political and justice
issues, we are waiting to see something more than just an apology.

      "We are waiting to see what practical steps aimed at dealing with the
current situation [will be taken]. We are waiting to see the church taking a
decisive position on human rights; a tough position on the issue of
political transition and repressive legislation."

      He added that "whilst the apology might serve to soothe their moral an
d religious sense of duty", it did not ease the circumstances of ordinary
Zimbabweans.

Harare - Zimbabwe's main opposition party claimed on Monday almost a dozen
of its candidates in central Zimbabwe were chased away from registering for
local elections next month.

Nomination courts were sitting on Monday to register candidates for
municipal and mayoral polls, due to take place on August 30-31 in 11 towns
and cities throughout Zimbabwe.

The Movement for Democratic Change said in a statement that 11 of its
candidates who arrived at the nomination court in Chegutu, central Zimbabwe,
were attacked by about 300 ruling party youths and "chased off from the
nomination court to ensure that they could not register".

The MDC, which enjoys massive support in urban areas, is the main rival to
President Robert Mugabe's ruling Zimbabwe African National Union - Patriotic
Front (Zanu-PF) party.

An opposition official reported similar incidents of intimidation of its
candidates in the eastern town of Marondera while they were inside the
nomination court filing their papers.

"Right now, as I speak to you, they (the candidates) are surrounded by
Zanu-PF militia," said the official, who asked not to be named.

Policewere not available for comment.

Earlier on Monday, the MDC said one of its candidates for the local
elections in Marondera was forced by Zanu-PF youths to flee the town at the
weekend.

"We believe we owe it to the nation and all the people who elected us to
take bold steps in creating a political environment conducive to successful
dialogue," MDC spokesman Paul Themba Nyathi said.

Soon after that announcement, police detained Nyathi on allegations that a
series of opposition campaign advertisements ridiculing Mugabe violated
controversial security laws.

Nyathi was freed after signing a statement acknowledging that the MDC's
information department, which he heads, was responsible for an advertisement
depicting Mugabe as a thief fleeing an angry crowd, said Innocent Chagonda,
his lawyer.

Nyathi could be charged later, Chagonda said.

The opposition refuses to acknowledge Mugabe's declared victory in
presidential elections last year that international monitors said were
flawed. Two national strikes it has led this year to pressure Mugabe to
retire have shut down what remains of the economy.

Mugabe, 79, remained defiant.

"I strongly warn those who seek to indulge in attempts to create political
instability will face the full wrath of the law," he told Parliament.

Talks between the two parties collapsed last year when the government
demanded the MDC recognise Mugabe's election. Mugabe has refused to
negotiate until the MDC drops its court challenge to the poll, a condition
it has rejected.

Nyathi said today the MDC was attending the speech hoping that the ruling
party would respond by ending political violence, restoring law and order
and stopping the harassment and arrests of opponents to clear the way for
"amicable negotiations" for Mugabe's retirement.

Mugabe arrived at Parliament in an open-backed vintage Rolls Royce, once
used by colonial-era British governors, escorted by police on horseback
carrying lances and wearing colonial style pith helmets.

Judges in scarlet robes and long, white, traditional British wigs filed into
the building ahead of Mugabe. Mugabe said his recent election as one of five
vice chairmen of the African Union, a continental body, was "an eloquent
message to those who have spitefully sought our isolation and ruin".

He said the new parliamentary session would be asked to form an
Anti-Corruption Commission and an authority to investigate money laundering,
He also asked for steps to curb the thriving black market and to strengthen
the monitoring of basic food prices - many of which are fixed by the
government - to keep them affordable.

"Some companies and institutions are doing very well in the economy in
decline. The paradox of this is shown by the impoverished condition of the
common man," Mugabe said.

Zimbabwe is suffering acute shortages of hard currency, food and imports
such as medicine and fuel. The fuel shortages have crippled industry and
transportation.

Part of the economic and hunger crises plagued the county is blamed on a
state program that seized thousands of white-owned commercial farms for
redistribution to black settlers.

Mugabe said seizures of more land targeted would be speeded up.

Mugabe said a decline in mining could be halted by "breaking the
stranglehold of multinational mining companies" and allowing local interests
to play a greater role.

By ANGUS SHAW

Associated Press Writer

HARARE, Zimbabwe (AP) - Just hours after Zimbabwe's opposition offered a
political truce with the government, President Robert Mugabe threatened
Tuesday to hit his opponents with ``the full wrath of the law'' if they
tried to destabilize the nation.

In a strongly worded speech opening Parliament, Mugabe said ``internal and
external forces'' were trying to plunge the nation into chaos, but it
remained a role model for Africa.

Zimbabwe's economy is utterly devastated, with unemployment at 70 percent
and inflation topping 300 percent a year. Political violence, mainly blamed
on ruling party militants, has been rampant over the past three years.

