http://www.swradioafrica.com/
By Alex
Bell
28 July 2010
The Supreme Court has ensured that MDC Treasurer
General Roy Bennett will
not be sworn in to his post as Deputy Agriculture
Minister any time soon,
after postponing his acquittal case
‘indefinitely’
High Court Judge Chinembiri Bhunu in May acquitted Bennett on
charges of
possessing weapons of war and plotting to assassinate Robert
Mugabe, saying
the State had failed to establish a ‘prima facie’ case
against the accused.
The State later filed an appeal in the Supreme Court
requesting that the
acquittal be set aside.
That acquittal
application was heard on Wednesday. But according to the
Zimbabwe Lawyers
for Human Rights (ZLHR) Chief Justice Godfrey Chidyausiku
postponed his
decision ‘indefinitely’ citing large amounts of ‘bulky’ court
paperwork to
sort through.
Chidyausiku “has indicated that because the record is very
bulky it will
take him long to come to a decision,” Bennett’s lawyer
Beatrice Mtetwa told
reporters after a three-hour, closed-door
hearing.
“The matter has been postponed indefinitely,” she added.
The
postponement will now delay Bennett’s swearing-in as a government
Minister
for an indefinite time, which is helpful for Mugabe who has
insisted he will
not swear him in until he is completely cleared of all
charges. The issue
has been one of many outstanding issues in the Global
Political Agreement
(GPA) that ZANU PF still refuses to honour. As a result,
the unity
government has remained at a complete stalemate and the
outstanding Bennett
issue will serve to further strain tensions in the shaky
coalition.
The case against Bennett stems from allegations of a plot
to oust Mugabe in
2006. The state says that Bennett gave money to gun
merchant Peter Michael
Hitschmann to buy weapons to be used to assassinate
Mugabe. Prosecutors say
that Hitschmann implicated Bennett when he was
arrested in 2006 after being
found in possession of firearms, claims the
gun-dealer has denied.
Hitschmann said he was tortured into making
confessions implicating the MDC
politician during interrogation at a
military barracks near Mutare.
http://www.swradioafrica.com/
By Tererai
Karimakwenda
28th July 2010
Many participants and observers have lost
faith in the constitutional
outreach meetings that were meant to gather the
opinion of Zimbabweans on
constitutional issues, due to intimidation and
violence perpetrated by
ZANU-PF sponsored elements.
The presence and
aggressive behaviour of ZANU-PF supporters, youth militia,
CIO agents and
soldiers at the meetings is frightening those who want to
express ideas
opposed to the philosophy of Robert Mugabe's party. This
intimidation has
rendered the largely donor-funded exercise pointless and
any result from it
will not reflect the true wishes of Zimbabweans.
Although no specific
date for elections has been announced yet, MDC
officials and party
supporters are already beginning to show the same
symptoms that they
displayed before the March 2008 elections, when ZANU-PF
unleashed its
campaign of violence against the opposition.
Fearing reprisals by
ZANU-PF, many MDC have said that they prefer to keep
quiet at the meetings
and that they don't bother reporting incidents to the
police. Some MDC
officials are also beginning to withhold their names when
reporting
incidents to the press.
In their latest report, the Zimbabwe Peace
Project observed that many
torture bases had been reactivated, particularly
in Manicaland, since the
outreach programme began. Torture bases have been
reported in Headlands,
Mugadza Village 19B; Matezwa in Chipinge South; and
in Chimanimani West at
Mutidzawanda and Cashel Valley. The report also said
that the losing ZANU-PF
candidate for Nyanga South has set up a torture base
at Sedze.
An MDC official in Mazowe, who chose to withhold her name, said
the fear was
tangible at the outreach meeting that took place on Tuesday at
Concession.
She told SW Radio Africa that ZANU-PF youths from outside the
area demanded
that the meeting be stopped so that they could interrogate a
male
participant, who had stood up to ask for a pen. Eventually one of the
women
questioned who the youth were and what area they had come from. Faced
with a
reversal of fortune, the youth got into several cars and drove
off.
More reports of harassment at constitutional outreach meetings were
received
from Pishai Muchauraya, the MDC-T spokesperson for Manicaland. He
said the
outreach meeting scheduled for Tuesday at
Mutambara High School
in Chimanimani West was cancelled when war vets and
ZANU-PF supporters
blocked students from participating. They caused so much
disruption that
officials were forced to reschedule it for another day.
Soldiers and
youth militia were bussed to a meeting at Chakohwa Business
Centre. The MDC
co-chairperson at the meeting, Senator Chabuka, objected to
their
participation. When she asked that they identify themselves, they
produced
membership cards for the Border Gezi youth militia.
A lot of money has
gone into funding the teams that are conducting the
constitutional outreach
meetings countrywide. Facilitators are paid a fee,
and their hotel, food and
travel expenses are also paid for.
As always, it is ZANU-PF that is
sponsoring the violence and causing
disruptions.
It remains
surprising that so far donors who have sponsored this outreach
have not
expressed more concern about what is happening and why the MDC
continues to
be part of what is now so clearly a pointless exercise.
http://news.radiovop.com/
28/07/2010 11:37:00
INSIZA, 27 July 2010 -
War veterans in Insiza attacked monitors observing
the constitutional making
process over the weekend as the crack down on
monitors reached alarming
levels. The incident in Insiza north is the worst
since COPAC teams begun an
outreach programme a month ago to gather peoples
views on a new
constitution.
Sources told Radio VOP that meetings in Gcabaya and Amazon
areas had been
disrupted after former freedom fighters questioned the
presence of the
monitors.
The war veterans who stand accused of
perpetrating violence in the run-up to
the 2002 and 2008 Presidential
elections allegedly ejected monitors in both
meetings accusing them of
lobbying for a regime change agenda in the new
constitution.
In other
parts of the country monitors have been detained by the police
forcing
others to quit duty for fear of their lives.
The constitution making
process has been dogged by chaos with MDC-T
threatening to pull out of the
whole process.
It accuses ZANU PF of politicising the process which
analyst believe would
end President Robert Mugabe's thirty year reign and
put an end to economic
burdens suffered by the majority.
Meanwhile
residents of Gwanda have called for a repeat of outreach meetings
amid
revelations that data collected at the time, had disappeared from a
laptop.
COPAC officials were quoted saying they would use handwritten
data after
recorded material was lost on a laptop.
"We risk being
misquoted, I think what COPAC should do is to come back again
and gather our
views on electronic media", said Themba Ndlovu a local
resident.
Residents here had called for a Truth and Reconciliation
Commission in the
new constitution to investigate, arrest and persecute
perpetrators of the
Gukurahundi genocide that left over 20 000
dead.
http://news.radiovop.com/
28/07/2010 11:38:00
HARARE, July 27, 2010
- THE Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) has arrested
all its officers
manning the Bindura Border Post, Gershom Pasi, Commissioner
General, has
revealed.
"We arrested all of them because they were found to be corrupt," he
said.
"We are now working on arresting officers at Forbes Border Post for
also
being corrupt. At Forbes 18 officers have been arrested to date," he
said
Pasi, who was responding to a question on what he was doing to deal
with
corruption at Zimra, also said, "We do not tell the public but I can
assure
you that everyone at Bindura is now in jail," he said.
He said
he now had a secret officer working in his office to stamp out
corruption by
Zimra officers all over Zimbabwe. "I have a whistle blower in
my office," he
said.
"We will deal with corruption once and for all," he told the
meeting in
Harare.
The ZRP have confirmed the arrests in Bindura and at
Forbes Border Post.
http://www.eyewitnessnews.co.za/articleprog.aspx?id=45197
Eyewitness News | 7 Hours
Ago
Zimbabwe's farming community is in shock after news of the stabbing
of a
couple in Bulawayo.
Nan Goosen was stabbed and killed outside
the couple's home, while her
husband Pieter was injured in the
attack.
28
July 2010
HRD’s
Alert
POLICE
ARREST SENATOR KOMICHI
Police in Lupane, Matabeleland North
on Wednesday 28 July 2010 arrested Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) deputy
organizing secretary and non-constituency Senator Morgan Komichi.
Although ZLHR could not ascertain
the charges that the police have preferred against Komichi, a Detective
Inspector Chakaona of Lupane
Police Station recently instructed him to report to the police
station.
Detective Chakaona claimed that he
was investigating a case in which Komichi allegedly made reference to the
impounding of MDC vehicles at a rally held at Negasha Stadium in Lupane in
February 2010.
More information will be released
once our lawyers who have responded to Senator Komichi’s arrest furnish us with
more details.
ENDS
Kumbirai Mafunda
Consultant Communications Officer
6th
100 Nelson Mandela Av
Tel
Email
“We Need Generational
Change”
http://news.radiovop.com/
28/07/2010 11:39:00
HARARE, July
28, 2010 - The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
Country Director,
Christine Umutoni said Zimbabwe was not to recover
economically if the
inclusive government adopts ZANU-PF administration's
dictatorial behavior of
non-citizen's participation on developmental issues.
"One of the major
challenges facing Zimbabwe is its ability, as a nation, to
spearhead its
development agenda on the basis of participatory, consensus
driven,
reconciliation and in a peaceful and just manner, "Umutoni told
delegates
attending the launching of the Zimbabwe National Youth Policy in
Harare on
Tuesday.
"It should also be noted that these conditions may not be fully
realized if
there is inadequate attention and investment made on young
people," she
added.
She urged youths to be involved in the
national healing
program if democracy was to be attained in the
country.
ZANU-PF used the youths known as Green Bombers to perpetrate
violence on MDC
supporters since 2000.
The National Youth Policy is
being reviewed ten years after it was initially
set as a framework for youth
development programmes and interventions in
Zimbabwe. The review has been
set to address some fundamental issues not
fully captured in the initial
policy document, including young people's
reproductive health, HIV and AIDS,
disability and gender.
UNICEF country representative, Dr. Peter Salama,
said the reviewed National
Youth Policy should protect youths from all
types of abuse.
"At all times, young people need to be protected from
violence and abuse.
The policy will help but it must be backed up with
meaningful programmes and
real budget and a conducive environment," he
said.
Contrary to his ZANU-PF party's behaviour of politicizing the
country's
youths, Youth Development, Indeginization and Empowerment,
Minister Saviour
Kasukuwere, said stakeholders and young people should
depoliticise the youth
policy making process.
"The reviewed national
youth policy needs to ensure that all young people's
views have been taken
into consideration, regardless of their religious,
political or cultural
persuasion," said the minister. ""This policy should
create an enabling
environment for all young people's development and
empowerment across all
political, social and economic divides," he said
With youths making up
over 70% of Zimbabwe's population at all times, this
policy will greatly aid
in ensuring that all their issues in relation to
health, education, poverty
eradication, skills development and economic
empowerment are adequately
addressed.
Consultations to get the inputs of most of the young people in
the country
will be carried out in all ten provinces of the country over the
next three
months.
http://www.thezimbabwemail.com
27 July, 2010 04:38:00
BULAWAYO - Former
Home Affairs Minister during farm invasions and Zapu
interim leader Dumiso
Dabengwa is geared to take on President Robert Mugabe
and Prime Minister
Morgan Tsvangirai in the country's next general
elections.
Dabengwa
is yet to be elected ZAPU's substantive leader, apart from holding
an
interim position he appointed himself, but already he has set his sights
on
the country's top job.
Both Zanu PF and MDC-T have already declared their
readiness for the
elections widely expected to put an end to the inclusive
government.
Dabengwa said yesterday that he was ready to run for the
presidency if asked
by the people to do so.
He said he had no
intention to quit politics just yet as it was critical
that what was agreed
during the liberation struggle be fully implemented to
enable a new
generation of leaders to emerge.
A war veteran and commander of the Zipra
guerrilla fighters during the
country's 70s liberation war, Dabengwa broke
ranks with Zanu PF in 2008 and
threw his weight behind Simba Makoni, another
former Mugabe ally.
He said during the struggle political leaders had
agreed that the country
should be totally free but that had not happened
given the current state of
politics.
The former PF Zapu supremo known
during the war as the Black Russian however
said he would only stay long
enough in politics toput structures in place to
enable a smooth handover of
power.
"I will consider running. If I am to run I will make it known to
the people
whether or not I will take up the challenge," Dabengwa
said.
The former Home Affairs minister said before he left politics he
would like
to see that the constitution-making process currently underway
was
successfully completed to pave way for fresh elections.
http://www.afrik-news.com/article18038.html
As Ethiopians, Zambians, Somalis,
Rwandans languish in prison
Wednesday 28 July 2010 / by Alice
Chimora
Scores of asylum seekers from African countries are languishing
in Zimbabwe
prisons with hardened criminals as most of them are quickly
arrested by
authorities upon arrival.
This came to light when Deputy
Minister of Justice, Obert Gutu toured Harare
Remand Prison
facility.
The prisoners from countries such as Zambia, Somalia, Ethiopia
and Rwanda
were last week given a rare opportunity to air their views at one
of Harare's
most notorious prisons.
The account were chilling as some
prisoners say they have been kept for over
two years after serving their
sentences.
A refugee who did not give his name but comes from the
Democratic Republic
of Congo said he was arrested two years ago while on his
way to the United
Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNCHR).
"The
first time I went to the courts there was a language barrier since in
DRC we
speak French. I could not understand a word of English and I was told
to
come back some other time," he said.
When he appeared in court for the
second time he was fined US$100 for
violating the country's immigration laws
but he remains in jail even after a
Good Samaritan paid the fine on his
behalf.
"I am running away from war and wish to be taken to the refugee
camp, I have
no relatives in Zimbabwe and I have no money. I wonder why I am
being kept
here," he said.
The main refugee camp is Tongogara, south
east of the country, which houses
about 5 000 refugees.
There are
reports, however, of social tensions and sexual violence being on
the rise,
with Burundians being expelled from the country for fomenting
violence.