``We pride ourselves in our peace and stability,'' Mugabe told Parliament.

Mugabe's speech came after the opposition Movement for Democratic Change
announced its lawmakers would not boycott Mugabe's speech - as they usually
do - but would remain in Parliament as part of an effort to build goodwill
to end the nation's political standoff

``We believe we owe it to the nation and all the people who elected us to
take bold steps in creating a political environment conducive to successful
dialogue,'' MDC spokesman Paul Themba Nyathi said.

Soon after that announcement, police detained Nyathi on allegations that a
series of opposition campaign advertisements ridiculing Mugabe violated
controversial security laws.

Nyathi was freed after signing a statement acknowledging that the MDC's
information department, which he heads, was responsible for an advertisement
depicting Mugabe as a thief fleeing an angry crowd, said Innocent Chagonda,
his lawyer.

Nyathi could be charged later, Chagonda said.

The opposition refuses to acknowledge Mugabe's declared victory in
presidential elections last year that international monitors said were
flawed. Two national strikes it has led this year to pressure Mugabe to
retire have shut down what remains of the economy.

Mugabe, 79, remained defiant.

``I strongly warn those who seek to indulge in attempts to create political
instability will face the full wrath of the law,'' he told Parliament.

Talks between the two parties collapsed last year when the government
demanded the MDC recognize Mugabe's election. Mugabe has refused to
negotiate until the MDC drops its court challenge to the poll, a condition
it has rejected.

Nyathi said Tuesday the MDC was attending the speech hoping that the ruling
party would respond by ending political violence, restoring law and order
and stopping the harassment and arrests of opponents to clear the way for
``amicable negotiations'' for Mugabe's retirement.

In the latest violence, three opposition candidates for town councils around
Zimbabwe were injured in assaults and several were chased away from courts
where they went Monday to submit nomination papers, Nyathi said.

Mugabe arrived at Parliament in an open-backed vintage Rolls Royce, once
used by colonial-era British governors, escorted by police on horseback
carrying lances and wearing colonial style pith helmets.

Judges in scarlet robes and long, white, traditional British wigs filed into
the building ahead of Mugabe.

Mugabe said his recent election as one of five vice chairmen of the African
Union, a continental body, was ``an eloquent message to those who have
spitefully sought our isolation and ruin.''

He said the new parliamentary session would be asked to form an
Anti-Corruption Commission and an authority to investigate money laundering,

He also asked for steps to curb the thriving black market and to strengthen
the monitoring of basic food prices - many of which are fixed by the
government - to keep them affordable.

``Some companies and institutions are doing very well in the economy in
decline. The paradox of this is shown by the impoverished condition of the
common man,'' Mugabe said.

Zimbabwe is suffering acute shortages of hard currency, food and imports
such as medicine and fuel. The fuel shortages have crippled industry and
transportation.

Part of the economic and hunger crises plagued the county is blamed on a
state program that seized thousands of white-owned commercial farms for
redistribution to black settlers.

Mugabe said seizures of more land targeted would be speeded up.

Mugabe said a decline in mining could be halted by ``breaking the
stranglehold of multinational mining companies'' and allowing local
interests to play a greater role.

Mugabe rivals end boycott

The MDC still reject Mr Mugabe's election victory

Zimbabwe's main opposition party has attended President Robert Mugabe's state opening of parliament for the first time since his controversial re-election last year.

This comes less than two weeks after the government threatened to fine MPs six months' pay if they continued to walk out when the president addressed parliament.

Movement for Democratic Change leader Morgan Tsvangirai, who was not elected to parliament, attended from the public gallery.

The MDC says that they ended their boycott in order to reduce political tensions and facilitate dialogue with the ruling Zanu-PF party.

But in a strongly worded speech, Mr Mugabe offered no hint of a possible softening towards the MDC.

"I strongly warn those who seek to indulge in attempts to create political instability will face the full wrath of the law," he said.

Economic crisis

The MDC last month organised a national week-long strike and demonstrations in a bid to force Mr Mugabe from power.

The mass protests were quickly suppressed by the security forces, amid allegations of brutality.

Supporters of Mr Mugabe's Zanu-PF party
Mugabe's supporters have been at the forefront of his land reform

South Africa is leading international attempts to end Zimbabwe's economic crisis through political talks.

Direct negotiations between the MDC and Zanu-PF ended last year, when the MDC filed a legal case against Mr Mugabe's election victory last year.

Mr Tsvangirai is currently facing two counts of treason - one for organising last month's protests.

The MDC, along with western observer groups, say that the election was marred by violence and rigging.

The opposition says that, although they have ended their boycott of Mr Mugabe's speeches, they still do not recognise his election victory.

This was his condition for the resumption of dialogue with the MDC, which he accuses of being a front for white farmers and western powers opposed to his land reform programme.