The remand prison is also teeming with a number of Somalis,
who seemed quite
happy and expectant that the deputy minister could help
them in their quest
for freedom and asylum.
Said a Zambian inmate, "I
have served 10 years in Zimbabwe and when I asked
why I am not being set
free I was told to raise an air fare to South Africa.
"I have been here
for a long time and since my relatives do not know where I
am how can I
raise the amount?" He said since there is no direct flight
lining the two
countries immigration authorities insist that he buy an air
ticket to South
Africa and another one to Zambia as the only way to win his
freedom.
"(Deputy) minister I beg you please help me, as I can only
raise bus fare. I
have served my time and I deserve to be free," he
pleaded.
The prison officials could not give an indication of the number
of asylum
seekers in jail but Gutu said he was aware that the immigration
department
was handling some cases.
UNCHR representative to Zimbabwe
Marcelin Hepie said they recently handled a
case of six Somalis who have
since been released. "We do handle similar
cases during our routine visits.
The largest group was that of six Somalis
who have since been
released."
Although according to the UNCHR figures released last month,
Zimbabweans
topped the list of people seeking asylum last year, hundreds of
refugees
from across Africa arrived in the impoverished country.
http://tobaccoreporter.com
Jul 28, 2010—Zimbabwe’s flue-cured sales breached
the 100 million kg mark on
Wednesday last week, nearly doubling last year's
deliveries to the auction
floors, according to an AllAfrica.com story
quoting figures from the Tobacco
Industry and Marketing
Board.
Altogether, 100,810,264 kg had been auctioned by Wednesday for a
total of
US$297,106,623.
This year's target had been set at 77
million kg but was increased to 100
million kg two weeks ago.
http://www.eyewitnessnews.co.za/articleprog.aspx?id=45213
Eyewitness News |
4 Hours Ago
Relatives of Zimbabwe’s late Vice President Joshua Nkomo are
threatening to
tear down a statue of him that the authorities are erecting
in Harare.
The row is over the positioning of the statue. His
family said on Wednesday
the place the authorities have chosen is an insult
to the former opposition
leader.
The spot is at the
Karigamombe Centre in central Harare.
In Shona, Karigamombe means
“one who brings down the bull by the horns”.
The symbol of
Nkomo’s PF-Zapu was a bull.
The party was forced to merge with
Zanu-PF in the late 1980s, so if anyone
actually brought down the bull it
was Robert Mugabe’s party.
Nkomo’s family see this positioning as
an insult though they cannot prove it
is
deliberate.
Zimbabwe’s unity deal was reached in 1987 and today’s
power-sharing
government is also not free from frequent
squabbles.
(Edited by Deshnee Subramany)
http://www.thezimbabwean.co.uk/
Written by Zwanai Sithole
Wednesday, 28
July 2010 08:08
GWAYI: The future of the Gwayi/Shangani dam is now
clouded with uncertainty
after a mining company was recently allowed to
undertake coal mining
activities in the water catchment area under unclear
circumstances.
(Pictured: Construction of the dam at the confluence of the
Gwayi and
Shangani rivers, is the first phase of the MZWP project to bring
water from
the Zambezi River to Bulawayo.)
Liberation Mining has already
moved in at the site and started extracting
coal in the catchment area of
the dam. The area is also part of the Gwayi
Intensive wildlife conservation
project.
The move to mine coal in the area has already irked the Zimbabwe
Water
Authority (ZINWA), the Matabeleland Zambezi Water Project (MZWP) as
well as
environmentalists and animal conservationists.
"From both an
environmental and economic point of view, this coal mining
venture is a
disaster. For example, no environmental impact assessment study
was done.
The mining venture is also situated on the corridor of the
presidential
elephant herd," said Philip Taylor who runs a wildlife
conservancy in the
area.
The chairman of the MZWP, Dumiso Dabengwa, professed ignorance about
the
coal mining venture.
"If it is true that there is such a venture
taking place in Gwayi/ Shangani
then we are not aware as MZWP. What is
crystal clear is that the benefits of
the dam far outweigh those of coal
mining from both an economic and
environmental point of view. Besides
producing water for Bulawayo and hydro
electrical power, the dam would also
help create irrigation for villagers
along the corridor," said
Dabengwa.
The Zimbabwean news crew visited area last week and saw workers
busy working
on the site.
Construction of the dam is the first phase of
the MZWP project to bring
water from the Zambezi River. The government
approved the project in 1997
after the completion of a feasibility study.
Preliminary work for the
long-awaited scheme, which involves a 70 metre dam
wall at the confluence of
the Gwayi and Shangani rivers, has already kicked
off.
Efforts to establish the owners of the mining venture were all in vain.
Workers at the site said they were not allowed to speak to the press.
Binga, Zimbabwe,
July 26, 2010: The United States
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and local partners are
strengthening the delivery of HIV related services and initiatives targeting
vulnerable groups in six provinces.
Speaking during a
tour of the final of six first level train-the-trainers workshops for community
volunteers providing HIV/AIDS support services in Matabeleland North province, a
senior official at the CDC hailed the response from training participants saying
the initiatives are meant to strengthen coping mechanisms among vulnerable
groups.
“Our support aims
to build capacity of provincial implementing partners who are themselves
community AIDS service organizations and People Living with HIV and AIDS (PLWHA)
support groups in the delivery of HIV related services and initiatives, to
strengthen appropriate coping mechanisms among vulnerable groups,” said Gretchen
Cowman, Deputy Director of the CDC Zimbabwe during a tour of one of the training
workshops in Binga.
The workshop in
Binga, a partnership between THE CENTRE in Harare and Ntengwe Community
Development in Binga and Victoria Falls, targeted 30 home based caregivers and
peer educators based in Matabeleland North between July 19 and 23.
Addressing
journalists on the sidelines of the workshop, Fred Kachote, Executive Director
of THE CENTRE, said the training has so far been successful, reaching nearly 80
district based trainers. He said the survival skills workshops had been held in
Manicaland (with Dananai Care and Support group in Buhera), Masvingo (Batanai
Support Group), Mashonaland East (Zimbabwe Women against AIDS, Poverty and
Violence), Midlands (Gweru Women’s AIDS Prevention Association) and Harare (New
Dawn of Hope Support Group).
Kachote said the
workshop would assist PIPs to develop a cadre of multi skilled district and ward
level trainers noting that his organization’s involvement went beyond just
training.
“We want to provide
technical assistance to PIPs in the development of HIV related policies,
advocacy and lobbying, decision making and gender mainstreaming for PLWHA,” said
Kachote, whose organization is also supporting an outreach officer in Binga
through a local implementing partner, Ntengwe.
During the
training, participants in Binga went through sessions on understanding HIV and
AIDS, counselling, nutrition guidelines, treatment issues, and handling
disclosure. They discussed cultural issues affecting the prevention of the
spread of HIV.
James Munkuli, a
home based care giver based in Kariangwe, 80 km south of Binga center said in
his locality there is still a lot of stigma attached to HIV and AIDS citing
local cultural practices that continued to present challenges to HIV
prevention.
“Early marriages,
wife adoption, and resistance to the use of condoms are still challenges in the
prevention of HIV in my district, but our peer education programs are beginning
to bear fruit,” said Munkuli, who heads a home based care group in Kariangwe.
Munkuli said he hoped to train 18 other caregivers in his locality.
Munkuli and 80
other volunteers in Zimbabwe’s six provinces will undergo similar training in
the future until they attain level 3 training certification. At this stage, he
and the trainers will be able to implement a holistic HIV management methodology
that entails nutrition counseling, psychosocial support through counseling,
stress management, ART adherence, and alternative therapies.
# #
#
This report was
produced and circulated by the U.S. Embassy Public Affairs Section. Queries and
comments should be directed to the Public Affairs Section on hararepas@state.gov, Tel. +2634758800-1,
Fax: 2634758802
Website: http://harare.usembassy.gov
Sokwanele - Enough is
Enough - Zimbabwe
PROMOTING NON-VIOLENT PRINCIPLES TO ACHIEVE DEMOCRACY
These are media extracts relating to the constitution outreach process,
appearing between 22 July – 28 July. To review previous news items, or follow
updates daily, please visit the Constitution
Resource page on the Sokwanele website. Please note that links to sources
and full articles are also available on the resource page. Email info@sokwanele.com with the word
"Subscribe" in the subject line to subscribe to our newsletter. 22 July 2010
- cont CIO teams up with Zanu PF youth to intimidate villagers In Mazowe South, Mashonaland Central province, a Central Intelligence
Organisation operative, Alexander Kanengoni has teamed up with Zanu PF youths in
the area to intimidate villagers against attending the Constitution
Parliamentary Select Committee (Copac) meetings. The threats saw a very low
turnout of people on Wednesday at Chaona business centre in the area. In Zhombe
East, Midlands North province, an army officer Duncan Mahofa, well known as
Major Mpofu, has been intimidating villagers threatening to beat up suspected
MDC members if they continue contributing in the constitution making outreach
meetings [Via MDC Today - 22 July 2010] Zimbabwe Constitutional Committee Probes Reported Intimidation in
Public Meetings Copac officials booted out of Orange Grove Motel Members of the constitutional outreach programme in Chinhoyi were on Tuesday
ejected from a hotel they were staying in for non-payment amid reports that
other hotels in the province have threatened to do the same. Twenty-one members
of Copac housed at Chinhoyi Caves Motel were thrown out and relocated to a
nearby Roman Catholic Church. Orange Groove Motel in Chinhoyi has also
threatened to evict Copac officials living there. The Copac officials told
NewsDay the embarrassing incident could force them to abandon the project [...]
Contacted for comment yesterday, Copac co-chairperson Douglas Mwonzora, said he
was aware of the cases of evicted outreach teams but it was true that the hotels
had not been paid. He said there were some outstanding payments because the
respective hotels only submitted bills for 25 days instead of the entire 65 days
of the outreach programme [Via NewsDay] 23 July
2010 Harare, Bulawayo Copac outreach set for August The outreach programme in Bulawayo and Harare will now begin in August after
all the other provinces have been completed. The two provinces have not held any
meetings regarding the crafting of the new supreme law after the Constitution
Parliamentary Select Committee (Copac) moved the deliberations to accommodate
the Fifa World Cup that ended in South Africa on July 11. Constitutional and
Parliamentary Affairs minister Eric Matinenga said yesterday that Bulawayo and
Harare needed attention and would be covered in August to enable most people’s
views to be incorporated. “Harare and Bulawayo will be done around August to
have as many teams as possible in Harare and Bulawayo on a weekend to
accommodate workers who will be off from work,” said Matinenga.“It is
anticipated that the outreach will be concluded by September and thereafter,
thematic teams will take over the analysis of data in preparation for drafting
of the new constitution. Matinenga said in areas where disruption s had
occurred, teams were instructed to revisit the places to allow everyone a voice.
“Where participation has been disrupted for whatever reason, teams have been
instructed to revisit those places,” he said. [Via NewsDay] MDC-T spokesman says party should debate participation in
outreach Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai’s MDC party will have to meet and decide
whether to continue participating in the current constitutional outreach
exercise which has been marred by incidents of violence and intimidation. In a
hard hitting interview, party spokesman Nelson Chamisa said it was now necessary
for the leadership to meet and ‘say under the circumstances what is our
continued participation in this process. What is the end and what is the
product?’ He told Newsreel they were receiving reports from their structures,
and even from ZANU PF supporters, complaining that they were being frog marched
into torture bases, and indoctrinated on what to say before being taken to
outreach meetings. ‘This is very ugly a picture, very disturbing a trend and
very discouraging a pattern. When one looks at what has been happening across
the whole country it’s not as if people are being allowed to express
themselves.’ [Via SW Radio Africa] Chief orders villagers to boycott outreach meetings Chief Ndondo of Mbembesi in Matabeleland North has instructed his subjects
not to contribute during the constitution outreach programme, saying he will
speak on their behalf [...] The chief also allegedly told the villagers that
they should not entertain the outreach teams if they do not have a
Xhosa-speaking person among them. In separate interviews yesterday, some
villagers expressed disappointment at the chief’s stance of talking on their
behalf, saying it was a violation of their constitutional right. “In as much as
we share collective views in some areas of the constitution, we do differ in
quite a number of things. The chief cannot capture everything that each of us
wants considered in the new constitution,” said a villager who spoke on
condition of anonymity. “We feel that we should be allowed to say what we want
in the new constitution as individuals. However, no one has appealed against
this stance in fear of heavy fines charged by the traditional leadership for g
oing against them.” [Via The Chronicle - state-controlled-media] COPAC program exposes deep polarisation between parties The constitutional outreach program, meant to gather people’s views on the
new constitution, has exposed the deep political polarization and intolerance
that still exists between ZANU PF and MDC supporters. Since the program resumed
this week, after a week long break, tension, friction and shouting matches have
characterized most of the meetings. Even signaling your intention to contribute
a view by raising a hand, has now been politicized by the participants. When MDC
supporters want to contribute to debate, they raise their hands as any other
person would do. And here lies the problem. An open palm is a gesture linked to
the MDC party symbol. In retaliation, ZANU PF supporters have resorted to
raising their hands— fists clenched— a style made popular by Mugabe when
sloganeering. Our correspondent Simon Muchemwa said it was clear there is still
much animosity between supporters of ZANU PF and the MDC. He said these
incidents, and many others being observed at the meetings , are clear indicators
of the dark cloud of political polarization and intolerance characterizing the
political terrain in the country [Via SW Radio
Africa]. Zimbabwe's Cabinet agreed on Tuesday that ZBC should stop playing the
extended political songs because they do not reflect the spirit of the unity
government established in February 2009 following a traumatic election cycle in
2008. Ministers said the spots asserting Mr. Mugabe remains in charge re-open
wounds from that bloody period. ZANU-PF spokesman Rugare Gumbo told the
state-run Herald newspaper the jingles have nothing to do with elections but are
merely intended to encourage ZANU-PF members to participate in the
constitutional revision public outreach process now unfolding around the country
- in some areas with political intimidation and sporadic violence. Gumbo said
the spots are not jingles but rather songs by the Mbare Chimurenga choir from an
album entitled "Nyatsoterera,"Shona for "listen carefully."The lyrics of the
title song inform listeners that Mr Mugabe and his two vice presidents, Joice
Mujuru and John Nkomo, are in charge, not the inclusive government [Via VOA
News]. Operation Vhara Muromo scuttles outreach Jairos Mukotosi (50) is avoiding a team of consultants, sent as part of a
parliamentary outreach programme to the Rushinga area of rural Mashonaland
Central Province, to solicit people’s views on what they would like included in
a proposed new constitution. But for the past two months, members of Zanu PF
youth militia have been warning villagers to either shut up or parrot Zanu PF’s
views on the new constitution, which includes no limit on the number of
presidential terms that can be served [...] “I am a victim of the June 2008
elections and still live in fear,” Mukotosi said. “Although we were living in
peace following the formation of the inclusive government (in February 2009,
when Zanu PF and the two factions of the MDC formed a coalition government), the
ghost of violence and fear is returning. [...] “I am not taking any chances.
These militias stole and killed my cattle because they thought I was a member of
the MDC, since my son works in Harare (the capital, an MDC stronghold). Now I
will not participate in the constitution-making process because they might kill
me and my family this time,” he said. [Via NewsDay] Marked improvement for Copac programme Attendance at constitution-making outreach programmes has increased
significantly since the process resumed this week, with centres averaging 1 500
to 2 000 participants per session.Earlier, Parliament’s Select Committee had
said attendance in the Matabeleland provinces was low. However, since the
programme resumed following a break to allow legislators to attend the official
opening of the Third Session of the Seventh Parliament and the Mid-Term Fiscal
Policy Review last week, attendance has risen. Copac co-chairperson Cde
Munyaradzi Paul Mangwa-na yesterday acknowledged the increases in attendances
attributing it to a new awareness strategy. "We now send an advance team to a
centre a day before the meeting. The advance teams, made up of the district
administrator and political parties’ liaison teams mobilise communities for the
meetings,"he said. Cde Mangwana said the advance teams would be incorporated in
Copac’s budget. "The advance team meets political and traditional leaders in a
particular area,"he said. [Via The Herald - state-controlled
media] Notorious Zanu PF apologist, Lawrence Katsiru and Mudzi West MP, Aqualinah
Katsande on Monday barred the police from arresting Zanu PF youths who had
assaulted a participant during a Constitution-making outreach meeting in
Chikomba West, Mashonaland East meeting. Katsiru and Katsande are members of the
Constitution Parliamentary Select Committee (Copac) in Mashonaland East. Zanu PF
youths turned rowdy during a public meeting at Chiwashira business centre on
Monday and attacked Anthony Matodza who had just made a contribution. A report
was made at Featherstone police station. However, when the police came to arrest
the culprits, Katsiru and Katsande stopped them claiming Zanu PF supporters are
immune to arrest. Katsiru even threatened Matodza who is also an MDC member with
death. Katsiru told Matodza that he was lucky to escape death in 2008 and that
he, Katsiru, would come after him if he continued with pursuing the arrests of
the Zanu PF youths. Matodza lost his property and his vehicle was stolen by Zanu
PF militia in 2008. He is still to recover the vehicle [Via MDC Today - 23
July 2010] NCA Press Release: All set for NCA Indaba The NCA announce an Indaba to be held on 24 July: "The indaba is part of the
NCA’s Take Charge Campaign, whose objective is to re-emphasize the need to have
a genuine people driven, as opposed to politicians driven constitution making
process. On this ground the TAKE CHARGE Campaign will continue to expose the
fraudulent process currently underway and led by politicians from ZANU PF and
MDC. The NCA has consistently and unapologetically reiterated its position that
any draft constitution which is a product of a flawed process, as the current
COPAC/Kariba process (which is worse than the rejected Chidyausiku make-believe
of 1999/2000), will be rejected by the people of Zimbabwe. Since the signing of
the Global Political Agreement, the NCA made it very clear that it was opposed
to some provisions of Article 6 which clearly spelt out that the role of civic
society was“to assist the select committee as may be necessary [Section
6.1(a)(1)]”. [Via NCA Press Release] Rival Zimbabwe Constitution Group To Gear Up Campaign Against Govt
Led Process Members of Zimbabwe's National Constitutional Assembly were to meet for three
days beginning Saturday to develop a strategy in opposition to the
parliamentary-led constitutional revision process currently unfolding. NCA
spokesman Maddock Chivasa said the group's leaders and members plan to review
the many problems that have beset the revision process, especially during the
public outreach phase launched in mid-June [Via VOA News]. Mugabe faces ‘excommunication’ President Robert Mugabe faces possible ex-communication from the Roman
Catholic Church for allegedly violating a standing doctrine governing the
conduct of its members when he wore a Vapostori robe at a gathering of a Johanne
Marange Apostolic Sect in Manicaland last weekend, church leaders have said. Rod
in hand, President Mugabe preached polygamy to the congregation of more than 200
000 worshipers who had gathered for their annual Passover at Mafirarikwa in
Marange communal lands, further compounding his “transgressions”. “Our
Constitution allows for polygamy. We will not force people into monogamous
marriages. Inga muBhaibheri chaimo zvirimo. Solomon haana kungopihwa upfumi
chete asi nevakadzi vakawanda”(It is written in the Bible that King Solomon was
not only blessed with riches but with many wives as well) President Mugabe said.
Father Oskar Wermter, the social communications secretary of Zimbabwe Catholic
Bishops’ Conference, said through this gospel of polygamy and his involvement in
Vapostori spiritual rites, President Mugabe reduced himself to a “schismatic”
knowingly. The 86-year-old leader was baptised and confirmed as a full member of
the Catholic Church when he accepted Holy Communion. Wermter said Catholic rules
would not bend because of President Mugabe’s political status and profile
[Via NewsDay]. Nothing sinister in calling for devolution It must be crystal clear that devolution is not about Harare and Bulawayo and
that it is neither about tribalism. “When we talk about this, people must not
think that we are talking about tribalism,” Deputy Prime Minister Thokozani
Khupe was once quoted saying in the UK. The debate about devolution of power
should be seen in its proper context. It should be seen as an argument about
governance and a plea for some form of decentralisation that will allow local
communities, in our case regions and local governments, to take charge of
development of their areas. In simple terms it is about empowerment and popular
participation. If we understand it from that angle then perhaps the tension,
mistrust and uncertainty that jump onto the surface whenever this discussion
crops up will evaporate [Via NewsDay] 24 July
2010 Chance in a lifetime turns into a shambles Comment by Cathy Buckle: Sadly, however, all is not beautiful as spring
arrives and our chance in a lifetime constitution making process has turned into
a shambles. Every day the reports just get worse and worse. The words used by
one senior official to describe the outreach programme, expose the truth of the
story: tension, friction, hostile, ugly. We hear of public meetings turning into
shouting matches, of people being abducted, assaulted, kidnapped and of
villagers being frog marched, intimidated and commandeered. Then there are
reports of COPAC (constitutional outreach) drivers and technicians threatening
to stop work as they say they aren't getting the pay they were promised. Other
reports tell of hotels evicting COPAC personnel or refusing to give them meals
due to massive unpaid bills. In a country where over 90% of the population is
unemployed and civil servants only earn 160 US dollars a month, its hard to find
perspective in this whole mess. One report tells of COPAC technicians being very
disgruntled at only receiving 55 US dollars a day for their services and another
15 a day for their meals. For teachers with degrees surviving on less than 5 US
dollars a day, it doesn't really make sense - does it? [Via African
Tears] ‘I’m not a Western puppet’ The Herald features an interview with Lovemore Madhuku, National
Constitutional Assembly chairperson: IG: For a long time, you have been
campaigning for a new constitution for Zimbabwe and here is an opportunity for
your organisation to participate in the inclusive process. What is your
contribution to the new process. LM: NCA is not participating in this process.
It is chaotic and a waste of resources… a waste of time and other things… You
can actually add on your own adjectives. IG: So NCA is not participating? LM:
Don’t tell me you don’t know that. As NCA we are totally opposed to the current
process. We totally reject it. Everyone in Government knows that we are not
participating. IG: Why? LM: No constitution-making process is left to
politicians. A constitution is about the people. It is people-driven. You have a
scenario where each political party is telling people what to say and you call
that a constitution? We are totally opposed to that process. A constitution ne
eds an independent commission or body comprising stakeholders from all over. The
current arrangement is that the ruling parties are running the affairs of the
committee. They are telling people what to say [Via The Herald -
state-controlled media]. Christianity and constitutional reform in Zimbabwe Opinion: Is Christianity the most practised religion in Zimbabwe? If so, does
that make Zimbabwe a Christian nation? Should Zimbabwe be declared a Christian
nation in the new co stitution or should any other religion be adopted as a
state religion? The impetus to contribute on this topic came when I was going
through the Kariba draft constitution. So far it is the only constitutional
document that has a clause asserting a religious belief. Both the NCA and the
Chidyausiku draft constitutions have no clauses linking the state to a
particular religion directly or indirectly. The preamble to the Kariba draft
opens by stating, “We acknowledge the supremacy of the Lord”. Inevitably such a
constitutional provision is bound to raise controversy and is subject to
different legal and theological interpretations and implications. In this
discussion the word Lord is applied as referring to the Christian God. The
current Zimbabwean constitution does not proclaim ‘the supremacy of the lord’
anywhere; neither does it attempt to link a particular religion to the state of
Zimbabwe [Via The Standard]. No Respite As Police Arrest Monitor Again Police on Friday arrested John Ziyera, one of the monitors shadowing the
chaotic constitution making exercise despite assurance by Constitution Select
Committee (OPAC) leaders to spare them from harassment and arrest. Ziyera, who
is a Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, Zimbabwe Election Support Network and
Zimbabwe Peace Project Independent Constitutional Monitoring Project (ZZZICOMP)
monitor was arrested and detained at Dumba Business Center, Mutasa North
Constituency where he had been monitoring a constitution making outreach
meeting. In a statement Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights whose lawyers reacted
to Ziyera’s arrest said the monitor was allegedly apprehended after the
participants in a meeting at Dumba Business Centre tried to physically attack
him as he was regarded as a foreigner in their area. Although Ziyera identified
himself as a ZZZICOMP monitor to David Chimhini, one of the COPAC team leaders,
the legislator allegedly proceeded to hand him over to the poli ce under unclear
circumstances [Via RadioVop] 25 July
2010 Film to show secret footage of constitutional debate A secret footage of the constitutional outreach programme violence and
intimidation against Movement for Democratic (MDC) supporters in Manicaland and
some parts of Zimbabwe will be shown in a film next month, according to the film
producers. There has been a wave of violence perpetrated by some secret agents
and Zanu (PF) militia in the country during the on-going outreach exercise. In
most parts of the country members from the notorious CIO and armed soldiers are
masterminding the intimidations and violence with the help of overzealous Zanu
(PF) militia and war veterans. In an interview with The Zimbabwean, the director
of the film who requested anonymity for fear of victimisation said: “We have
been shooting footages of the harassment , intimidation and violence against the
MDC supporters in some parts of the country and we want to show the whole world
the true picture of what is happening in this constitution making process. It is
horrible.” “We will show all the evide nce of how the Mugabe’s regime has been
harassing the people perceived to be MDC supporters who have the right to
exercise their views in writing of the new constitution. We will also show how
the police and judiciary system has been inept. We have harrowing images of how
some MDC supporters were beaten. I cannot divulge more information on the film,
but it will be out very soon,” he said [Via The Zimbabwean]. Why the fuss over title deeds? Finance Minister Mr Tendai Biti caused a stir during his recent Mid-Term
Fiscal Policy Review presentation after he stated that the 99-year leases issued
to newly resettled farmers could not be used as collateral and instead advocated
the recognition of title deeds. The minister faced vociferous objections from
most of the parliamentarians in attendance. Their point of contestation was
undoubtedly based on a strong desire to safeguard the interests of the new
farmer who has faced an onslaught since the inception of the land reform
programme. Just like the legislators, other embittered stakeholders are
questioning the minister’s statement, arguing that the leases should be
recognised as collateral. [...] The issue of collateral, which has been haunting
new farmers for several years, seemed to have been resolved with the issuance of
the 99-year leases. However, the banking sector continues to reject the leases
and has on many occasions forced the already hard-pressed Governm ent to dig
deep into its coffers to finance agriculture. What boggles the mind is that
these financial institutions used to accept title deeds that were issued by the
government at the time. Now, the Government has replaced the title deeds with
the 99-year leases, but still the banks won’t accept the leases, leaving the new
farmer in a quandary. Is the Government that is in power now, lesser than the
government that was in power before independence? [...] The time has come for
the banking sector to begin viewing 99-year leases as Government-approved
documents that can be used as collateral. [Via The Sunday Mail -
state-controlled media] ‘Liberation war should inspire new constitution’ Zimbabwean youths have been urged to ensure that their contributions to the
current constitution-making process consolidates the gains of the liberation
struggle. Addressing university students during a tour of the liberation war
shrine at Chikumbi Freedom Camp in Zambia last week, a Government representative
stationed at Zimbabwe’s embassy in Lusaka, Mr Ernest Munemo, said the new
constitution should be totally home-grown. “At this shrine are the remains of
dedicated sons and daughters of Zimbabwe who were massacred in the process of
liberating their beloved country from colonial bondage. “We have gone past the
physical fighting stage and our detractors are now using other means to subvert
our views and national values for their selfish gains. “In this
constitution-making process lies your history and future and you should not let
foreigners determine these for you,” he said [Via The Sunday Mail -
state-controlled media]. 26 July
2010 Zanu PF Youths on rampage in Chivi A District Administrator in Masvingo has gone into hiding fearing for his
life after he was threatened by Zanu PF militias for his contributions at a
constitutional outreach meeting at Chivi Centre. Bernard Hadzirabwi, the
District Administrator for Chivi District, is in trouble after suggesting in his
contribution that the country’s Prime Minister should have executive powers.
This did not go down well with the Zanu PF supporters and CIO agents present at
the meeting two weeks ago. According to the ZZZICOMP observers on the ground,
the Zanu PF youths on Monday, July 26, 2010, were busy organising a
demonstration against Hadzirabwi at the centre and threatened the security
guards at his offices accusing them of protecting a Movement for Democratic
Change (MDC) supporter. After receiving the threats on several occasions,
Hadzirabwi has not been reporting for duty since last week fearing for his life.
Following on the contributions from the same outreach meeting, Zanu PF Dis trict
Coordinating Committee (DCC) Chairperson Sanders Magwizi has summoned the head
of the District Development Fund (DDF) in the area Ernest Temba to his office.
It is alleged that Temba made contributions that are against Zanu PF’s views and
the Kariba Draft during a COPAC outreach meeting in the area [Via ZZZICOMP
Press Release] ZANU PF youths harass UN mission-journalists ZANU-PF activists one of them claiming to be a son of a local chief in
Bikita’s Maregere village on Thursday harassed a group of journalists who had
gone on a United Nations mission-field visit to investigate children’s issues in
the area. The middle aged man, approached journalists who were interviewing
local people and demanded that they should present themselves to him first
before talking to the community. He said no issues concerning rights of the
children were supposed to be discussed with local people who are not members of
the parliament led constitution making process. “Where are you coming from and
who gave you the permission to talk to my people without my knowledge?; which
media organizations do you work for?,” he asked, before journalists said they
were coming from the state controlled newspaper Herald and Zimbabwe Broadcasting
Corporation. Are you sure that you are all from the Herald and ZBC?, he
reiterated before a senior official from the ministry of Infor mation and
Publicity, Regis Chikowore intervened and told him that he was a government
official accompanying the journalists [Via ZimEye] 27 July
2010 Give prisoners right to speak on constitution Zimbabwean prisoners face the possibility of being sidelined during the
constitution-making process as there are no outreach programmes lined up for
inmates in the country’s penitentiaries. Last week, inmates at Harare Prison
pleaded with deputy Justice minister Obert Gutu for their voices to be heard in
the crafting of a new constitution. “We ask the honourable minister to ensure
that the Copac outreach teams also visit us so that we can make contributions
towards the crafting of the new constitution,” said Jonathan Mutsinze, a
prisoner. Mutsinze said prisoners were unhappy with delays in trying cases.
Although Copac co-chairperson, Munyaradzi Mangwana said the national policy on
Zimbabwe’s prisoners implied that they could not take part during the
constitution-making process, constitutional experts have said inmates had the
right to participate [Via NewsDay] Plight of the disabled needs attention in Zimbabwe In a country once referred to as “one of the most disability-accessible
countries in Africa”, with supposedly greater availability of friendly
disability legislation, free public transport and eligibility for government
disability allowance – one tends to wonder what hope exists for a family such as
Grace’s as systems continue to deteriorate in Zimbabwe. The country’s social
welfare department is probably at its most impoverished and demoralised at this
stage as it can hardly afford to offer any assistance to disabled and
disadvantaged children. In the not so long ago past, the ministry has paid out
monthly pittance per disabled child. Now, even that has not been forthcoming,
and in the face of this – local minibus services are unwilling to take the time
and trouble to load up children in wheelchairs. While the constitutional
outreach programme is underway, these are some of the issues that need serious
attention. Children in these circumstances are scattered all over the country; a
number of them hidden from society while many will never have a shot at normal
life because of prohibitive socio – economic and policy factors [Via
Kubatana]. Support the Kariba Draft or die In Mwenezi East, Masvingo province, one Colonel J Hungwe of Ngundu Halt,
Major Neshuro and Justice Sithole, the Zanu PF chairperson of Mwenezi District
Coordinating Committee, last week Friday forced villagers of Chingamhi Ward 5
and threatened them with death if they did not support the discredited Kariba
draft in the Constitution-making process. Hungwe was armed with an AK47 rifle
when he addressed the meeting [Via MDC Today - 27 July 2010] Rich pickings for Copac teams The constitutional outreach programme will provide rich pickings for some
participants, with those involved standing to pocket between US$2 000 and US$9
000 by the time the programme ends. Even then, some of the people involved in
the programme are demanding an increase in their allowances. At current rates,
Copac will fork out US$2,5 million in allowances for drivers, rapporteurs and
legislators. This amount excludes accommodation, meals, fuel and other
incidentals. Legislators are getting US$25 per day and for the 88 days of the
outreach, they stand to collect US$2 200 apiece. That puts the allowances bill
for the 170 legislators taking part at US$374 000. However, indications from
informed sources yesterday were that the MPs could soon be paid US$75 a day,
which they have been demanding. This means each MP will get US$6 600, bringing
their total bill to US$580 800. Rapporteurs will smile even more broadly to the
bank as they are getting US$100 per day. Each rapporteur i s in line for US$8
800, with the total outlay coming to more than US$1,8 million. Drivers of the
outreach teams have been getting the "loose change", with each one being paid
US$15 a day. With 265 cars having been hired for the programme, this amounts to
about US$350 000 [Via The Herald - state-controlled
media] The independent constitutional outreach monitoring organization, ZZZICOMP,
has reported that a District Administrator in Masvingo has gone into hiding
after being threatened by ZANU PF militias for his contributions at a meeting at
Chivi Centre. At the meeting Bernard Hadzirabwi suggested that the Prime
Minister should have executive powers. A contribution that did not go down well
with the ZANU PF supporters and CIO’s present at the meeting two weeks ago.
ZZZICOMP observers on the ground said that on Monday ZANU PF youths were
organising a demonstration against Hadzirabwi at the centre. They also
threatened security guards at his offices. Further intimidation of other
individuals has also been reported by the independent monitoring organisation.
The ZANU PF District Coordinating Committee Chairperson, Sanders Magwizi,
summoned the head of the District Development Fund in the area, Ernest Temba, to
his office. He alleged that Temba made contributions that were against ZANU PF’s
views and the Kariba Draft during a COPAC outreach meeting [...] Meanwhile, the
MDC’S national Women’s Assembly secretary, Evelyn Masaiti, has said the greatest
weapon for a new Zimbabwe is for the people to participate in the
Constitution-making outreach programme [...] An observer queried how Evelyn
Masaiti would feel about attending a constitutional outreach meeting and
speaking freely, if she was threatened with death by an army colonel wielding an
AK 47 [Via Sw Radio Africa] Resolutions of the National Constitutional Assembly NCA Strategic
Indaba The National Constitutional Assembly held its strategic planning meeting at
the Rainbow Towers Harare to refine its roadmap in the struggle for a new
genuinely people driven constitution for Zimbabwe, from the 24 to the 26th of
July 2010. 300 delegates from all the ten provinces including the National
Taskforce, Constituency leaders, provincial chairpersons attended. [...] The
Indaba, made the following resolutions: 1.That the NCA reiterates its total
rejection of the Copac process 2. In view of the obvious fact that the COPAC
process cannot produce a democratic and people driven constitution, the NCA is
intensifying its campaign for a NO VOTE should a referendum be called. This
campaign cannot wait for the content of the COPAC draft as it is clear that the
politicians in the GPA are not interested in producing a democratic constitution
for Zimbabwe. 3.The campaign will be under the Take Charge banner and will
include extensive grassroots civic education, public meetings, road shows and
demonstrations 4. The main purpose for this campaign is to subject the
constitution making process in Zimbabwe to public scrutiny with a view to
entrenching the principle that constitutions are made by and for the people.
5.that the NCA will continue to be bound by the resolutions of historical
positions and processes that the organisation has participated in, these include
resolutions of the National Working People’s Convention, 1st and 2nd People’s
Constitutional Convention, the Zimbabwe People’s Charter [Via NCA Press
Release] 28 July
2010 Zimbabwe Xhosas to boycott constitutional process if not in their
language Zimbabwe’s Xhosa community in Matabeleland North’s Mbembesi have threatened
to boycott the constitutional outreach programme if it was not conducted in
their language. Members of the Xhosa community said although there were
similarities between Ndebele and their language, certain nuances in theirs gave
different shades of meanings to some words and expressions. Copac co-chairperson
Mr Edward Mkhosi said this was an attempt to cause unnecessary problems [...]
"It is a complication in itself. We can not split ourselves that far at this
point because it is not of help to anyone,"said Mr Mkhosi. "In those areas the
Ndebele language is done at primary and secondary school and quite a number of
Xhosa speaking people are doing well in the subjects hence their argument is
very weak. I have spoken with the chief-designate, Dr Neville Ndondo, over the
matter. He seems to be trying to create a problem that he cannot solve himself
because the constitution is not about language but how people want to be
governed."Asked what Copac would do in the event that the Xhosa community lives
up to its threat, Mr Mkhosi said they would deal with that if it happened
[Via ZimDiaspora]. ‘Practise what is law’ — lawyer A constitutional law expert yesterday blasted Zimbabwean authorities for
crafting laws that they never adhere to. Greg Linnington, a constitutional law
writer and political science lecturer at the University of Zimbabwe, said even
if Copac were to come up with very good content in the new constitutional draft,
as long as politicians chose not to follow the rules enshrined in it, the whole
efforts of making a new constitution would be useless. “As a country, we need to
develop a culture of constitutionalism so that people respect the constitution,”
said Linington. “The whole process of developing a culture of constitutionalism
is where people practise what is in their constitution.” Linington said Zimbabwe
had several instances where the legislation enshrined in the constitution were
ignored for political expediency. “We were supposed to have a set number of
Cabinet ministers and there was actually a ceiling to that number. However, that
issue was ignored and now the number of ministers has increased,” Linington
said. He said the text of the constitution was supposed to be respected,
otherwise all the money and time being put into the whole exercise of
constitution-making would go to waste if people were to continue breaking the
laws that they craft [Via NewsDay]. People driven constitution remains a pipe dream Zanu (PF) is using war veterans to throw spanners into the works of the
Constitutional Parliamentary Select Committee (Copac) in its public
consultations on the proposed new constitution in order to frustrate the
committee’s progress, it has emerged. A high placed source in the provincial
party structures informed this paper that chances of having a people driven
constitution remained a pie in the sky since the Zanu (PF) party leaders were
busy holding meetings with war veterans and militia at provincial level to
frustrate the committee’s work. The source said the plan was to convince war
veterans and militia to mobilise people in their respective districts to refuse
any constitutional changes by threatening them that any form of cooperation will
jeopardise their ownership of farms they obtained through the infamous Robert
Mugabe land grab. “The party leadership is meeting with war veterans to mobilise
Zanu( PF) supporters at district level throughout the country against a dapting
a new people driven constitution. Villagers are also being forced to support the
Zanu (PF) policies and are told to reject the new constitution. “People are
warned that doing so will only help them preserve their pieces of land they were
given during the land reform programme. “Soldiers have been incorporated in the
plan as well,” said the source. [Via The Zimbabwean]. Devolution 'global best practice': Mutambara Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara says that devolution of power is
“global best practice”, but warns against fundamentalists advocating total
cessation from Zimbabwe. Speaking in London on Saturday night, Mutambara backed
calls for the devolution of power to the regions – saying opponents of the idea
were using scare-tactics and unhelpful labelling. “Zimbabweans must be
open-minded and not shoot down a good idea. When an idea comes out, it should
never be labelled as a Matabeleland, Mashonaland or Masvingo issue. Devolution
is global best practice, and America is a perfect example of successful
devolution,” Mutambara told a public meeting at the Lumen Reform Church in
central London. Devolution of power is one of the central themes in debates
taking place around the country as Zimbabwe embarks on a process to write a new
constitution. Devolution’s most fervent advocates are in the south-western parts
of the country which perennially complain of neglect from central go vernment,
and with some justification, Mutambara said [Via New Zimbabwe]. Copac outreach teams threaten to strike over allowances Technicians attached to Constitution Select Committee (Copac) outreach teams
in Matabeleland South and Bulawayo provinces have threatened to go on strike
because of non-payment of their allowances and other unresolved technical and
welfare matters. The seven technicians yesterday wrote a letter addressed to
both provincial offices and copied to the three Copac chairpersons detailing the
challenges they were facing. They complained that they work hungry, have not
been given enough batteries or equipment to store data. All of them have not
been accredited, a situation they said put their personal security at risk
[Via The Chronicle - state-controlled media]. We have a
fundamental right to freedom of expression!
Sokwanele : 28 July
2010
Reports continue to emerge from Zimbabwe's
constitutional revision outreach process that alleged state security agents are
intimidating members of the public and monopolizing meetings intended to solicit
comment from Zimbabweans as to what they would like to see in the country's new
basic document, especially in Mashonaland West province. Sources in the
provincial capital of Chinhoyi said state agents on motorbikes and in cars
without number plates are going from meeting to meeting, dominating discussions
and taking notes of comments by members of the public. Co-Chairman Douglas
Mwonzora of the parliamentary select committee in charge of constitutional
revision says his panel has noted the complaints and has been investigating. He
declined to report findings to date [Via VOA News].
Political Tension Rises in Zimbabwe Over Pro-Mugabe
Songs on State Radio & TV
Zanu PF COPAC members bar police from arresting Zanu
PF youths
More intimidation reported at constitutional outreach
meetings